The 2 things I get out of 2 John is that we (I) need the reminder to love people. Always good. Don't get caught up in rules and regs, but be practical. 2. is for me not to do anything that shows I condone error. Granted people will think what they want if I go where Jesus leads. He went into places and talked to people and the rel leaders of the day linked Him up with satan himself. But when someone is obvious and committed against God, though I still need to love them, I don't encourage them in their way by my words or actions.
I did read this morning, just didn't have time to post. 143 is definitely one of my favorite psalms. Verses 8-10 are usually a daily prayer for me.
144:3 is how I felt this morning. Sometimes, I ask God "why do You even bother with me?". His mercy just amazes me. It's endless and I'm grateful.
There was another line in the psalms that really spoke to me this morning though. I went back to 51:12 "Give back to me the deep delight of being saved by You..." I needed delight this morning and there is something special about this kind. Being discovered (not in a good way either) and rescued all in the same moment, with no qualifiers, no strings. Just Love that I don't understand and probably never will.
Interesting comments that Jewish men are discouraged from reading S of S until 30 when back in Bible times they tried to get them married at half that age.
Had to share this gem from JC this morning. "Take time to rest by the wayside, for I am not in a hurry. A leisurely pace accomplishes more than hurried striving. When you rush, you forget who you are and Whose you are. Remember that you are royalty in My kingdom." p228
A good 2 pages in JC today that I really needed. I love it when God does that!
Today I skipped back to my fav; Wednesday reading -- so, I soaked in the Psalms:)
143:2 Be kind and slow to judge Your faithful servant -- isn't that how we hope people will be with us? That they won't make snap judgements, but will take their time to look at the whole picture and judge carefully and kindly with our human hearts and motives? I'm so glad we have a God that loves us and always gives us the benefit of our humaness - who stands beside us --
My spirit is growing faint inside me -- and the cure comes next; I fix my ind on all YOu have done; I ponder the work of Your hands; I reach out my hands to You. All that I am aches and yearns for You -- the world, it's business and distractions pull us away from those very important healers -- pondering, thinking, reaching
The surrender is huge in this chapter too -- Make me hear, teach me how
Finishing with 144
He's our "citadel" -- I looked this up, as it's not a common word; a citadel is a fortress, usually on a high hill overlooking a city -- so He's over me, my shelter -- He is "my tower of strength" -- so he's holding me up, he's underneath me, supporting me in His strong arms, and He' is my shield of protection (before me and in back of me too -- a shield can be swung any direction to protect from the projectiles hurled my way)
"O Eternal ONe, what is man, that YOu even care to know him?" and THAT is the A-mazing question that haunts us - - how can He care about us so kindly, so intimately, so carefully, so passionately? It is a love I struggle to understand
What an interesting comment: "The thing society opposes often defines it, so manipulation is easy" This is a testimony about easily we are drug to what annoys us, what we are against; and THAT drags us away from our goals, our hopes - - yup, Paul used this tactic many times, interesting.
"His kingdom will not come by debate, but by the working of the HOly Spirit within the church" - - yes - - I believe that.
I am amazed at the respect Paul had with his captors; they gave him liberties, listened to what he had to say, protected him. I think it was more than just his citizenship.
And speaking of citizenship -- seems like that was God working in God's life even before he was born:) it sure came in handy many times.
So Paul -- like Joseph - was left in prison -- waiting for God's timing. 2 years; hmmmm and hmmmm
Yes, the comments were very interesting and looking at history - true. Stresses to me the importance of listening to the HS, don't join up with things/people so quickly, but listen, listen to the HS. I too am amazed at the respect that his captors had for him. He must have carried himself differently. Like Jesus, there had to have been an atmosphere of peace and trust that drew people in. Show what true surrender to God does. Definitely something that needs to grow in me, and I'm sure it will as I surrender. God is the same as He was back then. Perspective and timing. Yep, see it in every story I read in the Bible.
The 2 things I get out of 2 John is that we (I) need the reminder to love people. Always good. Don't get caught up in rules and regs, but be practical.
ReplyDelete2. is for me not to do anything that shows I condone error. Granted people will think what they want if I go where Jesus leads. He went into places and talked to people and the rel leaders of the day linked Him up with satan himself. But when someone is obvious and committed against God, though I still need to love them, I don't encourage them in their way by my words or actions.
I did read this morning, just didn't have time to post. 143 is definitely one of my favorite psalms. Verses 8-10 are usually a daily prayer for me.
ReplyDelete144:3 is how I felt this morning. Sometimes, I ask God "why do You even bother with me?". His mercy just amazes me. It's endless and I'm grateful.
There was another line in the psalms that really spoke to me this morning though. I went back to 51:12 "Give back to me the deep delight of being saved by You..." I needed delight this morning and there is something special about this kind. Being discovered (not in a good way either) and rescued all in the same moment, with no qualifiers, no strings. Just Love that I don't understand and probably never will.
Interesting comments that Jewish men are discouraged from reading S of S until 30 when back in Bible times they tried to get them married at half that age.
ReplyDeleteHad to share this gem from JC this morning.
ReplyDelete"Take time to rest by the wayside, for I am not in a hurry. A leisurely pace accomplishes more than hurried striving. When you rush, you forget who you are and Whose you are. Remember that you are royalty in My kingdom." p228
A good 2 pages in JC today that I really needed. I love it when God does that!
Today I skipped back to my fav; Wednesday reading -- so, I soaked in the Psalms:)
ReplyDelete143:2 Be kind and slow to judge Your faithful servant -- isn't that how we hope people will be with us? That they won't make snap judgements, but will take their time to look at the whole picture and judge carefully and kindly with our human hearts and motives? I'm so glad we have a God that loves us and always gives us the benefit of our humaness - who stands beside us --
My spirit is growing faint inside me -- and the cure comes next; I fix my ind on all YOu have done; I ponder the work of Your hands; I reach out my hands to You. All that I am aches and yearns for You -- the world, it's business and distractions pull us away from those very important healers -- pondering, thinking, reaching
The surrender is huge in this chapter too -- Make me hear, teach me how
Finishing with 144
He's our "citadel" -- I looked this up, as it's not a common word; a citadel is a fortress, usually on a high hill overlooking a city -- so He's over me, my shelter -- He is "my tower of strength" -- so he's holding me up, he's underneath me, supporting me in His strong arms, and He' is my shield of protection (before me and in back of me too -- a shield can be swung any direction to protect from the projectiles hurled my way)
"O Eternal ONe, what is man, that YOu even care to know him?" and THAT is the A-mazing question that haunts us - - how can He care about us so kindly, so intimately, so carefully, so passionately? It is a love I struggle to understand
What an interesting comment: "The thing society opposes often defines it, so manipulation is easy" This is a testimony about easily we are drug to what annoys us, what we are against; and THAT drags us away from our goals, our hopes - - yup, Paul used this tactic many times, interesting.
ReplyDelete"His kingdom will not come by debate, but by the working of the HOly Spirit within the church" - - yes - - I believe that.
I am amazed at the respect Paul had with his captors; they gave him liberties, listened to what he had to say, protected him. I think it was more than just his citizenship.
And speaking of citizenship -- seems like that was God working in God's life even before he was born:) it sure came in handy many times.
So Paul -- like Joseph - was left in prison -- waiting for God's timing. 2 years; hmmmm and hmmmm
Yes, the comments were very interesting and looking at history - true. Stresses to me the importance of listening to the HS, don't join up with things/people so quickly, but listen, listen to the HS.
ReplyDeleteI too am amazed at the respect that his captors had for him. He must have carried himself differently. Like Jesus, there had to have been an atmosphere of peace and trust that drew people in. Show what true surrender to God does. Definitely something that needs to grow in me, and I'm sure it will as I surrender. God is the same as He was back then.
Perspective and timing. Yep, see it in every story I read in the Bible.