James 1:5-6 (ESV)
“[5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ASK GOD, WHO gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. [6] But let him ask IN FAITH with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”
Exodus 25:1;8 (ESV)
“[1] The LORD said to Moses,….
[8] And let them make ME a sanctuary, “THAT I MAY DWELL IN THEIR MIDST”.”
As I sit here alone in my house in solitude, I am awaiting a WORD FROM THE LORD about these verses of Scripture that I shared with everyone this morning.
In my Brain Damaged mind, I cannot imagine that THE ONE WHO CREATED me and THE ENTIRE WORLD would continually give me BREATH (Isaiah 42:5) when I fail to worship and adore HIS MAJESTY??? HE is requesting me to “sit down for a spell” with HIM, but I seem to think that I don’t have enough time for that!!
I see my family on a digital screen in my living room and my thoughts are WHAT IF they only acknowledged me was when they needed me?? Isn’t that what I usually do to my HEAVENLY FATHER??? I generally “present HIM my wish list” while praying and then get up and “run the race” I feel HE has assigned to me!
But what about me simply spending time with THE LORD?? THE ONE WHO CREATED me?? Can I NOT simply WORSHIP HIM because HE IS WORTHY??
HIS WORD says in Exodus 25:8 “And let them make ME a sanctuary, “THAT I MAY DWELL IN THEIR MIDST”. But do I spend enough time with HIM to GAIN WISDOM!. James 3:13-18 (ESV)
WISDOM from Above
Says “[13] Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of WISDOM. [14] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, DO NOT boast and be false to the TRUTH. [15] THIS IS NOT THE WISDOM THAT COMES DOWN FROM ABOVE, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, THERE WILL BE DISORDER and every vile practice. [17] BUT THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE IS FIRST PURE, THEN PEACEABLE, GENTLE, OPEN TO REASON, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS, IMPARTIAL AND SINCERE. [18] And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Physical intellect, riches or capabilities WILL NOT have HIS WISDOM, without HIS BLESSING!! HE IS SAYING TO US “And let them make ME a sanctuary, “THAT I MAY DWELL IN THEIR MIDST”.
HE DESIRES MY PRESENCE WITH HIM………. ON HIS TERMS!!!
Exodus 25:1;8 (ESV)
“[1] The LORD said to Moses,….
[8] And let them make ME a sanctuary, “THAT I MAY DWELL IN THEIR MIDST”.”
How often do I attend the church where GOD has me attending totally unprepared to HEAR from THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES??? Worse still, how often do I take advantage of the GIFT HE provided me when the “veil was rent from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51) on the Holy of Holies???
IF WE UNDERSTOOD what a GIFT HE PURCHASED for us, certainly we would spend more time ALONE with JESUS?!? We have DIRECT ACCESS to the KING OF KINGS and LORD of LORDS, but do we take advantage of this GIFT?? We seem to have an understanding that we can provide HIM “tithes and offerings” from our professions, and we expect that to be enough?? But is that what HE says in the Scripture passage above??
GOD’s PLAN all along was to have an unabridged relationship with HIM, to have NO BARRIERS between HIM and us! But the PRICE FOR OUR SIN precluded this from being a reality. When JESUS paid the ULTIMATE PRICE for my sins, the barrier (veil) was torn from top to bottom, a display of our access to our SAVIOR!!!
THE PRICE for my salvation was PAID IN FULL on Calvary! “THAT I MAY DWELL IN THEIR MIDST” required a GIFT that ONLY JESUS could PROVIDE!!! I pray “THAT I MAY DWELL IN THEIR MIDST” will be made known by HIS CHOSEN and we will enjoy HIM FOREVER!!!
Isaiah 55:10-11 (ESV)
“[10] “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
[11] so shall “MY WORD” be that goes out from MY MOUTH;
IT SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME EMPTY,
but IT SHALL ACCOMPLISH THAT WHICH I PURPOSE,
and SHALL SUCCEED IN THE THING FOR WHICH I SENT IT.”
As I have written before (many times!), my grandfather was a “gardener extraordinaire”! He had the knowledge and experience to cause any seed to flourish and produce rewards! A graduate of the fifth grade, he was not proficient in book studies, but he KNEW how to grow a garden and flourished in his efforts!!
In the two verses shared above, ALMIGHTY GOD is saying that “MY WORD” SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME EMPTY! GOD then says that “IT SHALL ACCOMPLISH THAT WHICH I PURPOSE, and SHALL SUCCEED IN THE THING FOR WHICH I SENT IT.” “MY WORD” which comes to us via “MY MOUTH SHALL ACCOMPLISH THAT WHICH I PURPOSE” is a rather bold statement that humanity appears to almost ignore??
When do we have the WISDOM to turn off the television, radio, social media, and any other noise, and simply LISTEN TO GOD for direction in our lives?? Isaiah 42:5 and Isaiah 43:2-3 have been used by THE LORD instrumentally in precise manners to mold me to LISTEN TO HIM FOR HIS GLORY! Today THE LORD caused me to search for “bible go limp and absorb my word” and the first verse that came up was Isaiah 55:11! GOD can use HIS ENTIRE WORD, but HE is keeping me in Isaiah for now, maybe because most of what I read are WORDS spoken by HIM to guide and direct one of HIS CHOSEN???
Just like my grandfather learned his gardening skills from his HEAVENLY FATHER, the same HEAVENLY FATHER is teaching me to HEAR from “MY WORD” and be USED for HIS GLORY! It isn’t about anything other than me listening to “MY WORD”!!!
Isaiah 43:2-3 (ESV)
“[2] When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE OF SHALL NOT BE BURNED,
and the flame shall NOT CONSUME YOU.
[3] For “I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD”,
the HOLY ONE of Israel, your SAVIOR.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.”
This morning I awoke to a notice on a social media account that was announcing a friend of this person had experienced a “Brain Bleed” and wasn’t expected to survive this catastrophic event. As most of you are aware, I experienced a “Brain Bleed” over 18 years ago, but I did survive with very few “deficits”!!! Eighteen years ago the incident was very serious……today it has become a learning tool!!!
My medical records from my physician plainly say “However, he has had a remarkable recovery that can only be defined as a miracle from GOD”!!! NO, I try to NEVER let the opportunity to GLORIFY GOD through the event that was SO SERIOUS at the time. During my recovery I read online that 80% of Brain Hemorrhage patients died from the event. Not only did I survive, but with very few disabilities. There ARE a couple of minor remnants, but GOD uses those as reminders of where HE has brought me from during my journey!!
It wasn’t anything that I did during this period of time to make me worthy to be delivered from the “valley of the shadow of death”! ALMIGHTY GOD DELIVERED me, even from a 17 day coma!!
“I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD” carries a TOTALLY different meaning to me than before! Why didn’t I die??? Why didn’t I have more disabilities??? Why??? Because “I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD” has a purpose for me and I will never forget it!!!
2 Chronicles 6:41 - 2 Chronicles 7::3
[41] “And now arise, O LORD GOD, and go to YOUR resting place,
YOU and the ark of YOUR might.
Let your priests, O LORD GOD, be clothed with salvation,
and let YOUR saints rejoice in YOUR goodness.
[42] O LORD GOD, do not turn away the FACE of your anointed ONE!
Remember YOUR steadfast love for David YOUR servant.”
FIRE from Heaven
[1] AS SOON AS SOLOMON FINISHED HIS PRAYER, “FIRE CAME DOWN” from HEAVEN and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and THE GLORY OF THE LORD filled the temple. [2] And THE PRIESTS COULD NOT ENTER THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. [3] When “ALL THE PEOPLE” of Israel saw the FIRE come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, THEY BOWED DOWN WITH THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For HE is good, for HIS steadfast LOVE endures forever.”
There are MANY SCRIPTURES that could be used by ALMIGHTY GOD this new morning to ENLIGHTEN my Brain Damaged mind, but the SPIRIT OF GOD is seemingly URGING me to LISTEN to everything HE is saying to me from the passages above.
The TYPICAL “method of operation” for this humble servant is to “rapidly” move onto the next passage of Scripture and see if I can make sense of what is trying to be SAID to me. But I am slowly but surely SEEING that GOD doesn’t have to WORK LIKE THAT! HE OPERATES ON HIS OWN TIMELINE!!!
“AS SOON AS SOLOMON FINISHED HIS PRAYER, “FIRE CAME DOWN” from HEAVEN” is the passage of Scripture that I am unable to get past this morning. 2 Chronicles 6:12-42 is an eloquent, detailed oration about how GOD was FAR TOO MAGNIFICENT for his mortal words to encapsulate description! Yet after his attempt, “FIRE CAME DOWN” from HEAVEN!!!
Now FIRE can be a destructive mechanism, one that leaves total destruction. But it is ALSO a purification tool that brings about HIS LIFE after ALL interference is overcome??? Sometimes our “wildest imaginations” have to be DISMISSED when GOD IS DOING SOMETHING that words will NEVER be able to articulate!!!
Solomon is the WISEST man, according to SCRIPTURE! But his vocabulary was unable to articulate precisely what GOD had in store for the nation of Israel! Whenever “FIRE CAME DOWN”, it didn’t necessarily mean that GOD was furious??? “FIRE CAME DOWN” may have been a sign that GOD was doing something of which that ONLY HE was WORTHY to be PRAISED???
2 Chronicles 6:41 - 2 Chronicles 7::3
[41] “And now arise, O LORD GOD, and go to YOUR resting place,
YOU and the ark of YOUR might.
Let your priests, O LORD GOD, be clothed with salvation,
and let YOUR saints rejoice in YOUR goodness.
[42] O LORD GOD, do not turn away the FACE of your anointed ONE!
Remember YOUR steadfast love for David YOUR servant.”
Fire from Heaven
[1] As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, FIRE came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and “THE GLORY OF THE LORD” filled the temple. [2] And THE PRIESTS COULD NOT ENTER THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. [3] When “ALL THE PEOPLE” of Israel saw the FIRE come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, THEY BOWED DOWN WITH THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For HE is good, for HIS steadfast LOVE endures forever.”
King Solomon was the wisest person in the world, according to 1 Kings 3:12. When he prayed the prayer in 2 Chronicles 6, he apparently was in accordance to the WILL OF GOD due to the 2 Chronicles 7!!!
Obviously, there are MANY PEOPLE (especially today) whose EYES have NOT SEEN the ONE TRUE GOD be REVEALED to them! When ““ALL THE PEOPLE” of Israel” saw the manifestation of GOD displayed before them, “THEY BOWED DOWN WITH THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND” and WORSHIPPED GOD. Please note, Scripture says “ALL THE PEOPLE”!!! It doesn’t say that some of them “admitted” that they saw, while some people weren’t convinced that it was an anomaly far beyond what they could explain! “ALL THE PEOPLE” WORSHIPPED THE LORD!!!
One day SOON, in the NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, “ALL THE PEOPLE” of every nation and tongue, WILL WORSHIP THE LORD as KING OF THE WORLD!!!
Now that is worthy of THANKSGIVING!!!!
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
A Living SACRIFICE
“[1] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of GOD ”PRESENT YOUR BODIES” as a LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY and ACCEPTABLE to GOD, which is your spiritual worship. [2] DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO “this world”, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD, what is GOOD and ACCEPTABLE and PERFECT.”
VERY DIRECTLY this morning……
Humanity doesn’t YEILD to that which is comes to us from the UNKNOWN very quickly as we want to assure ourselves that we are NOT subjecting ourselves to something that will be detrimental to us. But before I was placed into the coma following the Brain Hemorrhage over EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO my opinion was NOT considered! My recollection of the events was seeing two friends in the Emergency Room on Monday morning (July 09) and then waking up on July 30, one day after I was brought out of the drug-induced coma!! My “opinion” wasn’t considered to my knowledge??
I wasn’t “fit” to make decisions about my own life at the time! But are we EVER “fit” when making decisions about life and death?? Would my “input” have been beneficial to the people who were making decisions about my health in those days?
GOD HAD A PLAN, as HE always has and does! When each of us are in a position to do something that is a part of GODS PLAN, HE SUPERNATURALLY orchestrates the response from HIS CHOSEN! The Apostle Paul (Saul) was on the way to persecute members of “The Way”, but JESUS intervened and his life was TRANSFORMED by meeting JESUS!! The exact author of the book of Romans had an encounter that changed his life, and accordingly was FOR THE GLORY OF JESUS!!!
The future is NOT something that most people have the ability to discern! Most people are moving WAY TOO FAST to calculate their own outcomes? When the Apostle Paul wrote in the letter to the church in Rome “PRESENT YOUR BODIES”, he probably had NO IDEA how many people would be reading these words? The LORD told the Apostle Paul, “MY power is made PERFECT in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9), and it’s true of us, as well. We need to “PRESENT YOUR BODIES” to HIM and allow HIS WORK to be completed!!!
John 10:22-30 (ESV)
I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE
“[22] At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, [23] and JESUS was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. [24] So “THE JEWS” gathered around HIM and said to HIM, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the CHRIST, tell us plainly.” [25] JESUS answered them, “I TOLD YOU, AND YOU DO NOT BELIEVE. The works that I do in MY FATHER’S name bear witness about ME, [26] but you DO NOT believe because YOU ARE NOT among MY sheep. [27] MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will NEVER perish, and NO ONE WILL SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND. [29] MY FATHER, WHO has given them to ME, is greater than all, and NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM out of the FATHER’S HAND. [30] I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE.””
There are many places in Scripture where it talks about BELIEVERS are CHOSEN! However, when THE CREATOR is speaking to “THE JEWS” in the nine verses above, HE VERY PLAINLY says that YOU (THE JEWS) ARE NOT MY sheep! Obviously “THE JEWS” DOES NOT indicate that everyone associated with them have been selected to be CHOSEN by THE FATHER to be apart of HIS KINGDOM!
Being one of THE CHOSEN doesn’t enunciate that we are better than others. Being CHOSEN simply indicates that despite our faults and imperfections, we have been selected (“before the foundation of the world” according to Ephesians 1:4) by our CREATOR to serve HIM. We are not WORTHY to be selected by HIM, but OUT OF HIS MERCY HE CHOSE us to become SONS of the MOST HIGH GOD (Titus 3:4-7)!
Our feeble minds have never been adequate to imagine any goodness or worthiness to select us over the “lowest of the low” category in life. Yet HE CHOSE us to be one of the SELECT IN HIS EYES!! Others, including “THE JEWS” written about in the Scriptures above, were TOLD directly from the CREATOR HIMSELF and they DID NOT BELIEVE!!!
Andraé Crouch wrote in the early 1970’s a song entitled “I don’t know why JESUS loved me”. It wasn’t a very long hymn, but it says more than my mind can comprehend! I’m not worthy of HIS MERCY and GRACE, but CERTAINLY GLAD that HE CHOSE me!! “THE JEWS” couldn’t SEE that they NEEDED a SAVIOR to redeem them from being a part of “THE JEWS”!!!
