Deuteronomy 6: 3-12
Listen and be careful to do ... that it may go well with you ... and mutiply greatly, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
God wants us to listen to what He actually says, not our own ideas or what we want Him to say. And to be careful to do all that He commands. This is for our own good! When God can give us all the good things in life, it's a testimony to the other peoples of how good our God is and they will be drawn to Him.
Verses 10-12 tell us all the good things God is giving them to enjoy: Cities, houses full of good things, cisterns of good water, vineyards, olive groves, plenty to eat, drink, and enjoy.
Then Verse 12 says, Then watch yourself lest you forget the Lord....
When everything is going great, don't forget that it is the Lord God's blessings that have prospered us, we didn't do it ourselves! This is when we are vulnerable and really need to be careful.
The whole book of Judges tells us how Israel worshipped God and He blessed them. Then when things got going well for them, they got arrogant, and thought they'd gotten it all themselves, and started to honor the local gods. So God had their enemies gain control over them. So they cried out to God, and He raised up a judge, a military leader, to throw off the tyranny, and they worshipped God again.
This cycle repeated over and over. This is what happens when we're not careful. Our own flesh draws us away from the Lord and His ways. So we need to make the constant effort to remember God's ways, because we will never "slide" into righteousness; when we're on automatic we will slide into sin. It takes effort to stay on the righteous path. That's why God says over and over to "Be careful" to actually do what we know is right. Think about every choice, deliberate over every decision; consult with our Father on every thought, word, and action.
God has given us His own Holy Spirit to live inside each of us who are His, so we have no excuse. I have to train myself to constantly be aware of His presence, and commune with Him continually; like Brother Andrew learned to "practice the presence of God" in everything he did.
God made this Earth for us, and designed how the World would work, and it was all based on Love. God is Love. Everything He does comes from His Love. So when we tune our thinking processes to align with how He made everything, and think His thoughts instead of our own, then He will direct our ways to be prosperous, as He designed this World. He put an abundance of everything we need right here, and when we realize that, then we won't find a need to be greedy or to hoard; we are free to love one another and be generous with what we have, knowing there is always more out there.
It is our enemy who wants to destroy us that tells us there isn't enough.
God's plans for us according to His ways are for us to think His positive thoughts, say His encouraging words, and do His good works to benefit one another, always recognizing that He is the One Who did it all. And we get the benefits and He receives all the glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Friday, January 19, 2018
Life-Blood
Leviticus 17: 11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.
Hebrews 9: 22
And according to the Law ... all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Genesis 9: 3-6
Every moving thing that lives shall be meat for you; even as the green plant have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, you shall not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; whether of a beast or of a man I will require it; and at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man.
Blood represents the life of the creature. It's life is in its blood. That's why blood tests reveal what is going on in the health of one examined by medical people.
The shedding of blood refers to the death of the one whose blood is spilt. When God gave Noah animal meat to eat, in addition to the crops and orchards, He warned him not to eat the blood.
And whether man or beast kills a person, the killer must pay with his own life, because man is made in God's image.
God gave the blood of the beast on the altar to make restitution to God for sins. This demonstrates that we all deserve to die, since a life must be paid in substitution for our life, for our sins to be forgiven and covered by the animal's blood (see Leviticus chapter 1).
Jesus has now come to be the Lamb of God to shed His Blood on His altar, the Cross, which does more than just cover the sins that are there. The precious Blood He shed is God's own Blood, with endless power to actually wash away all our sins and cleanse us of every stain.
So when someone realizes that he deserves death, and lets Jesus take his death on the Cross, that is trusting Him to be Savior. Just to ask Him to save you won't make you a Christian; you must repent and believe. Turn around your thinking, and depend on Jesus to be your personal Sacrifice to die for you. Then God will be able to forgive you and make you His child.
Then God raised Jesus from the dead, and He was alive again, with a new life, that could go through locked doors. This Resurrection proved that God accepted His sacrifice. It also proves that Jesus is Who He said He was, God's own Son, and the Lord God of the Old Testament.
So put Your faith, your trust, in Jesus as your Savior, your personal Sacrifice. He will take away your sins and you will receive that new life, that Resurrection life, in the Person of the Holy Spirit Who will live in your spirit, making it alive and able to communicate with God.
And you will be one of His sheep, that He will call by name to go out, and be with Him forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.
Hebrews 9: 22
And according to the Law ... all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Genesis 9: 3-6
Every moving thing that lives shall be meat for you; even as the green plant have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, you shall not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; whether of a beast or of a man I will require it; and at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made He man.
Blood represents the life of the creature. It's life is in its blood. That's why blood tests reveal what is going on in the health of one examined by medical people.
And whether man or beast kills a person, the killer must pay with his own life, because man is made in God's image.
God gave the blood of the beast on the altar to make restitution to God for sins. This demonstrates that we all deserve to die, since a life must be paid in substitution for our life, for our sins to be forgiven and covered by the animal's blood (see Leviticus chapter 1).
Jesus has now come to be the Lamb of God to shed His Blood on His altar, the Cross, which does more than just cover the sins that are there. The precious Blood He shed is God's own Blood, with endless power to actually wash away all our sins and cleanse us of every stain.
So when someone realizes that he deserves death, and lets Jesus take his death on the Cross, that is trusting Him to be Savior. Just to ask Him to save you won't make you a Christian; you must repent and believe. Turn around your thinking, and depend on Jesus to be your personal Sacrifice to die for you. Then God will be able to forgive you and make you His child.
Then God raised Jesus from the dead, and He was alive again, with a new life, that could go through locked doors. This Resurrection proved that God accepted His sacrifice. It also proves that Jesus is Who He said He was, God's own Son, and the Lord God of the Old Testament.
So put Your faith, your trust, in Jesus as your Savior, your personal Sacrifice. He will take away your sins and you will receive that new life, that Resurrection life, in the Person of the Holy Spirit Who will live in your spirit, making it alive and able to communicate with God.
And you will be one of His sheep, that He will call by name to go out, and be with Him forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, January 18, 2018
He Knows Us
Exodus 35: 30, 34
See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel .. and Oholiab ...
Psalm 147: 4
He determines the number of the stars, and calls them each by name.
John 10: 3
...The sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.
God made us, He knows who and what He made, and He calls us all by our individual names. He knows each of us intimately, He knows how He has gifted each of us with the personalities, gifts, abilities, propensities, every detail about us. He knows where we came from, and what His plans are for us.
He told Moses that He had endowed these two men with extraordinary skills and knowledge and understanding of all the fields of workmanship that would be needed to put together and fashion this Tabernacle to be exactly like the "pattern," the Original in Heaven that God showed Moses on the mountain. And He also equipped them to teach others how to do all the intricate work, so that everything would get done properly.
God even knows all the stars, far more in number than we even today have been able to determine. He calls each one of them by name, too.
And He also knows each one of us today. He knows you and me, and He has given us each what we need to fulfill all His plans for each of us and for all of us. He has individually gifted us differently with a whole array of abilities and skills and personalities, so that we would work together to get everything done so we can all live together in peace and prosperity in every way: socially, relationally, physically, emotionally, politically, spiritually. And also financially, if needed.
When God designed this Universe with our Earth, He could see all Time from the beginning to the end. So He planned for all of us to form societies so we could help one another to be all He wants us to be. And He gave us each different and varied qualities so that we would be able for the strong to help the weak in every area, and to love one another as He loves us.
So when we get to know ourselves, and we open up ourselves to others so that they can know us (being vulnerable), then we are in the best position to discern what our neighbor needs, and use our own resources and abilities to help him.
And he will also be able to help us with our needs. So that there will be no gaps in the fabric of Time that He is weaving with each of us.
We are all planned by Him and are being used by Him in all our choices and decisions we make "freely." For all His purposes will be accomplished in the time He has planned it. All our families, our clans, our tribes, our cities, states, provinces, districts, and nations are all moving toward the great culmination of Time.
Jesus will return, will rule, and then Time as we know it will end, when this whole Universe will implode and explode again to form a whole new Universe, that King Jesus will rule forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel .. and Oholiab ...
Psalm 147: 4
He determines the number of the stars, and calls them each by name.
John 10: 3
...The sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.
God made us, He knows who and what He made, and He calls us all by our individual names. He knows each of us intimately, He knows how He has gifted each of us with the personalities, gifts, abilities, propensities, every detail about us. He knows where we came from, and what His plans are for us.
He told Moses that He had endowed these two men with extraordinary skills and knowledge and understanding of all the fields of workmanship that would be needed to put together and fashion this Tabernacle to be exactly like the "pattern," the Original in Heaven that God showed Moses on the mountain. And He also equipped them to teach others how to do all the intricate work, so that everything would get done properly.
God even knows all the stars, far more in number than we even today have been able to determine. He calls each one of them by name, too.
And He also knows each one of us today. He knows you and me, and He has given us each what we need to fulfill all His plans for each of us and for all of us. He has individually gifted us differently with a whole array of abilities and skills and personalities, so that we would work together to get everything done so we can all live together in peace and prosperity in every way: socially, relationally, physically, emotionally, politically, spiritually. And also financially, if needed.
When God designed this Universe with our Earth, He could see all Time from the beginning to the end. So He planned for all of us to form societies so we could help one another to be all He wants us to be. And He gave us each different and varied qualities so that we would be able for the strong to help the weak in every area, and to love one another as He loves us.
So when we get to know ourselves, and we open up ourselves to others so that they can know us (being vulnerable), then we are in the best position to discern what our neighbor needs, and use our own resources and abilities to help him.
And he will also be able to help us with our needs. So that there will be no gaps in the fabric of Time that He is weaving with each of us.
We are all planned by Him and are being used by Him in all our choices and decisions we make "freely." For all His purposes will be accomplished in the time He has planned it. All our families, our clans, our tribes, our cities, states, provinces, districts, and nations are all moving toward the great culmination of Time.
Jesus will return, will rule, and then Time as we know it will end, when this whole Universe will implode and explode again to form a whole new Universe, that King Jesus will rule forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Moses' Face Shone
Exodus 34: 29, 33, 35
...Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him.
When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
The sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.
Being in the presence of our Lord God as He proclaimed His Name and all that He revealed about Himself, infused into Moses' face an impression of His Glory, that made his face shine, glow! So Moses had to cover his face with a veil. (See also II Corinthians 3:13-16.)
Has your face ever glowed after worshipping in the presence of the Lord? You probably wouldn't know, unless someone else saw and told you. Moses didn't know until they told him. So he probably didn't feel any different physically.
Actually, you might say that our bodies glow now, with our body heat. Those heat-seeking cameras show living bodies as sources of light.
But I think that when we worship in the presence and close intimacy with the Lord even today, our faces can glow, too.
May we all who know Him seek His face so deeply that we will glow with His Spirit shining out of our "clay pots" (II Corinthians 4:6-7).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
...Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him.
When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
The sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.
Being in the presence of our Lord God as He proclaimed His Name and all that He revealed about Himself, infused into Moses' face an impression of His Glory, that made his face shine, glow! So Moses had to cover his face with a veil. (See also II Corinthians 3:13-16.)
Has your face ever glowed after worshipping in the presence of the Lord? You probably wouldn't know, unless someone else saw and told you. Moses didn't know until they told him. So he probably didn't feel any different physically.
Actually, you might say that our bodies glow now, with our body heat. Those heat-seeking cameras show living bodies as sources of light.
But I think that when we worship in the presence and close intimacy with the Lord even today, our faces can glow, too.
May we all who know Him seek His face so deeply that we will glow with His Spirit shining out of our "clay pots" (II Corinthians 4:6-7).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
"Be Careful"
Exodus 34: 11, 12, etc.
...Be sure to observe...
...Watch yourself...
All through the Bible, everywhere God is cautioning us; He repeats: "Be careful," "Watch yourselves," "Be sure to observe," "Take for yourselves." God always has required personal responsibility on the part of each one of us, individually.
And we each will give account to the Judge of the Earth for every thought, attitude, decision, word and action we have ever done.
He has done everything He can to show us Who He is, how His character is perfect, how He has made this Earth and designed how the World is to operate on it. He has given us all the Laws of Nature, as well as all the moral laws.
He has shown us that He is Love. Everything He does comes from Love. And when we know this Love, and return it to Him, and love one another with this Love; then we will not have to be concerned with all the details, because we will be obeying His Law by loving one another.
We still are living in our flesh, though, which tries to draw us away from God and His ways. That's why we need to "be careful" to "watch ourselves" to make sure we're doing it His way and not our own. Whenever we slide, it's away. We have to "watch ourselves" constantly.
We are drawn away by the World, the flesh, and even the devil. But God has given us His Spirit to whisper into our spirit when we're about to stray. So we have no excuse. If our life is so noisy that we can't "hear" His whispers, that's our fault. And we will be called to account.
But when we allow ourselves to sit in silence with His Word, then we can have that two-way conversation with Him that is so helpful and productive. He will teach us, He will lead us and guide us, He will show us the right path, and strengthen us to take it.
We just need to trust Him to do it. When I can't see around the corner, I can trust Him to take me around that corner without fear, because He loves me.
And He loves you, too. Trust in His love. Even if it may hurt to learn the lesson, it will be a "good hurt" that will help and heal. He will never harm you. You can trust Him in this, and in everything He allows to touch you.
O my Father, thank You so much for Your Love. I may never in this life comprehend how high, how deep, how wide, how immense is Your Love for me, but I know I can trust it, because I trust You, and I know that Your plans for me are for my good, to prosper me in every way. Because that's how You designed it to work, so You receive all the credit, all the glory, when I cooperate with You. And we will celebrate together Your goodness and greatness and Love.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
...Be sure to observe...
...Watch yourself...
All through the Bible, everywhere God is cautioning us; He repeats: "Be careful," "Watch yourselves," "Be sure to observe," "Take for yourselves." God always has required personal responsibility on the part of each one of us, individually.
And we each will give account to the Judge of the Earth for every thought, attitude, decision, word and action we have ever done.
He has done everything He can to show us Who He is, how His character is perfect, how He has made this Earth and designed how the World is to operate on it. He has given us all the Laws of Nature, as well as all the moral laws.
He has shown us that He is Love. Everything He does comes from Love. And when we know this Love, and return it to Him, and love one another with this Love; then we will not have to be concerned with all the details, because we will be obeying His Law by loving one another.
We still are living in our flesh, though, which tries to draw us away from God and His ways. That's why we need to "be careful" to "watch ourselves" to make sure we're doing it His way and not our own. Whenever we slide, it's away. We have to "watch ourselves" constantly.
We are drawn away by the World, the flesh, and even the devil. But God has given us His Spirit to whisper into our spirit when we're about to stray. So we have no excuse. If our life is so noisy that we can't "hear" His whispers, that's our fault. And we will be called to account.
But when we allow ourselves to sit in silence with His Word, then we can have that two-way conversation with Him that is so helpful and productive. He will teach us, He will lead us and guide us, He will show us the right path, and strengthen us to take it.
We just need to trust Him to do it. When I can't see around the corner, I can trust Him to take me around that corner without fear, because He loves me.
And He loves you, too. Trust in His love. Even if it may hurt to learn the lesson, it will be a "good hurt" that will help and heal. He will never harm you. You can trust Him in this, and in everything He allows to touch you.
O my Father, thank You so much for Your Love. I may never in this life comprehend how high, how deep, how wide, how immense is Your Love for me, but I know I can trust it, because I trust You, and I know that Your plans for me are for my good, to prosper me in every way. Because that's how You designed it to work, so You receive all the credit, all the glory, when I cooperate with You. And we will celebrate together Your goodness and greatness and Love.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, January 15, 2018
Moses' Anger
Exodus 32: 19, 20
...Moses' anger burned and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.
While Moses spent time on the mountain with the Lord, the people gave up on him and had Aaron make an idol out of the gold earrings they gave him, against the Laws they had just agreed to before Moses went back up the mountain.
We again see Moses' anger. He knew that they all deserved death for this gross idolatry, so he allowed himself to throw this temper tantrum and broke the God-inscribed tablets of the Law that the people broke.
But God is long-suffering, so this is what Moses did:
And he took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water, and made the sons of Israel drink it.
The Sun shining on the water through the powdered gold would give it the appearance of red blood! So the people all had to drink this blood-looking water, admitting that they deserved to shed their blood for this sin.
God commanded that they never eat or drink the blood of their sacrifices, because the life is in the blood. When someone "shed blood," it meant taking a life. This water wasn't blood, it just looked like blood. Medicine has shown that gold will not harm the human body. God knew this, so that's why He had Moses handle the situation this way.
But now Moses had to carve out two more tablets for God to write on, because the Law cannot be broken, it still stands; we can only break ourselves on it.
O my Father, thank You for Your great patience and mercy and grace upon us. Thank you for Your goodness and kindness and gentleness with me. Thank you for recording all these events, telling us of all these people who lived before us, so that we could learn from their mistakes, and even more, their successes.
Thank You, Father, for showing us Who You are, and for being there for us. You made Moses to be meek, but his temper cost him dearly. Help us to overcome our shortcomings, so we can be more like You, and enjoy Your blessings.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
...Moses' anger burned and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.
While Moses spent time on the mountain with the Lord, the people gave up on him and had Aaron make an idol out of the gold earrings they gave him, against the Laws they had just agreed to before Moses went back up the mountain.
We again see Moses' anger. He knew that they all deserved death for this gross idolatry, so he allowed himself to throw this temper tantrum and broke the God-inscribed tablets of the Law that the people broke.
But God is long-suffering, so this is what Moses did:
And he took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water, and made the sons of Israel drink it.
The Sun shining on the water through the powdered gold would give it the appearance of red blood! So the people all had to drink this blood-looking water, admitting that they deserved to shed their blood for this sin.
God commanded that they never eat or drink the blood of their sacrifices, because the life is in the blood. When someone "shed blood," it meant taking a life. This water wasn't blood, it just looked like blood. Medicine has shown that gold will not harm the human body. God knew this, so that's why He had Moses handle the situation this way.
But now Moses had to carve out two more tablets for God to write on, because the Law cannot be broken, it still stands; we can only break ourselves on it.
O my Father, thank You for Your great patience and mercy and grace upon us. Thank you for Your goodness and kindness and gentleness with me. Thank you for recording all these events, telling us of all these people who lived before us, so that we could learn from their mistakes, and even more, their successes.
Thank You, Father, for showing us Who You are, and for being there for us. You made Moses to be meek, but his temper cost him dearly. Help us to overcome our shortcomings, so we can be more like You, and enjoy Your blessings.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Distinguished From All Others
Exodus 33: 11, 13, 16
Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.
This is why Moses is called "the friend of God," because he is the only one who God spoke with on a regular basis so intimately.
"Now, therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, so that I may find favor in Thy sight."
May He teach all of us His ways, to learn His rules of how to love Him and one another.
"For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the Earth?"
How will all the people of all the other Nations of the World discern that God had chosen this family? By God's dwelling in their midst. God is like no other--no other god that is worshipped or honored is anything like our God, because only He is God.
Today, since Christ Jesus has come, He has fulfilled the letter of all these Commandments and Precepts and Laws; has died on His altar, the Cross, fulfilling all the sacrificial rules; and has risen from the dead, proving that God accepted His payment on our behalf for the debt we each owed.
Now God has not chosen a Nation, but individual persons from each Nation, each region, each language, each tribe and family, to be His own. And He does dwell with us now, not as a glorious Light among us, but as His Holy Spirit inside each of us. His Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Life, of Truth, of Love. He is God Almighty actually living in each of our spirits, making our dead spirits alive, capable of communing with Him, even more intimately than face to face with Moses.
What a priviledge! Who would ever have even conceived in their imagination that the Lord God, Creator, Almighty King over all, would choose to come to each of us individually to live in our spirits to teach us and strengthen us and lead us gently into the path He has chosen for each of us.
Now others will know we belong to Him by the love we have and display for one another, as we learn how to love God, and how to love others with His unconditional love. This is not the love the World knows. It surpasses even Mother-Love, probably the most pure love we can have naturally.
So do others see this love in me?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.
This is why Moses is called "the friend of God," because he is the only one who God spoke with on a regular basis so intimately.
"Now, therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, so that I may find favor in Thy sight."
May He teach all of us His ways, to learn His rules of how to love Him and one another.
"For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the Earth?"
How will all the people of all the other Nations of the World discern that God had chosen this family? By God's dwelling in their midst. God is like no other--no other god that is worshipped or honored is anything like our God, because only He is God.
Today, since Christ Jesus has come, He has fulfilled the letter of all these Commandments and Precepts and Laws; has died on His altar, the Cross, fulfilling all the sacrificial rules; and has risen from the dead, proving that God accepted His payment on our behalf for the debt we each owed.
Now God has not chosen a Nation, but individual persons from each Nation, each region, each language, each tribe and family, to be His own. And He does dwell with us now, not as a glorious Light among us, but as His Holy Spirit inside each of us. His Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Life, of Truth, of Love. He is God Almighty actually living in each of our spirits, making our dead spirits alive, capable of communing with Him, even more intimately than face to face with Moses.
What a priviledge! Who would ever have even conceived in their imagination that the Lord God, Creator, Almighty King over all, would choose to come to each of us individually to live in our spirits to teach us and strengthen us and lead us gently into the path He has chosen for each of us.
Now others will know we belong to Him by the love we have and display for one another, as we learn how to love God, and how to love others with His unconditional love. This is not the love the World knows. It surpasses even Mother-Love, probably the most pure love we can have naturally.
So do others see this love in me?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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