The Day

Genesis 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...

Luke 1 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed...

Revelation 9 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year were released...

Acts 17 Because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness...

Just a thought.....Why THAT day?

Have you ever wondered about it?

In the beginning, not of God who has no beginning and no end, but the beginning of recorded time, He stepped into our lives. The God of all the universe, the Creator of all things that have ever been, created time and stepped into space and man became a living creature. God chose a moment to reveal Himself to creation. But why that day?

Why the OTHER day? The day that God chose to step into flesh Himself. Why not a million years earlier or two minutes after. Why this couple, or this body or this way?

Why the LAST day? The date that is already fixed in time for judgment?

God has chosen a day to begin; a day to be sacrificed and a day when time will end as we know it and eternity will begin.

So I ask the Lord, why?

And His answer reveals the depth of His love for me. Why Lord? His answer was, You. One second off either way, either day earlier or later and you would never have been. And you HAD to be. For I have loved you with an everlasting love. Before time. Before man. Before anything was...I am. It was for you. For all of you, My children.

Wonderful. Merciful. Savior.

I won't go into all the details, because most of them are over my head :), but look up for yourself the chances of you even existing. See what has to happen in every second for a specific person to be created. What you will find is that everything that has ever been, must have been in order for YOU to have been.

That is the wonder of who He is. He set it all in motion, the entire plan, the whole event, every moment so that you and I would be around to share in the glory that belongs to Him alone.

If that doesn't cause your heart to break, to swell with adoration, to bow low in worship then frankly, you might not have one.

Lord you are good beyond all measure. So to You alone belongs all praise, worship, adoration, glory and honor. That you would love us at all is amazing but that You would do all of this for us is incomprehensible.

The Word

Isaiah 55 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

My ultimate goal in writing is this....To bear witness that God is faithful; to give hope to the hopeless, to point others to the salvation that is only found through a relationship with Jesus Christ, my Lord. I believe that I also have the mind of Christ in this.

For the first time, in a long time, I am unsure of the next step. But I am not unsure of this, God brings to completion the work that He begins to do.

So this morning He leads me to Jeremiah....

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations....for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord...Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

So begins the book and the work of the Lord in the life of Jeremiah....so do we all begin to walk in Him. He speaks into our heart. He steps into our lives. He breathes into these dead souls the breath of the Holy One and we begin to live.

While you and I may not be called of God to be a prophet to the nations, we are called to fulfill the purpose of the Lord for our own lives. There is work to be done that only you can accomplish. You were formed for it, made for it, equipped for it and will be blessed in the doing of it. And if we fail to achieve it, will it get done?

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying Jeremiah, what do you see?

So as you read this and look at your own walk and your own life, what is He saying to you?

What do YOU see?

Father, remember that we are flesh and speak plainly Your words of truth to us. We are dull of hearing and weak in vision. We lack courage and stamina.

Hebrews 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet.

The Devout

Psalm 53 God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away, together they have become corrupt, there is none who does good, not even one.

Last week I was in Jerusalem. Again. Today I am back at home in Tennessee. It really is a small world. Its seems kind of large when you get stuck in the airport for two days and nearly get arrested and cannot get a flight out but really, it is quite small :)

He came unto His own and His own received Him not.....

Is there a more devout group of men and women in all the world than the orthodox Jews? They are easy to spot anywhere in the world. Severe in dress. Strict in diet. Adherent to the Law of Moses. Bearing in their bodies the weight of the Old Testament. They spend their entire lives reading the Torah. Devoting themselves to prayer. Longing for their Messiah. And quite possibly the most tragic people of all time. Many of them never coming to the knowledge of the fact that the thing they desire above all else to witness...has already happened. And they have missed it.

II Corinthians 3 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes to this day when Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

How great a tragedy that we would miss the only thing that really matters.

My mother tells of a recurrent dream of living in a house of poverty. Always hungry and cold. Never having sufficiency of excess. Only surviving. In her dream she lived this way for all of her life. One day, as an elderly lady, she notices a door previously unopened. Upon turning the handle, she finds luxurious paradise. Abundance. Extravagance. But the joy of this discovery is overshadowed completely by the knowledge that everything she had ever dreamed of wanting, was within her reach for the entirety of her life.

So may I say to you, If you have it all or if you have nothing, if you get one thing out of this life or from this author....get Christ. Seek Him while He may be found. Follow hard after Him until He reveals Himself to you and then become His. Heart. Soul. Body. Life. There is nothing so important as this. Do not miss the most important, the eternal significant, of being found in Him. Count everything else as secondary to discovering who He is and what He has planned for you.

It is almost Passover and some in Jerusalem say that an attempt will be made again this year to begin offering animal sacrifices on the Temple Mount. For those who bear the name of Christ this surely must cause pain. The blood of animals was never sufficient to remove the sins of the people. The adequate sacrifice has already been given. The debt is atoned. The sin is covered. It is a gift worth having. Do not miss it.

The Sacrifice

Matthew 9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, Follow Me. And he rose and followed Him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? But when He heard it, He said, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

This morning I am sitting in the garden with my Bible and notes and breakfast of pita, hummus and hot tea. I am at rest. And considering the fact that we are taking three families to the park later, I may need peace and rest :)

Isaiah 58 And you shall be like a well watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

And I ask the Lord, What does this mean? I desire mercy and not sacrifice?

For me, for today, it is this...I find that it is sometimes easier to do for Jesus than it is to just be with Jesus. For example, it was easier to shave my head than to have mercy in my heart. It was easier to quit smoking than to forgive offenses. It is easier to pay for a ticket here than to live peacefully in my heart with this city. A task can be accomplished in a set amount of time. Relationships require long term effort. Compromise. Respect.

Read through the Gospels again and see how much is written about Jesus' tasks, occupation, education or scheduled appointments. What you will find is line after line of His interacting with people; His relationships with people.

So when Jesus comes to Matthew He says, Follow Me. Where? To dinner at your house with all your friends, who are sinners. To the sick. To the lost. To those who need a physician. A Savior.

And to the religious Pharisees he says, Go and learn what this means... Learn mercy. Do a little less and be a little more.

Isaiah 58 Behold in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure...to quarrel and fight. Fasting like yours will not make your voice heard on high. Is not this the fast that I choose, to loose the bonds of wickedness....to let the oppressed go free...to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house. Then shall light break forth...and the Lord will guide you continually in scorched places...and you shall be like a well watered garden.

Micah 6 With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams; with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.

Psalm 51 For You will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; You will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Father would you give to me the gift of mercy. Thank You for reminding me that You love mercy, graciousness, hospitality and friendship more than our sacrifices to You. Father teach me to see You as You really are, to see others as You see them and to see myself as You see me. Teach me to listen more and talk less. Slow to speak; slow to anger.

The Debate

Ephesians 4 And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the Head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

There was some controversy at the house of Shevet Achim today over doctrinal issues such as whether women should be silent in Church. A divided table with tears and frustration. And for what? Do we honor the Lord with this? Is His name lifted up in this? Is He glorified among us?

Job 38 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action, like a man, I will question you and you will answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me if you have understanding! Who determined its measurements-surely YOU know!! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

For thirty three chapters in the book of Job men debate over who God is; what He desires; what He is like and how He thinks. And then finally, mercifully in chapter 38 God Himself appears and shuts the mouths of those who boast of such lofty knowledge of the Almighty God. And after God is finished speaking Job replies to Him with these words...

Job 42 Then Job answered the Lord and said, I know that You can do all things....therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. I had HEARD of You by the hearing of the ear, by now my eyes SEE you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Father I will not pretend to understand all mysteries or have all knowledge. I will not lean on my own understanding or fleshly knowledge. I will bring my questions to You for You are the ultimate authority and I will put no confidence in my, or anyone's else's, abilities to interpret Scripture. Father speak into my heart the truth of who You are and how You see me.

The Silver

Matthew 26 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you? And they paid him thirty peices of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him.

Some days, some things and some people will just not go our way. The question is this...How will we deal with that truth.

If you follow this blog then you know I try to be transparent and honest with my feelings so here we go....

Today I thought I might get to make the trip to Gaza to pick up the newest group of kids and take them to Wolfson Medical Center and since I am a nurse and being with the children in the hospital was one of the main reasons that I came here, I was looking forward to the trip. This is my field, this is my heart, this was my plan. But there was not enough room for me in the van so instead I was asked to stay behind and clean the downstairs common rooms, begining with the men's bathroom...which was ALMOST just as fun :)

So I put on some cow pulling gloves and some Phillips, Craig and Dean, rolled up my pants legs, swallowed my hurting ego and cleaned. And while I cleaned I asked the Lord, Why exactly am I here? And to answer that question, He leads me to the story of Judas and asks me a question, Why do you think Judas betrayed his leader, his teacher and his friend. I am sure that there are many reasons for this but today the thought comes that maybe, at least in part, it was because Jesus would not become what Judas wanted Him to be.

So the Lord speaks to me, What is it that you want Me to be for you, Connie? Have you found fault in Me? Will you turn from Me when things don't go your way. Like Judas. Like countless others. Is there anything in heaven or on earth that could turn your heart from following after me?

Phillipians 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

So as the Lord and I clean the bathroom, mop the floors and dust the furniture He reminds me of the price He paid for my soul and how He was willing to humble Himself for me. How He gave it all up for me and for you. He tells me that He sees me and that He is pleased with me and that He loves me and I just have to stop and say Father, again, forgive me for selfishness. Rid me of this pride and self centeredness.

The List

Galatians 5 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery...For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from Him who calls you.

One thing that is common to most religious sects is the list; and as long as you keep the list, you are pleasing to the god of the list. You know the list I am talking about; don't touch this, don't say that; don't go here; don't wear that.

The premise is this; the closer you stick to the list, the more acceptable you are to the group and the more you are loved by god. One obvious danger then is that it becomes about us and our abilities to please. Another danger is that less emphasis is placed on our hearts, thoughts and intents and the focus of our being is one of checking off the list each day. As the body becomes enslaved to the burden of the list, the joy is destroyed, the relationship is lost and the heart becomes darkened.

The flip side of this coin might be just as damaging and teaches that God cares not what you do with your body, He only desires your heart allowing liberties to be taken with the flesh. And there is the rub...always the flesh.

If you think about it both of these premises appeal to the flesh. The first gives us a feeling of accomplishment in our own abilities and the second gives us instant gratification of our fleshly desires. Rules to follow or the flesh to indulge.

For freedom Christ has set us free.

Did you know that when He redeemed you from slavery to sin, hell and the grave He also relieved us of the slavery to the list. It is not a group of rules that He wishes for you to follow. It is your heart that He is after and when He owns that, the life will change. It will no longer be a case of what I should, ought and must, it will be a life spread out before Him that follows wherever He leads.

There are boundaries to this freedom that we have in Christ. Like a pendulum that swings both ways, ever straying farther and farther to each side of their center, we must find balance within our walk with the Lord. It is this writers belief that if we stick closer to the man than the list that we will never lose our way, or let others unload burdens onto our backs that we were never meant to bare.

If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. Amen?

Father, I love Your word and Your laws are just. Teach me to balance judgement with mercy. Help me to remember that we are all in different places in our walk with you and that You alone lead us in the paths of righteousness and as long as my life is lived within the context of the Holy Scriptures and led by the Holy Spirit that I need not let lay unecessary burdens on my life. I will look to You Father and release my list into Your hands.