Hey Jealousy...

I'm reading in Numbers 5 this morning. The majority of this chapter is about unfaithful wives but what I want to highlight here is the spirit of jealousy that can come upon us even when our spouse isn't doing anything wrong. It is interesting to me that jealousy is defined here as a spirit that comes upon the man and it is so strong that he has to take his wife to the priest to go through this ritual which will either prove her guilt or freedom. 

Have you ever had jealousy like that of any kind? It is a really dangerous spirit to entertain. See the devil likes to distract us, it's what he is good at, something bad doesn't even have to happen he just has to make us think it could. I remember in my less than mature days there was a guy at work who appeared to have the perfect wife, the perfect home, the perfect kids and all the perfect experiences. A spirit of jealousy was on me, I wanted his life, I wanted us to have money and a nice house and his life was shining like a beautiful diamond in front of me DISTRACTING ME from the beauty of my own... Later when his life fell apart I realized that all along I had been jealous of smoke and mirrors, his life was a fraction of what he boasted it to be. All that wasted energy and all that sin of envy. Look if you are jealous whether it be of your spouse or your friend recognize that this is a spirit of envy that's working on your heart. Take it to the Lord and ask Him to reveal the truth. Don't be distracted by what may be only lies that are whispered in our ears by the enemy...

A God involved!

I have never read this verse before but it struck me as a WOW our God is Awesome moment as soon as I read it! 

Our God may be in heaven but you better believe He is looking on each of us and He is considering all of our works! This is the difference in a loving and living God, He is a God of involvement. He created us and didn't stop there! He wants a relationship with us, he works things out for His glory, He is in this thing with us!!! 

As the verse says He fashioned each of our hearts individually. You are not a cookie cutter person, guess what you are knit together in the womb by the hand of God who counts all the hairs on your head and makes you in His image! Take all the goodness from each of us in the world and put it together and you will see a glimpse of the character of God.

I love the pieces He gave me and the ones He gave you. Why because we can each have a unique experience with Him and we can have an individual contribution to His kingdom!

Thank you Lord for making each of us special and thank you for looking upon us everyday! May we look up from our dwelling place as often as you look from yours on us!!!

Freedom!

Reading Leviticus 25 today. I know the Lord loves us so much and I am constantly amazed at the provisions he makes for us. Even when it is undeserved God wants us to have peace, he wants us to abound in joy. He loves the poor and those who are tangled up in a mess he wants to give them a way out! 

In this chapter God tells Moses when you get to the land I am bringing you too there will be reaping and sowing of the harvest for 6 years but the seventh year is a year of rest for the land. (God knows what's good for the earth He created!) then count seven sabbaths years (7X7) and you will have 49 years. The next year, the 50th year will be a year of Jubilee! The year of Jubilee was a God ordained year of pardon! People were to rerun to their possessions and family's. It was a year where liberty was proclaimed. 

I am learning more and more about the consistency of Gods desire for us to be free, free of our chains so we can love Him and seek Him with our whole heart!

I Would Have Lost Heart...

Today I'm quoting from Psalm 27:13-14

David says "I would have lost heart UNLESS I HAD BELIEVED that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait I say, on the Lord!" 

David Trust God to deliver him. He doesn't say when I'm dead, he doesn't say when I'm in the depths of hell NO David anticipated Gods blessing in this life in the land of the living. But he would have lost all hope, his soul would be in despair had he not believed in the Lords promises.

Do not despair today friends wait on the Lord and HE WILL strengthen your heart! And yes David ended that sentence with an exclamation point!!! I can picture it now David shouting with joy to us this man who had his mental ups and downs, this man who was so transparent. He was shouting this with exclamation, WAIT, HAVE COURAGE, THE LORD IS GOOD and HE WILL STRENGTHEN YOU!!!

You have to believe it to receive it!!!

None Forgotten...

The Lord said to Moses tell the Children of Israel when you gather your harvest from the land don't take everything from the corners and don't take the left overs either. 

Why is this law important? 

Because at another example of God remembering the poor. He tells the people leave it for the strangers, leave it for those who have nothing, do not selfishly gather all that's produced. See our God doesn't leave anyone out, no one is forgotten. If you are poor in spirit, poor in finances, poor in health God remembers you and he is leaving a portion of the crop for you to find and to be filled with! From Leviticus 23:22

The Psalmist Heart

When reading through the Psalms you realize that David is very transparent about his feelings. At time like in Psalm 22 he begins by asking God "Why have you left me, why have you forgotten me?" Doesn't it feel like that sometimes when the Lord is silent? But what is great is I can flip back a page or two and David is praising the Lord for delivering him because the Lord delights in David. And I can flip forward a few pages and David tells me how the Lord is his Shepard who makes him lie down in green pastures and restores his soul. This book of the bible is a reflection of mans heart, struggle, prayer and worship. It's not always good, like our lives... but can't you flip the pages back a few and see where God has blessed you and delivered you because he loves and delights in you. In the same way we will be blessed in the future pages of our life too. It's not always going to be dry, dryness is a season. Seasons help us grow and give us strength. I love the verse I have highlighted in this picture because even in David's cry that the Lord may have forgotten him he is still acknowledging that he is the Lords and he always has been!

On your path...

Happy Monday! I am reading in Psalm 17 and I just love the way David prays to the Lord. Throughout my life I am always praying Lord keep me on your path. I pray that because there is so much that can cause us to stray from the narrow road and also because I want to stay the course God has planned for me and not my own course. Look how David prays this here, I just love the way he says it "Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip."

Lord keep us on your path today and as David prays let us be the apple of your eye and hide us under the shadow of your wings! Amen!

The Lord before me!!!

Reading in Psalm 16 this morning. I love how David says "I have set the Lord ALWAYS before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved." David shows his deep commitment to the Lord here, his eyes are always fixed on God and regardless of worldly troubles the Lord is at his right hand so he will not be moved or shaken! 

Think about who else might be at your right hand. If you are in battle the soldier protecting his comrade was at his right hand; God is our protector! In court the lawyer who represents the defense of another is at his right hand; God is our defender! In Heaven Jesus sits at the right hand of God, God is our savior! To be the one at the right hand is a place of authority  and dignity. David was not speaking from the flesh here he was speaking from the spirit because our flesh resist putting God first but our spirit gravitates toward him always. David address the flesh next saying his flesh will also rest in hope. 

Beautiful, so the lesson I see is when we put the Lord first nothing can move us for God is at our side, defending, protecting and ruling over us. When we follow this spiritual action our flesh will follow naturally with hope!!!

It Is Finished...

Eggs are boiling, husband is resting, kids are playing :) I am studying some with my Strong's Concordance. Did you know in the verse John 19:30 When Jesus says "It is finished." The Greek translation for finished also means to discharge a debt and to accomplish! 

It was not only Finished that day but our debt was discharged and Gods work was certainly accomplished!!! Eyes looking to the resurrection now!