Embrace the Within no. 99

"It’s almost too limiting to say that we “celebrate”… Christmas. We stare dumbstruck, lost in wonder, love, and praise… God being born into our world."

Timothy Keller

Division. I am not concerned about the division between Christ and the world. I should naturally be divided from the ways of the world as I follow the Way of the Lord. What has always and continues to concern my walk is the division Christians have with each other over their own agendas. The division is not over sound doctrine. The division is over personal agendas.

I have to admit. When I came to the Lord, I had a personal agenda. Anyone exiting the way of the world has a lot of baggage that comes with all the concerns the world brings. I had political, philosophical, psychological, social and economic baggage that came from years of walking in the way of the world. And I didn’t drop that baggage overnight and become a totally new creature immediately. Honestly, God is still working on me on a lot of things.

And there are so many divisions in the churches today that it makes my heart sick. And there are many more divisions when folks don’t go to church and ignore the gathering together for fellowship. Fellowship and congregation is extremely important. I can read alone, I can study alone, and I can pray alone, BUT I need other people to keep me grounded in reality. I have to understand that just because I have a thought does not mean that thought is from God no matter how much it agrees with my agenda. I have to check my thoughts against the Word of the Lord and against His Church.

A lot of division comes from ignoring the filter I have for thoughts. And that filter is the Word. I need to pour my thoughts into the Bible rather than pouring them into the world. If the Bible does not support my thought, then I need to let it go. And I know we all have a difficult time with that. But listening to thoughts that divide us from the mission of Christ and separate us from the Church never helps.

When I take my eyes of Jesus and put my eyes on the world, I begin to sink into the world again. And I don’t think any of us really want to sink. BUT I do think we take our eyes off the goals of Christ and put our eyes on our own agenda. And that is the unhealthy type of division. That is the division of Christians against the Way of the Lord. And that is the division we all need to fix.

So, I encourage you and I to not neglect the council of others. If you don’t have a brother or sister to bounce your ideas off, then feel at liberty to bounce them off me. I am lucky enough to have brothers and a sister to bounce ideas off BUT I am always willing to take on more.

“So welcome each other, just as the Messiah has welcomed you into God’s glory. For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the Jewish people in order to show God’s truthfulness by making good his promises to the Patriarchs, and in order to show his mercy by causing the Gentiles to glorify God — as it is written in the Tanakh,

‘Because of this I will acknowledge you among the Gentiles

and sing praise to your name.’

And again it says,

‘Gentiles, rejoice with his people.’

And again,

‘Praise Adonai, all Gentiles!

Let all peoples praise him!’

And again, Yesha‘yahu says,

‘The root of Yishai will come,

he who arises to rule Gentiles;

Gentiles will put their hope in him.’”

Romans 15:7-12 CJB

Grace and Shalom to your 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 #MyNepheshMyChoice #ChristsLifeMatters #EmbracetheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH #GodKnows

Embrace the Within no. 98

“If [God] does not show Himself, nothing you can do will enable you to find Him.”

C. S. Lewis

Jesus said to him, “Your repentance shows that today life [As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek text is “salvation.” Notice that Jesus describes himself as both “life” and “Son of Man.” He is both divine and human.] has come to you and your household, and that you are a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man has come to seek out and to give life to those who are lost.” [This is a quotation taken from Ezek. 34:16. Notice that Jesus describes himself as both “life” and “Son of Man.” He is both divine and human.]

Luke 19:9-10 TPT

“I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bandage the crippled, and strengthen the weak and the sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong [who have become hard-hearted and perverse]. I will feed them with judgment and punishment."

Ezekiel 34:16 AMP

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able for this, because He considered me faithful and trustworthy, putting me into service [for this ministry], even though I was formerly a blasphemer [of our Lord] and a persecutor [of His church] and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor [toward believers]. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief. The grace of our Lord [His amazing, unmerited favor and blessing] flowed out in superabundance [for me, together] with the faith and love which are [realized] in Christ Jesus [An unusual clause used only five times in the NT. See also 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8]. This is a faithful and trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance and approval, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example or pattern for those who Or were destined to believe.would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:12-17 AMP

Adonai,

There is so much for which to be thankful. And for all those things for which I am thankful, You deserve the glory. You allow this great creation to exist. You create a path through the way of the world to salvation. You have known me from the beginning. You know my walk this side of eternity and my walk beyond.

I embrace being an ambassador for your Kingdom. Let me walk as a better ambassador for Your Kingdom this week than the week before. Help me walk in the Way of the Lord better each day. I give You the authority to lead with Your Way and Truth and not my way each day.

I pray for those that are struggling with physical, mental, and spiritual suffering. Help them find Your reassuring Spirit. Bring them peace and comfort. I pray that Your grace and forgiveness fall upon them as they work out Your Truth.

I pray for those uncertain of the future. Those that are worrying about the situations and obstacles created in the way of the world. Help them to see that there is a Way that You provide through this broken and fallen world of humans. Give them the peace and joy that comes from Your Grace.

Forgive me for my failures. As I work out Your path this side of eternity, I am not perfect. I am working each day to become a better ambassador of Your Kingdom BUT I don’t, none of us, have it all worked out. I stumble, I fail, and I fall BUT You keep allowing me time to work out your salvation through grace and peace. And I am thankful for that patience. That even though I fail You quite often, You do not stop working on making me better.

Allow me to forgive both myself and others for failing. Often I set unrealistic expectations for myself and the lives of others. We are only saved by Your grace and I can only work within the limitations of my understanding. Allow me the Wisdom and Truth to walk more in Your Way.

As I move forward with the ending of this week and the promise of a new week ahead, I ask that You look over my community. I pray for Your Church and all those that work for your glory in my community. I pray that Your Church is strengthened with resolve and commitment to spreading your love and grace to all in the community. I pray that you pour out more blessings for Your Church and a Spirit of revival fills the Church with more love than they can hold. Help us all to live a life that is a beacon to those in our community and help my words and actions be a blessing to Your glory. Help me and those I meet along the way to see Your vision of the world to come, Your Truth in all those interactions. In all this I ask that it is Your way and not my way.

Hear, O Israel: YHWH, our Elohim is One! And I will love and worship and thank and praise my YHWH, my Elohim with all my nephesh!

Amen.

Shavua shalom. Shalom to your home. Bless your being. The reign of YHWH is now. Be a blessing to YHWH and others.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #NoKingButChrist #MyNepheshMyChoice #ChristsLifeMatters #EmbracetheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH #GodKnows