A crucial shift in my thinking after pondering our role in being a gentle witness to show others our beliefs in God’s Sacrifice and Forgiveness, Grace and Mercy. It is not JUST crucial for each person that sees and hears what we teach/urge/show/ask about following Jesus for their sake of living in eternity, it’s for ETERNAL Eternity’s Sake too.

Thinking about eternity, it’s one thing to wrap my head around eternity for one person, because I CAN’T. But I CAN imagine the monumental shift one person can have on eternity itself, WOW. ONE PERSON WHO ENTERS ETERNITY CHANGES ETERNITY.

This lit up my brain, speaking to the pastor after the book of Revelation bible study. This puts more perspective into perspective. It is not just important to share the Good News with each person for that person, it is important because eternity itself changes. Yes, each person is changed completely when being born again – when accepting Jesus as Lord, Guiding Savior, Sacrifice to our sins – yet how much more eternity changes for ALL when one more is included. 

God does not want anyone to perish, wants all to know Him. If there is one thing God wants, it is for nothing to separate us from Him. No sin. No nothing. 

In Moses’s time, a sin offering was brought to the priests to offer a portion to the Lord, burnt up, and the rest was kept by the priest. We however have Jesus as our living sacrifice and priest above priests. Jesus takes our sin, both original and personally forged, and offers Himself instead as our sacrifice, and then He also keeps the rest of us. He claims back His Spirit instilled in us for His Purposes, which bring us to eternity. 

So, it’s not just eternity for our sake, it’s eternity for Jesus’s sake, for Eternity’s sake. God is even more wanting us than we could ever want Him. God knows sacrifice by sacrificing Himself for us, therefore He knows wanting us for Him.  Like the Gift is not just for the recipient but giving the Gift is for the Gifter.

He keeps His fire going to take all to His Eternity.

Be His today. Be His Eternally. 

Amen 

—-

Leviticus 5:11-13

“‘If, however, they cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering.  They are to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. It is a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for any of these sins they have committed, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest, as in the case of the grain offering.”

—-

Leviticus 6:8-18

The Burnt Offering

The Lord said to Moses: “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar. The priest shall then put on his linen clothes, with linen undergarments next to his body, and shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar. Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean. The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

The Grain Offering

“‘These are the regulations for the grain offering: Aaron’s sons are to bring it before the Lord, in front of the altar. The priest is to take a handful of the finest flour and some olive oil, together with all the incense on the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest of it, but it is to be eaten without yeast in the sanctuary area; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. It must not be baked with yeast; I have given it as their share of the food offerings presented to me. Like the sin offering and the guilt offering, it is most holy. Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it. For all generations to come it is his perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord. Whatever touches them will become holy.’”

It’s already halfway thru this year, and I’m not sure I can say that I appreciate that the time is flying.  There is only so much summer and I have not tapped into it except marvel that it came without me watching. I need a summer’s worth of time to prep for daily life, not even if I was going to take any time off,  just to absorb the day. I don’t take time, it seems, to take time in, but that’s ok, I will find one day here, one day there. I’m going to force myself to take the time. This weekend I will take a 4 day weekend, I am blessed for that. I think the best time to take is where we can JUST BE. Clear our minds. That’s why a daily offering of peace is best offered to the Lord, for us take time to be, time that we tap into His peace to pursue the rest of the day. Give God the best first. Do not leave God out of your morning, He IS the one who gave it to you. He is the Light before we see it. He is the Rest before we take it. He is the Word before we speak it. He is the Life before we live it.

God wants the best of us from us, not  just because He gives us the best, Himself, but because He knows HE IS the best for us. This is HIS COVENANT always, to give us the best. And where does He give us His best? His Word for thoughtful feasting. He wants us to find Him in the lines, not between them. My offering of time to Him is the best time of my day. My quiet morning I know I won’t have in the evening. I am awake and the house is quiet. He and I can JUST BE. 

Like the grain offerings of Moses’s time (in Leviticus), the best portion is reserved for the Lord. Our best thoughts and prayer times are when we take listening time too. Our life offering back to the Lord is showing how we use the info, and be the salt and light of the day. “Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings…”

All the offerings of Moses’s day took time to prepare or to cook. We need to spend the time, not just buy the time, buy the offering or bypass the whole thing. This is not breadcrumbs so we can return to the Lord at the end of the day – this is the best loaf offering to start the day WITH the Lord. The stickiness of His dough will bind to your day. The aroma will linger and guide. The taste of Him is all we need for sustenance.  Rest is both resting time and the rest of the day of time. He gives both.

Time, resources, and skills are given into our lives for serving Him. Give Him the best and watch what He builds out of the rest.

Amen. 

—-

Leviticus 2

The Grain Offering

“‘When anyone brings a grain offering to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour. They are to pour olive oil on it, put incense on it and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.

“‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it is to consist of the finest flour: either thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in or thin loaves made without yeast and brushed with olive oil. If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. Bring the grain offering made of these things to the Lord; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.

“‘Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord. You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the firstfruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

“‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the Lord, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain offering. The priest shall burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense, as a food offering presented to the Lord.

In the second stop of my “in person” church going yesterday, God showed me an important scripture that brought me solace and peace. A separate personal message to me that you know God revealed how it connected to me when I asked for some gem of the day. It comforts me that I am on the right track by praying and asking, working and wondering, for particular and all people to HEAR HIM, for them to know Him, to taste His forgiveness and to know His lift. 

Yes, it’s the whispers of scripture to our hearts, souls, minds which overtake any other background worldly noise. If you ask and pray, God thru Jesus, the Word of God made flesh being the bible Himself, will answer your prayers before you ask. Before Him, no prayers are wasted. It is OK – and CRUCIAL – to ask God in prayer for people’s ears to hear. People we know and a multitude we don’t. God is telling us to stay on track and trust Him working within each person.

The scripture, an old testament little gem, 2nd Chronicles 30: prayers by the king for people who had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate... But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

A second gem:

For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

The train tracks of earthly life that we are on ARE HIS and return to Him. We have an engineer conductor and a caboose – an Alpha and Omega – JESUS… and for Him to move us, we have a Fireman Holy Spirit in charge of shoveling more coal into the boiler for steam.  The caboose has grips to hold on to and stairs to climb. I climbed the caboose in joy this past weekend – and even sat in the seat with a bird’s eye view.

For those traveling with the Lord, you can stand and wave, for those who leave the sleeper car, the fresh air feels great and refreshing, and for those who ALMOST missed the train, there’s always a hand up for helping everyone. 

We are the hands and feet of God – securing, pulling, hauling, holding ourselves AND anyone who we can come alongside with. Invite all to see what it is like riding with the Lord.

For those who know and don’t know Him, our prayers ARE heard. God’s spirit is telling us which side of the train to lean out – to watch and wave – to ask and pray – to reach out and save. God has been tracking all of the people and reaches for each one by name.

HE KNOWS where His train is going – to find and bring all HOME. His tracks are laid down in LOVE from His One heart. For out of Judah, the Word was commanded to come, Jesus came to Earth to bring us all along. Let us continue to pray for particular and all people to HEAR HIM, for them to know Him, to taste His forgiveness and to know His lift.  

Ears and Eyes OPEN!

“All Aboard!”

AMEN 

—-

2nd Chronicles 30:1-27

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written. So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation. And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord.

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one

That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord.

And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.

And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven. 

I am SO EXCITED each Sunday morning to dig into the next section of the book of Revelation with today getting to a chapter (19) that has Victory over Babylon! The chapter of Alleluias! The SUPPER OF THE LAMB!

I am ever so thinking, HOWEVER, that the reason we have NOT YET “RAPTURED” – is that we (collectively as Christians) are doing the “GREAT OMISSION” – a term I just made up – OMISSION –  we are forgetting what WE can do, yes you and I, to set in place anything that will provide witness and teaching, comfort and conviction to those left behind by the RAPTURE.  Write them just as John wrote to all of us, His Bride: “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

The GREAT COMMISSION is where Jesus directs all of us with what we are REALLY supposed to be doing as Christians – sharing the faith – but I am speaking of a theoretical and practical GREAT OMISSION: we have to leave something to help those left behind. Physical digital, whatever means, but they are not going to have us. So how are the people post-rapture going to become believers (and thus martyrs) for the Lord????. That’s right, martyrs because no one gets a “re-rapture” recapture part 2 or part 3, like film sequels. All post-rapture folks (including our friends and family) who don’t already believe and know Jesus as Lord will wonder what happened and have to come to such a STRONG faith conviction that they will be martyred (read Revelation – it is brutal).

SO HOW CAN YOU HELP? I know that if the Holy Spirit moves you to share your faith every day and in every way, therefore He can inspire you now to leave a witness of your faith in this place. He can inspire you to do something to help.

Perhaps today, write a short encouraging letter of faith and slide it into the back of your bible, use it as a bookmark for Revelation or your favorite verse, and leave it for those who find your bible after you are gone. A letter which could explain in your own words on paper what may have happened to you if you pass away (or if you were raptured). A letter to encourage – to expand on how you want these folks to find you in heaven – encourage to believe – encourage to LISTEN to the Spirit and stand firm against the schemes of the beast. Perhaps I will start my own letter as: “If you ever find my bible but not me, know that I am with THEE, the Spirit brings this to you – a letter to get you thru…” and continue with a faith focus FORWARD. If you think this world is rough today – theirs will be MUCH worse. Pray them forward and WRITE.

To be “raptured” means to be taken up to heaven as believers when the trumpet sounds and those who call Jesus as Lord and Savior are taken up – like a thief in the night will the rapture come and we must be ready or else we will be left. And MANY will be left. The scriptures say the GREATEST AWAKENING will occur near/before/after the rapture.  LET US DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP OTHERS at that time and now. Help people you don’t know but Jesus does. Imagine HIS tears and pain when He comes again and AGAIN leaves SO MANY behind at “Trumpet Time”… imagine His Pain, and take a moment to write and plan. Help bring more Home.

Be His Hands, Feet, and helpers for those whose blood WILL fill up the earth. Be His Hands and Feet to help Jesus bring them home. Be His Hands and Feet so after rapture, our family will be strong and not alone.

All Alleluias will be even better when they are there to shout it too. The “voice of many waters” needs every last drop. Chime in today – drop a note in your faith voice to those left behind.

Alleluia
Amen

——-

Revelation 19:1-16 KJV

And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+19%3A1-16&version=KJV
—–
The Great Commission – Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2028%3A16-20&version=NIV

I once wrote: “We need God to come to the world – to cleanse the world  – to make peace – world peace…” – back then I did not think about what was wrong in that statement – did not think what that meant in terms of God coming and going or being here or having been there. Knowing God already IS in the world yet not of the world – I was wrong in saying Jesus needs to come back for peace as if He had not yet. Well HE DID. He came. He brought PEACE as a PATH. Not in part or parting but in full in fulfilling. But we need to keep bringing peace to reveal it wider to those who do not see. Many miss the path and point all together. 

Was it OK that I was wrong in my writing? Well I am human, and it IS better that it is OK that I made a turn to return, to re-understand what I was blind to. Now I saw it glaring. God cleaned my glasses AND my soul.

Grasping God having made the world, imprinted Himself into Jesus to come to the world and planning for Jesus coming back to the world ARE simply difficult truths to wrap our heads around as we are world dwellers.  No notions or hopes, even as noble as we have, can wrap around a God Who IS bigger than all of our thoughts about Him. Bigger than any description. God is not just big, God IS. God is not just here there everywhere, God IS. God is not just anything, God IS. If God refers to Himself as I AM, then you know no human reasoning can envelop Him. He envelopes LOVE therefore He envelopes our thoughts lives and individual world views. Oh, He is bigger than the universe too. He IS WAS there BEFORE and never NOT there.

Jesus was is and will be God to our earthly existence as He came to be God on earth, came to us to go to Him. God thought ahead, behind, around, God just IS. God thought of you thru all of “it” too.

My statement “We need God to come to the world – to cleanse the world  – to make peace – world peace…” was innocently ignorantly mis-stated, yet I meant back then the same truth we still have today: WE NEED JESUS FOR PEACE.  

Let me rephrase: We need to think of Jesus as founder of peace, act like Jesus as an educator of what will bring personal and larger peace, and rely on Jesus to execute His Our Father’s plan for peace – all the while rely on the Truth that God IS in CONTROL. God IS.

Also back then I did not think about what I now know – that every knee will bow to Jesus – but not all in devotion but all in acknowledgement of Him as mighty and powerful and Lord – both those who followed Him as Lord and those who DID NOT! 

So in the thick of life’s ups and downs, the one consistent down we should strive for is a knee down for Jesus. If He IS the Name above All Names. Then He IS.

So it’s OK to be wrong grammatically when Jesus is still RIGHT. But we need to be RIGHT with Jesus to cover our wrong. We need to TURN, RETURN, be RIGHTED. 

It is sad, yes, but the truth is there will never be “world peace” – even if we strive to find and make peace in the world (which we should). It is more important than ever to share peace with people in the world as an extension of His peace to us. Be right with Jesus over right with the world. Jesus came to the World yet the world did not know Him. Many hear about Him, but don’t hear IN Him. He and we are NOT of the world but IN Him IN the world, therefore we ARE for the people in the world to know Him thru HIS love. We love Him into the world and love never fails. 
Let us bring Jesus’s LOVE TO each other.

GOD IS LOVE.

God IS.

Amen 
—

Unity Through Humility

Philippians 2:1-16

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Light Bearers

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, …”

Look within, be in service and of service, help people see God, and put your heart into worship of God.

VS.

Look at the world, expect services and thank yous, set your heart on expectations from people, and have preconceived expectations from God. 

There’s a BIG difference between those statements. What is better of an attitude? What will bring you closer to peace? Peace is a place best known between you and the Lord. Peace is a quiet spot to hash out the harshness and cultivate hope.

What can we do to not fall into people pleasing?  Even if we love people, which I do, people pleasing can be false peace, leave us unsatisfied, and leave us seeing the flipflop nature of earthly hearts. Even if we love people, and we do help them as servants for the sake of God, some people unknowingly (or knowingly) want a piece of us not knowing what to grab for. Wouldn’t it be better to offer them a slice of His Peace? It would and in doing so we can keep focused. 

People in Moses’s time wandered and continually forgot both the fear of God and the focus on God. They certainly could not see long term. False worship of idols happened then and now. Moses went up the mountain for the instructions of God. Aaron was left with people derailed by their impatience. Aaron made a golden calf from the riches of gold,  because they wanted to follow something but a false idol was not and is not infallible or indestructible. An idol is not a LIVING God.

Moses, being able to talk to God one on One, convinced God to hold off burning up His Anger in destroying the disobedient people (Moses had not yet seen them with the calf idol). It ANGERED God to not have His people’s attention. And once Moses saw it, and saw the people’s misdirection of focus, he burned it, made it into dust, and even forced the people to eat it.

Moses continued His devotion and his communication with the Lord for the sake of His people, His infallible people. Burning anger of God is but a fraction of the burning love God had for them and for us. Old testament worshipers burnt up repentant offerings, symbolizing  the perfect offering to come. After Christ was sacrificed once and for all, no more sacrifice for sake of atonement was required.  But the devotion to the Lord always continues as requirement and the source of peace. 

Now, the burning becomes burning desire to know Him better. Moses’s face was radiant from speaking with the Lord. He covered the radiance with a veil to protect the people. We too can burn bright for the Lord. As we extend our lives into work, wait and worship, we best not wobble or waiver. Let us approach the Lord as our Guide and Protector, not wondering if we got away with whatever.

Our sacrifice of time and excesses are coupled with our sacrifice of pleasing people – don’t please people over pleasing the Lord. He must be where we direct our attention first, He has the best Ways planned out. The Israelite people only got day to day instructions, day to day provisions, and had to watch for God’s cloud and fire to move. They dared not step unless God sanctioned it. We have much freedom of choice, yet we also best step where God needs us to go.
Go with God. Be His first and the rest will follow.

Amen 

—
The Glory of the Lord

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels. Exodus 40:34-38

—-

The story of the golden calf:  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2032&version=NIV
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’ “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.” Moses replied: “It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.” When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold.  But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

Shielded, God writes His law on our hearts, inside, protected and reachable. The Psalms tell us to lift our eyes and know His protection: Psalm 121 – I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Shielded

In reading Revelation 18, about the quick destruction of the people who turned away from the Lord, one can hear about the full brunt of the destruction that the Lord will bring. And in reading Exodus, about those drifting people who couldn’t even wait for Moses but turned back to idol making, we can hear about how God could have brought on complete isolation and destruction, but didn’t.  Moses advocated for his people wandering in the desert, having a tough time obeying.  After seeing their disobedience, Moses was so upset and the first tablets of the Ten Commandments were thrown down to the ground and broken. Moses was angry at the lack of trust in the Lord, who had saved them from so much. After seeing the people who turned away, worshipping an idol of a golden calf they made themselves, Moses destroyed it then spent much time trying to reconnect with God for sake of the Israelites. A second set of tablets was made, yet the law was truly tough to keep, especially “thou shall not covet”. The people of the old testament had not kept these commands and neither can we keep them perfectly. But God, who did not and does not change in who He is, could bring forth a new covenant, Jesus Himself, as the imprint of God.

Jesus is our shield. 

Jesus is was and will manifest a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.  The law in Moses’s time was written by the Lord’s finger onto tablets, knowing a new covenant would be needed that was not breakable because it was dependent upon God’s faithfulness, bot mans. Jesus is was and is the law and Word written on our hearts. God with us and within us. At end times, the evils in Babylon will take the blows of anger retribution, and people are urged to flee that destructive force. Now, then, and forever, Jesus did and will take our sins upon Himself if we leave our focus on earthly idols. Shielded is when we are looking for His protection and His ability to give us God’s forgiveness.
God covered Moses with His Hand, Jesus covers us with His blood. Grace. Moses saw but a fraction of God’s power. All we see is the Love of Jesus. And nothing is held back from the outpouring of His Love. Moses saw God’s pain with stiff-necked people. We are taught that God made us for His Pleasure and wants to be with us. Jesus sticks out not His neck but His Life to save us all. God will see Jesus when He looks for us. That’s glorious coverage. 

Moses wanted to see God’s glory. We get to experience His Glory by His LOVE. Love brought by sacrifice, let us follow Jesus, He will shield us with entry into His eternal kingdom. 

Lift our eyes up to the Lord Jesus who will meet us, catch our eyes, and shield us, for the sake of God’s Love, FOREVER.

AMEN 

—-

And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” Exodus 33:17-23

—

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.” Exodus 34:5-9

SO many good memories this weekend – so many – and I was tickled pink to be used by the Lord – even and especially for when I was LATE – again – to church – like I am to so many other places.

Late – but NOT lost.

Late but not losing out.

Late but still a GREAT opportunity for the Lord to use me.

I arrived late (yet listened to the online feed) and was singing along – from my heart – to “Lion and the Lamb” – hop out of the car and start singing as I booked my way to the door in. A gentleman was similarly timed – had just parked and a pleasant exchange on the way in – he noticed my enthusiasm – my overflowing cup – which is not my fault – I just bounce the beat of His Joy. We parted to separate sides of the sanctuary – I like to be close to see the expressions on the pastor’s face.  Didn’t miss any of the sermon – just on time for that – and a great sermon for a serious Revelation 18 message about Babylon’s fall in 1 hour – yes ONE HOUR (post Rapture, post all the bowls of plagues and just before the Kingdom is RESTORED. But in that ONE HOUR all the wealth, commerce, kings – GONE.  “All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’  And God’s wrath on Babylon’s iniquity spares it from landing on His beloved people – the ones who had to withstand this tribulation – and be martyred for their faith. The chapter 18 also reminds us to hold to our teachings – not buy into the cheapness of life and material things – to stay strong with the Lord. Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins…” 

Leaving the service – here I was singing again and the timing again was just that – the Lord’s – and who was 3 steps ahead of me and heard my singing – turned and said: “I thought that was you”. HA! I said “Good Sermon!” and well, after chit chat of my job, I asked what he did – and he said “I make people happy” – HA! And just then I noticed we were at his car and he said: “I’m in the swimming pool business. I make people happy it seems.” – YES – I could NOT wait to roll my instant memory off my tongue – a thought of ONLY yesterday seeing a young boy’s JOY in a video of a swimming pool moment – son of a friend of a friend  – he had to have a good portion of his leg amputated – and his mom posts his progress on facebook. I HAD to exclaim that I have recently learned that this child, battling the amputation and chemo, LOVES swimming and this was the biggest joy he has had after these recent surgeries and ongoing chemo treatments… YEAH! I immediately said to “well THANK YOU” – for this swimming JOY (even if he wasn’t the one who helped that family directly) – yeah was that warmest fuzzy not fuzzy moment for me – he smiled and hopped into his car.  Leave it up to the Lord to know my lateness and lay down a link anyway. Leave it up to the Lord to put you in a good spot – late but not lost – late but not losing.

An opportunity to encourage is my job no matter how or when. No matter how late we come to the table or the truth, we are to pick up the LINK that the Lord lays down for us – and let Him lead. Don’t think that you are supposed to be the recipient of the Holy Spirit offerings, as many times you are the offering of the Holy Spirit!

LISTEN – LEARN – LEAN on Him – and LOVE. Share the Love (and Smiles Lord).

AMEN

When I first awakened to know of Jesus’s LOVE, I was concerned about my bubble bursting – and concerned that my enthusiasm would carry me away. I prayed for discernment for what was Holy Spirit-led and I still do today…  A friend of mine said that the word enthusiasm meant “God from within”, which I thought was awesome of course…  and I realized that I might be best to deflate my bubble a little to make it stronger and less pop-able… But that is NOT what an enthusiastic person does…

So – yes – after prayerful meditation, I DO have a replacement for a “bubble” condition (for me and for you as well). It dawned on me to cut the bubble open and stretch it up – and make that bubble into a cup!

Oh my cup overflows – filled with the love of God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. A new enthusiastic take on Jesus lifts us higher than ever thought possible – to laugh more deeply – to feel more strongly – to sing more loudly – and to speak more boldly.

No – it is NOT bubbles that we are to inflate – because our bubbles come from OUR own excessive enthusiasm….  it is CUPS that we need to ask to be filled with GOD’S enthusiastic LOVE…

The cup metaphor is everywhere in our history of spirituality, lovingly filled by God. So – when you feel your bubble bursting – know that JOY is sustained by HIM. You can take your inflating or deflating bubble and rip or cut it open and then stretch it wide – side to side – into a cup. Use your own hands to hold it up to the flooding rains of God – you will fill with HIS glory. Ask in prayer and stretch out your hands. HE will fill your cup.

Bubbles to Cups – Filled from God.

AMEN

—

Three songs and psalms in my heart to sing these praises:

From the song “Ripples” by the Grateful Dead: “Reach out your hand if your cup be empty. If your cup is full may it be again. Let it be known there is a fountain that was not made by the hands of men. ”

From the song “All in All”: “When I am dry You fill my cup.  You are my all in all”

and of course, from the most beloved: Psalm 23:1-6

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

To say I enjoy singing would be an understatement, but a few weeks back it was the song running thru my head as soon as the music stopped and I walked up to the exit that made me SO curious. I mentally noted that the lyric I had NOT heard, but was memory triggered, it was “Name above all Names”, and my head was strongly singing it from my beloved praise band days.  Curious I thought, until I stepped up to the book selling pop-up station (leftovers from a pastors conference) and my eyes IMMEDIATELY fixated to a book directly in front of me: “Name Above All Names” – OOOH… Coincidental? I think NOT!!!!

Spiritual feeding is like listening to where Jesus says to drop your nets. You will catch more fish if you LISTEN. You will catch the tune of the Holy Spirit harp strings if you go to the concert. You can be in concert with a collective who want to be called. Just Listen.

Ten bucks, oh a bargain, and I had ONLY 10 on me. Perfect.  So with patient care I waited for my turn to PAY.  A good book for summer beach reading, my time to PLAY.  Yet for always listening to the Lord thru the Spirit in my head, I will PRAY. 

And what does the book start with? An urge to HEAR Jesus. (no surprise there for the Spirit theme of this). The writers want pastors to bring Jesus to the people who want to hear His voice. The writers want us to LISTEN over LOOK. The preface says, urging biblical foundational sharing:  “Standing in various pulpits in our native land of Scotland we have often seen words visible to the preacher but hidden from the congregation: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” – this refers to what the crowd says in John 12:21

This book is about seeing and believing by LISTENING. I can tell already from the first chapter, about God and Adam and Eve, that it’s going to be a good read and great LISTEN. The book starts (AND I ONLY READ ONE PAGE SO FAR) with God segregating one tree in the Garden not because that fruitful tree was all that different, but it was the command of God for Adam and Eve to LISTEN and OBEY. The serpent tricked them for what they were seeing about the tree, but God needs us all to be LISTENING to Him – holding onto His Word – and obeying Him to judge what we are seeing. Use ALL your senses to make sense of God’s Will over our own.

As we read scripture and everything, we listen to how it touches us. An article in a newspaper may go in and out, but a Bible message is all about going in and out and in again. It’s not the physical paper, it’s the Spirit connection and the calling for us to pick up the phone.  Jesus knew that when God spoke to glorify His Name (John 12), He did so for the sake of those listening. We too must listen. The Spirit desires to be heard INSIDE of us, so feed the field of dots God wants to connect in us.

Jesus IS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES. Oh that we would hear Him TODAY!

AMEN 

—-

John 12:20-32 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

I love and need the saying: “When you think things are falling apart they are actually falling into place”… I love and NEED the scripture where Jesus says : “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; …. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.”

In driving, the billboards speak, but it is the evil thoughts that twist the words to worries. Wouldn’t it be better if first we saw God’s plan for the day and the year and our lives? The sinister worry will rob our peace, tangle our thoughts. I saw a billboard, no idea what it was advertising, maybe air conditioners, but it used the song lyric “it’s a cruel cruel summer” – and I can’t get that music out of my head!!! And every time I remember worries of what might befall me this year  – this summer – (you know, normal worries like etc etc, you name it) I think of that billboard as a warning – but I shouldn’t. Yes, I should cherish the time with my blessings BUT how dare I PRE-decide that life will collapse – does the Lord tell me to do that? NO.  The Lord gives us such good things!!!! Really, don’t we worry for things we can’t control? And sidetracked on the road Jesus makes for us, we can worry over remembering that we are blessed. And we (I) worry for tomorrow when that day hasn’t even come.  (I mean – we worried all of last year – thru a pandemic which He helped us thru – why would today be any different?!)

It would be the devil himself that wants me to keep singing “it’s a cruel cruel summer”, he wants us tangled up in fear and drifting away. We must remember that it would be Jesus who untwists the fear into faith and ties us to His teachings. Give Jesus the burdens, take on His Hope. and sing a new song: NOT cruel but sing CREWEL. Crewel is an action, a piecing together, a created thick, often wool, woven thread which can be laid down beautifully and carefully. “It’s a Crewel Crewel summer” – YES –  Jesus is asking for us to trust Him, trust the stitching of today. Crewel embroidery has texture, depth, color, character… why wouldn’t the lives we live have the same.  Jesus is the one who wants to pause us and stitch us into his beautiful tapestry. We are His in His net, woven not wasted.

Trust the untangle, BE STILL and don’t twist into knots. Fear into faith, cruel into crewel, stitches into savoring saving. Let today be all about trust, let tomorrow WAIT. Also tomorrow, start the trust all over again..

Life will fall into place – Let’s fall into His arms one day at a time. 

Amen

—–

Matthew 6:34 in multiple translations 

KJV

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

AKJV

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

LEB

Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, because tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

TLB

“So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.

MSG

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

NIVUK

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

NKJV

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Matthew%206%3A34

If you have direction from the Lord: TAKE IT, MAKE IT, DO NOT FORSAKE IT.

Amen – and read the story of God’s named craftsmen: Bezalel and Oholiab:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.” Exodus 31:1-11

Clearly each person has skills, expertise and passion. Passion for one’s work is not against/contrary to passion for God, if He gave you the skills to use, then use them. I always tell people: “If God gave us brains, we should use them.”

To use our brains wisely, we need God to fill us with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills. To use our hearts, our fail-able hearts, we need to protect them.

If God appoints you to a certain work, then He points your education in that direction. “Equips the called not call the equipped”… Even the 4 gospels are written by those whom God educated to share with certain people with pointed persuasions: to those learning and amazed, to those new believers. Written by passionate folk and for sharing wisdom-giving understanding. God able-ly gives ability to skill the skilled workers to make everything He commands. Sometimes it is physical and sometimes it is directional of thought. Always it is for an end purpose – even consider it an intermediate as we are never divinely done.

TAKE IT, MAKE IT, DO NOT FORSAKE IT. 

AMEN 

—
New Testament:

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Ephesians 6:3-8 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A5-8&version=KJV

If only people studied God as much as people studied people. 

If only people sought His advice as much as others, even more.

If only they looked to Him for rest, rather than world remedies. 

If only.

If only I understood X, Y, and Z going on in my life, if only.

If only I looked to Him for solutions or simply solace. 

If only I asked Him for His understanding. 

If only. 

If only we looked at situations as His children rather than His reporters.

If only Heaven-focused directions won our attention over earthly tests.

If only people took one day at a time.

If only. 

If only we asked our focus, Him, to focus us.

If only His focus, us, focused us.

If only people had an Only focus. 

If only. 

If only Him, then only Him Lord. 

If only Him, then Him only.

If Only, if Then and Now.

Now only. 

Now only the Lord. 

Then only the Lord, too.

And the Lord, when.

When?

Now.

Only.

Yes Only. 

Amen Lord, our One and Only. 

I was thinking of all the apologies and such I might be saying to Jesus the day, one day, when standing at the exit from this world to Heaven. I was thinking of the statements that Jesus would make for me to God to explain my sins, to like reverse rattle off a list like Santa might keep track of naughty and nice. But no. NO. Jesus would be standing there as One WITH God, ONE GOD, being whom He already is: the Word. He Himself is the Word. He Himself is the first and last. He Himself is sufficient to take away our sin and we just are forgiven and held. Jesus can hold us as flesh. Jesus can move us as Spirit. And that love is for everyone who looks to love Jesus. 

The thought of being held and loved. Think about it. There’s no distance between us and God. There’s not a slim slice of sin to distance because of Jesus.  There’s only LOVE to fill the gap that is no longer left open. Love is the bridge that was pre-built.

Jesus is the Word who is seen and heard.

Heaven knows the Way of the Word. 

Let the Word Be Heard. 

Amen 

Interesting details of the preparation of Aaron, Moses’s brother, in Exodus 29-30, to be ordained as a priest. I wonder how we ourselves are prepared for worshipping God, for meeting Him, for understanding Him. He has prepared to meet us – we are to be prepared to meet Him daily and forever. Unlike the physical displays of obedience by the Israelites in Moses’s time, ours is an obedience of the heart.

Aaron was readied to be the voice of Moses whose shyness as a stutterer kept him from accepting his full voice for the Lord. Aaron was given an ordination of rituals spoken directly from the Lord to continue serving and leading the people.

I appreciate that we are able to worship in Spirit and Truth directly because of Jesus, a new covenant God made with us, with direct access to Our Father. Our ordination is from Jesus by His sacrifice once and for all. 

Aaron and his sons were washed clean physically then adorned with special robes and items – then ordained to be pleasing to God by sight, by smell, by covering with the blood, by waving a sacrifice in demonstration and fellowship with God. The descendants were called to sacrifice and atone each day. Most importantly, God asked them to prepare a place for meeting Him. To be with Him and for Him to promise always to be their God. 

God wants us to want Him as our God, to know Him, to love Him.

When God looks at us, He sees us acceptable and forgiven of our humanness by being covered by the blood of Jesus. We are seen and known as pleasant in His sight thru the Lamb of God’s sacrifice. We are called to fellowship with God thru Jesus and demonstrate (to Him) our sacrifice and our sharing of a portion with Him from all He gives us. Our sacrifice each day is to accept His atonement for us, pick up our crosses which point us into Heaven. Our atonement is the acceptance of needing and relying on Jesus 100%. And as we will know Jesus by His love, we will also know God’s love by His Spirit. Jesus came to tell us directly about our God, about OUR FATHER’S LOVE and His desire to be with us and to be our God.

Jesus came to dwell WITH US. Jesus is the Holy sacrifice, a Holy incense of pleasing offering which was made for the paramount reason to honor God’s desire to be with us, FOREVER. 

For Moses’s time: Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

For our time and all time (paraphrasing):

Then I will dwell among YOU and be YOUR God. YOU will know that I am the Lord YOUR God, who brought YOU out of SIN AND DEATH so that I might dwell among YOU. I am the Lord YOUR God.

Our obedience of the heart is to find God meeting us right there.

Amen

—–

Specific examples from the scriptures:

By sight – washed and dressed: Exodus 29:4-8

.. bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband. Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred emblem to the turban. Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head. Bring his sons and dress them in tunics and fasten caps on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance.

By smell – burnt offerings – v18

…burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.

By blood – v21

…And take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.

By waving and showing the sacrifices – by fellowship v24-25, 28

…Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them wave them before the Lord as a wave offering. Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord, a food offering presented to the Lord.

…This is always to be the perpetual share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons. It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the Lord from their fellowship offerings.

By daily sacrifice and atonement v36-37, 

…as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it.  For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.

In order to meet with the people and a promise to be their God, v42-46

…For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you; there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.

So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

Exodus 29 NIV – Consecration of the Priests – “This – Bible Gateway

Incense, atonement money, washing, anointing oil, incense…

Exodus 30 NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2030&version=NIV&interface=amp

Incense v34-38 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred.  Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.”

———–

Jesus is our Lamb sacrifice – the Lamb of God for all who believe

Revelation 5:11-13 Then I [John] looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

We are to be miniature versions of Jesus. (Actually He would want us equal in Spirit-drivenness.)

I bought a big cookie for my son, he then left it in the car and I envied him for the cookie. He did eventually eat some, and it got more and more broken as it was moved around in the car. A big cookie is beautiful and yummy looking. The cookie broken tastes just the same, but we might not want to eat it compared to the whole, unless we were the ones who broke it ourselves.

Jesus was broken in body and yet full of a Spirit to surrender – and in His brokenness He was even MORE powerful over sin and death. A broken bread body, a broken heart, and a LOVE for a broken world. The Power of His Knowledge of God’s plan gives Hope for the children of God. Jesus knew His crumbles counted.
We too should taste the crumbles and know they are sufficient. We should not envy the perception of perfection or those who boast they can solve the world’s problems and bring their own agenda hidden under the guise of peace.

Jesus was broken so that we can see nothing hidden. He allowed Himself to be broken for the sake of love. Jesus opened up the truth and freed us to receive the Spirit. We can taste of His victory even we do it only in part in our earthly state. A crumb of the cookie is just as sweet. Don’t envy the perfect unbroken cookie, taste of the crumbs… Know they are sufficient.

Amen

(PS, I had a broken cookie to photograph but it’s gone… I guess it was good to eat – even the crumbs)

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:17-18 NIV Saying 15

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NLT

One thing I do know that the Lord has spoken to me – about speaking about Him to people – is to speak in gentleness. One can stand firm, share truth, but gentle words and demeanor turn away wrath. Quiet words people might strain to listen even more.

So many times in this current inning of life, we are brought in as a players but NOT the Coach, NOT even the Closer. Our pitches are to be IN LOVE by following the Holy Spirit signals from our Catcher. But we are often not even the pitcher, simply part of the team, perhaps our pitches are a gentle loft easy back to the center because the main part of the play is already completed. We are just one of the links of the net to be there and to watch it all come Home. 

In all, I pray that the Lord sends us the Spirit, there is no way He would refuse…

We are all already part of His team – we have nothing to prove to Him – just show up ready to play.

Amen 

—–
Luke 11:1-13

And it came to pass, that, as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

It’s an interesting fact of life that life ends in death. It’s an interesting fact of death that the Lord has established a new Kingdom for you to enter. When you pass, your body gives out, AND your Spirit gives IN. 

It’s not just that you earthly worry about your loved ones left behind, you spiritually care about them too. Transferring peace in to them. Whether you are young and robust and on this earth years more or failing in health, your Spirit has to GIVE IN to the truth that the Lord will take care of them as much (actually MORE) than even you could. You have to give IN to your trust IN the Lord.  You have to give it to the Lord IN life, so of course,  when the time comes, IN death too.

A dear friend passed a couple years ago after her whole family finally left her side. Those of us who know her, know she would have fought death (which came as result of a diabetic situation at too young an age). She would have fought back against death, for her great desire for taking care of her people. He gave her Spirit the transition time and gave that mental transition time to her loved ones as well during those couple weeks in between. Jesus surely said to her, “I’ve got them”, and she then let go. She gave IN to Jesus. 

To give IN is INTO the Kingdom. To give out is normal and human. Some may say “Peace Out” as a salutation, yet day to day, EVERYDAY, we are to give IN to Jesus as founder and keeper and giver of our peace. 

Peace IN…

Amen 

—

Jesus said to the disciples AND US: “Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am IN my Father, and you are IN me, and I am IN you.  Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 14:19-22

You are allowed to wait – actually you are recommended to wait and see what God has in store for you – better yet use up what He has ALREADY blessed you with – within your stockpiles of His LOVE. 

I was in a store this morning and they had only one of this and one of that (bribe snacks for our car ride) and I had to say thank you God for perfect provisions of what He felt was just enough for me at this time. Not too much, but enough. I’m blessed. Whew. 

Honestly? God has SPOILED US BLESSED!!! He takes care of more than we can even imagine! Jesus Himself holds all the world together – every atom – every force – everything – every blessing.

And I have to wait on the Lord for so many things going on in my life which also means I have to wait for what He wants me to do for me and for others and for doing with others. As always I pray that I am to listen to His timing.  It’s not supposed to be a me me me world, it’s sometimes like a they they they situation. It’s more that you you you KNOW that He is meeting you where you are. God is also not intending you to forge ahead without Him to a place where you THINK you have already solved all the world’s problems that affect you. Isn’t it true that the Lord most powerfully comes to us STRONGER than we could go to Him?

It’s not me me me, they they they, you you you, but Him Him Him. 

Does God call us by any other name than “My child”? Does He hold us by our own strength or His? Does God meet us where we are? Sometimes waiting for us, but YES meeting us where we are.

Is it OK to wait? It is OK for us to wait because Jesus is right with us. We won’t lack in ANYTHING if we remain in Him. 

Him Him Him 

Amen

—-

Jesus said: (John 4-11) 

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete….

My children are good and amazing – yes – but the world in it’s worldliness affects this generation of young people like none other – we see it at home, at work, in media and everywhere – and people’s focus on worldliness over Kingdom-ness is only going to increase. I heard someone say that it’s amazing how many Christians are caught up in worldliness… the drifting colder is drifting away…

I’ve been thinking about RAPTURE, I know it’s not your ordinary day to day reflection, but more and more I think about those folks who are either less knowledgeable about Jesus and HOW one gets to Heaven by acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior, or they just don’t know if Heaven even exists or they don’t want to think ahead. I also think of those who would be like my former self and just assume Heaven awaits for us, without knowing that there is a real commitment to accepting Jesus rather than it being a given. Jesus is a ticket maker yes, but we must be ready to have that ticket punched and ready… This is the day and age where people expect a given, rather than work for it for themselves in sacrifice. 

So, RAPTURE, I am really thinking about those left behind. It’s all fine and good that we get taken up, but HOW will those left behind become part of the greatest awakening ever, as scripture states. How will they learn, who will they believe, and how will a significantly strong faith grow, strong enough to overcome worldliness? I rechecked my thoughts with a pastor scholar who stated that all people in those times would have to be martyred for their beliefs… wow… not simply recaptured like in rapture but martyred… I mean it’s not JUST awakening to faith that heals, like could be accomplished now, but awakening to a faith level that enters them to be in a slaughter of Christianity in unimaginable events and numbers. (Get Jesus now while the getting is GOOD!)

I’ve been writing now thru the bible – Genesis and Exodus, studying and connecting, and realize perhaps it’s not JUST for today’s Christian outreach that is necessary but for FOREVER reach, as we have to share in ANY AND ALL WAYS that will last physically past our lives, past our passing OR our rapture. We must be the stepping stone for those newly finding their foundations in the Word. Call it the post-rapture capture…

My writing I have put online and want to publish at some point, and I also make physical backup copies,  it’s like 4 reams of paper in over 60 chapters!  (I may also stockpile dollar store bibles somewhere just as a blessing to be beholden)…

Long story short, I want to ENCOURAGE all of you about any Kingdom work not JUST for people here and now, but for after RAPTURE, how instrumental it may be for the greatest awakening in people who will have short years to hear. The electronic system glitches these last few days remind us that we need backup plans,  physical copies, stealth sources,  hidden treasure troves of stockpiles, old books, perhaps film copies and a “vintage” DVD platform will get squared away in a bunker for hungry ears to hear. Think Book of Kells preservation for Revelation! Yes, apps etc will hopefully continue to work for a while on downloaded devices in people’s hands too, and perhaps those left behind will find our phones and realize that we are taken by faith… then their faith will take them the rest of the way.

It’s THOSE people left behind who WILL NEED ENDURANCE AND EMBRACING to become the martyrs of the future. God knows…

So thank you all for thinking Kingdomly as well as Great Awakeningly. The people will need to move past earth dwelling and be “filled to the measure of the fullness of God.”

God bless you!!!

AMEN 

—

Paul to Ephesians 5:10-13

He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe. So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

3:16-21 

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Oh! the details of the instructions of the Lord to the people of Israel following Moses to understand how to live… Oh! the details of our own lives and instructions on how to live the life that we can…  God always has a plan. 

The Ark, for which God gave such detailed instructions to Noah, carried His people. The Ark, for which God gave such detailed instructions to Moses, carried His Commandments and remembrances of how He carried His people thru life. He gave instructions of how to treat it and how to adorn it. Given in Exodus 25 thru 28, these commands to build the structure, altar, containment are so extensive it is mind-boggling. Gold Gold Gold Bronze and that lapis lazuli is not some stone they invented for the game Minecraft. The attention to detail and the use of the finest treasures, God only wants the best. God is so detailed in all. Why? He wants His people to meet Him.

“Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites. Exodus 25 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2025-28&version=NIV

God gives us His best. He wants to meet us. His best, of course, is Jesus given for us, to allow us access back to God directly. And Jesus is not just a remnant of God, but the physical intercession  of God. He gave the best and works the hardest for us. That means work is to be for us to work hard for everything important to Him in life. We are to work as if we work for Him. We also can bring Him and His best to His people. 

Are we today’s Ark? Perhaps consider as we are temples of God in us, therefore we are to take direction and act accordingly to God’s Will. Why? GOD WANTS TO MEET US WHERE WE ARE. 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord… Colossians3:23

We are allowed and encouraged to raise our families and communities – to be detailed in our details – always of course giving HIM our best each day.

God wants us to have structure and discipline and know the value of things, yet we are not to worship things and not to worship any idol of wealth over God, who is priceless.

I am watching the birds at my feeder today as if they never ate before and they are so very vocal and aware of their surroundings. They must eat to live and work to protect themselves and their flocks. They line their nests with comfort and in secure trees or hidden places in order to rest. They work even though God tells us He provides for them. He provides for us too. They work at life as if they are working for God. THEY ARE.

And look at how detailed a bird is made – in the exacting shapes and certain sizes for certain birds. Look at how colorful and how different each is – hear the multitudes of different voices and songs, and know that there are songs of joy and songs of warning and songs of sorrow. All in one bird. Birds are priceless and yet so numerous. 

And us? How amazing the Lord takes care of the birds and thus us too. We are allowed and encouraged to work as well,  not wallowing but working and waiting to hear Him. While we work, He directs us. He provides us direction. He provides for us, people who need Him. We are the hands, feet for Him. The birds are the songs of His work.

God took the time to devise the most beautiful array of beauty around us. God took the time to make this world even if He Himself sees it as temporary – He made it a place to grow and nurture us – to meet us…  and even as we are still a mist, a moment, His time is a time of instruction. Most of all, we are to learn and teach His Love.

Amen 

—-
Psalm 39:4-7 Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

And now, Lord, what wait I for? 

MY HOPE IS IN THEE.

Oh this devotion hit home!!!

The part that struck me (about me) was what he wrote about Paul… I’m not necessarily on a great mission as much as a mission that is GREAT to be on – to share the Word in the way God picked for me. And to share, you have to be willing to be pulled aside by God and be prepared… like Paul… I bet you also feel sometimes that your inadvertent change of plans put you in a place God needed you!

I tell folks that I have been feeding and feeding and feeding, hungry for the Word this past 6 years – especially feeling so much now. The “slowdown” was not slow but savored. It’s God pulling you into not a dry patch of life but a patch ready to absorb living water… yup!!!

Of course I know that the Lord has amazing things planned for each of us, and our children too. Yes!!!!

Here’s what hit me over the head,  this passage below. Oh yeah, Oh My Cup!!!

“It certainly takes a steady hand to hold a full cup. God was planning to give a full cup to the apostle Paul. So He took Paul away and put him into obscurity in the desert of Arabia for a time. And while we are not told what happened to Paul during this time, we can only assume that he drew close to the Lord in fellowship and communion. It was there that Paul refined his theology, as evidenced in the New Testament epistles that God inspired him to write.”

———-

I joke that I am eligible for bed, meaning I can give up my day and my many chores and get to bed. It’s a blessing to sleep, a real blessing that my kids are older and even if on different schedules than me, I can sleep without listening for every noise.

Except for the middle of the night, my middle night, wake ups to catch bugs from my daughter’s room at 3am, her going to bed time. Oy! When we will be on same schedules is not on our schedule. I feel that I am allowed to be cranky at 3am, but I usually get up anyway and help…  ughs to bugs…

I’ve been reading this multitude of instructions the Lord gave to the Israelites thru Moses recorded in Exodus 22, 23, so many if/then instructions mostly for setting boundaries for living (death by stoning seems a pretty big deterrent). Hopefully the people made an example of the rules to each other, hoping to not need to punish, and these things didn’t happen. And deep in the rules is a separate instruction and honestly seems to be the allowance for nighttime rules and it is a scripture of an awareness of your required awakenedness and responsibilities in daytime: “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.”

Hmmm…. you as a homeowner (and a lifeowner) have responsibility to know if it’s day or night, you have a responsibility to act appropriately. 

It’s a pattern of God to give rules and to rest (6 days and then one day). It’s a pattern of God to want us to be aware when awake. He gave detailed instruction for allowing time to worship, pray, work, rest. And God knows all the brokenness of the people and makes provisions for them. (Biggest provision being Jesus forgiving and giving grace to our humanness) Perhaps our rest is both for our bodies that wear out, and also to settle us down enough for God not having to deal with spiders in the middle of the night. The Lord does not sleep, but rest assured He rests when He knows we are OK.

Let’s be OK today for His sake.  Don’t sweat the small stuff. Keep track of day and night – keep working when there is work and keep resting when rest is allowed. Deal with your own bugs, and give Him all the rest. Haha, rest, God’s rest is taking out burdens and letting us rest, then He rests assured we are OK.

Let Us Be Still and still be His.

Amen 
—

a link to exodus 21-24 – so many instructions… https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+21-24&version=NIV

Another little tidbit I had overlooked in scripture – this one smack dab in the middle of the 10 Commandments, Honor your Mother and Father – but why? Did you know that God gave an extra reason? I never knew until now! The extra reason He gave was “SO THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE LAND THE LORD GAVE YOU”.

WOW.

Exodus 20:12
–Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. AKJV
–Honor your father and mother so that you’ll live a long time in the land that God, your God, is giving you. The Message
–Honour thy father and thy mother, so that thy days are prolonged on the ground which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee. Young’s Literal Translation

HMMMM…..

Honoring your mother and father seems like a no-brainer commandment – especially from a God who IS our father and from a God who knows and knew the hardships and the heartbreaks that a father and a mother go thru all the time raising children – and especially making difficult decisions and being the parent when it is sometimes too easy to not make decisions. If there is anything that I have learned as a parent – is to act more and more like a parent. It is a continual process. We also learn that God as love never runs out of love even when His heart breaks as a parent. Love is a continual process of application.

So, that extra layer of God’s commandment? Honoring your mother and father with the intention of living long and living well and living ON the land that the Lord has given – that takes on a whole new dimension of “what’s in it for me?” We don’t honor our mothers and fathers just because we should (and we should) but our success depends on it, our gratitude makes all the difference in the world to our Heavenly Father and to our earthly parents. Yes, listening and even enduring hardships to take care of our families begets children who will take care of us. Ah, yes… You honor your parents’ wishes (and your Lord God Father’s wishes) to take care of your flock and His – and they (and He) will take care of you.

And what is God giving? LAND – the one thing that my father always told me was precious – land – because “they aren’t making any more of it” – true! My father’s land (and mother’s land) and our Father’s land is given to us thru inheritance but thru His and their gift. And not JUST this earthly land, God our Father’s land is also the Kingdom which is at hand. And to be long lived in the Kingdom, in the land “that can’t be bought” – is the best place “to land” – in Grace and Love and Long Life.

Matthew 5:5

• Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. – KJV
• “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. The Message

Honor your Mother and Father and You honor the Kingdom. God brought you into the world and God WILL give everything, including His Son, to allow you to earn a home in the Kingdom. Live Kingdomly, at your Father’s request.

Amen.

I have written about Jesus being “down to earth” a couple of years ago – https://debbieupper.blog/2019/12/21/down-to-earth-jesus-23nov-769/

In Moses’s time, in showing majesty and power, God also came “down to earth” to speak to Moses and set laws for His chosen people. God required an earthen altar – not stones – nothing they had to climb lest they be exposed. Interestingly, that Moses did have to climb an earthen mountain to speak to God. God built that mountain. This reverence that the Lord wanted the people to have meant that He did not want other idols – and did not want anyone to stray from realizing and worshiping the ONE GOD, HIM.

God did and does experience many lost souls who worship other “gods” taken for themselves. God knows that only a certain number of folks will make it thru back to Him – many but not all. In the mention of mountains in final times, the mountains are flattened. The people (people of the earth and not those raptured or those martyred for God in the Great Awakening) were exposed naked, and the reverence gone.

God comes down to earth because He made earth and He made the people – He has the power over all and His strength and majesty is even more in that He brings us up to Him. What we are, those who revere Jesus and call Him Lord, is COVERED. Covered by His blood, to be robed and preserved. 

Jesus on the cross said it is finished – in fulfillment of the prophesies and in His Easter Rising, He completed the path for the people to make it back to God. A path we all must walk. God, much later on, at the end of earth, will say “It is done” when the path is no longer available.

Pray that all in the here and now and future FIND the path – find the earthen road that brings them to the Lord. God has come down to earth and brought down the earth. He IS Almighty God.

Amen

—-
Revelation 16:17-The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!”  Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.  Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.  From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

Exodus 20:18-When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:  Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.  If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.  And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+16%3A17-&version=NIVhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A18-&version=NIV

It’s NOW the time to help others with THEIR oxygen masks. You have been wearing yours, right? You have been taking care of yourself, right? You have been staying awake, right? How about looking less and less at worldly things and more and more at the Lord? Remember the adage, “Put on YOUR oxygen mask first!” WHY? So that you will be OK – especially while helping others to get THEIR masks on and all get thru the tough times. Yes, if WE ARE ABLE to think clearly, we can be ready to help. We must stay awake and of sober judgement. Jesus always told His disciples (and us) to be awake and ready.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Speaking of JUDGEMENT, so what will happen after we, believers in Jesus, are “caught up together” – aka raptured? Jesus said “I am coming like a thief.” – and so who will help the others with their oxygen masks then? Hmmmm…

I have been thinking that in addition to us witnessing for those in the here and now, we must do whatever we can for the ones we may or may not know who are going to be in this “great awakening” after the rapture. They will have no one here to guide them except for those who realize “real quick” and are then forced to become martyrs for Jesus. So, like life insurance that helps our immediate families when we are gone, how will we leave oxygen masks and reminders of the blessings from the Lord that help our descendants and people we don’t even know when we are gone.

God will love them, but who will teach them? Hmmmm…

In Moses’s time, God’s commandment states His desire to be worshiped and not have the people practice idolatry. Moses warned the people to not mess with God – don’t try to climb or even touch the mountain where God came down in a cloud of smoke – and God Himself told the Isrealites (thru Moses) of His jealousy and His ability to bless (or punish) His people. “… for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6

Jesus is the lifeblood to our lives and our eternal lives. Do we help others here and now – AND do we have the ability to help those after the rapture? I hope so. If a great awakening is coming, how will they hear Jesus’s words for themselves? Can we help keep the generations going in LOVE? If it comes to a point of us being gone – what are we leaving behind as witness and encouragement? Perhaps it is best that we simply do our best today – we KNOW the Lord will LOVE the generations to come – especially if we LOVE HIM.

Jesus is coming like a thief in the night, He will steal believers and we won’t want to miss the trumpet call from our Lord. So let us also leave some life insurance – let us be devoted to God and keep His commandments so that His Love will sustain a thousand generations. And let us remind ourselves that we are not to keep God all to ourselves.

Amen

Exodus 19 and 20 at this link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+19-20&version=NIV

Often we think of humility as knocking ourselves down in service, in following, in waiting and reacting – but Jesus was BOLD and KNOWLEDGEABLE about who He was… and Jesus KNEW the job He needed to do. We too are to LISTEN to ACT. Sometimes we think humility is being a sheep but really if we use Jesus as an example, humility is ALSO seeing the shepherd within us… not always acting sheepishly but being more shephardly.

Serve Jesus with all your heart soul strength AND MIND….

Let the Holy Spirit guide and move you for the sake of those around you.

Jesus said: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses – to the ends of the earth.”

Amen

Peter said (recorded in Acts) to the people amazed at the workings of the Holy Spirit:

“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.”

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

I appreciated reading a devotion and scriptures which reminded me: humility over pride.

And these scriptures that were quoted about humility are the best reminder that we need to pick up crosses each day which means to drop the worldly stuff we carry as a burden in our lives. Pride itself can be a burden because we may miss the leading hand of the Lord by holding up our own agendas.

In discussions about work, being a leader, and living each day as it comes, we all need humility. In raising our children, we need Jesus. Our pride in proud moments should be less than our grateful humbleness for Jesus carrying us thru one more day in grace with guidance. At the end of the day we should ask: ‘what did I trust the Lord for today?’ For Jesus did say don’t worry about tomorrow until tomorrow, just focus on today. That’s also why Jesus said that He will take our burdens. We are to lead our family and our folks who have been looking for leadership, if God places you in leadership, it’s because He trusts you to listen to Him. “The one who leads must follow”.

Our years are short on this earth and those who come after us will likely live longer than us – including our children. How we can not see that much further into their lives must be a driving factor for us to trust God to know what they need in those years where we won’t be around to remind them. God knows to the end, we don’t know the day of the end and we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Therefore we MUST trust in God each day to lead us to focus on what will bring His people out of their darkness into His light.

If I am going to trust any decision about my work, my life, and especially my children – I am going to trust God to bring it all together. The more we listen and obey, the more He can use us. Perhaps that is the best lesson for our children, teach them to listen to the Lord too.

One day at a time, sweet Jesus.

Thanks and Amen. 

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Here are the scripture excerpts:

Jesus told us, “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” Matthew 5:5
“God blesses men and women with a humble and contrite heart.” Isaiah 66:2
 Jesus said “whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12 
“The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.” Proverbs 16:5 
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”. James 4:6 God will always “exalt you in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6 

The best place to pray for Grace is while saying Grace. At home I always stop to say grace at the meals and that is the perfect time to flow praise and knowledge of truth and worship (and what a blessing to have meals and to stay overnight in my parents’ house post-covid worry). In these really tough times for so many, the timing is the best the Lord could put together for us to stop and say Grace. The world is still a battleground for disease, clean water, and strife. If we can appreciate that the Lord has pulled us thru those things – he pulls us all thru all these things. We say Grace in thankfulness for Grace sake.

Amen

SO – I am TRYING to get back to my original blogs, 1000 blogs ago and re-edit and re-post on my other wordpress blog – this is a momentous blog to me – thinking of Ben Franklin while in the place where supposedly he did the lightning experiment…

I felt like I was struck by lightning but really my faith was approaching the key – really it is not always a tragedy that brings us to faith – it is a faith that brings Jesus to us…

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From: Debbie Upper: Learning to Fly as a Daughter of God