Even though Paul was talking about the Jews, I felt like he could be talking to Christians today, especially Adventists. Just because we go to church, keep the Sabbath & yada, yada, doesn't mean we are going to heaven.
Someone told me yesterday that in the book Experiencing God, the author states that if you don't know God's voice to you, then you are not in an intimate relationship with God. This makes total sense. How can I say He's my best Friend if I don't know what His voice sounds like?
Do I think I can earn my way so I can spend eternity with my best Friend who I don't really know? My relationship with God is shown in my actions & more importantly, it starts on the inside & works out. This doesn't excuse my outside actions that aren't in alignment with His Will, but I know that will come.
This is my modern paraphrase of what Paul was trying to say in these 2 chapters. I don't have to prove anything to anyone & especially not myself. I do need to stay in His Presence and rest in His personally designed yoke that fits perfectly on my shoulders as I become the woman He created me to be. I fulfill His purpose for me as I do this. And, it's not stressful & draining. I am not a super Christian, I am simply His Child, with a future & a hope.
Even knowing what would happen in Lot's future, he is spared. Knowing what his daughters would do, they are spared. Total grace & freedom of choice is shown here. It's something I need to remember, to ask God to help me extend to people I meet every day.
I wonder what Abraham thought as he saw the smoke. Did he wonder about Lot? It doesn't say. There doesn't seem to be anymore interaction between them.
I like the interaction, the conversation that is written out here for us. This relationship is an example to us. Abraham didn't freak out when he realized it was God he was talking to. I'm thinking he recognized His voice because they had many conversation prior to this. It's there to show us what is possible for us today. The relationship that God wants to have with us as well. I guess the question is, do we want it? Do we pursue it?
No worries, I understand. Joshua was a review and a plea. Remember what He's done for you & then love & obey Him. I also read in JC, 3 of them and they all said to rest in Him, to trust Him, to stop controlling, be flexible. As His Spirit to control my day & my thoughts & I have peace. That's in Romans 8:6 too. AND ref'd Matt 11:28-30 which in the Voice translation said the yoke I'm to wear is fitted to my curves, it's made especially for me. So stop stressing & rest.
Hmmm, seems like I got that yesterday too....& the day before, & the day before, & the day before. Must be trying to tell me something....I wonder what??? LOL
I loved the words of Joshua when he was talking to the people. He was reminding them of what they had been through, and to keep it in thier hearts and minds forever. I thought about our own history and how we tend to repeat our mistakes. I watched a documentary on WWII, and was amazed at our current situation. Most schools don't even teach about WWI or WWII anymore, so our kids hear only about Vietnam. Joshua was trying to get the people to understand the importance of remembering where you came from so as not to repeat your same mistakes - or Joshua 19 "If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster...". He wanted them to pass it on - tell the story of Egypt and what they went through to get to the promised land.
This caught my attention in 21:44 "he gave them rest from war on every side as He had sworn to their ancestors" I always think of the story of Israel taking possession of Canaan as an illustration of us taking possession of Heaven, the land God is preparing for us. And when we get there; whoooo-hoooo! we'll have rest from war o every side -- no more fears, worries, no more struggling to pay the bills, no more social conflicts - - rest from the war that sin stirs up.
I appreciate that the groups on either side of the river met and heard each other out b4 picking up the swords -- good advice for us when we see something that makes us angry, maybe there is a good reason something is done - try talking it out first (I'm not really good at that -- I usually run the other way and stew about it, which solves nothing)
Every day a choice -- 24:15 God or other gods; unfortunately the other "gods" I strive against is not some little clay idol -- but the idolatry of thinking I know better than God; very similar to Eve taking the fruit, thinking she knew better than the plan God laid out for her -- oh how sad, but I do it every day - it's a constant battle for me not to plot and plan and try to figure all the angles instead of (where have I heard this before ladies? REST)
Thank you ladies for your comments. Stuff to ponder.
Enjoyed reading Psalms today. David's honesty is refreshing after dealing with empty hearts during the day. Sad state of heart affairs in our world today for sure.
14:2 says that God is interested in our little things today. "No one is missed and no one can hide" from His gaze. The fact that it says He leans over from heaven to me shows His intense interest in us, in Me. A determined love that is not willing to leave any spot or wrinkle in His children. But man, do I think the furnace gets hot!
12:7 & 14:6 say God is my Protector & a Strong Shelter in the heaviest storm. YEAH! That reminds me of being surrounded by Father God, Jesus and the HS. Nothing can stand before them. I am safe. Now, if I can just trust, but He's growing me in that area.
13 is pure honesty and I love it! Ends with hope too. Remembering, as you both pointed out so well, His past dealings with me helps me have hope for today.
As in 14:7 Lord, keep break my chains so I can dance in Your Presence.
Read JC too, more resting counsel & pointed me to Ps 42:11. Love this part of that verse. "Despite all my emotions, I will believe and praise the One who saves me, my God". My prayer today.
13:5 I trust in Your faithful love; my heart leaps at the thought of imminent deliverance by You. That sounds like someone grounded in trust and hope (Lord - that is how I want to face problems, not beaten down -- but leaping up, knowing you WILL deliver)
Yes I love the picture of God leaning over -- looking, searching for someone who trusts, who wants to know the True God -
no one is missed, no one can hide - hmmmmm; just finished a book on God's love for the destitute, the out-sider, the unwanted; they are not missed either -- He always has time for them. Also, those trying to hide -- they are not missed.
and I too love the pic of the strong shelter in the heaviest storm -- I was thinking of the heaviest storm I've experienced. I was a little girl - it was the Columbus Day storm -- we hunkered down in our house in what my parents figured was the safest spot and the winds howled; it was scary - but He is our Shelter when we get whipped around by the winds of discouragement, fear, rejection, business - - we can hunker down in His strong arms. That is where I'm picturing myself right now.
yeah, that is a great pic! JC had some great stuff reiterating that to me this morning. Is 12:2 says "...my very own God has rescued me." Had me read Ps 27 as well. Just perfect for what God & I are talking about now.
2 emotions popped out at me from Job this am -- surrender 9:29 "So if the verdict is already in, if I have already been found guilty, why should I bother to clear my name? why struggle in vain?" He's surrendered -- laying down in the pasture; totally confused, but not struggling any more - - He MAKES me lie down -- the only problem here is, Job's pastures are not green -- they are dry dirt brown.
Chapter 10 is filled with despair, filled with confusion -- this is not the God that Job knows - he wants to know why - "Don't find me guilty; just explain the charges YOu have against me" Job's gut honest fist-in-the-air anger toward God must have broke His heart -- I can imagine God wanting to answer back, to give him assurance and hope. But God waited until the right time - - - only God would know what that right time was . . .
I saw that surrender as well when I read Job. He doesn't know why everything is happening & he'd like to know what's going on, but since he KNOWS for sure God is God and he is just a man, he realizes even his perfectness is garbage in God's pure light. Even our best is tainted. I do like the honesty in 10. I wish he would have taken a whole chapter to be that honest with his so called friends instead of just saying "you're miserable comforters!". But that's got to be one of the reasons God said he was perfect. He held his tongue & didn't bruise hearts...like his "friends" did his. I'm gonna leave Fridays all to you again. Sorry. Just can't deal with it right now. :)
Yesterday was a challenging day, a lot of in my face battles. But partway through I decided to say thank you to God instead of dwelling on the negative.
I thanked Him 1st for being alive, as that's always a shocker to me. Then He gave me a thought. If I stay with Him, I win. I only have to make that choice. Because of what He did, I win. Yes, there's still the slogging through the mud of adversity, cuts, bruises and down right exhaustion because of the fight. But I win.
This is joy that Jesus saw which enabled Him to endure the shameful treatment after His arrest and the horrendous second death of the cross. Because of His faith, He won. Therefore so do I.
Maybe it seems obvious to you, but it totally turned my day around. Sometimes you only realize how grateful you are for your sight when you have it taken away momentarily. We take a lot for granted.
When you're walking around a high,rocky place with a steep drop off and see a rope rail screwed into the wall next to the wide path, you may scoff and think you don't need to use it. That is until you step on something that shifts, slides and causes you to loose your balance. You reach out in a panic, grasping for anything to keep your balance, to keep you from going over the edge. Your flailing hand finds the rope and as it arrests your fall and saves your life, you realize it's purpose and are so grateful you want to hold onto it with 2 hands, not just one, never letting go.
God should be like that rope in our lives and we should never let go. "After all, You are constant; after all, You are only good. After all, You are sovereign; not for a moment will You forsake me..."
I read JC today which was amazing but won't take up more space.
Well Isaiah today just confirmed again how temporary all that we know here on earth is. I don't know if Isaiah was talking about his day, or the last days of earth or both -- but it sure seems to apply to a lot that goes on today:
24:2 and on "Things will be topsy-turvy, hierarchies upended. No one will be safe . . . the earth will be emptied, all emptied, despoiled . . . the earth is polluted by those who live on it; they pay not attention to God's teaching." and if that's not enough cheer for today - - - "the earth is broken and shattered and splits apart . . . its rebellion weighs so heavily on it, that it will fall" The take away -- keep your eyes up, don't put your trust in any man -- lean on Him!
Let's just soak awhile in chapter 25, ok?? "He will take away the heavy shroud that is draped over all the peoples of the world. God will swallow up death forever. The Lord, the Eternal, will wipe away the tears from each and every face" Did you see that?? Each and Every face -- yours, mine -- it's very personal. I don't know a one of us that doesn't have those tears in some form or another -- I love the picture/thought of God, the Eternal wiping those tears away.
So -- other than thinking that Leviathan (27:1) also referred to in my version as the dragon -- do you think this has any connection with Satan???
I want to end with this special text: 26:13 "At the end of the day, when all is done, we acknowledge only You" short, sweet, simple, profound . . .
Lots of good stuff today -- but I simply loved the way the Voice expressed the old favorite 11:28
"Put My yoke on your shoulders -- it might appear heavy at first, but it is perfectly fitted to your curves (didn't you comment on that already Chris? -- I just LOVE it, a customized yoke for each one of us -- a yoke that'll allow us to pull without rubbing -- we'll still sweat and strain -- but we're yoked to HIM) Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart -- (nothing forced -- I will go at your pace) When you are yoked to Me, your weary souls will find rest" I'm just going to leave on that thought -- my weary soul; why am I weary? because I keep trying to pull the load myself -- O Lord - you offer the best way, companionship and help with the pull -- THAT makes the burden light!
Yes, I did mention that earlier in the week. It was really good to see it again & remind myself to stay in my specially designed yoke, with the best Partner to work with.
Even though Paul was talking about the Jews, I felt like he could be talking to Christians today, especially Adventists. Just because we go to church, keep the Sabbath & yada, yada, doesn't mean we are going to heaven.
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me yesterday that in the book Experiencing God, the author states that if you don't know God's voice to you, then you are not in an intimate relationship with God. This makes total sense. How can I say He's my best Friend if I don't know what His voice sounds like?
Do I think I can earn my way so I can spend eternity with my best Friend who I don't really know? My relationship with God is shown in my actions & more importantly, it starts on the inside & works out. This doesn't excuse my outside actions that aren't in alignment with His Will, but I know that will come.
This is my modern paraphrase of what Paul was trying to say in these 2 chapters.
I don't have to prove anything to anyone & especially not myself. I do need to stay in His Presence and rest in His personally designed yoke that fits perfectly on my shoulders as I become the woman He created me to be. I fulfill His purpose for me as I do this. And, it's not stressful & draining. I am not a super Christian, I am simply His Child, with a future & a hope.
Even knowing what would happen in Lot's future, he is spared. Knowing what his daughters would do, they are spared. Total grace & freedom of choice is shown here. It's something I need to remember, to ask God to help me extend to people I meet every day.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what Abraham thought as he saw the smoke. Did he wonder about Lot? It doesn't say. There doesn't seem to be anymore interaction between them.
I like the interaction, the conversation that is written out here for us. This relationship is an example to us. Abraham didn't freak out when he realized it was God he was talking to. I'm thinking he recognized His voice because they had many conversation prior to this. It's there to show us what is possible for us today. The relationship that God wants to have with us as well. I guess the question is, do we want it? Do we pursue it?
I love this section. I had the same question about Abrahams reaction to seeing the smoke. Did he wonder about Lot.
DeleteThank you Chris for your comments -- I'm going to pass yesterday and today, feeling crumby -- I'll read, but not post. Hoping to be back tomorrow
ReplyDeleteNo worries, I understand. Joshua was a review and a plea. Remember what He's done for you & then love & obey Him. I also read in JC, 3 of them and they all said to rest in Him, to trust Him, to stop controlling, be flexible. As His Spirit to control my day & my thoughts & I have peace. That's in Romans 8:6 too. AND ref'd Matt 11:28-30 which in the Voice translation said the yoke I'm to wear is fitted to my curves, it's made especially for me. So stop stressing & rest.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, seems like I got that yesterday too....& the day before, & the day before, & the day before. Must be trying to tell me something....I wonder what??? LOL
I loved the words of Joshua when he was talking to the people. He was reminding them of what they had been through, and to keep it in thier hearts and minds forever. I thought about our own history and how we tend to repeat our mistakes. I watched a documentary on WWII, and was amazed at our current situation. Most schools don't even teach about WWI or WWII anymore, so our kids hear only about Vietnam. Joshua was trying to get the people to understand the importance of remembering where you came from so as not to repeat your same mistakes - or Joshua 19 "If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster...". He wanted them to pass it on - tell the story of Egypt and what they went through to get to the promised land.
ReplyDeleteThis caught my attention in 21:44 "he gave them rest from war on every side as He had sworn to their ancestors" I always think of the story of Israel taking possession of Canaan as an illustration of us taking possession of Heaven, the land God is preparing for us. And when we get there; whoooo-hoooo! we'll have rest from war o every side -- no more fears, worries, no more struggling to pay the bills, no more social conflicts - - rest from the war that sin stirs up.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that the groups on either side of the river met and heard each other out b4 picking up the swords -- good advice for us when we see something that makes us angry, maybe there is a good reason something is done - try talking it out first (I'm not really good at that -- I usually run the other way and stew about it, which solves nothing)
Every day a choice -- 24:15 God or other gods; unfortunately the other "gods" I strive against is not some little clay idol -- but the idolatry of thinking I know better than God; very similar to Eve taking the fruit, thinking she knew better than the plan God laid out for her -- oh how sad, but I do it every day - it's a constant battle for me not to plot and plan and try to figure all the angles instead of (where have I heard this before ladies? REST)
Thank you ladies for your comments. Stuff to ponder.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading Psalms today. David's honesty is refreshing after dealing with empty hearts during the day. Sad state of heart affairs in our world today for sure.
14:2 says that God is interested in our little things today. "No one is missed and no one can hide" from His gaze. The fact that it says He leans over from heaven to me shows His intense interest in us, in Me. A determined love that is not willing to leave any spot or wrinkle in His children. But man, do I think the furnace gets hot!
12:7 & 14:6 say God is my Protector & a Strong Shelter in the heaviest storm. YEAH! That reminds me of being surrounded by Father God, Jesus and the HS. Nothing can stand before them. I am safe. Now, if I can just trust, but He's growing me in that area.
13 is pure honesty and I love it! Ends with hope too. Remembering, as you both pointed out so well, His past dealings with me helps me have hope for today.
As in 14:7 Lord, keep break my chains so I can dance in Your Presence.
Read JC too, more resting counsel & pointed me to Ps 42:11. Love this part of that verse. "Despite all my emotions, I will believe and praise the One who saves me, my God". My prayer today.
some of the same phrases popped out at me Chris.
ReplyDelete13:5 I trust in Your faithful love; my heart leaps at the thought of imminent deliverance by You. That sounds like someone grounded in trust and hope (Lord - that is how I want to face problems, not beaten down -- but leaping up, knowing you WILL deliver)
Yes I love the picture of God leaning over -- looking, searching for someone who trusts, who wants to know the True God -
no one is missed, no one can hide - hmmmmm; just finished a book on God's love for the destitute, the out-sider, the unwanted; they are not missed either -- He always has time for them. Also, those trying to hide -- they are not missed.
and I too love the pic of the strong shelter in the heaviest storm -- I was thinking of the heaviest storm I've experienced. I was a little girl - it was the Columbus Day storm -- we hunkered down in our house in what my parents figured was the safest spot and the winds howled; it was scary - but He is our Shelter when we get whipped around by the winds of discouragement, fear, rejection, business - - we can hunker down in His strong arms. That is where I'm picturing myself right now.
yeah, that is a great pic! JC had some great stuff reiterating that to me this morning. Is 12:2 says "...my very own God has rescued me." Had me read Ps 27 as well. Just perfect for what God & I are talking about now.
ReplyDelete2 emotions popped out at me from Job this am -- surrender 9:29 "So if the verdict is already in, if I have already been found guilty, why should I bother to clear my name? why struggle in vain?" He's surrendered -- laying down in the pasture; totally confused, but not struggling any more - - He MAKES me lie down -- the only problem here is, Job's pastures are not green -- they are dry dirt brown.
ReplyDeleteChapter 10 is filled with despair, filled with confusion -- this is not the God that Job knows - he wants to know why - "Don't find me guilty; just explain the charges YOu have against me" Job's gut honest fist-in-the-air anger toward God must have broke His heart -- I can imagine God wanting to answer back, to give him assurance and hope. But God waited until the right time - - - only God would know what that right time was . . .
I saw that surrender as well when I read Job. He doesn't know why everything is happening & he'd like to know what's going on, but since he KNOWS for sure God is God and he is just a man, he realizes even his perfectness is garbage in God's pure light. Even our best is tainted.
ReplyDeleteI do like the honesty in 10. I wish he would have taken a whole chapter to be that honest with his so called friends instead of just saying "you're miserable comforters!". But that's got to be one of the reasons God said he was perfect. He held his tongue & didn't bruise hearts...like his "friends" did his.
I'm gonna leave Fridays all to you again. Sorry. Just can't deal with it right now. :)
Yesterday was a challenging day, a lot of in my face battles. But partway through I decided to say thank you to God instead of dwelling on the negative.
ReplyDeleteI thanked Him 1st for being alive, as that's always a shocker to me. Then He gave me a thought. If I stay with Him, I win. I only have to make that choice. Because of what He did, I win. Yes, there's still the slogging through the mud of adversity, cuts, bruises and down right exhaustion because of the fight. But I win.
This is joy that Jesus saw which enabled Him to endure the shameful treatment after His arrest and the horrendous second death of the cross. Because of His faith, He won. Therefore so do I.
Maybe it seems obvious to you, but it totally turned my day around. Sometimes you only realize how grateful you are for your sight when you have it taken away momentarily. We take a lot for granted.
When you're walking around a high,rocky place with a steep drop off and see a rope rail screwed into the wall next to the wide path, you may scoff and think you don't need to use it. That is until you step on something that shifts, slides and causes you to loose your balance. You reach out in a panic, grasping for anything to keep your balance, to keep you from going over the edge. Your flailing hand finds the rope and as it arrests your fall and saves your life, you realize it's purpose and are so grateful you want to hold onto it with 2 hands, not just one, never letting go.
God should be like that rope in our lives and we should never let go. "After all, You are constant; after all, You are only good. After all, You are sovereign; not for a moment will You forsake me..."
I read JC today which was amazing but won't take up more space.
Well Isaiah today just confirmed again how temporary all that we know here on earth is. I don't know if Isaiah was talking about his day, or the last days of earth or both -- but it sure seems to apply to a lot that goes on today:
ReplyDelete24:2 and on "Things will be topsy-turvy, hierarchies upended. No one will be safe . . . the earth will be emptied, all emptied, despoiled . . . the earth is polluted by those who live on it; they pay not attention to God's teaching." and if that's not enough cheer for today - - - "the earth is broken and shattered and splits apart . . . its rebellion weighs so heavily on it, that it will fall" The take away -- keep your eyes up, don't put your trust in any man -- lean on Him!
Let's just soak awhile in chapter 25, ok?? "He will take away the heavy shroud that is draped over all the peoples of the world. God will swallow up death forever. The Lord, the Eternal, will wipe away the tears from each and every face" Did you see that?? Each and Every face -- yours, mine -- it's very personal. I don't know a one of us that doesn't have those tears in some form or another -- I love the picture/thought of God, the Eternal wiping those tears away.
So -- other than thinking that Leviathan (27:1) also referred to in my version as the dragon -- do you think this has any connection with Satan???
I want to end with this special text: 26:13 "At the end of the day, when all is done, we acknowledge only You" short, sweet, simple, profound . . .
Lots of good stuff today -- but I simply loved the way the Voice expressed the old favorite 11:28
ReplyDelete"Put My yoke on your shoulders -- it might appear heavy at first, but it is perfectly fitted to your curves (didn't you comment on that already Chris? -- I just LOVE it, a customized yoke for each one of us -- a yoke that'll allow us to pull without rubbing -- we'll still sweat and strain -- but we're yoked to HIM) Learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart -- (nothing forced -- I will go at your pace) When you are yoked to Me, your weary souls will find rest" I'm just going to leave on that thought -- my weary soul; why am I weary? because I keep trying to pull the load myself -- O Lord - you offer the best way, companionship and help with the pull -- THAT makes the burden light!
Yes, I did mention that earlier in the week. It was really good to see it again & remind myself to stay in my specially designed yoke, with the best Partner to work with.
ReplyDelete