WORSHIP

Original thoughts on January 6, 2010 ~ WORSHIP

This was inspired from meditation on Abraham choosing to settle between 

Bethel and Ai. (Genesis 12:8) 

These three should go together:

       WORSHIP ~ Giving God my very Best

       WAITING ~ Watching to see where God is at work

       WORK ~ Joining God in what He is doing

Worship – in meditation, giving God back the blessing He has given as a love gift.

There should not be jumping from Worship to Waiting and then to Work.  Worship should be taking place in everything…because God is ALWAYS with us!

BLESSINGS are spiritual gifts that are to be given back to bless others.  Blessings that we hoard to ourselves will turn into spiritual dry rot – like the hoarded manna. 

(Exodus 16)

What blocks WORSHIP?

Sin of Self – it is so horrible and the most justified!

You cannot focus on self and GOD at the same time any more than you can go in two different directions at the same time – North & South; East & West.  Like a coin, you can only see one side at a time!  You cannot see both sides ~ which side of us do others see? 

GOD or ME?

CENTER OF THE BIBLE

This Bible trivia is pretty amazing.

What is the shortest chapter
in the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 117

What is the longest chapter
in the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 119

Which chapter is in the center
of the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118

Add these numbers up and you get 1188

What is the center verse in the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 118:8

Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?

The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Word!

Psalms 118:8 (NKJV)
"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."

Now isn't that odd how this worked out (or was God in the center of it)? 

GOD CALLED A PEOPLE TO BE A WITNESS!

January 15, 2016 ~ GOD CALLED A PEOPLE TO BE A WITNESS!

God chose… called out… appointed a people before creation to reveal Himself to the world!

Most did not choose to believe…a few did, and were used by God to reveal His Person, Power and Presence!

God gave them only ONE instruction:  Believe and Receive a Love Relationship with Him…and in that relationship to be a "witness unto Him…that He is GOD"!  (Isaiah 43:12)

*The descendants of the Serpent were more influencing than the descendants of Eve (the Godly line leading to Redemption.  It began with Seth.)

God has always had a remnant of those who BELIEVE in Him.

At the appointed time GOD fulfilled His Promise to mankind to redeem them from the bondage of SIN…HE took on flesh and called Himself, JESUS!  (See Luke chapter 1)

John chapter 1 tells us how the world received Him (The Word of God) which is what Jesus is.  Those who believed and received became Children of God!

After JESUS fulfilled the Promise of God by becoming The Lamb of God that takes away the Sin of the World and shedding His Blood and dying on a cross; being buried and rising from the dead to New Life…He opened the Way for all those Children of God to have a New Life with Him in His Heavenly Home Forever!

Before He left to return to His Heavenly Home, and He Promised He would send The Holy Spirit of God to live within those Children of God helping them to finish the Redemptive Plan of telling those who don’t know they are redeemed that they are!

He gave ONE instruction:  “Love one another” and “be a witness unto Him”…that He is Emmanuel-GOD with us!  Acts 1:8

(Check your Concordance to see the many times He said “love one another.”)

THEME OF GENESIS ~ "WE ARE BLESSED!"

Impressions from Genesis

Tuesday, January 4, 2011 12:03 PM

As I have read Genesis, I titled it "We Are Blessed!"

# 1 ~ God created...then blessed - then He said:  "Be fruitful and multiply..." (vs. 1:27; 5:1; 9:1)  We are blessed to be "fruitful and multiply" in God's Image and likeness. (See John 15 & Romans 8:29) 

*[Ladies note who did the fruit bearing!  It began with ONE Woman!  After woman was created God said His Creation was "very good!" - woman is His crowning joy and she is His partner in giving life (birth of mankind.)  We are specially created and dear to God's heart!]
     ~ The unrighteous die in the Flood.  Verse 9:1 Righteous Noah is blessed and told "to be fruitful and multiply." [Now it begins again with 4 Women doing the fruit bearing...giving life!]

(For the curious-minded:   Scripture says Mrs. Noah had 3 sons, but it didn’t say anything about daughters that surely did come after the flood to help multiply!)

*Another note:  Being "fruitful and multiplying" was instructed before sin entered and after the world was cleansed of unrighteous.  God intended the fruit and multiplying to be in His Image.  Look at John 15 and the Vine life and see how we are to bear fruit...more fruit...much fruit.  The Vine is Jesus Christ.  The branches are Believers.  The Fruit is the Image of Christ The Vine!  ALL is to glorify (reveal the Person, Power and Presence of God) The Father!

#2 ~ GOD created in His Image; in His Own Likeness!

Verse 5:3 - Adam had a son in his image (in his own likeness.)  This was Seth.

(Abel had been killed by Cain and Cain had been banished.)  This tells us something about Adam and his relationship to God.  Seth began the redemptive line leading to Christ.
I challenge to watch the redemptive line and who comprises it as you read through The Word!

The teacher in me can't help studying instead of just reading.  I share to be "fruitful and multiply" for His glory!

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IMPRESSIONS AND INSIGHTS AS YOU READ AND STUDY THE WORD...SHARE WITH US!

"You are My witnesses, declares the Lord, that I am God." Isaiah 43:12

THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

December 5, 2015

AWESOME moment!  Revelation and profound understanding of ~

THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Thoughts provoked from study of Joseph in Genesis 41:38-40

“…can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?  …for as much as God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are.  You shall be over my house and…all my people.  Only in the throne will I be greater than you.”  ~Pharaoh

The Holy Spirit is GOD within us…with Jesus’ Promise:  “I will never leave you nor forsake you, so that, you can say ‘The Lord is my Helper’ I will not fear what man may do to me.”  Hebrews 13:5-6

My body is the Temple of The Holy Spirit – I am responsible for using what God has given to give Him glory.  

Example:  Everything in the Tabernacle and Temple was holy, set apart for God’s Glory.  It was made out of the best materials to provide an atmosphere of worship and prayer to God Almighty.

Illustration:  JOSEPH

EVERYTHING in Joseph’s life was for GOD…at all costs!  He simply trusted God and saw all situations as being from Him.  He acknowledged God in all situations and God directed His paths.  In every situation of injustice and unfairness, because of Joseph’s character and integrity, God favored him in the circumstances of his life: 

*Sold into slavery ending up in Potiphar’s house; he was favored because God blessed him and Potiphar saw that God was with him, and he gave Joseph control of all he owned.  Pursued by his wife, Joseph refused and ended up in prison.

*In prison the Chief Guard found favor in Joseph and put him in charge of the prison.  He used opportunity to glorify God with his gift of interpreting dreams, which lead him to Pharaoh.

*As a result of interpreting his dreams, Pharoah acknowledged that Joseph had the Spirit of God and found favor in giving Joseph control of his entire kingdom of Egypt with the exception of his throne.

We don’t see Joseph trying to get out of any of his situations;  he seemed to believe God was in EVERYTHING.

It would seem that back in his youth when he was favored by his father, Jacob, because of being the son of the wife he loved, and having two dreams:  one said he would rule over his brothers; and the second said his father, mother and brothers would bow down to him; that Joseph believed the dreams.  However, the brothers resented him for them and devised a way to get rid of him...from there we have the rest of the story.  It ended with Joseph telling his brothers that what they meant for evil, God meant for good…for this time, to preserve his family and make them into a nation.

EMMANUEL ~ GOD is with us! ~ The Holy Spirit of God promised by Jesus.

We are wrapped in His Presence-a Hug from God The Father;  a gift of Grace to give us power to Glorify GOD, The Father and Jesus Christ, His Son!  We are to be Holy as He is Holy – set apart only for His use (purpose; will). 

The Holy Spirit is given to help us to “work out our salvation” that God has placed within us. (Philippians 2:12)   He is our Companion/Confidant; Helper; Comforter; Teacher; Revealer of Truth; Guide; Power.  We MUST believe it is so and receive Him and release Him to do ALL He was given to do in us…which is to glorify The Son.  (John 16:7-15)

Our work (part) ~ Wrap each day with His Presence by:

     Acknowledging Him verbally

      Practicing His Presence – He is a Reality!

      Seek His plans from His Word – “He is the Way…He is the Life”

      Fellowship with Him in prayer – it should be a delight!

      Worship Him with praise – in words and song! 

      Love Him ~ by giving Him the very best

                        ~ by “loving one another” – we are His Body!

Lord, You have given me everything I need to be Your Temple, and I am responsible for using what You have given for the purpose of giving You glory – it is The Holy Spirit; He is given to us to give You back the Glory due to You.  “Whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do, do ALL to the glory of God” for, “we can do nothing apart from Your Indwelling Presence ~ The Holy Spirit.  I am responsible for the activity of The Spirit by confidently trusting Him by working with Him and His plans.  You are the Life and You use mine to work with You! Be glorified!

WHAT TO PREACH...ACCORDING TO JESUS?

"Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures

and He said to them, Thus it is written, that Christ should suffer

and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance

and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name

to all nations..."   (Luke 24:45-49)

                                 

WHAT TO PREACH...ACCORDING TO JESUS?

     What is usually preached?  What we call the Gospel, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God  was born of a virgin, died on the cross shedding His blood, was buried and rose again to redeem the world from sin that separates them from God.

     That’s not all that Jesus said!  He said “...that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to  all nations…”       We hear very little about REPENTANCE.  Repentance is having a change of mind and turning to God.   More preaching emphasis is only believing in Jesus and being saved...but,  if  the life has not changed and turned away from sin to Christ… then, there is no salvation of sin!  You CANNOT go in both directions.  It you turn to God seeking forgiveness for sin, and receive salvation, remission, forgiveness of sin, you will NOT turn back away from God to the life you had before.

       John the Baptist preached repentance...Jesus preached repentance.  (See Matthew 3:2 & 4:17)   At Pentecost, Peter preached repentance. (See Acts 2:38)  Paul preached repentance. (See Acts 17:30)

       Christian America needs repentance!  So much emphasis has been on 2 Chronicles 7:14 to pray for God to heal our land.  There are 3 conditions for God to hear, forgive and heal the land.  They are pray, seek God’s face and turn from your wicked ways!  This would be (1)prayer of confession, (2)seeking God with your whole heart (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13) and (3)repenting (do whatever it takes to turn back to “One Nation under God.”)...THEN, God will hear!  We don’t have His attention yet—we haven’t even begun. 

CHRISTIANS, GOD’S PEOPLE, BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS

WE ARE CONVICTED AND GUILTY OF

NOT STANDING UP FOR GOD! 

How long before it will be too late?

        

“Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”

THE GLOVES

John 15:1-17

I have a pair of gloves that were given to me.

They are very special.

I was told that they were handmade;

…and probably out of organic material.

They were made in sizes to fit anyone;

…and mine were just my size.

They were made in lots of designs;

…and mine was chosen to match my personality.

My friend said they would do anything I wanted them to do.

That they would help me to do better work;

…and bring much delight to my life!

I couldn’t wait to try out this special gift.

I thought about all the things that could be done with these gloves.

So, I said: “Gloves, I need to go and visit my friend to thank her for giving you to me so that I can get a lot more things done. Would you wash the clothes, and prepare supper from the recipes on the counter, and while you’re cooking, would you make a loaf of bread and take it to my neighbor that has been sick and tell them that I send my love; and a batch of cookies for the children when they get home from school. Dear Gloves, thank you for helping make my life much more fruitful.”

When I returned from my pleasant visit with my friend, I noticed my special gloves right where I left them and nothing had been done that I requested. I was very disappointed and called my friend to tell her that the gift has not proven to be all that she said it would.

My friend lovingly said, “The gloves will only work when your hands are inserted, then they will do ANYTHING your hands will do!”

Recorded in John 15, Jesus said that He is The Vine of God The Father (The Holy Spirit) and everyone who belongs to Him will become a Branch of Him and produce fruit of His likeness. He said “if” the Branch remains living in Him, The Vine, then it would produce more fruit (because The Holy Spirit is now the life of the Branch.) He added that if the Branch remains living in Him, and His Words are living in them, then they would bear much fruit and bring glory to The Father who is the Gardener. If the branch does not produce any fruit of His likeness, it will be pruned, cutting off the useless branch so that it will bear fruit. If the branch still does not produce any fruit, because of unbelief in The Vine, it has no life and will die and be removed from The Vine. Verse 5 says if He is not living in the Branch it can do NOTHING. However, in verse 7 Jesus says, IF His Spirit and His words are living in the Branch, THEN the Branch can ask for ANYTHING and The Vine/Sprit will do it! That’s Almighty Power from God The Father, and The Branch becoming entirely HIS making the Person, Power and Presence of God known to the world!

Just like the gloves, The Branch (Believer/Disciple of Jesus) can do ANYTHING The Vine/Holy Spirit can do! THAT’S POWER that delights The Father!

…Do you believe it?