People are Not Easy to Love no. 37

“On hearing this, they were stung in their hearts; and they said to Kefa and the other emissaries, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Kefa answered them, ‘Turn from sin, return to God, and each of you be immersed on the authority of Yeshua the Messiah into forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh ! For the promise is for you, for your children, and for those far away — as many as Adonai our God may call’” (Acts of Emissaries of Yeshua (Act) 2:37-39)! Peter doesn’t say that they need to say a sinner’s prayer and everything will be alright. Peter does not say to get your doctrine all sorted out and you will be good. Peter does not say to join a church and make certain to tithe. Peter says turn from sin, return to God, and receive the Spirit. Folks are not easy to love because they are looking for easy solutions that require little work.

The second I say anything about works folks will jump up and shout about grace. Be prepared. BUT I am going to be judged by my works, “'But by your stubbornness, by your unrepentant heart, you are storing up anger for yourself on the Day of Anger, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed; for he will pay back each one according to his deeds” (Romans (Rom) 2:5-6). And it is important that I get this important part, this fundamental part of becoming a Christian right from the beginning. I need to turn from sin and return to God. Those are actions I need to accomplish. Those are the beginning of a journey that lead me to walk in His Way. BUT the journey does not end there because I then receive the Ruach HaKodesh as a gift to help me walk in His Way. And walking in His Way is full of deeds and works and everything else.

Grace is important because without grace I could not turn from my sins and return to God. Grace creates His Way to Him. BUT works are the basis for my turning from sin and following Him. And He promises to be with us in that walk.

“I have taken you from the ends of the earth,

summoned you from its most distant parts

and said to you, ‘You are my servant’ —

I have chosen you, not rejected you.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you;

don’t be distressed, for I am your God.

I give you strength, I give you help,

I support you with my victorious right hand”

(Yesha 'yahu (Isa) 41:9-10).

So, instead of getting folks to say a little prayer to make ourselves feel better, maybe we should be doing what we can to help people see discipleship? And discipleship entails working for His Kingdom. And His Kingdom is shown through the Spirit and its gifts, “'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things” (Galatians (Gal) 5:22-23).

So, as for me, I am going to work for His Kingdom. “Then Yeshua told his talmidim , ‘If anyone wants to come after me, let him say ‘No’ to himself, take up his execution-stake, and keep following me. For whoever wants to save his own life will destroy it, but whoever destroys his life for my sake will find it. What good will it do someone if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or, what can a person give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come in his Father’s glory, with his angels; and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct’” (Mattityahu (Mat) 16:24-27).

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

People are Not Easy to Love no. 36

“For if we were reconciled with God through his Son’s death when we were enemies, how much more will we be delivered by his life, now that we are reconciled” (Romans (Rom) 5:10)! God loved us even when we did not love Him. He loves us when we are at odds with Him. He loves us when we are fighting against Him. And we are to love each other in the same manner. I am to love those that do not love me. I am to love the folks who have problems with me. I am to love the folks that are fighting against me. Some folks are not easy to love because they cannot love their enemies.

It’s a lot easier to love Jesus than Judas. BUT being a follower of Jesus means loving Judas. It means loving the folks with whom we do not agree. And loving them in a radically different way than folks are used to loving. I always go back to the Sermon on the Mount and the explanation of ‘Thou shall not kill’ as, “But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing!’ will be brought before the Sanhedrin ; that whoever says, ‘Fool!’ incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:22)! And that love should be shown through service to our enemies, “But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:39-42). And Jesus continues with the idea of loving our enemies just like He loved and loves us, “But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Mattityahu (Mat) 5:44-48).

So, stop with the hate, the pride, the anger, the enmity, the bickering, the fighting, and get into His love. There is nothing radical about being like the Goyim. The Goyim are angry and divisive and rude and arrogant and selfish . . . We are to be as Him, “'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things” (Galatians (Gal) 5:22-23).

Am I showing His Kingdom or being a Goyim?

Grace and Shalom to your home.

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

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH