TheChapterBookSeries: One Thousand Years: (Genesage) "““Heavenly Minded””" (Chp 1:3)

Genesage
“Heavenly Minded”
(Chap 1:3) 

Humming the words to the Song of Limmud Eben was happy with the memories he did recall.
What have you seen…,
He remembered when he went to heaven. It seemed as though everywhere you went there was a song being sung. Somehow that first morning in heaven refrain was not even a drop in the ocean compared to the impact heaven had on all the senses, much less the auditory. 
It just now occurred to him that singing was almost nonstop. No matter where you went, somehow, in the background, there was music going on. Music that seemed to resonate through and thru in resonance, as though it were one eternal harmonic. If music calmed the savage beast, maybe there was more to the music in heaven than met the eye, or the ear.

Maybe music was food for the soul and life in the spirit.

Even those who spoke to him seemed to phrase the way they talked with an almost lyrical flow. It wasn’t wordy but it seemed poetic or metered. The words by themselves would have been easy to understand, but in this musical way of speaking there was almost an autonomous understanding happening. Comprehension without thought by-passing the brain.

It was though the “music of heaven” went straight to the heart of the matter.
He recalled some people speaking in musicality in some venues back on earth with rap, or rhyme, iambic pentameter and cordial Elizabethan dialogue.

Even some religious leaders seemed to talk singsongish.
Yet this went far more and in many ways, and far less than that. It could be abrupt as well as courteous. There was an order to it. It was complete in itself.  A style and flair when the words seemed spoken but were in fact crafted as though sung. Maybe they were an unknown key or form. Perhaps communication in heaven existed dimensionally extant on many levels.
Calling it a song was…..almost to lessen it….it was….living.
“What have you heard “
Eben remembered asking an angel a question in heaven that was explaining the heavenlies to him. Typical Eben, He blurted out of left field. 

“Doesn’t anyone laugh here?” 
As he recalled, the angel never answered him.            
He did get a response but not the one He expected, which at the time, was to be expected. Heaven wasn’t paying attention to him, he was absorbed by Heaven. 

Singing went on oblivious of those about it.

Nothing in heaven was quite what one thought, though it did exceed all comparisons. There was always so much MORE to the Heavenlies. Responsiveness came from what he observed. Experiencing it and not quantifying or questioning it.  Absorbing what was occurring right before his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, being. 

Heaven; as someone once said was indeed a state of being.
That “state” being achieved by actually being there.

It was…heavenly.

The deeper in heaven you went, the deeper it got.
The more you tried to explain or relate to it, the less it fit the understanding of it. Heaven was baffling. The fullness of it exceeded explanation or description. 

Even in its constitutional makeup it was enigmatic as it was similar to solid, yet also not. Vaporous though solidified; existent, yet distant. 
Shaking his head Eben chuckled thinking about it.

Reality certainly had a greater detail in depth than anyone thought. It was easier to accept the reality of heaven than to figure it out. When that “acceptance” became a thought in Eben’s mind, he “felt” himself “sync” with heaven. It was as though heaven itself accepted and synchronized him into itself.

As though the place of heaven was as living as the “being” of living.

Could a location be as alive as the entity that visited it?

The same was true in the physical plane Eben lived in.
So often in living life as he knew it, much was taken for granted. The details of living were missed. The less important prioritized. Living was forgotten to mean living it. Experiencing it. Appreciating life in its entire splendor. 

Recognizing that life was design with the sculpting of one’s choices to master its infinite detail, and Heaven really was in the recognition of the infinite minutiae all around. Heaven and Earth overlapped and was within and without.

And yet…, still a location.

It really had Ebens head spinning the short time he was there.  Heaven had so much more occurring than just the aspect of it, there was scarcely time on such a short visit to take it all in.
Heaven really could blow your mind.
Chuckling Eben thought he needed eternity just to get a handle on it. Even then he thought he might not. Still it wasn’t a place he didn’t want to live, but rather a place he looked forward to returning, again and again and again.

A destination every time you got there, it got better.

Eben loved to laugh. It was a character trait of his and Eben certainly was a character. Fortunately he was a character with a sense of humor. Oddly He didn’t recall any laughter in heaven.  Only once did he remember there was silence in heaven. The rest of the time it seemed to be music in the air.

What have you handled with your own hands?

Laughing quietly he knelt down, cupping one hand; He scooped water from the lake. Drinking deep it was refreshing. His morning shot of coffee. It woke him up just fine.
No cost, no lines, no waiting for a double shot.  If he wanted that he just double dipped himself a palm; palm of his hand that is.

Somehow free tasted so… oh.., sooo…. good!

Dawn was a different story here in the Kingdom. 

That first morning in heaven had been something to see but while a nice place to visit, Eben wasn’t sure if he wanted to live there, yet. Someday maybe, but his first visit was like a stranger in a strange land. So much was different he had a hard time thinking of it as anything but foreign.

And all that singing made you thirsty. And being in heaven you wouldn’t want to get so heavenly minded you were no earthly good, now would you?
Or would you?
Dawn in the new “here and now” simply meant from darkness to less dark. From lighter to light, but never to sunrise. No sun had been seen in sixty-nine years. Light in heaven emanated from everywhere and nowhere yet existed in every part. 

Earth meanwhile was still recovering from a global holocausim.

Still smiling at the lake, switching memories from heaven to earth, Eben remembered a famous comedian who commented on the weather. He said the weather was “dark” followed by occasional patches of “light” which as he recalled even now made him laugh. 

Something about a hippy dippy weather man.

This time of morning lightness, the dark was giving way to light.
 In this light his silhouette could be seen as an average man. Average height man with an average beard, wearing an average robe. Not unlike others in the Kingdom, which in the kingdom was average.

But anywhere else would have gotten you locked up in a strait jacket.

Here in the Kingdom of God his attire did not stand out. No tight confining or provocative outer wear, at this time he was just robed in white.  

The robes felt silky but sturdy. Light and durable with flow that conformed to the body’s actions. Seemingly silk but durable, not so satiny. 

It was in fact comfortable and seemed custom fit for the times and the season. Like sandals from days of old that had not worn out, this material appeared to be unusually sound.

Eben was robed but he didn’t have a halo nor act in some peculiar way.
He was just an average guy.

Average if you considered the old cartoon of the long haired man walking around town with a sign saying the end is near wearing a robe and beard.

Thought Eben.     

Thinking again of stereotypes, misconceptions, and the fact that the “crazies” weren’t so crazy after all, Eben smiled.

Posted via email from The ChapterBook Series of Michael James Stone

DailyKayVid: Kay Arthur "1 Samuel, Part 2 #23: Camp Wilderness"

Wednesday FebruaryTrue patience seems to be in short supply in the world of instant gratification around us.
But God's timing cannot be rushed. Today Kay Arthur presents more of a series in 1st Samuel.

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DailyComic: Evil Eye Pt 1

BobCaldwell: ""And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved."

Thursday, February 17, 2011 (top)

The Price of Love

(2 Corinthians 12:14-13:14)

 "And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved." -2 Corinthians 12:15

As you read Paul's closing words, it is impossible not to feel the emotional pain he felt in his relationship with the Corinthian church. He had paid a great personal price to continue in a ministry relationship with them. It was a price they obviously did not understand. His experience with them had been very one-sided. He felt that the more love he showed them, the less they appreciated the cost he paid for that love (12:15). As he prepared to return to Corinth, Paul was gripped by fear. He feared that they might still have serious questions about his credibility, and likewise he might feel the same toward them. After all he had done for them to start the church and provide for all his own personal finances, he feared he would find them still in a swirl of contention, jealousy, and anger (12:20).

This type of situation is not uncommon for anyone who finds himself in the role of parent or spiritual leader. In situations such as this, we must come to a place where we are genuinely able to serve with the complete selfless love of Christ, the love of Christ that can say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," as Christ said as He hung on the cross. His love birthed within us the ability to do the things that love demands, even if the ones we love see us as nothing and our efforts as unneeded and unappreciated. In Paul's life, we discover one of the greatest examples of Christ-like love. We, too, can live out this example when we allow God's grace to do in us what it did in Paul.

NKJV Bible Text

2 Corinthians 12:14-13:14

 Love for the Church

14 Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

16 But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! 17 Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

Love For The Church

v. 14 The Third Time – The first time is recorded in Acts. 18. The second time seems to refer to his proposed visit, which he felt was too painful to follow through with (2 Cor. 2:1).

Not Be A Burden – Paul felt he needed to maintain his policy of not receiving support from them because it had become such a distracting issue.

Parents For Children – Paul saw himself as their spiritual parent. Just as young children do not provide for their parents, so Paul did not expect these believers who were still struggling with spiritual immaturity to feel responsible for meeting his needs.

v. 15 Be Spent – Paul followed the example of Jesus in laying down his entire life for others.

Less I Am Loved – Paul's ministry to them did not decrease because of their lack of gratitude. His love was rooted in the nature of God. God's love is extended to a Christ-rejecting world even though the more they hear of His love many increasingly love Him less.

v. 16 Caught You By Cunning – Evidently Paul's accusers had circulated rumors that he had collected the money for the Jerusalem believers simply as a cover to take some of the money for himself.

I Sent To You – Paul asked them to accept the fact that there was no evidence to substantiate unethical behavior by any of those sent to collect the offering for the poor in Jerusalem.

19 Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 21 lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.

v. 19 Excuse Ourselves To You – Paul pointed out here that even though he was seeking to clear up their misunderstanding of him, he did not see them as his judge. Only God, whom he served, was his judge (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 4:3-5).

Your Edification – Paul's goal was to get past these misunderstandings and be free to bring spiritual enrichment to their lives.

v. 20 I Fear – Paul referred here and in v. 21 to the many problems he had addressed in 1 and 2 Corinthians.

v. 21 God Will Humble Me – Paul warned them that if they did not repent and straighten up, he would not let the questions they had about his authority stop him from exerting spiritual discipline. He saw this as humbling because he had hoped for better results from this church he had started.

2 Corinthians 13

Coming with Authority

1 This will be the third time I am coming to you. "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." 2 I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare— 3 since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. 4 For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

Chapter 13

Coming With Authority

v. 1 Third Time – The book of Acts only recorded Paul's first visit. It is not clear when the second visit occurred between the writing of the first and second letters.

Two Or Three Witnesses – The quotation referred to here can be found in Numbers 35:30 and Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15. Jesus stated this principle in Matthew 18:16 and John 8:17. Paul seemed to be referring to his repeated visits, when he testified against their ungodly practices as sufficient evidence of their wrongdoing.

v. 2 I Will Not Spare – Paul referred to his sense of responsibility as an apostle to exercise his authority to exert whatever discipline was needed to correct the theological and moral problems of this church.

v. 3 Seek a Proof – Paul had already given several proofs of his authority as an apostle in this letter. He added one more here: his authority as Christ's ambassador to exert discipline upon those in this church who are in willful rebellion to Christ.

Mighty In You – Paul referred to the power of Christ as the resource to confirm and resolve the problems that needed to be addressed.

v. 4 Crucified In Weakness – Paul referred to the "weakness" in the limits Christ placed upon Himself in coming in the form of a man. His crucifixion was the evidence of that weakness (Phil. 2:5-9).

Lives By the Power – The resurrection proved the reality of God's power that overruled the weakness of the humanity of Christ. That same resurrection power is the ongoing proof of the power of God in Christ (Eph. 1:19-23).

For We Also – Paul made it clear to those at Corinth that, though there were weaknesses in his life and theirs, he would come to Corinth in the resurrection power that is Christ's and that can overcome those weaknesses.

v. 5 Examine Yourselves – Rather than giving so much effort to questioning the legitimacy of his authority, Paul asked them to direct that energy toward themselves. They should step back and see if their actions and attitudes were the fruit of a new life in Christ.

Jesus Christ Is In – This points to the personal relationship that a true believer has with Jesus within his own spirit.

Disqualified – Paul said here that the only reason they would not be assured of Christ's indwelling was if their self-examination revealed that they had no evidence of being born again through faith in Jesus Christ.

v. 6 We Are Not Disqualified – Paul was confident that any test they used on themselves to evaluate their spiritual condition could be used to reveal his own genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

Paul Prefers Gentleness

7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. 10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.

Paul Prefers Gentleness

v. 7 Do What Is Honorable – Paul's primary concern was for their spiritual well being. He was not motivated by being proven right in his treatment of the problems at Corinth.

v. 8 For The Truth – This reveals the limits of authority over other believers. It must be within the boundaries of truth. Paul did not give himself any authority beyond the truth of scripture.

v. 9 Weak And You Are Strong – Paul declared that if the results of this intense struggle with them resulted in their spiritual formation and strength, it was joy enough. The reference to his own weakness seemed to refer to this perception they had of him.

Made Complete – This word for "complete" in Greek is "katartizo." It carries the idea of coming to a "proper or perfect union," or the "bringing together of disordered elements." It was used in Mark 1:19 for "mending nets." Paul's hope as God's servant was that regardless of how difficult and painful things had been between him and these Corinthians, if it resulted in their spiritual maturity it was all worth it.

v. 10 Use Sharpness – Paul restated his goal. He did not want to be forced to exercise his God-given authority to further discipline this church when he came to visit them. He longed to be able to enjoy sharing in a mutual love and pursuit of God's best for their lives.

Greetings and Benediction

11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

13 All the saints greet you.

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Greetings And Benediction

v. 11 Become Complete – This refers to the usage of this same word in v. 9.

Be Of Good Comfort – Paul closed by referring to the comfort of God that he had made mention of at the beginning of this letter (2 Cor. 1:3-7). He hoped that much of the conflict that had been going on between the people would be replaced with a sincere effort to encourage and comfort each other.

Be Of One Mind – Paul called them away from their divisive attitudes and party spirit (1 Cor. 1:10-12) to lifting their sights to a place where oneness can be realized in their common relationship in Jesus Christ. This call to unity was an often-repeated concern of Paul's (Phil. 2:2, 1 Peter 3:8, 1 Cor. 1:10, Rom. 12:16-18).

Live In Peace – As Paul said to the Romans, "Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify one another" (Rom. 14:19), he also asked of the Corinthians.

God Of Love and Peace – We see here the balance in how God works in the life of His people. His love and peace is manifested where He finds those who have a sincere desire to live out lives that impart love and peace to others.

v. 12 Holy Kiss – A kiss was a common form of greeting. Paul's call for this common social expression took on deeper meaning as something expressing the character of God.

v. 13 The Saints – In biblical usage, a saint is a reference to all believers as those set apart to God. It was not used as a reference to exceptional or special believers.

v. 14 The Grace Of The Lord Jesus Christ – This closing statement referred to the complete Godhead. Referring to Jesus, we see grace is one of the distinctive aspects of His revelation to humanity. Grace is the unwarranted, unearned provision and blessing of God to unworthy sinners. As Lord, Jesus shares in the ultimate sovereign authority of God over all things. The name "Jesus" itself means Savior, or deliverer. "Christ," the Greek word for Messiah, means "anointed one." Christ Jesus is the anointed, chosen, and gifted Savior promised throughout the Old Testament.

Love Of God – The scriptures declare that one of the main aspects of God's essence is love (1 John 4:8). The word in Greek is "agape," which conveys an idea of selfless love sourced within the one who loves rather than a love based on the "lovableness" of the person loved. This love is seen perfectly in God the Father, giving His Son as a Savior for all humanity through His sacrificial death on the cross.

Communion Of The Holy Spirit – "Communion" is "koinonia" in Greek and speaks of a shared fellowship and oneness that is the result of the ministry of the Holy Spirit within genuine believers.

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DailyHope: When people enter a real relationship with Jesus, they are never the same.

Posted by Geoff Surratt
We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (HCSB)

"Do I love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind and soul? Do I love my neighbor as myself?"

When people enter a real relationship with Jesus, they are never the same. Partyers don’t want to party the same way anymore. Couples realize they don’t want to live together outside of marriage. Business owners decide not to cut corners anymore. And friends will be confounded because they don’t understand these new lifestyle choices.

Your family will be changed because you will look at your spouse differently. You’ll now see him or her as a precious child of God whose job it is of yours to serve -- regardless of whether they serve you in return.

And you’ll see that your children are gifts from God and your goal with them is not to make sure they’re happy all the time; rather, it is to prepare them for an eternity with Jesus. You’ll also want to treat your parents with honor, not because of what they have or have not done in the past, but because God loves you. And, “we love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 HCSB)

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GregLaurie: "Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die . . . "

Devotionals by A New Beginning

Greg Laurie photo

Live Wisely
Greg Laurie
Thursday, February 17, 2011

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"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom" 
—Psalm 90:12

Let's say that tomorrow morning you got a call from the president of your bank, and he told you that an anonymous donor who loved you very much would be depositing 86,400 pennies into your bank account every day. The only condition is that you will have to spend all of the money. You can't carry it over from one day to the next, and what isn't spent will be taken away. When you take out your calculator, you realize that it amounts to a lot of money each year.

Someone who loves you very much deposits 86,400 seconds into your bank of time every day. They cannot be carried over from one day to the next. There is no such thing as a 27-hour day. You are given 24 hours each day to use as you choose. And you can choose to give that time to the Lord. The Bible tells us to redeem the time, because the days are evil (see Ephesians 5:16). That means to make sacred and wise use of every opportunity.

God sent word to King Hezekiah through the prophet Isaiah, "Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die . . . " (Isaiah 38:1). Is your house in order? That is something you need to think about. There are important things to consider. Think about your legacy. Think about your life. Think about what you live for. Think about what you will be remembered for. Think about your effect on your family and on your children and on your grandchildren. Moses prayed, "Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).

Think about what kind of legacy you are leaving, because you never know when this could be your last year, your last month, or even your last day.

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BobCoy: it's absolutely critical for our faith to be grounded in the Word of God

Devotionals by Active Word

Pastor Bob Coy photo

Focused Faith
Thursday, February 17, 2011

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There's an inseparable connection between faith and God's Word. We see this underscored for us in the passage above from the Book of Romans. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

We've already seen that God is the ultimate source behind our ability to believe (please see February 3), He is how we believe. But we can't overlook the fact that He uses His Word, the Bible, to show us what to believe.

Apart from the Bible, our faith would be very unfocused. Our belief in God and spiritual matters would be random and would vary from opinion to opinion. In fact, if you want to see an example of this, all you have to do is spend some time with someone who claims to be "spiritual" but who doesn't have a firm grasp of God's Word. They may have faith, but their faith is going to be a false faith because it's founded on ideas and beliefs that just aren't true. As sincere as they might be, they're sincerely wrong, and what they believe isn't going to stand the test of time.

That's why it's absolutely critical for our faith to be grounded in the Word of God. If we deviate from what God has written down for us, it won't take very long before we find ourselves mired in error. Our opinions and traditions will determine what we believe. But in the end we'll come to discover that the only things worth putting our faith in are the truths that come to us by God's Word.

Sometimes, the desire to study the Bible is criticized in church circles. "Why waste your time with your nose in a book? Get out there and do something for God!" In fact, however, it's the study of Scripture that focuses our faith onto something that's genuine and has impact for God's Kingdom.

 

Think About It… 

What does this passage reveal to me about God?

What does this passage reveal to me about myself?

Based on this, what changes do I need to make?

What is my prayer for today? 

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AlwaysGoodNews: Billy Graham Association (02/13/11)

Always Good News
Billy Graham Association
Type: Program
Most Recent: 02/13/11HDTV

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DailyLeadership: Are you going to go down and stay down or will you get up and get going? (161-4)

Are you going to go down and stay down or will you get up and get going? (161-4)

Written by Barry-Werner on February 17th, 2011. Posted in Attitude, Jeremiah, Leadership Principles, Old Testament, Stress Management.

Even God’s greatest leaders can become ambivalent and angry under stress. Read Jeremiah 20:1-18.

Jeremiah was called to be a prophet at a time when the people had hardened their hearts and pre-determined not to listen to any messages from God. He often came under fire from leaders who felt he needed some form of harsh discipline for prophesying against Judah and Jerusalem. After all, weren’t these God’s chosen people and wasn’t the temple of God located in Jerusalem. What could possibly happen to a people who had known God’s blessing. In chapter 20 Jeremiah first complained, then praised God for giving him victory over his enemies, then cursed the day he was born. 

Every leader experiences good and bad days. Even God’s greatest leaders became discouraged and even angry at times. The key question on a leader’s bad day is: “Are you going to go down and stay down or will you get up and get going?” Just as Jeremiah expressed his core truth in verses 11-13, every leader can put into practice a few truths that can get them through that difficult spot when their emotions are about to slam them into the rocks:

  • They can consciously think positively and rise above self pity.
  • They can scan their past experiences to see what lessons they have learned that they are not implementing.
  • They can seek different approached and alternative plans to accomplish the same goal.
  • They may need to be realistic and develop different goals.
  • They can broaden their base of support for their emotional life.
  • They must consciously separate their self-worth from current performance.
  • They can seek something that will make them laugh. Employing a sense of humor in hard times can be a powerful stress breaker.
  • They can find truths from God’s words that will reassure them and sustain them.

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TheLastWordVideo: LoveWorthFinding Adrian Rodgers (02/13/11) Weekly

Love Worth Finding
Adrian Rodgers
Type: Church
Most Recent: 02/13/11WEEKLY

C.H. Spurgeon: This Morning's Meditation ""HAGAR had once found deliverance there "


Thursday, February 17, 2011

This Morning's Meditation

C. H. Spurgeon


 

"Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi."—Genesis 25:11.

AGAR had once found deliverance there and Ishmael had drank from the water so graciously revealed by the God who liveth and seeth the sons of men; but this was a merely casual visit, such as worldlings pay to the Lord in times of need, when it serves their turn. They cry to Him in trouble, but forsake Him in prosperity. Isaac dwelt there, and made the well of the living and all-seeing God his constant source of supply. The usual tenor of a man's life, the dwelling of his soul, is the true test of his state. Perhaps the providential visitation experienced by Hagar struck Isaac's mind, and led him to revere the place; its mystical name endeared it to him; his frequent musings by its brim at eventide made him familiar with the well; his meeting Rebecca there had made his spirit feel at home near the spot; but best of all, the fact that he there enjoyed fellowship with the living God, had made him select that hallowed ground for his dwelling. Let us learn to live in the presence of the living God; let us pray the Holy Spirit that this day, and every other day, we may feel, "Thou God seest me." May the Lord Jehovah be as a well to us, delightful, comforting, unfailing, springing up unto eternal life. The bottle of the creature cracks and dries up, but the well of the Creator never fails; happy is he who dwells at the well, and so has abundant and constant supplies near at hand. The Lord has been a sure helper to others: His name is Shaddai, God All-sufficient; our hearts have often had most delightful intercourse with Him; through Him our soul has found her glorious Husband, the Lord Jesus; and in Him this day we live, and move, and have our being; let us, then, dwell in closest fellowship with Him. Glorious Lord, constrain us that we may never leave Thee, but dwell by the well of the living God.

 


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WOW - The Big Picture " The Burnt and Grain Offerings"

WOW - The Big Picture 2/17


February 17

The Burnt and Grain Offerings

Leviticus 1-2; Psalm 22:22-24; Proverbs 9:10-12

Now the LORD called to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of the livestock-of the herd and of the flock.

'If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD. Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. He shall kill the bull before the LORD; and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And he shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay the wood in order on the fire. Then the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar; but he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water. And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.

'If his offering is of the flocks-of the sheep or of the goats-as a burnt sacrifice, he shall bring a male without blemish. He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the LORD; and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar. And he shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar; but he shall wash the entrails and the legs with water. Then the priest shall bring it all and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.

'And if the burnt sacrifice of his offering to the LORD is of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or young pigeons. The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out at the side of the altar. And he shall remove its crop with its feathers and cast it beside the altar on the east side, into the place for ashes. Then he shall split it at its wings, but shall not divide it completely; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.

'When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. He shall bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD. The rest of the grain offering shall be Aaron's and his sons'. It is most holy of the offerings to the LORD made by fire.

'And if you bring as an offering a grain offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. But if your offering is a grain offering baked in a pan, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil. You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.

'If your offering is a grain offering baked in a covered pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. You shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the LORD. And when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. Then the priest shall take from the grain offering a memorial portion, and burn it on the altar. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD. And what is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron's and his sons'. It is most holy of the offerings to the LORD made by fire.

'No grain offering which you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the LORD made by fire. As for the offering of the firstfruits, you shall offer them to the LORD, but they shall not be burned on the altar for a sweet aroma. And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.

'If you offer a grain offering of your firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits green heads of grain roasted on the fire, grain beaten from full heads. And you shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it. It is a grain offering. Then the priest shall burn the memorial portion: part of its beaten grain and part of its oil, with all the frankincense, as an offering made by fire to the LORD.'"

Leviticus 1-2

 

WORSHIP

I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
You who fear the LORD, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.
Psalm 22:22-24

 

 

WISDOM

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
And years of life will be added to you.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
And if you scoff, you will bear it alone."
Proverbs 9:10-12

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OneYearBible: Leviticus 4:1-5:19 ~ Mark 2:13-3:6 ~ Psalm 36:1-12 ~ Proverbs 10:1-2

February 17th One Year Bible Readings

Leviticus 4:1-5:19 ~ Mark 2:13-3:6 ~ Psalm 36:1-12 ~ Proverbs 10:1-2
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
~ Listen to today's Scripture on OneYearAudioBible.org or DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) ~

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Old Testament - Today in Leviticus we read about the Sin Offering and the Guilt Offering. Combine this with our readings from yesterday and we've covered the 5 major Old Testament sacrifices - which I'll recap below from the NIV Study Bible.  I'd recommend taking a good mental note of these 5 Sacrifices, as we'll keep reading about them this year in various capacities in the OT:

1. Burnt Offering - Voluntary act of worship; atonement for unintentional sin in general; expression of devotion, commitment and surrender to God.  Bull, ram or male bird is offered - wholly consumed no defect.

2. Grain Offering - Voluntary act of worship; recognition of God's goodness and provisions; devotion to God. Grain, fine flower, olive oil, incense, baked bread, salt offered - accompanied burnt and fellowship offering.

3. Fellowship Offering - Voluntary act of worship; thanksgiving and fellowship as it included a communal meal.  Any animal without defect from herd or flock offered.

4. Sin Offering - Mandatory atonement for specific unintentional sin; confession of sin; forgiveness of sin; cleansing from defilement.  Young bull for high priest & congregation offered.  Male goat for leader. Female goat or lamb for common person.  Dove or pigeon for the poor.  Tenth of an ephah of fine flower for the very poor.

5. Guilt Offering - Mandatory atonement for unintentional sin requiring restitution; cleansing from defilement; make restitution; pay 20% fine.  Ram or lamb offered.
(above 5 points from the NIV Study Bible p. 151)

Leviticus4_

Chapter 4 verse 29 contains something new I learned recently, again from NIV Study Bible: "They are to lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered."  The sin offering included confession (see chapter 5 verse 5) and the symbolic transfer of guilt by laying hands on the sacrifice, as we see here in verse 29.  It's only recently that I've understood that the laying on of hands on the offering symbolically transferred guilt to the offering.

Leviticus4

Chapter 4 verse 21 foreshadows Jesus' death on the cross outside the gates of Jersusalem at Golgotha: "The priest must then take what is left of the bull outside the camp and burn it there, just as is done with the sin offering for the high priest." Here's how Hebrews chapter 13 verses 11 through 14 looks back at this verse in Leviticus: "The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come."

Jesusgolgotha

Bible.org's commentary on Leviticus chapter 4 and the Sin Offering is at this link and commentary on chapter 5 and the Guilt Offering is at this link.

New Testament - Today we read about Jesus calling Levi / Matthew from his tax collector booth.

Levi

Jesus' teaching in Mark chapter 2 verse 27 is very wise for each of us to keep in mind: ""The Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the Sabbath."

Mark2_27

Commentary on Mark chapter 2 is online at bible.org at this link.

Psalms - I love Psalm 36 today!  There are some powerful verses in this Psalm...  Starting off with verse 1 being a scary & true verse...  "Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God to restrain them."  Wow.   I'll admit - I've been there.  I know what it is like to have sin whispering deep within my heart.  Thank God for the gift of Jesus - the savior of my world...  Thank God for the gift of the fear of God.  And thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit who directs us along the narrow path - the path of life and light.  I pray that verse 1 does not ring too true for you today - but if it does, please pray to Jesus to instead fill your heart with Jesus' Spirit, which is the only power that can truly dispel the whisper of sin within.

Holy_spirit1

Verses 5 & 6 reminded me immediately of the Third Day song "Your Love Oh Lord", which borrows nicely from these verses. "Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths." I believe Third Day won the Grammy for their CD "Wire".  Great CD.  Thanks to TD for their ministry! 

Third_day_wire

Verse 9 just has so much simplicity in it's truth... I love it...  I hope you believe this too  - "For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see."  Are there really any other lights by which we may see?  Are there really any other fountains of life? 

Fountain

Proverbs - We start Proverbs chapter 10 today, with the reminder that we're currently reading Proverbs of King Solomon, the son of David.  Verse 2 is another great reminder for each of us... "right living can save your life."   Do you believe this?  Do you practice this?  Below is a portrait of King Solomon by artist Guy Rowe:

Solomon

Worship God: Based on my reflection above in Psalms about "Your Love, Oh Lord" by Third Day, here's a live version below. Enjoy!


Do you know the Love that reaches to the heavens? Click here and meet the One that created the skies!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies." Psalm 36:5 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray that you would worship God for His Love and His Faithfulness every day when you look toward the heaven and look toward the sky. Pray that you would receive God's love and faithfulness in your life today and every day to come.

Comments from you & Question of the Day:  Psalm 36 verse 1 is a sobering verse: "Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God to restrain them."  Have you ever felt sin whispering to you?  Do you think that sin can indeed whisper to our hearts?  Can it whisper from within our hearts?  Do we need more that just fear of God to restrain us from sin?  Has Jesus freed you from the whisper of sin within your heart?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

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PreceptsForLife: Kay Arthur (weekly) 02/13/11

Precepts For Life
Kay Arthur
Type: Program
Most Recent: 02/13/11GALLERY

ThruTheBible: J. Vernon McGee (Audio Matthew Study) "Outline"

My Prayer

Father

Help me to hear you today.

Cause me to see you today.

Allow me to know you are with me always,

That Today I may hear your voice and do your will.

 

No greater desire Have I for you,

Than to know you this day more than I did,

Yesterday.

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