wait on Him... Habakkuk 2:2-3...

And the Lord answered me:

"Write the vision; make it plain on tablets,

so he may run who reads it.

For still the vision awaits its appointed time;

it hastens to the end --- it will not lie.

If it seems slow, wait for it;

it will surely come; it will not delay. ..."

Habakkuk 2:2-3 ESV

Visions... revelations...

they come from God...

When He blesses with a vision...

it comes with instructions...

Habakkuk was told...

Write it down... make it plain...

so whoever reads it... can run and tell...

Daniel... received a vision...

he was told...

seal the words... until the time of the end...

Peter... James... John...

saw Jesus revealed in all His glory...

He ordered them...

tell no one... until the Son of Man has risen...

It seems His visions... revelations... come with waiting...

waiting for them to come...

or waiting to be able to tell...

but be sure... the time will come...

to tell...

to be fulfilled...

Whatever He's revealed to you...

may feel like it's delayed...

but it's not...

it comes at His time...

the perfect time...

and because He is God...

you can be sure it will come to pass...

Just... wait...

the wonder of revelation... and seeking Him...

...the mystery was made known to me by revelation...

Ephesians 3:3 ESV

Between the subject of revelation coming up today in the writing for another blog*... and finishing up the series on Psalm 103... I'm left wondering...

You see... the writing that happens these six days a week... just happens...

It's part of my relationship with Him... a call He's put on my heart to experience His daily faithfulness... exercise the gift of teaching... and grow in knowledge of Him...

In the middle of writing the Psalm 103 posts... I was completely humbled by the process... because I approach each day empty... not knowing what's going to be written until it's revealed...

Each time I sit in front of my computer... a blank post page in my face... I wonder... What is going to fill this page...?

The process of going through a specific passage... with a specific purpose... left me feeling like a slacker...

No preparation... no research... or plan... no outline... no certainty of what to share... each time I finished... I wondered... Where did that come from...?

I expect nothing to make sense when I proof... but when re-reading what's written... (yes... a few changes are made...) for the most part... I'm amazed it makes any sense...

Then... I realized... these writings are the fruit of my relationship with Him... 10,000-plus hours spent in His Word... over the last two-plus decades... not because I had to... but because I want to know Him...

Today's writing on revelation for the other blog... brought it all together for me...

...yes, if you call out for insight

and raise your voice for understanding,

if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,

then you will understand the fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding...

Proverbs 2:3-6 ESV

Revelation from God... through the Spirit... by faith in Jesus... comes from seeking...

Seeking... the process of spiritual mining for spiritual treasures through... prayer... Bible study... and obedience...

It seems these posts... if there is any understanding or teaching in them... are a blessing from Him... a fruit of seeking...

Wonder of wonders...

I'm left amazed...

I pray each of you who venture to this table... find something to whet your appetite for seeking Him...

Dig into the Word... pray... obey...

Ask for revelation...

He is faithful to reveal...

Amen...

*Note... the post on Growing In Faith at FUMC is scheduled to publish April 19... 2016...

sixteen days...

Sixteen days... and counting down...
the Christmas shopping has begun...
and Christmas cards come one... by... one...
(wonder if I'll get some done...)

Trusting Him... in the midst of preparing all...
spirit... heart... and... home...

He came as The Word...
to proclaim the name of the Lord...
ascribe greatness to our God...

"Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,

and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

May my teaching drop as the rain,

my speech distill as the dew,

like gentle rain upon the tender grass,

and like showers upon the herb.

For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;

ascribe greatness to our God!..."

Deuteronomy 32:1-3 ESV

His gentle teaching...
proclaimed His name...

ascribed Him greatness...

Name... we're not talking proper noun... we're talking character...

With every name you know... an array of qualities comes to mind...
both physical... and personality traits...
tangible... and intangible...
all adding up to... character...

When the word name appears in Scripture...
we can almost always substitute the word... character...

character... the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation... main or essential nature especially as strongly marked and serving to distinguish...

---Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Ed.)

Jesus came... to reveal the character... of Father God...

He did not come for self...
He came to proclaim the Father...
reveal His heart to the world...

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you,

the Son can do nothing of his own accord,

but only what he sees the Father doing.

For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. ..."

John 5:10 ESV

His teaching...

reveals the Father's heart...

His love...

compassion...

mercy...

righteousness...

justice...

Jesus... proclaims... His... name...

ascribes... greatness... to... our... God...
through His life...
His teaching...
His death on a cross...

Lord... help me see the Father in You...

grow me... in insight and revelation...

I want to know You better... 

I want to know Your Name...

Father... Son... Spirit...

eighteen days...

Eighteen days till Christmas...
looking forward... to more revelation of Him...

He came down humbly... gently...
like the dew in the night...

May my teaching drop as the rain,

my speech distill as the dew,

like gentle rain upon the tender grass,

and like showers upon the herb.

For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;

ascribe greatness to our God!

Deuteronomy 32:2-3 ESV

These words first came through Moses...

a forerunner of Christ...

words of teaching... and preparation...

for entering a new land... a promised land...

Moses... foreshadowed the way to freedom...

from slavery... sin... and death...

the coming of Jesus...

the Word made flesh...

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...

John 1:14 ESV

Father God sent down His Word...

like dew in the night...

gently...

quietly...

sending a Word to prepare the Way...

for a new promise...

a new life...

His Word appeared one night in Bethlehem...
coming forth as dew...
unnoticed... except by a few...

Shepherds... who spent their nights outside...
knew the falling of dew...
lived humbly...
depended on Him for safety... security...
sang songs by a former shepherd boy...
King David...

The Lord is my Shepherd... I shall not want...

They were prepared to see... receive...
the word of His coming...

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field,

keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

and they were filled with fear.

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold,

I bring you good news of great joy that will be

for all the people. For unto you is born this day

in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby

wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."

Luke 2:8-13 ESV

The humble...

the lowly...

the dependent...

received the revelation of the newborn King...

Those who knew the falling of dew...

received the invitation... to see...

the revelation of His birth...

Are you prepared to receive revelation of Him...?

Lord... remind me... 

the revelation of Your Word comes quietly...

softly... gently... to the humble... and dependent...

Keep me humble and dependent...

remind me all I have... am... and will be...

comes from You...

Prepare me... for revelation... of You...

revelation of growth...

Walking on the treadmill yesterday morning...
not very far into the routine...
my husband rushes in with words...

Over the noise of the tread... I heard something about... Rob...?
I'm wondering who Rob is as I hit the Stop button...

I hear him plainly...
We've been robbed... our cars were robbed last night...

Oh... bummer...
my morning's routine completely disrupted...

A call to the Sheriff's Department...
many calls to many credit card companies...
a call to the bank...
a missed prayer meeting...
calls to say I couldn't be there...

Now... as far as the robbing goes...
we could be partly to blame...

Two cars in the garage...
garage doors mostly closed...
but cars unlocked...
wallet and checkbook left in a car...
iPod in another...

But still... you do expect your stuff to be safe... in your own garage...

The surprise for me... my reaction...

It's not like this is the first time this has happened...
I've been robbed before...
twice that I can think of...
both times I felt angry... violated... unsafe...
even guilt... as if I'd done something to invite the theft...

Not this time...

My understanding... trust... in God has changed...
and with it I see His sovereignty in everything...
things to learn from this incident to be sure...
yet... I still feel safe... secure... at peace...

No feeling of violation...
disappointment at the loss of the iPod because of the current audiobook I was listening to...
annoyance at the inconvenience of no credit cards for a few days...
and a day being disrupted...
but otherwise... it's all good...

I see where I've grown in trusting Him...
even in the midst of injustice...

He allowed this theft...
to test hearts...
reveal character...
grow someone...

I pray the robber will have a listen to my iPod...
praise music...
Christian audiobooks...
some Bible...
maybe they will find Him...

Only He knows...
what the eternal purpose is in all this...
and apparently... I trust Him with it...

Great peace have they which love thy law:

And nothing shall offend them.

Psalm 119:165 KJV

Loving the law of His sovereignty and purpose in all things...

finding myself not so offended by a robbery...

Hmm... another revelation of growth...?

Perhaps...

Where are you seeing growth in you... through circumstances beyond your control...?

the only thing you can take with you...

Listening to a message in the car... I heard it...

...the revelation of Christ, the only thing you can exit the earth with.

---Michael Wells, Recognizing God

The only thing we can take with us when we leave this earth...?
Revelation of Christ... 

This is why we are born... to get to know Him...
He placed us when and where we are... with the purpose... of finding Him...

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live

on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods

and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should

seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.

Acts 17:26-27 ESV

Knowing Him is the treasure...

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither

moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ..."

Matthew 6:19-21 ESV

This passage has new meaning for me... 

I suppose I always assumed the heavenly treasures had to do with our good deeds... but now I see... He is the treasure... 

He is our great reward...

...the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

"Do not be afraid Abram. I am your shield,

your very great reward."

Genesis 15:1

There is no greater reward than knowing Him...

No greater treasure...

"... And this is eternal life, that they know you

the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ..."

John 17:3 ESV

Eternal life is knowing Him...

Eternal life begins with... and is... revelation of Jesus Christ...!

This is a perspective changer for me...

What about you...?

Does this truth make you reconsider how you should spend your time...?

Nothing else we do... or gain... goes with us when we leave this earth...

Nothing...

The only thing we are taking with us...

is revelation... of... Him...

You will seek Me and find Me

when you search for Me

with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13 HCSB

Where is your treasure...?

waking up...?

Driving home this evening... at the end of a longish day... I begin to ask... What are we writing today...?

I've seen lots of things today...
things that made me question...
some made me weary...
some were convicting...
some inspired joy and thanks...

Earlier in the afternoon... coming out of the shop... crossing the street to my car... I noticed a woman entering the quilt shop across the way...

The thought came to mind... She's looking for something to fill her life...

And I think about others looking... seeking... for new hobbies... causes... entertainment... ways to fill their lives...

From personal experience... I think... If they want to fill their lives all they need to do is draw closer to Jesus... He'll fill it to overflowing...

...my cup overflows.

Psalm 23:5 ESV

Which led me to wonder... What would it be like... if everyone in the world... or at least this community... lived the life God called them to...?

I think... No one would be lonely... or hungry... there would be more joy... much less fear...

"... Your kingdom come, your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven. ..."

Matthew 6:10 ESV

Then later... I hear words... within the walls of the church... which make me weary... sad... 

Gossip... slights on others within the body of Christ...

Dark words... from a body that's supposed to emit light... and give life... through words...

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,

but only such as is good for building up,

as fits the occasion, that it may give grace

to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

But a bit later... I hear of words glorifying Him... going out into the world... from the same body...

Light... and... dark... in the same body...? 

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.

My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

James 3:10 ESV

As all this runs through my mind on the way home... I realize the prayer birthed out of each revelation...

prayer for hearts to move toward Him...

petitions for His Kingdom to come...

pleas for mercy... forgiveness... healing...

an offering of thanks... and... praise...

I wonder... Is this what it looks like to wake up...? watch with Him...?

Am I... waking... up...?

revelation... around a campfire...

Large rocks... piled around a campfire... burgers cooking... flames sizzling...

Husband cooking... 

I ask... Are those rocks hot...? Are they warm on the outside...?

He tests... with a touch... No... it takes a long time for a rock to heat up...

And I see it... hear it...

He is our Rock...

...my God the rock of my refuge.

Psalm 94:20 ESV

Slow to anger... abounding in love...

The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Psalm 103:8 ESV

Yes... it takes a long time for the Rock... to heat up...

Grateful that He is the Rock... through and through...

Steadfast...

Immovable...

Unchanging...

Slow to heat up...!

Amen...

thank-full... there's no need to figure it out...

The world says... Figure it out...

All the pressure on us... to make things happen... and find our way...

But God... His way... is not our way...

He says....

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding...

Proverbs 3:5 ESV

He says...

"Ask, and it will be given to you;

seek, and you will find;

knock, and it will be opened to you. ..."

Matthew 7:7 ESV

He reveals... His way... to His people...

Never... (I'm pretty sure... let me know if I'm wrong...) does He say... Figure it out...

He says... Trust Me...

He says... Walk by faith... not by sight...

And faith is... being sure of what we hope for... and certain of what we do not see...

We don't need to see... until... He reveals...

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God,

but the things that are revealed belong to us..."

Deuteronomy 29:29 ESV

He says... 

"Come and see..."

John 1:39 NLT

Thank-full... in Him... there's no need to figure it out...

Because He will reveal... at the proper time...

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade---

kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded 

by God's power until the coming of the salvation

that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

1Peter 1:3-5

revelation...

revelation... noun... 1 a: an act of revealing or communicating divine truth b: something that is revealed by God to humans 2 a: an act of revealing to view or make known b: something that is revealed especially: an enlightening or astonishing disclosure

--- Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Ed.) 

Revelation... comes in many forms... but it all originates with the Holy Spirit...

When it comes to revelation regarding the Word of God... finding its understanding... and sense... begins with our initiating a search... out of a desire for truth and wisdom...

My son, if you receive my words and 

treasure up my commandments with you, 

making your ear attentive to wisdom 

and inclining your heart to understanding; 

yes, if you call out for insight and 

raise your voice for understanding, 

if you seek it like silver and 

search for it as for hidden treasures, 

then you will understand the fear of the Lord 

and find the knowledge of God. 

For the Lord gives wisdom; 

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding...

Proverbs 2:1-6 ESV

Receiving His Word... treasuring it up... obeying it to the utmost of our faith and understanding... are the first steps toward revelation...

As we are in Scripture... He may draw our attention to a particular passage or word... for some reason we can't get it out of our mind... it catches us...

The Spirit inspires the seeking out of meaning... which leads us to dictionaries... lexicons... and commentaries...

Some of these resources are used by the Spirit to reveal... deeper meaning... understanding... and Ah-ha moments...

We read a Scripture we just don't understand... and can't get past... it sticks... 

When this happens ask Him... What does it mean...? How does this work...? Confess... I don't understand...

Then... maybe that day... or the next... even a week later... or a month... you may find yourself in the midst of a conversation... a circumstance... a situation... where you see that exact Word made flesh... and the Spirit says... See... this is what that means...

Revelation... still comes in dreams... and visions... too...

Our God... He's the same today... as He was yesterday...

He is faithful to those who are faithful...

and He longs for us to draw near...

building relationship... through understanding...

But the only true... wisdom... knowledge... and understanding comes from Him... we can't make sense of it ourselves... or figure it out on our own... 

So seek... ask... be receptive... and revelation... will... come...

"Ask and it will be given to you;

seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives,

and the one who seeks finds,

and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ..."

---Jesus

Matthew 7:7-8 ESV

understanding His Word... it's revelation...

Making Sense of the Bible...  it's the title of a book by Adam Hamilton... a book I've scanned... but not read...

And it's bothered me... something unsettling... I couldn't quite put my finger on till today...

The title itself bothers me... Making Sense of the Bible...

It puts all the responsibility on us... to figure out what God is saying in His Word...

It implies starting with man... and working upward... in order to understand... and be able to make sense... of the Bible...

When in reality... the Word begins with God... and it is He Himself... who blesses us with revelation... and understanding... from above...

We do not need to make sense of Scripture...

We simply need to bring our questions to Him... and ask for the blessing of revelation...

Open my eyes that I may see

wonderful things in your law.

Psalm 119:18

The Word starts with Him... and comes down...!

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven...

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth...

Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV

God's Word in Scripture... is often seen as seed being sown... falling on hearts... some prepared to receive... some not...

"... As for what was sown on good soil,

this is the one who hears the word and understands it.

He indeed bears fruit and yields,

in one case a hundredfold,

in another sixty,

and in another thirty."

Matthew 13:23 ESV

We just need to remember... it is only God... who makes things grow...

This week's readings for The Journey...

Monday               Leviticus 26

Tuesday               Leviticus 27

Wednesday          Hebrews 1:1 - 3:6

Thursday              Hebrews 3:7 - 5:10

Friday                  Hebrews 5:11 - 7:28

sin and the law

...through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:20 ESV

I saw this truth at work today... in my journey through Leviticus...

"... For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. The Sabbath of the land shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you, and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food."

Leviticus 25:3-7 ESV

As I read... my heart tightened... and my flesh took on the persona of an Israelite farmer faced with this law... and the thought came forth...

What a waste...

And behind these words... fear... greed... distrust in His ability to provide...

I could not deny... the heart of this farmer... was mine... 

...through the law comes knowledge of sin...

With my spirit set on confession and repentance... I began to look... to see where these sins are being made flesh in my life...

I do not face the prospect of a Sabbath rest for the land every seven years... but I face decisions each day... about money... security... and whether He is trustworthy...

I'm stunned... that the law of Leviticus... has the power to reveal my personal sin... in such a stark way...

I find myself humbled... grateful for His Word... 

Lord Jesus... continue to reveal my sin... bring it to light...

I no longer want to walk in darkness...

A challenge for you...

Read Leviticus for yourself... as you journey through ask Him... to bring you to the knowledge of sin in your life... 

I'd love to know what you find out... about yourself... through the law...

Consider sharing it here... with us at this table...

[To leave a comment on a post... first click the post title... scroll to the bottom where you will find the "Post A Comment" box...]

a day of blessings...

God's grace... it abounds... even when a heart wants to ache...

A day begun... with more art from a loved one... speaking truth... and healing...

Later... confirmation upon confirmation... of truth revealed...

Revelation affirmed... through inexplicable joy...

A day of blessings... grace upon grace...

"My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness."

2Corinthians 12:9