Freedom in Christ

2 Chronicles 26
28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done, 2 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made metal images for the Baals, 3 and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

Gal 3
 23 Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. 24 The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. 25 But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

2 Corinthians 10:4-6

Common English Bible (CEB)

4 Our weapons that we fight with aren’t human, but instead they are powered by God for the destruction of fortresses. They destroy arguments, 5 and every defense that is raised up to oppose the knowledge of God. They capture every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 Once your obedience is complete, we are ready to punish any disobedience.

Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

What do all these verse have to do with each other.  The 1st one shows that even with a good foundation of the word of God we can choose to go astray and do evil in the sight of the Lord.  There is but one way to stay aligned with the Spirit.  It is to be in step with the Spirit.  We must choose to stay in God's word, being made new daily in him.  Letting God's Spirit speak the loudest in our head.  For this world will not speak God's language.  At times it may look similar but it is not.  Yet we have such hope for God has not left us alone.  We are not bound to a life to be a slave to sin being thrashed about by our fleshly desires with our only hope to fear the pain of punishment.  NO, our hope is far greater.  For when we were saved we became one with the mind of Christ.  Yet we must daily feed the Spirit of God that resides within us that His voice speaks louder than all those around us and in us.  For this is freedom.  This is living.  When life brings temptation, fear, sadness, complacency and the like the Lord in us will bring his word to our mind to defend us.  For all wars begin in our mind.  So if you want to live a life not under the law then you must surrender every thought to God.  Being willing to await His direction and lead.  Only going where he says to go.  Only moving on at his lead.  He will transform your words before they leave your mouth.  He will transform your actions before you do them.  Yet like the Israelites in the desert you can't store up God's provisions.  They were told to gather the manna daily.  We must enter into his presence daily and be washed anew, fed and equipped for the day at hand.  The manna you received last week will not bring you life.   Does an extra long shower keep you clean for another day?  If you eat twice as much today does it keep you from hunger tomorrow?

DAB 3/4/2013

Deut 26:17 “Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

Luke 10:  9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

13 ...Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Proverbs 12:16 Fools show their annoyance at once,
    but the prudent overlook an insult.

March 5, 2013

Numbers 4-5:31; Mark 12:18-37; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 10:26 (New Living Translation)

 

Today is my son's birthday!

Disowned Jesus

^{Mathew 26
31} Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

The compassion of Christ to forward the disciplines that they would disown the Christ.

Unclean

Leviticus 11-12

Clean and Unclean Food

11 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:

I wonder what this is all about.  Lord why did you have all these tedious rules?  The only thing that makes sense to me is to cause us to be constantly be looking to you and the law for direction about our daily activity.  A constant reminder that we must be continually in your presence, lead by your spirit for the everything we do.  A way to keep up in the word.

Purification After Childbirth

12 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean..."

This i just like.  Give the women a break and definitely some SPACE.  It may be hard for our western thinking to get around the idea of being unclean.  It sounds like you are bad, caught in sin.  But maybe that isn't it at all.  Maybe God is using this to remind us with all these unclean laws that as long as we live in this life we will never be without sin.  Sin will happen through us or to us.  Yet Christ came to set us free.  Not that we should forget these words but to live a live covered by the blood of Christ.  Maybe God is calling us during this time of being unclean to be closer to him, set apart to meditate, regroup and be with the Father.  Choosing to repent not just of what we have done but what is being done around us.

Feb 8, 2013

Thank you Lord for helping me this morning to come to the truth about something. Help me to keep better records so that my word can be more easily backed up.

Lord this day seems to have already gotten away from me.  ti is already 8:45 and my head is full of what needs to be done.  Help me to quite my thoughts so that I can be in your presence and follow in your steps this day.

Ex 28:1-43, Matt 25:31-26:13, Ps 31:9-18, Pr 8:12-13

Matt 25

⁸ The followers saw the woman do this and were upset at her. They said, “Why waste that perfume? ⁹ It could be sold for a lot of money, and the money could be given to those who are poor.”
¹⁰ But Jesus knew what happened. He said, “Why are you bothering this woman? She did a very good thing for me. ¹¹ You will always have the poor with you. But you will not always have me.
  
[Lord help me to be strong to do what you would have me even if it is misunderstood.  Lord help me to be so in tune with your ways that i would extravigantly love you.

Forgive me Lord for not making more time for you this day.  Lord help me to set aside more for you.  My mind is already full of what the day requires.  Please help me to carve out another time where i can truly rest with you.]

 

Feb 7, 2013

Exodus 26-27:21; Matthew 25:1-30; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 8:1-11 (Easy-to-Read Version)

It is 6:50.  I have my tea, I have checked FB, I went to the bathroom.  I had a reasonably good night sleep.  At this moment I feel a bit sad but mostly good.  I at a bit anxious as I am about to start a strict diet that is quite costly.  I am going to need the Lord's supernatural strength and conviction to keep it up.  Yet this body is truly weighing me down and that needs to change.  So here goes.  Diving in Lord.

Dear Lord,

i pray that this day i am surrounded by a cloud of angles.  For your protection and for your glory.  i pray that I find myself singing your praises all day long.  Lord bring me your peace.  Forgive me that i let my mind be clouded with other things.  i know full well the grace, mercy, joy, peace and world rocking change that takes place inside me and even in my world around me if i just come into your presence daily and really spend time with you.  not much seems to happen when i keep one foot in my own thoughts or try and do my own thing while reading your word.  no you are jealous god that wants my full attention.  More importantly I need to give to to be able to retain what you have for me.

Worship at your feet and a wonderful way to awaken my spirit man.

Breath by Vineyard 

Matthew 25
⁶ “At midnight someone announced, ‘The bridegroom is coming! Come and meet him!’
⁷ “Then all the girls woke up. They made their lamps ready. ⁸ But the foolish girls said to the wise girls, ‘Give us some of your oil. The oil in our lamps is all gone.’
⁹ “The wise girls answered, ‘No! The oil we have might not be enough for all of us. But go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
¹⁰ “So the foolish girls went to buy oil. While they were gone, the bridegroom came. The girls who were ready went in with the bridegroom to the wedding feast. Then the door was closed and locked.

²⁸ “So the master told his other servants, ‘Take the one bag of money from that servant and give it to the servant who has ten bags. ²⁹ Everyone who uses what they have will get more. They will have much more than they need. But people who do not use what they have will have everything taken away from them.’ ³⁰ Then the master said, ‘Throw that useless servant outside into the darkness, where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.’

Prov 8
¹⁰ Choose discipline over silver
    and knowledge over the finest gold.
¹¹ Wisdom is better than pearls,
    and nothing you desire compares with her.

Lord it is 8am and I must run.  Yet I will return to pen the words you will give me over these verses you have called me to meditate on.  I await the great truths you will write on my heart.