Sunday 23 March 2008 and God is at work!
March 2, 2008
February 17, 2008
A book by Philip Yancy “Dissappointment with God”, that I picked up this morning at church, rekindled something in me and galvanised other things. What do I do when I feel God is unfair? Usually I come to the point of saying “
All things work together for good…” but this morning’s experience was unnerving – now the mist is clearing. Writing about will help, so this morning, at some time in the night when I was set on doing one thing -sleeping! As I tried to nodded off, God prompted me to get up. I must of said something like, in my mind, “No, I need the sleep” Well I nodded off and did actually get up some hours later and nearly ran into the kitchen. I was so motivated! God came down, it was a moment of His annointing and I cried out for God. I was desperate for Him. There was no particular drama or crisis, I just so much wanted more of God! It was a real step up - I was not normally like this.
What does all this mean? – I am not advocating disobedience or refusing to obey but I know that God esteems allegiance and determination. I think of the wrestling of Jacob:
Genesis 32:24-26 New International Version (NIV)
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”
”Jacob,” he answered.
”Jacob,” he answered.
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, [e] because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”
29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”
But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.
The key verse verse here is 29 – we really really need to know our boundary. Whilst God admires guts, Jacob went to far and conveyed in 29 that God was on man’s level and so answerable to a man!!!!!!!!!!!
February 10, 2008
Today, sunday, is cool and I am relaxed as I go thro the day.
9 am I want to know God more and sat down to Exodus 32 “The golden calf” Aaron succumbed to the people and asked for their earrings…apparently many of these were those plundered from the Egyptians as the left Egypt. They now held little respect for they though they were God’s provision for the journey etc. “Have I done the same Father?” Despised your provision? Tears filled my eyes as I was so convicted that I had done just that! It was a God moment…I tearfully said “It has been really hard sexually and relationship wise without B…you understand I know but it was tough, the agony and pain and sadness and it only now that you Father have provided such a tremendously exciting and motivating thing with these perfumes (making them to sell). I am positive once again and I will do my best now to apply myself and honour your beautiful gifts to me..”
3 pm I am absolutely fascinated by the scenarios from verse 7 of Exodus 32. God began by quickly assessing the behaviour in the camp as deserving of His immediate punishment. Moses however pleads for leniency and God relents (by design?). Moses says these are demonstration people of His glory/promise while not actrually saying they were of dubious character. But when Moses sees first hand the people’s behaviour he is incensed! Change of attitude I don’t know? Most likely is incredibly jealous for the people since he later offers his “salvation” in exchange for their pardon.
January 27, 2008
Exodus 3
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
God knows and He sees. God is indeed all knowing but we kinda forget – doesn’t he realise the pain I am going thro” we say. He absolutely does realise and identifies/empathises. He is outside time and knows what happens to us before it happens to us! Why does He let it happen -
James 1
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Why is perserverance so imoportant -because maturity is esteemed by Him. Think of a peach…it is perfect from day 1 (assuming no disease) but definetly not mature till the season takes it’s course.
January 16, 2008
Genesis 27:
8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you:
9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.
10 Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.”
January 16, 2008
Genesis 27:
6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau,
7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the LORD before I die.’
January 13, 2008
Verses 2-4
Genesis 27
Jacob Gets Isaac’s Blessing
1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.”
”Here I am,” he answered.
2 Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your weapons—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”
Verse 5
5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt game and bring it back
January 12, 2008
What does this mean “walk humbly with your God”?
We have it in Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Basically is it remembering who serves who? Shall we consider for a moment these verses:
- Isaiah 2:11
The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
Isaiah 2:10-12 (in Context) Isaiah 2 (Whole Chapter) - Isaiah 2:12
The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),
Isaiah 2:11-13 (in Context) Isaiah 2 (Whole Chapter) - Isaiah 2:17
The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,
Isaiah 2:16-18 (in Context) Isaiah 2 (Whole Chapter) - Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:11-13 (in Context) Matthew 23 (Whole Chapter) - Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 14:10-12 (in Context) Luke 14 (Whole Chapter) - Luke 18:14
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:13-15 (in Context) Luke 18 (Whole Chapter)
God says in the parable of the workers who were hired first and those hired last:
16“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Then in Psalm 23
3 He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
There are so many scriptures that place the goal, the purpose, the reason on Him!
January 8, 2008
Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
My immediate feeling when I read this was “hasn’t Jesus suffered competely or “finished” with the penalty of sin. Then in the same second “can’t be”, Paul must mean something else. Funny but seconds later I thought the suffering that’s lacking is the identification stuff. We need to, at times that are in season, vicariously suffer for the sake of love for others and out of love for Him. Remember that He leads in the paths of rigtheousness for His name’s sake, not ours.
