You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.

I enjoyed the randomness of Saturday. I try walking by faith not by sight, Saturday makes that easier especially when you put all your whims into God’s Wind – the Holy Spirit to take one anywhere – even just around the corner. We are to walk by faith and insight… which of course isn’t possible for us to know everything that God has going on. Which of course events are not random anyway… because every day is a great day to listen for God and His Direction. And today is celebrating Pentecost. God gives us the power of the Holy Spirit to just do His Will – and to move in His Power – and even to rest in His rest.

I enjoyed enjoying the whole day Saturday, EVEN if EXHAUSTING, by helping my friend with her moving estate sale… Sunday is another busy day with the sale after church and wrapping up stuff as she gets ready to move, prayers appreciated. Honestly these are prayers answered because it’s really happening and progress has been palatable and God given. I appreciate that we don’t live because of a God whim but a God WIN and a God WIND blowing the stress and stuff away. All good things come from God, and this coming together is all good, ALL GOD. 

In faith I enjoyed helping, as well as talking to people.  The people at the sale included our first customer, a woman from West Africa originally who told me she was so happy as a child and all she had was one pair of flip flops and now as an older adult here in America, she marvels at her own addiction to shoes and why we are such consumers. However her amazing fashion sneakers, name brand, she got at a yard sale for a dollar. I would have to say that as Americans we are consumers but by looking at the piles of things we have, we’re more like those people who have way too much on their plates and they just keep moving it around.

Then there were the metal scrapper guys who were like the best guys in the world SO HELPFUL. They filled up their truck, but also they were moving stuff and helping with other customers to just enjoy chatting in a rainy morning situation when you had a great garage to work in. And wow we had some big storms and big winds but that garage stood still.

I enjoyed my multiple trips to donate items. It’s unique when you roll your car up and they give you a whole big bucket to fill. It is unique when you look at the volume of stuff we have and we could get it for practically free if we just didn’t mind it was used.

OK back to the sale and more interesting people. I found myself putting on a costume space helmet and waving at cars. As it was lunch time by then, and I impromptu made a delivery of an old fashioned push lawn mower, the guy was tickled pink, and even game me a ten dollar tip… with the cash in hand plus I had a twenty, I had the awesome randomness of driving right by the market. Oh! A power outage at a stretch of road made the novelty of pitch black at the market with the exception of everybody’s cell phone flashlights, everybody was orderly, pleasant, KIND even. Funny situation but every one still wanted their food – and had to be more patient with the situation. Everybody seemed to be doing fine. Everybody got their donuts and their barbecue… and hardly even had to wait in line. It was cash only but plenty of people had it. (They said power came back on within two hours.)

Back to the sale and enjoying lunch. More people and personalities – more rain and randomness – more God motivation.

So yes I enjoyed enjoyed the whole day, but wow my back – too much lifting and not enough resting – but that because it is my own fault for not resting… But I was having fun wearing myself out and well, ibuprofen and rest and the Lord brought it back to OK – and to start a fresh day – I am PRAISING that my legs and my back feel so much better and ready to start the day. I also know other people who need prayer so let us pause and pray: Lord, bless, teach, and sustain us another not-random day. 

In my recovery, fueled by God, rest and ibuprofen, I can see the devotion right away. One could say that my recovery was IN reconciliation PHYSICALLY. First achy then OK. So how much more could we long for in reconciliation SPIRITUALLY? Broken then WHOLE. In Jesus we are WHOLE. And what will we do between now and when we are back with the Lord spiritually because our then physical situation has finally failed us in death? Well – we will WALK BY FAITH – not by sight… and rest by faith too.

Yeah…

In faith walking by faith each day is in an easy hard way – and man, it is a HARD walk to walk like you think Jesus would walk you and approach interactive situations all the time… It is IMPOSSIBLE for Man but only with God is it possible to keep walking…  

We need Jesus to be more like Jesus. That is where the Holy Spirit is here to help!!! Pentecost – the wind of the Lord is the Win of the Lord. Jesus came, Jesus left and Jesus sent an advocate to accomplish His Will in our Work. And His Work is to LOVE. Know we are loved and then love God and love others because God loves them.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ – that scripture is a command and a wish and a hope and a life to live. To be an ambassador FOR Christ is to meet the people where they are, and remind them of the hope that comes from Christ – and GIFTS INCLUDING the self-control, the faithfulness, the gentleness, the JOY, and all those other things that come when the Lord puts His fruit onto YOUR branch of HIS VINE…  We can’t do anything without Jesus – can’t do anything AS an ambassador for Christ unless we let Him have His Will…  For we walk by faith, not by sight. 

I am just now listening to this very energetic and sweet sounding bird outside my window. It is so nice to be able to sleep with the windows open. I think these birds chirp by faith. We should too. We need to sing of Him – LIVE BY FAITH AND INSIGHT!!!

Amen

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2 Corinthians 5 NKJV
Assurance of the Resurrection
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The Judgment Seat of Christ
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

Be Reconciled to God
For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

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Acts 2 NKJV
Coming of the Holy Spirit
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Crowd’s Response
And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

Peter’s Sermon
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him:

‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’

“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

A Vital Church Grows
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.