Sunday, July 14, 2013

Week 29

"This world has nothing for me; this life is not my own. I know You go before me and I am not alone..." Bldg 429

15 comments:

  1. Paul's reminder to "Stay focused on what’s above, not on earthly things, because your old life is dead and gone. Your new life is now hidden, enmeshed with the Anointed who is in God" was really good for me today.
    Here and Now I can focus on what He has for me, nothing more, nothing less.

    Good council for the church today as well in dealing with personalities and each other. We're human and fight against our human tendencies constantly. If I know there's still so much work to be done in my own life (make that tons), I have to cut other's slack and realize they are still a work in progress as well. Just stay focused though on what God is doing, not the people around me. He's got that all under control.

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  2. So I enjoyed the Zac story yesterday; let's see if I can remember anything of what I wanted to say. First of all -- I thought they booked it right to Zac's house; but it sounds like Jesus did more teaching right there under the tree -- with another parable about generosity and stewardship with the money/gifts you'd been given. God doesn't mind blessing the ones that show generosity -- they have a loose grip on their time/talents/gifts; so they are safe to give more too.

    OK -- so I highlighted those very same thoughts Chris -- set your mind; stay focused -- yeah, and it's true - the things of earth will go strangely dim

    There is a responsibility with BOTH parties of any relationship -- it's all about love and respect - those are 2 qualities that everyone is longing to experience:)

    I'm ready to take off and throw away the old warn-out clothes of lousy attitudes -- BUT - that is a daily surrender for me! Not sure exactly, why I want to keep putting back on those stinky old threads, but I do it often; yuck - - - sometimes I despair at the inner me . . .

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  3. I think it's because it creeps in on us. If it was a full on frontal attack, we'd fight it. Satan rarely does frontal attacks on me, he mostly uses the tried and true sneaky attack from the rear, in a weak moment.

    Read in JC today but before I did, I read some in Ps 23 and then it was used in what I read in JC. Really like translation of v4. It ties in so well with my last couple of weeks.

    "Even in the unending shadows of death's darkness, I am not overcome by fear. Because You are with me in those dark moments, near with Your protection and guidance, I am comforted."

    The trick for me is in the trusting God or falling back to my "worn-hard paths" (v3) of trusting in myself. Which brings me to JC....

    "If you learn to trust Me - really trust Me - with your whole being, then nothing can separate you from My Peace. Everything you endure can be put to good use by allowing it to train you in trusting Me...Joseph was a prime example of this divine reversal...Do not fear what this day, or any day, may bring your way. Concentrate on trusting Me and on doing what needs to be done. Relax in My sovereignty remembering that I go before you, as well as with you into each day. Fear no evil, for I can bring good out of every situation you will ever encounter." pg 134

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  4. The sacrificed goat / the scapegoat -- it is all played out in real life at the cross; Jesus - dying for the sins of the ones that trust him; all other sins placed on the devil; the responsible one for this whole mess -- can hardly wait until he gets booted out of my life


    This day will be a Sabbath of sacred rest" I heard it put this way this weekend Sabbath is a refuge in time -- and basing that on the Psalms text "God is our refuge and strength" Refuge -- a place you can run when you are beat up, accused, afraid, confused (that pretty well sums up what we humans are surrounded with) Back in the day, there was a city of refuge -- but now, even better; we have HIM as our refuge!

    There is great respect for life in the Bible life -- I love how the commentator puts it: "every time an animal is used for food, its death must be treated as a sacred event . . . whenever one of God's creatures gives its life for one of our meals, that life is to be respected" Think of THAT the next time you eat a chicken sandwich . . .

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  5. If I'm remembering correctly, Athaliah is Ahab's sister. Doesn't seem that anyone defended her when she was arrested/killed. Israel sure had political unrest. You wouldn't know who to support or for how long.

    I wonder if Elisha struggled with him dying after seeing Elijah be taken up to heaven. I bet satan tried to discourage him by saying he wasn't as good or wasn't faithful and was being punished. That God wasn't pleased with him. Seems right up satan's alley of discouragement.

    Bet that freak them out see the dead man come alive again. Then again, they were more used to the supernatural back then. Today we're pretty closed to it - in the church that is.

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  6. Not just the church -- I would think twice if it happened; I guess I would be wondering if it was from God or one of Satan's apparitions - -

    I never thought of how Elijah's departure would affect Elisha; but you're right -- maybe also how J to the B felt too -- worked so hard and this was the payoff; I guess we all have to keep leaping our minds over the present to the Revelation 21 - 22 promises:) Maybe for the people around -- the bone miracle was an affirmation that Elisha was still God's man - - even if he didn't have a firery chariot ride.

    So I read about 1/2 of it -- but with 2 Joash's and a Joahoash -- I gave up. Somehow I think I had it sorted on previous years, but this year just didn't work for me.

    DJ "Hoping can be a joyful occupation, because it connects you to your promised inheritance in heaven" YAY

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  7. True -- but it's kind of like "heaven" or "heavens" there are so many layers to that word -- same thing with church:) Thnx for clarifying what your context was!

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  8. Zoned in/out of Psalms today. Still learning the trusting/enjoying each day thing. Different blurbs in JC and the texts it led me to spoke to me more today.

    "Do not long for the absence of problems in your life. That is an unrealistic goal...you have an eternity of problem-free living reserved for you in heaven...take a lighthearted view of trouble, seeing it as a challenge that you and I together can handle."

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  9. Wow Chris -- that JC quote fit right in with something I read in Psalms today: 84:9 "Blessed are those who make You their strength, for they treasure every step of the journey" I was thinking, before I read what you quoted - - that every step is not always easy and problem free -- sometimes roadblocks, sometimes landslides -- but to treasure EVERY STEP, means that we include those problems as well - - AND seeing them as a challenge that you and I together can handle -- makes it sound like we are a team on an obstacle course -- the problems turn into challenges to solve with our Teammate! SWEET!

    I also liked the longing to be in God's temple. I got to thinking that God's temple is wherever His presence is: in 1 Cor -- that is in me, if I invite him in -- in Rev 21 -- the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple -- those 2 thoughts take me to John 15; abide in Me and I in you --

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  10. Yes, that was one of those verses that I appreciated in Psalms as well. Treasuring every step also fits into what I got from Proverbs today.

    Seems like the thread I saw was letting Christ live through me keeps me generous with my talents/resources more than with my words. Treasuring not only what I have been given, but the people God puts in my path. Basically, honoring them as Jesus did people when He was here on earth. He was the only One who had the right to act better than everyone else and did not. He let the resources flow freely through Him as people were open and recognized their need.

    I've always enjoyed 12:1 because it's a very honest, straight forward verse. Too many times I take correction or instruction as a negative, like the person giving it thinks I'm stupid. I've got to put their manner of correction/instruction aside and if it's good stuff, apply it. Their attitude may be the result of something not even connected with me. I mean, who wants to be a fool?

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  11. I appreciate the constant reminder to watch my mouth! Prov 11:12-13 (putdowns and gossip)

    Kindness is its own reward -- how true THAT is; I ALWAYS feel better when I'm kind, I feel like a shmuck when I'm not - - so kindness blesses both ways!

    Did some thinking about the ring in the pig's snout. So I was thinking the ring was the beautiful woman -- and when she attaches herself to bad judgement, she ends up getting drug through the mud (the pig rooting - I think that's what pig's do) running their snouts with all that comes with a snout through the garbage of life -- that beautiful woman gets drug right through it. I also thought of Tanya Harding, the ice skating olympian from PDX a few years back. She looked so beautiful and free skating around with her flowing costumes - - but she was attached to bad judgement, and her life was filled with garbage.

    I loved the commentator's line "Generosity places God's gifts and blessings into circulation" Where we really get tripped up is when we think the money, talents, time - whatever is "ours" NOT! It's God's gifts - to be circulated!

    AND - 11:28 - don't trust in wealth -- keep looking up for your Security,

    12:10 a call for being kind to all of creation.

    12:21 The right-living are not overcome with calamity. Sooooo -- they definitely will face calamity; the difference is that they are not overcome, overwhelmed by it.

    and finally -- another "be careful what comes out of that mouth" statement (Solomon puts a lot of emphasis on that mouth!) "A clever man is careful in revealing what he knows" I had to stop and read that a few times -- he's careful -- taking time to think through what should be said and what should not be said, careful about how he words it, thinking through each word, each thought that he shares and holding back confidences and information that is sensitive or that would wound - - I like that thought, that each word is weighed before leaving the mouth O! and a last thought -- another thing about the revealing; "stuff" can be revealed also through facial expression or gestures - - careful careful careful -- weigh everything!

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  12. Jesus tells them they will be persecuted and even killed but then says that not a hair on their heads will be harmed! So often we (I) just claim that last part - not realizing that it's my character He's talking about, not my physical body. I need to get His perspective daily, every minute so that I constantly see the bigger picture and not my own little world.

    Appreciate the counsel to guard my heart - not be discouraged by all I see going wrong around me. The blatant disregard for God and His law.

    Interesting that Jesus doesn't give Peter a chance to dig a deeper hole than he already has. After Jesus tells him about his betrayal, Jesus changes the subject. He knew that Peter would be heartbroken later that night at his betrayal and He didn't give him any more chances to make it harder on himself. Very touching the compassion of our Savior. He truly does know us (me) better than we (I) do ourselves.

    I like to think on the look that Jesus gave Peter. Especially when I screw up. Obviously, Peter didn't see condemnation, he felt his own. He didn't see judgment, he was judging himself as a loser already. He had to see something like redemptive pity - hope, love and strength. Whatever it took to drive him to repentance and not over the edge like Judas. Peter had been receptive to the prep work, Judas had not. That helped as well.

    I'm always blown away by the care Jesus has for the people around Him when He is the One that needed to be cared for. He rested in His Father's care at that point so He was still able to minister and not have unrealistic expectations of the people around Him. I so need to learn this!

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  13. Explain the character part, Chris - in your first paragraph - I know that He's more concerned about our character than our comfort; I was thinking not a hair will be harmed is in reference to the 2nd death.

    Yes - I've thought many times on the 'look' -- so that is the 'look' we need to let Him create in us toward others that have messed up.

    I appreciate Jesus counsel a couple of times, not to be frightened -- that these are signs, so you are in the know -- and that the end is closing in; liberation!!!. And not to be planning, "make up your mind in advance not to plan your strategy for answering their questions" This says to me, don't waste time planning for what you don't understand, use that time to dig into the Bible and to stay close to Him.

    Good warning that Satan entered Judas, and Satan was pursuing Peter - - we are on a battlefield, and there is no way that Satan will leave us alone - he will pursue, he will enter if we don't 'watch and pray' - - the God of angel armies is always by my side if I stay intensionally centered in His will.

    The disciples were weighted down with sorrow -- I never noticed that before; I thought they were just ignoring all Jesus was saying, but they knew something was different - -

    This is your time -- night; I wonder if those men and women ever thought back on that warning . . .

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    Replies
    1. The character is what we take to heaven, not our earthly bodies. People can stain our reputation but not our character - we're the only ones who do that. And yes, I also believe it applies to the 2nd death. Some versions use the word perish instead of harm. This is the same word that some version use in John 3:16 - those that have eternal life won't perish. Obviously, it's the 2nd death, which is a total loss.

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