righteousness

Through CHRIST, Philippians 4 and Psalm 23

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Ah… Saturday…

I turned over to allow myself the luxury of more sleep, the cat woke me up like normal 545, and I think that when the cat sees my eyes moving in rapid motion for dreaming is when she comes in for the prodding (head motion to bite me gently as her communication device) to wake back up. I turned over so she couldn’t see my eyes. And yes I got two extra hours of sleep.

I spend a lot of time trying to interpret this cat. But the truth is she probably spends more time trying to interpret me. And she gets her big naps in when we leave for the day, otherwise she feels like she’s on duty to watch us. I thought it was hard to walk around the house to not wake up babies – well the cat is just the same.

So rest – and then a plethora of activities today planned around the house and outside – I am grateful for the reminders, especially on Saturday, to rest physically and rest emotionally and rest spiritually. Then spring into action or at least slide slowly into the day. I do have lots today, good stuff, but it’s best to STRATEGIZE first with the Lord. Sometimes I am in the crisis mode: “how am I going to get it all done (and not wake the cat)”, and sometimes in the questioning mode: “what on earth should I be doing, Lord?”, and sometimes in the mode of “forgive me Lord, I am just going to sit here and do nothing (except watch out for that cat)”

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. I went for a deep dive on Psalm 23, which I’m going to include in my sermon prep for tomorrow, Sunday. I found a great website reminder for the scripture – that God gives us the rest first – then we proceed in life’s rest of life… We are to rest in Him then let Him work through us.  YES! The quote from BibleINFO website said in short: The restored soul is led into righteousness, and then work – we are not saved by our works but our work is done because we are saved…

When we read about spiritual gifts – we have to realize that our joy is FROM Him, our strength is FROM Him, our generous nature is FROM Him. We are not to be goodie two shoes but good for His work from His prodding from His rest. Then we can do “all things through Christ” – and that is what my bracelet says – the great scripture reminder from the letter to the Phillipians 4:13. The bracelet sat next to my bed and when I woke (after those extra 2 hours) I saw it clearly.

Now I want to feel it clearly – both the strength through Christ and the REST – and rest in His Plan – and for His Way – and start my day.

Keep Moving – and Keep going THROUGH CHRIST.

Amen

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 for ever. Psalm 23

Amen 

Psalm 23: Verse by verse meaning https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/psalm-23-meaning

Feel the Heat, Seek the Lord and Live through Love, Amos 4-5

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“You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord.

Some of the best assurances and warnings of the strength of the Almighty Lord is to understand His tough love policy for those who stray. It is still and always will be love because God is love. A squishy pushover love it is NOT, because God has enough power to destroy and correct what He made on the largest stage, and save, in the smallest behind the scenes moment. Therefore we must be tapped into the love of healing and knowledge of good and evil. 

He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land – the Lord is his name.

Surely, the wayward chosen people of Israelites and Judah-ites were needing the reminder of compliance, as Amos the prophet gave. And so are we – to be reminded to stay devoted. The saved remnant of folks, from the tribes of Jacob, were described like a burning stick snatched from the fire, saved just in time. 

We now in life still fraught with society going every which way, should be thankful for we are in the boat with Jesus and able to say: “Lord, douse me with your LIVING WATER”…

God’s love never fails and unlike unfaithfulness waywardness which relies on crumbling human-invented paths, “those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground”, God’s love and God’s ability is the STRENGTH of the whole SYSTEM.  God’s righteousness and God’s justice will root out evil at the time of the harvest. Therefore let us be in the system of good, of devotion, of love, and share the fruitfulness from our watered souls, living as God’s love ‘through us’, not just ‘to us’.

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.

Let us all keep living and loving. Pray to walk with the God Who is with us.

Amen

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Amos 4:11 – Amos 5:17

“You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord.

“Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, Israel, prepare to meet your God.”

He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth – the Lord God Almighty is his name.

A Lament and Call to Repentance

Hear this word, Israel, this lament I take up concerning you:

“Fallen is Virgin Israel, never to rise again, deserted in her own land, with no one to lift her up.”

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Israel:

“Your city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left; your town that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left.”

This is what the Lord says to Israel:

“Seek me and live;

do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”

Seek the Lord and live,

or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire; it will devour them, and Bethel will have no one to quench it. There are those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground.

He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land – the Lord is his name.

With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold and brings the fortified city to ruin. There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth. You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins.

There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil.

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.

Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, says: “There will be wailing in all the streets and cries of anguish in every public square. The farmers will be summoned to weep and the mourners to wail. There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass through your midst,” says the Lord.

People being People, Corruption, Hosea 10-11

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For it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.

Love the person, hate the sin. Know the Lord loves each person. 

Know that each person sins and whole peoples go off the deep end at times. But the Lord loves them. 

I woke up with the name Voltaire on the brain. I don’t know why, I don’t know his writing in the 1700s, but a quick Wikipedia search tells me his writings stirred up controversy. I’m not going to dig too deep, just knew he was commenting on his time… There were corruptions in the monarchy and the close connection between government and church was fraught with abuse of power…

Yes, life history tells us that’s a theme… 2000 years earlier, Israel and Judah and corruption are the forefront of Hosea’s writing. Clearly the Lord calls out the corruption and of course the false worship. The Lord’s warning to Samuel, prophet, early on, was that kings will divert attention from worshiping the Lord.  As Saul was corruptable, so was the long line of kings… Even as the lineage of Jesus was brought forth from the appointed David, after the Lord tapped him to lead, corruption marred the moments that could have been lived better by listening to the Lord. 

Hosea wrote:

Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The Lord will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones. Then they will say, “We have no king because we did not revere the Lord. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us?” They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

CORRUPTION… a continuous issue… The Lord who raised His people (then and now) saw and sees corruption: “My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them.” 

Love the people, hate the sin. 

Jesus spoke in John 3:19-20: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

We know history,  we know sin, we know evil at a certain level. The Lord knows that the cure is His righteousness. He will bring forth His people and corruption will put on incorruptible Jesus as our Light and Leader to replace all earthly kings.

Thank You Lord for the Light!

Amen 

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1 Corinthians 15:53-55 KJV

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

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Hosea 10-11 NIV

Israel was a spreading vine;

    he brought forth fruit for himself.

As his fruit increased,

    he built more altars;

as his land prospered,

    he adorned his sacred stones.

Their heart is deceitful,

    and now they must bear their guilt.

The Lord will demolish their altars

    and destroy their sacred stones.

Then they will say, “We have no king

    because we did not revere the Lord.

But even if we had a king,

    what could he do for us?”

They make many promises,

    take false oaths

    and make agreements;

therefore lawsuits spring up

    like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.

The people who live in Samaria fear

    for the calf-idol of Beth Aven.

Its people will mourn over it,

    and so will its idolatrous priests,

those who had rejoiced over its splendor,

    because it is taken from them into exile.

It will be carried to Assyria

    as tribute for the great king.

Ephraim will be disgraced;

    Israel will be ashamed of its foreign alliances.

Samaria’s king will be destroyed,

    swept away like a twig on the surface of the waters.

The high places of wickedness will be destroyed—

    it is the sin of Israel.

Thorns and thistles will grow up

    and cover their altars.

Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”

    and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

“Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, Israel,

    and there you have remained.

Will not war again overtake

    the evildoers in Gibeah?

When I please, I will punish them;

    nations will be gathered against them

    to put them in bonds for their double sin.

Ephraim is a trained heifer

    that loves to thresh;

so I will put a yoke

    on her fair neck.

I will drive Ephraim,

    Judah must plow,

    and Jacob must break up the ground.

Sow righteousness for yourselves,

    reap the fruit of unfailing love,

and break up your unplowed ground;

    for it is time to seek the Lord,

until he comes

    and showers his righteousness on you.

But you have planted wickedness,

    you have reaped evil,

    you have eaten the fruit of deception.

Because you have depended on your own strength

    and on your many warriors,

the roar of battle will rise against your people,

    so that all your fortresses will be devastated—

as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,

    when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.

So will it happen to you, Bethel,

    because your wickedness is great.

When that day dawns,

    the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

God’s Love for Israel

“When Israel was a child, I loved him,

    and out of Egypt I called my son.

But the more they were called,

    the more they went away from me.

They sacrificed to the Baals

    and they burned incense to images.

It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

    taking them by the arms;

but they did not realize

    it was I who healed them.

I led them with cords of human kindness,

    with ties of love.

To them I was like one who lifts

    a little child to the cheek,

    and I bent down to feed them.

“Will they not return to Egypt

    and will not Assyria rule over them

    because they refuse to repent?

A sword will flash in their cities;

    it will devour their false prophets

    and put an end to their plans.

My people are determined to turn from me.

    Even though they call me God Most High,

    I will by no means exalt them.

“How can I give you up, Ephraim?

    How can I hand you over, Israel?

How can I treat you like Admah?

    How can I make you like Zeboyim?

My heart is changed within me;

    all my compassion is aroused.

I will not carry out my fierce anger,

    nor will I devastate Ephraim again.

For I am God, and not a man—

    the Holy One among you.

    I will not come against their cities.

They will follow the Lord;

    he will roar like a lion.

When he roars,

    his children will come trembling from the west.

They will come from Egypt,

    trembling like sparrows,

    from Assyria, fluttering like doves.

I will settle them in their homes,”

    declares the Lord.

Israel’s Sin

Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,

    Israel with deceit.

And Judah is unruly against God,

    even against the faithful Holy One.