Man alive! What kind of a blessing Christ gives us!! vs 3 He blesses us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms!!
God loved us, chose us, decided in advance to adopt us, purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son! Are you feeling LOVED yet??
I like how Paul prays that God will give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you can grow in your knowledge of God. We are foolish if we think that WE have all the answers! HE has the answers, and it's HIS Spirit that gives the wisdom and insight. It is a feeling of JOY when I feel that wisdom and insight happening inside of me!! But again -- it's HIM that gives it, nothing in me.
2:15 & 16 talk about how the Jews, the Gentiles are all brought together through the gift of His Son. No one has an advantage over anyone else. God's gift is available to all -- isn't that wonderful? Reminds me of His gift of the Sabbath. You can't buy it, you can't hoard it, you can't claim it's in your country -- it's a gift of time; available to all.
And you can't help but love 3:16-18. Reminding us that God has glorious, unlimited resources! Also reminding us that Christ will make His home in our hearts (awesome) and how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. I don't think about that enough -- it's a truth to rest in; serenity!
I liked your comments on Luke & Eph. I started reading Eph yesterday & was impressed with Paul's care for them. Shows he wasn't about numbers, but about their hearts being filled with God.
ReplyDeleteAnd the rest is good too, as you brought out, but it's not feeding my heart right now. Didn't figure it out until last night. I'm going to read through the Gospels again, not in any order , but I just need that right now. I'll read on Sabbath that one, but I just need the direct view into Christ's life right now. I will share what I learn from it & still read what your comments on what you're getting out of the readings going thru the Bible. Hope that's ok with you.
So Matthew is where I read today. About how the different people reacted to His birth. I wonder if Joseph remembered the prophecy about the virgin birth after the angel told him the the HS had conceived the child in Mary. That was something everyone had look fwd to: being the parents of the Promised One. Was the hope so far removed since it had been 4,000 yrs?
What about my hope today in the promises of Jesus? How easily I forget them & think I'm doing this myself. I'm too independent & not dependent enough on Him.
What about the Jewish leaders. It says all Israel as well as Herod was deeply disturbed by the wise men's tidings.
Seems if they were looking for the Messiah & studying the prophecies so thoroughly, they would have rejoiced at the initial news. Even if they found out later it didn't meet their criteria. But were they so in their comfort zone & on their agenda that this was disrupting all their expectations & planning? Was it gonna screw things up so much that they didn't want to hear what the Magi said either?
I know I get going on my plans & then when God throws a curve ball in there & it messes up my plans & expectations, I get upset & whine. It's like I don't believe He really has my best interests at heart. Like He doesn't want me happy. Just because it's not MY way.
I need to remember it's not about ME. It's about Him. Whatever He needs to do so that He is lifted up & people see Him is what I need to be open & available to.
Even if it's a FAIL on my plans. Help me Lord, help me trust You like a little kid in innocence trust.
Ha ha! I can just imagine you looked at the list, saw Leviticus and rolled your eyes (cuz that's what I did!!!) No worries, I love hearing what you have to say about any part of the Bible. Your comments about the Jews studying the prophecies so thoroughly that they missed it; I wonder if we'll see that again concerning His 2nd coming.
ReplyDeleteGod used so many reminders for the people; certainly the lamb, mail with no defects "the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with Him" but also the grain (grain is a "nicer" sacrifice -- way less messy, mixed with oil and frankincense - - ) But it can't contain yeast (which I get, yeast = sin) and honey (which I don't get, what does honey represent??) But all the grain needs to have salt "to remind you of God's eternal covenant. I'm not sure how it reminds you, but I guess it's like a string on your finger. When you see it, when you taste it - your thoughts turn to Him (something like the rainbow)
God will do whatever it takes to help us to focus our minds on Him - - I guess since they didn't have the Bible back them to bring them around to thinking about him, they had stories and reminders.
3:16,17 "All fat belongs to the Lord" hmmm, again, not sure why He wants it! "You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation, wherever you live" All I can say is . . . it's sure not observed today!!
Good point about the 2nd coming prophecies. I think we fall into having checklist pretty easily. If it doesn't go according to our checklist, we also could reject Jesus just like the religious leaders did back at His 1st coming.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what honey represents either, except that sugar is a catalyst for the yeast which represented sin in this setting. And I didn't even look at the list. I just realized that I needed to stop reading thru the Bible & look at Jesus' life again & take my time thru it.
Today I was reading about when Jesus was tempted. I know I've mentioned this before, but it always catches me unawares when I'm doing something for Jesus & then there's this really strong temptation. I am very shocked that God let it happen & I wonder what I did wrong.
Jesus had just heard confirmation that God was His Father & His Father took great delight in Him. Then Jesus goes on this fast for His Father & His mission & then He's hit with a huge temptation. I wonder if Jesus knew that He was going to be tempted or did He just follow the Spirit into the wilderness with no instructions? It doesn't say.
I believe Jesus knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was the HS that was leading Him, I just don't know about the rest. So even in this, from the account I have before me, I can see that Jesus was suddenly affronted with very strong temptation & overcame.
If I believe the HS has led me to a place, then I need to cease to be shocked at what happens to me there & rest in God's timing, care & trust Him for strength to overcome or withstand or maybe even die. If that's His will for me. Just so much here for me to chew on. Good conversation yesterday about this same concept as well.
Ps 69:5 My sins cannot be hidden from You. I don't know why I forget this! God knows EVERYTHING about me - and still loves me, wants me as His, is working to cleanse me from myself.
ReplyDelete69:9 reminds me of when Jesus cleansed the temple "Passion for your house has consumed me.
69:22-28 reminds me of our discussion tonight of evil, and how God must destroy evil to protect us and give us peace.
I love the thought of 29:30 I will honor Him with thanksgiving!
and 70:4 May all who search for you be filled with JOY and GLADNESS in You!! I want Wednesday to be a day of searching for Him - - when I least expect it, He is there!
I see Job & Jesus in 69. Was reading about Jesus being tempted & v10 says, "When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting, all it got me was more contempt" MSG. Jesus was hungry after 40 days of fasting & instead of angels with food, satan came with harassment. Interestingly enough, the fast or deprivation actually helped Him (I believe) to see through the temptation. A living example of in human weakness, God's strength is revealed (2Cor 12:9).
ReplyDeletev8 reminded me of Job as even his family shunned him in his adversity.
v9 is a great reminder of how the world looks at us as Christians. The more madly in love we are with Christ, the more persecution, verbal barbs, taunts, loss of friendships, etc we can expect. "Because I'm madly in love with you, they blame me for everything they dislike about you" MSG.
The world just doesn't understand & as humans, we tend to deride & make fun of what we don't understand. We want Sameness, very scary actually that we are doing that with the laws we enact these days. We take away freedom of choice because it doesn't agree with our values or the Bible when Jesus doesn't take away ours even when we disagree with Him. Reminds me of "Jesus, Friend of Sinners" song.
v29 "I'm hurt and in pain; give me space for healing, and mountain air." This is what I long for when I need healing, whether emotionally or physically. Time & space. The mtn air is such a bonus & is so soothing to my spirit when I'm wounded.
And yes Linda, may today be a day of searching for Him or actually, being aware that He is already there. I just need to turn around & I will bump into Him.
DJ pg 242 says "The more aware you are of My Presence, the safer you feel. This is not some sort of escape from reality; it is tuning in to ultimate reality." I want to feel safe today, now; because today, right now, is all He's given me.
I wonder when in his life Solomon wrote chapter 4. Was it when he was a young man, in is wisdom prime; or an old man, when his feet were not on the safe path.
ReplyDeleteThe call for wisdom is more than a call, it's a plea, a shout. and when you put it together with "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of this wisdom" it is easy to understand the foundation that true, calming, good-choice wisdom springs out of.
Vs 8 wisdom will protect you, she will guard you -- in soooo many ways; physically, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually.
4:27 Don't get distracted; there's so many distractions - seems like they are increased with our business, our technology; makes you long for the quiet life - the "be still and know that I am God" life.
So God captures Ezekiel's attention and shows him His glory twice. Each time Ez is overcome and falls to his face; and then the Spirit enters him and stands him on his feet. That must have been an awesome experience. . . but Ez would have needed the picture of God's glory, that humility and realization of who GOD IS to move on to what he would be asked to do.
ReplyDeleteLay on his side for over a year; with portioned food and water. Yet the ONE thing that Ez begs God to remove from him is cooking his meal over human dung. Hmmmmm -- I think I would have had other concerns. It is precious that God realizes this one thing will go against Ez's conscience, so God ammends His plans.
I think what has hurt God so much is that Israel/Judah was to be an example of the abundant life God wanted to pour out -- to draw them (other nations) to Him as well; instead, His people were worse in their evility than the nations around them. The word that comes to mind is discouragement - - but it also seemed for God to have boiled down to a righteous anger (6:11-14) because their example was pulling down others of His human creations.
And just think, we claim to be followers of Jesus & yet, we keep tripping people up with our words & actions. Yeah, discouragement is a good word. I'm so amazed that He keeps putting up with us & doesn't throw in the towel!
ReplyDeleteReading Luke today. What struck me is the example of the servants in 12. Jesus was so good at giving different illustrations of the same point, hoping it would click with the different classes of people.
12:21 says we are to have a rich relationship with God. What we do with His entrusted gifts/talents/time, etc., is a reflection of our relationship with Him. We can be busy doing good stuff, but that doesn't mean we have a rich relationship with Him. Busyness saps our strength & time to develop relationships. Good ones don't just happen with quick interactions, they take time to develop & time to maintain.
I believe that's why God gave us Sabbath. He knew we'd get so busy with stuff, even His stuff, that we needed a weekly reminder that it's to be about Him & us, Him IN us, beside us, talking with us, feeding us, growing us. Not just us on auto pilot, doing our own independent thing.
What the servants do in 12:42-49 is based on their relationship with God. Is it sincere devotion? Manipulative deceit (on our part of course)? Blind presumption? Lazy ignorance?
I want that rich, deep knowledge of my Savior. I want to sit at His feet & soak Him in. It's so nice to have a Companion with me the entire day to bounce things off of. He has infinite wisdom so He always knows the right answer & He's constantly looking out for my best interest. Why would I NOT want to have Him with me all the time?
I'm gonna post mine, Chris -- then go back and read yours to see if we have any of the same conclusions!
ReplyDeleteThe prayer Jesus taught -- seems to hit all sides of who we are.
Intellectually; He's God and we're not - His name is holy and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Spiritually: His kingdom is what it's all about. Keep your eyes fixed on our heavenly home; our whole purpose here is to connect and help others connect so we can live forever with Him.
Physically: the food.
Emotionally: it's when we forgive and realize we are forgiven that we are able to live in a spirit of contentment and gratitude -- called peace. We need God's intervention to protect us form giving in to the temptations Satan throws at us.
It seems to me (based on the end of verse 13) that what we are to KEEP ON (love how it stresses that in this version) asking, seeking, and knocking for is the Holy Spirit!
BUT - this is an individual's prayer for themselves. Did some thinking on - - does this apply to intercessory prayer? Based on the illustration of the midnight friend - - they guy was knocking and asking for bread to give to a friend. Hmmmm - just thought of this. They midnight guy was low on bread (maybe didn't have spiritual wisdom/insight/encouragement to share. He's asking for individual bread to share. So maybe intercessory prayer is about changing us so we will know the right words to say, the right way to help. I must do some thinking on this. Can we change God's plan/will for another person by praying to God? God already has the perfect plan in place for that person. Maybe interceeding changes us so we can know how to help (or NOT help)
6:35 Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. We are so quick to manipulate things/ideas to fit where we want to go; what we want to think. He wants us to be seekers of the truth -- cooperators, not manipulators.
I would have loved to have been part of the crowds that grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other - - what a time of wonder, listening to Jesus simple laws of life, simple way of calmly answering the accusations.
Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they can't do any more to you after that. I am such a fear-wuss. This text calms me down.
I was thinking about patients going through chemo in vs 7, it's almost a reminder that He is right beside you through the whole ordeal.
Acknowledging God, and He acknowledging that friendship back -- reminds me of Job. Have you seen my friend Job? I want to have that kind of friendship with God.
I love the promise of the HS teaching us when in a pickle exactly what to say... maybe ties in with the acknowledging Him - - when it's the right time to do that. There may be times where it is not the best time to acknowledge (I'm thinking of the times Jesus healed and told the person not to tell anyone) If we rely on the HS to give us the words, asking Him in the moment - - He'll give us the wisdom.
There is more than one kind of greed (vs 15). Greed can be financial, as is talked about here -- but also time, emotional help, spiritual help - - can you think of any other type of greed? BUT many times, the other greeds find their root in the financial I think. Huge huge trap Satan uses and has used (according to Bible stories) since the garden when Eve wanted "more"
Just read your post Chris -- yeah; I underlined that too in 21 the Rich Relationship; love that alliteration, because it goes deep, as you say - takes time.
ReplyDeleteSitting at His feet with Mary; maybe we'll get a chance to do that in heaven (what a awesome thought)
Really liked the intercessory prayer thought. Way to look deeper than the surface story. It was hard for me to concentrate on the reading this a.m. but I really enjoyed your thoughts, glad you shared!
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