Cleaning Up - Day 24

 The first and ongoing work of spiritual life is taking responsibility for ones condition. The word of the lord thusly declares Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. That the book in Hebrews 4. I am tried and found wanting because I have rather than ran TO the throne of grace and I have ran FROM it. This indicative of lack of understanding and truth as it regard my faith in Christ and his work at the cross. The day before I dealt with this idea of penance vs repentance. Now I am struggling with this notion of grace that allows me the space to sin and take off. My definition of love or rather how God loves me does not call that grace it calls that mercy. But alas it is grace,  the precious spirit of the Lord calls out to me when I sin , fail or run to come back to him and accept this free gift he gave of salvation and repentance. I know it is Him working in me to will and to do of his good pleasure I have seen enough my ways played to know when I have painted the same path way of escape and failure.

The Lord spoke through my brother and through this meditation this morning (https://encounteringpeace.libsyn.com/pathtothekingdom) and constantly encouraging me to continue to move forward in Him. I love the fact that sometimes the Lord word can be read in different translation saying the same thing and I hear something different.

But before I get into that I did a study of the VOTD.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

This is what I came out with. The love of world has to do with pursuit of and John identifies if the love the world is in the man by three factors, eyes, flesh and pride. These are all external and high value is place of these things Matt 6:33 draws a stark contrast that though some of these things are in common they are but for a means to an end. My desires for how I look, what I want to eat and even where I live are consider light work and the father has these things in mind...' he know my need for these things'. The call for the believer is seek after God and his way not after the things. It is a world system to seek after the things, not need them but seek them as if God himself sent you to this earth without any desire to provide for you.

Both scripture call for immediate repentance because we can fall into the pit and just slap his name on it. The heart I believe is found  in the word love....John hint at in his retort ( Love of the Father) and Matthew  ( The Father Knows) he even goes to record Jesus words saying 'if we being evil know how to give our children good gifts....'.  Which bring me to my point now.

But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

The breakout point that stood out to me which gave me cause of pause.

-  SEEK. AIM. STRIVE

- His Way of doing and being right, Attitude and Character of God

What is powerful about this to me is that this amplified version seem to point at how active the believer must be in his walk with God.

Get S.A.S.sy with it!

The part that knocked me was the latter portion his way of doing and being right in attitude and character. I watched a long time ago a documentary about what living out our call to the kingdom looks like in real time. The person said something that I didn't agree with but I do now. He says " Everything you do has got be sold out to this purpose. You cannot choose a career that does not allow you to build God's kingdom."  My father was pastor of a church at the time and he was working a job that didn't have anything to do with the kingdom. I figured peoples ministry happens on their free time. He kept going an explained that the amount of free time being spent doing ministry averages less than an hour in a week or so. The more dedicated people is 3 -4. He said again something I didn't agree ' the lack in the kingdom comes from people not selling out to God work.' How do you suppose people pay their bills.

Until now.

I missed his overarching point in my disagreeing. He was not advocating that we quit our 9-5s to go do ministry in the street with no way to pay our bills. Rather what he was saying is that the opportunities for ministry are within the sphere of influence you already have. He was saying that we should be looking for the person God placed us in the space to impact for his will and his glory to fulfill the great commission. See the work and recreation and the field and harvest that God has positioned you to get.

He said 

I am going to restore you. I am going to bring you to full strength.

The businesses that I have crafted from mine own experiences exist soles to serve the community and become the bedrock of opportunity for House of Hope to come forth in the community. The businesses have the potential to make no only enough money for me and my family do well without having to work for anyone else but they have enough potential grow and expand to employ community members and become the space of growth.

Prayer

Many of the things I have seen dreamt many years ago you are bring full circle. The next steps ahead are huge and intimidating but that's how I know its you.  You gave me a heart of  people and desire to serve my community and it has been my folly and ambition to keep separating the two and no such place has to be so because of you. So then I ask you to lead me in the path allows me space to do business your way to give my children a hope and future and operate in the earth like you. I can finally see how you are weaving these things together. I am asking that you forgive me of my sin of lust and pornography and I am commit to doing your will regardless of my own feelings and I accept the free gift of your grace and repentance. Only that you take my heart and seal it for your courts that I might be blameless before you now and in the future.