Challenge / Matt. 1-4

It's a tough challenge today...see I've always been envious if not jealous of my husband....he's strong and capable, things I feel I am the antithesis of...so to not be jealous of his accomplishments and abilities w/be hard. "illegitmate kind of jealousy that is in opposition to love- the one that is rooted in selfishness."....."if you're not careful, jealousy slithers like a viper into your heart and strikes your motivations and relationships. It can poison you from living the life of love God intended."....oh boy Yeah.....heartbreakingly yeah....'She does not compare her weaknesses to his strengths.'......
Herod driven by jealousy.....
Matt. 3: 7-10 When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It's your life that must change, not your skin! And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire.
11-12"I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I'm a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He's going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned."

I had a vision a long time ago that I was like a snake in a basket...a pretty/pleasant enough basket and unless you poked it too much with a stick noone knew the snake inside.....will the snake ever completly die? I wonder and strive to BE different...but in the always comparing miss the kingdom life you promise.....a clean sweep..it must take a lifetime.....My hopes are never dashed...my expectations are always denied.....hope in Christ...expectations and demandingness tied together...so to live in constant hope and humility that the snake dies....Matt.:24 ....Jesus healed them, one and all.

In thinking further about 'the kingdom life'... Dallas Willard is kind of a go to guy....here's an interesting interview w/him.