Serve One Another in Love no. 21

“Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy. And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds, not neglecting our own congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather, encouraging each other. And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Messianic Jews (Heb) 10:23-25). God is trustworthy and we need to show our allegiance to Him by encouraging each other. God is always the same. He is who He says He is. He does not change. We are the ones who change. And we should change through encouragement.

All too often we are ready to point out the speck in the eye of someone else. Too often we want to play the role of judge and sit on our thrones. Too often we lake the grace and mercy and love to encourage each other. And a lot of that has to do with the congregation we attend because no matter how fiercely independent we think we are, the influence of those around us is extremely important in forming who we are.

I think that reason alone is an important reason why some Christians do not attend church. There are some toxic church environments out there that they want to avoid for the sake of their own faith. I am by no means endorsing not gathering together. God is all about community. And I am in no way saying that you are going to find a perfect church because I have yet to find that either. Churches are filled with just as many broken people as any other building. The point is that those broken people at the church should be working on encouraging each other.

So, if the church isn’t fostering an atmosphere of encouragement, say something. If saying something doesn’t change the atmosphere, then find a church that is encouraging. I think we far too often want to grumble and complain about a problem rather than being active in change. And sometimes that means I have to change the people I am around. As a shirt I wear often says, “You can’t change the people around you but you can change the people around you.” I am an advocate for attending a church near in proximity and a church that is near in heart to Jesus. Of those two things, the second is most important. Churches can be toxic just like we can be toxic. BUT we also have to be active in creating change. Jesus did not wait for the world to change. He was the change. Go out and be the change too by encouraging rather than condemning. Build each other up rather than looking for fault to tear each other down. Bring His light into the world one encouraging word at a time.

Serve His Kingdom by serving one another in love.

Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #SeekFirstTheKingdom #ServeOneAnotherIn Love #NotMyWayYHWH

Serve One Another in Love no. 20

“This is why he had to become like his brothers in every respect — so that he might become a merciful and faithful cohen gadol in the service of God, making a kapparah for the sins of the people. For since he himself suffered death when he was put to the test, he is able to help those who are being tested now” (Messianic Jews (Heb) 2:17-18). Jesus had to become like His brothers. He had to become humans like us in every way. Becoming one of us and walking this life made Him a merciful and faithful high priest for us. Being a human allowed Jesus to be a role model for us. He was tested in order to help those of us undergoing challenges and problems and situations and struggles. He is our role model.

I am not saying you need a poster of Jesus hanging on your bedroom wall like a teenager BUT there ought to be a sign that Jesus is your role model. And being your role model should shape how you go about your life. We all probably had a role model in whatever activity we pursued in our youth and we may even have role models today. We tried to do anything we could to be like those people so we could have the worldly success and honor and glory they had achieved. How much more should we want to have the spiritual success and honor and glory that follows in service to Jesus?

Too often we do things that are very un-Jesus and that is sometimes because we are surrounded by broken people doing very worldly things in the name of Jesus. Sometimes it is just because we choose to be very un-Jesus. Sometimes it is because we don’t know how to be more like Jesus. So, if I want to be like Jesus, if I want Him to be my role model, I kind of have to learn more about Him. When I had my role models, I wasn’t taking the word of other people what they were like. I was watching and reading interviews and studying what they did to make them a success. I apply those same skills to Jesus. And The Bible is a great place to start. And right now is a great time to start. 

We can’t be like someone we know very little about. And with folks fighting over putting Christ into Christmas like they do every year in the past nearly five decades of my life, instead let’s put Christ into us. How about a plan to read The Bible? And I mean all of it. Start a book at a time. Read the New Testament first? Read the shorter books? BUT make a plan to read the whole Bible? Maybe even read some of those apocrypha because that’s edgy and spooky and scares some folks? You do you on that. 

How about spend some time meditating on what you read? Think about how what you are reading applied to the people inside The Bible. Think about how that reading applies to your life today. How does The Bible teach you wisdom? Look at how the stories help shape a bigger view of the world for then and now.

How about spend some time in prayer? Make a little time to talk to God about what you are learning. Ask Him for guidance and help in your walk. He is there to help because He was one of us. And He is able to help.

How about spend some time in communion? Find some folks that are also learning about Jesus and hang out with them. Talk about what you are learning and bounce some ideas off them. A lot of folks like to do this in the safety of churches BUT there are plenty of folks out there that are understanding and struggling with these same issues of how to live an honest and virtuous life. Some of them are doing this and are totally oblivious to how much Jesus can help. 

It doesn’t take much to take Jesus as a role model seriously. BUT it does take changing your way of thinking. And that is what repentance is all about. Changing your mind. Courage is choosing to change and I pray we all find the courage to be more like Jesus. And that all starts with knowing Him better.    

Serve His Kingdom by serving one another in love.

Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #SeekFirstTheKingdom #ServeOneAnotherIn Love #NotMyWayYHWH