Take It To The Lord In Prayer

Numbers 9:6-8  -  But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?”  Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.”

It had been exactly one year since they celebrated the first Passover and left Egypt. They kept it exactly as the Lord told them…except for a few men who had become defiled because they had been around a dead body.  So they inquired of Moses why they couldn’t. Moses did not try to answer them immediately…he told them to wait….and went to God to ask what they should do.

What a great reminder that when a situation comes up that we don’t have a preconceived Godly answer for….we should table our actions until we have taken that situation to God. Moses… no doubt in my heart…went straight to the tabernacle and spoke with God about it in the inner sanctuary where his presence sat.  And so we should go…to our most focused quiet prayer closet…to spend some time with God about our confusion.

He will answer…for Moses...the answer was quick and easy. But all of God’s answers are not so simple.  Job spent a few days and nights in grief and sadness before his prayers were answered. Jonah spent three days in the belly of a whale while God softened his heart enough to accept what needed to be done. Jesus spent 33 years…ministering to others before his father said the time had come to save the world.

The consequences of not asking God what to do could wind us up in a mess.  Perhaps Jonah could have prevented his three day cruise in a whale if he had stopped and prayed about his disagreement with God. Or consider Sarah…who did not wait on the Lord’s timing and made a huge mess when she gave her handmaid to Abraham to get a son.

I am reminded of an old hymn….What a Friend We Have in Jesus.  Its first verse goes like this… ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Father…thank you for the reminder to come to you any time we don’t already have an answer from you about how to proceed in life. Forgive me for the times that I have gone on before you and made a mess.  Help me to remember to take everything to you in prayer….so I can stay in you will and constantly experience the peace that passes all understanding in everything I do.  Amen.

Are You Reflecting God's Light and Love To Others...ALL The Time?

Numbers 8:1-2 -  The Lord said to Moses,  “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.’”

It’s a small bit of this chapter about consecrating and setting the Levites apart for God’s service. The lamps that shed light on the inner part of the tabernacles were set upon a beautiful and ornate base. The lamps themselves could be positioned any way the priests wanted…but God told them to make sure they were turned so that the light of each one illuminated the front of the lamp…so that it would light up the inner curtain leading to God’s holy presence among them.

I have to admit…I almost passed this important piece of scripture right by…reading it quickly and not really letting its meaning sink in …till I read David Guzik’s commentary this morning.  Two of his wisdom filled statements immediately brought conviction to my heart. He said… “The lampstand was described and made in Exodus 25:31-40; but the lampstand by itself could give no light. It had to have lamps placed upon it that gave light. All the lampstand could do was make the light more visible.’  Then he added… “Revelation 1:20 makes lampstands a picture of the church; the church itself does not light the world, but it does provide a platform for Jesus light to be seen.”

Sometimes when I get home …it is dark and I have to use my flashlight ap to see the way to my mailbox.  I can’t just turn it on…I have to turn its light toward the mailbox to see where I need to walk. Its light is useless pointed any other direction. Light means nothing if it is not shed where we can use is to see.  Its example is a personal example of how important it is for me to be a human lamp of God’s great light to the world. And I am not just to be a lamp…I need to constantly adjust it so that God’s light shines on the specific ones God needs me to share his love with.

Jesus reminded his disciples in John 8:12… “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.”  Then in Matthew 5:14-16 he told them…  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

I needed the reminder to keep the light God placed in my heart when he saved me fanned bright …the most dominate part of who he made me to be. If I concentrate more on keeping his light bright…then I can make sure that everything I do sheds his light on those he places around me…glorifying God with all that I do and say.

Thank you father for the reminder that keeping the light of your love shinning to others is a very important part of what you commissioned me to do as your child.  Forgive me for the times I let sadness…busy schedules….and the many demands of earthly living dim the light you gave me to show your love to others.  Help me to keep my light turned completely toward you…so you can reflect all the love you have to everyone around me..ALL the time. Amen.

Is Your Offering To God From The heart?

Numbers 7:2-3 - Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted, made offerings. They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle.

Moses had just anointed the Tabernacle and everything in it for service to God when the leaders of each tribe showed up with 6 carts full of offerings to help dedicate it properly to the Lord. Every cart contained exactly the same thing. On top of the carts 12 bulls were given…one for each of the tribes.

It is curious to me that all the offerings matched …exactly. Perhaps they had all met…and decided before they went to each prepare the same thing. They spared no expense...including golden bowls full of incense ….silver bowls…silver platters…and many different animals.

There was so much to offer to God that each leader took one of the next seven days to present it to God. Each cart was divided and given to a leader of the tribes that had been assigned to care for the tabernacle. It probably took most of a day to sacrifice all those animals on the new altar...and then divide the roasted meat to the tabernacle workers that would receive the blessing from it.

I can’t help but think that my offerings to God pale in comparison to these leaders. I write my tithe check at the end of each month…careful to give my 10%...from the gross amount of each of my income sources. I suppose I could count the time I spend in several ministries each week.  I sure don’t give what I used to…simply because I make much less as a retired individual. But I have to ask myself the question….are my offerings to God made from mere routine...or do I really  have a passion to offer up my full self and all that God has given me as income as a freewill offering to him?

                               

Father…thank you for the reminder that my offerings to you should be passionate and full of eagerness to help others. Forgive me for the times that I have let mere calculation of income  become my measure of given.  Help me to learn to give freely…willingly…and with my whole heart…so you can use my gifts of love to help others learn about you.  Amen.passion to offer up my full self and all that God has given me as income as a freewill offering to him?

                

The Lord Bless You And keep You.....

Numbers 6:24-26 - “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

God gave Moses these sweet words of blessing to give to Aaron and his sons. They were to use them to speak the name of God over the Children of Israel. They used it daily as the concluded the daily morning services of the tabernacle.

David Guzik wrote about the first few words… “This simple desire prefaces everything. God loves to bless His people, and He loves to have leaders long that the people be blessed. This also recognizes that all blessing really comes from God; and without His blessing, all is futile.” He makes some great points in his commentary that I will continue to use.

He said about the phrase… And keep you… “To be kept by the LORD is blessing indeed. Some are kept by their own sin and desire, some are kept by idolatry and greed, and others are kept by their own bitterness and anger. But to be kept by the LORD insures life, peace, and success.”

Finally he wrote… “The LORD make His face to shine upon you and give you peace… “To have the glorious, happy face of God shining upon man is the greatest gift one could have. To know that as God looks upon you, He is well pleased - not because of who you are, or what you have done, but because you are in Jesus Christ - there is no greater source of peace and power in life.”

I remember when I was younger singing this as a benediction…the tune is clear and strong in my mind….but I had forgotten that it was a direct quote from the Bible. In my heart…since we are all priests now…it is a great reminder that God wants us pronounce blessings over each other…to fill the space between us as we part with a wish for God to keep them safe and shine on them the brightness of his glory in their life…so they may experience his peace wherever they go.

Father…thank you for the reminder that God wants us to pronounce blessings over each other as we part from fellowship with each other.  Forgive me for the times that hurry and worries have kept me in a mode where selfishness has stolen these moments you intended for blessing others.  Help me to always speak these words of blessing over others as we part fellowship to go our separate ways.  Amen.

Making Amends Is For Our heart...Not The One We Hurt

Numbers 5:5-7 - The Lord said to Moses,  “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the Lord is guilty and must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged.

Moses was given clear directions from God that any sin that hurt or caused another a loss of any kind must be confessed.  But God’s directions did not stop there.  This sin…that caused someone else a loss…had to be paid back in full…with another 1/5^th on top of it.  It immediately made my mind think of step 8 of the Celebrate Recovery Program…which is based on scripture. It says… “We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all…Do to others as you would have them do to you…Luke 6:31.” 

Zacchaeus modeled for us how freeing and joyous it makes one to follow this directive from God in Luke 19.  He went way beyond what God required…giving half of all he had gained with his sinful attitude to the poor…then offering to pay anyone he had cheated 4 times the amount he had taken from them. In his deep conviction of the sin he had committed…and his excitement in forgiveness… he could do nothing else.

There is a tricky thing to remember about making amends.  The story of Zacchaeus does not include how many people came forward for payment. We are only told of Zacchaeus’s willingness to give it back. We are not told that these people forgave him and accepted him after his act of restitution….only that he did it.

Making amends is not always a guarantee of repairing the relationship that was broken.  Making amends is for your heart alone…to show God that you realize your wrong…and are completely repentant of what do have done that hurt someone else. I remember the moment I was convicted of my art in the divorce.  I let his infidelity block my own part for a long time….but special father’s day the message finally broke through to my heart and convicted me that in many ways… I was just as guilty as he.

I sat down that afternoon and wrote him an apology letter…which I felt very strongly should be sent. He totally missed the point of why I sent it...and I almost let that emotion keep me from experiencing the sweet release that forgiveness brings when you let go of the hurt and let God begin to heal your pain.  I almost missed the point that writing that letter was for me and God…I wasn’t supposed to expect to get anything back.

Father…thank you for the reminder that making restitution provides a strong feeling of repentance and forgiveness in our hearts. Forgive me for the times that I have failed to make amends to those that I have hurt…or expect an apology from those that you have not convicted of their sin yet.  Help me to accept all things in your timing…so you can help me grow into what you need me to be. Amen.

We Are One Part Of The Body Of Christ

Numbers 4:49 - According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, each according to his service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Each family of Levites was given a specific task to do when the tabernacle of God was disassembled for moving. God wanted the Levite men 30 years of age to 50 to take charge of this important task. One group carried the most holy things after Aaron and his sons had covered them…one the curtains and everything that was used to hang hem… another was charged with the boards and sockets. 

One might think that the job of carrying the most holy things was more important than the others.  It might have been the most dangerous… but in God’s eyes they were all just tasks that insured the whole of the tabernacle was taken apart and rebuilt wherever they camped. He knew that Aaron and his two sons would never be able to complete it on their own.

I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 12:12.  It says… “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” I am also reminded of the many quotes from known and unknown sources like….it takes a village to raise a child…and individually we are one drop but together we are an ocean. These all remind us that God did not create us to be alone…he gave Adam a helpmeet…and taught his people from the start to work together. No one person is created with all the talents they need to be what God wants them to be.  We were created to interact and learn the anointing’s of each other…so that all of us have access to everything we need to be our best for Christ.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I was made for a special purpose.  My talents are only a part of a bigger picture that involves others. Forgive me for the times that I try to do things on my own.  Help me to listen to you guide me to the people you created to work with me…so that we can all do our best work for you.  Amen.

Let God Help Turn The Negatives Into Positives

Numbers 3:5-7 -  And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:  “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him.  And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle.

Aaron was the high priest…with only two sons left to help him with all the duties they had to perform daily.  So Moses was directed to present the entire tribe of Levi to God…to increase the number of helpers Aaron had to complete his work.  The chapter lists every family by name…as they completed the census God commanded of them…22,273 in all.

It is one of those days when the bad could have completely overtaken the good that might have come in small portions throughout the day.  I hit the dismiss button instead of the snooze…which kept me from spending my usual writing time with God this morning. I had a very…complicated and drama filled day at the school I subbed in today…a bit of anger…and tears were a part of my aggravation….as was declining from teaching again there tomorrow. 

It wasn’t till I had the planning time allotted to the teachers at the middle school… that I began to let the positive pieces of what had happened flow into the emotion filled pockets of my mind and spirit. Instead of giving you all the details of my negative experience…let’s just say I should have called for help. I knew I could…and even had … 2 other times with these students…but emotions won for some reason and I just didn’t.

I wasn’t surprised to see the noes I wrote from Matthew Henry’s commentary when I got home and had time to reflect on what God might be teaching me from this chapter in Numbers. He said that because there was so much work appointed to Aaron and his sons…God used the other Levites to help him. What a great reminder that we all need help.  Perhaps if I had not hit that dismiss button this morning God could have taught me this before I let the negative pieces of my day bring me to an emotional halt.

We all need help.  God realized this concept when he sent his son to earth…and even though he set in motion a way for all of us to receive his help…many choose to ignore his gift.  Psalms 46:1 … “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”  And Matthew 11:28-29 could not be clearer.  It says… “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Father…thank you for the reminder that if I need help you are there.  Thank you for reminding me that the positive is always more important than the negative we experience. Forgive me for the many times that I let the negative keep me from seeing the positive. Help me to always stop and breathe a prayer to you when things seem to be out of my control…so you can come and help me to conquer the negative that threatened to take over my attitude.  Amen.

Contentment Comes When We Abide In God's Peace That Surpasses Human Understanding

Numbers 2:34 - Thus the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; so they camped by their standards and so they broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers’ houses.

God had told Moses to organize the camp where they lived while traveling to the Promised Land. Each family was to camp together… in an assigned place around the tabernacle they had built to worship God. Each family was also assigned a person to lead them when war became necessary.

I have always known the important of family bonds. When a family is healthy and follows God…it is a source of strength… of comfort. But when families begin to let the world and satan dissolve them into brokenness…or allow abuse to take over the love God intended for them to show each other…or let worldly things like alcohol or drugs twist their minds into a false reality… or simply take for granted the support system they were given…  or let worry control their minds…they become weak.

Matthew Henry’s commentary planted a thought in my head last night.  He said that what we have been allotted we should be content with. I admit it’s hard to be content with family sometimes…especially if it broken…and infiltrated with things like abuse and drugs. But I know a God that is able to plant a peace that passes understanding …in all situations…and help us be patient till he is able to soften the hearts of even the most troubled of family members. Its written in Philippians 4:7… “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I will admit too…that when I allowed my family to be broken by divorce…it was devastating to all. But God in his timing is beginning to repair and restore…and that peace that passes all understanding has provided the trust I needed to wait on him to do his healing work.

Father…thank you for the reminder that we are called to be content in all things. Forgive me for the times I have added to the craziness in my life because I complained about the situation you placed me in.  Help me to wait on your timing …claiming Philippians 4:7… that promises to plant an everlasting ace in my heart for all that happens. Amen. 

Take A Spiritual Inventory

Numbers 1:1-2 -  Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male individually, 

The children of Israel had spent about one year camped at the base of the mountain. God had strengthened them…given them the rules he wanted them to live by…and given them a tabernacle in which to worship him. Now it was time to be numbered for the trip he was about to lead them on.

It was David Guzik’s commentary that reminded me of the importance of taking such an inventory before moving forward. He said it was an importance first step. The Israelites took a physical inventory of the males old enough to help fight the battles God knew was coming in their journey towards the land he was giving them to live.  But our inventory should be a spiritual one…one that honestly takes note of what God has and hasn’t equipped us with to fight the battles mentioned in Ephesians 6:12… “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

I needed the reminder to take such an inventory.  It has been a while since I thought of honestly evaluating every aspect of my relationship with him…so I think God is leading me to honestly evaluate my relationship with him…and see where my strengths and weaknesses lie. There are many tools out there…a quick google should produce many for me to choose from.  I just need to make the time to do one.

Father...thank you for the reminder that sometimes it is beneficial to stop and evaluate our relationship with you.  Forgive me for the times I have moved ahead without stopping to count my strengths and weaknesses….and asking you to help me work on the areas that are not where they need to be.  Help me to find a block of time...and the right instrument to help me uncover the things I need to work on to be the best servant for you I can be.  Amen.

Are Your Prayers Fervent?

James 5:16 - Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 

I returned home this evening from a most wonderful weekend. It’s hard to put into words…let’s just say I went to work in a prayer war room for 72 hours.  I shared the time with some wonderful women in 3 hour shifts….and saw God move in mighty ways the whole time we were there. Before returning home tonight…. I got to share the sweetest reunion of a mother and daughter.

I will tell you that I got way more than I gave the last few days. From the moment I found this verse in a box of mixed inspirational scriptures….I knew that God had brought me there to teach me how to be both more fervent and more righteous in my prayer life.

Fervent is defined as having or displaying passionate intensity.  Passion is defined as showing strong feelings or beliefs…and intensity is defined as the power or strength you use.  So I had to immediately admit that I wasn’t up to the standards James wrote in this simple verse. I hadn’t even packed my new index cards…already failing in my newest vow to improve.

The women in our war room group helped renew a new passion for fervent prayer in my life. One gave me a new personal journal….another a pin to remind me who I prayed too. Others modeled for me the continued spirit of prayer…and still others demonstrated how to allow God to place the perfect words in our spirit for each need we lift up.  He even allowed me to see the precious results when we wait on his timing to answer our prayers.

Father ….thank you for the reminder that fervent prayers availeth much in a world that seems to have gone crazy.  Forgive me for allowing the routines and business of life to dilute the prayers I lift to you. Help me to intensify the seeds of passion and fervency that you planted in me this weekend. Fan into fire the gift of prayer in my heart…so I can be a more effective prayer warrior for others and myself. Amen.

Ask For More Faith

Luke 17:5 - And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

Jesus was teaching the disciples about the importance of forgiveness. It was not something that you used once….but as many times as needed to…. an infinite amount. They didn’t reply that that was crazy…they did not say how in the world is that possible.  The disciples prayed a simple prayer….and immediately asked Jesus to increase their faith.

He doesn’t answer them immediately…but we know by reading the book of Acts that all of them were given enough faith to do amazing things after he ascended to heaven and sent his Holy Spirit to help them. They demonstrated to others what God had given them by accepting the hardships that spreading the gospel brought to their lives.

Yesterday I asked God to increase my territory…so it makes sense that the next prayer I should pray is for God to increase my faith as well. Perhaps my lack of faith is the reason I question at all my ability to do the things he asks of me. Jesus constantly said that it was faith that made people whole…. The healing power he used was ineffective unless the person who came to him for healing believed.

Father...thank you for the reminder that my faith is one of the strongest weapons I have against the tricks of satan to weaken my belief in your power to do all things.  Forgive me for the times I lack the faith I need to complete the tasks you need me to complete.  Increase my faith…as you did the disciples…so you can take this common…ordinary old woman… and show her how to do extraordinary things to increase your kingdom.  Amen.

Ask AND Believe...That God Can Strengthen Your Prayers

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 - Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, "Because I bore him with pain."  Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested.

I read and studied this awesome prayer last night. It is one of the simplest…straight forward prayers…a request for blessing…an enlargement of his borders…that God would always be with him….and that he would keep him from harm. He must have prayed this in great faith…for God granted his request.

I prayed his prayer last night...but immediately felt my faith waver…knowing that this lack of faith might prevent me from growing into such a great promise.  I am like the father of that sick boy…who asked Jesus to heal his son…IF he could. Jesus told him in Mark 9:23-24… “And Jesus said to him, "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief." 

Any dream…any seed of great imaginings for our future…God can bring to our realization…we just hae to overcome our disbelief.  I have to overcome the fear that I am not good enough…qualified enough…and latch on to God’s great power to use me despite my weakness.  Allow me to condense and paraphrase some great words of Henry Blackaby.  God wants the world to come to know him. People know him when they see him at work in your life. He always gives people things to do that are outside of their capabilities …so he can demonstrate his power …his nature …his strength…his provision.

Father…thank you for the reminder that more powerful…far reaching prayers are just a belief away.  Forgive me for my unbelief…and help me to overcome the thoughts of insecurity that hold me back. Help me to claim instead the great words of Philippians 4:13 … “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  Give me this strength…so you can give me the confidence to believe that you will also improve my ability to pray.  Amen.

Balance Your Prayers...Keep A Journal

Philippians 4:6 and Romans 8:26 –  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

…. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

There are so many prayers in the Bible.  Many of the prayers from women like Hannah… Job…King David…and even Jesus… that lift up petitions for themselves.  There are also prayers from Moses…the psalmists…and again …Jesus …that lift up prayers for others.  Our prayers need to balance in importance.  We need to lift up daily prayers for our own needs…for strength…for protection from temptation and the evil that satan might have placed in our pathway.  But part of our prayers should always be for others… because Jesus taught us to consider others as more important as ourselves.

There is a danger in letting our prayer life become too ‘one-sided.’ If we pray only for ourselves…we might become too centered on our own needs.  If all our prayers are for others…we miss out on an intimate relationship with God that rivals no other relationship we could ever have.  Jesus gave us examples of both … announcing that he had been praying for his disciples ..especially Peter…in Luke 22…and then later praying so hard for himself in Gethsemane in  that his sweat became bloody from the stress.

I as reflect on my own prayer habits…I do pray for both…but can’t say for certain that I balance them equally. I am thinking that if I had kept the habit of journaling my prayers a daily habit…I could go back and check my prayers more carefully.  Perhaps the urging of God this morning is too begin this practice anew today…and write all my prayers down….so I can be sure that I am praying for others…as much as I pray for myself. Moses…King David…and many others recorded their prayers in the Bible.

Instead of a prayer journal…I used prayer cards.  They were just simple index cards that I wrote the requests others gave me down on…but now that I think back...I rarely wrote one down for myself. I think I will be going to the dollar store today…so I can buy some new index cards. I couldn’t even tell you where the old ones are now. Shame on me for letting such a great habit go by the wayside and get ditched for whatever reason.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to balance my prayers to you…so that as many of the prayers that leave my lips are for others as they are for me. Forgive me for letting the habits you have tried to teach me in the past fizzle out to nothing. Help me to establish a new journal of prayer time with you…and instill in me a passion to never let it weaken again. Amen.

Learn To Pray Like Jesus

Genesis 4:26 and Luke 11:1 -  And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.

…Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

A prayer is defined as a solemn request or expression of thanks addressed to a god.  For me that God is the three in one trinity of the Father….Jesus his son….and the Holy Spirit that came to guide us after Jesus ascended back to heaven. The first mention of a prayer generated by a man was in Genesis 4:26.  After Cain killed Abel…and God granted Eve and Adam a new son…something happened to give man the idea it would be a good thing to call on god …as he had called on man.

God has been talking to me lately… creating in my heart and mind a strong conviction that my prayer life could be a whole lot better. It’s hard to explain in just a few words… so let’s just say I felt the need to push the pause button on reading Numbers…and study what the Bible had to say about prayer for a bit.

Luke 11:1 contains the wonderful question that the disciples put to Jesus one day.  They had seen his power and dedication to God was second to none…and feeling that this great ability to focus on God’s will instead of be swayed by the crowds around him was his dedication to prayer…they simply asked…Lord…teach us to pray.

One of my resources…a book of some of the great prayers of the Bible…made reference to a statement made by S.D. Gordon in his book Quiet Talks On Prayer…He said… “prayer for Jesus was not just a resort in emergency…but a regular habit…..he prayed so much and so often that it became to him like breathing-involuntary.

Just after Jesus ascended…many of the disciples and believers gathered for a 10 day prayer meeting.  I just can’t imagine that kind of passion and dedication to prayer these believers had in Acts 1. I do good to keep my bedtime routine 15-20 minutes long. Perhaps the few prayers that are offered up at random times increase the time I spend in prayer a bit…but I know in my heart that I good spend more time…and be more passionate.

Father...thank you for the reminder that prayer is a very important part of my relationship with you.  Forgive me for settling for what I have…instead of trying to understand more of the great power it holds to give me strength…and help others around me.  Help me to learn how to pray…like Jesus did…so I can walk completely in your will at all times. Amen.

It Belongs To God...Share With Others

Leviticus 27:28-30 - ‘Nevertheless no devoted offering that a man may devote to the Lord of all that he has, both man and beast, or the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted offering is most holy to the Lord.  No person under the ban, who may become doomed to destruction among men, shall be redeemed, but shall surely be put to death.  And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.

Because the priestly tribe of Levi were the only ones dedicated to the service of God…anyone else that felt the calling to consecrate something to God had to follow some rigid procedures that involved a straight up payment to the priests ...different prices for gender…age…land ...or seed from a harvest.  It was a voluntary thing…and even the poor who did not have the amounts listed…could go to the priest and let him set the price.

I thought of sweet Samuel’s mother… Hannah….who prayed so long for a son…that she vowed to dedicate him right back to God when he gave her this heart’s desire. When the child was weaned she took him to the tabernacle along with the proper offerings.  1 Samuel 1:24 says... ^“Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls,  one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young.”

Voluntary offerings don’t involve any rules since Jesus fulfilled the law God gave to Moses with his great sacrifice on the cross. But that never changed the fact that all we have belongs to God.  Our lives still become a holy offering to him when we dedicate our hearts and lives to him in belief of his death and resurrection. Vows are still serious business to God.

I had a conversation with a sweet group of ladies yesterday after we had finished working in the food ministry at church. They wanted to know why a few bracelets I had worn that day…that some had admired… quickly left my wrist and were given away. I told them how my heart had felt for years that all I had belonged to God…and how it gave my heart such joy to share any of it with others that might get a bit of joy from the gift. I had such fun going through my stash of beads to see what else I might need to recreate the one they liked the best.... ready to spend a bit of time the rest of this week making some more for the ones who did not get one.  It is a great reminder that giving away what God has shared with me is a powerful way to share his love with others.

Father…thank you for reminding me that everything I have belongs to you.  And thank you for the opportunity to share some of it with others.  Forgive me when I let the craziness of life…and my own selfish desires hide the opportunities you send to me to share even more with others. Help me to keep my heart …eyes….and ears tuned in to you so I won’t miss these great chances to share your love.  Amen.

God Loves us..And Wants To Bless Us...No Matter What

Leviticus 26:3-6 -  ‘If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.  Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.  I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid…

God gave Moses a two part message for the Children of Israel.  The first part included all the blessings he was ready to shower upon them if they walked in his statutes.  The second part spelled out the penalty for not obeying his commands and statues.  The first list insured a prosperous and healthy life that was full of good things.  The second reversed all those good things and reminded them of the sure death that would come if they did not obey.

There was what I will call a repentance clause included in his directions.  He knew that these children of his would mess up…and wanted them to know that he was a merciful and forgiving God. So he let them know before they messed up that a simple confession of their sins….combined with a humble heart would restore them right back to the blessing side of God’s presence. Verses 40 - 42 say it clearly…. “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me, and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt— then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land.”

What a great reminder that no matter how much we mess up…God is waiting for us to repent and accept our guilt with a humble heart…so he can begin the process of restoration. I have no clue who said this phrase first…but it stuck with my heart… ‘There is nothing we can do to make God love us more and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.’ God’s love follows the outline of 1 Corinthians 13.  All he wants from us is to be obedient and let his love power our ability to keep his commands…no matter what. 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are merciful God that wants our love and heart…no matter how long we have kept it from you.  Forgive me for the times that I have failed to ask your forgiveness for the sin in my life.  Help me to identify it and humbly ask you to restore me to the fullness of your  love and care. Amen. 

God's Blessings Aren't Always New

Leviticus 25:20-22 - ‘And if you say, “What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?”  Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years.  And you shall sow in the eighth year, and eat old produce until the ninth year; until its produce comes in, you shall eat of the old harvest.

God gave Moses instructions to give the land they were going to a rest each 7^th year. They were not to sow or reap any of the fields or tend the grapes in any vineyard that year. It was to be a holy year of rest for the land. The sixth year would be so blessed by God that enough could be stored to keep them satisfied until the harvest of the eighth year was usable.

I admit this is a hard concept to internalize… for the world wants us to constantly buy into the newest model of car…the latest technology in phones… fill our homes with the newest gadgets to protect and make our lives easier and more fulfilled. The world tends to measure success and worth by the ‘things’ we own.

But this passage reminds that God doesn’t measure my worth that way.  He sees me as his child…and loves me so much he will provide for me...if I let him. He may not ask us to count years and order our work days by Sabbath years anymore….but he does bless us when we obey his commands and judgments.  He still provides what we need when we live within his will.

I admit that I still get excited when God blesses me with something new…but I am learning that some of my old things are just as good…if not better for the task God needs me to complete for him.  The fixed income of retirement ….around half what I used to live on….has provided more than I need for anything God has asked of me so far.

Father…thank you for the promise to provide for all my needs if I trust in you completely.  Forgive me for the times that I think I need ‘new’ things to make me happier or more content. Help me to trust in what you provide for me…and not sell out to the world’s idea of success and worth.  Instill in me a contentment in all that you have given me…and help me use all of it to glorify only you.  Amen.

Trim Your Wick...Fill Your Oil...Let God's Light Shine Continually

Leviticus 24:2-4 -  “Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually. Outside the veil of the Testimony, in the tabernacle of meeting, Aaron shall be in charge of it from evening until morning before the Lord continually; it shall be a statute forever in your generations. He shall be in charge of the lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord continually.

The lampstand in the tabernacle was its only source of light. The wick had to be trimmed each morning and evening…and it also had to be replenished with oil.  The oil the Children of Israel gave to the priests to maintain this lamp was very valuable…for they only had what they had brought with them until God brought them into the promised land.

We may not need to keep a tabernacle light burning continually anymore…but light is just as important to our existence as it was back then. We need light to grow the plants that form the base of our food system. We also need Christ’s light to provide us any hope of our future. Jesus was careful to include in one of his teaching sermons these words found in Matthew 5:14-16.  He said… “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

What a great reminder that the light Jesus puts inside us when he saves us from our sin is meant to be shared with others. As Jesus pronounced in John 8:12…Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” That light is not to be kept private…or hidden from others…but shared so many more can see the truth God’s light provides for the soul.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you placed inside me the same light that you showed to the world when you were here… when you saved me.  Forgive me for the times that I don’t trim my wick…or keep my supply of oil full.  Help me to be more aware of how brightly I am shining to the world…so that more people may see you reflected in the things I do and say...continually.  Amen.

Stop To Rest And Worship

Leviticus 23:1-3 - And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.  ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.

God gave Moses 7 particular ties he wanted them to stop their normal working routine and give God some special praise with feasting and sacrifices. He wanted them to stop and celebrate the wonders of knowing God in a time of rest…and worship with specific sacrifices for each feast.

Most of us who believe and worship the trinity that provided our salvation…stop each Sunday to at least worship him… and no one can deny that Easter is a biggie too….but many Christians don’t have the luxury of stopping to rest on Sunday.  The world caters to the needs of the masses that want to eat out…and shop…and relax with things that cause others to work to man those restaurants and shopping malls.

Several times God has laid on my spirit the need to expand my definition of the Sabbath for any one person. Those who can’t attend a tradition church service because they work on Sunday…or even attend a mid week prayer service because they work on Wednesday…don’t leave God behind.  They find their own creative ways to worship God...not always in a corporate setting.

It’s a great reminder to me not to close my mind to new ways to provide worship and rest for the many people who find their livelihood depends on working on a day that I always considered a traditional worship day. Perhaps it is also a reminder that churches need to expand their ideas of when to provide worship as well.

Father…thank you for the reminder that worship is the attitude we have toward you at any one given moment…not the day or building we do it in.  Forgive me for the times that I judge others or forget that my selfishness causes some to have to work when they might rather be participating in corporate worship with others. Expand my heart and thoughts to think of ways to help others worship anywhere they find themselves…and promote alternate days of worship for those that search for ways to worship with others in a corporate setting.  Amen.

It's Always Time For A Spiritual Cleansing

Leviticus 22:3 -  ³ Say to them: ‘Whoever of all your descendants throughout your generations, who goes near the holy things which the children of Israel dedicate to the Lord, while he has uncleanness upon him, that person shall be cut off from My presence: I am the Lord.

In Moses day…the priest was the people’s connection with God. Only they could go inside the inner tabernacle…only the high priest could go behind the veil to meet with God. It was imperative that they kept themselves spiritually clean…undefiled by breaking any of the statutes God had given them.

When God tore the veil between the inner tabernacle and the Holy of Holies he passed the responsibility of staying spiritually clean to anyone that believes in his name. Jesus addressed the problem when he spoke with the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25-28.  He said to them… "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness

It is a reminder to me that my spirit needs to be cleaned of sin daily…so I don’t run the risk of it separating me from God.  I know from experience that I can do nothing apart from him…so I need to do everything I can to insure that he is always by my side. I have to admit that I was a hypocrite for many years…and struggle daily to keep that pious attitude from creeping back into my life. I want my inside to match my outside...so I guess this year’s spring cleaning will start with an evaluation of my heart and the things that I might need to throw out to be more spiritually pure. Truth be told…I need to do spring cleaning every morning.

Father…thank you for the reminder that my spirit can be damaged and harbor sin that I have long forgotten about. Forgive me for the times that I have cleaned up my outside without thinking of how dirty the inside ha gotten.  Help me to see the hidden sin in my heart that needs to be cleansed away with your precious blood… so nothing can separate me from your love and power. Amen.