praise the Lord... it's good for the soul...

I give thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;

before the gods I sing your praise...

Psalm 138:1 ESV

Before the god of perfection...

who makes me feel inept...

I sing Your praise...

For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly...

Psalm 138:6 ESV

Before the god of success...

who makes me feel like a failure...

I sing YOUR praise...!

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life...

Psalm 138:7a ESV

Before the god of ease...

who makes me feel uneasy...

I SING YOUR PRAISE...!

...you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

and your right hand delivers me.

Psalm 138:7b ESV

Before the gods of this world... who lie...

who steal my peace...

I sing Your praise...!

Praise the Lord!

For it is good to sing praises to our God;

for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

Psalm 147:1 ESV

wondering... about my purpose...

Feeling like I'm not doing anything well...
leaves me wondering... about my purpose...

Two verses caught my attention this morning...

On the day I called, you answered me;

you made me bold in my soul with strength.

...

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me...

Psalm 138:3, 8

Trusting Him to answer...

counting on Him to fulfill...

did i glorify....

...do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

Lord...? did I glorify You today...?
in word...?
in thought...?
in deed...?

I wonder...

It doesn't really feel like I did...
in my every day... busy way...

I hope I did...

My morning prayer was that I would...

So I ask again...

Lord...? did I glorify You...? today...?

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!

Psalm 139:23-24 ESV

seeing... shabbat shalom...

I have a friend...
a brother in Christ...
he's dying...
checked into Hospice last week...
nothing more man can do...

I had the privilege of visiting him this weekend...
ended up being part of my Sabbath...

I'd asked God earlier in the day...
What does Shabbat Shalom look like...? 
what's the heart...? the attitude...?
of living... Shabbat Shalom...?

I didn't know what to expect when I visited...
but what I saw...
was... Shabbat Shalom...

In the midst of dying...
this brother stuck in bed...
tubes in... tubes out...
body failing...
was perfectly at rest... shabbat...
and perfect in peace... shalom...

My friend... fully trusting in the Lord of the Sabbath...
the Lord of our Rest...

In Him we are to rest our whole life...
every aspect...
the living...
the dying...

My friend... wholly at peace...
trusting in the Prince of Peace... fully...

In Him we are to let Christ's peace rule in our hearts...
knowing we are at peace with Him...
brings peace to all of life...

Shabbat Shalom...
resting in Christ...
as our source of peace...

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,

for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works

as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest...

Hebrews 4:9-11 ESV

Father God... grow me...

to live Shabbat Shalom...

every day...

seeing Him at work...

In several places... I see Him at work...
teaching me... through others...
seeing His Word made flesh...

Grateful for the lessons...
no words to really express the spiritual truths I've seen...

Light... in the darkness...

Working all things... for good...

Members of the body at work... healing... comforting...

"My Father is working until now, and I am working."

John 5:17 ESV

Where have you seen Him working today...?

The Journey Readings: Week 44... and the gospel...

And again, as was [Jesus's] custom, he taught them.

Mark 10:1 ESV

Jesus's primary custom... and concern... was teaching...

You know what He taught...?

The Gospel... the Good News of the Kingdom of God...

Now after John was arrested and put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee,

preaching the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God,

And saying, The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled (completed),

and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent (have a change of mind

which issues in regret for past sins and in change of conduct

for the better) and believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to)

the good news (the Gospel).

Mark 1:14-15 Amp

From the beginning of His public ministry... His message was... the Gospel...

I wonder what that looked like... Him still in the midst of bringing it all to fruition... it not being quite here... but near... to be sure...

Clearly... the encouragement to repent... to recognize sin in our lives... and a need for forgiveness was part of the teaching...

The understanding for the need to trust in... believe... rely on... God's Word... His Way... for salvation... was key...

But did He say...? It's Me...

Did He point to Himself...? saying... I am the Good News...

This last week teaching Bible to fourth graders...

I discovered not one... could tell me what the Good News... aka the Gospel... was...

And I wonder... Can I share it clearly with others...?

Can you...?

It's definitely something we need to be clear on...

something we express not only through our life...

but by our words when asked...

This week... I'm definitely going to spend some time seeking a way to get the message clearly to fourth graders... 

The deal is... if we don't know what He's done for us...

if we don't know something of His loving sacrifice...

so we might live...

we won't get it...

we won't share it...

and we won't live... the abundant life of promise...

This week's readings...

Monday               Mark 14:43 - 15:15

Tuesday              Mark 15:16 - 16:20

Wednesday         Jonah 1-4

Thursday             Amos 1:1 - 4:5

Friday                 Amos 4:6 - 5:27

eve of another sabbath...

I wasn't sure... but Yes... I hear the call to Shabbat Shalom... again...

Preparing my heart... for another sabbath... another opportunity to trust in Him...

92 A Psalm. A  Song For the Sabbath

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

to declare your steadfast love in the morning,

and your faithfulness by night,

to the music of the lute and the harp,

to the melody of the lyre.

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;

at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

verses 1-4, ESV

There is a song for the sabbath... Psalm 92...

giving thanks...

singing praise...

to the Lord...

who gladdens my heart... 

by His work...

Seeking that place of rest...

on the eve of another sabbath...

Amen...

why church...?

Why church...?

Because sometimes we just need Jesus with skin on...!

The true church...
those who love Jesus...
die to self...
listen to His Word...
follow His Spirit...
those fools for Him...
they make up the Body of Christ...
they make Jesus real to our senses...

Sometimes... we need forgiveness and acceptance... with skin on... to have healing happen... to free from shame and guilt...

Sometimes... we need to know our hurting hearts... struggling spirits... are heard... affirmed... and responded to...

Sometimes... we need a physical hug... a help up... a hand out...

This is the mission and ministry... of His Church... to make His Word... flesh...

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV



practicing waiting...

After yesterday's revelation... of unbelief...
today I practiced... waiting...

In problems...
and fixes...
in disappointments...
and encouragements...
in joys...
and sorrows...
I looked to Him...

Waiting to see...
what He has in store...

Waiting to see...
what good He will bring...

Practicing waiting...
on Him...
stills a heart...

Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

For our heart is glad in him

because we trust in his holy name.

Psalm 33:20-21 ESV

do i wait all the day... on Him...?

"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all day." ---Psalm 25:5

... "On thee do I wait all the day." Patience is the fair handmaid and daughter of faith; we cheerfully wait when we are certain that we shall not wait in vain. It is our duty and our privilege to wait upon the Lord in service, in worship, in expectancy, in trust all the days of our life. Our faith will be tried faith, and if it be of the true kind, it will bear continued trial without yielding. We shall not grow weary of waiting upon God if we remember how long and how graciously he once waited for us.

---Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, July 8e

These words read this morning...
revealed facets of unbelief...
inspired confession...
and... hopefully... repentance...

I told Him... I'm tired of waiting... there's no use trying to hide it... You know already... my weariness...

And in the confession...
I hear a heart that doesn't fully trust...
I see a soul... waiting on change... not on Him...
eyes... focused on circumstance...
not on the hope... grace... or promise...

I had to ask...
Do I wait all the day... on Him...?

Well... No...
because if I did...
I would see Him...

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility

against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Hebrews 12:3 ESV

Changing my focus...
waiting on Him...
in service...
in worship...
in joyful expectancy...

Recognizing... that when I grow weary...
I'm not trusting Him...

a mosaic teaching...

A mosaic teaching...
I had one today...
several pieces...
coming together...
establishing... affirming... a truth...

The pieces...

One... Over the past several weeks... I've been in Acts... reading... writing... editing... devotionals for another blog... seeing Paul... taking the message... the good news... to religious and political leaders... kings... and courts... resulting in his persecution... and imprisonment...

Two... A verse read this morning in the current treadmill read...

I've learned that it's not always easy to find your way, but Jesus gave us good directions: "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matt. 7:13-14).

---Brian Houston, Live, Love, Lead

Three... Prayer requests in an email from the Global Leadership Summit...

“People are suffering because of the corruption in Brazil. Pray for our governments, and for God’s strength for all churches and pastors.” – Dsvaldo, Brazil

“Pray to raise up a large class of new leaders with a kingdom mentality who will impact all the areas of our society for the glory of God.” – Kasongo, Congo

“Pray for Kingdom impact, and that people will come to know Jesus. Pray for a Kingdom break though. Pray for Kingdom impact on government leaders. ” – Jette, Copenhagen, Denmark

Reading these... I see leaders today... still far from the truth... causing grief for His people...

What became a clear picture...
from Acts...
the prayer requests...
and the reminder...
is that Yes... it is a narrow path...
and few find it...

Despite the leaders God raises... and empowers...
Peter...
James...
John...
Paul...
and the message... the Good News... they share...
few people... choose the path of Truth...

Many... prefer the applause of people...
the delusion of power and control...
the transient possession of wealth...
rather than freedom...

Reading in Romans this morning...
I see these people are without excuse...
for their suppression of truth...

For what can be known about God is plain to them,

because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes,

namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been

clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,

in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God

or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking,

and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 1:19-21 ESV

It's a clear picture... of how... and why... people can't find... or see... the narrow path...

It's a choice...

He blesses us... each of us... with free will... to choose... or reject... truth...

Few will find it... so do not be discouraged... when they don't...

Pray... for those who don't yet see...
for those you know... those you love...
that He will... open their eyes... that they may see...

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,

who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son

but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him

graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:31-32 ESV

Note... 

Some of you may be wondering how the practice of Sabbath went... well... it came to pass... and I learned much... 

But... much still to be learned... hearing the call to continue the practice for a season... suspecting this too... will be a mosaic teaching...

Waiting for the pieces... to fall... in... place...

The Journey Readings: Week 94... and... Jesus loves you...

Jesus... He loves children...

He raised one little girl from the dead...
freed a Gentile's daughter from a demon...
and a boy from a convulsive spirit...

He tells the disciples... the greatest... will take time for children...

And he took a child and put him in the midst of them,

and taking him in his arms, he said to them,

"Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me..."

Mark 5:36-37 ESV

I used to scoop up my children when they were small...

and whisper in their ear...

Mama loves you...

I see Him doing the same...

whiskers brushing soft cheeks...

warm breath whispering...

Jesus loves you...

Can you hear Him...? whispering in your ear...?

Join The Journey... see what He wants to tell you...

This week's readings...

Monday                           Mark 10:1-34

Tuesday                           Mark 10:35 - 11:33

Wednesday                     Mark 12

Thursday                         Mark 13

Friday                             Mark 14:1-42

Shabbat Shalom...

Feeling the burden of all He calls me to...
plus things I want to do...

In the midst... He calls me to lay it all down...

A call to Sabbath...
24 hours... beginning tomorrow...
sunrise to sunrise...

No Fitbit...
no writing...
no prep for ministry...
no work...

I feel like I'm being sent to time-out...
forced... like a toddler... to take a nap...

The immature Believer in me says...
I don't have time for a Sabbath...
I don't have time to rest...

He says... Trust Me...

Unbelief is tiresome...

I feel like crying...

surrendering to the call...

Shabbat Shalom...

Sabbath Peace...

Hah...!

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,

but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.

Exodus 20:8-10 ESV

Lord Jesus... I trust You...

forgive me for toting things that aren't mine to tote...

forgive me for carrying Your responsibility...

and forgetting it is Yours...

Help me to find... Shabbat Shalom...

Amen...

crouching lies...

The enemy...
he crouches at the door of life...
with lies...

Lies making small things seem big...
and big things seem small...

A little white lie...
knowing you're given too much change...
or undercharged... and you justify the mistake...
They make lots of money... they've overcharged me plenty I'm sure...

But an accidental misstep...
leading to a spill...
a reason to berate... and begrudge...

A fetus becomes simply a blob of tissue...
nothing to worry about getting rid of...
especially if it limits your freedom...

But a wave gone unnoticed by a friend...
becomes a reason to feel snubbed...
and to give a cold shoulder next time you meet...

White lies... there's no such thing...
they all come from the father of lies...
the accuser... deceiver...

An accident...
no malice in the heart...
deserves only grace...

A fetus is not a blob...
it's a life.
abortion... equals... murder...

An unmissed wave...
due to distractions or distress happen...
it's not about you...

The enemy he lurks...
at the door of your life...
crouching with lies...
waiting to devour...
ready to steal... kill... destroy...

Where has he been whispering to you...?

Be sober-minded; be watchful.

Your adversary the devil prowls around

like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:5 ESV

too big for words...

Some days... He's just too big for words...

It wasn't so much one BIG thing happened today...
but a number of things...

Beginning the day focused on Him as our strength...
Strength emanating from His joy of us discovering our weakness...

The simple act of listening to His Word read...
driving in the car between all the to-dos of the day...

Bible study with fourth graders...
one actually remembered something taught last week...

Sitting with a dear friend...
struggling with events of the day...

Seeing Him present in all...
recognizing He's too big for words...

For the Lord is a great God...

Psalm 95:3 ESV

entering the evening with joy...

Leaving the shop at the end of a long day...  ready to shut down... physically... mentally... the setting sun reminds me afresh... it's not an end... but a beginning...

A joy-full beginning...

You make the going out of the morning

and the evening to shout for joy.

Psalm 65:6 ESV

The God of our salvation... brings joy to both the going out of the morning... and the evening...

Encouraged by His presence... to enter the evening with joy...

and it came to pass...

I learned a lesson this weekend...
seeking His presence...
as things went awry in my little world...

No hot water...
septic tank issues...
a checkbook that wouldn't balance...

None of these issues were resolved over the weekend...

In the midst of all... I continued the spiritual discipline of seeking His presence... trying to rest in Him... trying to listen... seeking His peace...

Monday...
hot water...
a checkbook balanced...
a septic tank cared for...

None of these were my doing...
all things out of my control...
all things He provided someone else to fix...

Then I realized...
it came to pass...

All trials...
He uses to refine our character...

How will you deal with an empty propane tank...?
a septic tank you're not sure is doing the job...?
or an error you can't find on your own...?

Will you trust He's in it...?
Will you trust Him to provide...?
Will you trust He is using each incident for your good...?

For this light momentary affliction

is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory

beyond all comparison, as we look not

to the things that are seen but to the things

that are unseen. For the things that are seen

are transient, but the things that are unseen

are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV

And it came to pass...
trials...
turmoil...
trouble...
in order to refine and grow character...
they come... they go...
we pass through them...

All for His glory...

The Journey Readings: Week 93... and what He really cares about...

We see what Jesus really cares about in a crowded house... no room for anyone else to enter... so some faithful friends bust in from above...

And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried

by four men. And when they could not get near him

because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him,

and when they had made an opening, they let down

the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw

their faith, he said to the paralytic,

"Son, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 2:3-5 ESV

Jesus saw their faith...

He saw the physical ailment of the paralytic...

and He forgave the man's sins...

What He really cares about... is healing our spirit... our soul... that part of us that is eternal...

Physical illness... wounds... scars... will pass away... but the spiritual wounds... effect our eternity...

You see it over and over in the gospels... His acts of healing and compassion... pity and mercy... restoring sight... healing leprosy... casting out disease causing demons... it's all really about why He came...

The religious leaders who witnessed the forgiving of the man let down through the roof questioned in their hearts... Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?

Jesus perceived their silent questions... and said...

"...Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,'

or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know

that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" ---

he said to the paralytic --- "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed

and go home." And he rose and immediately picked up his bed

and went out before them all...

Mark 2:9-12 ESV

Jesus healed the man spiritually... but spiritual healing happens on the inside... unseen for the most part... until enough time goes by to see a difference in someone's character...

Jesus wanted to make it clear... He had authority to forgive... to heal on the inside... so He did the harder of the two options... He told the man to get up and walk... and he did...

I believe Jesus's physical healings of dis-eases are a physical manifestation of the spiritual reality for which He came...

Every healing... a desire for spiritual healing...

Every broken heart restored... a desire for redemption of a soul...

Every demon cast out... a desire for the Holy Spirit to move in...

Every dead body raised... a desire for the reality of eternal life...

Never forget... what He really cares about... that which lasts forever... our spirit... our souls... 

Do not get all caught up in the physical... disappointed if you don't receive a physical healing... or a loved one lingers...

He's already paid for... and made the Way for... the best healing ever... 

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the 

chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:4-5 ESV

Rest in His sovereignty... 

trust in His pity... mercy... compassion... and power...

know the spiritual reality of what's going on... He's working for good...

This week's readings...
Monday            Mark 5:21 - 6:13
Tuesday            Mark 6:14-56
Wednesday       Mark 7
Thursday          Mark 8:1 - 9:1
Friday               Mark 9:2-50

failed... again...

Ugh...!
I said I would pray... and I didn't...!
Signed up... on the clock... to fill a space with prayer...
and slept right through...
didn't even think about it before hitting the pillow...

The realization makes me sick...

I failed...
failed myself...
failed others...
failed Him...

In the midst of praying forgiveness...
pouring out prayers for those I was supposed to...
asking Him whose outside time and space... to retroactively pray during the time I failed...

A verse comes to mind...

...if we are faithless, he remains faithful ---

he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:13 ESV

In this moment of faithlessness... failure...
I trust His forgiveness...
I trust His ability to fill the gap...
I trust His faithfulness to those who are His...
for He knew... before... that I would... fail...

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

Psalm 139:3-4 ESV

O Father God... You knew... You know...

yet still You are faithful...

Thank You...

what does joyful expectancy look like...?

So I asked Him today...
What does joyful expectancy look like...?

The answer came in the form of an image... a vision...

Joyful expectancy is waiting for someone to open a gift that has been set before them...

A gift you know will be wonderful...
a gift you know will bring joy...
a gift you know will keep on giving... never get old...

Joyful expectancy... waiting for others to open a great gift...

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

a new stance...

God has challenged me to a new stance...
one different than my usual pessimistic one...
different than the expect nothing... in case you're disappointed stance...

He has called me to a stance of ... joyful expectancy...

I'm not to have expectations... those are the things that lead to disappointment... breakdown relationships...

Expectancy... isn't sure what's coming... but knows something is... because God's at work...

Joyful expectancy... waits... knowing He is only up to good...

In yesterday's grumpiness I failed to recognize Him near... working...
I failed to trust Him with where He has me...
I let emotions... rule...

A reading last night for Bible study reminded me...

We might not see any hope at all right in front of us. We have dozens of reasons to give up or check out of life. It's too hard, too painful, too disappointing --- the returns are meager. ... These are the days when we live off the joy and hope of His Spirit alone.

His presence in our midst is enough. His Spirit raises dead people up from the cold ground; His Spirit can erect a door when all we can see in front of us are miles and miles of walls.

---Melissa Moore, Breath

This is the reason for taking a stance of joyful expectancy...

My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.

Haggai 2:5 ESV

Putting aside expectation... I choose to trust Him... and wait with... joyful expectancy...

For nothing is impossible with God.

Luke 1:37

difficult transition...

After spending the weekend in a place of light...
returning to my usual place made for a difficult transition...

Today... I awoke grumpy...
I couldn't quite put my finger on why...
till a conversation with a friend caused me to reflect on my attitude...

Returning from a place of joy and light...
one of those spiritually thin places...
makes for a difficult transition... to a darker shade of gray...

I long to live among what I was blessed to experience for a weekend...
and it should be considered a time of refreshment... encouragement...
a picture of what might be... hope...

But that's not what happened... initially...
now that it's identified...
I'll trust in Him... to be my Light...

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me

will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

---Jesus

John 8:12 ESV

Fill me with Your light... Lord...

overshadow the darkness...

what's in a breath...?

What's in a breath...?
His Spirit...

I've known this... but it's come with new revelation of late...

Beth Moore's lecture series on the Holy Spirit... titled... Breath... points out both Hebrew and Greek words translated as Spirit... or Holy Spirit... literally mean... breath...

She also reminds... we cannot speak... make a sound... without breath in our lungs...

His Spirit... His breath... gives life...

... then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,

and the man became a living creature.

Genesis 2:7 ESV

Having this in mind the past few weeks... a song during a time of worship deepened the meaning for me...

You give life, You are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope, You restore

Every heart that is broken

And great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise

We pour out our praise

It's Your breath in our lungs

So we pour out our praise to You only

--- All Sons & Daughters, Great Are You Lord

All of the sudden... the importance of each word... originating from this gift of breath... becomes so clear...

We only speak... by the power of the breath of life...

No wonder He has so much to say about our words in Scripture...!

When we use words to wound others... disgrace... dishonor... God... we are using what He has given us as good... for evil...

What a sin... a huge sin...

How true it is... we must guard our words...

When words are many, sin is not absent,

but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 10:19

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;

he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Proverbs 13:3 ESV

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

keep watch over the door of my lips!

Psalm 141:3 ESV

Breath... it's a gift from Him...

What are doing...? with yours...?

Lord... forgive me for using Your gift of breath...

to wound others... disgrace You... and glorify self...

Make me mindful of my words...

May I only  use my breath to pour out praise for You...

and use words for Your glory...

[email subscribers... click here to view on YouTube... or click post title to view on Jeremiah's Menu...]

The Journey Readings: Week 92... and a picture of His love...

Song of Solomon... a love song...
in these words of love... I see His heart...

You have ravished my heart and given me courage,

my sister, my [promised] bride;

you have ravished my heart and given me courage

with one look from your eyes...

Song of Solomon 4:9 Amp

His promised Bride... the Church... has ravished His heart...

another translation says captivated...

The Church has stolen His heart away...

He loves His people... His Bride... with a love that is incomprehensible... to those who walk the earth...

The Bride... for now... is broken... torn... soiled... a mess...

quite possibly to most... unlovable...

His love... blesses Him with vision...

of what is to come...

of what will be...

Encouraged by what He sees...
He finds courage...
for the price that must be paid...
the dowry... for His Bride...
crucifixion on a cross...

A love beyond our understanding...
A love that heals...
A love that sees things that aren't... as though they are...

For God so loved the world...

John 3:16

Find out more about His love... join The Journey...

This week's readings...
Monday              Song of Solomon 5:10 - 8:14
Tuesday              Mark 1
Wednesday        Mark 2:1 - 3:12
Thursday             Mark 3:13 - 4:20
Friday                Mark 4:21 - 5:20

heart of sabbath keeping...

After a discussion in Bible study today... and a passage in the current treadmill read... I more clearly see the heart of Sabbath keeping...

Centuries earlier, God handed down the Law to the Jews (by way of Moses). The fourth commandment stated, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy" (Exodus 20:8).

---John Eldridge, Free to Live: The Utter Relief of Holiness

Sabbath is about rest... resting in God... recognizing there is nothing we can do to earn His grace or His salvation...

Righteousness... holiness... is seeing ourselves as truly dependent on Him...

Sabbath...
putting down our work for His...
taking a whole day to rest wholly in Him...

He alone makes us holy...

What the Jews did to Sabbath... was make it work... not trusting in Him but in themselves and their ability to keep it holy...

Extra rules... no regard for relationship...

seeing healing as sinful "work" on the Sabbath...

no mercy... for those suffering...

In practicing Sabbath today... how often do we do the same thing...? working hard toward holiness rather than resting in Him for His complete work on the cross...?

Take a Sabbath today... tomorrow... or even a few hours...

rest in Him for all you need...

remember... you can't work hard enough to save yourself...

He's already done it all... 

"You shall be holy, for I am holy."

1Peter 1:16 ESV

remains...

On a day where He's seemed fairly quiet...
I find comfort in the fact... He remains...

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you will remain;

they will wear out like a garment.

You will change them like a robe,

and they will pass away,

but you are the same,

and your years have no end.

Psalm 102:25-27 ESV

He remains... 

near...

forever...

unchanged...

Grateful... He... remains...