moving

Better RELIANCE Upon Wisdom from the LORD, Isaiah 28

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“Like the ocean, it’s good to keep moving ahead in waves…”

That is a quote I came up with in response to my friend who is finding herself moving again. A separate person from my other friend moving but the same plan, downsize.  This friend from school moved south then north and is drawn back again south, to the ocean. Thus the quote I made about waves. “Like the ocean, it’s good to keep moving AHEAD in waves…”

Having downsized like twice now, this particular friend will start again in the lifestyle she used to have, but different, because this new past she is leaving behind, in stages, lightens her load. And it is not to pick up her old past again but make new. Her situation has changed – mostly by her choice – and it is time to move on – move to the new situation which will be new even if it is returning to a location she was already in. And her packing and peace will be in waves.

Not all situations are the same, and even if they seem similar, God makes them NEW for us, or at least makes us NEW in the same situation by His Mercies, which are fresh each morning.

“All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.”

I find reading and rereading scripture gives new insights. It is new to today even if I experienced it before. I love to see scripture that maybe I read but never absorbed – like in Isaiah 28 – about the Lord teaching the proper way for the proper situation – and changing tactics when it’s time. 

Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever.

Yeah…  Not all situations are the same – this is for people, for seasons, and for times – for the descriptive text in Isaiah about Soil and Grain, it’s like it means you have to apply life changes in attitude too. Isaiah said Caraway Cumin Spelt and Wheat – listen to the Lord in how you prepare it – how you grind it – how you plant it – how you harvest it. 

LIFE IS DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND THEREFORE WE SHOULD LET THE LORD ADAPT US INTO HOW WE HANDLE THE CIRCUMSTANCES. 

Pay attention to the situation at hand. MOVE FORWARD ALWAYS. 

When we study what Jesus said to His disciples about the scripture of the cornerstone rejected but on which the kingdom being built, which they all recounted later in the gospels, we understand that Jesus was teaching THE WAY to have Jesus be OUR WAY. Jesus wants us to stand with Him when He is standing with us. Jesus wants us to build upon HIS WAY. This is true wisdom because with Jesus as our firm foundation we will be anchored and adaptable applying love.

In other words, when you find yourself in a situation where you COULD lash out – but the Lord HELPS you hold your tongue or roll something off your back. We can let Jesus be our foundation in standing up for His Way and standing up to simply walk away. The power to be patient is a true Godsend. 

We find that Jesus is asking WE APPLY HIS ATTITUDE. Jesus is saying: “Don’t sweat the small stuff” – Just let it roll off the back. MOVE FORWARD. 

To have BETTER RELIANCE UPON THE LORD’S WISDOM is WISE.

Amen

Isaiah 28: excerpts 16, 23-29 

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; …”

…
Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say. When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil? When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field? His God instructs him and teaches him the right way. Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick. Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain. All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.

Amen Amen 

Better BUILDING by the Lord, Psalm 127 and more…

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I have a friend who is “breaking down” her house – moving – it is tough but her children are going to be there to help to both pack up this one and blessedly to open up the new life for her in her new place. It is a process that the Lord started by building up her family to help her – as she helped them build their lives, they are helping her build and rebuild hers. And she will get to see her grandchildren and be part of building up of their lives. And the Lord? The Lord is the Cornerstone of all. Let us Let the Lord build us up.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it”

Better Building is by the Lord – Better Building – of faith, of foundations, of families – of fruit – of Forever. The road to the Peace of the Lord is by His “Smoothing” of our road travelled and of the conditions allowing the building up of plans. If we want to see something to succeed – it is best to be planned with the Lord rather than ask for the Lord’s blessing after the fact. It is best to also watch what the Lord is building and then join His Labor Crew. 

With my friend moving, I have watched the Lord provide the time the people the energy as “on a needs by basis” – doled out not in one big flourish of movement but by continual piece by piece falling into place.

I am always fascinated by the understanding of scripture being revealed with an eye-of-the-brain “Ah – ha!” … And I am intrigued how people of the scriptures did not see something until the Lord let it be revealed to them. I know that the Lord has given us a brain – and a heart – and a soul – ears and eyes – but we require the Spirit of interpretation to see things from His Perspective. Yes. And we do need the Holy Spirit to guide us in building up ourselves, our faith, our families and our plans. We need Jesus as our Cornerstone – as He is the Cornerstone of the building of us into the Kingdom of God.

The interesting scripture to contemplate is of how the disciples of Jesus walked with Him thru the Temple of Jerusalem built by Solomon and rebuilt in the time after the Babylonian exile. Solomon’s marvelous temple, destroyed and pillaged much – is still remembered today. Jesus was and IS a marvelous Temple of God Himself, destroyed and pillaged much – but still remembered. Jesus, the flesh, was in a time for a purpose and Jesus the God is for Forever. 

Jesus talked about the temples being destroyed – the building (as He walked with His disciples marveling at it) – and of Himself. Certain people could not wrap their heads around this notion until by the Spirit’s Guidance. This is recounted in Matthew 24:1-2 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Jesus talked about the Temple being rebuilt – HIMSELF – in John 2:18-22, the Gospel of Wisdom, about the authority he used to overturn the crooked unfair dealings of the money exchangers in the Temple – The confused Jews said to Jesus: “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

And Jesus talked about Himself being the Cornerstone – our faith’s cornerstone and that being the foundation of the building up of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mark 12:10–11 Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

Luke 20:17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?

1 Peter 2:4–7 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

Blessed to be in the Build – BETTER BUILDING BY THE LORD!

Amen

Psalm 127 NKJV

Laboring and Prospering with the Lord – A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

A State of Shepherding Christmas

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My friend is reducing the volume of her estate to move out of state (please keep her in prayer). She is reducing her items plus that of her mother’s and others. She has shepherded their belongings and their memories so well. She has enjoyed these items, but knows the next chapter is so important with her grandkids, and those are the times and new chapters where they will develop special new memories together. Any book chapter page is flat, but a memory heart chapter is multidimensional with depth and love.

Recently she preciously gave me one beautiful ornament containing the Nativity scene. This ornament was her grandmother’s. I love vintage for sure, but it’s the subject matter that she and I share: a deep love of Jesus and the appreciation that we ourselves are shepherded. Jesus is our Lord and Savior, Jesus is King. 

The shepherd on the ornament is clear, remarkably so. Kneeling, dressed, reverent. Shepherded by the angels to visit the baby, he will learn from his heart that this is no ordinary baby, this baby will and already did Shepherd our hearts, tending to the tender moments, shoring up the tough times, making a way where there was no way, and laying His body down for the sake of our salvation. We are shepherded by God and God is love. 

We can be a part of shepherding in Christmas and Christ for others, as long as we ourselves be the sheep Shepherded by our Savior, listening for His Word, comfort, and correction. And for us to be Shepherded by the faith instilled in us, we can do hard things too.

This is tough, for her to move, and I cheeringly said: “the best vintage item your kids and grandkids want is you.” We all need to remember that the items are just items, even the ornaments, but Jesus is our All in All. Follow the Shepherd. Be a Flock on the move, then rest with Him at the gate.

Amen 

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” An angel speaking to Mary. Luke 1:37

 Jesus said: “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:10-11, 14-18

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2:20