Psalm 133:1
How good and pleasant it is when (God's people)(brethren)(brothers and sisters) live together in unity! --
Well, isn't that the goal of us all, to be able to live peacefully, in agreement with one another as we live our lives! Whether it is in our families, our neighborhoods, or our churches, we all strive to get along.
I have found that the the best way I can get along with others, even those who disagree with my faith or world view, is to find what we do have in common, what we can agree on, and basically agree to disagree on what we don't agree on. But this does not mean to water down what I believe. When I am willing to listen to them, without condemning them or putting them down, then they will be more willing to listen also to me, when I explain how much God loves them and has provided for all their needs.
Even members of my own family can work against me as my enemies, so I need to make every effort to do what I can to reconcile our relationship and keep the lines of communication open.
I pray that we all will discern what we can do, especially in our own families, to show Jesus' love to them in ways they can understand, to reconcile our own families, and to inform and invite them into God's own family.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, April 25, 2016
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Shoulders Or Carts?
Numbers 7:6-9
So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service, and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the Priest. But he did not give any to sons of Kohath because theirs was the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder.
God directed that the Gershonites would carry all the curtains of the Tabernacle, of the enclosed tent itself and its open courtyard, all the soft, fabric parts of the Tabernacle. They were given two carts and four oxen, so they could fold and stack all the curtains to fit into two carts.
The Merarites were to carry all the boards, bars, pillars and sockets, all the hardware to support the curtains for the tent and the courtyard. So Moses gave them four carts and eight oxen, as that's how many it would take to hold all these items.
But he didn't give any carts or oxen to the sons of Kohath, because they were to carry the "most holy things" on their shoulders, by the poles inserted into the rings on the corners of each object (Numbers 4). This ensured that they would be safe. But the Kohathites were not allowed to touch or even see the objects they carried until they were completely covered by the sons of Aaron, or they would die (Numbers 4:15, 19-20).
Originally, all three tribes were to carry all the Tabernacle tent, hardware and furniture on their shoulders, but these carts and oxen were given as gifts, so Moses allowed the tent and hardware to be loaded onto the carts. But never were the "most holy things" to be carried except on the shoulders of the Kohathites.
God was very precise in how these things were to be handled and dealt with. So with us, God allows some "holy things" to be carried in carts, though we need to pack and load them securely. But the "most holy things" in our lives, we need to carry on our shoulders, to personally bear the burdens, even when we cannot "see" or understand all the intricacies of what we're going through; we are to trust that God knows what's best for us, and remember that it takes great pressure to forge a diamond. He is making diamonds of us, to one day shine like the sun!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service, and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the Priest. But he did not give any to sons of Kohath because theirs was the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder.
God directed that the Gershonites would carry all the curtains of the Tabernacle, of the enclosed tent itself and its open courtyard, all the soft, fabric parts of the Tabernacle. They were given two carts and four oxen, so they could fold and stack all the curtains to fit into two carts.
The Merarites were to carry all the boards, bars, pillars and sockets, all the hardware to support the curtains for the tent and the courtyard. So Moses gave them four carts and eight oxen, as that's how many it would take to hold all these items.
But he didn't give any carts or oxen to the sons of Kohath, because they were to carry the "most holy things" on their shoulders, by the poles inserted into the rings on the corners of each object (Numbers 4). This ensured that they would be safe. But the Kohathites were not allowed to touch or even see the objects they carried until they were completely covered by the sons of Aaron, or they would die (Numbers 4:15, 19-20).
Originally, all three tribes were to carry all the Tabernacle tent, hardware and furniture on their shoulders, but these carts and oxen were given as gifts, so Moses allowed the tent and hardware to be loaded onto the carts. But never were the "most holy things" to be carried except on the shoulders of the Kohathites.
God was very precise in how these things were to be handled and dealt with. So with us, God allows some "holy things" to be carried in carts, though we need to pack and load them securely. But the "most holy things" in our lives, we need to carry on our shoulders, to personally bear the burdens, even when we cannot "see" or understand all the intricacies of what we're going through; we are to trust that God knows what's best for us, and remember that it takes great pressure to forge a diamond. He is making diamonds of us, to one day shine like the sun!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Directing Our Hearts
II Chronicles 20:32-33
And (Jehoshaphat) walked in the way of his father Asa and did not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers. --
Asa was a good, Godly king who not only worshiped the Lord God himself, but promoted the Lord throughout Israel (II Chronicles 14:2-5). Asa reigned 41 years (16:13), then his son Jehoshaphat became the king. He also worshiped the Lord God, and did right for the people. He had all "the high places and Asherim removed from Judah" at the beginning of his reign (17:6), but by the end of his life, 25 years later, the high places were back. Even after 66 years of good leaders bringing them back to the Lord, "the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers." It takes constant vigilance to keep the people faithful. We need to make the decision to direct our hearts toward the Lord and continue to monitor our attitudes because the world is just too enticing.
Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!
And (Jehoshaphat) walked in the way of his father Asa and did not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers. --
Asa was a good, Godly king who not only worshiped the Lord God himself, but promoted the Lord throughout Israel (II Chronicles 14:2-5). Asa reigned 41 years (16:13), then his son Jehoshaphat became the king. He also worshiped the Lord God, and did right for the people. He had all "the high places and Asherim removed from Judah" at the beginning of his reign (17:6), but by the end of his life, 25 years later, the high places were back. Even after 66 years of good leaders bringing them back to the Lord, "the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers." It takes constant vigilance to keep the people faithful. We need to make the decision to direct our hearts toward the Lord and continue to monitor our attitudes because the world is just too enticing.
Even so, Come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, April 22, 2016
The Wicked And The Good
Psalms 36, 37
(36:1) I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked. There is no fear of God before their eyes. --
David's message tells us why wicked people do what they do: They don't acknowledge any accountability to God, so they have no brake on the sinfulness of our human nature; the result is that they express in their attitudes and decisions all the selfishness, greed and vengeance that are inherent in our fallen nature.
These two Psalms describe God's view of both the wicked and those who know God, who are called good, because God's power overcomes the bent of human nature. The evil will become the victims of their own schemes and be destroyed, while the good will live their lives according to God's ways and reap the benefits in this life and enjoy God in His glory forever. There are no greys with God, only the black (deep crimson) and white.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(36:1) I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked. There is no fear of God before their eyes. --
David's message tells us why wicked people do what they do: They don't acknowledge any accountability to God, so they have no brake on the sinfulness of our human nature; the result is that they express in their attitudes and decisions all the selfishness, greed and vengeance that are inherent in our fallen nature.
These two Psalms describe God's view of both the wicked and those who know God, who are called good, because God's power overcomes the bent of human nature. The evil will become the victims of their own schemes and be destroyed, while the good will live their lives according to God's ways and reap the benefits in this life and enjoy God in His glory forever. There are no greys with God, only the black (deep crimson) and white.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, April 21, 2016
God's Lovingkindness
Psalm 118
(1) & (29) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
(9) It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
(14) The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.
(24) This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. --
The theme of this whole Psalm is God's lovingkindness to us, as evidenced in the first and last verses. So all the middle verses show how this lovingkindness works out in our relationship with the Lord. He protects us and rescues us from our enemies; He gives us prosperity and joy; He gives us each day as a gift (I've heard that's why it's called "the present"). The more we trust in Him, the more blessings we allow God to shower upon us. And every day is a new beginning.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(1) & (29) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
(9) It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
(14) The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.
(24) This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. --
The theme of this whole Psalm is God's lovingkindness to us, as evidenced in the first and last verses. So all the middle verses show how this lovingkindness works out in our relationship with the Lord. He protects us and rescues us from our enemies; He gives us prosperity and joy; He gives us each day as a gift (I've heard that's why it's called "the present"). The more we trust in Him, the more blessings we allow God to shower upon us. And every day is a new beginning.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
David's House
I Chronicles 17
(1) And it came about, when David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the Prophet "Behold, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord is under curtains."
(4) "Go and tell David My servant, 'Thus says the Lord, "You shall not build a house for me to dwell in;
(10) Moreover, I tell you that the Lord will build a house for you.
(11) I will set up one of your descendants after you, who shall be of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom.
(12) He shall build for me a house, and I will establish his throne forever."'"
(16) Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that Thou hast brought me this far?" --
David wanted to build God a house, and God said that He will build a house for David instead! What a wonderful God we have! And God did build an eternal house of David's family: Solomon's throne endured many generations, every one of Judah's kings was of his dynasty (contrasted to Israel, the Northern Kingdom, that had a new dynasty with almost every king they had). And it is the same dynasty, same throne, that King Jesus will reign from when He returns; the eternal reign, that will extend from the Millennial time on this world to the New Earth, and New Jerusalem forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(1) And it came about, when David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the Prophet "Behold, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord is under curtains."
(4) "Go and tell David My servant, 'Thus says the Lord, "You shall not build a house for me to dwell in;
(10) Moreover, I tell you that the Lord will build a house for you.
(11) I will set up one of your descendants after you, who shall be of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom.
(12) He shall build for me a house, and I will establish his throne forever."'"
(16) Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that Thou hast brought me this far?" --
David wanted to build God a house, and God said that He will build a house for David instead! What a wonderful God we have! And God did build an eternal house of David's family: Solomon's throne endured many generations, every one of Judah's kings was of his dynasty (contrasted to Israel, the Northern Kingdom, that had a new dynasty with almost every king they had). And it is the same dynasty, same throne, that King Jesus will reign from when He returns; the eternal reign, that will extend from the Millennial time on this world to the New Earth, and New Jerusalem forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Ask In Faith
James 1:5
But if any of you lack wisdom, --
Has a need of something you don't have, in this case, wisdom.
let him ask of God, --
Don't just assume you'll have it, or try to get it in your own power; but ask God for it.
but let him ask in faith --
Believe and know in your heart that God is faithful to always do everything He said He would do, and He has promised to give us every good thing in this world and so much more in the forever life to come.
without any doubting. --
If we're not sure God will answer, if we think it's impossible, or we don't deserve it, or for some other reason we think won't get whatever it is, then we won't get it.
For let not that man (who doubts) expect that he will receive anything from the Lord. --
When we doubt, we break that connection. When we firmly believe, we leave the door open for whatever we ask for to come to us. Expect it. Trust God that much.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But if any of you lack wisdom, --
Has a need of something you don't have, in this case, wisdom.
let him ask of God, --
Don't just assume you'll have it, or try to get it in your own power; but ask God for it.
but let him ask in faith --
Believe and know in your heart that God is faithful to always do everything He said He would do, and He has promised to give us every good thing in this world and so much more in the forever life to come.
without any doubting. --
If we're not sure God will answer, if we think it's impossible, or we don't deserve it, or for some other reason we think won't get whatever it is, then we won't get it.
For let not that man (who doubts) expect that he will receive anything from the Lord. --
When we doubt, we break that connection. When we firmly believe, we leave the door open for whatever we ask for to come to us. Expect it. Trust God that much.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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