confronting sin/ confrontation with God

2nd Chronicles 33:9 Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.

10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention. 11 Therefore theLord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon. 12 And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lordwas God."

God is so good. His mercy is everlasting. Here is a king that does more evil than the peoples God judged and destroyed and yet….the humbled king made a plea, a supplication, an entreaty for mercy and God was moved. In the act of confronting his sin, the king confronted his LORD and repented and received mercy. Forgiven, he acknowledged the one LORD as God of all and worshiped Him alone. This is a story of redemption, of hope, with a plot twist, drama, love, and a beginning and an ending that will have you entreating for more understanding and more of Him! God desires a confrontation with us.. He spoke to Manasseh but the king did not listen. However, God spoke to him again, another way; He humbled him. The king was taken prisoner. K. Manasseh learned to listen and he evidently knew the way to move God’s ear to hear his plea, and blessed be His Name, he heard him and he hears us! Let us confidently pray with great humility, knowing the source of our life, liberty, and happiness comes through Jesus and is testified by the Spirit.

Let it not go without saying that this reveals God as compassionate, gracious, merciful—attributes not often associated with “the God of the Old Testament.” For those who claim God is wrathful or ready to pronounce judgement in some unfair, unreasonable, unjustified way, let them read carefully. When people repent, there is mercy. Yet, one politically incorrect act or spoken word, and today people are considered not fit for civil society, unemployable, and held up for ridicule. People in this post modern society are far less forgiving than the God who they think is unsensibly wrathful.

buckets

there is a book called " How full is you bucket?" and it talks about how our emotional needs and reserves are met by the qualitative interactions that take place with others throughout the day. If the encounters are positive our "buckets" are filled, but if they are not, we run the risk of living empty, dry lives. If we extend that philosophy to our encounters with God, how are we doing. If we rarely seek Him, He can not fill our buckets. If we seek Him seeking our own egotistical entitlements we will still come out, perhaps not empty, but filled with something other than what we came for. When we seek God with humility, broken spirits, sincerity, truth, and ready to listen, then God can fill our buckets with loads of fruit...gentleness, peace, joy, love, patience, etc...And when God fills, He fills abundantly. We can take our buckets and disperse to others then keep going back for more and more from this fount that has no need to ration the quantities it gives away. Praise God for His mercy, blessings and grace! Our spiritual buckets have their source forever through His Son and the gifts of the Spirit!

God's Great Gift

A Gift Fit to be King

humanity
Feeble meager transient
with swaddling clothes
Comforts His Son
Light
Of the world
Eternal universal manifest
God's goodness revealed
Life
The breathing Living Word
Observable discernible imparted
God incarnate Sovereign
Sacrificed
The impossible ransom paid
Humble Obedient Perfect
Proves His want for us
Salvation
For each child of God
Redemption Forgiveness Grace
Swaddled in a manger
Messiah.

Merci for Mercy!

Mercy, anyone??! The site chosen for the temple Solomon was chosen to construct has quite a legacy. In 1st Chronicles 21, the consequences of David's sin of numbering the people under his dominion had caused catastrophic losses throughout the land. And David, seeing the angel of the Lord with sword in hand in order to smite Ornan the Jebusite and his household along with other inhabitants of Jerusalem, sought God's mercy, vs. 13. Though fearful of the hand of God, he knew there was nothing but the mercy of God to appeal to and that is what moved God to tell the angel to cease and desist the administration of justice.. It is as if the consequence for accepting the sentence would be more damning than the action that warranted the sentence in the first place. And because this is where David interceded for God's mercy, God told Gad to tell David that is where He wanted an altar to be built. A place to signify that God could hear and be moved by man would be a powerful testimony and reminder for the people to continue to trust Him. And isn’t that what Christ proclaimed and demonstrated as well. He was moved to make the sacrifice.   To be sure, the more we fear the appropriate impartment of due process that would hold us to account for our sin, the more God shows His amazing grace and profound mercy: Zephaniah 3:7 "I said, ‘Surely you will fear me;

you will accept correction.

Then your dwelling would not be cut off

according to all that I have appointed against you.’ " I believe God is especially moved when we have nothing but a determination to be heard by God whether in communion or confrontation--mano a Deo--when we know we have nothing but His Word to fall back on because His Word testifies to His love, His mercy and His desire for us to know we can and should count on Him for what we need and that He wants to provide abundantly! We can ask, seek, and knock because God wants us to confront Him--to have a passionate determination in our aspiration to find inspiration! The splendor of David’s plan, in all its glory, got its humble beginnings from the consequence of sin and the redeeming grace of God. Much better then, the splendor of God’s plan which was fulfilled in Christ. God interceded on our behalf to save us. The cross reminds us that He is a God that cares and was moved so much as to give His only Son to redeem us into His kingdom. Now to receive this most merciful gift is only to confront the Lord, confess our fear and profess “I am yours; save me,…” (Psalm 119:94). May God be glorified with our praise, obedience and thanksgiving, Amen.

drinking from the vine

Habakkuk 2 15 “Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink—
you pour out your wrath and make them drunk,
in order to gaze at their nakedness!
16 You will have your fill of shame instead of glory.
Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision!
The cup in the Lord's right hand
will come around to you,
and utter shame will come upon your glory!"

--To me these verses illustrate the cup that Jesus was asking God to remove from Him at the garden while He prayed for strength to obey His Father's will. This cup is not some gentle, little throw away trifle of a piece of plastic, it is an ominous foreboding disgusting threat to Life's existence. Being humble and faithful and for love for us all, Jesus summoned the strength in His weakness to take our cup for us, that we would not have to drink what we so deservedly reap. Now, through Him, we may drink of His righteousness, goodness, holiness, and this is the divine taste of being children of God!

All for One! One for all!

1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

This sounds like the end of The Lord's prayer or the doxology; "For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen." Just glad to know its context.

17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.

--There is another scripture that says God does not tempt us, James1:13, but he does test us....need to differentiate the two and know in my heart what comes from God and what is of my own making.

23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in place of David his father.

--I wonder if this phrase "the throne of the Lord" is newly given or had it been established prior to this-. I know Jesus is the king descended from David to rule from this throne, but I never thought it was The Lord's throne until he sat on it. Seems like that would have been a title of only the place from which Christ would rule.

In an earlier chapter in Chronicles, (22:12) David prayed to the Lord for Solomon that he would have the wisdom to rule. And I think that is overlooked much. We often here how wise Solomon was to ask for wisdom because God blessed him abundantly for making such a honorable request, but to know David was praying that his son would know of his need for wisdom speaks volumes about the need for intercessory prayer and getting to the heart of God's will.

I think it is interesting that what I have thought to be the temple being built for God is called a lot of things but not a temple. It is a house, a holy house and a palace such as in verse 19. I think this is significant because a house is where families reside and a temple is usually something where a community joins together for an event, but it is not home.

Lest I omit what is made abundantly clear here in this reading in this chapter in Chronicles is the fact that everything we have has comes from God, and to give it to Him to serve Him and bring Him glory is a joyous and commendable action that brings blessings innumerable to countless others. May my thankfulness lead to more generosity for the blessing of others to the glory of God.

rainbows

Anger he smiles, towering in shiny metallic purple armour.

Queen Jealousy, envy waits behind him, her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground.

Blue are the life giving waters taken for granted, they quietly understand.

Once happy, turquoise armies lay opposite ready, but wonder why the fight is on.

My red is so confident that he flashes trophies of war and ribbons of euphoria.

Orange is young, full of daring but very unsteady for the first go round.

My yellow in this case is not so mellow, in fact I'm trying to say it's frightened like me.

And all of these emotions of mine keeps holdin’ me from givin’ my life, to a rainbow like you. --J. Hendrix

People are a mix of attributes...yellow, black, and white, Thank God we are all precious in His sight...because all together we make up that rainbow of humanity.

Lessons learned--big and small!

The City - Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 20:6 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 7 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, struck him down. 8 These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants."

I love this! The giants are back (whether 6'9" or 10 feet--there is some discussion there, but it need not interfere with the message--they were big guys!) but experience has taught them that with their reliance and trust in God, they can defeat this enemy. It is David's brother's son who takes down this giant. David's brother must have been itching to show his trust in God and I imagine just gave a word of encouragement to his son to go get him as David slew Goliath when David was just a boy as well. "You can do it, not because you are expert at war, but because God is with you! He is bigger, stronger and able to keep you safe in any circumstance. He is the Almighty! Now go get him! He taunts us as Goliath, he shall fall like Goliath! To the glory of our God! Blessed be His name! " Let us not fear when trials come near--be consoled and cheered with God's demonstrations of glory, honor and works and be faithful, thankful and sure!

Psalm 94:18 When I thought, “My foot slips,”your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.19 When the cares of my heart are many,your consolations cheer my soul! Our God is with us!

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God's Word go-betweens

Colossians 17:1 "David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” 2 And Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

3 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. 5 For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, "

1. Isn’t it something that God still used prophets and at other times still uses others as middlemen to get His message to people who seek him with all their heart. You wonder why not go directly to David with His Word. Then again, He didn’t go directly to Mary with the news of Jesus unless you consider angels direct intervention. In which case I would consider prophets direct intervention as well. I’m just saying it seem interesting that David needed a messenger unlike, say, Moses. Especially since we know he sought God with his whole heart. Evidently it seemed logical to Abraham Lincoln that those most responsible for taking action would have a more direct access to the Divine Guide… Pg 181 of “The History of Prayer in America--One Nation Under God” by James P. Moore, Jr. "Met in the Oval Office by a group of ministers from Chicago who announced that through their prayers they had been summoned by God to obtain immediate emancipation for all slaves, Lincoln rejoined, “If it is probable that God would reveal his will to others, on a point so connected with my duty, it might be supposed he would reveal it directly to me.” God works in mysterious ways, because even His prophets had a difficult time digesting His word i.e. Jonah. Thank God His message does get through and He allows us to show and develop our listening skills!

On another note, The Lord, unlike in his dealings with David, actually appeared to Solomon, not through an intermediary such as Gad. Chapter 7 of 2^nd Chronicles verse 12: “Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: …”My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer…”

Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

David confesses in Colossians 17:20 There is none like you, OLord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

What I see in this is that God’s mercies are worth generations of gratitude…He doesn’t have to prove Himself to us everyday…His goodness is from everlasting to everlasting. We should have enough knowledge of God’s goodness through reading His word and hearing His Word and having the Spirit testify to the truth of this Word to get us through our days which are like a vapor anyway. James 4:14 “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” David didn’t need more signs and wonders, though he was surely blessed with the Lord’s goodness and favor and a covenant. He based His fidelity to God on the truth of God that had been told to Him. I pray I may also have ears to hear.

Debt of Gratitude

Scripture encourages a believer to be filled with the Spirit "giving thanks always for everything." Ephesians 5:20. And to "do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God..., Colossians 3:17 Well, as I grow, and press forward to that prize of maturity, this little nugget in a book entitled "George Washington and the Founding of a Nation" written by Albert Marrin has helped me realize just why this is not just possible, but appropriate.

"When troubles fall within your dish,

And things don't tally with your wish;

It's just as well to laugh as cry--

to sing and joke, as moan and sigh:--

For a pound of sorrow never yet

Cancel'd a single ounce of debt."

--A Popular Song of 1777

A Present Song of mine--

I'm forgiven

my sin debt paid

not with sorrow

With love Christ made.

What joy is mine,

to share and sing,

with praises for

my blessed King!

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Doing vs. Obeying

1 Chronicles 15:13 Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.” 14 So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord."
In yesterday's reading, A man (Uzzah) died doing what he thought was right by steadying the ark when the oxen stumbled...but what he did angered God, and because David did not understand God's purposes David feared and was angry at God. Today's reading shows David and the people calmly and steadfastly obeying God according to the word of the Lord and not in their own strength and understanding. They have, since Uzzah died, sought the Lord and His purposes and ways, and acted according to them. This changes everything as they are literally walking in His ways now...and no harm comes to them and in fact, God helps them, verse 26.
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A Good Gift causes us to look upward.

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

What I now see is that when I seek the good and perfect gift from God, (the wisdom and guidance of the Spirit and obedience to Him,) I won’t be tempted by my flesh because I won’t be seeking to satisfy it. I will be seeking to honor and glorify God, by being made “complete in every good work to do His will…through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever,” Hebrews 13:21 Plus a Good Gift comes from the Father of lights which suggests to me, His gifts are as lights to the world, and when exposed through His people to the world, testify to His goodness. I should not hide my light under the bushel as it were, (Matthew 5:15) and if it is something I feel I should hide, it is not from above.

The Age Rage

Psalm 90:10 The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.

‎50% of all baby boomers will live healthy lives beyond 100. So argues antiaging physician and best-selling author... http://t.co/9JIaJBUo

What’s with all the hype about living longer? It’s the quality of life that matters, not the quantity of years. With all the troubles we have living lives that produce fruit for the kingdom as it is, it seems if we have a world of people living an additional 20 plus years, it will mostly be filled with complaining, worrying, stress, suffering and sadness. This may sound like I am a pessimist, cynic, downer, (or like the writer of Psalm 90 which is attributed to Moses)but it is not like most people have figured out the key to happiness in their first four score years. Do people think they will figure it out and do I think they will much more readily accept the Way, the Truth, and the Life in their elongated lives? Well, if a rich man can get through an eye of a needle, I guess it's not up to me to say "no way."

Just like Jesus said...Love the Lord with all!

2nd Kings 23: 3 And the king [Josiah] stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant

2nd Kings 23: 24 that he [King Josiah] might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord. 25 Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.

I can't help but wonder what King David thinks of this... Josiah being described this way. After all 1st Samuel 16:7 describes David as being "a man after [God's] heart, for he will do everything I want him to," (also 1 Samuel 13:14) among others. I wonder if there is a difference semantically that makes a world (especially in the spiritual one) of difference...seeking God with your heart vs. loving, trusting, obeying with all your heart. Even so, now as then, God calls his people to do the same.

Joel 2: 12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

factors of forgiveness.

Psalm 79:12 Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors
the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!

However, Jesus tells us to forgive those who wrong us 70 times more than the sevenfold sought after here. (70 times 7) Matthew 18: 21-22. That is to say as much as we instinctively want harm on our enemies, we are to desire for their good by many factors more. Be unimaginably merciful and gracious! Like Father Like Son—as He Is so I am to be! Truly, He loved me first while I was yet His enemy Romans 5:10-11.

Feast or Famine

Amos 8:11 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God,
“when I will send a famine on the land—
not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
and from north to east;
they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord,
but they shall not find it.

Yes, try to have communion with God without the body and blood of Christ, and it’s not going to happen—we will be fasting or feeding on stuff that is not life sustaining or enriching. Can’t ignore Jesus and think God will nourish us with our daily bread. Man can not live by bread alone, but he has absolutely no life without the Bread of heaven. John 6:32-33

This also makes me think that God will withhold His Word and blessing from those who are less than grateful or downright antagonistic to His presence, His authority, and His truth.

Sing, but Obey!

Lest I forget what is truly important to God, after writing a new stanza to the America the Beautiful song the next day's reading includes(Amos 5:23): "Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." This reminds me how much prayer is needed for "Thy will be done."

Sing but Obey,

for there's no other way,

to be happy in Jesus,

but to trust and obey!

The Beautiful Word

Having read today's verses i Chronicles 5-6 and Psalm 85 in the bible study tab in "the City" I am struck by how much singing is a vital component to God's worship. I am rather tone deaf vocally and have two left thumbs instrumentally where music is concerned, but I really want to take part in such a dynamic act of praise...plus the early church builders in our nation wrote many hymns--so this morning I have written these words to "America the Beautiful" which does a beautiful job of recognizing the glory of God as it is,

O Beautiful

The Word of God

So mighty, true and good!

Thine holiness

revealed to us.

All evil's ways withstood.

Hosanna Hosanna

We fall on bended knee,

Proclaiming thus

Thou God art just

In all eternity!

Lest I forget what is truly important to God, the next day's reading includes(Amos 5:23): "Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." This reminds me how much prayer is needed for "Thy will be done."

Breach of trust

1Chronicles 9:1 So all Israel was recorded in genealogies, and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith.

9:13 So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. 14 He did not seek guidance from the Lord. A show on PBS yesterday (11-16-11) was about a man who lived with wild turkeys for about a year and how much wisdom he gained from them…he did not seek guidance from the Lord…and it made me realize the foolishness of not seeking God for my wisdom.

As Psalm 86 says: 11 Teach me your way, O Lord,

that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever

the sweet smell of a Soul Mate

Seems like most of the time I come to God with the "Sorry again" line. I know there is the prayer formula of Adoration/ Thanksgiving/ Petitions/ Admissions/ and Closure (paraphrased) but that just seems so trite to have a "formula." Anyway something new this evening/morning has come over me. I can't sleep. And it's not because I am anxious or that I need something or that I have to confess. It's just that I get the sense God wants to be with me. I can practically sense Him calling. And not to scold me or warn me or command me...just to hold me and hear my voice and be near. It is a sense that He is pleased with me and where I am at this moment. I am seeking Him and listening to His word through an audio weblink which has been great...but to think I am no longer just reading about the God in the vast deep dark cosmos, but growing in awareness of the presence of the Lord who cares deeply for me and wants my company. I do love Him for He has given me this breath that I might offer it back to Him, but let me do it with love, gratefulness, humility, and joy...that my breath might be a sweet smelling incense that is infused with the savory scent of His Son's perfect sacrifice. Praise Him! Love Him. Be with Him forever, My Lord, My God, Abba!

Pardon the interruption

Have you ever been really enjoying a good book, movie, sporting event, or activity and something or someone comes along and interrupts the moment? That can be very irritating, frustrating and upsetting. Recently I had to ratchet that feeling up a few notches when I realized I was allowing worldly ways, lust of the flesh, corrupt attitudes and temptations to distract me from the will of God. Here He is trying to share His Word with me through the Bible and the Spirit and I have been telling Him in effect, "I'm busy" or "I'll be back in a little while." God wants continuous communion with us. It is awesome to know He is willing to indwell us at all times for all times. What does a book, or a paper, or website, or a movie, or even other friends or commitments have that can offer what His presence does? Seek Him first and everything we desire will be met! By not seeking Him first with all our heart, soul, mind and strength we let other/others distract us from Him. He is not interrupting us from our lives. He is offering us the life we are missing by chasing the satisfactions of our selves. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Notes of praise!

Thanks be to God for His Word. Strength and honor and truth and life are breathed into me as I read and partake of these readings. I think of Jesus on the cross, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me??” and could see how Jesus would have spoken these words from Psalm 71. And then I see how verses 20 and 21 20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness
and comfort me again." speak of a resurrection! God is great and greatly to be praised? May my lips and heart become a lyre and a harp to unceasingly praise God with fervent, adoring praise!

Hosea 10:8 reads like Revelation 15-18 when wicked people cry out to the mountains and hills to cover them rather than repent and return to God. Hosea: 8 The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,

shall be destroyed.
Thorn and thistle shall grow up
on their altars,
and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us,”

and to the hills, “Fall on us.”

Revelation: "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!"

To think of Jesus quoting this scripture in Psalm 71:18 "So even to old age and gray hairs,

O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,

your power to all those to come..." and knowing gray hairs or old age were never going to be something He would need to be concerned with has much sorrow in it…