When it rains remember God Reins

Ezra 3:10-11 recalls, "When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD."

Is it easier to praise God in the good or the bad? When things are good I sometimes forget to thank God for all that He has done. However, when things are too good, I find I want to hold onto the moment for fear it will not come again. God, forgive me for this fear as it does rob me of your joy!" I find when things are really tough, I get to praying. Why does this matter? It matters because "walking with the Lord" is to acknowledge God in the small and the big - the hard and the easy times in our lives. It is borne out of gratitude in all situations and in acceptance of whatever or wherever God needs us to be. It's talking to Him or just sitting at His feet.

Each of us has talents. Some are very obvious, some are behind the scenes - thank you for our unsung heroes!!!

I used to get upset and feel guilty that I could not contribute or donate to some organizations. Hear me on this - GOD does NOT want us to be stretched so thin that we are ineffective and grow to be burnt out. The priests wore linen at God's commandment because He wants his people to not sweat. He wants us to be renewed and refreshed. God renews our cups if we let Him. He doesn't want us as doormats taken for granted, aching because our own needs are not met (notice I said needs), and our families broken to serve God. I really don't think this is at all what God wants. So, what am I saying or asking?? Everyone goes through different trials, tribulations, hardships, and joys. All of us are unique and when all of us are responding to others' needs from our hearts we can experience real connections. Our experiences can bring someone else hope, encouragement, and even a reminder that God loves each of us as we are each His. Sing of God's praise and with a grateful heart be ready to share or go where He needs us to be.

Just Who Is Adam and Eve?

To understand who Eve is, we must start with Adam which is at the very beginning of the Bible.

High Level:

Adam is the very first man created after God spoke into existence all of creation in Chapter 1 of Genesis. In chapter 2, God creates the very first body of mankind from the clay of the earth:

7 Then Adonai, God, formed a person from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so that he became a living being.

Adam literally breathed because God breathed into his nostrils! Considering CPR today, this is not a cold, impersonal creator. This is an intimate scene between the Lord and Adam. This is a warm, involved, personal creator who wants to bring His creation to life! And, God wanted him to live so He planted the garden to both feed Adam’s physical body and his mental well-being. Everything was given to Adam except for the fruit from the tree of life:

8 Adonai, God, planted a garden toward the east, in 'Eden, and there he put the person whom he had formed.  9 Out of the ground Adonai, God, caused to grow every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

15 Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of 'Eden to cultivate and care for it.  16 Adonai, God, gave the person this order: "You may freely eat from every tree in the garden 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die.”

The next thing God does is create wildlife and brings them to Adam to be the caretaker and partner over creation:

18 Adonai, God, said, "It isn’t good that the person should be alone. I will make for him a companion suitable for helping him."  19 So from the ground, Adonai, God, formed every wild animal and every bird that flies in the air, and he brought them to the person to see what he would call them. Whatever the person would call each living creature, that was to be its name. 20  So the person gave names to all the livestock, to the birds in the air and to every wild animal. But for Adam there was not found a companion suitable for helping him.

From above, we see that God is concerned that the man does not have a suitable companion. Out of all wildlife, it is God that creates the perfectly suitable companion by taking a rib from Adam and creates from that rib Adam’s wife:

21 Then God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the person; and while he was sleeping, he took one of his ribs and closed up the place from which he took it with flesh.  22 The rib which Adonai, God, had taken from the person, he made a woman-person; and he brought her to the man-person.  23 The man-person said, "At last! This is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh. She is to be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."  24 This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and they are to be one flesh.  25 They were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.

The reason they were not ashamed is that they knew not guilt or shame for guilt and shame are borne from sin. However, that’s all about to change. The serpent asks Eve a question which draws her curiosity in instead of shutting the devil down:

Chapter 3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any wild animal which Adonai, God, had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You are not to eat from any tree in the garden'?"

Now the woman answers the serpent instead of runs or tells the serpent to flee. The serpent then answers her with a half-truth. Spiritually, Adam and Eve will die from sin which is why our physical body dies. Further, it’s interesting to note that while Adam was here with Eve, he did not interject, intervene or tell the serpent to leave. Instead, we see Adam as a willing participant. After eating from the forbidden tree, their eyes were opened to their shame in that they were naked. Adam and Eve to cover up their shame then sew fig leaves together as clothes.

2 The woman answered the serpent, "We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden, 3 but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, 'You are neither to eat from it nor touch it, or you will die.'"  4 The serpent said to the woman, "It is not true that you will surely die; 5 because God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it had a pleasing appearance and that the tree was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her; and he ate.  7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. So, they sewed fig leaves together to make themselves loincloths.

Attempting to further cover their shame, Adam and Eve hide in the garden from God, as if that was even possible. In these verses below, God asks the questions hoping for Adam and Eve’s repentance from sin.  Adam, instead of admitting his guilt, blames Eve while Eve admits her mistake in verse 13.

8 They heard the voice of Adonai, God, walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, so the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Adonai, God, among the trees in the garden.  9 Adonai, God, called to the man, "Where are you?"  10 He answered, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself."  11 He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I ordered you not to eat?"  12 The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me — she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate."  13 Adonai, God, said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me, so I ate."

God then punishes the serpent in verse 14 to always live off the ground and eat dust which is why the devil is often portrayed as a snake.

14 Adonai, God, said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all livestock and wild animals. You will crawl on your belly and eat dust as long as you live.”

In verse 16, God tells the woman that as she bore sin into the world by eating the fruit, so she will be the one to bear children into the world through the pain of childbirth. God also tells the husband he is to rule over the woman, thereby removing the equal companionship between man and woman.

16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth. You will bring forth children in pain. Your desire will be toward your husband, but he will rule over you.”

As for Adam, God reminds him of his failure to take responsibility and curses him to labor for a living.

17 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to what your wife said and ate from the tree about which I gave you the order, 'You are not to eat from it,' the ground is cursed on your account; you will work hard to eat from it as long as you live.  18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat field plants.  19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your forehead till you return to the ground — for you were taken out of it: you are dust, and you will return to dust.”

It’s interesting to note that it is after God’s statement that Adam names his wife “Eve” which means life. While Adam is to labor to make a living, Eve is to labor to bring life. Then God, Himself, that makes the first blood sacrifice as God in all His mercy and grace provides Adam and Eve with proper clothing to cover their shame.

20 Adam named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all the living.  21 Adonai made clothing out of skins for Adam and his wife. It was God that provided for their need to clothe themselves.

Next, God sends Adam and Eve away from the garden of Eden and puts cherubim angels to block them from returning as God does not want mankind to become immortal.  While this may sound harsh, this was actually very kind. If Adam and Eve were to become immortal without reconciling their relationship through the forgiveness of all sin, then mankind would forever be spiritually lost without God.

22 Adonai, God said, “Since man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil, he must not reach out, take from the tree of life, eat, and live forever.”  23 So Adonai, God, sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.  24 He drove man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.

Middle Layer:

Adonai, or Lord God is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. Even before Jesus came to deliver the world from sin, He was involved with us, had a personal relationship with us, and loved us from the beginning. Adam, the first man, represents mankind. In the garden, the first creation was mankind followed by wildlife. Likewise, God asks us to put God first. When we do not, and we take others' advice without coming to God first we miss the mark and introduce sin. And we often do not immediately “come clean” and ask for forgiveness but try to justify the reason for the sin as Adam and Eve did.  Also, it is Jesus Christ as Immanuel that was the new Adam. Thank goodness for God’s mercy because just as a tree took away our spiritual life, so a tree will be used to reconcile us back.

Deeper Level:

Out of everything I have read, please take the time to read Rabbi Daniel Baron’s article The Meaning of Adam. It is a wonderfully insightful explanation from the Torah. I have included it here for convenience. The rest of this article is from Rabbi Baron’s article.

The first human ever to walk the earth was named Adam. The Torah explains the name. The Hebrew word for earth is adama. God formed man from the dust of the earth, and on the simplest level, that connection with adama, earth, is the basis for man's name. Once Adam sinned and ate the forbidden fruit, he introduced death to the world and was sentenced to once again return to the earth from which God created him.

The mystics pointed to various deeper meanings within the name Adam, providing layers of insight that can make our own existence more meaningful. The name Adam does indicate one's lower earthly nature. But are we really nothing more than the complicated mammals?

The Earth's Potential

In addition to the adama being a low place in the world, there is another aspect of the adama which is perhaps its defining feature. The earth is a realm in which we can plant and yield fruits, giving rise to new life which was not there beforehand. Man's kinship with the ground, therefore, hints to his greatest potential.

Man's kinship with the ground hints to his greatest potential.

Before creating Adam, God said, "Let us make man" in the plural. With whom could God possibly partner when creating humankind? According to one approach, He consulted with His ministering angels and asked them what they thought about creating man. A fierce debate ensued.

Some of the angels argued against creating man and others were in favor. For example, the angel representing kindness was for man's creation, for man bestows kindness. Truth opposed man's creation since humans are full of lies. God heard these arguments, and finally seized the angel representing truth and hurled it onto the ground, as it says in the verse, "and He threw truth to the ground" and created man anyway. The other angels protested. How could God abandon truth, which is known as His signature? God responded "may truth rise from the ground" and our Sages then cited the verse, "truth shall grow from the ground."

The whole dialogue in the heavens appears bizarre at first glance. Why did God need to consult with His angels before creating man? Why did He reject truth in order to create Adam? Were the angels negotiating with Him? How did they convince Him to revive the angel of truth? Did He really change His mind? A core tenet of Jewish consciousness is that when the rabbis tell stories like this one, they really mean to convey a deeper message hidden deep within the parable.

The Maharal of Prague explained that throwing truth to the ground was by no means a rejection of truth. It was an investment in truth. The proof is in the verse our Sages used to explain the revival of truth: "truth shall grow from the ground." God never rejected truth; instead, He planted in the ground.

The metaphor of the ground and its centrality in man's name is no coincidence. The simple act of planting a seed is a powerful symbol of man's potential. Recall that day in kindergarten where you might have planted a bean in a plastic cup so that it would grow into a plant for Mother's Day. Every day you checked to see whether anything had grown. At first, you were disappointed as you watched the seed. It looked like it was falling apart and rotting. You wanted to throw it out, but your teacher insisted that you wait. One day, a green shoot appeared from amidst the smelly decay. It continued to grow and grow, until there was a beautiful leafy plant, with the potential for an infinite number of new plants.

Therein lies the secret of God's sowing truth. There is a very physical side to every human, and often it brings us to places of rot and decay, places in which we can wreak more havoc on creation than the most destructive animal. Yet we also have the ability to transcend that downward pull and grow from the earth into something greater with almost unlimited potential.

There were angels that opposed man's creation. The angel representing truth argued that humans lie, and they have the potential to destroy the world. In contrast, angels are perfect. An angel is the manifestation of God's will and is completely unable to deviate even an iota from that will. An angel has a name that reflects its mission since that is all the angel is. Angels cannot choose to disobey and have no minds of their own.

Like the ground, man can produce a virtually unlimited bounty of fruits.

Humans, however, have free choice. Every person has the ability to decompose and succumb to the earthly pull or to defy the gravity of physicality and elect to follow more spiritual pursuits. Like the ground, man can produce a virtually unlimited bounty of fruits. Man's decision to live on a higher plane is infinitely more meaningful than an angel's spiritual existence since it is the result of man's choice and rejection of his lower self, or his channeling it to a higher place. We all have ups and downs, but we can choose the realm with which we most identify and whether or not we will bounce back after we have fallen.

Control or be Controlled

The name Adam alludes to man's ability to transcend on an even deeper level. The word Adam is comprised of the letter aleph, followed by dalet and mem, the letters that spell the word dam which means blood. We need blood to sustain physical life, but it reflects the lower aspects of man. Blood has long been associated with hot temperament and loss of self-control. Shakespeare described one of his quick-tempered characters as "governed by a spleen," an internal organ containing a reservoir of blood. The lowest aspect of one's soul, an aspect of soul common to every animal, resides in one's blood.

In the name Adam, the word dam is preceded by the letter aleph. The letter aleph is also a word which means to teach or inculcate. It similarly indicates leadership, as implied by the related word aluf which means a general or tribal head. God created man with many base desires that reside in the blood, but he also gave us the means to assert our control over them and be an aluf over the dam. By being in control instead of subject to the dominion of our impulses, man, who is created in the image of God, resembles God. In this connection, the name Adam also alludes to the word adameh which means I will liken myself, indicating one's ability to emulate God.

From Eternity to Death and Back

Adam himself represented man's colossal potential, as well as how far he could fall. Adam's understanding of the world was vast, and his dominion complete until he ate from the forbidden fruit. God created Adam to be immortal, something that remains true of the soul, but not of the body. Adam himself succumbed to the dam in his name and failed to rule over his inclination. He introduced death into the world, something which had not applied to human beings before that point in time. Yet although he shrank in stature, elements of the higher Adam, the potential for accomplishing greatness, remained.

By confronting our lower aspects and overcoming them, we can accomplish things that no angel can.

The name Adam is therefore revealing. It describes our lower side, the tremendous downward pull and animal instinct within each of us. But it also alludes to our ability to become great -- not in spite of our physical side but because of it and through our resisting its desires. By confronting our lower aspects and overcoming them, we can accomplish things that no angel can. Through our earthy nature, we are planted and have the opportunity to produce fruits through rising from the decay and becoming more than we were beforehand. The choice is ours. We can be governed by our blood impulses, as was Eisav in the Torah who killed when he did not get what he wanted and was therefore called Edom, red, alluding to his being controlled by blood instinct, or we can become stronger and loftier, remaining in control of our destinies as we always subjugate the dam in Adam to the aleph that precedes it.

Upright posture distinguishes humans from other beings, and that characteristic reflects more than just an anatomical difference. Unlike other mammals that look naturally down and connect to only their instinctual and physical nature, humans stand up straight and look ahead. We can choose whether to look up, to grow from the ground, or look down and sentence ourselves to a life dominated by our lower side. Each one of us is created in the image of God with unbelievable potential, and the name Adam alludes to the pitfalls we must avoid, and the tremendous growth we can experience.

Going Back to Go Forward

John 15:10-12 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)10 If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love.11 I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.12 This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you.

I have been working on EHS study through my church and wondering why I feel like I'm back at this place I have been before.  Why am I feeling alone rather than joy?  I have some memories which are blocked and others are so far back and so fantastic that I see why they were blocked for years but what do they have in today?  I fold up as a flower at the end of the day like a morning glory when the darkness comes. I remember when my Dad would go around the house and sprinkle holy water everywhere because things were out of hand and the devil was having folly with our family.  I remember how the holy water or the eruption of abuse would make way to profound peace. I realized then that when things are peaceful or profoundly stressful that I expect something to erupt or for God to show up in a huge way.  God is God.  He will always be my Abba Father.  I remember being with Him and in His light from an early age, even when cutting my Mom's prized elephant ears because it blocked His light in the living room picture window.  haha, no she wasn't happy and today who can blame her? But seriously how do our moments with Him compare?  So then why when times are rough or hard do I wait to call upon His name?  What am I not seeing?

My Aunt respectively asked me why I keep looking backward.  I'm in my late forties and anything from my childhood isn't responsible for where I am today.  I  have to take responsibility.  So here I am.  And where is that exactly?  I have two amazing kids God blessed me with when I was told kids were very unlikely, being a high risk for an ecoptic pregnancy and early menopause which had to be stopped.  haha, God loves the glory in the impossible for man!  He gave me the desires of my heart, a family of my own.  My husband and I feel have been through hell and back more than once, realizing last night I have put us there more than I would ever like to admit.  And why?  After spending a long time with God in silence I heard what He said.  In my pursuit of perfection, I have obscured my ability to feel joy.  My sadness is what permeates the house like a bad perfume, impacting everyone who lives here.  And why?  Because I keep licking my wounds.  The more I lick them, the less they can heal. Let them be as far from the east as the west which is how God sees our forgiven sins. So must I forgive me as much as my past.  I need to see the life I was given was squandered by my need to fill a God-sized hole, seeking in those who have no ability to fill and not realizing that God had already filled it if I would just stop and see what was the truth.  I have poured my grief into failure instead of propelling the feeling of accomplishment and joy with God's given talents in my life.  I instead saw what I was missing instead of what I have. God has blessed me tremendously.  I am not entitled to anymore and especially wasn't entitled to have a family, a career or the friends and family who have chosen to bless my life by allowing me to be a part of theirs.  Stop licking what isn't and focus on life, the joy of what IS.  God says I AM.  I AM healed.  I AM forgiven.  I AM His daughter.  I AM LOVED.  And so if God can love me, then I must be loveable. I must learn to love myself and understand that I have value in God's eyes. If I am valued by God, Abba Father, and Jesus who gave up His life so that I may live, then I AM valued.  It feels so odd to say that I've rewritten this line more than any other.  I AM VALUED. Not I value, but I AM valued.  Let myself become truly healed by the one who can make me WHOLE again.  Let go of the shortcomings and celebrate what IS.  Pour JOY mixed with the celebration of life. Celebrate what IS.  What is is that I AM enough.

Seasons

For everything there is a season, a right time for every intention under heaven — a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to discard, a time to tear and a time to sew, a time to keep silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What does the worker gain from his efforts? I have seen the task God has given humanity to keep us occupied. He has made everything suited to its time; also, he has given human beings an awareness of eternity; but in such a way that they can’t fully comprehend, from beginning to end, the things God does. I know that there is nothing better for them to do than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live. Still, the fact that everyone can eat and drink and enjoy the good that results from all his work, is a gift of God. I know that whatever God does will last forever; there is nothing to add or subtract from it; and God has done it so that people will fear him. That which was is here already; and that which will be has already been, but God seeks out what people chase after. Another thing I observed under the sun: There, in the same place as justice, was wickedness; there, in the same place as righteousness, was wickedness. I said to myself, “The righteous and the wicked God will judge, because there is a right time for every intention and for every action.” Concerning people, I said to myself, “God is testing them, so that they will see that by themselves they are just animals. After all, the same things that happen to people happen to animals, the very same thing — just as the one dies, so does the other. Yes, their breath is the same; so that humans are no better than animals; since nothing matters, anyway. They all go to the same place; they all come from dust, and they all return to dust. Who knows if the spirit of a human being goes upward and the spirit of an animal goes downward into the earth?” So I concluded that there is nothing better for a person to do than take joy in his activities, that that is his allotted portion; for who can enable him to see what will happen after him?
Kohelet (Ecc) 3:1‭-‬22 CJB
http://bible.com/1275/ecc.3.1-22.CJB

These verses mean our lives are like a book with separate chapters.  One chapter may end but the book continues until the very end unless we quit somewhere along the way and abruptly give up.  The author for Ecclesiastes is comparing our life to the four seasons.  As Fall always follows Summer, so winter follows fall.  It's dependable and has a defined start and finish that flows one into another. God gives us clues that the next season is approaching like crocus or daffodils coming up or Robins singing during winter signals winter's ending.  Each season has pros and cons and some seasons we may favor.  Winter slush is never my favorite but I would love to see again the snow on the roof tops and the lights twinkling despite encased in ice.  Fall with it's leaves, the smell of snow on the air, the anticipation of spring's flowers and new baby animals are exciting.  While the summer here is brutal, the time off with friends and the slower pace is welcome relief.  

On a larger scale, we experience seasons in our lives.  My Grandmother said she was glad to graduate with her friends, attend the bridal showers and weddings followed by baby showers, Easter egg hunts and then graduations and weddings again. But she found the funerals to be the hardest season in her life and asked Jesus to not make her the final one to go.  He answered her prayer.

Our country, our generations and our history even goes through cycles.  It's a natural rythmn of life, made by design.  It parallels our relationship with our creator.  Seasons of pride, indifference, humbleness and partnership.  It's good to take stock of the season in your life and to remember, in good and bad times, that this too shall pass.

Anchor in the Storm

Daily Manna from the Net for Saturday, July 04, 2015

Matthew 8:23-27 (NIV)
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

I have found more times than I can count where I have been in the midst of a storm in my life. I have forgotten to stop, remain calm and remember that God is in my life and is in control of this situation.   When I finally do remember and call upon His name, the storm does calm down. My perspective changes which begins the changing of my circumstances.   The Good Shepherd leads us through the storms even if He has to carry us.  Christ is above ALL things.  When I look back on how He has helped me my faith has grown.  Perseverance does build both character and faith when we place it in something which is unchanging and permanent.

Abraham - Rest In the Shade of the Tree

In Genesis 18 the New King James version says:

Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre,[a] as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”

Abraham, during the most uncomfortable part of the day, was sitting in his tent near a tree whose roots dig so deep that the terebinth tree remains green even during a drought.  It is here that the Lord appears to Abraham.  What does Abraham do when he lifts his eyes?  He recognizes Him, runs to greet them and bows before them.  Focus on the Family had a guest speaker which discussed how Jewish custom found a man running in his long robes a humiliation.  This would mean that not only did Abraham have a relationship with the Lord that he would recognize Him, but that Abraham rushed out to greet Him even when it was uncomfortable and even humiliting to do so.  It seems clear that Abraham was filled with joy to see the Lord and did not consider what others thought.  At meeting the Lord Abraham humbly kneels to the ground in full submission before the Lord and asks Him if he may provide the Lord with a visit, offering some water and to wash His feet while resting under this massive oak (terebinth) tree.  Abraham further offers the Lord food and rest of His heart before going on His way, acknowledging the Lord for visiting him, Abraham calling himself the Lord's servant.

This passage is beautiful in that it represents the relationship with the Lord.  When we know Him we are willing to rush to meet Him, to acknowledge,  to join Him despite how it may appear to the world around us.  We are willing to go even when it's uncomfortable.  We rush to His side to fellowship with Him.  We humble ourselves, acknowledging our submission to Him accepting Him rightfully as Lord over our lives.  We are His servant.  The Lord, also desiring to have this relationship with us (so much so that He gave His life on a tree in a very public way), communes with us in the place of solace and strength. We fellowship together in the place where we can rest our hearts together.  Abraham offers the Living Water, the Tree of Life rest, nourishment and fellowship. Christ our Lord in turn offers us this every day - even during the discomfort - to remember to take time out to recognize and invite our Savior to join us and find rest in the place of strength and endurance in the shade of the tree. To find rest and nourishment just talking and listening with the Lord.  After all the original plan for each of us was to have a relationship together in the place of serenity where we could enjoy each others company together in the garden, living out our lives.   

Christ the Lord invites each of us individually, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Calling the Anoited

See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee; The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle, And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense, And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot, And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office, And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.  Exodus 31:2 KJV

We forget sometimes how the Lord has individually crafted, uniquely for a purpose.  Perhaps the purpose is to serve others, or simply Himself at the appointed time.  Who can guess as His ways are not our ways.  But one thing I have learned is that we are each valuable to He that made us for Himself.  We have been designed for a purpose -- all of our skills, our talents and our abilities.  The Lord continually equips me for the challenges that face me.  Sometimes I go through challenges for the simple reason of learning obedience and deepening my need to be on my knees while other times I have seasons of praise where I'd like to stand and beat the tambourine as I shout to the Lord.  All of these seasons, too, have purpose.  The Lord makes use of all the good and all the bad to turn it to our best when we trust Him.

Have faith my friends in He who uniquely made us to endure all things through His strength.  Lean not on our own understanding.  Take one day - one moment - at a time and remember that He that lives is with you through it all.

The Potter and The Clay

In Jeremiah 18, the Lord brings Jeremiah to view a Potter working and gives him a message:

³ So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

In this passage, the potter reforms something into something else.  I find this image intriguing as the Lord shapes us into new creatures every day.  What I learned through a pottery class was that you cannot be a potter and create a pot unless you understand the purpose for what the object you are creating is intended for and understand its design.  Isn’t that just what the Lord does in regard to us?  He not only shapes us, but understands beforehand why we are being shaped into the vessel or pot as He knows our purpose.  He understands all of our smooth and rough edges and works them out until they are perfectly formed.  If the clay is not smoothed out at least internally, it will crumble.  If the clay is too dry, it will crack.  The Lord continually refines us; working out the bumps and rough places in our character.  The Lord does not intend to see us perish.  

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

As any parent does that loves their child, the Lord Jehovah provides us a warning that His will always triumphs.  If we do not turn from our sinful ways and allow ourselves to be molded and refined, we will find ourselves rebuilt until we are broken.  Even broken pottery can be used for something else.

⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me. ⁶ He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. ⁷ If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, ⁸ and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. ⁹ And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, ¹⁰ and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.

¹¹ “Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’ ¹² But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’”

The way to change a nation is to change our heart and share the Lord’s good news with the world around us in the way the Lord intended for us.  We must allow the Lord to change us and keep us on the narrow road which changes the world around us.  If I understand my purpose is to glorify Him, the choices are easier.  Spending more time at the wheel, I understand the seasons in my life when there is “more water” than other times and when it seems the Lord's fingers are more forcefully remolding the clay.  I am strong for He has made me so.  America, too, is strong - a nation created to freely worship the Lord based solely on free will and in turn we have been freely governed.  I am grateful that in all things, the Lord remains in control.  

We are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20

The Promise of Nations

In Genesis 17, the Lord visits Abraham and gives him this message:

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 

God has promised 1) many nations will be created out of Abraham and 2) the land of Canaan.

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 

I have never noticed before how that Abraham laughed before Sarah did.  I realized when reading this that Sarah laughing in Chapter 18 makes me wonder if Abraham shared this revelation from the Lord with Sarah.

And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 

God names the son of His covenant Isaac, which means laughter.  

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 

I love that Abraham loved both of his sons and requested that the Lord bless them both.  God conveys to Abraham that His covenant is with Isaac.  But He also promises that He will make Ishmael a great nation with very large numbers.  Today, Muslims numbers are growing rapidly around the world.

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Although the Lord gave Ishmael the blessing of a great nation, Isaac is blessed with the covenant which was fulfilled through Jesus Christ.  Isaac produced Judah who God renamed Israel, having twelve tribes.  This one son who was promised a covenant.  This covenant was fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  John 3

Anyone who believes through faith of and in Jesus Christ that they are redeemed and life a life to become more like Jesus by repenting of their sins and turning away from their former life to become more Christ-like share in this promise.

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 is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:4-9

What's in a Name?

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, it is explained that once we become saved we are made a new creation.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  This new creation is even given a new name by Jesus:

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.”  Revelations 2:17

I have often wondered what my new name would be.  In the Old Testament, Jehovah changed the name of Abram (אבדם) and Sarai (שרי).  I have often found it curious as to why he changed it.  Abram became Abraham (אבדהם) and Sarai became Sarah (שרה).  Notice in both names the character ה was either added to the name or it replaced the character.  In the New Testament, Saul’s name (Samlon) was changed to Paul (Pamlon).

He, Jehovah, completed their name by giving them a part of Himself using almost the same character which looks similar to the symbol for Pi.  This character appears twice in His own name in Hebrew.  Yahweh or Jehovah is spelled in Hebrew as יהוה, which literally translates to “He who causes to exist (or gives life)” or “He who is, who exists.” Yahweh gave Moses at the burning bush “I am” אהוה in Exodus 3:14’s Hebrew or “I am that I am” in the King James.  Jesus also revealed this same revelation to the woman at the well in John 4.

To Martha, Jesus revealed He was the resurrection and the life.  Jesus commended His spirit to the Father after dying on the cross and was raised to life on the third day, appearing to many disciples before ascending into Heaven.  Jesus also raised many from the dead, including Lazarus in John 12:9.  Jesus literally has the power to give life.

In the beginning, Jehovah God said after making a blood sacrifice to clothe Adam and Eve in Genesis 4:23-24:

Behold! The man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil.  And now, lest he put forth his hand and also take from the Tree of Life, and eat, and life forever.  And Jehovah God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to till the ground out of which he was taken.  And He drove the man out.  And He caused to dwell the cherubs at the east of the Garden of Eden, and the flaming sword whirling around, to guard the way of the Tree of Life.”

The Tree of Life to live forever.  Jesus provides hope for the saints in Revelations:

• ·         Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (2:7)
• ·         Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. (22:14)

Jesus also gives this warning in Revelations:

And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. (Revelations 22:19)

Jesus said of Himself, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” In Revelations, Jesus repeatedly says of Himself, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (22:13, 21:6, 1:8) 

Jesus is יהוה.  He is Yahweh, Jehovah, Messiah.  Jesus literally is Immanuel, God with us.  He came to show us the way through Himself to bring us back into relationship with God the Father Almighty.  I can see why He describes Himself as “I am” for Jesus is the one who gives us life.  A complete life that is truly living which is achieved only through a relationship based on our personal faith in Him who is.

Facing Our Fears

This passage comes from Matthew 14.

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

This passage in Matthew follows directly after Jesus Christ’s miracle of feeding five thousand through 5 barley loaves and 2 fish.  Jesus recognized that the disciples were tired and had them rest in the boat.  I imagine He, himself, was tired also and went alone to spend time with the only one who could refill His cup.  Jesus went to pray alone.  While He was praying, the wind and the waves kicked up separating himself from His men.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

The disciples were seeing only what the divine Lord can do and they were afraid.  When we are faced with an issue in our lives which we cannot resolve in our human strength and skills, we call out to the divine.  When He hears our pleas and dips into our lives in such a way that we are reminded that He is Lord, are we afraid?  Or, do we confidently recognize the Lord when He walks in the water of our situation as only He can?

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”

This is a reminder for us all in the difficult situations.  I have often found in my life that the Lord does His best work when it seems we are at the end of ours.  The disciples are at the end of the night, right before the sun breaks the horizon and they are afraid.  He reminds us to take courage and to not be afraid.  All throughout the Bible the Lord reminds all those that follow Him to “don’t be afraid” because He knows there are situations which will arise where we will need to be reminded that He is with us so we can “take courage” and be brave.  The most important sentence in this passage is when Jesus says “It is I.”  Translated differently He says, “It is I AM.”  When we know Jesus is the I AM that I AM – the One who will lead us through our place of captivity to the promised place like He did for Moses and the Egyptians – we have that courage for it reminds us He can do all things for those who believe and have eyes to see and ears to hear.

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” ²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Peter recognizes who it is and asks for confirmation.  When we ask for confirmation, He will always draw us further to Himself.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

Peter, filled with courage and His eyes and heart affixed on Jesus, steps out of his comfort zone and towards Jesus, effectively walking on water.

³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

When Peter took his eyes of the Lord and onto the situation, He became afraid.  He noticed the wind and the waves and his mind was reminded of his earthly situation.  Fear and disbelief filled his heart and he began to sink.  Right away Peter cried out to the Lord as we all should in our desperate moments.

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Jesus immediately rescued Peter.  He catches him at his point of need.  I love it that this moment still occurs on the water.  Jesus lifts Peter back up and reminds him that we can do when our eyes are on the prize instead of the race.  When Jesus calls us to Him and we keep our focus on Him, we too can walk through our situation and be reminded of the Lord’s work in our lives.

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

When we witness the Lord rescues us and takes us through the situation to the place of calm and assurance, our hearts instinctively are called to recognize and worship the true Son of God.  This is true for those who are close to us even for a short time, too, as we observe the Lord work in their lives.

³⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him ³⁶ and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

When we know and recognize Jesus as the true Son of God, we recognize He is the one to heal us in all situations.  And we can faithfully believe that even a small encounter will transform us.