Proverbs 15:1-33
1A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.
2The wise person makes learning a joy; fools spout only foolishness.
3The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
4Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
5Only a fool despises a parent's discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.
6There is treasure in the house of the godly, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.
7Only the wise can give good advice; fools cannot do so.
8The LORD hates the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
9The LORD despises the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue godliness.
10Whoever abandons the right path will be severely punished; whoever hates correction will die.
11Even the depths of Death and Destruction F24 are known by the LORD. How much more does he know the human heart!
12Mockers don't love those who rebuke them, so they stay away from the wise.
13A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.
14A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash.
15For the poor, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.
16It is better to have little with fear for the LORD than to have great treasure with turmoil.
17A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.
18A hothead starts fights; a cool-tempered person tries to stop them.
19A lazy person has trouble all through life; the path of the upright is easy!
20Sensible children bring joy to their father; foolish children despise their mother.
21Foolishness brings joy to those who have no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path.
22Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors bring success.
23Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
24The path of the wise leads to life above; they leave the grave F25 behind.
25The LORD destroys the house of the proud, but he protects the property of widows.
26The LORD despises the thoughts of the wicked, but he delights in pure words.
27Dishonest money brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live.
28The godly think before speaking; the wicked spout evil words.
29The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.
30A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.
31If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.
32If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.
33Fear of the LORD teaches a person to be wise; humility precedes honor.
FOOTNOTES:F24: Hebrew Sheol and Abaddon. F25: Hebrew Sheol.
~Lena's Journalin'~
I think we could just take this one chapter and spend our whole lives here fine tuning our character and pruning our fruit trees. It is so rich in godly wisdom. Thank God for His word, without it we would be left to ourselves and by our mere human nature, God would not be honored. Notice how many of these sayings are related to communication, right speaking, and expression of relationship. There really is a way to handle relationships and cultivate them and a way to not keep them healthy, the mouth has every bit to do with the outcome. If the relationship is truly important to you, you will heed these words, if you do not, the relationship is not important enough or you don’t yet care enough to improve it, or you’ve not yet had a blinding dark cloud removed from your understanding. Those who love God will also love His people (that’s everyone in the world), enough to make modifications that truly represent Him to the world.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Eccliastes 5
Eccl 5:1-20
God's in Charge, Not You
1Watch your step when you enter God's house. Enter to learn. That's far better than mindlessly offeringa sacrifice, Doing more harm than good. 2Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you--the less you speak, the better. 3Over-work makes for restless sleep. Over-talk shows you up as a fool. 4When you tell God you'll do something, do it--now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it.5Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up. 6Don't let your mouth make a total sinner of you.When called to account, you won't get by with "Sorry, I didn't mean it. "Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation? 7But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk. There's always this rock foundation: Fear God!
A Salary of Smoke
8Don't be too upset when you see the poor kicked around, and justice and right violated all over the place. Exploitation filters down from one petty official to another. There's no end to it, and nothing can be done about it. 9But the good earth doesn't cheat anyone--even a bad king is honestly served by a field. 10The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, Nor the one who loves wealth with big profits. More smoke. 11The more loot you get, the more looters show up. And what fun is that--to be robbed in broad daylight? 12Hard and honest work earns a good night's sleep, Whether supper is beans or steak. But a rich man's belly gives him insomnia. 13Here's a piece of bad luck I've seen happen: A man hoards far more wealth than is good for him14And then loses it all in a bad business deal. He fathered a child but hasn't a cent left to give him.15He arrived naked from the womb of his mother; He'll leave in the same condition--with nothing.16This is bad luck, for sure--naked he came, naked he went. So what was the point of working for a salary of smoke?17All for a miserable life spent in the dark?
Make the Most of What God Gives
18After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. 19Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift! 20God deals out joy in the present, the now. It's useless to brood over how long we might live.
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
This is the difference between religion and relationship. In relationship we listen to what the other person has to say, we do not constantly evaluate what they say, we listen, we care about their input, we consider their opinion, not for debate, but for relational communication. We may not initially feel we agree with all that is said but we do not shut them down, we consider what was shared, because of the person, because we respect (or are endeavoring to gain respect) the person. This writer describes the normal daily dialog of prideful Americans, who feel only their opinion matters, and that they continuously have to win a war and win the debates, which we create for sheer contesting, so that we can set ourselves up as winners. Religion goes to the House of God and of His people thinking, well at least I came, I’ve done my good deed for the week, or month or year or whatever. That religious person makes sacrifices for God and is not going to God’s House to hear a life-changing message that they can apply and bring change into their life with. They sit through services waiting for the service to end, so they can go home as son as possible without being requested to change. We’ve always looked at vs 5 as we should not vow vows or make promises, but I believe it is saying, make promises both to God and to people and KEEP those promises! That is not easy and when we do it causes us to depend upon God’s spirit to be able to fulfill the promises, because on our own we won’t. I always listen to what people say when you invite them to church etc, or I hear them say- I really need that etc, and then I invite them, they say Oh I’d love to be a part of that. So I give them what it takes to become a part of that (like times and directions to Bible Studies etc), I hear them say, Ok I’ll see you_____________ and they never come. So I’ll say, Did you still want to come, you said (promised) you’d like to come? I’m pointing out that I believe their words, I also want them to listen to themselves and follow through with their own words and I want to show them how important their own words are to the fulfillment of purpose in their lives. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, I believe when they say they want to pursue God or a relationship with His Body, they mean it, because it is every person’s heart cry, to truly know God, be known by God and to make Him known. This is our design. This is why so much of what we do in life tries to substitute this desire and this design. Pulls us to think it will fulfill us. Only God, His Body, His word and purposes can fulfill us. Oh God, my heart screams out when I read this (8-17). People actually live for money and things! Dear God help us. I am so at a plight to help others see what I’ve seen about eternity, time & life. I mean our culture tells us we have to have, and at the expense of happiness and true fulfillment. Many, many people have said money and it’s bounty will never satisfy and we see that, yet we pursue its call rather than following after God call on our lives. To win souls and make disciples, and bring them into His body to learn for themselves how to win souls and make disciples, then send them out to do the same. If we don’t live for this we are not alive (in Christ). We are not living. Well we may be living, but for what? A temporary satisfaction?, a sense of fulfillment? Yes, but there is SO MUCH MORE! Oh My Lord, there is so much more. I wish every person on earth would have the experience of rescuing a person out of hell’s fire. Once a person gets a revelation that people, friends, family, the world, your enemies, your neighbors and co-workers (yes even the most irritating guy) are going to live forever (alive in death, sensing every pain, tormented by separation form God and utter darkness, where there is no eternal saving life at all) in hell, that person cannot live for mere money anymore. That person cannot seek only after earthly enjoyment and material fulfillment, ever. Their hearts are set on God’s heart and they see only the potential of rescue, everyday. They have love on their minds. (Love is defined, your eternal good, at my earthly desires’, expense). When a person sees this there’s no greater prosperity than to fulfill earthly purposes that are Divine, and yes, we should work. Work the work of God while you work. Deposit His character everywhere you go and with every person you meet, Use each business transaction to promote your witness for Christ, not a religious activity, but a life lived out for Christ! Show your God-seeking life to the wold and as you do it feed your family and buy what you desire and need. The difference is you work for God, not for things. :-)
God's in Charge, Not You
1Watch your step when you enter God's house. Enter to learn. That's far better than mindlessly offeringa sacrifice, Doing more harm than good. 2Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you--the less you speak, the better. 3Over-work makes for restless sleep. Over-talk shows you up as a fool. 4When you tell God you'll do something, do it--now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it.5Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up. 6Don't let your mouth make a total sinner of you.When called to account, you won't get by with "Sorry, I didn't mean it. "Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation? 7But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk. There's always this rock foundation: Fear God!
A Salary of Smoke
8Don't be too upset when you see the poor kicked around, and justice and right violated all over the place. Exploitation filters down from one petty official to another. There's no end to it, and nothing can be done about it. 9But the good earth doesn't cheat anyone--even a bad king is honestly served by a field. 10The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, Nor the one who loves wealth with big profits. More smoke. 11The more loot you get, the more looters show up. And what fun is that--to be robbed in broad daylight? 12Hard and honest work earns a good night's sleep, Whether supper is beans or steak. But a rich man's belly gives him insomnia. 13Here's a piece of bad luck I've seen happen: A man hoards far more wealth than is good for him14And then loses it all in a bad business deal. He fathered a child but hasn't a cent left to give him.15He arrived naked from the womb of his mother; He'll leave in the same condition--with nothing.16This is bad luck, for sure--naked he came, naked he went. So what was the point of working for a salary of smoke?17All for a miserable life spent in the dark?
Make the Most of What God Gives
18After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. 19Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift! 20God deals out joy in the present, the now. It's useless to brood over how long we might live.
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
This is the difference between religion and relationship. In relationship we listen to what the other person has to say, we do not constantly evaluate what they say, we listen, we care about their input, we consider their opinion, not for debate, but for relational communication. We may not initially feel we agree with all that is said but we do not shut them down, we consider what was shared, because of the person, because we respect (or are endeavoring to gain respect) the person. This writer describes the normal daily dialog of prideful Americans, who feel only their opinion matters, and that they continuously have to win a war and win the debates, which we create for sheer contesting, so that we can set ourselves up as winners. Religion goes to the House of God and of His people thinking, well at least I came, I’ve done my good deed for the week, or month or year or whatever. That religious person makes sacrifices for God and is not going to God’s House to hear a life-changing message that they can apply and bring change into their life with. They sit through services waiting for the service to end, so they can go home as son as possible without being requested to change. We’ve always looked at vs 5 as we should not vow vows or make promises, but I believe it is saying, make promises both to God and to people and KEEP those promises! That is not easy and when we do it causes us to depend upon God’s spirit to be able to fulfill the promises, because on our own we won’t. I always listen to what people say when you invite them to church etc, or I hear them say- I really need that etc, and then I invite them, they say Oh I’d love to be a part of that. So I give them what it takes to become a part of that (like times and directions to Bible Studies etc), I hear them say, Ok I’ll see you_____________ and they never come. So I’ll say, Did you still want to come, you said (promised) you’d like to come? I’m pointing out that I believe their words, I also want them to listen to themselves and follow through with their own words and I want to show them how important their own words are to the fulfillment of purpose in their lives. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, I believe when they say they want to pursue God or a relationship with His Body, they mean it, because it is every person’s heart cry, to truly know God, be known by God and to make Him known. This is our design. This is why so much of what we do in life tries to substitute this desire and this design. Pulls us to think it will fulfill us. Only God, His Body, His word and purposes can fulfill us. Oh God, my heart screams out when I read this (8-17). People actually live for money and things! Dear God help us. I am so at a plight to help others see what I’ve seen about eternity, time & life. I mean our culture tells us we have to have, and at the expense of happiness and true fulfillment. Many, many people have said money and it’s bounty will never satisfy and we see that, yet we pursue its call rather than following after God call on our lives. To win souls and make disciples, and bring them into His body to learn for themselves how to win souls and make disciples, then send them out to do the same. If we don’t live for this we are not alive (in Christ). We are not living. Well we may be living, but for what? A temporary satisfaction?, a sense of fulfillment? Yes, but there is SO MUCH MORE! Oh My Lord, there is so much more. I wish every person on earth would have the experience of rescuing a person out of hell’s fire. Once a person gets a revelation that people, friends, family, the world, your enemies, your neighbors and co-workers (yes even the most irritating guy) are going to live forever (alive in death, sensing every pain, tormented by separation form God and utter darkness, where there is no eternal saving life at all) in hell, that person cannot live for mere money anymore. That person cannot seek only after earthly enjoyment and material fulfillment, ever. Their hearts are set on God’s heart and they see only the potential of rescue, everyday. They have love on their minds. (Love is defined, your eternal good, at my earthly desires’, expense). When a person sees this there’s no greater prosperity than to fulfill earthly purposes that are Divine, and yes, we should work. Work the work of God while you work. Deposit His character everywhere you go and with every person you meet, Use each business transaction to promote your witness for Christ, not a religious activity, but a life lived out for Christ! Show your God-seeking life to the wold and as you do it feed your family and buy what you desire and need. The difference is you work for God, not for things. :-)
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Galatians 4
Better Late than not.....computer/cable phone down again today BUT we're back up !!! Thank GOD!
Galatians 4
1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,[a] Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Paul's Concern for the Galatians
8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
12I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. 13As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. 19My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Hagar and Sarah
21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband."[b]
28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."[c] 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
What is the difference between a child and a son? Growth, maturity, responsibility & recognition. Who is it that brings the person from childhood to sonship? The Father; and it is the Father who recognizes that the growth, maturity and responsibility (ability to respond) are there. I believe God has a goal and trains us towards that goal, he uses tutors in our lives to bring us to that goal also. As with any parent who sees a potential goal or desire or dream in a child and leads that child towards this "end", it is easily recognizable whether the child has reached the goal or not. Even if the total fulfillment of that goal is not in play, but the pathway is being followed with maturity and responsibility, that father knows the time has come for the Son to pick up where the father led him, he is no longer a child, he can do what the father and the tutors would have done for him. It’s kind of like a young child whom one is raising, Mom says brush your teeth honey, she reminds him for years and years, then one day he "graduates" into a matured state when he does not have to be told by anyone, but he does it on his own. Our society has so perverted training by others. The reason is the sway of evil, evil says, I can do it by myself, don’t tell me what to do, ever. It rebels from any tutors and goes its own way, never following in the footsteps of trainers, of fathers. This is why there are 40+ year old children, who have never really gotten anywhere. This tutoring thing puts a ton of responsibility on "fathers", as they need to see a desired end and spend a lifetime steering their arrows (Ps127) accordingly. There is such freedom to sons, those who do the will of the father, those who follow the voice of the Father, those who walk in the pathway of the father, those who do not rebel and begin plowing their own ground from the clearing of the field on, but rather inherit the field already cleared by others. God may have a son clear a field for others ahead of him, as he expands his borders and has been faithful in another man’s field, but it is not how one was meant to begin by Divine will and design. Jesus came as a child, grew as a son and conquered the fields for us, to give them to us. We don’t have to pour out our blood for the purchase of the field, we own the field. He paid for it with his blood. He wants to train us to work it and inherit it. It was inherited by Him from His Father. (The earth is the Lords’ and all of its fullness, the people and all who dwell therein Ps?) It is ridiculous that we would ever listen to the liar who tells us there’s another way, we can buy another field and we can sweat and work and bleed and get it for ourselves, no one has to give it to us, we can clear it ourselves etc. That is NOT our Father talking, that is the father of lies talking and if we listen to him, we will surely perish in that rebellion in that field, we will have wasted a life and die unfulfilled, because the ONLY way to true fulfillment is to do the will of the Father. It says here that we were slaves, we were as children, immature and not receiving anything from God, but He has given us what equalized us to being a matured son. When we receive Jesus, we receive the benefit of sonship in God’s eyes, when we were children of the evil one we had not part with God, other than His plans to draw us to salvation, but because of the obedience of one earthly so- Jesus, we’ve been given what no one in this world’s success could ever give us. It is clear here that once one turns to the Lord, he could also turn back to what he knew was the way to success in the world! Lately I’m seeing something I’d not seen before. We are born here and we live out our days here and we die and as we believe we go on to eternal life elsewhere. Why did we come here for so short of an eternal time? Why do we spend so much of it trying to figure out who we are and climb success ladders and make a name for ourselves and get popular or rich or whatever? Is that why God sent His Son to earth? Jesus was even here a shorter earth time than many of us are. The purpose that God sent Jesus to earth was the same purpose he’s sent any of us to earth. To destroy the works of the evil one. How much time does that take? A lifetime! How much can one destroy? It depends on us, without knowledge of the warfare we would never engage ourselves in it, if our enemy can keep us blinded to our or God’s need for us to be engaged, we could spend our whole lives here and never be a part of the father’s plan for His field. Or we can follow His will, His voice etc and engage ourselves wholeheartedly in the plan.
The only way to truly engage in that plan is to know Truth and do it. Our enemy hates truth and spends his days telling lies to God’s children and sons, so that they will not only reject Truth, but minimize it and disregard it and separate themselves from it. If you were a warrior, a soldier and you knew this was your enemy’s plight against your regiment, would you not oppose this tactic and go full force against it? How can one do so in spiritual living? By getting all the truth one can, by hearing more and more of the truth and by no matter how hard it may seem, taking truth as their own, and swallowing it. Preparing oneself to both hear and receive the truth. Buying it, and refusing to ever sell it to anyone at any time in any circumstance. Who do we really belong to? Slavery or Freedom? When we do not follow truth, we are enslaved to our old masters, to our old fathers, old tutors (worldly voices). When we follow truth we are free in Christ to serve God’s will and plan. There is no other true freedom except in Christ! Every other offer will come your way. Do not try God like every other thing in life! Serve Him, be His son, His heir, His landowner.
Galatians 4
1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,[a] Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Paul's Concern for the Galatians
8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
12I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. 13As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. 19My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Hagar and Sarah
21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband."[b]
28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."[c] 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~
What is the difference between a child and a son? Growth, maturity, responsibility & recognition. Who is it that brings the person from childhood to sonship? The Father; and it is the Father who recognizes that the growth, maturity and responsibility (ability to respond) are there. I believe God has a goal and trains us towards that goal, he uses tutors in our lives to bring us to that goal also. As with any parent who sees a potential goal or desire or dream in a child and leads that child towards this "end", it is easily recognizable whether the child has reached the goal or not. Even if the total fulfillment of that goal is not in play, but the pathway is being followed with maturity and responsibility, that father knows the time has come for the Son to pick up where the father led him, he is no longer a child, he can do what the father and the tutors would have done for him. It’s kind of like a young child whom one is raising, Mom says brush your teeth honey, she reminds him for years and years, then one day he "graduates" into a matured state when he does not have to be told by anyone, but he does it on his own. Our society has so perverted training by others. The reason is the sway of evil, evil says, I can do it by myself, don’t tell me what to do, ever. It rebels from any tutors and goes its own way, never following in the footsteps of trainers, of fathers. This is why there are 40+ year old children, who have never really gotten anywhere. This tutoring thing puts a ton of responsibility on "fathers", as they need to see a desired end and spend a lifetime steering their arrows (Ps127) accordingly. There is such freedom to sons, those who do the will of the father, those who follow the voice of the Father, those who walk in the pathway of the father, those who do not rebel and begin plowing their own ground from the clearing of the field on, but rather inherit the field already cleared by others. God may have a son clear a field for others ahead of him, as he expands his borders and has been faithful in another man’s field, but it is not how one was meant to begin by Divine will and design. Jesus came as a child, grew as a son and conquered the fields for us, to give them to us. We don’t have to pour out our blood for the purchase of the field, we own the field. He paid for it with his blood. He wants to train us to work it and inherit it. It was inherited by Him from His Father. (The earth is the Lords’ and all of its fullness, the people and all who dwell therein Ps?) It is ridiculous that we would ever listen to the liar who tells us there’s another way, we can buy another field and we can sweat and work and bleed and get it for ourselves, no one has to give it to us, we can clear it ourselves etc. That is NOT our Father talking, that is the father of lies talking and if we listen to him, we will surely perish in that rebellion in that field, we will have wasted a life and die unfulfilled, because the ONLY way to true fulfillment is to do the will of the Father. It says here that we were slaves, we were as children, immature and not receiving anything from God, but He has given us what equalized us to being a matured son. When we receive Jesus, we receive the benefit of sonship in God’s eyes, when we were children of the evil one we had not part with God, other than His plans to draw us to salvation, but because of the obedience of one earthly so- Jesus, we’ve been given what no one in this world’s success could ever give us. It is clear here that once one turns to the Lord, he could also turn back to what he knew was the way to success in the world! Lately I’m seeing something I’d not seen before. We are born here and we live out our days here and we die and as we believe we go on to eternal life elsewhere. Why did we come here for so short of an eternal time? Why do we spend so much of it trying to figure out who we are and climb success ladders and make a name for ourselves and get popular or rich or whatever? Is that why God sent His Son to earth? Jesus was even here a shorter earth time than many of us are. The purpose that God sent Jesus to earth was the same purpose he’s sent any of us to earth. To destroy the works of the evil one. How much time does that take? A lifetime! How much can one destroy? It depends on us, without knowledge of the warfare we would never engage ourselves in it, if our enemy can keep us blinded to our or God’s need for us to be engaged, we could spend our whole lives here and never be a part of the father’s plan for His field. Or we can follow His will, His voice etc and engage ourselves wholeheartedly in the plan.
The only way to truly engage in that plan is to know Truth and do it. Our enemy hates truth and spends his days telling lies to God’s children and sons, so that they will not only reject Truth, but minimize it and disregard it and separate themselves from it. If you were a warrior, a soldier and you knew this was your enemy’s plight against your regiment, would you not oppose this tactic and go full force against it? How can one do so in spiritual living? By getting all the truth one can, by hearing more and more of the truth and by no matter how hard it may seem, taking truth as their own, and swallowing it. Preparing oneself to both hear and receive the truth. Buying it, and refusing to ever sell it to anyone at any time in any circumstance. Who do we really belong to? Slavery or Freedom? When we do not follow truth, we are enslaved to our old masters, to our old fathers, old tutors (worldly voices). When we follow truth we are free in Christ to serve God’s will and plan. There is no other true freedom except in Christ! Every other offer will come your way. Do not try God like every other thing in life! Serve Him, be His son, His heir, His landowner.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread James 1
James 1:1-27
Greetings from James
1This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is written to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations. F1 Greetings!
Faith and Endurance
2Dear brothers and sisters, F2 whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. 3For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything..
5If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. 6But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.
9Christians who are F3 poor should be glad, for God has honored them. 10And those who are rich should be glad, for God has humbled them. They will fade away like a flower in the field. 11The hot sun rises and dries up the grass; the flower withers, and its beauty fades away. So also, wealthy people will fade away with all of their achievements.
12God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. 14Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. 15These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. 16So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.
17Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. F4 Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. 18In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.
Listening and Doing
19My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20Your anger can never make things right in God's sight.
21So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.
22And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law—the law that sets you free—and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.
FOOTNOTES:F1: Greek To the twelve tribes in the dispersion. F2: Greek brothers; also in 1:16, 19. F3: Greek The brother who is. F4: Greek from above, from the Father of lights.
~Lena’s Journalin’~What a new way of seeing things. I was thinking of how we look for job opportunities, money making schemes, opportunities to be with certain people, opportunities to sing or play music, etc,,,Here we see that trials/tests/hardships can also be opportunities to be aware of and look for praying that we will use them to exercise the faith we all say we have in Christ, to practice what we’ve learned in Bible Study times, and to apply the changes we say Christ has made in us! Remember Wisdom is knowledge in action, knowledge applied. So when a trial comes our way, an opportunity comes our way to act upon what we’ve heard in God’s word and to be who He is forming us to be, to apply knowledge. Then it goes further to say, Pray and ask God for help to apply what you’ve learned and been taught by book knowledge, now make it life application to me, OJT, On the Job Training! What are we training for when we read the word? Life, Love, Eternity. It’s like going to college and now getting out and interning till it is time to do the work of the career trained for, even after internship there is OJT. What are we to achieve in life? Materials?, Great income and social stature?, Relationships that make us look popular and tell others we are loved? We can surely have all of these and seek after them and pursue them wholeheartedly, but in their pursuit we may miss the point of why we are here. For when we die, we will know that not one of these pursuits placed us in the correct relationship with God to come and live with Him in His heavenly kingdom. If we did not live as a citizen of His heavenly kingdom while on earth, there is no passport in after we die. We must make our citizenship while here and show, with the proof of our lives that we live there while being "stationed" here. We will carry the rank and marks and will be recognized as such when we arrive at Heaven’s gates. One area that always comes up in thinking that God has tested someone is in the area of sickness, now remember God does test, but He does NOT test with evil, sickness is evil, and a direct result of such. It could be evil we participate in (such as in taking drugs, one could OD), or evil that is just trying to get into our lives and we’ve not come under the protection of obedience and perfected love, and so we are attacked by evil works, or it could be a curse upon us from past generations that needs to be severed, any way, sickness comes from evil and NOT God. Close the doors on anything that even resembles God’s enemy and blessings will start to flow. (works of flesh resemble God’s enemy, hatred, strife, anger, evil speech, lust, etc) God’s way is perfection and if you look up that word you’ll see "completion" and "wholeness", that means it is all sealed up, completely covered- the house is locked and only God and the family members who live inside have the keys, who else has the keys! Do we know or have they been given out to every neighbor, "friend", known and unknown? Jesus said he gave us the keys of the kingdom and whatever we bind on earth is bound and whatever we loose is loosed (Mt 18), Lock the doors, but only after kicking the intruders OUT! Here James gives the way to become more like Christ, ponder words, see if they will resemble Christ’s character well then decide first whether they should be spoken or not. The last verses say that if we do not do this and control our tongues what we think we serve (God), is not being served, in fact all we do for God is as nothing, because this is quite important in the realm of representing Him and His name on earth. We have to remember God’s words in order to do them. This begins with the sheer desire to want to study and know Him more. I see it as a responsibility as a messenger, which we all are. If I’m to portray or communicate the message I must know it. I home schooled our children and one day in one of our lessons there was a small article called, "The King’s Messenger". We read it and then did a lesson practicing how to do it. In short it said, long ago the only way messages were delivered was through the mouths of people. The king had an important message to send to another town or to an army or to another kingdom and he used a messenger to deliver the message. Some did not know to read or write and so they depended upon a living human being to deliver their message. This was a very important job and the messenger had to know the message exactly as it was presented to Him, He had to rehearse it and take it somewhere else, communicate it properly. I saw myself in this story as one who is commissioned by God with His message, and whether I share it with a friend or with a stranger or give it to a Bible Study Group or teach it to my children or my disciples, I’d better know the message accurately and be able to communicate it clearly. I believe it is my commission as a member of God’s "army". (Go into all of the world….) This newly understood assignment led me to pay much closer attention to preaching, it also caused me to mix it with tools I’d been encouraged to use such as note taking, etc. After many, many years of living out this conviction in practice, my memory of the word has improved immensely. I still take notes at meetings, and I make it a point to listen more intently, thinking, what IF God wants me to deliver THIS message to someone somewhere, or what IF I need the tools given in this message? What If? I’ve put myself in a place in my thinking to be available, if.
Greetings from James
1This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is written to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations. F1 Greetings!
Faith and Endurance
2Dear brothers and sisters, F2 whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. 3For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything..
5If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. 6But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.
9Christians who are F3 poor should be glad, for God has honored them. 10And those who are rich should be glad, for God has humbled them. They will fade away like a flower in the field. 11The hot sun rises and dries up the grass; the flower withers, and its beauty fades away. So also, wealthy people will fade away with all of their achievements.
12God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either. 14Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. 15These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. 16So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.
17Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights. F4 Unlike them, he never changes or casts shifting shadows. 18In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.
Listening and Doing
19My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20Your anger can never make things right in God's sight.
21So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.
22And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law—the law that sets you free—and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.
FOOTNOTES:F1: Greek To the twelve tribes in the dispersion. F2: Greek brothers; also in 1:16, 19. F3: Greek The brother who is. F4: Greek from above, from the Father of lights.
~Lena’s Journalin’~What a new way of seeing things. I was thinking of how we look for job opportunities, money making schemes, opportunities to be with certain people, opportunities to sing or play music, etc,,,Here we see that trials/tests/hardships can also be opportunities to be aware of and look for praying that we will use them to exercise the faith we all say we have in Christ, to practice what we’ve learned in Bible Study times, and to apply the changes we say Christ has made in us! Remember Wisdom is knowledge in action, knowledge applied. So when a trial comes our way, an opportunity comes our way to act upon what we’ve heard in God’s word and to be who He is forming us to be, to apply knowledge. Then it goes further to say, Pray and ask God for help to apply what you’ve learned and been taught by book knowledge, now make it life application to me, OJT, On the Job Training! What are we training for when we read the word? Life, Love, Eternity. It’s like going to college and now getting out and interning till it is time to do the work of the career trained for, even after internship there is OJT. What are we to achieve in life? Materials?, Great income and social stature?, Relationships that make us look popular and tell others we are loved? We can surely have all of these and seek after them and pursue them wholeheartedly, but in their pursuit we may miss the point of why we are here. For when we die, we will know that not one of these pursuits placed us in the correct relationship with God to come and live with Him in His heavenly kingdom. If we did not live as a citizen of His heavenly kingdom while on earth, there is no passport in after we die. We must make our citizenship while here and show, with the proof of our lives that we live there while being "stationed" here. We will carry the rank and marks and will be recognized as such when we arrive at Heaven’s gates. One area that always comes up in thinking that God has tested someone is in the area of sickness, now remember God does test, but He does NOT test with evil, sickness is evil, and a direct result of such. It could be evil we participate in (such as in taking drugs, one could OD), or evil that is just trying to get into our lives and we’ve not come under the protection of obedience and perfected love, and so we are attacked by evil works, or it could be a curse upon us from past generations that needs to be severed, any way, sickness comes from evil and NOT God. Close the doors on anything that even resembles God’s enemy and blessings will start to flow. (works of flesh resemble God’s enemy, hatred, strife, anger, evil speech, lust, etc) God’s way is perfection and if you look up that word you’ll see "completion" and "wholeness", that means it is all sealed up, completely covered- the house is locked and only God and the family members who live inside have the keys, who else has the keys! Do we know or have they been given out to every neighbor, "friend", known and unknown? Jesus said he gave us the keys of the kingdom and whatever we bind on earth is bound and whatever we loose is loosed (Mt 18), Lock the doors, but only after kicking the intruders OUT! Here James gives the way to become more like Christ, ponder words, see if they will resemble Christ’s character well then decide first whether they should be spoken or not. The last verses say that if we do not do this and control our tongues what we think we serve (God), is not being served, in fact all we do for God is as nothing, because this is quite important in the realm of representing Him and His name on earth. We have to remember God’s words in order to do them. This begins with the sheer desire to want to study and know Him more. I see it as a responsibility as a messenger, which we all are. If I’m to portray or communicate the message I must know it. I home schooled our children and one day in one of our lessons there was a small article called, "The King’s Messenger". We read it and then did a lesson practicing how to do it. In short it said, long ago the only way messages were delivered was through the mouths of people. The king had an important message to send to another town or to an army or to another kingdom and he used a messenger to deliver the message. Some did not know to read or write and so they depended upon a living human being to deliver their message. This was a very important job and the messenger had to know the message exactly as it was presented to Him, He had to rehearse it and take it somewhere else, communicate it properly. I saw myself in this story as one who is commissioned by God with His message, and whether I share it with a friend or with a stranger or give it to a Bible Study Group or teach it to my children or my disciples, I’d better know the message accurately and be able to communicate it clearly. I believe it is my commission as a member of God’s "army". (Go into all of the world….) This newly understood assignment led me to pay much closer attention to preaching, it also caused me to mix it with tools I’d been encouraged to use such as note taking, etc. After many, many years of living out this conviction in practice, my memory of the word has improved immensely. I still take notes at meetings, and I make it a point to listen more intently, thinking, what IF God wants me to deliver THIS message to someone somewhere, or what IF I need the tools given in this message? What If? I’ve put myself in a place in my thinking to be available, if.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Today our Daily Bread Psalm 133
Psalm 133
A Song of Ascents, of David.
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers R4226 to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil R4227 upon the head,
Coming down upon the beard,
Even Aaron's beard,
Coming down upon the edge R4228 of his robes.
3 It is like the dew R4229 of Hermon R4230
Coming down upon the mountains R4231 of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded R4232 the blessing--life R4233 forever.
CROSS REFERENCES:R4226: Genesis 13:8; Hebrews 13:1 R4227: Exodus 29:7; 30:25,30; Leviticus 8:12 R4228: Exodus 28:33; 39:24 R4229: Proverbs 19:12; Hosea 14:5; Micah 5:7 R4230: Deuteronomy 3:9; 4:48 R4231: Psalms 48:2; 74:2; 78:68 R4232: Leviticus 25:21; Deuteronomy 28:8; Psalms 42:8 R4233: Psalms 21:4
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Eternal Life cannot be without unity. Jesus was in unity when He came to earth, in unity with God’s spirit. Jesus was in unity when He obeyed God’s commands while on earth, in unity with God’s spirit. Jesus was in unity when he endured the cross and all that it presented him, he was in unity with God’s plan. When He conquered death and the grave, He was in unity with God’s eternal goal and the complete fulfillment of that goal. Enoch was in the unity of the fellowship of God’s spirit, Abraham was in unity with the birthing of God’s salvation for men plan, Elijah & Elisha, Ruth, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc etc, were involved with and a part of the unity of the leading of God’s spirit and message. Eternal life came forth from eternal death because of unity. Unity brought it to me, I bring it to the earth through unity. When I am one with God and God is one with me, there is unity. There is no stronger bond, and unity IS love. God is love and I am love if I am in unity with God. With God’s spirit, purpose, plan leading and life. Eternal life! Unity is a decision to be, just as I decide for eternal death or life, I choose unity and oneness or I choose whatever is not of unity and agreement. I choose.
A Song of Ascents, of David.
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers R4226 to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil R4227 upon the head,
Coming down upon the beard,
Even Aaron's beard,
Coming down upon the edge R4228 of his robes.
3 It is like the dew R4229 of Hermon R4230
Coming down upon the mountains R4231 of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded R4232 the blessing--life R4233 forever.
CROSS REFERENCES:R4226: Genesis 13:8; Hebrews 13:1 R4227: Exodus 29:7; 30:25,30; Leviticus 8:12 R4228: Exodus 28:33; 39:24 R4229: Proverbs 19:12; Hosea 14:5; Micah 5:7 R4230: Deuteronomy 3:9; 4:48 R4231: Psalms 48:2; 74:2; 78:68 R4232: Leviticus 25:21; Deuteronomy 28:8; Psalms 42:8 R4233: Psalms 21:4
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Eternal Life cannot be without unity. Jesus was in unity when He came to earth, in unity with God’s spirit. Jesus was in unity when He obeyed God’s commands while on earth, in unity with God’s spirit. Jesus was in unity when he endured the cross and all that it presented him, he was in unity with God’s plan. When He conquered death and the grave, He was in unity with God’s eternal goal and the complete fulfillment of that goal. Enoch was in the unity of the fellowship of God’s spirit, Abraham was in unity with the birthing of God’s salvation for men plan, Elijah & Elisha, Ruth, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc etc, were involved with and a part of the unity of the leading of God’s spirit and message. Eternal life came forth from eternal death because of unity. Unity brought it to me, I bring it to the earth through unity. When I am one with God and God is one with me, there is unity. There is no stronger bond, and unity IS love. God is love and I am love if I am in unity with God. With God’s spirit, purpose, plan leading and life. Eternal life! Unity is a decision to be, just as I decide for eternal death or life, I choose unity and oneness or I choose whatever is not of unity and agreement. I choose.
Yesterday Our Daiuly Bread Lamentations 3
Lamentations 3:1-66
Hope in the LORD's Faithfulness
1I am the one who has seen the afflictions that come from the rod of the LORD's anger. 2He has brought me into deep darkness, shutting out all light. 3He has turned against me. Day and night his hand is heavy upon me.
4He has made my skin and flesh grow old. He has broken my bones. 5He has attacked me and surrounded me with anguish and distress. 6He has buried me in a dark place, like a person long dead.
7He has walled me in, and I cannot escape. He has bound me in heavy chains. 8And though I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayers. 9He has blocked my path with a high stone wall. He has twisted the road before me with many detours.
10He hid like a bear or a lion, waiting to attack me. 11He dragged me off the path and tore me with his claws, leaving me helpless and desolate. 12He bent his bow and aimed it squarely at me.
13He shot his arrows deep into my heart. 14My own people laugh at me. All day long they sing their mocking songs. 15He has filled me with bitterness. He has given me a cup of deep sorrow to drink.
16He has made me grind my teeth on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. 17Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. 18I cry out, "My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!"
19The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. F13 20I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. 21Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:
22The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. 23Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. 24I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!"
25The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. 26So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. 27And it is good for the young to submit to the yoke of his discipline.
28Let them sit alone in silence beneath the LORD's demands. 29Let them lie face down in the dust; then at last there is hope for them. 30Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them. Let them accept the insults of their enemies.
31For the Lord does not abandon anyone forever. 32Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion according to the greatness of his unfailing love. 33For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.
34But the leaders of his people trampled prisoners underfoot. 35They deprived people of their God-given rights in defiance of the Most High. 36They perverted justice in the courts. Do they think the Lord didn't see it?
37Can anything happen without the Lord's permission? 38Is it not the Most High who helps one and harms another? 39Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?
40Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the LORD. 41Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say, 42"We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us.
43"You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down, and slaughtered us without mercy. 44You have hidden yourself in a cloud so our prayers cannot reach you. 45You have discarded us as refuse and garbage among the nations.
46"All our enemies have spoken out against us. 47We are filled with fear, for we are trapped, desolate, and ruined." 48Streams of tears flow from my eyes because of the destruction of my people!
49My tears flow down endlessly. They will not stop 50until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees. 51My heart is breaking over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem.
52My enemies, whom I have never harmed, chased me like a bird. 53They threw me into a pit and dropped stones on me. 54The water flowed above my head, and I cried out, "This is the end!"
55But I called on your name, LORD, from deep within the well, 56and you heard me! You listened to my pleading; you heard my weeping! 57Yes, you came at my despairing cry and told me, "Do not fear."
58Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case! For you have redeemed my life. 59You have seen the wrong they have done to me, LORD. Be my judge, and prove me right. 60You have seen the plots my enemies have laid against me.
61LORD, you have heard the vile names they call me. You know all about the plans they have made—62the plots my enemies whisper and mutter against me all day long. 63Look at them! In all their activities, they constantly mock me with their songs.
64Pay them back, LORD, for all the evil they have done. 65Give them hard and stubborn hearts, and then let your curse fall upon them! 66Chase them down in your anger, destroying them from beneath the LORD's heavens.
FOOTNOTES:F13: Hebrew is wormwood and gall.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
It seems that this writer has seen a glimpse of hell, what eternity is without the Divine presence of light, what it is to be separated by sin, from God’s glory and grace. God has graciously made it clear what separation from Him is like, how horrid and tragic it is. This writer had vision of what eternal death tastes like while there was still yet time to repent of that which causes eternal separation, while there is still time to know Him in a eternal life changing manner. We think daily tests and trials are hardships. This writer has been given a taste of true eternal hardship. What do I live here to get? What do I strive for here? What is my goal? To know Him more, to make Him known, that is what I’m here for, that’s what I want to obtain as a heritage to pass on when I leave here. Leaving the revealing of Him for others to see and miss the destiny of eternity without His Divine presence of light. What is oppression and slavery? Not having God’s guiding spirit in earshot. Not being under His Divine hand. Not following His prompts for change. Not standing up for what is righteous. Remember the characteristics of God. He is LOVE, He loves us and has drawn us with His love. If I refuse Him and His offers to love me and express His love and light in me, If I continually say no to His spirit life, He will be gentlemanly and give me the space I request by my actions, by my responses. He will try again and again, but His spirit will not always strive with me. Life here on earth is only so lengthy and it is over, chances are gone, passed by. If I choose darkness’ guidance, there are others who simultaneously choose light. Light and love are available to me as well as them. Compassion leads me towards the chance and ability for change. Darkness makes light very clear to me. It shows me the pathway, the distinction is made clear. I can see my way out when I see light. I know the difference, the way becomes very clear to me. There is a distinction between death and life. At the end of these verses it seems he has stepped into light and now clearly sees the horrific threatening nature of who and what he’d participated in. Now separating himself from it’s eternal pull, his desires and view have changed, he’s become an intercessor. One can tell when one sees, when one sees He does not only see for himself, but also his heart becomes burdened to release others as well as himself. He would pay practically any price for their freedom. Trials of daily life are nothing in comparison to the darkness and tragedy of eternal darkness. No one would wish it upon any human enemy, ever. At least no one who has truly seen could or would. True love now compels them to save others, no matter what daily trials come their way, for they’ve been brought into the light and are seen for what they are, mere distractions to the course to follow, when I see I overcome for the sake of eternal security. I forsake all other opportunities for covenant knitting, I separate myself from darkness, from offers to be depressed, or saddened by natural circumstance. There is a mission to accomplish and only a short amount of time to accomplish it in. I now know this and so I join forces with His army of light.
Hope in the LORD's Faithfulness
1I am the one who has seen the afflictions that come from the rod of the LORD's anger. 2He has brought me into deep darkness, shutting out all light. 3He has turned against me. Day and night his hand is heavy upon me.
4He has made my skin and flesh grow old. He has broken my bones. 5He has attacked me and surrounded me with anguish and distress. 6He has buried me in a dark place, like a person long dead.
7He has walled me in, and I cannot escape. He has bound me in heavy chains. 8And though I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayers. 9He has blocked my path with a high stone wall. He has twisted the road before me with many detours.
10He hid like a bear or a lion, waiting to attack me. 11He dragged me off the path and tore me with his claws, leaving me helpless and desolate. 12He bent his bow and aimed it squarely at me.
13He shot his arrows deep into my heart. 14My own people laugh at me. All day long they sing their mocking songs. 15He has filled me with bitterness. He has given me a cup of deep sorrow to drink.
16He has made me grind my teeth on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. 17Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. 18I cry out, "My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!"
19The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. F13 20I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. 21Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:
22The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. 23Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. 24I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!"
25The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. 26So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. 27And it is good for the young to submit to the yoke of his discipline.
28Let them sit alone in silence beneath the LORD's demands. 29Let them lie face down in the dust; then at last there is hope for them. 30Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them. Let them accept the insults of their enemies.
31For the Lord does not abandon anyone forever. 32Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion according to the greatness of his unfailing love. 33For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.
34But the leaders of his people trampled prisoners underfoot. 35They deprived people of their God-given rights in defiance of the Most High. 36They perverted justice in the courts. Do they think the Lord didn't see it?
37Can anything happen without the Lord's permission? 38Is it not the Most High who helps one and harms another? 39Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?
40Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the LORD. 41Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say, 42"We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us.
43"You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down, and slaughtered us without mercy. 44You have hidden yourself in a cloud so our prayers cannot reach you. 45You have discarded us as refuse and garbage among the nations.
46"All our enemies have spoken out against us. 47We are filled with fear, for we are trapped, desolate, and ruined." 48Streams of tears flow from my eyes because of the destruction of my people!
49My tears flow down endlessly. They will not stop 50until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees. 51My heart is breaking over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem.
52My enemies, whom I have never harmed, chased me like a bird. 53They threw me into a pit and dropped stones on me. 54The water flowed above my head, and I cried out, "This is the end!"
55But I called on your name, LORD, from deep within the well, 56and you heard me! You listened to my pleading; you heard my weeping! 57Yes, you came at my despairing cry and told me, "Do not fear."
58Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case! For you have redeemed my life. 59You have seen the wrong they have done to me, LORD. Be my judge, and prove me right. 60You have seen the plots my enemies have laid against me.
61LORD, you have heard the vile names they call me. You know all about the plans they have made—62the plots my enemies whisper and mutter against me all day long. 63Look at them! In all their activities, they constantly mock me with their songs.
64Pay them back, LORD, for all the evil they have done. 65Give them hard and stubborn hearts, and then let your curse fall upon them! 66Chase them down in your anger, destroying them from beneath the LORD's heavens.
FOOTNOTES:F13: Hebrew is wormwood and gall.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
It seems that this writer has seen a glimpse of hell, what eternity is without the Divine presence of light, what it is to be separated by sin, from God’s glory and grace. God has graciously made it clear what separation from Him is like, how horrid and tragic it is. This writer had vision of what eternal death tastes like while there was still yet time to repent of that which causes eternal separation, while there is still time to know Him in a eternal life changing manner. We think daily tests and trials are hardships. This writer has been given a taste of true eternal hardship. What do I live here to get? What do I strive for here? What is my goal? To know Him more, to make Him known, that is what I’m here for, that’s what I want to obtain as a heritage to pass on when I leave here. Leaving the revealing of Him for others to see and miss the destiny of eternity without His Divine presence of light. What is oppression and slavery? Not having God’s guiding spirit in earshot. Not being under His Divine hand. Not following His prompts for change. Not standing up for what is righteous. Remember the characteristics of God. He is LOVE, He loves us and has drawn us with His love. If I refuse Him and His offers to love me and express His love and light in me, If I continually say no to His spirit life, He will be gentlemanly and give me the space I request by my actions, by my responses. He will try again and again, but His spirit will not always strive with me. Life here on earth is only so lengthy and it is over, chances are gone, passed by. If I choose darkness’ guidance, there are others who simultaneously choose light. Light and love are available to me as well as them. Compassion leads me towards the chance and ability for change. Darkness makes light very clear to me. It shows me the pathway, the distinction is made clear. I can see my way out when I see light. I know the difference, the way becomes very clear to me. There is a distinction between death and life. At the end of these verses it seems he has stepped into light and now clearly sees the horrific threatening nature of who and what he’d participated in. Now separating himself from it’s eternal pull, his desires and view have changed, he’s become an intercessor. One can tell when one sees, when one sees He does not only see for himself, but also his heart becomes burdened to release others as well as himself. He would pay practically any price for their freedom. Trials of daily life are nothing in comparison to the darkness and tragedy of eternal darkness. No one would wish it upon any human enemy, ever. At least no one who has truly seen could or would. True love now compels them to save others, no matter what daily trials come their way, for they’ve been brought into the light and are seen for what they are, mere distractions to the course to follow, when I see I overcome for the sake of eternal security. I forsake all other opportunities for covenant knitting, I separate myself from darkness, from offers to be depressed, or saddened by natural circumstance. There is a mission to accomplish and only a short amount of time to accomplish it in. I now know this and so I join forces with His army of light.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Congratulations Are in Order !!!
Congratulations 2 Carl & Heidi Messina
Married at Sunrise at their home on the River
Saturday, August 13th, 2005
Have a Great Time on your Honeymoon in Vegas Today and this Week!
We Love You
We Love You
We Love You.......
God Bless You
Married at Sunrise at their home on the River
Saturday, August 13th, 2005
Have a Great Time on your Honeymoon in Vegas Today and this Week!
We Love You
We Love You
We Love You.......
God Bless You
Friday, August 12, 2005
Today OUr Daily Bread Psalm 73
A psalm of Asaph. Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such a painless life; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They aren't troubled like other people or plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace, and their clothing is woven of cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.
11 "Does God realize what is going on?" they ask. "Is the Most High even aware of what is happening?"
12 Look at these arrogant people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13 Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept myself from doing wrong?
14 All I get is trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.
15 If I had really spoken this way, I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then one day I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I thought about the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed, swept away by terrors.
20 Their present life is only a dream that is gone when they awake. When you arise, O Lord, you will make them vanish from this life.
21 Then I realized how bitter I had become, how pained I had been by all I had seen.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you; you are holding my right hand.
24 You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
27 But those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
This Psalmist got a new view, got a revelation of what really is, what was and what is to come. He has peered into the face of truth and has gazed into His eyes. When he got himself into the Divine presence was when he was able to see like that, see like God sees, know as God knows. He was lifted up by God. He had a spiritual sense, enough to humbly get into God’s presence and when he did that small act of fellowship and communion, he was lifted up by God’s spirit to a place where he could see all of the Divine answers to his earthly concerns. (5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. ) When a human being gets a revelation of God, really sees into God’s heart, and begins to see at least some of what God’s sees in the overall plan and purpose of things, he will go through anything for the kingdom of God, and willingly, as Jesus did. (And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Mt 11:12)
That is not to say, that we allow anything of the kingdom to be stolen, but to what extent do we fortify it in our own lives, would we die for it?, Live for it?, participate in it?, At ALL cost? What if I get closer and closer to God and stronger and stronger in what I know to be faith, what if I do "all the right things" in Christ? (at least that which I know to do). What if as soon as I begin to head into the wind God tells me to come up against, I get blown over? Or my plans are foiled? Or I’m attacked by sickness or death of a loved one, or strife comes against me in full force and everywhere I turn doors seem to be closed to me in the earthly natural realm? Would I give up what I’ve known for these things? Would I trade my faith in God in for a bit of relief? Would I choose the wide and easy route so I could be more comfortable or feel more naturally secure? Would I forsake the way of truth to gain earthly security and goods, yet give up on the task of furthering eternal security for others? This Psalmist found in God’s presence the answers to these ponderings. How could I? Who am I? I’m naturally nothing, yet God choose me to execute His plan in the universe. What am I looking at, a natural world or an eternal world? Suffering? If I would only see how short term this suffering is in comparison to my eternal abode. If I can only see that its mission against me is to take me off of the track of spreading righteous good news to the inhabitants of this natural world that they too would be completely consumed with all that is temporal and miss the eternal point. We are soldiers in God’s army of purpose, assigned to bring the eternal message, the good news, we are Co-Missioned with Christ to continue in the application of what He accomplished. The enemy is on a mission to stop us in rank and form, to put us out of the "battalion" we’ve been assigned to with others of like faith. God has co-missioned us to serve in this army until Christ is formed in us and in others. The enemy forces are on assignment to kill all that is God’s, to steal any faith we’d have in our commanders, and to destroy the whole army one by one. BUT, there are those who are seeing the greater picture in this strategy and are trusting in their leaders set over them by God. When they see, they’d easily give their lives for the mission, when they see, they’ll readily open their mouths for the mission and be careful to never speak against the mission. They would not allow sickness to stop their mission, they are driven with purpose, and if any attack touched them, they’d focus on the purpose anyway. (Romans 8: 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.) And what is eternal love? To know Him as he is and to make Him known (marry Him and have His children so to speak) till death do us part? No way, on into eternity to continue in His love! What could possibly keep me from this love, nothing, nowhere, ever, if I’ve truly seen Him and am in the knowing of Him.
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such a painless life; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They aren't troubled like other people or plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace, and their clothing is woven of cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.
11 "Does God realize what is going on?" they ask. "Is the Most High even aware of what is happening?"
12 Look at these arrogant people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13 Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept myself from doing wrong?
14 All I get is trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.
15 If I had really spoken this way, I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then one day I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I thought about the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed, swept away by terrors.
20 Their present life is only a dream that is gone when they awake. When you arise, O Lord, you will make them vanish from this life.
21 Then I realized how bitter I had become, how pained I had been by all I had seen.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you; you are holding my right hand.
24 You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
27 But those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
This Psalmist got a new view, got a revelation of what really is, what was and what is to come. He has peered into the face of truth and has gazed into His eyes. When he got himself into the Divine presence was when he was able to see like that, see like God sees, know as God knows. He was lifted up by God. He had a spiritual sense, enough to humbly get into God’s presence and when he did that small act of fellowship and communion, he was lifted up by God’s spirit to a place where he could see all of the Divine answers to his earthly concerns. (5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. ) When a human being gets a revelation of God, really sees into God’s heart, and begins to see at least some of what God’s sees in the overall plan and purpose of things, he will go through anything for the kingdom of God, and willingly, as Jesus did. (And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Mt 11:12)
That is not to say, that we allow anything of the kingdom to be stolen, but to what extent do we fortify it in our own lives, would we die for it?, Live for it?, participate in it?, At ALL cost? What if I get closer and closer to God and stronger and stronger in what I know to be faith, what if I do "all the right things" in Christ? (at least that which I know to do). What if as soon as I begin to head into the wind God tells me to come up against, I get blown over? Or my plans are foiled? Or I’m attacked by sickness or death of a loved one, or strife comes against me in full force and everywhere I turn doors seem to be closed to me in the earthly natural realm? Would I give up what I’ve known for these things? Would I trade my faith in God in for a bit of relief? Would I choose the wide and easy route so I could be more comfortable or feel more naturally secure? Would I forsake the way of truth to gain earthly security and goods, yet give up on the task of furthering eternal security for others? This Psalmist found in God’s presence the answers to these ponderings. How could I? Who am I? I’m naturally nothing, yet God choose me to execute His plan in the universe. What am I looking at, a natural world or an eternal world? Suffering? If I would only see how short term this suffering is in comparison to my eternal abode. If I can only see that its mission against me is to take me off of the track of spreading righteous good news to the inhabitants of this natural world that they too would be completely consumed with all that is temporal and miss the eternal point. We are soldiers in God’s army of purpose, assigned to bring the eternal message, the good news, we are Co-Missioned with Christ to continue in the application of what He accomplished. The enemy is on a mission to stop us in rank and form, to put us out of the "battalion" we’ve been assigned to with others of like faith. God has co-missioned us to serve in this army until Christ is formed in us and in others. The enemy forces are on assignment to kill all that is God’s, to steal any faith we’d have in our commanders, and to destroy the whole army one by one. BUT, there are those who are seeing the greater picture in this strategy and are trusting in their leaders set over them by God. When they see, they’d easily give their lives for the mission, when they see, they’ll readily open their mouths for the mission and be careful to never speak against the mission. They would not allow sickness to stop their mission, they are driven with purpose, and if any attack touched them, they’d focus on the purpose anyway. (Romans 8: 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.) And what is eternal love? To know Him as he is and to make Him known (marry Him and have His children so to speak) till death do us part? No way, on into eternity to continue in His love! What could possibly keep me from this love, nothing, nowhere, ever, if I’ve truly seen Him and am in the knowing of Him.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread Romans 12
Romans 12:1-21
A Living Sacrifice to God
1And so, dear brothers and sisters, F77 I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
3As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. 4Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.
6God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. 7If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. 8If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. 10Love each other with genuine affection, F78 and take delight in honoring each other. 11Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
12Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. 13When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
14If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don't curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. 16Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
19Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written,
"I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," F79 says the Lord.
20Instead, do what the Scriptures say:
"If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you." F80
21Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.
FOOTNOTES:F77: Greek brothers. F78: Greek with brotherly love. F79: Deut 32:35. F80: Greek and you will heap burning coals on their heads. Prov 25:21-22.
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~Copying is so so effective in reproduction. This is why the world throws out so many visual models for us to imagine ourselves with or as. We’ve got to put ourselves with Godly, not worldly models, so we can do what comes naturally- copycat. I beg you to give your bodies to GOD? Why? Because, we give our physical strength to things and people other than God, all of the time. We give ourselves over to their use and when God asks us to do something that would promote our spiritual growth or help us model godliness more, we are either too tired, uninterested, (other things have taken that interest), or even sick (because we gave our strength to everything else). So now, you are a person who is walking on this earth like Christ (i.e. a Christian), but you have no time for the things of God, where Christianity is about living the life we’ve been given for God and not for whatever it was we lived for before. But maybe you feel God asks too much? How much of His help, grace, truth, help etc do you want? Only part, or as much as possible? Well, He tells us how to get it and leads us to where to find it and also shows us how to keep it, but we have our own lives to live? When we accepted Christ, we entered a covenant with God and His church. He gave all to me and I realized its magnitude, the magnitude of His desire to save me, Hid great love for me, His pursuit of me, and I received Him. I entered into the benefits of a covenant relationship with GOD! WOW. All of the benefits are available to me, if I really want them. There’s training available to obtain them (just like if I go to college for 2,4, 6, 8 or 12 years I can get varying degrees of educational benefits and certificates), but I decide to accept Him, but not enter into a relationship with Him? That’s like marrying someone and not taking their name, and not living in their home, and not driving their car or having their children, but just having sex when you feel to, it doesn’t matter when they feel to, or how they feel about how often or not you come around, it just about when you feel to. That would not establish a very healthy or beneficial relationship with a human being, nor does it establish a very good one with God. Remember we are like He is, He is relational, far beyond any desire we’ve ever had. My body belongs to God? It really does, he is the one that created me with a plan to bring salvation to the earth, Only if I give it to His use, is it His in demonstration on earth. What would He possibly want to do with it? Take it to church? Take it to work to be a living witness? Get it up earlier than only the time I need, so I also have time with Him? Go and look for and be always ready for opportunities to give living truth to a dying (eternally separated from God kind of dying) world of human beings? YES, YES, YES, Lord!As I read this list of Christian behaviors I see my own "circle" of Christians who are taking on the nature of Christ and it encourages me. Maria, who for 1 year has determined to pray for her enemies and is now seeing visible fruits, My mom, who in conflict of relationships could do all she can to defend herself and prove her points, decides to depend upon her only true defense and vindicator, the Father God, and Cindy who is always feeding others with such a giving heart. Laura’s & Melinda & others who decide to be peacemakers against circumstance that could call for contention or fret etc etc… This is the atmosphere I choose to live in and under, that I may be encouraged to follow after what no worldly lust will bring me to, That is the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ Jesus our LORD.
A Living Sacrifice to God
1And so, dear brothers and sisters, F77 I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? 2Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
3As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. 4Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.
6God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. 7If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. 8If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. 10Love each other with genuine affection, F78 and take delight in honoring each other. 11Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
12Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. 13When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
14If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don't curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. 16Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
19Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written,
"I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," F79 says the Lord.
20Instead, do what the Scriptures say:
"If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you." F80
21Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.
FOOTNOTES:F77: Greek brothers. F78: Greek with brotherly love. F79: Deut 32:35. F80: Greek and you will heap burning coals on their heads. Prov 25:21-22.
~ Lena’s Journalin’ ~Copying is so so effective in reproduction. This is why the world throws out so many visual models for us to imagine ourselves with or as. We’ve got to put ourselves with Godly, not worldly models, so we can do what comes naturally- copycat. I beg you to give your bodies to GOD? Why? Because, we give our physical strength to things and people other than God, all of the time. We give ourselves over to their use and when God asks us to do something that would promote our spiritual growth or help us model godliness more, we are either too tired, uninterested, (other things have taken that interest), or even sick (because we gave our strength to everything else). So now, you are a person who is walking on this earth like Christ (i.e. a Christian), but you have no time for the things of God, where Christianity is about living the life we’ve been given for God and not for whatever it was we lived for before. But maybe you feel God asks too much? How much of His help, grace, truth, help etc do you want? Only part, or as much as possible? Well, He tells us how to get it and leads us to where to find it and also shows us how to keep it, but we have our own lives to live? When we accepted Christ, we entered a covenant with God and His church. He gave all to me and I realized its magnitude, the magnitude of His desire to save me, Hid great love for me, His pursuit of me, and I received Him. I entered into the benefits of a covenant relationship with GOD! WOW. All of the benefits are available to me, if I really want them. There’s training available to obtain them (just like if I go to college for 2,4, 6, 8 or 12 years I can get varying degrees of educational benefits and certificates), but I decide to accept Him, but not enter into a relationship with Him? That’s like marrying someone and not taking their name, and not living in their home, and not driving their car or having their children, but just having sex when you feel to, it doesn’t matter when they feel to, or how they feel about how often or not you come around, it just about when you feel to. That would not establish a very healthy or beneficial relationship with a human being, nor does it establish a very good one with God. Remember we are like He is, He is relational, far beyond any desire we’ve ever had. My body belongs to God? It really does, he is the one that created me with a plan to bring salvation to the earth, Only if I give it to His use, is it His in demonstration on earth. What would He possibly want to do with it? Take it to church? Take it to work to be a living witness? Get it up earlier than only the time I need, so I also have time with Him? Go and look for and be always ready for opportunities to give living truth to a dying (eternally separated from God kind of dying) world of human beings? YES, YES, YES, Lord!As I read this list of Christian behaviors I see my own "circle" of Christians who are taking on the nature of Christ and it encourages me. Maria, who for 1 year has determined to pray for her enemies and is now seeing visible fruits, My mom, who in conflict of relationships could do all she can to defend herself and prove her points, decides to depend upon her only true defense and vindicator, the Father God, and Cindy who is always feeding others with such a giving heart. Laura’s & Melinda & others who decide to be peacemakers against circumstance that could call for contention or fret etc etc… This is the atmosphere I choose to live in and under, that I may be encouraged to follow after what no worldly lust will bring me to, That is the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ Jesus our LORD.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread 1 Tim 6
Mt 13:23
But the one sown on the good ground -- this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times [what was sown]."
Read it this way today-
the 1 sown on good ground is the 1 who
hears,
understands,
and does
he bears fruit
and he yeilds
some 100
some 60
some 30
times
what was sown/given to Him
1 Timothy 6: 1 - 21
1 Christians who are slaves should give their masters full respect so that the name of God and his teaching will not be shamed. 2 If your master is a Christian, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. You should work all the harder because you are helping another believer F20 by your efforts. Teach these truths, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. 3 Some false teachers may deny these things, but these are the sound, wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they are the foundation for a godly life. 4 Anyone who teaches anything different is both conceited and ignorant. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, fighting, slander, and evil suspicions. 5 These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they don't tell the truth. To them religion is just a way to get rich. 6 Yet true religion with contentment is great wealth. 7 After all, we didn't bring anything with us when we came into the world, and we certainly cannot carry anything with us when we die. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 11 But you, Timothy, belong to God; so run from all these evil things, and follow what is right and good. Pursue a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for what we believe. Hold tightly to the eternal life that God has given you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. 13 And I command you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey his commands with all purity. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 15 For at the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No one has ever seen him, nor ever will. To him be honor and power forever. Amen. 17 Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life. 20 Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. 21 Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God's grace be with you all.
FOOTNOTES:F20: Greek a brother.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Peace- Peace- PEACE!!! Pursue it at all times, for our God is the God of peace, not of contention, nor of debate, but of Peace. The world is looking to see what it is that this invisible God looks like. The only visible image they have is those on earth who are like Christ. That’s it, that’s all, that’s us! Want to see God? Look at me!
Why quibble over the meanings of let’s say, correct usage of words? To stir up strife, not to prove God is right, its purpose is served when strife appears, when we ALLOW strife to use us, we are not allowing God to use us. Christ has not appeared. Anytime a person is defensive, self-defensive they do not trust in God as their advocator. Let God show up in you as your advocator, be at peace, be a person who pursue’s hard after peace. See how Paul says fight the good fight? We are engaged in warfare, spiritual warfare, not fought with any fleshly tactic. Our war is God’s war and we are His enlisted ones, our weapons are mighty through Him to pull down enemy forces. He does have a strategy Today to do this in my life and in pulling them out of my life, I’m also now available to help tear them out of the lives of others. I’m no longer occupied myself with cords that bind, I’m loosed from my entanglements. I can use Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control to overcome evil. I don’t overcome evil with evil (physical, verbal or mental arguments), I overcome evil by refusing to participate in its force. I rely on God’s Spirit and the very character and nature of Christ inside of my living breathing earth suit to win this battle, to overcome. The nature of God is what will win every time. The flesh nature, the nature of the god of this world is doomed. May as well give up on it, its end is in sight, for those of Christ’s who are willing to see Him and display Him!
But the one sown on the good ground -- this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times [what was sown]."
Read it this way today-
the 1 sown on good ground is the 1 who
hears,
understands,
and does
he bears fruit
and he yeilds
some 100
some 60
some 30
times
what was sown/given to Him
1 Timothy 6: 1 - 21
1 Christians who are slaves should give their masters full respect so that the name of God and his teaching will not be shamed. 2 If your master is a Christian, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. You should work all the harder because you are helping another believer F20 by your efforts. Teach these truths, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them. 3 Some false teachers may deny these things, but these are the sound, wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they are the foundation for a godly life. 4 Anyone who teaches anything different is both conceited and ignorant. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, fighting, slander, and evil suspicions. 5 These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they don't tell the truth. To them religion is just a way to get rich. 6 Yet true religion with contentment is great wealth. 7 After all, we didn't bring anything with us when we came into the world, and we certainly cannot carry anything with us when we die. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 11 But you, Timothy, belong to God; so run from all these evil things, and follow what is right and good. Pursue a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for what we believe. Hold tightly to the eternal life that God has given you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. 13 And I command you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey his commands with all purity. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 15 For at the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No one has ever seen him, nor ever will. To him be honor and power forever. Amen. 17 Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life. 20 Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. 21 Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God's grace be with you all.
FOOTNOTES:F20: Greek a brother.
~Lena’s Journalin’~
Peace- Peace- PEACE!!! Pursue it at all times, for our God is the God of peace, not of contention, nor of debate, but of Peace. The world is looking to see what it is that this invisible God looks like. The only visible image they have is those on earth who are like Christ. That’s it, that’s all, that’s us! Want to see God? Look at me!
Why quibble over the meanings of let’s say, correct usage of words? To stir up strife, not to prove God is right, its purpose is served when strife appears, when we ALLOW strife to use us, we are not allowing God to use us. Christ has not appeared. Anytime a person is defensive, self-defensive they do not trust in God as their advocator. Let God show up in you as your advocator, be at peace, be a person who pursue’s hard after peace. See how Paul says fight the good fight? We are engaged in warfare, spiritual warfare, not fought with any fleshly tactic. Our war is God’s war and we are His enlisted ones, our weapons are mighty through Him to pull down enemy forces. He does have a strategy Today to do this in my life and in pulling them out of my life, I’m also now available to help tear them out of the lives of others. I’m no longer occupied myself with cords that bind, I’m loosed from my entanglements. I can use Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control to overcome evil. I don’t overcome evil with evil (physical, verbal or mental arguments), I overcome evil by refusing to participate in its force. I rely on God’s Spirit and the very character and nature of Christ inside of my living breathing earth suit to win this battle, to overcome. The nature of God is what will win every time. The flesh nature, the nature of the god of this world is doomed. May as well give up on it, its end is in sight, for those of Christ’s who are willing to see Him and display Him!
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread 1 Tim 5
Mt 13:23
But the one sown on the good ground -- this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times [what was sown]." Do we hear the word? How do we hear it? Selectively? Of course. At what level ? 30, 60 or 100?
1 Tim 5
1Never speak harshly to an older man, F14 but appeal to him respectfully as though he were your own father. Talk to the younger men as you would to your own brothers. 2Treat the older women as you would your mother, and treat the younger women with all purity as your own sisters.
Advice about Widows, Elders, and Slaves
3The church should care for any widow who has no one else to care for her. 4But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God very much.
5But a woman who is a true widow, one who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. Night and day she asks God for help and spends much time in prayer. 6But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead. 7Give these instructions to the church so that the widows you support F15 will not be criticized.
8But those who won't care for their own relatives, especially those living in the same household, have denied what we believe. Such people are worse than unbelievers.
9A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband. F16 10She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers? Has she served other Christians humbly? F17 Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?
11The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. 12Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. 13Besides, they are likely to become lazy and spend their time gossiping from house to house, getting into other people's business and saying things they shouldn't. 14So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. 15For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.
16If a Christian woman has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for widows who are truly alone.
17Elders who do their work well should be paid well, F18 especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, "Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain." And in another place, "Those who work deserve their pay!" F19
19Do not listen to complaints against an elder unless there are two or three witnesses to accuse him. 20Anyone who sins should be rebuked in front of the whole church so that others will have a proper fear of God.
21I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the holy angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing special favor to anyone. 22Never be in a hurry about appointing an elder. Do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23Don't drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.
24Remember that some people lead sinful lives, and everyone knows they will be judged. But there are others whose sin will not be revealed until later. 25In the same way, everyone knows how much good some people do, but there are others whose good deeds won't be known until later.
FOOTNOTES:F14: Or an elder. F15: Or so the church; Greek reads so they. F16: Greek was the wife of one man. F17: Greek Has she washed the feet of saints? F18: Greek should be worthy of double honor. F19: Deut 25:4; Luke 10:7.
~ Lena’s Journalin’~
It amazes me that we have to be told how to communicate. Aren’t we born communicators? Yes, but born in sin and by continual example of evil speech we’ve been taught to speak against God and in so doing we’ve also learned to speak against His creation. In being Born Again by His Spirit, our minds have got to be taught about the reasoning behind correct speech and the spiritual power of words. God won’t turn up the power of our words unless our words match with His words. It is an act of grace that our words do not hold much power, if they did, we’d have destroyed a whole lot of God’s creation already. It even takes a tremendous amount of effort to speak as God would, that is so indicative of how powerful words are made to be. I find it noteworthy that this section starts off with communication and an order of honorable communication, then leads into relational responsibility. If we communicate well with thoise God has given us relationally, we will be caring for their needs, we will even know of their needs. Why does the state or federal government care for our elderly? Because of poor relational communication which has caused all sorts of sin, such as, divorce and separation. Families do not properly care for one another, because divisions in communication have happened and been continually entertained. It is the same divisive spirit that comes between man and God, it also comes between man and man. Its breakdown causes the spirit of division. This again takes us way back to God before he ever created a human being and what happened in the heavenly realm. There was a communication breakdown then. The One became 2, God is now calling for the 2 to be made 1 in the manifestation of the flesh nature, in spite of who we think we are or have been told we are relationally. He calls for 2 in the flesh to be made one with Him in the spirit, here on earth. Communicate! Isn’t that amazing that the God of this whole universe (1 word), chooses to speak with me, wants to be one with me? I’m literally a speck of dust and even smaller than that in the spiritual perspective, yet when I become one with Him, choose Him, I change atmospheric "pressures". That is amazing!
But the one sown on the good ground -- this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times [what was sown]." Do we hear the word? How do we hear it? Selectively? Of course. At what level ? 30, 60 or 100?
1 Tim 5
1Never speak harshly to an older man, F14 but appeal to him respectfully as though he were your own father. Talk to the younger men as you would to your own brothers. 2Treat the older women as you would your mother, and treat the younger women with all purity as your own sisters.
Advice about Widows, Elders, and Slaves
3The church should care for any widow who has no one else to care for her. 4But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God very much.
5But a woman who is a true widow, one who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. Night and day she asks God for help and spends much time in prayer. 6But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead. 7Give these instructions to the church so that the widows you support F15 will not be criticized.
8But those who won't care for their own relatives, especially those living in the same household, have denied what we believe. Such people are worse than unbelievers.
9A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband. F16 10She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers? Has she served other Christians humbly? F17 Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good?
11The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ and they will want to remarry. 12Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. 13Besides, they are likely to become lazy and spend their time gossiping from house to house, getting into other people's business and saying things they shouldn't. 14So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. 15For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan.
16If a Christian woman has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for widows who are truly alone.
17Elders who do their work well should be paid well, F18 especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, "Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain." And in another place, "Those who work deserve their pay!" F19
19Do not listen to complaints against an elder unless there are two or three witnesses to accuse him. 20Anyone who sins should be rebuked in front of the whole church so that others will have a proper fear of God.
21I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the holy angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing special favor to anyone. 22Never be in a hurry about appointing an elder. Do not participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23Don't drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.
24Remember that some people lead sinful lives, and everyone knows they will be judged. But there are others whose sin will not be revealed until later. 25In the same way, everyone knows how much good some people do, but there are others whose good deeds won't be known until later.
FOOTNOTES:F14: Or an elder. F15: Or so the church; Greek reads so they. F16: Greek was the wife of one man. F17: Greek Has she washed the feet of saints? F18: Greek should be worthy of double honor. F19: Deut 25:4; Luke 10:7.
~ Lena’s Journalin’~
It amazes me that we have to be told how to communicate. Aren’t we born communicators? Yes, but born in sin and by continual example of evil speech we’ve been taught to speak against God and in so doing we’ve also learned to speak against His creation. In being Born Again by His Spirit, our minds have got to be taught about the reasoning behind correct speech and the spiritual power of words. God won’t turn up the power of our words unless our words match with His words. It is an act of grace that our words do not hold much power, if they did, we’d have destroyed a whole lot of God’s creation already. It even takes a tremendous amount of effort to speak as God would, that is so indicative of how powerful words are made to be. I find it noteworthy that this section starts off with communication and an order of honorable communication, then leads into relational responsibility. If we communicate well with thoise God has given us relationally, we will be caring for their needs, we will even know of their needs. Why does the state or federal government care for our elderly? Because of poor relational communication which has caused all sorts of sin, such as, divorce and separation. Families do not properly care for one another, because divisions in communication have happened and been continually entertained. It is the same divisive spirit that comes between man and God, it also comes between man and man. Its breakdown causes the spirit of division. This again takes us way back to God before he ever created a human being and what happened in the heavenly realm. There was a communication breakdown then. The One became 2, God is now calling for the 2 to be made 1 in the manifestation of the flesh nature, in spite of who we think we are or have been told we are relationally. He calls for 2 in the flesh to be made one with Him in the spirit, here on earth. Communicate! Isn’t that amazing that the God of this whole universe (1 word), chooses to speak with me, wants to be one with me? I’m literally a speck of dust and even smaller than that in the spiritual perspective, yet when I become one with Him, choose Him, I change atmospheric "pressures". That is amazing!
Monday, August 08, 2005
Today Our Daily Bread 1 Tim 4
Mt 13:23
But the one sown on the good ground -- this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times [what was sown].
~Lena's Journals again ~
" Some, some, some…All x’s, all multiplied, not added, but multiplied. If we get understanding we will multiply! If we know God desires this, wants this, would we not with all of our getting, get understanding? Be multipliers? If I wanted a child, but I was barren and I was told how to no longer be barren, but be fruitful and multiply, wouldn’t I do everything that is in me to get the fruitfulness? If it is understanding, would I not get it, even when I don’t understand? How do I get it when I don’t "get it"? I seek and I will find. I knock and it will be opened, I ask and I receive. That’s how. I put myself in "classes" that promote understanding. I read more and more of God’s word and as a disciple I ask questions to God and other believers who God has set me around. I make myself available to the Holy Spirit, so He can teach me more and more about God’s characteristics. I yeild to God’s will, I give up my own plans for my own life and adapt all of His plans. To Yield is to :
YIELD, v.t.
1. To produce, as land, stock or funds; to give in return for labor, or as profit. Lands yield not more than three per cent annually; houses yield four or five percent. Maiz on good land, yields two or three hundred fold.
2. To produce, in general. Most vegetable juices yield a salt.
3. To afford; to exhibit. The flowers in spring yield a beautiful sight.
4. To allow; to concede; to admit to be true; as, to yield the point in debate. We yield that there is a God.
5. To give, as claimed of right; as, to yield due honors; to yield due praise.
6. To permit; to grant.
Life is but air, that yields a passage to the whistling sword.
7. To emit; to give up. To yield the breath, is to expire.
8. To resign; to give up; sometimes with up or over; as, to yield up their own opinions. We yield the place to our superiors.
9. To surrender; sometimes with up; as, to yield a fortress to the enemy; or to yield up a fortress.
YIELD, v.i.
1. To give up the contest; to submit.
He saw the fainting Grecians yield.
2. To comply with; as, I yielded to his request.
3. To give way; not to oppose. We readily yield to the current of opinion; we yield to customs and fashions.
4. To give place, as inferior in rank or excellence. They will yield to us in nothing.
Tell me in what more happy fields the thistle springs, to which the lily yields?
Definition from Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828.Previous word: yet. Next word: yielded.
1 Tim 4
Warnings against False Teachers
1Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead. F11
3They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanksgiving by people who know and believe the truth. 4Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts. 5For we know it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
6If you explain this to the brothers and sisters, F12 you will be doing your duty as a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is fed by the message of faith and the true teaching you have followed. 7Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. 8Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 9This is true, and everyone should accept it. 10We work hard and suffer much F13 in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe.
11Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. 12Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 13Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
14Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you.
FOOTNOTES:F11: Greek are seared. F12: Greek brothers. F13: Some manuscripts read and strive.
~Lena's Journalin'~
The first quoted verse and these verses in Timothy are saying the same thing. Timothy is detailing how to yield and what to yield to and why. Isn’t it quite awesome that God tell us stuff and then tells us how to do stuff and why? There are so many philosophies, but one truth, so many opportunities, but one purpose, so many ways, but not to God. Choose, as Mary the best part and portion, His word. His word is truth. He is truth. We must not allow ourselves to become ensnared with petty differences, their purpose is for division where God’s ultimate purpose is for unity. If anything even resembles division flee from the spiritual influence and pull it has on you, loose your self and go free from its call. Do not major on minor. Just one brief example of this could be: I sit in a meeting where we are having discussions about the bible and God. We start on one subject with the motive of promoting God’s kingdom, but the offer in our conversation comes up to have a debate over a spiritual issue. It is now an opportunity to prove a good point and bring forth a righteous truth, but in doing so I’ve allowed the spirit of the truth of God’s word to be challenged by a spirit of division right in our study about God and His love. Do I make sure and stress the point, so that everyone can get it, because it is quite important that they see this point? Truth must prevail, ya know. God’s word is truth. I’m God’s messenger in this group to make sure God is seen clearly and rightly, right? Yes, is He seen in the letter of the importance of sacrificing agreement to press and prove a point, defending God? (Does God actually need me to defend Him?) Or is He seen in the spirit, by the actual working of agreement among us because we choose to agree rather than disagree, we choose peace rather than strife? We change the subject to show God’s enemy, (who is all about division and disagreement) we will not participate in his venture against God's spirit, no matter the form he tempts us to do it in. The main way I prove God in the earth and with my brethren is to show the spirit and character of God, as Christ did. He opened not his mouths to arguments to prove He was who He said He was, He just was who He was. He was who he was in action, not in word, He was the word made flesh. What He did was proof, not what He said. Our physical verbal arguments will not prove who God is or that He is right, He is right period, no matter what anyone says. His truth remains no matter what other perceive or speak. Am I? Is the word made into flesh in me? Do I allow the spirit and character of Christ to show up in me form? Do I promote His personality or mine, what do I leave people with after I’m with them, Christ or Lena? Can I say something without words? Yes! And Amen!
But the one sown on the good ground -- this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times [what was sown].
~Lena's Journals again ~
" Some, some, some…All x’s, all multiplied, not added, but multiplied. If we get understanding we will multiply! If we know God desires this, wants this, would we not with all of our getting, get understanding? Be multipliers? If I wanted a child, but I was barren and I was told how to no longer be barren, but be fruitful and multiply, wouldn’t I do everything that is in me to get the fruitfulness? If it is understanding, would I not get it, even when I don’t understand? How do I get it when I don’t "get it"? I seek and I will find. I knock and it will be opened, I ask and I receive. That’s how. I put myself in "classes" that promote understanding. I read more and more of God’s word and as a disciple I ask questions to God and other believers who God has set me around. I make myself available to the Holy Spirit, so He can teach me more and more about God’s characteristics. I yeild to God’s will, I give up my own plans for my own life and adapt all of His plans. To Yield is to :
YIELD, v.t.
1. To produce, as land, stock or funds; to give in return for labor, or as profit. Lands yield not more than three per cent annually; houses yield four or five percent. Maiz on good land, yields two or three hundred fold.
2. To produce, in general. Most vegetable juices yield a salt.
3. To afford; to exhibit. The flowers in spring yield a beautiful sight.
4. To allow; to concede; to admit to be true; as, to yield the point in debate. We yield that there is a God.
5. To give, as claimed of right; as, to yield due honors; to yield due praise.
6. To permit; to grant.
Life is but air, that yields a passage to the whistling sword.
7. To emit; to give up. To yield the breath, is to expire.
8. To resign; to give up; sometimes with up or over; as, to yield up their own opinions. We yield the place to our superiors.
9. To surrender; sometimes with up; as, to yield a fortress to the enemy; or to yield up a fortress.
YIELD, v.i.
1. To give up the contest; to submit.
He saw the fainting Grecians yield.
2. To comply with; as, I yielded to his request.
3. To give way; not to oppose. We readily yield to the current of opinion; we yield to customs and fashions.
4. To give place, as inferior in rank or excellence. They will yield to us in nothing.
Tell me in what more happy fields the thistle springs, to which the lily yields?
Definition from Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828.Previous word: yet. Next word: yielded.
1 Tim 4
Warnings against False Teachers
1Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead. F11
3They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanksgiving by people who know and believe the truth. 4Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts. 5For we know it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
6If you explain this to the brothers and sisters, F12 you will be doing your duty as a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is fed by the message of faith and the true teaching you have followed. 7Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. 8Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 9This is true, and everyone should accept it. 10We work hard and suffer much F13 in order that people will believe the truth, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and particularly of those who believe.
11Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. 12Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 13Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
14Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you.
FOOTNOTES:F11: Greek are seared. F12: Greek brothers. F13: Some manuscripts read and strive.
~Lena's Journalin'~
The first quoted verse and these verses in Timothy are saying the same thing. Timothy is detailing how to yield and what to yield to and why. Isn’t it quite awesome that God tell us stuff and then tells us how to do stuff and why? There are so many philosophies, but one truth, so many opportunities, but one purpose, so many ways, but not to God. Choose, as Mary the best part and portion, His word. His word is truth. He is truth. We must not allow ourselves to become ensnared with petty differences, their purpose is for division where God’s ultimate purpose is for unity. If anything even resembles division flee from the spiritual influence and pull it has on you, loose your self and go free from its call. Do not major on minor. Just one brief example of this could be: I sit in a meeting where we are having discussions about the bible and God. We start on one subject with the motive of promoting God’s kingdom, but the offer in our conversation comes up to have a debate over a spiritual issue. It is now an opportunity to prove a good point and bring forth a righteous truth, but in doing so I’ve allowed the spirit of the truth of God’s word to be challenged by a spirit of division right in our study about God and His love. Do I make sure and stress the point, so that everyone can get it, because it is quite important that they see this point? Truth must prevail, ya know. God’s word is truth. I’m God’s messenger in this group to make sure God is seen clearly and rightly, right? Yes, is He seen in the letter of the importance of sacrificing agreement to press and prove a point, defending God? (Does God actually need me to defend Him?) Or is He seen in the spirit, by the actual working of agreement among us because we choose to agree rather than disagree, we choose peace rather than strife? We change the subject to show God’s enemy, (who is all about division and disagreement) we will not participate in his venture against God's spirit, no matter the form he tempts us to do it in. The main way I prove God in the earth and with my brethren is to show the spirit and character of God, as Christ did. He opened not his mouths to arguments to prove He was who He said He was, He just was who He was. He was who he was in action, not in word, He was the word made flesh. What He did was proof, not what He said. Our physical verbal arguments will not prove who God is or that He is right, He is right period, no matter what anyone says. His truth remains no matter what other perceive or speak. Am I? Is the word made into flesh in me? Do I allow the spirit and character of Christ to show up in me form? Do I promote His personality or mine, what do I leave people with after I’m with them, Christ or Lena? Can I say something without words? Yes! And Amen!
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