there is no promise that the Christian life will be an easy life; in fact - here in Peter the opposite is true; it will be a time of suffering; yet - - if you look at the history of the church, that suffering is what brings out the gold - it's where your true discipleship and motives are brought forward.
4:4 your former friends are surprised and turn to slander -- people are so fickle -- don't trust them. Reminds me of what Dave Ramsey says; if your friends are making fun of your new financial direction -- you're probably on the right track.
Peter keeps the focus sharp: 4:13 you have the joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed and 4:16 the privilege of being called by His name. and then the final reminder in vs 16 He will never fail you.
One of my favorite texts popped up today in 5:7: Give (I think the NIV says cast -- like throw with all your might!) all your worries and cares to God for HE CARES ABOUT YOU.
And in the very next verse to stay alert - the Devil is out to get you; and he will hit you in your very very weakest area, emotionally, physically, spiritually -- which is why, instead of critisizing each other -- we need to be praying praying praying for each other; we are on enemy territory and NONE of us is safe.
Yep and yep. We need to be praying way more for each other than talking about each other!
I was thinking about the part where Peter says we should use our gifts. Not hide them, like the guy in Jesus' parable. And Peter says we should use them, not for selfish means, but for the good of one another. Very different motives. And it's all to glorify God. Another reminder for me to step back & look at the big pic instead of my own little world that I stand in so comfortably & whine when I get pulled out of it!
It is true, as you pointed out, that who we really are & Whose we really are comes out in trials. What do people see? Me or Jesus? I have to surrender constantly & spend time so they see Him. My choices DO affect others, at least what they see.
4:19 - another call to trust my future with God because He is faithful.
At the beginning of 5 leaders are admonished to lead by example, not dictatorship. Don't TELL people what to do, SHOW them what to do. Sometimes though people are blind by choice, by pride or stupidity/ignorance. I fall into all 3 of those categories at times. God is so patient though, He shows me how to react to people that I see fall into those 3 categories, with patience & love. Much easier for me to vent at them, but then they definitely see me & not Him.
Side note: didn't realize that Silvanus was actually the same Silas of Paul n Silas. I have always pictured Silas as an older man or at least as old as Paul. But lately, it's been shown to me that he was much younger.
It was a footnote in The Voice & NLT says Silas instead of Silvanus (Greek way of saying it) & then in the Sons of Encouragement, the author brings out that Silas was younger.
Ps 63:2 "I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory." So who am I that You are mindful of me. I'm just resting in You today, You know what's going to hit me & I trust You Jesus.
You hold my every moment You calm my raging seas You walk with me through fire and heal all my disease...
I believe You're my healer I believe You are all I need I believe I believe You're my portion I believe You're more than enough for me Jesus, You're all I need
Woke up with a spirit of failure upon me & I had to rebuke it in Jesus name. I don't know what's going to happen today, but I can't control what I don't know. I can only choose to trust the One who does.
O Chris -- I LOVE that Healer song; I remember the first time I heard it, I played it over and over.
Good -- rebuke that spirit of failure; soak in HIS faithfulness to carry you and shield you. I will be praying for you today, so rest in knowing that too.
OK -- so Duane and I reeeeeeally struggled to get up this am; I was sitting here studying, when he came in and said, "ah -- we forgot to change the bedroom clock" So no wonder! LOL
Doesn't matter who might try to influence you; a prophet, a relative, a friend - - DO NOT worship other gods -- and the penalty is death; yikes - serious stuff. There just seems to be such a difference in consequences in the OT and NT. For instance, when I read in Deut 13:15 attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants" and compare that with Jesus rebuke to James and John "I came to save and heal and not destroy" I think I would have been confused if I'd have been one of the disciples too. I guess Jesus was speaking to a new time era, a new culture - - and there is always the heart of why something is done. In this case, it was a culture standing between others and God; in J & J's case, their pride was hurt.
It's interesting to me in 14 that the tithe portion is used to buy food and celebrate with your household -- that's a new twist on tithe (vs 26) it's only every third year that the entire tithe is given to the Levites.
I love the cancelling of debts every seventh year -- but I guess maybe that depends on which side of the debt you are on! I think that cancelling tho -- is a special gift to the poor, not the businessman - not sure tho. There seems to be a focus on the poor in vs 7-11.
Wow, good thing it was "fall back an hr" time instead of "spring ahead an hr"! That adrenaline of being late would've woken you up for sure! LOL
Did read your comments until this a.m. I read DJ, words of wisdom & if I hadn't of rebuked that spirit of failure, I would have been my own worst enemy all day. God fought for me & continues to do so.
My heart sank when I saw it was Ezra today, just because I was wanting something to meditate on, contemplate, not information only. But here's what I got.
They were told to stop by the king Darius because of meddling locals. After a period of time, they turned to bldg their own homes according to what we've read in Haggai. They must have gotten complacent for God to tell them what He did thru Haggai. Also, Darius' heart must have been more open to search.
Moving fwd brought opposition, always does. I think the letters sent by the locals are pretty factual though. It's true what they say both times. The lack of slander & blatant lying that is usually found in such instances is very interesting. I wonder if God had them write it that way. Sort of like Balaam only being able to bless instead of curse.
Read DJ & then Jesus Calling pg 6. That was REALLY appropriate for me. Talking about walking in deepening dependence on God, not myself. And life not being one of continual success, but multiple failures. (WHAAAAATTTT?)Each failure is followed by a growth spurt because of me being more dependent upon Him. I am definitely victorious because I've been leaning on Him in everything with the job & He's been keeping me in the shelter of His wings.
I'm a little dull so I just got this; bear with me. In 133 David says that "harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion". Usually I have thought of it as us being united in purpose, in a common goal. Today however, I was thinking of how much I love hearing the harmony in music. There are different parts & they all blend to make a beautiful song. Same with instruments, they all may play a different line of music, but they all blend. If one is out of tune, it really makes my face contort (gotta work on that, especially when I'm up front! LOL).
We all have our different talents & they are all to be used to bring glory to God. Our beautiful song is one of surrender to His will & plan for our lives. How He, as the Master Conductor brings us all together is up to Him. To hold back my harmonious part or talent, is to leave a gap in the song of glory to God.
I love the sound of the oboe in a musical score. If I decided to play that part it would a bunch of sqawks and squeaks. Only someone who has that ability can play that part. I should enjoy their talent but not covet it. Invite them into the song, don't point out their weakness on that instrument.
Usually I don't get very inspired to play bass by myself. However, once in practice, listening to all the other instruments, I hear what I could add & other give me ideas as well.
Same with our talents. While some can be used solo & do/sound beautiful. They are even more so in a group. As we practice surrendering to God & serving Him together, we get inspired with ideas & see ways in which we can help out. We get counsel from each other & most of all - encouragement.
At least, that's how it should be. Too often though, we pick the other "musicians" apart & then the song of surrender falls apart as well. People are drawn to beautiful music & that's what I want to be a part of.
I was thinking yesterday about expectations & how they get me in trouble sometimes, well actually, most of the time. Then I wondered if Jesus had them. He never failed. So He didn't have expectations of failure, which is what I realize I do. (God is obviously working on that part of my life this week.)
When we rest in God & surrender to Him, we can not fail because we have surrendered. Appearances of failure do not mean failure in the big picture. If that were the case Jesus did fail. He had 12 followers & even they didn't get it until after He died. One totally betrayed Him & left. He was constantly harassed by the religious leaders. He was homeless. By worldly standards, He was a failure.
Thankfully, neither Jesus nor us are condemned by the world's judgment. Today I read in JC & it was on expectations & our view point.
"Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control you mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me...The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention." pg 7
I remember thinking yesterday that if I put my trust in God, then I should not expect to fail. I should expect more opportunities to surrender.
That is really good Chris -- as I've worked through the nar-anon book, that is one of the mantras -- no expectations. It's talking about other people -- not imposing your expectations on them, but it applies to ourselves. As soon as we assert our expectations - we close down all the opportunities God is opening up to us!! His plan, not mine:)
Went back and read Psalms (missed yesterday) and I was impressed with the emphasis on harmony we find in 133 -- it's wonderful, pleasant, precious and refreshing!! God can bless when there is harmony!!
On to Ecc --
I luaghed at 7:1 -- I used to tell my students all the time that a "good reputation is a priceless possession"
We don't like it -- facing sadness and loss -- but Solomon reminds us that those tough times, the times that cause pain -- are when we take the time to think about what is really important.
Finishing is better than starting -- with starting, there are no guarentees - no closure.
Don't long for the good old days -- look ahead to what God has planned; good to learn from the past, but not to long for it -- that's allusive, you can't go back.
Accept the way God does things -- don't micromanage God (hee hee -- what are we thinking?) Both prosperity and hard times come from God -- nothing is certain in this life -- not sure why I underlined them, but I think he's trying to say to live in a contented way.
So, I recommend having FUN! because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life! OK -- ahead, a day of FUN!!
It is funny how we attempt to micromanage God. Of course we fail & get frustrated - at Him, when it's our fault!
I read Zachariah grudgingly this morning. But I was touched by a familiar verse. 4:6 "...It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies" God is speaking to Zerubbabel here. And seeing how much outside oppression they received while trying to rebuild Jerusalem & the temple, it would be expected to look for physical deliverance. And yet here, I see a call to wait for God to intervene. To work in their behalf. To work in my behalf.
Isaiah says we should wait upon the Lord. So hard to do when the opponent is visible & physical pain or verbal abuse is happening. We want to strike back or we want it stopped now! But God is saying force & show of strength aren't going to do it. It will be done My way & in My timing & by My Spirit. The glory will not go to mere humans, it will be very evident that God is working in our behalf.
The other verse that spoke to me was v10 "...Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." I tend to want big results & I have a plan to accomplish that. BUT again, it's not by my will or spirit that the work is to be done. It's God's Spirit that will do the work. For me to be willing to surrender & be the instrument He needs right then is what will lend the best "harmony" to His song right now.
I'm sure Jesus thought many times what could happen if all the people embraced what He was trying to teach. It seemed like a small beginning, but look at what has happened since.
So Linda, I'm back to what you said yesterday, living contented. Surrender to His plan for me right now & enjoy it, because He's in it with me!
Wowsies cabowsies! I just went back and read your harmony blog -- someone I had missed that; now wonder mine sounded so small!! That was really really good Chris; love the song of surrender, love how we need to invite in those other talents, not covet them, love how even a solo instrument is enhanced when put in a group setting -- so much to think about!! You gotta write a book someday; I'd buy it!!
Zechariah -- Return to me and I will return to you -- God doesn't force, but He's always avaialable.
No wonder Zechariah buddied up with Haggai to encourage the rebuilding project -- plenty of counsel toward it in the dreams. Some of those dreams were pretty bizarre; like the evil woman in the basket!
I just want to comment on our accuser -- what was he doing standing on the right hand of the angel - the place of favor? I'm guessing he claimed that spot - as if to say he had the inside scoop the angel of the Lord should know.
the way the angel (I'm thinking this is Jesus) handles it is to reject the accusation - and clean up Jeshua (me) even giving me a clean turban (the thoughts that plague and tempt me) But he does say this -- IF you follow my ways and carefully serve me -- so we have a part in surrendering; following.
conflict happens -- anytime there's people, there's conflict. Maybe that's why we read about refreshing harmony earlier this week!!!
We see the circumcision burden argued about (circumcision was a sign, a covenant, right?) I wonder if the Sabbath issue is a different type of sign from circumcision - as it's in the big 10. I don't understand how the apostles knew that it was ok to not require circumcision??
Then we have the Paul and Barnabus conflict - - doesn't sound like that one was resolved at the time -- sounds like they both took their marbles and went home (or took their own assistants and headed out)
And the way the Macedonia Dream was interpreted didn't sound like they knew for sure for sure God was calling them. "We decided to leave for M at once having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there." I guess they had just developed listening hearts - something I'm working on.
I was thinking about the prison scene. It had to have been pitch black -- I thought it was very neat how P and S were spreading the gospel by singing - and the prisoners were listening! Then after the earthquake; how would Paul really know if they were all here? The only way I can figure is that the prisoners crowded around P & S. They were in the inner prison -- maybe still in the stock; but that's the only way I can figure they got a head count. Then I picture the jailor coming on the scene with his torch -- and here's this crowd of hardened criminals around P & S -- I'm guessing P & S are preaching (it's what they do) and what a beautiful pic of the jailor washing this wounds while P & S preach to his fam. Wonder what happened to all the other criminals at that point?
Anyway -- love the way Paul held the city official's feet to the fire about abusing a Roman Citizen! Good call Paul -- so many times we see the "turn the other cheek" view of Christianity, but there's also the "stand up for your rights" view as well.
Wow, missed the part of satan claiming the favored spot by Jesus. Thank you for bringing that out. Makes me think about how often I clamor for attention or selfishly shove my way into things. Not the spirit of Jesus. Let Him put next to Him who He wants. I just want to be in His Presence. Keep me that humble Lord.
Good call about the conflict too. I was thinking this earlier when Peter quoted Scripture & forgot to comment on it & now James does. Did they go back & study the scrolls of the OT after Jesus rose? Were they allowed too? Remember, they were unlearned fishermen. Maybe it was the HS. I don't know, just made me think.
The early, honest struggles of the church & the human character. No one is perfect, but it's nice to see even here that the HS was leading. He wants to do the same today...will we, will I be as open?
there is no promise that the Christian life will be an easy life; in fact - here in Peter the opposite is true; it will be a time of suffering; yet - - if you look at the history of the church, that suffering is what brings out the gold - it's where your true discipleship and motives are brought forward.
ReplyDelete4:4 your former friends are surprised and turn to slander -- people are so fickle -- don't trust them. Reminds me of what Dave Ramsey says; if your friends are making fun of your new financial direction -- you're probably on the right track.
Peter keeps the focus sharp: 4:13 you have the joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed and 4:16 the privilege of being called by His name. and then the final reminder in vs 16 He will never fail you.
One of my favorite texts popped up today in 5:7: Give (I think the NIV says cast -- like throw with all your might!) all your worries and cares to God for HE CARES ABOUT YOU.
And in the very next verse to stay alert - the Devil is out to get you; and he will hit you in your very very weakest area, emotionally, physically, spiritually -- which is why, instead of critisizing each other -- we need to be praying praying praying for each other; we are on enemy territory and NONE of us is safe.
Yep and yep. We need to be praying way more for each other than talking about each other!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about the part where Peter says we should use our gifts. Not hide them, like the guy in Jesus' parable. And Peter says we should use them, not for selfish means, but for the good of one another. Very different motives. And it's all to glorify God. Another reminder for me to step back & look at the big pic instead of my own little world that I stand in so comfortably & whine when I get pulled out of it!
It is true, as you pointed out, that who we really are & Whose we really are comes out in trials. What do people see? Me or Jesus? I have to surrender constantly & spend time so they see Him. My choices DO affect others, at least what they see.
4:19 - another call to trust my future with God because He is faithful.
At the beginning of 5 leaders are admonished to lead by example, not dictatorship. Don't TELL people what to do, SHOW them what to do. Sometimes though people are blind by choice, by pride or stupidity/ignorance. I fall into all 3 of those categories at times. God is so patient though, He shows me how to react to people that I see fall into those 3 categories, with patience & love. Much easier for me to vent at them, but then they definitely see me & not Him.
Side note: didn't realize that Silvanus was actually the same Silas of Paul n Silas. I have always pictured Silas as an older man or at least as old as Paul. But lately, it's been shown to me that he was much younger.
Where do you read about Silvanus?
ReplyDeleteIt was a footnote in The Voice & NLT says Silas instead of Silvanus (Greek way of saying it) & then in the Sons of Encouragement, the author brings out that Silas was younger.
ReplyDeletePs 63:2 "I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory."
ReplyDeleteSo who am I that You are mindful of me.
I'm just resting in You today, You know what's going to hit me & I trust You Jesus.
You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
and heal all my disease...
I believe You're my healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe
I believe You're my portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus, You're all I need
Woke up with a spirit of failure upon me & I had to rebuke it in Jesus name. I don't know what's going to happen today, but I can't control what I don't know. I can only choose to trust the One who does.
O Chris -- I LOVE that Healer song; I remember the first time I heard it, I played it over and over.
ReplyDeleteGood -- rebuke that spirit of failure; soak in HIS faithfulness to carry you and shield you. I will be praying for you today, so rest in knowing that too.
OK -- so Duane and I reeeeeeally struggled to get up this am; I was sitting here studying, when he came in and said, "ah -- we forgot to change the bedroom clock" So no wonder! LOL
Doesn't matter who might try to influence you; a prophet, a relative, a friend - - DO NOT worship other gods -- and the penalty is death; yikes - serious stuff. There just seems to be such a difference in consequences in the OT and NT. For instance, when I read in Deut 13:15 attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants" and compare that with Jesus rebuke to James and John "I came to save and heal and not destroy" I think I would have been confused if I'd have been one of the disciples too. I guess Jesus was speaking to a new time era, a new culture - - and there is always the heart of why something is done. In this case, it was a culture standing between others and God; in J & J's case, their pride was hurt.
It's interesting to me in 14 that the tithe portion is used to buy food and celebrate with your household -- that's a new twist on tithe (vs 26) it's only every third year that the entire tithe is given to the Levites.
I love the cancelling of debts every seventh year -- but I guess maybe that depends on which side of the debt you are on! I think that cancelling tho -- is a special gift to the poor, not the businessman - not sure tho. There seems to be a focus on the poor in vs 7-11.
Just finished reading Dear Jesus (66-67) you might want to take a peek at that Chris; really good words for the day.
ReplyDeleteWow, good thing it was "fall back an hr" time instead of "spring ahead an hr"! That adrenaline of being late would've woken you up for sure! LOL
ReplyDeleteDid read your comments until this a.m. I read DJ, words of wisdom & if I hadn't of rebuked that spirit of failure, I would have been my own worst enemy all day. God fought for me & continues to do so.
My heart sank when I saw it was Ezra today, just because I was wanting something to meditate on, contemplate, not information only. But here's what I got.
They were told to stop by the king Darius because of meddling locals. After a period of time, they turned to bldg their own homes according to what we've read in Haggai. They must have gotten complacent for God to tell them what He did thru Haggai. Also, Darius' heart must have been more open to search.
Moving fwd brought opposition, always does. I think the letters sent by the locals are pretty factual though. It's true what they say both times. The lack of slander & blatant lying that is usually found in such instances is very interesting. I wonder if God had them write it that way. Sort of like Balaam only being able to bless instead of curse.
Read DJ & then Jesus Calling pg 6. That was REALLY appropriate for me. Talking about walking in deepening dependence on God, not myself. And life not being one of continual success, but multiple failures. (WHAAAAATTTT?)Each failure is followed by a growth spurt because of me being more dependent upon Him. I am definitely victorious because I've been leaning on Him in everything with the job & He's been keeping me in the shelter of His wings.
I was pretty bummed as well when I saw it was Ezra -- but it IS a tribute to God and that HIS plans prevail! No matter what others say about us.
ReplyDeleteKuddos to Haggai and Zechariah for getting people back on track -- God-focused, God-ordained leadership is SO inspiring - -
I'm a little dull so I just got this; bear with me. In 133 David says that "harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion". Usually I have thought of it as us being united in purpose, in a common goal. Today however, I was thinking of how much I love hearing the harmony in music. There are different parts & they all blend to make a beautiful song. Same with instruments, they all may play a different line of music, but they all blend. If one is out of tune, it really makes my face contort (gotta work on that, especially when I'm up front! LOL).
ReplyDeleteWe all have our different talents & they are all to be used to bring glory to God. Our beautiful song is one of surrender to His will & plan for our lives. How He, as the Master Conductor brings us all together is up to Him. To hold back my harmonious part or talent, is to leave a gap in the song of glory to God.
I love the sound of the oboe in a musical score. If I decided to play that part it would a bunch of sqawks and squeaks. Only someone who has that ability can play that part. I should enjoy their talent but not covet it. Invite them into the song, don't point out their weakness on that instrument.
Usually I don't get very inspired to play bass by myself. However, once in practice, listening to all the other instruments, I hear what I could add & other give me ideas as well.
Same with our talents. While some can be used solo & do/sound beautiful. They are even more so in a group. As we practice surrendering to God & serving Him together, we get inspired with ideas & see ways in which we can help out. We get counsel from each other & most of all - encouragement.
At least, that's how it should be. Too often though, we pick the other "musicians" apart & then the song of surrender falls apart as well. People are drawn to beautiful music & that's what I want to be a part of.
I was thinking yesterday about expectations & how they get me in trouble sometimes, well actually, most of the time. Then I wondered if Jesus had them. He never failed. So He didn't have expectations of failure, which is what I realize I do. (God is obviously working on that part of my life this week.)
ReplyDeleteWhen we rest in God & surrender to Him, we can not fail because we have surrendered. Appearances of failure do not mean failure in the big picture. If that were the case Jesus did fail. He had 12 followers & even they didn't get it until after He died. One totally betrayed Him & left. He was constantly harassed by the religious leaders. He was homeless. By worldly standards, He was a failure.
Thankfully, neither Jesus nor us are condemned by the world's judgment. Today I read in JC & it was on expectations & our view point.
"Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control you mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me...The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention." pg 7
I remember thinking yesterday that if I put my trust in God, then I should not expect to fail. I should expect more opportunities to surrender.
That is really good Chris -- as I've worked through the nar-anon book, that is one of the mantras -- no expectations. It's talking about other people -- not imposing your expectations on them, but it applies to ourselves. As soon as we assert our expectations - we close down all the opportunities God is opening up to us!! His plan, not mine:)
ReplyDeleteWent back and read Psalms (missed yesterday) and I was impressed with the emphasis on harmony we find in 133 -- it's wonderful, pleasant, precious and refreshing!! God can bless when there is harmony!!
On to Ecc --
I luaghed at 7:1 -- I used to tell my students all the time that a "good reputation is a priceless possession"
We don't like it -- facing sadness and loss -- but Solomon reminds us that those tough times, the times that cause pain -- are when we take the time to think about what is really important.
Finishing is better than starting -- with starting, there are no guarentees - no closure.
Don't long for the good old days -- look ahead to what God has planned; good to learn from the past, but not to long for it -- that's allusive, you can't go back.
Accept the way God does things -- don't micromanage God (hee hee -- what are we thinking?)
Both prosperity and hard times come from God -- nothing is certain in this life -- not sure why I underlined them, but I think he's trying to say to live in a contented way.
So, I recommend having FUN! because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life! OK -- ahead, a day of FUN!!
It is funny how we attempt to micromanage God. Of course we fail & get frustrated - at Him, when it's our fault!
ReplyDeleteI read Zachariah grudgingly this morning. But I was touched by a familiar verse.
4:6 "...It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies" God is speaking to Zerubbabel here. And seeing how much outside oppression they received while trying to rebuild Jerusalem & the temple, it would be expected to look for physical deliverance. And yet here, I see a call to wait for God to intervene. To work in their behalf. To work in my behalf.
Isaiah says we should wait upon the Lord. So hard to do when the opponent is visible & physical pain or verbal abuse is happening. We want to strike back or we want it stopped now! But God is saying force & show of strength aren't going to do it. It will be done My way & in My timing & by My Spirit. The glory will not go to mere humans, it will be very evident that God is working in our behalf.
The other verse that spoke to me was v10 "...Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." I tend to want big results & I have a plan to accomplish that. BUT again, it's not by my will or spirit that the work is to be done. It's God's Spirit that will do the work. For me to be willing to surrender & be the instrument He needs right then is what will lend the best "harmony" to His song right now.
I'm sure Jesus thought many times what could happen if all the people embraced what He was trying to teach. It seemed like a small beginning, but look at what has happened since.
So Linda, I'm back to what you said yesterday, living contented. Surrender to His plan for me right now & enjoy it, because He's in it with me!
Wowsies cabowsies! I just went back and read your harmony blog -- someone I had missed that; now wonder mine sounded so small!! That was really really good Chris; love the song of surrender, love how we need to invite in those other talents, not covet them, love how even a solo instrument is enhanced when put in a group setting -- so much to think about!! You gotta write a book someday; I'd buy it!!
ReplyDeleteZechariah -- Return to me and I will return to you -- God doesn't force, but He's always avaialable.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder Zechariah buddied up with Haggai to encourage the rebuilding project -- plenty of counsel toward it in the dreams. Some of those dreams were pretty bizarre; like the evil woman in the basket!
I just want to comment on our accuser -- what was he doing standing on the right hand of the angel - the place of favor? I'm guessing he claimed that spot - as if to say he had the inside scoop the angel of the Lord should know.
the way the angel (I'm thinking this is Jesus) handles it is to reject the accusation - and clean up Jeshua (me) even giving me a clean turban (the thoughts that plague and tempt me) But he does say this -- IF you follow my ways and carefully serve me -- so we have a part in surrendering; following.
Thank you Jesus for cleaning me
conflict happens -- anytime there's people, there's conflict. Maybe that's why we read about refreshing harmony earlier this week!!!
ReplyDeleteWe see the circumcision burden argued about (circumcision was a sign, a covenant, right?) I wonder if the Sabbath issue is a different type of sign from circumcision - as it's in the big 10. I don't understand how the apostles knew that it was ok to not require circumcision??
Then we have the Paul and Barnabus conflict - - doesn't sound like that one was resolved at the time -- sounds like they both took their marbles and went home (or took their own assistants and headed out)
And the way the Macedonia Dream was interpreted didn't sound like they knew for sure for sure God was calling them. "We decided to leave for M at once having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there." I guess they had just developed listening hearts - something I'm working on.
I was thinking about the prison scene. It had to have been pitch black -- I thought it was very neat how P and S were spreading the gospel by singing - and the prisoners were listening! Then after the earthquake; how would Paul really know if they were all here? The only way I can figure is that the prisoners crowded around P & S. They were in the inner prison -- maybe still in the stock; but that's the only way I can figure they got a head count. Then I picture the jailor coming on the scene with his torch -- and here's this crowd of hardened criminals around P & S -- I'm guessing P & S are preaching (it's what they do) and what a beautiful pic of
the jailor washing this wounds while P & S preach to his fam.
Wonder what happened to all the other criminals at that point?
Anyway -- love the way Paul held the city official's feet to the fire about abusing a Roman Citizen! Good call Paul -- so many times we see the "turn the other cheek" view of Christianity, but there's also the "stand up for your rights" view as well.
Wow, missed the part of satan claiming the favored spot by Jesus. Thank you for bringing that out. Makes me think about how often I clamor for attention or selfishly shove my way into things. Not the spirit of Jesus. Let Him put next to Him who He wants. I just want to be in His Presence. Keep me that humble Lord.
ReplyDeleteGood call about the conflict too. I was thinking this earlier when Peter quoted Scripture & forgot to comment on it & now James does. Did they go back & study the scrolls of the OT after Jesus rose? Were they allowed too? Remember, they were unlearned fishermen. Maybe it was the HS. I don't know, just made me think.
The early, honest struggles of the church & the human character. No one is perfect, but it's nice to see even here that the HS was leading. He wants to do the same today...will we, will I be as open?