I will go…

 

I will go….

Three simple words spoken by a young woman ages ago, leaving the comforts of home with a stranger, moving to an unknown land, to marry an unknown man…obedience…to join in the lineage of the Messiah…

Decisions we make may have lasting effects…just looking down through the ages at people who were obedient to God’s call…and I know I left some out…they heard and obeyed…some questioned …but obeyed…

Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

Genesis 6:22 

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Genesis 12:1,4

Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”

Genesis 22:5 

And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”

Genesis 24:58 

Exodus,  Moses and Aaron obeying what God has commanded…

Deuteronomy 28…blessings of obedience… cursings of disobedience…

Gideon…Samuel, David…Solomon, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, 

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Isaiah 6:8 

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “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.” 

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to 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.” 

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” 

They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”

Jeremiah 1:4-5,7-10,19 

Each of the prophets…

Mary, mother of Jesus…Joseph, 

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,

Matthew 1:24

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:38 

The disciples…

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.

Matthew 9:9

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-22

Paul…Ananias, Peter, Cornelius…

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

Acts 9:10 

 But the greatest obedience…Jesus…

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 emptied himself, by 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. 

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11 

As believers now, we have the Holy Spirit to guide, to call, to speak truth…do I listen and obey, do I question, do I rely on His Word to my heart and soul…how fast is my obedience….

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26 

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

John 16:13-15 

Do I readily say, “ I will go”? Or “here am I”?  What level is my obedience? My attitude?….

Thank YOU for the reminder, the truth spoken in Your Word…

Fall smells, seasonal items…

 Fall smells, seasonal items…

Pumpkin spice, spiced apples, crisp apple, gingerbread, candy cane, Meyer lemon….kitchen smells?…no, candle scents wafting through the air near the checkout counter, reminding all of the fall smells…

Another aisle is concentrated on fall baking with supplies for pies, cookies, breads…pans for roasting the meats of the season…

Yet, another season sports a variety of items for Easter baking, or summer canning, Christmas decorations or Halloween candy…seasonal foods, seasonal activities…sometimes we tend to think in seasons of life, of the year…

Ecclesiastes speaks of seasons…

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 

a time to be born, and a time to die; 

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

 a time to kill, and a time to heal; 

a time to break down, and a time to build up; 

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; 

a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 

a time to seek, and a time to lose; 

a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 

a time to tear, and a time to sew; 

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 

a time to love, and a time to hate; 

a time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 

I realized that sometimes I tend to think of Jesus’ work in my life as in the past, seasonally…I was saved…past tense…seasonal…but, no…He is presently working, presently interceding, presently transforming….He is not seasonal….He is in the now all the time as well as preparing and working in the future…

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:8 

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Revelation 22:13 

We have the in dwelling Holy Spirit …who never leaves, forsakes…who teaches, leads, convicts all, all, all, all the time…we can’t go anywhere that he isn’t there…we can’t think anything that he doesn’t know…

What a wonder that is…God for all seasons, all times…all the time…

Thank YOU….

You know when I sit down and when I rise up; 

you discern my thoughts from afar. 

You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 

Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Psalm 139:2-6

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! 

How vast is the sum of them! 

If I would count them, they are more than the sand. 

I awake, and I am still with you. 

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Psalm 139:15,17-18,23-24 

Faithful servants….

Faithful servants….

I read recently in a local newspaper that several service organizations are thinking of disbanding due lack of people to serve…these are well known organizations that have done good works both locally and internationally…people just aren’t taking time  to serve for a variety of reasons…or volunteerism is changing …or younger people have other priorities than their senior counterparts…I applaud these faithful servants who have held on for decades, faithfully serving in various capacities…

As I read the following passage about Abraham’s trusted servant, I was struck by the comment, “who had charge of all he had”…it is repeated again later about Joseph and his servanthood in a land far from his home and family…

Such trust, such a compliment of both men…I can imagine the first walking with Abraham through his life, watching his trials, his obedience, his faith, his journey…was he one of the servants left behind when Abraham took his son, Isaac, to the mountain for sacrifice, only to see them both return after God’s provision…had they shared conversations of God’s promises…did they sit around the nightly fire conversing about the daily tasks, the flocks, things to do….had he wondered about Abraham’s decision to give Lot the valley portion of the land…had he helped Abraham bury his wife, Sarah…

He was trusted with finding a wife for Abraham’s promised son…a precious and esteemed service…

Joshua asked the Israelites whom they desired to serve…to whom would they give faithful service…

We are asked as well…whom shall we serve…

Then, I read and think about Jesus coming to serve all, everyone, the “whosoevers”, by giving his life ….it is mind boggling…such servanthood,  such faithfulness to His  Word…we are the searched for Bride just as Rebekah…What will our answer be to the “Servant Jesus”…will we follow other gods as in Joshua’s times…will we be found faithful, taking care our Lord’s “household “ as Joseph or Abraham’s servant…where is our/my service….

Thank YOU….

And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 

The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 

When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord.

Genesis 24:2,26,52

So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate….

Genesis 39:4,6a

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .”

Joshua 24:15 

11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.

Matthew 23:11 

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

Matthew 24:45-47 

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45  

26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

John 12:26 

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

Romans 1:1 

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:4-8

 

Crisis of faith…

 Crisis of faith…

At the beginning of this current year, I started again through the Bible, only the Old Testament this time…the pastor started throwing Genesis this year as well . He is just finishing Abraham’s life.

I couldn’t help but compare our lives with Abraham’s…we are all on a journey , his was spelled and lived out with promises, obedience, challenges, decisions, faithfulness….

God said, “ go” and he “went”…he “passed through “, “looked”, “walked through “ and “bought” a portion of the promised land…but did not “possess” the promised land…his offspring would get it…his journey started at age 75 and ended 100 years later faithfully expecting the “promise” he received from his God… 

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

Genesis 12:1-9 

But along the way there were various times that Abraham was “tested” and he fell short, but found God’s faithlessness to be all sufficient…

God gave him a son in his old age, Isaac, and gave him yet more  sons after his first wife died…Isaac was his “child of promise”, Sarah’s only child…

When i consider our journeys, there are times of distinct direction, times when we knew exactly the way to go…times of total stepping out into the unknown…there were trials which tested our faith exceedingly….there times of famine and times of plenty…there were emotional trials, physical trials….times of loss and times of gain…times of uncertainty and defining moments….times of waiting and times of going…times of praying through night and times of fasting…times of lack of prayer or not knowing how to pray…times of just waiting….

These all are times that we learn from the ancients…God was faithful then and He hadn’t changed…we change…we transform…

Thank YOU….

“God’s faithfulness to us is not dependent upon our level of faith in him.

-Teaching point one: A "crisis of faith" is a normal part of a mature Christian life.

-Teaching point two: God can use a faith crisis to develop a deeper relationship with us.

-Teaching point three: Trust and faith work together.”

https://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/a/crisis-of-faith.html

https://www.boundless.org/faith/surviving-a-crisis-of-faith/

https://www.gotquestions.org/crisis-of-faith.html

“A place of promise”

https://www.gotquestions.org/Shechem-in-the-Bible.html

Shield…

 

Shield….

These last few weeks, I have been slowly cleaning out summer veggie plants, pulling the underlying weeds, washing off porches and patios, picking the end of the fruit….getting ready for fall and winter…under some of the veggies were these bugs covering the ground…they had backs that were hard and were in the perfect shape of little shields…crawling around like an army, “defending” their “territory”…they were gone in a few days…off for another conquest, I guess…

With that in mind, I looked up shields…finding that potentially they first ones were made of twigs or reeds, woven together, covered with a layer of skin..then they grew in size, decoration, harder materials, etc…some were small-bucklers, easy to maneuver….others were larger, man sized ones to stand behind, heavy…some requiring one person to carry and another to stand behind…some withstanding an onslaught of arrows, spears, rocks or whatever…

We still have shields…you see them on the news at various riots…armored trucks, tanks, boats, even cars…and lot of other places…

As I was reading Psalm 3 yesterday, this verse stood out…”a shield about me”…my protector about me…what a promise…

It is first said to Abram in Genesis…a man who left his country, family to follow God, the wait for God’s promise, was found faithful…God promised to be his shield…just think, God is our shield…the very Creator of the universe, the God of our salvation  is also our shield…He takes the arrows, the battles, the pain for us…thank YOU…

And then on down through the ages…the Word  speaks of “shield of your help”, “Shield of your Salvation”, “refuge”, “favor”…”shield of Faith”…

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

Psalm 3:3

Definition of shield…

: a broad piece of defensive armor carried on the arm

: something or someone that protects or defends …

: a device or part that serves as a protective cover or barrier…

: a protective structure …Merriam Webster…

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 15:1,6 

Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.”

Deuteronomy 33:29 

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

2 Samuel 22:3

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great.

2 Samuel 22:36

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:11-12 

This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord  proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 18:30 

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Psalm 28:7

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

Psalm 119:114

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

Proverbs 2:7-8 

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

Ephesians 6:16

https://womeninthebible.net/war-in-the-bible/shields/

Walking…

 Walking…

These verses in Ephesians looked me in the face as I opened my dashboard this morning…walking…

I love to walk and physically walk everyday, 4-5 miles…either outside or inside on my treadmill(my treadmill is not a clothes hanger, as seen in cartoons).

I have found that inactivity, for me, leads to more inactivity, which means I can’t move as I desire to do…so I need to be active in body, mind and spirit….which leads me back to walking….and with whom…

Looking up “walk” in the Bible, leads to paths, directions and choices…

From Genesis to Revelations, about 345 times, “walk” is used…over the ages, people have had the choice with whom to walk…where to walk and how to walk…and finally, the consequences of their walk…

Adam and Eve walked in the garden with God…until they sinned…

Noah walked with God…

And more, on down through the ages…

Various kings, leaders walked in the ways of their fathers, either good and bad…

The negatives of not walking with the Lord are numerous and leads to dire consequences…

We each are admonished to walk carefully, wisely, in the truth, in the way of the Lord, in newness of life…

Thank YOU for giving us light to our path, helping us walk with YOU…  

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:15-21 

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:9 

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

Exodus 16:4 

You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.

Deuteronomy 5:33

in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.”

Judges 2:22

And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

1 Kings 3:14

For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Psalm 56:13

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Psalm 86:11

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:4 

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4 

Stay close to the light…

 Stay close to the light….

Recently, one of my daughter-in-laws, one grandson and I visited a nearby cave, called Mammoth Cave…A unique tourist stop north of Twin Falls…

Acres of rusty farm equipment, old trucks, old fences, corrals, buildings…lose chickens, 40+ peacocks and hens, 3 emu…

You check in, receive a LED lantern  and off you go on a self-guided tour of a lava tube which extends about a quart of mile underground, following the designated pathway in and out…your lanterns are the only light except the entrance hole…the cave is huge…painted signs are placed once in awhile…but mostly you are looking at the variations of colors and formations  in the rock wall…moisture seeps from above, with a temperature of 40 degrees…

(Down the road at the Shoshone ices caves, ice is the floor…where they once made ice to sell…)

My grandson, who is six, wasn’t a big fan of the dark around us , but my daughter -in-law kept encouraging him with our lanterns, saying “ we need to keep close to the light” so that we could see, find our paths and look at the cave and rocks…

What a reminder again that we also need to keep close to the Light…

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:3-4

You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it.

Exodus 25:37 

For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness.

2 Samuel 22:29 

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1 

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

Psalm 119:105,130 

Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

Daniel 2:20-22 

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, 

for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 

as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 

to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, 

to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, 

whereby the sunrise shall visit us  from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, 

to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:68-79

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 

But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

Ephesians 5:13,15

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:5,7

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 

By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, And night will be no more. 

They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 21:23-24,22:5

Thank YOU for lights to light our paths and being the Light to light our lives….