Rotting Beauty

I have to post this because it really freaked me out. Last night before bed I was reading some of Jesus's last teachings. He talked about how the religious leaders/pharisees were like beautiful moratoriums with dried rotting bones inside. They loved following the Jewish law but totally ignored these three things: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He went so far as to call them "Vipers" which I'd assume is another word for Satan or the devil.

 Last night I dreamt that I was turned into a witch by a very beautiful witch leader. We had these cool powers and such but she was dark and bitter. I asked her if I could still get pregnant and she laughed because now we were rotting on the inside/womb was dead but still beautiful on the outside

. It just hit home what I had read and how on the outside we can have everything together, know every bible verse, do good works, be convinced that we are incredibly wise/intelligent but without being born with a new heart then we are dead inside. 

Love is transformational and I think that was Jesus's message. The Gospel is good news because Jesus said I WILL DIE so that You can live and have a new spirit. Not one of greed and self righteousness  but true righteousness through God. 

He made this available to all people in the world, not just the Jews or "chosen" people. Religion is mostly specific to a cultural group but his love is for all and the price has already been paid. You can't earn His love through prayer 5x a day, through sacrifice, or abstaining from eating beef/pork, or making shrines. 

Micah 6:8 is one of my favorite verses from the Old Testament: and what does The Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. 

Jesus gives the insight of godliness when the disciples admonish Jesus for spending time with children (only those with faith like a child will enter the kingdom of heaven) and with women who shower him with tears and love (he cared deeply for women and showed them great justice and mercy in a culture/time period so quick to stone them or sell them for marriage). 

Love God & Love people were the two greatest commands...

So now that I have insight to what rotting from the inside is like I'm drawn closer to love God for redeeming me of this fate. My goal is not to be a Christian just so I can get good gifts and go to heaven but to be transformed and alive from the inside out! My life here and now will be complete and I'll be alive and free from the bondage of the temporary advertisements of this world. Get rich quick, be beautiful with this new surgery, just buy this and you'll be happy consumer mentality. Instead, I'll fill it with grace, love, mercy. Live out a life worthy of His death. And be resurrected with his love.