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