Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread Proerbs 22

Proverbs 22:1-29
1Choose a good reputation over great riches, for being held in high esteem is better than having silver or gold2The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD made them both.
3A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
4True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life.
5The deceitful walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will stay away.
6Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.
7Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.
8Those who plant seeds of injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will end.
9Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.
10Throw out the mocker, and fighting, quarrels, and insults will disappear.
11Anyone who loves a pure heart and gracious speech is the king's friend.
12The LORD preserves knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the deceitful.
13The lazy person is full of excuses, saying, "If I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed!"
14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; those living under the LORD's displeasure will fall into it.
15A youngster's heart is filled with foolishness, but discipline will drive it away.
16A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.
Thirty Sayings of the Wise
17Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. 18For it is good to keep these sayings deep within yourself, always ready on your lips. 19I am teaching you today—yes, you—so you will trust in the LORD. 20I have written thirty sayings for you, filled with advice and knowledge. 21In this way, you may know the truth and bring an accurate report to those who sent you.
22Do not rob the poor because they are poor or exploit the needy in court. 23For the LORD is their defender. He will injure anyone who injures them.
24Keep away from angry, short-tempered people, 25or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.
26Do not co-sign another person's note or put up a guarantee for someone else's loan. 27If you can't pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you.
28Do not steal your neighbor's property by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by your ancestors.
29Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than ordinary people.
~ Lena’s Journalin’~
I don’t believe it is saying we cannot have silver and gold , or that we won’t be blessed by having it. It is just saying a lot of what yesterday’s word was saying. Don’t seek the silver and gold, the natural treasures of earth. Don’t work so hard to get them, seeking them with all of your life, mind, and strength. Don’t spend all of your natural time on this physical earth spending your life on them. You’ll later feel your life was wasted. I recently heard one say that when people are dying and they know they are dying, they never talk about money, how much they didn’t get or how they can make more, or even natural things, how much they love this or that. They talk more about what life was truly all about. God, family and friends. I LOVE vs. 6, in this translation. We’ve always heard it read. When the kids get older they will depart from the Lord and then they’ll come back, if you raised them in the Lord. What about raising them in the Lord and them never departing from the Lord? Now that’s a promise, that they’d remain! We reap what we sow, be sure to sow good seed in all areas of life. To be a friend be friendly, to have patience given you, be patient, to have your needs met, meet another’s need, to be forgiven by others (and God) forgive, etc.
When I read throw out the mocker…I think about a person who mocks, but really the person is only copying what is heard of their father, who or whatever rules them. Satan is the mocker. Cast satan out of your life, give him no place, do not even listen to his lies (anything that comes against God’s word). He is the mocker, remove the acknowledgement of his voice out of your earshot. In vs 13 I was thinking about what prevents people from being a visible gospel and from preaching the word boldly w/ love. Fear does that. The word says that satan goes about as a roaring lion, seeking who he can devour. So fear would say, stana is gonna devour you if you do that, so we don’t do it? What will happen if we don’t do it? We’ll be devoured and taken out of God’s will for the earth’s revealing of God’s Son to them, people will go to hell. Forget the fear of the possibility of a "lion" in the streets. God is so much greater than any lion’s raor or bite. Let’s not be deceived in defining words. What is discipline? What is its root? Disciple. Every young or new person needs to be discipled, It does not matter the age, we are all God’s children and all are young to something or other sometime in life. We’ve always related discipline with correction and punishment. Jesus said Go, make disciples. Disciples are those who come close for training and instruction purpose, to be close enough to copy one’s actions. Discipline is for growth, it is doing the same thing till one gets it. It is training time. If one desires to play music, that one disciplines him self or is disciplined by another towards that goal of playing music, they come close to a master of music for the purpose of teaching and training and copying. The same is with those who are disciples of the Lord and of His word.

Monday, August 29, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread Luke 12

Luke 12: 1-59
1Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and crushing each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—beware of their hypocrisy. 2The time is coming when everything will be revealed; all that is secret will be made public. 3Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!
4"Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill the body; they cannot do any more to you. 5But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill people and then throw them into hell.
6"What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.
8"And I assure you of this: If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I, the Son of Man, will openly acknowledge that person in the presence of God's angels. 9But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before God's angels. 10Yet those who speak against the Son of Man may be forgiven, but anyone who speaks blasphemies against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.
11"And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don't worry about what to say in your defense, 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you what needs to be said even as you are standing there."
Story of the Rich Fool
13Then someone called from the crowd, "Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father's estate with me."
14Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?" 15Then he said, "Beware! Don't be greedy for what you don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own."
16And he gave an illustration: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17In fact, his barns were full to overflowing. 18So he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store everything. 19And I'll sit back and say to myself, My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!'
20"But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get it all?'
21"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."
Teaching about Money and Possessions
22Then turning to his disciples, Jesus said, "So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. 23For life consists of far more than food and clothing. 24Look at the ravens. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not! 26And if worry can't do little things like that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?
27"Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! 29And don't worry about food—what to eat and drink. Don't worry whether God will provide it for you. 30These things dominate the thoughts of most people, but your Father already knows your needs. 31He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.
32"So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
33"Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe—no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.

Be Ready for the Lord's Coming
35"Be dressed for service and well prepared, 36as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37There will be special favor for those who are ready and waiting for his return. I tell you, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. F61 But whenever he comes, there will be special favor for his servants who are ready!
39"Know this: A homeowner who knew exactly when a burglar was coming would not permit the house to be broken into. 40You must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected."
41Peter asked, "Lord, is this illustration just for us or for everyone?"
42And the Lord replied, "I'm talking to any faithful, sensible servant to whom the master gives the responsibility of managing his household and feeding his family. 43If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44I assure you, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 45But if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and begins oppressing the other servants, partying, and getting drunk—46well, the master will return unannounced and unexpected. He will tear the servant apart and banish him with the unfaithful. 47The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it.
48"But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.
Jesus Causes Division
49"I have come to bring fire to the earth, and I wish that my task were already completed! 50There is a terrible baptism ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to bring strife and division! 52From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or the other way around. 53There will be a division between father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law."
54Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, "When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, 'Here comes a shower.' And you are right. 55When the south wind blows, you say, 'Today will be a scorcher.' And it is. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but you can't interpret these present times.
57"Why can't you decide for yourselves what is right? 58If you are on the way to court and you meet your accuser, try to settle the matter before it reaches the judge, or you may be sentenced and handed over to an officer and thrown in jail. 59And if that happens, you won't be free again until you have paid the last penny."
FOOTNOTES:F61: Greek in the second or third watch.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Cassia, our 5 year old asked me what Hypocrisy was yesterday.
Let’s look at it: to impersonate anyone, play a part, to be under another’s opinion. Doesn’t that bring a lot of thoughts to your mind? I think about acting, of course. I also think of being made to do something, like feeling forced against my will and going through the motion of obedience, yet inwardly not adopting the action as what comes of my own will and desire. Jesus is speaking to the church people and He is saying to believers to beware of this. Beware lest what you walk out is not your faith, beware lest what you say, you do not yourself believe. Beware that the reason you go to church is not because of your own love for God. Beware that when you preach to others you yourself do not act on your own words, and you do it to satisfy some sort of debt you feel obliged to, rather than it being the overflow of the abundant flow of God’s spirit from your own heart. This will be evidenced and revealed the truth will come to light. The truth is not action, but a person alive in us. Act-ion should follow truth, but we have been well trained to put on righteous acts. God does not like religious acts. You might think, well all I’ve known is to put on religious acts, and I really did think it was what God wanted, what do I do? Decide to pursue God with ALL of your heart, soul and strength. As you do, your love for Him will increase and the reality of the abundant flow of that love motivated pursuit will be evidenced, not acted out.
We’ve got to get a revelation of hell. If we really have a revelation of heaven (which is anyplace God and us commune together as One) we’ll have a revelation of hell. Hell is anyplace without God’s communion is hell, BUT where there is no possibility of ever having that communion again ever, THAT is eternal hell and damnation. If you confess me before men, I’ll also confess you before My Father which is in heaven? We confess Him, He confesses us, He rescues us from hell. Remember confess means to stick with and adhere to. It is a lifelong covenant, not a flippant word we said, but did not mean or play out by our actions. It means LIVE. If you LIVE Me before men, I’ll LIVE you before My father in heaven. My fear of Him is that I’d ever be without Him, in Him is life, without Him is death. I cannot live without Him. We’ve got to quench the lies that speak to all of us daily about how small we are or insignificant or invaluable. We are here on purpose for purpose! It amazes me how small we are in comparison to all of the universe, all of the spirit world, and all of even nature. Stand next to a tree or a mountain, we are seemingly so small, yet God has placed us in the center of His plan and strategy for the world, for the universe. Isn’t that amazing. How complex and great God is and His plan and he chooses the most simplistic beings (which are also complex in nature) to execute His will and plan. You are worth everything to God, to the world, to the earth and even the universe. The salvation of the world is dependent on us. God Himself depends on us!
On what do we spend our life? Money? Dear God, if we do that we will be left with nothing in the end, nothing. Yet if we make money as we spend our life with Him, doing His will everywhere we go and in everything we do, we will have great treasure and yet have had money on earth also. Do you understand? Let me clarify a bit. So I work at the neighborhood grocery store, I go there to make money, I get up in the morning and I think of how I can look good so I’ll be recognized as well groomed and maybe they’ll promote me, I make sure I arrive on time. I work, I work, I work. I go home and work to get ready to go again and make money, because I spent money. I spent more money than I made so I get a paper route and make more money. I work, I work, I work. I get promoted, I work, I work, I work. I have a car, I have a house, I have nice clothes to go to work in, I go to movies and take vacations and I have friends. I work, I work, I work. I’m older now and I have something’s I’ve worked for. People say I’ve worked hard. I’ve made "it" in life and now I’m at my day’s end and I pass on from my life’s work. I meet my Maker and He says, what do you have? What have you brought with you? What can you show Me? I look down and I see earth and all of my stuff is sitting there, with no one to keep it up, it begins to rot and deteriorate, it means nothing, no one even wants it. I enjoyed it, I liked it, but it would not fit in my eternal suitcase. My eternal suitcase is empty, I have nothing to show God at all. All I’ve worked for is gone. I have nothing. Then there’s the guy who meets Jesus, He works too. He works with me at the local grocery store. He gets up in the morning and reads God’s word, because he has eternal life. I know about eternal life, but he has it. He loves God and asks God what he’s here for. He believes he’s here to serve and save people. He asks God to use him where he’s at. He’s at the grocery store everyday. He keeps in touch with God during the day, staying tuned in for instructions or directions about who he is and where he’s going or who he’s going to meet there at work that day in the store. He works there, but God is His boss. His boss at the store is his "supervisor". He loves his supervisor, because God loves him too. He does what he’s asked to do with a serving heart, because God is his boss, and has instructed him before he got to work. He meets all kinds of people everyday at work. He’d spoken to me several times, but I don’t mix business with religion and work is work, right? I smile and tell him I’ll see him at church Sunday if I’m not out on the boat with the wife and kids. He is friendly anyway, because God his boss, taught him to be that way. God wants to hire some more workers and he wants this guy to bring them in for the job. He takes a few co-workers out to lunch and talks with then daily on breaks and after work about Christ. He befriends customers and invites them into His home and brings them into his family’s activities, he invites them to grow with him at his church, he teaches them how to get with God and hear their own instructions for the job. He gets promoted, he works, he has a house and a car and vacations too. His life and all he does, everywhere he goes is directed by God’s spirit. He is God’s man on earth. He lies a full life, has family and friends, he dies and stands before God his Father, whom he’s spoken to and has worked for all his life. God knows who he is and he knows God. He’s left every natural thing behind, but his eternal suitcase is so full that the angels had to carry it in with him. God knows what is in there. He presents it to God, it is full of treasure, every attempt everyday of his life to show Christ to the world where he lived is there. Not one natural material thing is in there, They are back on earth and his family and friends are using them because he left them for others to enjoy while they work and sere God too. He didn’t bring any of that along. He’s glad to be at home, it’s all he thought it would be and more and the best part is so many people he knew on earth are there too. Wow what a party! He was ready, anticipating this his whole life. God had told him about it before. He remembers every word of the Lord.

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13: 1-25
1 Continue to love each other with true Christian love.[a] 2 Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Don't forget about those in prison. Suffer with them as though you were there yourself. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies.
4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
5 Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
"I will never fail you.I will never forsake you."[b]
6 That is why we can say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper,so I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me?"[c]7 Remember your leaders who first taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and trust the Lord as they do.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your spiritual strength comes from God's special favor, not from ceremonial rules about food, which don't help those who follow them.
10 We have an altar from which the priests in the Temple on earth have no right to eat. 11 Under the system of Jewish laws, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, but the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. 12 So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates in order to make his people holy by shedding his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him outside the camp and bear the disgrace he bore. 14 For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come.
15 With Jesus' help, let us continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name. 16 Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God.
17 Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
18 Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do. 19 I especially need your prayers right now so that I can come back to you soon.
20 –21 And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him. Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting covenant, signed with his blood. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
22 I urge you, dear brothers and sisters,[d] please listen carefully to what I have said in this brief letter.
23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy is now out of jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you.
24 Give my greetings to all your leaders and to the other believers there. The Christians from Italy send you their greetings.
25 May God's grace be with you all.
Footnotes:
Hebrews 13:1 Greek with brotherly love.
Hebrews 13:5 Deut 31:6, 8.
Hebrews 13:6 Ps 118:6.
Hebrews 13:22 Greek brothers.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
In vs. 8 it reminds me of fads that come and go, diets, clothing that is acceptable now, but wasn’t days ago, and my convictions change as the clothes do? God’ Word is the same, yesterday, today and forever, not different with the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s & 80’s kind of thing. The point is NOT clothes and diets and fads at all. We really think that if we adapt a new idea that we haven’t practiced before, that we are getting more godly somehow, but Godliness comes from the practice of His word in action. It is not in idea and rule. If I dress a certain way all of the time and appear holy, but am continuously irritated at people made in the image and likeness of God. I can’t seem to find a way to love those whom He loves and those whom He has set me here to minister and show His love to, then I may as well burn my clothes and walk around naked! I may as well quit the diet and get fatter. Love is the practice that will strengthen me in my faith and my walk with Him.
Are we shy in representing the One who before the public square, stood naked and unclothed, was whipped and beaten for us? The shame one feels from the world for speaking about or living for Christ will pass away in a moment, just as this life here will. When this life passes every moment of shyness in representing Him to the greatest extent will be so insignificant and minute in nature, every moment of shyness we gave way to will be a regret, unless repented of. Shyness is inwardness, and God called us to Go out! It is a tool of God’s enemy to hold God’s people back. Do not give it any place, get outside of yourself and live for God, NOW! Suffer in the pride of this life, be mocked by the world, and save souls from the very fire and pit of hell. Rescue people as Jesus did.
Let’s put Love in the place of obey, because love is the expression and tool of spiritual warfare against disobedience and the nature of God’s enemy who disobeyed God and desires God’s children to do. So in vs. 17, say "Love" your leaders…they watch out for your souls…. Doesn’t that change how the world shows us obedience stands for? The world tries to tell us whenever obedience is mentioned, we are being oppressed or forced or dictated to, no Obedience is an act of Divine love, it is the weapon that conquers over hatred (for God), it is the tactic of winning the world. Obedience is the Divine expression of Love! Don’t you love God? Of course. Don’t you love those God has set to rule over you, helping keep you on the journey of faith, those who brought you to the Lord? Your parents, Your mentors, Your Fathers in faith? Obey/love them and bless them, that their "job" will be such a joyful one as they watch you grow and change into God’s very image.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread Hebrews 11

Hebrews 11
Great Examples of Faith
1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. 2 God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.
3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. God accepted Abel's offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us because of his faith.
5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying--"suddenly he disappeared because God took him."[a] But before he was taken up, he was approved as pleasing to God. 6 So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
7 It was by faith that Noah built an ark to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about something that had never happened before. By his faith he condemned the rest of the world and was made right in God's sight.
8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith--for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. 10 Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
11 It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham believed that God would keep his promise.[b] 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children--a nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
13 All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God. They agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 And obviously people who talk like that are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had meant the country they came from, they would have found a way to go back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a heavenly city for them.
17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 though God had promised him, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted."[c] 19 Abraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.
20 It was by faith that Isaac blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau. He had confidence in what God was going to do in the future.
21 It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.
22 And it was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, confidently spoke of God's bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt. He was so sure of it that he commanded them to carry his bones with them when they left!
23 It was by faith that Moses' parents hid him for three months. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid of what the king might do.
24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him. 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt. He was not afraid of the king. Moses kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 28 It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.
29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians followed, they were all drowned.
30 It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho seven days, and the walls came crashing down.
31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute did not die with all the others in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
32 Well, how much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death.
But others trusted God and were tortured, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free. They placed their hope in the resurrection to a better life. 36 Some were mocked, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in dungeons. 37 Some died by stoning, and some were sawed in half; others were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, hungry and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world. They wandered over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All of these people we have mentioned received God's approval because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had far better things in mind for us that would also benefit them, for they can't receive the prize at the end of the race until we finish the race.[d]
Footnotes:
Hebrews 11:5 Gen 5:24.
Hebrews 11:11 Some manuscripts read It was by faith that Sarah was able to have a child, even though she was too old and barren. Sarah believed that God would keep his promise.
Hebrews 11:18 Gen 21:12.
Hebrews 11:40 Greek for us, for they apart from us can't finish.
~Lena’s Journalin;~
I used to see having faith as my way to receive blessings from God, kind of like it is the ticket to His heart and blessings from Him. Like if you please God, God will be pleased and you’ll get what you want or need. As I’m reading this today, I’m seeing something different. I’m seeing how God is looking for co-heirs, co-workers, co-laborers, co-visionaries, and faith pleases God because it makes us co-laborers, etc with Him, faith sees and makes us one with God and His plans, It makes His plans appear. It causes Him to appear to us, so we see Him as he is and become Him in who we are. This pleases God and the benefits of walking in faith and of pleasing God, are amazingly wonderful. God has blessings, when we turn to Him they appear to us. Believing God is for us, we’d die eternally without it. But it pleases God because we become who he created us to be, faith-filled life altering beings who create life.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Yesterday & Today's Daily Bread Hebrews 6 & 9

Hebrews 6:1-20
1 So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity F29 again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don't need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. 4 For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened – those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come – 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people to repentance again because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to public shame. 7 When the ground soaks up the rain that falls on it and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has the blessing of God. 8 But if a field bears thistles and thorns, it is useless. The farmer will condemn that field and burn it.

9 Dear friends, even though we are talking like this, we really don't believe that it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. 10 For God is not unfair. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other Christians, as you still do. 11 Our great desire is that you will keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and patience. 13 For example, there was God's promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: 14 "I will certainly bless you richly, and I will multiply your descendants into countless millions." F30 15 Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised. 16 When people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. 18 So God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence. 19 This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of heaven into God's inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the line of Melchizedek.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
We are the field. The rain falls on each and every field the same, but what is in each field is what will come forth from that field, what kind of seed is in us, natural seed from what the world has implanted into us? Like things the world tells us that we meditate on and believe in…you’re no good, won’t be able to do anything valuable in life, will never really get anywhere, or you’ll have this sickness forever, your mother and her mother and even your dad’s mother had it, so of course you are designed to have it too…or, I can never seem to get ahead, I may as well settle myself in to and be content where I’m at, God must not want me to get further or I would….etc, etc. All of these kinds of thoughts are not in accordance with God’s written word to us. They are contrary to what God is saying about us. They are seeds of the world and they are set to choke out God’s words when they come. These seeds come everyday. How often does God’s word of truth come? As often as we get a hold of it and chew on it and eat it. If we barely grab a hold of it, when the rain comes and washes off our outer layer, what is left is what was put in daily, what is left is what we believed based on what we eat and chew on. Reading God’s word daily is still not even enough. I must make it my meditation and my life force. I’ve got to ingest it, till it becomes me and who I am to the core of me. I have to apply it daily, that’s when I change and my foundation becomes sure. The 1st six principles in the first few verses are only foundations, we must at least, at the very least, know these. We must know them so well that we practice them and when the rain comes to wash off our dust, these remain underneath, as our very inner core. We are in covenant with God Almighty and in covenants there are vows, and statements of purpose to remember and live. We expect God to keep His word, and because we are in Covenant with Him, he also expects us to keep ours. When we repent and forsake the practicing of sin, we have vowed to practice righteousness. How can we do that if we do not know it? We can’t, so we must know Him and His righteous ways, in order to fulfill our vows to Him, as we expect Him to fulfill His to us. Covenant says yes, period. No, "If’s, and’s or but’s", none at all. "when’s and how’s" will do.
Hebrews 9:1-28
1 Now in that first covenant between God and Israel, there were regulations for worship and a sacred tent here on earth. 2 There were two rooms in this tent. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and loaves of holy bread on the table. This was called the Holy Place. 3 Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. 4 In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing some manna, Aaron's staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant with the Ten Commandments written on them. 5 The glorious cherubim were above the Ark. Their wings were stretched out over the Ark's cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain all of these things now. 6 When these things were all in place, the priests went in and out of the first room F38 regularly as they performed their religious duties. 7 But only the high priest goes into the Most Holy Place, and only once a year, and always with blood, which he offers to God to cover his own sins and the sins the people have committed in ignorance.
8 By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the Most Holy Place was not open to the people as long as the first room and the entire system it represents were still in use. 9 This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. 10 For that old system deals only with food and drink and ritual washing – external regulations that are in effect only until their limitations can be corrected. 11 So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world. 12 Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever. 13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people's bodies from ritual defilement. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
15 That is why he is the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, so that all who are invited can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. 16 Now when someone dies and leaves a will, no one gets anything until it is proved that the person who wrote the will F39 is dead. F40 17 The will goes into effect only after the death of the person who wrote it. While the person is still alive, no one can use the will to get any of the things promised to them. 18 That is why blood was required under the first covenant as a proof of death. 19 For after Moses had given the people all of God's laws, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God's laws and all the people, using branches of hyssop bushes and scarlet wool. 20 Then he said, "This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you." F41 21 And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the sacred tent and on everything used for worship. 22 In fact, we can say that according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified by sprinkling with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.
23 That is why the earthly tent and everything in it – which were copies of things in heaven – had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals. 24 For Christ has entered into heaven itself to appear now before God as our Advocate. F42 He did not go into the earthly place of worship, for that was merely a copy of the real Temple in heaven. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the earthly high priest who enters the Most Holy Place year after year to offer the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, he would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But no! He came once for all time, at the end of the age, to remove the power of sin forever by his sacrificial death for us. 27 And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ died only once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again but not to deal with our sins again. This time he will bring salvation to all those who are eagerly waiting for him.
FOOTNOTES:F29 Or the basics about Christ.F30 Gen 22:17.F38 Greek first tent; also in 9:8.F39 Or covenant.F40 Or Now when someone makes a covenant, it is necessary to ratify it with the death of a sacrifice.F41 Exod 24:8.F42 Greek on our behalf.
~Lena's Journalin' ~ again
We are the Temple of God and of Christ and of God’s Spirit. We are a three part being as God the father, Son and Holy Spirit are also a three part being. We are Spirit, soul and Body, just as the temple was outer court (body), inner court (soul) and holy place (spirit). There is a way into man’s spirit by way of the order of the man being alie with a human body in and on this earth, he’s a human being, he has a body that God wants to live in by the indwelling of His spirit. God wants to move on earth through us as He did when Jesus walked the earth. This is the reason we had to be cleansed, for God to live in us, God cannot, and will not, live in an unclean vessel. We could not just wash ourselves with natural water that we’d find in any stream, we had to have the new birth waters of God’s spirit washing us spiritually (referred to as water many, many times in scripture). Only by the water of God’s own spirit could human man ever get washed as clean as was needed to have God inhabit his being, and another substance was also needed to completely disinfect man from the dust of this natural physical world, it is covenant blood. There had to be a sacrifice in order for man to be safe enough to have God inside. Someone had to die. God told Adam he'd die for his sin, and he did and so did every man after him. God was showing that without Him there would be far more problems than a natural death, but far worse would be his destiny without God and that was a horrid thing. Man’s blood could be shed and he could die a natural death, but there was a greater death that would occur without God giving His own spiritually natured eternal blood for us. Eternal death and its consequence had to be conquered. It was with the blood of Jesus. If we are God’s temple, what is the way into our inner core? Come into our gates with thanksgiving, and into my courts with praise. Sacrifice, death to natural life and giving up my life to gain His is how he gets in- daily. It’s how I gain intimacy with you. I give thanks, I praise God for you, I give my life for you. I light your lamp, I wash you with His word, and inside of you I find salvation, I find food, I find treasures, I find protection. I find God!

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Yesterday's Daily Bread Mark 9

Mark 9
1Jesus went on to say, "I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!"
The Transfiguration
2Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the top of a mountain. No one else was there. As the men watched, Jesus' appearance changed, 3and his clothing became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly process could ever make it. 4Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.
5"Teacher, this is wonderful!" Peter exclaimed. "We will make three shrines F39 —one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6He didn't really know what to say, for they were all terribly afraid.
7Then a cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." 8Suddenly they looked around, and Moses and Elijah were gone, and only Jesus was with them. 9As they descended the mountainside, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until he, the Son of Man, had risen from the dead. 10So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by "rising from the dead."
11Now they began asking him, "Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?"
12Jesus responded, "Elijah is indeed coming first to set everything in order. Why then is it written in the Scriptures that the Son of Man must suffer and be treated with utter contempt? 13But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and he was badly mistreated, just as the Scriptures predicted."
Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Evil Spirit
14At the foot of the mountain they found a great crowd surrounding the other disciples, as some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15The crowd watched Jesus in awe as he came toward them, and then they ran to greet him. 16 "What is all this arguing about?" he asked.
17One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, "Teacher, I brought my son for you to heal him. He can't speak because he is possessed by an evil spirit that won't let him talk. 18And whenever this evil spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground and makes him foam at the mouth and grind his teeth and become rigid. F40 So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn't do it."
19Jesus said to them, "You faithless people! How long must I be with you until you believe? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." 20So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. 21"How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father. He replied, "Since he was very small. 22The evil spirit often makes him fall into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us. Do something if you can."
23"What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."
24The father instantly replied, "I do believe, but help me not to doubt!"
25When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. "Spirit of deafness and muteness," he said, "I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!" 26Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy lay there motionless, and he appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd, "He's dead." 27But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.
28Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, "Why couldn't we cast out that evil spirit?"
29Jesus replied, "This kind can be cast out only by prayer. F41 "
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
30Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus tried to avoid all publicity 31in order to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead." 32But they didn't understand what he was saying, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.
The Greatest in the Kingdom
33After they arrived at Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples settled in the house where they would be staying. Jesus asked them, "What were you discussing out on the road?" 34But they didn't answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35He sat down and called the twelve disciples over to him. Then he said, "Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else."
36Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37"Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me."
Using the Name of Jesus
38John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn't one of our group."
39"Don't stop him!" Jesus said. "No one who performs miracles in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I assure you, that person will be rewarded.
42"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck. 43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better to enter heaven F42 with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. F43 45If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better to enter heaven with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. F44 47And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It is better to enter the Kingdom of God half blind than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48'where the worm never dies and the fire never goes out.' F45
49"For everyone will be purified with fire. F46 50Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other."
FOOTNOTES:F39: Or shelters; Greek reads tabernacles. F40: Or become weak. F41: Some manuscripts add and fasting. F42: Greek enter life; also in 9:45. F43: Some manuscripts add verse 44 (which is identical with 9:48). F44: Some manuscripts add verse 46 (which is identical with 9:48). F45: Isa 66:24. F46: Greek salted with fire. Some manuscripts add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Elijah means, who’s god is like Jehovah. That could be a question or an answer. Having no other gods before Him must precede the revelation of Him, the true appearing of Him as a living part of our lives. We each individually must lay down our service of and to others and give our loyalties to Him, for Him to be what only He can be in our lives, in our faith walks. Elijah MUST come first, the forsaking of all others, and the cleaving to Him alone as God, big "G".
Wow! Do I believe? In what? Or Whom? In God’s power alive and active in me? In His unleashed authority over evil, present inside of me? Do I believe that evil spirits are even subjected to God? Or those who by Divine revelation, are His sons? Is that revelation because I know it or hope it? Know Him or of Him? Do I know Who’s I am, and that I was bought by His blood for this very purpose? Do I realize that I, as Jesus, was sent here for this very purpose? Or should I fast and pray more for THAT revelation? Jesus came here to earth to DESTROY the works of the evil one (or the two), so did I. But I will not do it unless I know it. I cannot, how can I? I and others will die(perish) if I do not know this.
He fell as dead, just as through water baptism we are dead to sin and it no longer has any influence on us, so this boy being delivered is dead to the oppression and evil of those ungodly spirits. He was about to spring forth to resurrection life. Prayer is our intimate communication with God, Prayer is the way we know who God is and what He’s for. If we do not pray and we do not know this, we will not exercise our God-given authority. Prayer brings us to know Him #1 and #2, to make Him known, as He is.
Dear God. We’ve got to see the example given to us in Christ. He is and was God, and He came to earth as a mere man, subjecting Himself as a man to the elements to win man as co-missionaries of His Divine goal. He went low to win all. He stooped down to the lowest place of all, Hell, to save us. Why would we as disciples waste any time discussing who of us are great, our greatness of natural position will not save anyone here from hell, but our service to them will. As He is so are we, Lovers and servants of God and of men. Divisions will never promote God’s kingdom, never. Unity will. We must find unity. Oh God, help us to abandon the forceful enforcement of our laws to encourage unity among those who love You. When we enforce things and impose them on others we lose our saltiness, our flavor is no longer palatable, it is bland and even rotten to the ones who could choose to taste of Him in us, but will choose not to. Love is the key at all cost, the cost Jesus paid was for imperfect people who did not do things correctly at all, people who rejected Him completely, He layed His life down for them anyway, for unity with
God.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread 2 Tim 1

2 Tim 1
Greetings from Paul
1This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 It is written to Timothy, my dear son.
May God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.
Encouragement to Be Faithful
3 Timothy, I thank God for you. He is the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again.
5 I know that you sincerely trust the Lord, for you have the faith of your mother, Eunice, and your grandmother, Lois. 6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 8 So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don't be ashamed of me, either, even though I'm in prison for Christ. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the proclamation of the Good News.
9 It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. He did this not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan long before the world began-to show his love and kindness to us through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the coming of Christ Jesus, our Savior, who broke the power of death and showed us the way to everlasting life through the Good News. 11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
12 And that is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him* until the day of his return.
13 Hold on to the pattern of right teaching you learned from me. And remember to live in the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 14 With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard what has been entrusted to you.
15 As you know, all the Christians who came here from the province of Asia have deserted me; even Phygelus and Hermogenes are gone. 16 May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in prison. 17 When he came to Rome, he searched everywhere until he found me. 18 May the Lord show him special kindness on the day of Christ's return. And you know how much he helped me at Ephesus.
Footnotes:
1:12
Or what has been entrusted to me.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Do you think of people in Christ like this? Thanking God for them, Remembering them in your prayers, longing to be in fellowship of God’s word and spirit with them, being filled with joy at the thoughts of them? That is how God Our Father feels about us as his sons and daughters, and how we should be feeling about our sons and daughters and brothers and sisters in the faith. God has set us in one big awesome family! What has god not given us a spirit of fear of? Doing His will, being in ministry being called and sent out leaders! He has empowered us to Do His will, and to have and keep and flame whatever it takes to do that will. Isn’t it awesome that what we do and who we are is not based upon our merit, or if we do or do not do such and such and so and so? It is all based on God’s Divine overall plan for the earth, the world, salvation etc, and all He is looking for is someone who will say yes to Him and agree with that plan and do it by the power He gives us to do it with. When we say yes, we have access to all we need to accomplish the goal. Don’t you marvel that God chose you? I do. Paul did, Timothy did. God is amazing how He thinks. Being imprisoned is not the point of anything, unless you are not in obedience to God and your sin imprisons you. Otherwise there are only bars, and bars cannot hold back the love of God from being expressed by you. I know that is extreme, but we have to be willing to think in an extreme fashion. What is holding us back now? Are we enchained or barred? Why then do we not proclaim him with a bold unrestrained passion? What keeps us or holds us back from his love and the expression of it towards others? What has been entrusted to us? The message of salvation, the gospel message, entrusted to us! Guard it. What does guard mean? Keep watch over, keep contained. Oh my goodness, hold onto it with all you have and if it costs your life (think security guard), do not let it go! Keep it safe from evil words or lies that would steal it or bribe it from you! God has entrusted us with His Son, what have we done with his Son?

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31
The Sayings of King Lemuel
1These are the sayings of King Lemuel, an oracle F48 that his mother taught him.
2O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my promises, 3do not spend your strength on women, on those who ruin kings.
4And it is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave liquor. 5For if they drink, they may forget their duties and be unable to give justice to those who are oppressed. 6Liquor is for the dying, and wine for those in deep depression. 7Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more.
8Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. 9Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Notice she said women plural, we know why this is, both naturally and spiritually speaking. We are to give our bodies in living service to the one who created us and paid for us with His life. We are to love the Lord Our God with ALL of our strength, and when we love others this way, we jip God, we cannot do both, we’re not made that way. When we love God that way, we love people in a whole different light, in a way that does not give all we are up, leaving nothing for God, but to Christ we give all and what we need for others he gives us in a miraculous way, we could never do on our own strength apart from Him.Liquor is a dependency drink, if we depend on it, we do not depend on the Holy Spirit, and in depending on it, we grieve the Holy Spirit, because we are refusing to rely on Him, believing He is God and is able to help us out.This is intercession. How will one speak on behalf of others if one is not aware of others? This Does not mean fight and war with natural means for others, like shooting abortionists or yelling, screaming, throwing rocks at workers who in our personal opinion may be mistreating the elderly. It means PRAY, and be available to serve and educate in the spirit. (such as befriending a pregnant mother who is considering abortion, loving her praying for her and spending your life on and with her to lead her straight.) We live in such a violent society, that we actually think everything we take back for God has to be accomplished by physical or mental force, or by arguments. This is Not the way to walk in!

One day in a prayer meeting I saw so clearly how impossible it could be for one woman alone to be this virtuous woman, not that one woman could not be this valuable, but the tasks and duties seemed so extensive. I wondered how she would ever have time for sleep. As I was praying I saw the plural bride of Christ, the virtuous woman (singular = ONE. She is One because of the communion of God’s spirit inside of her individually, but plural in number, as in many, yet many as one could easily be this woman! I realized this is the Divine description of Christ’s bride, the church, this IS who we are in the prophetic way of how He sees us and this is how we should pray in line with His will about His body. Read this from that angle. You (plural and singular, as ONE) ARE this virtuous wife (men included!)

A Wife of Noble Character
10Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is worth more than precious rubies. 11Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. 12She will not hinder him but help him all her life.
13She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. 14She is like a merchant's ship; she brings her food from afar. 15She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls. 16She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. 18She watches for bargains; her lights burn late into the night. 19Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.
20She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.
21She has no fear of winter for her household because all of them have warm F49 clothes. 22She quilts her own bedspreads. She dresses like royalty in gowns of finest cloth.
23Her husband is well known, for he sits in the council meeting with the other civic leaders.
24She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants.
25She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs with no fear of the future. 26When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule when she gives instructions. 27She carefully watches all that goes on in her household and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness.
28Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: 29"There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!"
30Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised. 31Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
FOOTNOTES:F48: Or of Lemuel, king of Massa. F49: As in Greek version; Hebrew scarlet.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18
1A recluse is self-indulgent, snarling at every sound principle of conduct.
2Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.
3When the wicked arrive, contempt, shame, and disgrace are sure to follow.
4A person's words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.
5It is wrong for a judge to favor the guilty or condemn the innocent.
6Fools get into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating.
7The mouths of fools are their ruin; their lips get them into trouble.
8What dainty morsels rumors are—but they sink deep into one's heart.
9A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.
10The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.
11The rich think of their wealth as an impregnable defense; they imagine it is a high wall of safety.
12Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.
13What a shame, what folly, to give advice before listening to the facts!
14The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear it if the spirit is crushed?
15Intelligent people are always open to new ideas. In fact, they look for them.
16Giving a gift works wonders; it may bring you before important people!
17Any story sounds true until someone sets the record straight.
18Casting lots can end arguments and settle disputes between powerful opponents.
19It's harder to make amends with an offended friend than to capture a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with iron bars.
20Words satisfy the soul as food satisfies the stomach; the right words on a person's lips bring satisfaction.
21Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life.
22The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives favor from the LORD.
23The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults.
24There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
~Lena's Journalin'~
Ascenion vs. dissention, destruction vs. repair, contention vs. peace, argument vs. agreement, wisdom vs. foolishness = light vs. darkness, love vs. hate, victory vs. loss. ALL of life is about this/these thing(s). It all goes back to the motivation and motivator of sin- God’s prideful overruling enemy- satan. It is ALL about his battle with God. Everything is about that. Satan is contentious, he contends with God for our hearts, our agreement with his plight. If he can use us, he feels he’s won another contest with God and has us as his allies. He feels he has living proof of his power. If he can use our words, which God has empowered, for evil, if he can use our minds, hearts whatever, he has used us. Knowing this we must not contend with God as He does ever at all! (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but (are) mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Cor 10:4-6). That does NOT mean fight with people! It means in loving people we fight strongly with God, making God’s will victorious in earth.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread Proverbs 17 (Lena's Journalin' in red)

Proverbs 17:1-28
1A dry crust eaten in peace is better than a great feast with strife.
This is how God feels about contention, because His #1 enemy is contentious, divisive, disagreeable. The goals in our lives should be peace at all cost, even if it meant that pursuit did not benefit us naturally and materialistically speaking.
2A wise slave will rule over the master's shameful sons and will share their inheritance.
Do you think the slave tells the sons he’s ruling over them? Of course not, but he is. Rulership does not have to be with controlling, manipulating and tyranical force, infact the Master’s son may have been treating the slave this way, but the slave could indeed be ruling Him with love. Love conquers over all.
3Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
4Wrongdoers listen to wicked talk; liars pay attention to destructive words.
5Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.
6Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.
This one caught me today, we usually think about our children being our glory, what a thought that we would be theirs, someone they would be proud to have come from and have been raised up by.
7Eloquent speech is not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
8A bribe seems to work like magic for those who give it; they succeed in all they do.
9Disregarding another person's faults preserves love; telling about them separates close friends.
Every fault does not have to be confirmed by a physical voice. God does NOT call us to point faults out, as though we must prove we can see better? The only reason a fault would be mentioned is if the Lord is speaking about and eternal life or death situation and at the same time love is in abundance to bring the merciful answer and the gracious steps towards change. This is given because of care for the person, not for the situation or for our own self-exaltation, because we see better, or to show How Great we Art. Its motivation is to help lead another in righteousness, not religiously, but relationally. It would cause the relationship between two people to become stronger, not be torn down by criticism.
10A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.
11Evil people seek rebellion, but they will be severely punished.
12It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in folly.
13If you repay evil for good, evil will never leave your house.
I shutter at this. How does one know what is in th heart of others? What if what we perceive as evil was good from the person’s heart, and if we reacted as the world does and fought back to prove rights or whatever. God knows all motives. If the persons motive inside of their being was good and we repaid with evil (speech or deed) we come under a curse, that cannot be easily broken.
14Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
Just drop it! Don’t pick up and partake of the meal your enemy has set before you.
15The LORD despises those who acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent.
16It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool who has no heart for wisdom.
17A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
18It is poor judgment to co-sign a friend's note, to become responsible for a neighbor's debts.
19Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who speaks boastfully F26 invites disaster.
We cannot serve two Masters. Sin and God are Masters, who do we give our lives to and for? Sin? Or God? We cannot love both, because they are far from the same. It is so weird how Christians participate in quarrels as much as the world does, yet they think a righteous quarrell has some sort of merit, or because they are Christians they are exempt. No they are targets to see if God’s enemy can throw another thing in God’s face. Christians? Ha ha, he says to God, look at them they look just like me! Refuse strife at all times, no matter the subject!
20The crooked heart will not prosper; the twisted tongue tumbles into trouble.
21It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.
How does one go from cheerful to broken? Words, strife, rebuke, rejection, hurts. Where do these enemies come from? Our families, friends, Christians, the church, etc. Why are Christians weak? They are hurt and wounded by those closest to them (so was Jesus by Judas, He experienced the deepest of betrayal to know how it was for those closest to one’s heart to hurt him. One extremely important point that Jesus made in all of this was people are not to be our source of strength, or of emotional joy, or of dependency, if they are we will probably fall into weakness and hurt. God is the only source for us. That does not at all mean we would not be in a deep relationship with another, BUT when He is the source and always the root source, what others do to us won’t move us off of our faith in Him. Look at Jesus, once Judas betrayed Him the whole world came against Him, what did man do to Him then? But God was His source. He endured the cross before God, as His source, for a relationship with us. Even those who beat Him he did it for and loved them, because God is His source. What can man do to me, when God is my source?
23The wicked accept secret bribes to pervert justice.
24Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25A foolish child F27 brings grief to a father and bitterness to a mother.
26It is wrong to fine the godly for being good or to punish nobles for being honest!
27A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.
This is true patience and consistency, when I choose to hold my tongue from lashing you and I will not express what my and God’s enemy wants me to express, hot, heated, destructive anger.
28Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
DO NOT misunderstand. God does not want us to shut our mouths all of the time. There is a misconception that if one is an angry person who always speaks wrong things, that they should just shut up. Then if and when they speak, they can rebuke lightly, but not be angered, NO God wants us to speak love, Change the words, change the thoughts to love – Love builds UP, it will Not tear down. It realizes it is NOT necessary to point out someone’s faults or things they overlook. We are not in constant inspection mode. We will be inspected by God and by God’s spirit. God did not send me here to inspect you. He sent me here to love you, so that later when he inspects you, He’ll find you were loved!
FOOTNOTES:F26: Or who builds up defenses; Hebrew reads who makes a high gate. F27: Hebrew son.