Embrace the Within no. 110

"If we live a life of prayer, God is present everywhere."

Oliver Holden

God wants us to be better, however, all too often we choose to be the same. And that is why prayer is important. I need to keep God near and dear to me throughout my days and nights. I need to know His voice in a world full of distractions and destructions. And it is far too easy to start making my own covenants and my own concessions and my own path rather than trusting in His Word and His Way.

And we can see it all around us. So many folks have wrong or no doctrine. So many heathens are out there digging up dead rituals and worshipping dead idols. So many folks are doctrinally wrong because of a spiritual illiteracy that leads them to read the Bible for justification rather than instruction. BUT studying His Word and listening to His voice are the only cures for our own ego getting in the way of His Way.

And He answered, My presence shall go with thee, and I will giue thee rest.

Exodus 33:14 GNV

The great promise of God is that I do follow His Way, then He will be with me. I can rest in His peace. If I am struggling against God, there will be no lasting peace.

My pride will always cause me to believe that I have better answers than God when that is never the case. I need to know God well. And that only comes from spending time with Him and building a relationship with Him. I can’t get there on my own. I need to do as He wills and not as I will. And that means a lot more time learning about Him and a lot less time doing what the world wants.

But the Scripture offereth more grace, and therefore sayth, God resisteth the proude, and giueth grace to the humble. Submit your selues to God: resist the deuill, and he will flee from you. Drawe neere to God, and he will drawe neere to you. Clense your handes, ye sinners, and purge your hearts, ye double minded. Suffer afflictions, and sorrowe ye, and weepe: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your ioy into heauinesse. Cast downe your selues before the Lord, and he will lift you vp.

James 4:6-10 GNV

If we seek the Lord, we will find Him. And even if we don’t seek Him, we will still see Him there. We only need to start taking the steps to live in His Way to truly enjoy all the grace and abundance He has to offer. I need to want Him as much as He wants me.

“Throughout the history of humanity, there have been great discoveries. I am not sure which one we could point to and say, ‘That is the greatest discovery in the world.’ But for the hungry heart, there is but one discovery that satisfies it: the discovery of the manifest, conscious presence of God.”

James L. Snyder

Grace and Shalom this week. Shalom to your home. Bless your being. The reign of the Lord is now. Be a blessing to the Lord and others.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

Embrace the Within no. 109

“Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].”

Matthew 5:3 AMP

Salvation is not a call for me to be arrogant. Salvation is a call for my service. Quite often I can look at other image bearers of God and feel in a better situation because of grace when I should really be looking to use that grace to make better their situation. And the latter needs to happen a lot more in my life.

“What happiness comes to you when you feel your spiritual poverty! For yours is the realm of heaven’s kingdom.”

Matthew 5:3 TPT

When I begin to realize that my salvation is not just a gift for me BUT a gift for all around me, then I can find happiness in sharing that gift. Too often I take a step back when I should take a step forward. Too often I feel it isn’t my place to interject God’s gift of salvation into the lives of people that really need to hear. I need to be that reminder of God’s great news by my thoughts, my words, and my actions daily.

Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen.

Matthew 5:3 GNV

Servitude to others is how I show the Kingdom here on earth. Ambassadors of God’s Kingdom are not out to prove their superiority BUT rather to take a lesser role, a servant’s role. Just as Christ humbled and served humanity in His life death, and resurrection, so I need to serve other image bearers in my life, death, and hope of resurrection in Christ.

“Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) are the humble in Spirit [Ruach], for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”

Matthew 5:3 NMV

So, today and every day I need to not look at my gift from God as something to be lorded over others like the pagans would do. I need to not look at power as something to acquire for my own glory. I need to look at position as a means to bringing others the blessings of God. I need to look at the gifts I am granted as an opportunity to share with others. Adopting a servant’s mind, a servant’s heart, and a servant’s role in my life is an important first step in grounding my thoughts, words, and deeds in the Way of the Lord.

“How blessed are the poor in spirit!

for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

Mattiyahu 5:3 CJB

Grace and Shalom this week. Shalom to your home. Bless your being. The reign of the Lord is now. Be a blessing to the Lord and others.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH