Embrace the Within no. 25

“God, you are my righteousness, my Champion Defender.

Answer me when I cry for help!

Whenever I was in distress, you enlarged me.

I’m being squeezed again—I need your kindness right away!

Grant me your grace, hear my prayer, and set me free!

Listen to me, you elite among men:

How long will you defame my honor

and drag it down into shame?

Will you ever stop insulting me?

How long will you set your heart on shadows,

chasing your lies and delusions?

May we never forget that Yahweh works wonders

for every one of his devoted lovers.

And this is how I know that he will answer my every prayer.

Tremble in awe before the Lord, and do not sin against him.

Be still upon your bed and search your heart before him.

Bring to Yahweh the sacrifice of righteousness and put your trust in

him.

Lord, prove them wrong when they say, “God can’t help you!”

Let the light of your radiant face

break through and shine upon us!

The intense pleasure you give me

surpasses the gladness of harvest time,

even more than when the harvesters

gaze upon their ripened grain

and when their new wine overflows.

Now, because of you, Lord, I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at

once,

for no matter what happens, I will live unafraid!”

Psalms 4 TPT

Where is the wise man (philosopher)? Where is the scribe (scholar)? Where is the debater (logician, orator) of this age? Has God not exposed the foolishness of this world’s wisdom? For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior]. For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. [This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].

1 Corinthians 1:20-25 AMP

It took me a while to figure out that I was not alone.

Fourteen days ago that seems like an eternity now, I started this process of getting healthier out of fear of what the government could do. I was afraid that my family would not eat because things could get locked down and shut down. I was afraid because my supply chain was not local. I was afraid because my health was not at all what I thought it was. So, I began this journey during those fourteen days and those fourteen days continue to govern my path forward.

I am definitely regarded as being foolish or crazy. That has been a burden for the bulk of my life. The chastisement and judgment of others for doing what is principled and right even without being a true follower of Christ. After walking my journey of the past fourteen days and getting myself physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy, I have found that the weird and foolish thoughts of decades were the path to get me away from worrying about the thoughts of people and more focused on my relationship with the Father through Christ. I started looking for a church that I liked better than the one in which I was raised. That search then led to a replacement for Christianity which led me through many paths of philosophy and politics. It led me outside mainstream thought and worry about the world of folks. And it led me to sovereignty of self. I was responsible for all my choices. And the first choice I was going to make in this new journey was to not be afraid of the circumstances of life. I was no longer going to outsource my freedom.

So, that led to me taking my whole nephesh seriously. I started a routine of working out every morning. I replaced my drinks with salted water. I replaced my processed foods with identifiable creations of nature. I started a garden. I started moving that garden into a whole sustainable venture with rabbits and chickens. I began blogging my thoughts as I worked the process all devoid of spiritual health. And then, one day, as I was walking this path of getting healthy, God just clicked. I had been spending my time not really giving the God of my youth a chance. I thought back on how I was really ignorant of The Bible while growing up for years with one in my possession. I was really ignorant of a lot of what was in the scripture because I had treated God like a Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night activity and not a way of life. And my spiritual health began with adding a detailed and organized routine of actually reading and studying scripture every day. That started with a commitment to read everything from Genesis through Revelations. That process has expanded to my completing the additional books included in Ethiopian and Catholic versions as I continue a new organization of completing the remainder of the scripture.

And all of this was never possible on my own because I was never alone. God was there from the beginning. Not just the beginning of the fourteen days, not just the beginning of my life, BUT always there at the beginning of everything. And it was through God that I could walk this path of physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. God was allowing me to prove that it was my nephesh and my choice. My personal responsibility for my family and my fear for what might happen led to action on principles. Those principles, though secular in their formation, were ultimately spiritual in their destination. The mysterious ways things work through God.

Some of my routine is derailed right now with the swelling in my knee BUT the path of these past fourteen days is never getting off the tracks. My journey looks foolish and crazy to the world. I ride a tricycle to the farmer’s market and churches around my house. I have worked on simplifying things to my community. I have worked on getting a better relationship as a steward of what God has granted me. A better steward of myself as an image bearer and a better steward of the nature I am trusted to work. It’s been an interesting fourteen days. And through this journey it would be easy for my old self to look at what I have done. I know that the only reason I could do any of those things, the only reason that I could change my focus, the only reason that I am not afraid, the only reason for all those things is that God took away my fear and replaced it with trust. And through God, I get to work God’s plan for my life. I get to work God’s truth and wisdom. And that may look foolish to others BUT it works great for God and me.

Peace to your home. Bless your being. The reign of God is now. Have the day you want. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #MyNepheshMyChoice #MakeYourselfGreatAgain #EmbracetheWithin