Month: September 2007

“The secret counsel of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He reveals His covenant to them.” Psalm 25:14 HCSB

We know that as we dwell in friendships, especially close ones, we get to know one another deeply as time is spent together. In a Christian friendship much is shared and treasured as two hearts in friendship open and receive from one another’s heart. We all know this. There are reasons for our sharing deeply with only those we trust. Those are usually the ones who take the time to be with us and know us. Casual friendships are also treasured, but they do not hold the the same depth of personal sharing.

We are made like our Lord. This passage in Psalm 25 tells us (what Mark 4 and other passages also share with us), that our Lord loves to share with people who love to have Him share. He has secrets in His Word about Himself that He longs to share, but they can only be shared in-depth and therefore it takes time to listen and learn to know Him in those ways. He says those secrets are reserved for those who choose to take the time to allow Him to be Himself with them and show Himself to them. He loves to share and loves to listen to our sharing. I fear that all too often I am prone to do my part of the sharing, but do not take the time needed to allow Him to share Himself — not just for me to share with others, but for me to treasure in the depth of my friendship in Him. I am thankful for His forgiveness and grace. I know you are too.

I find myself wanting more of Him. Well, here is the answer to that. Lord I hear. I know you will help me when I want to run off and “do” instead of listen and treasure. I choose the later. Help me remember that is my choice.

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For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. The all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

There are several things in these verses that are interesting and often overlooked as we look at this passage (1 Corinthians 10:1-4 NIV) There was a dual baptism, or a one-two punch baptism, or a one-in-one baptism for the Israelites as they followed YHWH. There was the cloud and there was the Sea. Many times we overlook the “cloud,” and concentrate on the “sea” part. It all occurred at the same time but there are two separate elements involved. He provided for them as they did the impossible (walked through the sea) and He was visibly present to them in the cloud that overshadowed and/or enveloped them. What a wonderful demonstration of His love and His care!

The Holy Spirit’s usage of this event in Corinthians has to do with the following verses:

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. (V5-6)

The children of Israel complained about their food, their safety, and each of their provisions. They perceived God as not meeting their needs, yet He provided everything. In the crossing of the sea, there was the obvious walking through on dry land. With the Egyptian army at their backs, our Lord opened a way when there had been none. This is true provision. Then of course, He drowned their enemies. More provision. They complained about Manna. The food He sent. They grew weary of it, yet they were not ill because of it but well and strong. They complained of thirst so the Lord brought water from a rock, yet they complained over and over again.

What they ate and what they drank was God’s provision for them — verse 4 tells us that Christ was the Rock of water (and the manna by implication). In other words, God’s present provision is always some way of expressing Jesus Christ to us. Of course, this incident is many, many years prior to the incarnation. Yet, Christ in God was and is the provision for the people of God. To reject the provision or to complain about the provision, is to misunderstand and disregard the nature of the provision. The provision is always Jesus Christ. We can be bold to say that Jesus Christ is the only provision of God. That encompasses everything.

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 21:6NIV

I am carefully examining my heart and my speech. I want more of the Lord revealed in my life, therefore I must begin to trust that my circumstances are of His design and I am to receive Him in the events. Even when I may not like them, or even if they cause me pain and discomfort.

Lord, You say in Ephesians 1:18 that the eyes of our heart either are opened or can be opened. Please do that for me today, and I open my mind and emotions to perceive and receive a demonstration of Your love for me in my today’s moments.

A little bit different post today. Talk about fruit! WOW! I took this picture a couple of days ago in a friend’s garden. Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes — many, many of them hanging and ripening and looking luscious (and of course, they are sooooo… good).

My mind goes to the way our Lord set our world up to function. In Genesis 1:11 he placed seed in the plant. Then later when man was created, he was created with seed in him. In Genesis 3:15 our God says Eve has seed (prophecy of our Lord Jesus). So the entire creation was made to reproduce itself over and over again.

In Mark 4 Jesus tells us that the Word is the seed, and people are the ground. Later in 2 Corinthians 9: 6 the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul tells us that if we only sow a little (implying the sowing of seed) we will only reap a little. In this passage it is referring to the money of the Corinthian people.

This is true in all things. If a farmer only plants a little bit of seed, his harvest is in proportion to his planting. This is just plain ole’ common sense. So we need to come back to the truth of this Scriptural principle. My harvest will be in proportion to my planting, whether it is teaching, loving, my words, sharing, encouraging others, giving money, investing in others … whatever. The Biblical principle holds. What we sow is what we will reap.

Seed is abundant. If it is not, then begin sowing what you have. It will become abundant. Let’s plant some seed. I want a harvest like these beautiful, delicious tomatoes, full, rich, abundant, able to feed and bless many.

Have a blessed day!