Embrace the Within no. 205

“But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8 CSB).

I have faced and unlearned many “pointless and silly myths” in the last thirty years. So many “pointless and silly myths” for which I once waved a sky cloth and marched supporting and wrote articles and essays and speeches defending. Nothing has helped me abandon “pointless and silly myths” more than my struggle against fear.

I was struggling with complex problems in a world full of answers. The problem was that none of these answers were complete. The answers were approximations and attempts at recreating what God had already perfected. And I was searching for a group that was without its hypocrites, without its fools, without its condemnation. BUT none of those were ever going to exist. Nothing perfect is created by man and nothing with people is going to be absent of imperfection. What I needed was a relationship more than philosophy or politics. I needed faith. Faith is action. Hope is my confidence. Courage is choosing to change.

And I found what had alluded me my first go around in churches when I sat down and read The Bible for myself. When I got back into nature and started working with the earth. When I sat down, stood still, or layed down and prayed. “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 CSB).

There are many “pointless and silly myths” out there that hinder us from seeing God as He is. And all of those “pointless and silly myths” distract us from our main intention. Those “pointless and silly myths” remain in the hearts of Christians and sinners alike because they are part of our human culture. Some folks even look at our belief as “pointless and silly” BUT those of us that are living in His Spirit know better. We know that only through Him does life become something that is no longer “pointless and silly”.

You have a testimony to the greatness of what God is doing today. I have a testimony of the greatness of what God is doing today. And rather than hide that testimony, we need to share that through our faith. And faith is an action that we express in our choices, our words, and our actions daily. We need to set aside what is “pointless and silly” and get about, “. . . the work of God — that you believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29 CSB). We need to take the invitation of Jesus when He instructed, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 CSB). And we need to remember His instructions that “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all” (Mark 9:35 CSB).

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

Embrace the Within no. 204

“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. By these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins” (2 Peter 1:3-9 CSB).

I don’t know about you, brothers and sisters, BUT I am not going to be an angry, judgmental, condemning Christian. I just do not have a place for that within me and, most importantly, the Ruach HaKodesh does not have a place for that within me.

I didn’t look to become a Christian when I started this journey over three years ago. Honestly, I had given up on churches and church people because there were too many angry, judgmental, and condemning hypocrites within its walls and professing belief in Him. I was tired and annoyed of those people when I was going to church. I was tired and annoyed of those people when I was attending church and being an angry, judgmental, and condemning sinner. I was tired and annoyed with them when I wasn’t attending church and being an angry, judgmental, and condemning sinner. And now that I am back as part of His Church, I still have little patience for those that are angry, judgmental, and condemning. And maybe there is still some anger, judgment, and condemnation left inside of me. He is working on that.

God gives a “very great and precious” gift in His promise to us that, “. . . while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:8-10 CSB). And because of that gifts, I get to experience all the, “ . . . goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” It so echoes of the gifts of the Spirit, “. . . is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things” (Galatians 5:22-23).

I need all those gifts to share Him with the world as an Ambassador of His Kingdom. “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I need those things to bear fruit. Just like Jesus said during the Sermon on the Mount, “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:15-20 CSB).

It’s amazing how I don’t start out in the Sermon on the Mount BUT I always seem to end right back there. I spend a lot of time circling right back there. “The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.” What fruit are you producing?

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH