Rejoicing in the Face of Death

Much occurred on the last Thursday of the Lord's life here on earth.

~The Last Meal Together
Jesus gave specific instructions to Peter and John as to how they were to prepare for the last supper He would have with the disciples. He greeted each of the disciples, including Judas His betrayer, with a kiss of peace as they entered the door of the upper room. Jesus sat around a table with the twelve men who had followed Him faithfully during His earthly ministry. I just imagine they laughed some, shared stories of all they had been through together, and tried their best to understand what was about to happen. Be it a strategic gesture or not, Jesus had Judas sit at His left side which was a place of honor. Was this one last chance for Judas to repent and pledge his undying allegiance to God's precious Son? I would like to think it was.

~Jesus Washed the Feet of the Disciples
At first the disciples wanted nothing to do with Jesus washing their feet. The washing of another's feet was normally done by the lowliest of servants. The disciples would probably have jumped at the opportunity to wash the feet of Jesus, but never in their wildest dreams would they have imagined Jesus washing their feet. This act on the part of Jesus displayed to them His humility and servant's heart. Not only was this a physical act, but it was also symbolic. Jesus washing the feet of His disciples symbolized to them that unless a person be washed and cleansed by the Living Water of life he can have no part in the kingdom of heaven.

~The Institution of the Lord's Supper
The broken bread would be a reminder to the disciples and all Christians of the broken body of Christ. The body of Christ was broken and given as payment for the sins of all mankind. The cup would be a reminder of the blood of Christ that was spilled out for the remission of your sins and mine. It was the blood of the new covenant. Covenants were ratified by the shedding of blood (Exodus 24:8) and the covenant of salvation that Christ was making with believers to come would be authenticated by the blood that would be poured out from His body.

~The Disciples Argue Over Who is the Greatest
Once again Jesus had to settle a dispute among His disciples as to who was the "greatest" among them. All those in the Kingdom of God are important and all have specific roles. These remaining eleven disciples who had walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry would later on be pivotal players in the growth of the church.

Through all the happenings of this day and the inevitable arrest of Jesus that was soon to come, Jesus closed this last supper with His disciples in song (Matthew 26:30). Scholars believe that most likely the hymn they raised their voices in unison to sing was Psalm 118. Today I leave you with those words; and as you read them imagine our Lord and His disciples singing praises to the God above as He faced rejection, great suffering, and death.

1) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

2) Let Israel say: "His love endures forever."

3) Let the house of Aaron say:

"His love endures forever."

4) Let those who fear the LORD say:

"His love endures forever."

5) In my anguish I cried to the LORD,

and he answered by setting me free.

6) The LORD is with me;

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

7) The LORD is with me;

he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.

8) It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

9) It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

10) All the nations surrounded me,

but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

11) They surrounded me on every side,

but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
12) They swarmed around me like bees,
but they died out as quickly as burning thorns;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

13) I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me.

14) The LORD is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

15) Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:

"The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

16) The LORD's right hand is lifted high;

the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"

17) I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

18) The LORD has chastened me severely,

but he has not given me over to death.

19) Open for me the gates of righteousness;

I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.

20) This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.

21) I will give you thanks, for you answered me;

you have become my salvation.

22) The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;

23) the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24) This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25) O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.

26) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.

From the house of the LORD we bless you.

27) The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us.

With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

28) You are my God, and I will give you thanks;

you are my God, and I will exalt you.

29) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever.
Psalm 118:1-29, NIV

A Day of Preparation

"1) Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2) The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people. 3) And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4) And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. 5) They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6) So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd."

Luke 22:1-6, NASB

14) Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15) and said, "What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?" And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16) From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

Matthew 26:14-16, NASB

The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, is a very important feast on the Jewish calendar. During this feast (14 Nisan on the Jewish calendar- the corresponding month on our calendar would be March-April) all Jewish men were expected to travel to Jerusalem to celebrated and remember the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian captivity (Exodus 11-12).

There were specific steps that were to be taken in preparing for the Passover Feast. For seven days the members of the home were to only eat unleavened bread. On the first day of the seven day period all leaven was to be completely removed from the home (Exodus 12:14-22). Leaven, known to us as yeast, changed the original form of the bread dough; it added additional ingredients making it impure. For the Passover Feast the bread was to be in it's purest form, that being without the leaven. This was to be a reminder to the people that their ancestors had fled Egypt in haste and were left to eat only unleavened bread.

Keeping in mind that leaven alters the original state of bread, Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees...the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matthew 16:11 & 12). Jesus didn't mean for them not to eat the physical, tangible bread of these religious leaders, but rather to be on guard against their teachings. The Pharisees and Sadducees had added their own set of rules and regulations, and thoughts and ideas to the Scriptures instead of teaching it exactly as it was; they had altered the true meaning of God's Word.

What was overflowing into the attitudes and actions of these religious leaders was a corrupted heart; a heart that had been tainted with evil. The Pharisees and Sadducees had done a good job preparing their homes for the Passover and getting things ready in the temple, but they had forgotten about the most important aspect, their hearts (Matthew 23:25-28). For a while now they had greatly desired to arrest Jesus and get Him out of the picture but had been unable to do so for fear of retaliation from the people. Judas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, would be their answer.

Judas, a man with a tainted heart himself, would betray Christ for a mere thirty pieces of silver. This small sum of money was mere change in comparison to the enormity of the actual price Jesus would later pay. Thirty pieces of silver was the price paid for a slave (Exodus 21:32). Seems rather ironic to me that Jesus, the one who would free us from the bondage of sin, was handed over for the price of a slave.

The plan of the religious leaders was in place. They would pay Judas to deliver Jesus to them and then take His life. But, their time of scheming and preparation would not prepare them for what was to come.

What is the condition of your heart today? Is it tainted with evil like the hearts of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Judas? Are you handing over your time with the Lord for mere change? Are you giving in to the "pleasures" of this world?

Examination of the Passover Lamb

The last week of Jesus' life here on earth was not glamorous or easy by any stretch of the imagination. Each day brought with it a new challenge and greater pain. Yet each day brought Christ closer to the cross of freedom. Tuesday of this Passover week was no exception.

On this day the enemies of Jesus did their best to "trap" Him with a series of questions. Through the cleansing of the temple and the parables He used as object lessons, Jesus had exposed the evil intentions of the religious leaders and they were out to get Him; they were out for blood. They wanted so badly to trap Him into saying something that they could use to have Jesus arrested.

Beyond the scope of thinking on the part of the religious leaders, there was a much bigger plan for this time of questioning and examination of Christ; it was a God sized plan that their blinded eyes could not see. According to Exodus 12:3-6, each lamb that would be presented as a sacrificial lamb had to be carefully examined in order to make sure there were no blemishes of any kind on him before he was deemed an acceptable sacrifice.

3) "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying,

'On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves,

according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household.

4) 'Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he

and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according

to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat,

you are to divide the lamb. 5) 'Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old;

you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

6) 'You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month,

then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.

Exodus 12:3-6, NASB

From the tenth day to the fourteenth day of the month the people were to carefully examine the lamb making sure it would be an acceptable sacrifice. Little did the religious leaders know, Jesus was going to be sacrificed as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world; THE perfect, unblemished sacrifical Lamb.

"The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming to him and said,

'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!' "

John 1:29, NASB

It was all according to God's plan that these religious leaders question Jesus in this public arena. If any fault had been found in Him, He would not have been the perfect sacrifice. They, themselves could find no fault in Him and as we will see, they pass Jesus on to Pilate. Pilate will also find no fault in Jesus and will pass Him on to Herod. Herod will find no fault in Him and send Jesus back to Pilate. And, once again Pilate will find no fault in Christ. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God was without fault, without blemish. He was perfect in every way. He was sinless, righteous, holy, and just. He was the only perfect Lamb who could forever free His people from their sins.

The questioning of Christ that day wasn't so the religious leaders could trap Him, the questioning that day was part of God's plan so that all could see that this man, this King, this Lamb was the perfect sacrifice.

Fig Trees & Temple Cleansings

12) The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13) He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14) Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it. 15) When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16) and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17) He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” 18) When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching. 19) That evening Jesus and the disciples left the city.

Mark 11:12-19, NLT

As they left Bethany Jesus was hungry. I always find it intriguing to witness the human side of the Son of God. Here Jesus is fully God, yet fully man at the same time, and His belly ached from hunger pains. Amazing! Notice Mark tells us that Jesus didn't just see the fig tree, observe that it didn't have any fruit hanging from it's branches and keep on walking. Mark tells us that Jesus went over to the fig tree to SEE if He could find any figs on those branches that were blooming forth with leaves. Where there are leaves on the branches of a fig tree, there should also be figs. Instead of finding plump, ripe figs, Jesus found nothing but the appearance of a fruit that should have been there.

This account is significant to us for a number of reasons. Numerous times in the Old Testament the nation of Israel, God's chosen people, are associated with the fig tree (Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10; Nahum 3:12). Because they didn't get it then, some hundreds of years later, God sent His precious Son to earth the examine the what-should-be fruit of His chosen people, but Israel had failed the test yet again. They had nothing but the "appearance" of being about the business of God. From the root up (Mark 11:20) they were nothing but a rotten, dead people.

Not only were they rotten from the ground up, they were also rotten from the inside out. Upon Jesus' arrival to the temple, He found not a people busy about the work of His Father inside the temple gates, instead He found a people busy about the work of making themselves greater and richer at the expense of the poor and Gentiles. The court of the Gentiles, the only place within the temple gates available to the Gentile people, a perfect hub for the evangelization of the lost, had been made into a religious marketplace where Jews were exchanging monies and buying sacrifices. These market places were being run by, non-other, than the priests themselves who were benefiting largely from the buying and selling of these goods.

God's temple had become a "den of thieves" (Jeremiah 7:11). According to Campbell Morgan, a "den of thieves" is a place where thieves run to hide after they have committed their wicked deeds. The priests inside the temple were using the "religious services" of the temple to cover up their own personal sins.

Jesus would no longer stand to see His Father's house mocked and blasphemed. He over turned the money changers tables and the seats of those who were selling the doves (Matthew 21:12) and immediately went about His Father's business. Jesus began healing the lame and the blind and ministering to the poor and needy. He taught the Word of God to the people, offering to them the sustenance that would enable their roots to grow deep and strong.

The chief priests and elders of the temple questioned His authority. Jesus in turn questioned them about their authority to question Him; don't you just love it when He does that!?!. The priests and elders tried to trap Him, but He would not be trapped by man. His time had not yet come and so nothing they could say or do would hinder Jesus from being about His Father's business. When the time would come, they would still not be able to "trap" Him, instead He would give His life over to them willingly and without regret.

If Jesus were to examine your "fruit" today what would He find? Would He find fruit that's healthy and growing because it's roots are firmly plant in the Word of God? Or would He find a lot of "leaves" that appear to be bringing forth much fruit but instead, upon closer look, yield nothing but a few rotten pieces of shriveled up fruit?

What about your heart? Is it in need of a temple cleansing? Are there some "tables" in your life that need to be turned over so that you can be about your Father's business?

A Triumphal Entry & A Weeping Savior

28) After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29) As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30) “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31) If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32) So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33) And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” 34) And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35) So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. 36) As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37) When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. 38) “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” 39) But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” 40) He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” 41) But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42) “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43) Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44) They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.”

Luke 19:28-44, NLT

I spent some time today reading through each of the Gospel accounts of Jesus' triumphal entry. Luke's record of this day stands out most to me. Why? Because Luke, I believe, captures the broken heart of the Savior for His people. Luke is the only one who tells us that Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. The tears Jesus shed as He looked upon Jerusalem didn't slowly trickle down His face, rather the tears streamed from His eyes as He mourned over this city like one who would wail over the loss of a loved one.

It didn't matter which direction Jesus looked, He found reason for mourning. Looking back over His time with this people, He mourned because they missed the opportunity to know their Savior on earth. Looking within the hearts of the people, He saw that they were spiritually blinded. The way had been prepared for His coming through messengers and the message of the Word, but their hearts had failed to see.

There was religious activity all around Jesus. People everywhere were celebrating with feasts but had no idea why. The religious leaders of the day were out to kill Him. The temple, God's dwelling place, had become nothing more than a "den of thieves". And, looking ahead, Jesus saw the judgment that was to come upon this people whom He loved.

Jesus wept because the very people He came to save did not even recognize their Savior was among them. He walked down their streets and ate at their tables. He healed the blind and made the lame to walk. He raised the dead and the deaf He made to hear. Jesus performed miracle after miracle after miracle and yet they never really got it. They were looking for an earthly king who would come and rule the nations, not a Savior who wanted to rule in their hearts.

Even though they didn't get it, even though they expected more, even though they were about to nail Him to a tree, Jesus loved them. He loved them so much that He continued to walk in obedience to God's will for His life.

Matthew, Mark, and John record the people saying, "Hosanna!" as the Prince of Peace passed by them. "Hosanna" is a transliteration of a Hebrew word that means "give salvation now." Little did this crowd know that in just a few short days this King, their King, would lay down His life for them and all those to come granting salvation to all through His precious blood; the precious blood of the perfect Lamb of God.

Picture used with permission from All You Have to Give.

Precious Treasures

"He who heeds the Word wisely will find good,
and whoever
trusts in the LORD, happy is he."

Proverbs 16:20

The condition of my heart affects what I say, do, and see. When my heart is heeding and giving attention to the wisdom of God found in His Word- that's what will come out of me- His wisdom. I'll teach His wisdom to my children and those around me; I'll make wise choices and behave wisely. Why? Because I've heeded to the instructions of His Word. Heeding oneself to the Word of God leds to one being joyful in the Lord no matter what may be going on in the circumstances around.

Joy in the Lord is not based on whether or not everything is fine and dandy in our lives. Joy is, rather, a happiness based on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities. True joy, for the believer, is knowing and resting in the fact (and it is a FACT!), sweet sister, that everything between her and her Lord is right (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Our joy in Christ is not temporal or based on our past, present, or future circumstances, but is founded on an unchanging, all-powerful God. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

In John 17 verses 13 and 14, Jesus says,"But now I (Jesus) come to You (God), and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in them. I (Jesus) have given them (you and me) Your word (God's Word)." He goes on to say in verse 17 of that same chapter, "Sanctify (set them apart) them by Your truth. Your Word is truth."When you and I heed to the instructions found in the Word of God we will be sanctified and our joy will be made full because it is based on an unchanging God, not on the ever-changing world around us.

Examine your heart right now. Are you paying careful attention to God's Word, gaining new insights and wisdom each day? Is your heart full of joy because it is focused on an unchanging God? Are you allowing God to sanctify you each day, setting you apart to serve Him? If you answered no to any of these questions, ask the Lord to do a mighty work in your heart right now; sanctifying you with His word, setting you apart for His service, filling you with His joy, and focusing your mind solely on Him.


Father, how I thank You that I can rejoice in Your Word because it is full of treasures just for me (Ps. 119:162). Your Word, O Lord, is more precious to me than gold and silver and I delight in it (Ps. 119:72). Open my eyes to new truths in Your Word and hide them in my heart so that I can fight against the enemy (Ps. 119:18 & 11). I love Your Word, Father, it is a joy to me (Ps. 119: 97).

He Sees My Heart

“For the LORD does not see as man sees;

for man looks at the outward appearance,

but the LORD looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7b

My outward appearance is not what impresses God the most. It’s the condition of my heart that He’s concerned with. God watches and examines my heart.

What are the motives of my heart? Is it pure, holy, and blameless? Because the heart is the center of wisdom and the sole source of what affects my speech,my sight, and my conduct, how am I living out my life? Is it pleasing to God? If not, what needs to change?

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

Put away from your deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.

Let you eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.

Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.

Do not turn to the right or to the left, remove your foot from evil.”

Proverbs 4:23-27, NKJV

What are my issues? What is springing forth from my heart? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control? Or anger, bitterness, hatred, impatience, selfishness?

When my heart is in tune with God’s, I will follow His path. My desires will be His desires. I will see absolutely nothing but Him and my life will reflect that. My behavior, my thoughts, speech, attitudes, actions, and my vision will be all about Him.

When God looks at your heart, what does He see? Is your heart in a condition to be chosen by God for greatness? Or, is there too much selfish pride and ambition filling your heart not allowing even a small glimmer of God’s glory to shine through? Does He need to open up your heart and do some repair work, clean it out, and fill it up with Himself?

Life is too short and God is too good for us to continue living with a diseased heart. Living our lives in the flesh does not please God (Romans 8:8). We must walk in the path that He has set before us, living life completely filled with the Spirit.

Confess any sin you might have in your heart right now that is rendering you ineffective for Kingdom work. God is faithful and just. He will forgive you and cleanse your heart (1 John 1:9).

Oh, Father I desire to live a life that is totally consumed with You. Right now, fill me up to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit so that I, myself, am not at all visible. Wash me; cleanse me. Forgive me for failing You. Mold me and make me into what You desire me to be. I want to be used for Your glory to make an impact on the lives of my husband, children, family, friends, and the world around me. I am Your servant. Amen.

picture used with permission from Lori at All You Have to Give

God's Strength

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."
Philippians 4:13

Paul, the writer of Philippians, was content with his life because he could see life from God's point of view. He focused on what he was supposed to do, not what he felt he should have. Paul was grateful for everything God had given him, the good, bad, and the ugly. He had detached himself from the nonessentials in his life so that he could concentrate on the eternal. Often the desire for more or better possessions is really a longing to fill an empty place in our lives. Paul had so allowed God to fill him up that he had strength to withstand anything he came up against, and boy howdy, did he come against some heavy duty stuff; prison, beatings, rejection, aloneness.

I wonder, are there any empty places in your life today? What are you trying to fill that emptiness with, a job, an unhealthy relationship, money, food, drugs or alcohol, the list could go on and on? In Psalm 81:10, the Lord tells us to open up wide and let Him fill us up. Sweet sister, detach yourself from those nonessential things in your life so that you can focus on the eternal, everlasting God and allow Him to fill you until your cup runneth over.

If you are struggling with feeling empty and weak today, I'd love to be able to pray with you and for you. You can contact me personally here.

Much love to you!!

The Vinedresser

"I, the LORD, keep it,

I water it every moment;

lest any hurt it,

I keep it night and day."

Isaiah 27:3, NKJV

In this passage God is specifically talking about the restoration of His chosen Israel, but these beautiful words penned by the prophet Isaiah can be applied to you and me today.

God is the Vinedresser of this vineyard and we are the fragile vine that is being cared for. Being the great, skillful Vinedresser that He is, we can rest assured that we are safe and well taken care of.

This verse teaches us the following truths:
1. He keeps us safe. You and I can rest securely in the fact that once we belong to the Vinedresser, nothing and no one can take us away from Him.

2. The Vinedresser feeds us with His everlasting, completely satisfying Word. God's Word is our food for daily living. His food, full of rich nutrients, gives us the strength to do what He has called us to do.

3. By remaining in the vineyard, more specifically the vine, we are safe. If you and I stay close to Him and daily feed on His Word, when the enemy comes, we will be able to stand, fight, and be victorious.

4. Our God never sleeps. He is always watching out for us and giving us the best care possible.

Oh, my friends, isn't it wonderful to know that our God, the Almighty God of the universe, is ALIVE, AWAKE, and very ACTIVE in our lives!?!


Keep us Lord, safely in Your grip. Water us. Feed us with Your Word. Grow us into the women and men You have created us to be. May we bear much fruit that is pleasing to You. Amen.

Finding the Messiah, part 2

Good morning dear ones! Are you ready to push up your shirt sleeves and do a little more digging today in order to unearth those golden nuggets that lie beneath the surface of Isaiah 7:14?

Yesterday we read from the book of Ezekiel where God's glory left the temple and His people because of their sins. We saw in chapter eleven of Ezekiel that yes, God's glory was gone but His covenant love and promise still remained. Because He is a covenant keeping, always loving God, He will never go back on His word. God fully intended to return and restore His relationship with His people; today we will see that He did just that.

God illustrates His coming back for His people in the book of Hosea. Grab your shovels and let's start digging.

Hosea is a book full of symbolism. The names in this book, especially in the first few chapters, are very significant to the picture God is painting for us.

In chapter 1 of Hosea we are introduced to the main characters of the book. Hosea, whose name means "salvation"; Gomer, his wife, whose name means "complete vanishing"; Jezreel, their first child, whose name means "God scatters"; Lo-ruhamah, the second child, whose name means "not pitied"; and Lo-Ammi, the third child, whose name means "not my people".

God told Hosea, who was a righteous man, to take for himself Gomer as his wife. Gomer would come to be known as a woman of adultery who would cheat on her husband time and time again. Even though God told Hosea the kind of woman his wife would become, Hosea didn’t waiver in his obedience to the Lord. He took her as his bride and loved her unconditionally.

In Hosea chapter 2, the characters of the book take on a whole new meaning. Hosea represents God’s salvation. Gomer represents the adulterer God’s people had become. And, their children represent God’s wrath on His people because of their sin.

Let's read Hosea 4:4-12.

"4) Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest.

5) You shall stumble by day; the prophet also shall stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother.

6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

7) The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame.

8) They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity.

9) And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.

10) They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply,because they have forsaken the LORD to cherish

11) whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.

12) My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore."
Hosea 4:1-12, ESV

To borrow the language of God, are we not a whore for the things of this world? Don’t we choose material things the world offers over the things of God? This was the very reason God’s glory left the temple. He could no longer stand to see the downward spiral of His people. But, in spite of all that the people were involved in and had become, God still promised that He would one day come back for His people to redeem them just like God tells Hosea to go and redeem his adulteress wife, why?

God is coming back because of His love for us. He is coming back because He made a covenant with His people (Genesis 3:15); He is coming back because that was the plan from the beginning; He is coming back because He is the rightful heir to the Davidic throne; He is coming back because He is our Kinsman Redeemer. God will return for His bride in Christ even if she is unfaithful to Him. Beloved, HE WILL RETURN!

"1) 'When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

2) As they called them, so they went from them; they sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to carved images.

3) I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them.

4) I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.

5) He shall not return to the land of Egypt; but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to repent.

6) And the sword shall slash in his cities, devour his districts, and consume them, because of their own counsels.

7) My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him.

8) How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred.

9) I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, the Holy One in your midst; and I will not come with terror.

10) They shall walk after the LORD. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west;

11) They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, like a dove from the land of Assyria.

And I will let them dwell in their houses,' says the LORD."

Hosea 11:1-11, NKJV

When God’s presence left the temple that day, no one heard from Him for four hundred years. Can you even imagine? Four hundred years and nothing. No prophetic word from God was spoken or written. The entire nation of Israel had been cut off from God. There was no peace in the hearts of men, only turmoil. There was a constant struggle with sin taking them further and further from where they were supposed to be. I can just imagine the earth groaning in pain and heartache for its Creator. For four hundred years, God was unheard. Even though the voice of God was silent, the hand of God was actively directing the course of events during this time.

Now for the golden nugget that lead us to do all this digging. God made a promise to His people and He was about to come through for them.

"14) Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."
Isaiah 7:14, NKJV

Did God's sign appear? Oh, yes...it absolutely did!!

"1) And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

2) This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

3) So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4) Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

5) to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

6) So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.

7) And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
Luke 2:1-7, NKJV

"22) So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

23) 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.' "
Matthew 1:22-23, NKJV

God came through on the promise He made to His people, because He is a covenant keeping God. God will always do what He says He will do. This, Beloved, is the very essence of the Christmas season; God fulfilling His promise to us through the birth of His Son.

All throughout the Old Testament, we’ve seen God protecting and preparing the way for His covenant to be fulfilled. He has shouted out to us, “Christmas is coming! My Promised One is coming to you! The One who will fill that void of something you are looking for. He is coming!”

Beloved, God came back. He took on flesh in order to dwell among His people. He came this time, not only to be God with us, but to be God in us. Immanuel, God with us, came to make a New Covenant with His people. Not a covenant that was bound by the law or the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, but a covenant that would be written on the hearts and minds of His people.

The day came and the promise God made in Jeremiah 31:31-34 was kept. And, because of Rahab, a Gentile prostitute, and Ruth, a Moabite woman redeemed by her kinsman redeemer, were grafted into the royal bloodline of the Davidic dynasty, we can enjoy the benefits of the New Covenant. God can be God in us.

Throughout all of time, God has been with His people, whether actively working or silently preparing a way, God has been there. When Adam sinned, God was with him promising him a Seed. When Satan tried to thwart God’s plan by killing Abel, God provided Seth from whom His Seed would come. When the flood waters overcame the earth, God was with Noah in the ark protecting the righteous.

God was with Moses and His chosen people through the wilderness wanderings providing for them every step of the way. God was with Rahab and Ruth, grafting them into the Davidic line from which an eternal Davidic King would come and rule. God’s presence left His people, but returned to fulfill a promise He made long ago. God returned in the body of an infant, but He had the heart of a warrior. A warrior who had come to redeem His people from the bondage of sin.

He is Immanuel; God with us, God in us, God for us. HE IS!!

Finding the Messiah- week 1

Whew! What a day!!! I'm finally sitting down at my desk to finish putting together today's post. My mind has been racing for days now as to how to piece this baby together. It's one of those posts where there is SO much to say but so little space to do it in. I'm gonna give it a whirl though, cause it's good, good stuff.

My sweet friend, Victoria of Let the Son Shine, is hosting a Bible Study every Tuesday during the month of December to help us focus our thoughts and activities on Christ this Christmas season.

Our study this past week involved us reading through several Scripture passages for the purpose of getting to know Jesus more through the circumstances that lead Him to earth. I spent some time reading through the list of passages Victoria shared. As I read them and then re-read them, there was one golden nugget of truth that out shone all the others.

It is a familiar "Christmas" passage; a passage that could easily be skimmed right over if one wasn't willing to pull up their shirt sleeves and do a little digging. Not being one who settles for the familiar, I push up my shirt sleeves and began digging and oh, the treasures I did find! I love it when the Lord takes those familiar passages and makes them come alive in my spirit; so alive that I can hardly contain my joy.

The golden nugget I am speaking of can be found in Isaiah 7:14.

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call Him name Immanuel."

Pretty self explanatory, huh? God's going to give a sign. A virgin will conceive a child. The child will be born. The child will be a Son. The Son is to be called Immanuel. The end. Period. Wrap that bad boy up and stick it under the tree.

Um...not so fast. How about let's, you and I, pull up our shirt sleeves and dig a little deeper into the significance of this beautiful promise. Sound like a winner? Good!

Let’s begin in the book of Ezekiel. The purpose of the book of Ezekiel is to announce God’s judgment on Israel and other nations and to foretell the eventual salvation of His people.

In Ezekiel chapter 8, we see that God has given Ezekiel a vision of what is going on in His temple. God's people have begun worshipping false gods and even bringing them into the Holy place. They were defiling His holy inhabitance by painting graffiti on the walls which pictured creatures who were associated with Egyptian animal cults. The leaders of the temple who should have been worshipping God and setting that example for others, were instead offering incense to these pagan idols in secret, thinking God could not see what they were doing.

Israel began worshipping Tammuz, the Babylonian god of spring vegetation. Women sat at the gate weeping over his demise and longing for his return. Men literally turned their backs to the temple of God while standing on the temple porch and began worshipping the sun in the east. Nothing of the temple, God’s dwelling place, was scared anymore. His people had completely defiled it.

In Ezekiel 8:18 God says...

"Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity;

and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them."
Ezekiel 8:18, NKJV

God had absolutely had enough. He would no longer hear the cries of His people nor pity them. He was tired of their disobedience and was about to unleash His wrath upon them. Can you even imagine? What would it be like to have God pour out His wrath on you? What would it be like to cry out to God and He not hear you? Not only that, what would it be like for God's presence to leave His dwelling place on earth; for His radiant glory to be gone?

Wow! The thought of it gives me chills. As harsh as it may seem to us, God did what He said He was going to do. Let's read on and as you read note the stages of God's glory leaving His dwelling place.

“9:3a) Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub,

where it had been, to the threshold of the temple.
10:4) Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub,

and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud,

and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory.
10:18) Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple

and stood over the cherubim.
11:23) And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city

and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city.
Ezekiel 9:3a; 10:4; 10:18; 11:23, NKJV

In the blink of an eye, God’s glory left the temple. The saddest part of it is, God’s people didn’t even notice He was gone. They were so consumed with themselves and their false gods, they had no idea the God of the universe had just depart from them. He slays the sinful and protects the few that remained faithful to Him. God rains fire over the city of Jerusalem as a sign of His wrath.

If God’s presence left His people, what about the promise of the Seed to come that would crush the head of Satan found in Genesis 3:15? What about the Kinsman Redeemer we find in the book of Ruth? What about the covenant He made with them? If He was gone, if His glory left the presence of His people, what would happen?

Read Ezekiel 11:14-21.

14) Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 15) “Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get far away from the LORD; this land has been given to us as a possession.’ 16) Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.”’ 17) Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ 18) And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. 19) Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20) that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 21) But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.

Yes, God’s presence was leaving His people, but His covenant love and promise for them still remained. Why? Because He is a covenant keeping, always loving God. He will never go back on His word. He fully intended to return and restore His relationship with His people. And, He did exactly that!

God beautifully illustrates His coming back for His people in the book of Hosea. Tomorrow we will push up our shirt sleeves and dig in there. For now, though, I encourage you to take some time and think back through today's verses from the book of Ezekiel. What are your thoughts?

And, I invite you to visit with my sweet friend Victoria and join us as we "Find the Messiah" this Christmas.

See you tomorrow! Bring your shovels, we've got a lot of digging to do!

Grace and Peace

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 1:2, NKJV

The Greek word for grace is charis, meaning unmerited favor. It is an undeserved acceptance and love received from another (Holman Bible Dictionary).

Paul very often pairs the concept of grace and peace together in his writings. Why? Because as a former persecutor of the church and an opposer of all things Godly- as one who considered himself to be the chiefest of sinners and as one whose heart, mind, and soul raged within him keeping him from any kind of peaceful life- Paul understood full well that once a person received and accepted God's grace, he/she would also be filled with God's peace, a peace that passes all understanding.

Peace comes from the Greek word eirene which means exemption from the rage and havoc of war; peace between individuals; security, safety, prosperity (Thayer Dictionary).

Again, Paul understood fully that this grace, this undeserved favor, this undeserved love and acceptance which had been lavished upon him, leading to a life that dispelled the raging war within his being came only from God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Nothing Paul had ever done, nothing he could ever do would make him deserving of God's favor. God had been gracious to Paul by calling him to Himself and granting him salvation.

Paul's embracing of God's grace opened the doors to a life of peace with the Almighty God. Read what he says in Titus 2.

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing
us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and
godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the
glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to
redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His
own possession, zealous for good deeds."
Titus 2:11-14, NASB

Do you see the grace and peace in these verses that Paul speaks of? "For the grace of God has appeared," here is God's grace, Jesus Christ in the flesh, appearing to all men in order to bring them salvation. "Who gave Himself for us to redeem us," and here is God's peace, brought about through the redemptive work on the cross. Christ's death on the cross redeemed us or released us from the debt we owed because of our sin. His blood paid our ransom and restored us to peaceful fellowship with God.

Grace and peace. You can't have one without the other.

Grace and peace. Grace given by God. Peace made possible through the shed blood of Christ on the cross.

Grace and peace. Both undeserved by fallen mankind; but both abundantly lavished upon fallen mankind because God desired relationship with the people He created.

Grace and peace. Acceptance by God. Secure in His hands.

Grace and peace. Beautiful. Abundant. Undeserved. Freeing.

Precious one, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Rest in His grace and peace this day.

Today Lord, I Rejoice!

May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.

As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. - For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?
My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. - "

One pearl of great value." - The ruler of kings on earth.
His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. - Head over all things. -

He is the head of the body, the church.
His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. -

He could not be hidden. - His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh. -

"No one ever spoke like this man!" - His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars.

Make your face shine on your servant. -

"Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!"

(Ps. 104:34; Song. 2:3; Ps. 89:6; Song, 5:10; Matt. 13:46; Rev. 1:5; Song. 5:11; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18; Song. 5:13; Mark 7:24; Song. 5:13; John 7:46; Song 5:15; Ps. 31:16; Ps. 4:6-

all Scripture from the English Standard Version- Daily Light, September 22)

Today Lord, I rejoice in You! I rejoice in the glorious richness of Your Most Holy Name! I rejoice in the abundant grace You have so freely bestowed upon my sin sick heart. I rejoice and am humbled that You have chosen me to be Your daughter and spend my life serving You.

May Your grace not be in vain. May all my meditations be pleasing and delightful to Your ears. May I be a reflection of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Father, there is NONE who compares to You. YOU are Lord over all. YOU are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Ruler of the universe, Creator of all. The radiance of Your glory can penetrate through the very darkest of hearts.

YOU are strength;
YOU are might;
YOU are beauty;
YOU are light.

YOU are righteous;
YOU are holy;
YOU are just; and,
YOU are the Giver of abundant life.

May Your face shine upon me this day. May my thoughts be Your thoughts and may my hands love as Your hands love. May my heart be filled with compassion and mercy. May my words be spoken with kindness and may they be pleasing to You. May my life today, precious Lord, be a sweet offering to You.

In Jesus Name, Amen and Amen.

I Love Me Some Words!

I LOVE words! I love nouns and pronouns, verbs and adverbs, prepositional phrases and the like; oh, I am especially fond of adjectives. Adjectives add to any text such a rich description of the subject at hand. Makes my heart beat a little faster just thinking about...words! Sweet mercy...I love me some words!!!

I recently started reading through the book of Ephesians in my morning times with the Lord and the beautiful words penned by the apostle Paul to the church of Ephesus are enough to make my heart not only beat a little faster, but near 'bout leap out of my chest. Listen to a few of the words one will read on the pages of this great book...

"by the will of God..."
"Grace to you..."
"peace from God..."
"in Christ..."
"He chose us..."
"hope of His calling..."
"riches of the glory of His inheritance..."
"the fullness of Him who fills all in all..."

Be still my heart! Beautiful! How absolutely beautiful are these words!?! And, these phrases are just a few from chapter 1. Geesh! I can only imagine what other magnificent words will be unearthed as I continue on through the entire book? Glory!!!

As I began reading through chapter 1 of Ephesians, I couldn't get past the first half of the very first verse.

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,"

Ephesians 1:1a, NASB

Oh, the hope contained within these few words that fills my sin-sickened heart! Now, think through this thing with me; I want you to grab a hold of that hope too.

Paul. Who was Paul? He was once the man named Saul.

As Saul, he was...
a killer of God's chosen people.

a hater of all believers.

a destroyer of the church.

an opposer of the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yes, he WAS all those things. But, now!?! Now, he is Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.

Now, he is...
a lover of Christ and all things in Him.

a preacher to the lost.

a messenger of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

a defender of the Faith.

a builder of the Church.

Paul, whose life was once burdened with sin, is now covered by the magnificent, abundant grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and is chosen to be an apostle, a messenger, one who would lay the foundation of the church. Why? Because, it was God's will, God's choice, God's providential sovereignty to save this offender of the Gospel and make him into one of the greatest apologists of the faith that has ever lived.

Do you see the hope here? God knew WHAT Saul was; God knew WHO he was. Yet, He saw past all the junk and saw the heart of the man Paul and knew exactly what He could make Saul into. It was God's will that the grace and salvation freely given through the mighty work of Christ on the cross be granted to the man Saul. God had a plan. And, His plan was for Paul to be an apostle, a messenger of His saving grace.

Those few words fill my heart with much hope. Paul called himself the chiefest of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), yet he recognized that he was a sinner who was saved by the grace of God. I would have to rank myself right up there with Paul when it comes to being the chiefest of sinners. However reading his story, knowing what he was and seeing what God made him, fills my heart with hope.

If God can use parasites to make pearls and if God can use a sinner such as Paul to be one of the founding leaders of His church, then God can use me and equip me to fulfill the calling He has placed on my life because that's His sovereign will. And, He can use you too!!

That, my friends, is a good word and I LOVE it!

Trust. Cling. Rely...On Him

Let's recap what we have learned thus far from Psalm 27:14.

First, we learned that during those inevitable times of waiting in our lives, we are to wait in eager and patient anticipation for what the Lord is going to do in us. We are to wait with great hope because His is our help and our shield.

Next, we learned that in our waiting in eager and patient anticipation of what the Lord is doing and is going to do in our lives, we are...strengthened, supported, encouraged, conquering or seizing something in our lives, repaired, and built upon.

Today, we are going to talk about the concept of courage that the Psalmist David speaks of in Psalm 27:14.

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and

let your heart take courage;

yes, wait for the LORD."
Psalm 27:14, NASB (emphasis added)

Often times in our waiting our hearts can become heavy, burdened, and worried. The Psalmist tell us that we are to take courage.

Courage is a transliteration of the Hebrew word chazaq, which means to be bound fast, to be attached.

In Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Moses is addressing Joshua and all of Israel. He tells them to "be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." The strength and courage of the Israelites came from their confidence in knowing that the LORD would never leave nor forsake them. They were attached to Him and He to them.

"Be strong and let your heart take courage,

all you who hope (wait for) in the LORD."
Psalm 31:24, NASB

Be strong...take courage. Hang with me here, this concept is a very important one for us to grasp. This phrase "be strong...take courage" is a plural imperative. Plural meaning the Psalmist is speaking to all of us; imperative meaning it is a command or a strong encouragement to behave in a certain way. This is a phrase used particularly in anticipation of battle. Those going into battle were strongly encouraged to present themselves as a people who were strong and filled with much courage because they knew to whom they were attached. This is the very idea behind Moses' command to Joshua and all of Israel in Deuteronomy 31:6-8.

We also find this same idea in Psalm 27:14, "be strong...and let your heart take courage." The Psalmist is commanding us to take courage in the One to whom we have attached ourselves, knowing that He will never leave nor forsake His children.

In our times of waiting, as the Lord is strengthening us, supporting us, encouraging us, conquering those fleshly desires in our lives, repairing our brokenness and building upon His plan, ...

~we are to confidently hope in Him knowing that what He is doing in our hearts is preparing us for a battle that is sure to come.

~we are to attach ourselves to Him, allowing Him to clear the way and not trying to do it ourselves.

~we are to trust in Him, not our own selves nor the people around us, knowing that He will never leave nor forsake us.

Have you attached yourself to the Lord God Almighty today or are you hanging onto life by a mere thread? Are you trusting in an All-Powerful God, allowing Him to clear the way before you or are you trying to live life according to your own plan? Are you prepared for battle?

Trust Him. Cling to Him. Rely on Him.

Repairing and Constructing

Yesterday, we discussed that during those inevitable times of waiting in our lives, we are to wait in eager and patient anticipation for what the Lord is going to do in us. We are to wait with great hope because His is our help and our shield.

Today, I'd like us to continue digging into the meaning of Psalm 27:14.

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your
heart take courage;

yes, wait for the LORD."

Psalm 27:14, NASB (emphasis added)

We are not only to wait in eager and patient anticipation for what the Lord is going to do in our lives, the Psalmist tells us in our waiting that we are also to "be strong".

Strong is a transliteration of the Hebrew word hazaq. This word means to be strong, be courageous, to make firm, strengthen, support, encourage; to preserve, to conquer, seize, retain, to harden. I found it very interesting that this term was also frequently used in reference to construction or repair work (2 Kings 12:5ff; 1 Chronicles 26:27; Nehemiah 3:4ff; Nahum 3:14).

Think about this with me:
Could it be that in our waiting, God is constructing or building something in us?
Could it be that in our waiting, God is repairing or mending a part of us that is broken?
Could it be? I definitely think it could be! Oh, the hope this gives me as I wait, knowing that God is working in me and on me to construct a woman who will more accurately and beautifully reflect His holiness!

In our waiting in eager and patient anticipation of what the Lord is doing and is going to do in our lives, in this very waiting moment, we are...
~strengthened
~supported
~encouraged
~conquering or seizing something in our lives
~repaired
~built upon- something in us is begin built up

Today Beloved, as you wait, know that He is repairing and constructing in you something new and beautiful!

How are You Waiting?

We live in a society, a day in age for that matter, where waiting is something we aren't very accustomed to doing. There's just no much that you and I have to wait on or for these days.

For instance...

~Need something for dinner? Head to the nearest fast food restaurant or pop something in the microwave, and wa-la... dinner is served.

~Out and about and need to call a friend? Never mind waiting until you get home to give her a call; just pick up your cell phone, hit #2 because you have her on speed dial, and talk until your heart's content.

~Is there a special event on your calendar you want to look nice and tan for? Not a problem! Forget the real sun and now even the tanning bed; get a spray on tan!

~Forgot that your mom's birthday is tomorrow and now it's too late to send her a card through snail mail? Don't panic... send her an e-card, with music, for free!!

Are you with me here? Waiting has become a lost art. While I am thankful modern technology has afforded us the freedom to hurry along in doing some things, with that freedom, I'm afraid, has come an attitude of impatience.

What does God's Word have to say about waiting? How are we to wait? What are we to do in our waiting? Over the next few days we are going to discuss this concept of waiting.

In Psalm 27 verse 14, the Psalmist David tells us that we are to "wait for the LORD."

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your
heart take courage;

yes, wait for the LORD."

Psalm 27:14, NASB (emphasis added)

"Waiting" here is the transliteration of the Hebrew word qawah which carries with it the idea of expecting, hoping in, patiently waiting for.

Webster's Dictionary defines "wait" in the following way, to remain stationary in readiness or expectation; to look forward expectantly.

Inevitably, there will be times in our lives when the Lord will have us in a position of waiting. In fact, you may be there at this very moment; waiting for the Lord to show you the next step you are to take. As you and I wait during these time, what are we supposed to do? How are we to behave?

Let's revisit what the Psalmist said. He said that we are to, "Wait for the LORD." During those times of waiting we ARE NOT to gripe and complain, moan and groan, whine and fuss, stomp our feet and pitch a fit; instead, we are to wait in faith. We are to remain where we are patiently waiting for what the Lord has next for our lives. We are to expectantly look forward, with hope, knowing that what's coming from Him is for our good and His glory.

In Isaiah 8:17, we read that Isaiah was in a time of waiting. He was waiting for the LORD to turn His face back toward the house of Jacob. While Isaiah waited he was not nonchalantly going about his day, bidding his time as the minutes ticked away, he was not gripping and complaining, begging the LORD to hurry things along; he was eagerly looking for the LORD to turn His face back toward His people.

"And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding
His face from the house of Jacob;

I will even look eagerly for Him."

Isaiah 8:17, NASB (emphasis added)

So how are we to wait? We are to wait in eager and patient anticipation for what the Lord is going to do in our lives. We are to wait with great hope because His is our help and our shield (Psalm 33:20).

Are you in a "waiting" place right now? How are you waiting? Are you waiting with eager and patience anticipation for what the Lord is going to do in your life? Or, are you grumbling and complaining, begging Him to hurry things along?

Let me encourage you today Beloved to, "wait for the LORD" and "look eagerly for Him."

The Other Side

"35) On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side."36)Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37) And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38) Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; 1) They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes." Mark 4:35-38a & 5:1, NASB

Did you see it? No? Let's read it again.

"35) On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side." 36) Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37) And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38) Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; 1) They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes." Mark 4:35-38a & 5:1, NASB

See it that time? Still no? Okay, let me help.

"He said to His them, 'Let us go over to the other side."

Yea, I know, it's an easy phrase to overlook, but these few words are filled with much promise. Let me set the stage for you. Jesus had been preaching and teaching all day on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. When evening had come, He gathered His disciples together in order to go over to the eastern shore for a time of rest.

Jesus, knowing there was a storm on the horizon, did not say to the disciples, "Alright guys, we're gonna board the ship, but we're only going to be able to go half way across the Sea of Galilee because there is a horrible storm coming. So..., once we get to the half way point we're going to turn around and come back." No, that's not what He said at all!

Instead, Jesus, knowing there was a storm on the horizon, said to His disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." He had every intention of going through the storm with His disciples and He had every intention of making it safely to the other side.

Was He worried? No.

Was He afraid? No.

Did He decide to cancel the trip because He knew a fierce gale of wind was about to blow across the Sea of Galilee causing the boat to be tossed to and fro? No.

Did Jesus think this voyage across the Sea of Galilee, with its approaching storm, would stretch His disciples a little too much and decide it best to not make them endure it? No.

Jesus was neither worried nor afraid. In fact, He slept soundly in the stern of the boat. Yes, He knew the winds would howl and the waves would be monstrous . He knew the storm would cause the disciples to fear and question His authority, yet He still made them board the boat that day. Why? Because He knew this storm would develop character in them; He knew the outcome of making them ride those waves was far greater than allowing them to cower on the shore. Jesus knew this storm would increase their faith as they saw, firsthand, His power displayed when He spoke a hush over the storm.

This group of men, if you'll remember, was for the most part made up of a band of fishermen who had, I'm sure, experienced raging waters and strong gusts of winds on many occasions in the past. But, unlike the storms of the past, this storm was taylor-made for them. The storm that raged on this day was for the purpose of pushing them beyond where their faith lay at that very moment in time. God told the waves to swell and the winds to rage for the purpose of teaching the disciples the value of leaning on Jesus.

The most beautiful part of this passage to me is the very fact that when Jesus called them to get in the boat with Him, He knew they would make it safely to the other side. His very instructions were for them to get in and go to the other side; not stop and turn around, not cower in fear, but go to the other side.

Like the disciples, God calls us to go through storms. Our storms are not for the purpose of causing us harm, but rather to teach us the value of leaning on Him for all things. Jesus knew exactly how much of the storm His disciples were able to bear and hushed the winds and calmed the waves at just the right moment; His moment.

Are you going through a storm right now? Are you being tossed to and fro? Rest assured that your Savior will calm the waves and hush the seas at exactly the right time. Until then, lean on Him and cling to the promise that you will make it to the other side.

Happy Labor Day!

"58) Therefore, my dear brothers (and sisters),

stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,

because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV

Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

I love those times in the study of God's Word when He has me looking at several verses and then ties them all together in a lesson tailor made for me. As I untied the ribbon on His most recent gift and pulled the treasure out of it's box I found His revelation to me to be a lesson on fixing my eyes on Jesus and not on the world around me.

"For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; but He is intimate with the
upright."
Proverbs 3:32, NASB

According to Webster's Dictionary, devious means wandering, moving without a fixed course, deviating from a right, accepted, or common course, not straightforward.

I feel certain all of us could attest to having been devious at one time or another. I know there have been times in my life when I've hiked up my cute jeans, ditched the snazzy shoes, and set out on my own course. Like a pinball machine, I would bounce from one thing to the next, never walking in an orderly fashion or staying in one location- be it physically, mentally, or emotionally- for very long . Because I was so busy bouncing from here to there instead purposefully placing one foot in front of the other and because my eyes were wandering to and fro, there was not even a hint of intimacy between the Lord and me.

God chooses to reveal Himself to those who are upright; to those who are walking down the straight and narrow path He has set before them. For the one who has fixed her eyes on Jesus and is purposefully putting one foot in front of the other, she is the one who will experience true intimacy with her God. She is the one who with whom God is going to reveal His secret and the one with whom He will make covenant (Psalm 25:14).

As I read and meditated on these verses my thoughts were drawn back to this past weekend and the Deeper Still conference. Kay Arthur taught from the book of Hebrews and over and over again she encouraged us to fix our eyes upon Jesus. Why? Because when our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we are able to experience true intimacy with Him. Because when our eyes are fixed on Jesus, our relationship with Him will go beyond surface and be rooted deeper and deeper in the truth and knowledge of who He is and who He desires us to be.

I remember teaching my students several years ago that in order for us to have a personal, intimate, growing relationship with the Lord we would have to put on our spiritual blinders. Let me explain to you what I mean. When horses and plows were used for gardening, farmers would place on the head of the animal a harness that had blinders positioned around the eye area. These blinders were meant to keep the animal's eyes focused on the row directly in front of him. If there were no blinders the chances of the horse becoming distracted and walking in a crooked line were highly probable. The blinders were an absolute must if the farmer were to get any work done.

You and I must put on our spiritual blinders so that we are able to walk the straight and narrow and experience intimacy with our Savior. Proverbs 4:25-27 tells us we are to let our eyes look directly ahead and let our gaze be fixed straight in front of us. We are to watch the path of our feet so that all our ways will be established. We are not to turn to the right nor to the left, but we are to continue to walk straight ahead, turning our foot from evil.

The blinders on the horses harness enabled him to focus on the row he was plowing; our spiritual blinders enable us to focus our attention on Jesus Christ Himself.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us
also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, FIXING OUR EYES ON
JESUS, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne
of God." Hebrews 12:1-2, NASB (emphasis added)

It is so easy for us to focus our attention on the happenings of the world around us. It is easy to get caught up in the mundane of day to day living. Often times it is much easier to rely on those tangible persons in our lives instead of the God we cannot see. Circumstances, sometimes beyond our control, sometimes self-inflicted, can very easily draw our attention away from the Lord if we do not have our spiritual blinders on.

The Lord so beautifully tied together these verses in Proverbs 3 & 4 with the truths of Hebrews 12. He taught me the importance of walking in such a manner where I am purposefully placing one foot in front of the other all the while fixing my eyes upon the One who is the author (the Originator) and the perfecter (the Finisher) of my faith.