Jan 23: [Gen 32-34] Encounters with God should not only change us but be reflected in our lifestyle but “old ways die hard” and so it is seen in our reading today. The unequal yoke of Jacob and Laban has been severed and the journey back to Canaan has resumed. As we journey with Jacob we note something significant. God spoke to Jacob back in Paddam-Aram and now comes directly to Jacob. Why does God do that? Because Jacob has the greatest need in his life of forgiveness. In hearing of the advancing arrival of Esau Jacob, full of fear, reaches out to God and in turn God responds. Notice the parts of Jacob’s prayer:
1. Adoration: “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac,
2. Confession: I am not worthy of all the faithful love you have shown your servant.
3. Thanksgiving: With only my walking stick I crossed the Jordan, but now I have become two camps.
4. Supplication: Rescue me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children.
5. Reminding God of our step of obedience and Claiming of His promises: you said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives - I am doing this .’ And you said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count—I am claiming this!
In God’s response we see two things; 1. it is God that comes to Jacob, 2. God wrestles with Jacob. It is not until God struck the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated that Jacob yielded to God and sought His blessing.
Why is this recorded for us? Our greatest need is to meet God and to recognize our need of His forgiveness. God could have responded by just blessing Jacob but instead He provided a reminder of this encounter lest Jacob forget. It was not until Jacob relented that God reminded him: “you have fought with God and with men and have prevailed.” In this Jacob was then set free of the unequal yoke of he and Laban, freed to complete his journey back to Canaan and freed to lead his family in the ways of the Lord. That is the gift God gives to us when we prevail and God forgives and releases us of the past.
There is a now a new responsibility given to Jacob: to lead his family in the ways of the Lord, but old ways die hard. Look at the next chapters and see a man who has the spirit of fear, (I am afraid of Esau) a man of weak faith, (Jacob divides his family and sends gifts to appease Esau) a man who still deceives (tells Esau that he will meet him in Seir but instead goes to Shechem) and a father who does not lead righteously, (daughter Dinah is not supervised, is captured and raped---but Jacob waits on his sons rather than being Dinah’s protector.) Thus in this account we see “like father like son” in that they too deceive the men of Shechem and later murder and pillage. At the end we see Jacob lamenting his loss of prestige instead http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifof seeing how his sons are a picture of his failed leadership.
What are we to learn from this? God expects fathers to lead, live righteous lives and to model righteous living. Perhaps you had a dishonorable father and you can resonate with this story. Seek to forgive that father so that God can bless you. Perhaps you are a father and want to raise godly children. Here are few suggestions: 1. immerse yourself in God’s word, study Proverbs and learn how to raise a wise child, 2. study the lives of godly fathers; Joshua: be strong and courageous, Hosea: a father who lives to restore and reconcile, Boaz; a man of character and integrity. Perhaps you are a man who is not yet a father either by choice or design: live a model life and disciple other young men who are in need of a role model.


originally posted on Facebook for bible.org

Challenges that Grow Us

As I am being stretched to write more and more I find that my mind is being challenged to find new words and new ideas to bridge that gap between what I know and what I need to know. And then as an online missionary with GMO I am finding that those new words that I am practicing to add to my vocabulary are not viable. These are people with limited vocabularies and are just beginning the walk of a Christian. They are the "newbies" ...the babies and they must be fed milk. Two in particular today came across my desk with this request: teach me how to pray. Seems like I remember the disciples asking that very question of Jesus. He taught them the model "disciples prayer"...which we refer to as the Lord's Prayer.So today as I was answering these emails in the quiet of the morning hour God spoke to me and said use the "KISS" method..."Keep It Simple Sweetie"...and so I did. Here's what I wrote to them:
This is a method I have used often using the word ACTS

A= Adore God for who He is. Honor Him by speaking to Him of His love and His provision for you already. Tell God how you love Him. Just as you honor others by speaking their name first in a conversation, use God’s Name first as well. Holy Father, Lord God Almighty and other names.
C = Confession 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we have sinned we can come to Him and He will hear our prayer of confession. You must be clean in your heart and in your mind.
T = Thanksgiving. Thank God for the blessings He has already given to you. Thank Him for this day, thank Him for this new faith you now have.
S = Supplication. Ask Him to provide for your needs and the needs of others. Ask Him to lead you to the church where you can worship.

And so the KISS method is off, now to wait to hear if they will respond back to me.
Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday. Go feed the babies of the Christian community. Ask God to lead you to a "newbie/baby" today. Or come and join me and become an online missionary.

And to my friend Linda...praying for you....

Did you ever have “one of those days”? Today is that. It is “one of those days”. Let me explain what I mean. It is a day in which you cannot focus no matter how hard you try. You sit and stew thinking, what is the next thing I ought to be doing only to draw a blank. It is a day in which no matter what you eat, you want more not because you are hungry but because you are unsatisfied. It is a day in which you just want to be outside because it is sunny and inside it is gray and your desk beckons to be cleansed of its clutter. You can think of a million things to do only to realize that none of them is really what you “want to do”. But, what do you want to do? That is the 64 dollar question with no apparent answer. And so it becomes “one of those” days. You aren’t happy nor unhappy. You are just “here”. You feel like a boxer in a ring bouncing off the ropes seeking a relief from whatever it is and you can’t seem to find the words to explain what “it” is. It just “is”. So what does one do on those days? Get away? Not possible. Go and shop? Not reasonable when the closet is already bulging. Call a friend…now that is a distinct possibility. Write a blog…another distinct possibility. Take a break and just read…another distinct possibility. Sometimes just a different focus for a time will change one’s viewpoint…and sometimes that is just “what the Dr. ordered”.

To all of that…. “see ya later” sounds like a great way to end this blog…

Friends…what are they, what is our responsibility towards them. Today I had two encounters which gave me reason to believe the truth of Pro 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend. A friend then is one who comes alongside no matter the circumstance to do just that “sharpen” or to be sharp, be alert, be keen. That should be our sole purpose in life for another that we are sure those for whom we care are sharp to face the onslaught of the trials of life, the attacks of the world and the ways of the “accuser of the brethren”. Alert means to be on guard, to be watchful. Keen has the idea of having a very fine edge; as a keen razor, or a razor with a keen edge. Note that of the three attributes or characteristics all are active and thus setting aside of personal needs to attend to another’s.

Today in these encounters it became apparent that friendship is not only a two way street but one that is fraught with hazards of overstepping, inserting self where one is not wanted or needed. Thus this sharpening comes at a heavy cost and one not taken lightly. When the person seeks to sharpen his knife he first takes a sharpened piece of the same material and rubs it against the intended implement. What is the bladesmith’s purpose? It is to remove the dross that is hindering the ability to cut with accuracy. That should be our total purpose in life, to be accurate not only with implements but also with words, with thoughts, with our prayers.

May today we be used to sharpen and to be used of the Holy Spirit to cause another to be sharp, alert and keen in the throes of life’s trials and circumstances.

Today began as any other...up at 6 a.m. and off to my Prayer/Reading Chair. Little did I know that within an hour the "accuser" would show up to test my resolve to be as Job who, in all of what life threw him, would be recorded in history as the man who was righteous or as the Bible describes him "blameless". No matter what transpired it was said of him "In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety."
Yet, the "accuser" rests not! He is known as the liar, the father of lies, and the author of strife. Into this blessed time of quiet and peace he would enter with his arsenal of sharpened swords and spears to penetrate the deepest part of my heart. How would I respond? Clearly, as in the case of Job, there was in heaven a discussion brewing between the "accuser" and God over my responses. How would I respond...in my carnality or in my grace given nature? A test! Would I pass or fail? What would be written above in God's journal kept by my angel who is recording each and every word and thought, every facial countenance and expression? If I could see God's face would it shine with the smile of His love or would I see a tear rolling down His face? Would the "accuser" sign another guilt paper and insert it into my book or would my book stay unstained by his signature?
The "accuser" knows his time is short and I am his willing subject when I forget...forget God's promises, God's love, God's testimony of me His daughter, forget who I am in Him.
How did this test go? I sought the help of my blessed husband who gave me the wisest counsel and hug and thus sent the "accuser" into his dungeon to forge more of his skills. Being on my guard is a moment by moment thing.

Jan 3...where has the year gone already?

Today in my reading I was struck by this one word: Remember: To have in the mind an idea which had been in the mind before, and which recurs to the mind without effort.
What things have come into my view this day which have circumvented my "remembering". God's Word says He remembers but I find that I forget. What am I to remember:
1. His promises Jer 29:10 Then I will fulfill my gracious promise to you
2. His love for me Jer 31:3 ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.That is why I have continued to be faithful to you.
3. His plan for me jer 29:11 know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

But as I look back on just these past few hours I have been so completely immersed in my tasks that I have "forgotten". I have forgotten His love, His promises, His plan. For that I need this reminder to remember. So today as I wrote my post on https://www.facebook.com/bible.org I sought to remind the readers: REMEMBER...Do not forget. Be alert for the enemy comes dragging his worldly treasures to distract you and me with his "deadly d's" of disappointment, distraction, disharmony, etc. etc. I can only be successful as I stay close to Him, so close I can feel His breath, hear His voice and be reminded of His love for me.

Are you ready......

Dec 31 [ Rev 19-22] Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah! The Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. See; Listen, Heed for this is the future.
Look and see for I show you the future. Soon there will be the marriage supper of the Lamb, whose name is Faithful and True, the Word of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Look and see His Bride adorned in her righteous acts. The Bride and the Lamb’s invited guests are the ones had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They will be resurrected and never experience the second death, for over them it has no power. They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him 1000 yrs.
Look and see: The 1000 yrs will pass and Satan, the great deceiver will seek vengeance but will be vanquished by fire from heaven. The great deceiver, the false prophet and the beast will be thrown into the lake of fire. Never more shall they have power over anyone or anything for it is an eternal lake of fire.
Look and see for I show you a new heaven and a new earth, the holy city adorned in her beauty. See the light of the Lamb as He illumines the city streets dressed in gold, the gates in all their splendor of pearls, the river of life flowing clear as crystal and the tree of life bearing 12 different kinds of fruit. See those who are walking here. Do you see His Name on their foreheads? Do you hear Him say; I will dwell among My people and wipe away every tear? Do you hear the news? It is here that there will be no more death. Do you hear Him say I will make all things new and freely quench their thirst with the water of life?
Pay attention/Heed now these words for they are faithful and true and this is His inheritance for those who overcome.
See, Hear, Heed: I, Jesus have sent My angel to testify to you for the churches; I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the End; the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star. The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say: “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wants it take the water of life free of charge. Recall what I said at the first: Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it, because the time is near!
From Alpha and Omega, Faithful and True: I am coming soon….
Challenge: Are you ready?