Thursday, April 30, 2009

Day120 Which house do we visit?

Proverb 9, 10& 11
1.Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars.She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city,"Let all who are simple come to my house!" To those who have no sense she says,"Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight."

13 Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing.She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city,calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way,"Let all who are simple come to my house!"To those who have no sense she says,"Stolen water is sweet;food eaten in secret is delicious!"
But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

Spot the difference in these two pictures...
One is disciplined, there is purposeful activity to set a table for the guests. She has good things to share and she is prepared. Her house, the one she built over time, is set on 7 pillars and she sends out servants as well as calling from the highest point of the city herself. She is open and welcoming. This picture is one of planning, preparedness and prosperity.

The other also has a house, but she is seated and there is no sense here of working or caring for her guests. In fact it is enticement to taking things that don't belong to us! To call bad, good and secret nourishment "delicious". This made me think of gossip, idle words to kill, steal and destroy.
Provers 26:22-27 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts. Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit.Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.

So whose house will we visit the one built on 7 seven pillars or the one harboring 7 abominations!
Siobhan

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Day119 El Roi - The God who Sees

Psalm 53v2 God looks down from heaven on the human race to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

Hagar gave the name El Roi to the Lord. She recognized whom she had met and understood that God seen her misery and was comforted with that knowledge.
She still had a difficult road ahead. God told her to go back into the situation, and then gave her some "heads-up" on the son she was carrying, and it wasn't good news.

The blessings and good words from God are not guaranteed to be easy but you can guarantee they are the truth. There is no such thing as hassle-free-holiness!

Our strength comes from knowing that El Roi knows, understands and is with us through it.

As you go through today what name would you give to God?

Here is the story of Hagar

Gen 16:6-16 "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?" "I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son.You shall name him Ishmael,for the LORD has heard of your misery.He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."

verse 13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi ; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.

So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Day 118 Doeg the Edomite

Doeg the Edomite, Sauls head shepherd turns warrior!(1 Samuel 21:6-8

1 Samuel 22:17-19 Then the king ordered the guards at his side: "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me." But the king's officials were not willing to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.The king then ordered Doeg, "You turn and strike down the priests." So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.

What was said of him in Psalm 52....
1"Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long,you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
2 You who practice deceit,your tongue plots destruction;it is like a sharpened razor.
3 You love evil rather than good,falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
4 You love every harmful word,you deceitful tongue!
5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent;he will uproot you from the land of the living.
6 The righteous will see and fear;they will laugh at you, saying,
7 "Here now is the one who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!"

There was no reason to tell Saul where David was and to step forward and destroy what others wouldn't dare, show us that it is easy to misplace our trust and allegiance. He should have kept his mouth shut!
Siobhan

Monday, April 27, 2009

Day 117 Two dejected disciples

Luke 24, The Road to Emmanus: dejected and downcast disciples.
These two disciples didn't join their "companions" to check out the women's story that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. They believed what the disciples reported and their hopes were dashed. The companions, as they referred to the disciples who checked out the tomb for themselves, ran towards the place where Jesus laid. These two went home.
I see the main difference between the disciples who went and the circle of friends/companions was one of devotion. They may have traveled with Jesus, but they didn't see themselves as disciples of Jesus.

Cleopas and his friend had been physically with Jesus and looked forward to the revolution that Jesus was to bring, they weren't expecting a resurrection first! One day there will be a revolution but in the meantime, we preach Christ Crucified and Risen from the dead. Our redemption and ministry of reconciliation is for today, and we will receive grace for the day that Christ will be revealed.

Afterward Jesus explained to them the scriptures "Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him (v31) Like Job(chpt 42:4-6) who said of YHWH, "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

To give the two dejected friends credit, they physically turned around (repented) and ran to Jerusalem. They didn't jump up and go to the tomb that morning but that same night ran back to Jerusalem. Once a person has met with Jesus, devotion naturally follows.
Siobhan

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Day112 Preparing to stand before the Son of Man

Luke 21:24-36 Prepare to stand before the Son of Man!
Being forewarned is being forearmed."Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.....People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Revelation 11:1-3 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."

Without getting into Last Days theories & theologies, however the last days shake out, we are encourage to"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

Being able to stand before the Son of Man is where our focus is to be. It made me think about Job when YHWH called to him to "Brace himself like a man", and answer him. Maybe reviewing those last few chapters of Job will give us a sense of what that will be like.. Let us know how you get on,
what struck you as you read?
what was the take away message from Job's reactions to YHWH's speeches?

Our reflection will give us deeper revelation of YHWH's character and HIS expectation of us.

Siobhan

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Day 111 Children of the Resurrection V's Children of the Revolution

Luke 20:34-40ff Children of the Resurrection V's Children of the Revolution.

"Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."

This passage fired off a few thoughts in my mind.
As disciples we are children of the resurrection. and some may remember a song entitled "children of the revolution" by a glam pop group called "Sweet" in the 70's. This is really what we are looking at, being citizens of earth we are those "children of the revolution" walking in the ways of darkness to "kill, steal and destroy". Satan orchestrated the revolt in heaven and now reigns as the prince of darkness, the prince of the power of the air. (Read Jude)

Ephesians 2:1-4 children of the revolution.

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath".

Ephesians 2:4-10 children of the resurrection."But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Moses and the Exodus generation of Israelites paid the price of unbelief and not upholding the standard of holiness, let us make our salvation and election sure by paying attention to what we think and what we do.

2 Peter 1:2-4 "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

Siobhan

Monday, April 20, 2009

Day 110 Moses's Swan Song

Deut 32 Moses composes and sings a song to remember the 40 years in the desert. Like most poetry, it distills the realities experienced along the way. How YHWH sought out Israel and hovered over him, also stern warnings are voiced to this new generation to "Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past". verse 28-29 "They are a nation without sense,there is no discernment in them. If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be!"

Moses is then asked to go up the mountain where he will die.
verse 50 There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel."

The standard that God sets is for the leaders (Aaron and Moses together are culpable)as much as the people and like the generation that Moses led out of Egypt, they did not enter the promised land.

Moses and Aaron are at fault for striking the rock instead of speaking to it at Meribah Kadesh and for not setting the example of holiness in front of others.
Unbelief is powerful.

Hebrews12:12-13"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness".

Siobhan

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Day 109 When the justice we seek is arrogrant.

Luke 18:1-6 When we want revenge/vengeance it is a cry from the heart of what little remains from being in the Garden of Eden. There was order, structure and life in the Garden. Now we live in the domain that seeks to kill, steal and destroy.

When the person we go to for justice is self important, is self sufficient, needs neither the approval of God or man, how do we get through to them? The persistent widow shows us how. What made him afraid of the woman, first she was looking for justice, for a wrong to be put right, and she wouldn't go away. How many times have we shied away from calling a situation or a person to account for their actions?

So we can say, she was a woman one wouldn't cross lightly, and this was a turning factor in the judges mind. From what I gather about my great grandmother, she would have fitted into this category! Verse 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!' "

The unjust judge demeans her character and her case, she is not worth his time or his effort to assess a matter of deep concern and probably distress. The fact that she is a widow should have brought a quicker response from the judge as she had no husband to speak up on her behalf.

The widow was desperate to have justice and she knew how the chain of command worked.
Psalm 47:9 The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;he is greatly exalted.

When we realize that the kings of the earth belong to God then we can gain perspective on how to seek what is right.

He alone is Judge! Not only the judge of our actions but also of others.
Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us.

6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

"However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" This is the deeper question. God will see that they get justice, what of us? How desperate are we desperate for a wrong to be put right? Are we cultivating the faith like Abraham, of knowing that the Judge of all the earth will do what is right?

Genesis 18:25 "Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
Siobhan

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Day 106 Gratitiude of the First Fruits

Remembering where we came from and where YHWH has brought us to.

Deut 26: 5-10
Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor.Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, LORD, have given me."

Using this ancient prayer, how would you personalize this for your life today?
Tony and I used to say this when we went to put our tithe on the plate in New Faith. It was an encouraging and humbling experience and built gratitude and hope into our lives and the life of the church.

Siobhan

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Day 105 Wise friendships & taking sin seriously

Wise friendships & taking sin seriously
How do we assess the evil we encounter on a daily basis? We get a glimpse of how YHWH views such simple things as hospitality and the more complex issue of the power of influence in our reading today in Deut.
Deut 23:3-6 "No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation".
Passive neglect, of basic hospitality refused.

For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt,
Active active harm - employ/influence others to work against you
and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you.
God's response on our behalf and His expectation of our behavior.
However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.

When God works on our behalf to thwart the evil that was set against us, we would be wise not to draw the same evil close to us again.

When people turn their back on their evil nation as in the case of Ruth the Moabitess then they will be welcomed. See Ruth & 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness".

As we live in an age that promotes the continuation of evil by our "live and let live" and "forgive and forget" attitudes it's easy to minimize the sin that we commit and the sin we receive on an ongoing daily basis.

Luke 6:42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

So for me today, I would do well to be aware of the "log" in my eye, and not minimize the "speck" in my brother's eye.
Siobhan

Monday, April 13, 2009

Day 103 Lost and Found Department

Luke 15 "The Lost and Found Department" The lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son.
Lost possessions and lost people.The sheep wandered off, the lost coin rolled away and the son walked away.To impress the importance of the story about son who walked away, the parables begin with one out of hundred sheep, then we have one out of ten coins, and then one out of two sons. Jesus brought the Pharisees and the teachers of the law along a path to see that people were more important than possessions, relationships more important than real estate.

Today, as we meet people who have lost collateral in terms of jobs, investments and literally real estate, let us introduce them to the "one who finds". Here are some names of God to help with the specifics in times of loss.

Immanuel - God is With Us;
Isaiah 7:14 8:8-10, Matthew 1:23, Romans 8:31
El Roi - The God Who Sees;
Ezekiel 11:5, Hebrews 4:13, Genesis 16:13, Psalm 139:1-12
Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is There;
Genesis 28:15, Psalm 121, Ezekiel 48:35, Hebrews 13:5
Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will Provide;
Genesis 22:1-14, Matthew 6:11, Philippians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8
El Shaddai - God Almighty, The All Sufficient;
Genesis 17:1, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Ephesians 3:20, Jude 1:24
Jehovah Rohi - The Lord My Shepherd;
Psalm 23, Isaiah 40:11, John 10:11, 1 Peter 2:25
Abba - Daddy, Loving Heavenly Father;
Jeremiah 31:3, Romans 8:15, 1 John 3:1, Matthew 6:9-13, Hebrews 12:5-9, Luke 11:11-13
Jehovah Rapha - The Lord Your Healer;
Exodus 15:22-27, Psalm 103:3-4, 147:3, Isaiah 53:5, Hosea 14:4-9, Matthew 9:35
Jehovah Shalom - The Lord is Peace;
Judges 6:1-24, Isaiah 26:3-4, John 14:27, Philippians 4:7

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Day 101 open hands reveals an open heart

Deut 15: Be generous with your wealth and wares.

4 "However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today".

11 "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land".

There shouldn't be poor among us but God knows we are made of dust, and we know where our good intentions get us!

Siobhan

Friday, April 10, 2009

Day 100 Retirement Portfolio Planning & Preparation

Luke 12 talks about a Retirement Portfolio Planning & Preparation, really long range planning! "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning". Here are 10 aspects to our retirement portfolio from the Luke 12 Scripture. If we live like this, then our mind, heart and hands are storing up riches in heaven.

Points to remember...Get Ready!

1. Luke:12 2&3 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

2. Luke12:4&5 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell.

3. Luke 12:8 "I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.

4. Luke 12:15 "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."

5. Luke 12:22;29-31 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.... And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

6. Luke 12:33b&34 Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Get Set! Getting dressed to serve.

7. Luke 12:35 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,

8. Luke 12:37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

9. Luke 12:42-44 "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

10. Luke 12:48 "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked".

Get Ready, Get Set, Go Serve!..

Today, I am getting ready for a party at home tonight in honor of Conor coming home for Easter. Declan & Tony (Talent & Wallet) are putting on a magic show and we have about 10 guests plus ourselves. Talent & Wallet have been practicing Daniel has been putting the music together and I have been buying food and baking yesterday. A lot of activity is going into preparation for a couple of hours entertainment, we are all excited about it and happy to do it. It has been on our minds one way one way or another for about six weeks. I can't imagine doing this on a regular basis, yet that is what we are called to do, be planning, be prepared, be dressed and ready to serve at a moments notice.
Siobhan

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Day 98 Psalm 42

Psalm 42:8 "By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life". What a great way to sum up a 24 hour period!So what distracts us from having that experience each day and each night?

v9-11 "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning,oppressed by the enemy?"...."my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long,"Where is your God?"...."Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?

David provides the insight. We doubt that God is present with us - always,and we listen to those whose allegiance is with the one with the job description to "kill, steal and destroy"

Remember the children's song.....
"Oh be careful little ears what you hear, Oh be careful little ears what you hear, For the Father up above is looking down in love, Oh be careful little ears what you hear! Now 'sing 'till your heart's content'

You are the apple of God's eye (and that's close)and you are worth dying for.
Siobhan


Further meditation on "deep calls to deep"
http://spindleworks.com/library/kuiper/meditation.htm

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Day 97 The "crossings" in life

Today is my wedding anniversary (19years), tomorrow is my "new birth" anniversary (29 years). Today is also a day I am going to have a new home. Our offer on 153 Hildreth St in Marlborough was accepted :) Reminiscences and looking forward to the Road ahead is what today is for me. This is a great chapter to steady oneself in the moves and grooves of life.

Deut6:1&2 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

YHWH wants us and our children to live long and be prosperous as we make all those crossings in life. We read earlier in Proverbs 8, that wisdom can be found at the crossroads in life. What we choose today sets a path for our life tomorrow.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Day 92 Camping with YHWH

Numbers 33 YHWH likes to keeps records, but he uses people to do the writting!
Moses and the commandments, though God wrote the first set and then Moses had to write the next set after he let the first set fall.

Now a record of all the places the Israelites is written and some have highlights attached. Leaving Egypt while others buried their first born child must have been difficult to do. Death and destruction in others lives may not be for us to linger with ...especially if its because of God bringing judgment on their belief system, be it stock markets or the stars.

What strikes me is there is no record of what God did; giving the 10 commandments, the "appearance" of the golden calf or the parting the Red sea, bringing water from the rock...

Maybe we don't have to record everything on paper but each place has it's own memories. I have a set of memories for each place I have stayed in my life, the names of people, the interactions, lessons learned along the way.

Maybe this weekend, it would be good to list our places of travel and remember the places and people on the parchment of our heart.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Day 92 Wisdom is older than dirt!

Proverbs 8 : 23,30-31 23 "I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day,rejoicing always in his presence,rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in humankind".
wow, If Adam and Eve had wisdom back the garden, why did Eve want to eat the fruit of knowledge of good and evil? she lived with eternal wisdom, why seek it elsewhere?

I suppose its like us having the scriptures and reading the horoscope as well.
Belief with False Belief.... Getting our wisdom from God or from His created world.

We look at uncertainty in the spiritual and therefore we count as abstract and therefore not real whereas, when we use the created "thing" we relate to the concrete, we are inclined to believe our two dimensional life because our physical eyesight informs us. (Apparently, our Retina is two dimensional but we live in a three dimensional world)

Godly wisdom begins with a knowledge of God and works from there...

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Day 91 Rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

It wasn't the ministry of performing miracles, vanquishing demons, or using their power and authority that the 70 were to rejoice in but to "rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

The presentation of the gospel through healing and miracles didn't make a difference to the towns that they were performed in, they actually were more culpable because they seen and heard the tangible Kingdom of God and they didn't heed it.

Why did Jesus send them out? It isn't recorded that the 70/72 ever went out again, but considering what was soon to happen it must have been a "faith booster" preparation for Jesus betrayal,death and resurrection. The mission got the word out faster so more people could hear about the good news of the Kingdom. Having said that, how many people were at the foot of the cross? Where were the people who received healing, deliverance and forgiveness?

When we see God@work in us and our community, what is our response? It seems that we get tied up with asking for more...more power, more authority over things. When does "more" become sufficient for us?

The key to our response in whatever type of ministry YHWH calls us to, is to be one of gratitude, understanding the sufficiency of the presence of the Kingdom of God and that His righteousness has come near us. Contentment with Godliness is great gain.

As people who have received various forms of healing, deliverance and forgiveness may we pass it on to someone today. Amen.