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Are We MORE than Golden in Christ? 

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The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. Proverbs 17:3

I feel that I have been taking the downtime I need and needed this past winter – for many reasons – including the reason that if the ground rests, we should allow ourselves to rest a bit mentally too – and truly to rest my heart and to rest my stress. I have to say that I have really appreciated this down time – even if others see very little of it scoping out my activities day to day. Well, for me, this is downtime to sit and write and I am ever so much more blessed to do so…

And as spring approaches – we need to get more spring in our step – yes we do and “do Spring” – appreciate it – get out and walk or in the yard – break out of our winter shell. Spring, with it’s ups and downs of temperature and tumultuous weather patterns, finds that we also need to spring forth and remove ourselves from a cocoon of self-induced shelter. Honestly I mean that we DO need to take care of ourselves but we also need to get out more and reach more and simply be the people out there in the world that the Lord needs us to be – if not for us – for them – for those people who need to see someone be an encourager…  

In my down time this past few months – which is coupled by my incredibly blessed busy schedule of going everywhere, LOL, I have really taken more time to ponder and to simply watch “TV” – but good chosen TV – and movies – no longer do we use the flipper to look at channels and their offerings but we think of the artists we like – the topics we like – and yeah we get to choose more of our content-driven leisure time. I HIGHLY recommend a few shows recently: the HBO Billy Joel 2 part special, the HBO David Bowie’s last 5 years special, and movies that you catch up on during waiting for airplanes – like the George Clooney 2 recent samplings of “Good Night and Good Luck” and the movie of him as a movie start travelling – yeah it’s kinda like junk TV but not – it is more critically acclaimed and thought provoking – plus there is junk TV too – like Survivor which finally in episode 50 I am watching it side by side with my daughter at home…  nice…  and free stuff abounds too – on YouTube or PBS or wherever – you can find the endless podcasts of your favorite stars, things like “Finding your roots” and just funny clips – like I just rewatched the last 5 minutes of the Newhart finale where he wakes up in bed and it was all a dream and next to him is his wife from his first series – well, you have to watch it – I mean everyone’s tastes are so different.

And last nights indulgence of TV? THE OSCARS – no I never saw any of the movies except the one that had NO nominations – Wicked for Good – which makes no sense – that is the biggest theatrical release and not even a nod for costume design or casting??  ANYWAY – I appreciated a song from a movie that I HAD NOT watched – Kpop Demon Hunters is known for it’s teen appeal and without teens in my life I am happy to not have to stay up on recent movies – and yet this song was so fitting in my thought process – that we are “Golden” – that we are to remember ourselves being blessed and even golden or silver tarnished can be shined – we can shine – we can rise – we can spring into spring and just be better us… In the Oscar performance, and the original, we are to be hunters of the darkness and be back out in the light – and be GOLDEN!

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.  – Yes, Proverbs 17:3 speaks to me to us – to listen to the Lord and become even more GOLDEN and more than GOLDEN – to be the best we can be for HIM… The Kpop “Golden” lyrics are below and include: “We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment – You know together we’re glowin’ – Oh, I’m done hidin’ now I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be – Oh, our time, no fears, no lies – That’s who we’re born to be – Waited so long to break these walls down – To wake up and feel like me – Put these patterns all in the past now – And finally live like the girl they all see…”

And there are even more reasons to be more than Golden and know our place as children of God – to know our future even through rough times – to know the wisdom God gives us to keep living strong – to know that He will right the rights – to know that He has and will overcome. We are more than golden in Christ.

OK – back to spring springing – keep shining, keep believing, and keep listening to God – ask for WISDOM – and serve Jesus by being a servant to others. Be more than Golden!

AMEN – enjoy the day!

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Zechariah 13:7 NKJV The Shepherd Savior – Says the Lord, “… But one-third shall be left in it:  I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”

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Proverbs 8 NKJV 

The Excellence of Wisdom

Does not wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
“To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
O you simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, I have strength.
By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of the earth.
I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.
Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
I traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,
Or the primal dust of the world.
When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth,
Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And my delight was with the sons of men.

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
For whoever finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord;
But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.

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Kpop song “GOLDEN”

Oscars

Original

I was a ghost, I was alone, hah
Given the throne, I didn’t know how to believe
I was the queen that I’m meant to be
I lived two lives, tried to play both sides
But I couldn’t find my own place
Called a problem child ’cause I got too wild
But now that’s how I’m getting paid, kkeuteopsi on stage

I’m done hiding, now I’m shining like I’m born to be
We’re dreaming hard, we came so far, now I believe

We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment
You know together we’re glowin’
Gonna be, gonna be golden
Oh, up, up, up with our voices
Gonna be, gonna be golden

Oh, I’m done hidin’ now I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be
Oh, our time, no fears, no lies
That’s who we’re born to be

Waited so long to break these walls down
To wake up and feel like me
Put these patterns all in the past now
And finally live like the girl they all see

No more hiding, I’ll be shining like I’m born to be
‘Cause we are hunters, voices strong, and I know I believe

We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment
You know together we’re glowing
Gonna be, gonna be golden
Oh, up, up, up, with our voices
Gonna be, gonna be golden

Oh, I’m done hidin’, now I’m shining like I’m born to be
Oh, our time, no fears, no lies
That’s who we’re born to be

You know we’re gonna be, gonna be golden
We’re gonna be, gonna be
Born to be, born to be glowin’
You know that it’s our time, no fears, no lies
That’s who we’re born to be

A Remnant Left to Rediscover, from Haggai’s Prophesy

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There’s a special movie (replaying  on Netflix) that I enjoy replaying and replaying segments, “Monuments Men”, 2014 with George Clooney, Bill Murray, John Goodman. This movie is about finding and restoration of art and possessions in World War II, it has amazing experiences for those portrayed. I appreciate the experiences are only 90 to 100 years ago, but we don’t hear about these things much anymore, there is much to reach and teach younger generations. There’s a remnant left to rediscover. The story is true with some movie magic thrown in. It seems war movies like this could teach so much about valuing treasures and especially people. It’s clearly, sadly, a broken world then and now…

The last part of prophet Haggai is God’s reminder to the priests of the era that God’s people are defiled by not having a temple and examples of dedication and sacrifice. The people need true repentance. The people are essentially not living in remembrance of the times the temple was built, 500 years prior by Solomon, and of how God blessed them and will bless them again when they show dedication. These people live 500 years before Jesus comes. They are the remnant that God has remembered and wants. 

This is also a lesson for us to return to God, to be building our lives on the Rock, the firm foundation of Jesus, and the knowledge that He came and will come again. The dedication of the temple is of our lives to Him. The new temple also to come is for the healing of the nations. God will bring a remnant of His Promised people back, and bless them. He will bless ALL who turn to Him and repent. Of course the ultimate blessing will be extraction from the brokenness of the world into God’s Kingdom. 

This short book Haggai contains a lot of good treasured knowledge about God and His Plan – with warnings about not listening, similar to the warnings given to Solomon by God at the start of the temple building 500 years prior: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  From 2nd Chronicles 

May we continue to remember the repentance to God for not listening and following and trusting  and ask for restoration.

Amen 

The 5 minute Bible Project video on YouTube is really good at explaining this chapter in time: 

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Haggai 2:10-23

Blessings for a Defiled People

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’”

The priests answered, “No.”

Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”

Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

“‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on—consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the Lord. ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.

“‘From this day on I will bless you.’”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.

“‘On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

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From 2 Chronicles 7:11-22

Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.

And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 

For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;

Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.

And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house?

And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.