Laws....

Laws are a good thing.  They protect us.  They set standards and expectations for us to live our lives by.  They determine right from wrong - good from evil.  Without them there would be chaos.  Laws are good.  Really?....

Of course I think laws are good, but I also think they can intrude into placed they don't need to go....they can restrict freedoms...they can allow evil to reign.  It's a fine line when laws are put into place between oppression and freedom.  Fine line indeed.

We're in Leviticus in our YOTB reading and wow....the laws.  The "if, then" statements....whew.  Rough.  Graphic even....especially those animal "entrails and dung"....ugh!  Don't even get me started with the clean and the unclean!  I was reading today about the uncleanness of women during their "monthly cycle" and it struck me how hard our ancestors had it.  I mean really.  Outside the camp for 7 days after - everything we touched was unclean - everything we sat or laid on was unclean.  Whew..thank you Jesus for the 21st century! LOL

At one point I wrote in my journal - these laws Lord, what do they mean?  Why are they here?  And ever so gently I felt the Lord tell me, "So you could see and appreciate the fact that you could NEVER keep them all - that's what my Son came for".  I love when He does that.  When He reveals things to us and reminds us of basic principles we already know! 

I was reminded of Psalm 119 and how often it said I will delight in your laws (precepts).  Particularly...1 "Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.  Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart." Ps 119:1-2

I want my way to be blameless...to walk according to the law of the Lord...I want to blessed - to be considered blessed by the Lord!!  I love the Word of God!   I love His laws!  I love that Jesus came not to do away with the Law but to fulfill it.  He came so that when I do blow it - break His laws - I can be forgiven IMMEDIATELY!  I don't have to wait for the 'day of atonement'.  I don't have to go to the priest because the Great High Priest lives in me...He walks with me...He forgives me!!!

THANK YOU JESUS......

Throw up a prayer....

I haven't blogged much the past couple of weeks because it's been pure insanity here - as I'm sure most of you can relate to!  I'm still LOVING Year of the Bible reading with my church family! Great stuff! 

I work with our student ministry called CIA - Christ in Action - and we are preparing for our coffeehouse this weekend.  We'll be doing 2 shows and one will be strictly for local homeless shelters and other agencies and we are busy finalizing details.  As usual, the enemy is BUSY!  Please lift us up to the Father!  Both those of us directing and the kids involved!  They want to offer their best and things always seem hairy around this time!  Thanks everyone......

Mercy....

This year as we're reading thru the Bible one picture that has been painted so perfectly - so beautifully to me once again is that of God's great mercy.  The mercy He's shown to those in His Word and the mercy He's shown to me in my life! 

So far this week we've been reading about Joseph.  I love Joseph's story because it's a promise of the Providence of God.  I had never truly understood God's Providence until several years ago when I studied Esther.  I mean, I knew of it, I had even seen it in my own life, but once I truly dug into the Word - dug beyond the superficial-ness of Bible reading I saw God working ALL THINGS together for the good of His people.  Joseph is another great story of God's Sovereignty. 

God took what Joseph's brother's intended as harm and turned it into not only something for Joseph's good, but something for the good of all of Egypt!  Now, God hasn't done anything so big as to save a nation thru me, but I can tell you some of the things He has done for me!  Here's one example - before I was married I lived in Florida and I LOVED it - I mean LOVE, LOVE, LOVED it!!  I was involved in a Christian singles group, living with a family who I adored and who had opened their hearts and their home to me.  I had a nice job and was doing ok for myself.  Then all of a sudden, God spoke to me and He told me it's time to get back to WV......I didn't want to!  In fact, I told him no for a long time!  But God persisted...he wouldn't relent....so off I went.  With tears in my eyes, I packed my little grey Chevy Cavalier and drove north.

So I get back to WV, things are not so great between my parents and I, but I meet a good guy.  We dated for almost a year, but deep down he was just a distraction because I knew he wasn't what the Lord had in store for my life.  I broke up with him - which didn't go well (that's a whole other blog) - then a girl I worked with decides she needs to introduce me to a guy, a divorced guy with 2 kids.  Yeah right.  So I agree just to shut her up!  Little did I know, the night she introduced us was God's Providence working in my life!

I met my husband that night!!  I saw God's plan work.  Now I can look back and see that His prodding when I lived in Florida was His design for me to meet my mate!  PROVIDENCE!  Love how He showed me mercy by sending me my man!!

He Changed MY Name.....

So this past week was a bit crazy for me - lots going on and not feeling too great on top of that.  The good thing about the past week's reading with Year of the Bible was thru the life of Jacob.  One of my FAV stories from the Word.  Jacob enters the world needy - clinging to his brother's heel - not wanting to be left alone!  Oh how I can relate to that.  Being the baby of 4 siblings, I've never really been alone.  I mean, sure I've had down time or times when other siblings were gone, but it was short-lived.  I knew there was always someone around to talk to, be with or just have around.  Never really liked being alone because I just rarely ever was alone!

Then Jacob (a bit of a Momma's boy - favored child - sorry, can't relate to that one) exploits his brother's weakness to gain what he wanted.  Hate to say this, to admit it, especially on the web where it's here forever, but I can relate to that one too.  Ugh.  His pattern of selfishness continues as he and his Momma scheme to trick Isaac into giving him the blessing which puts him in a heap of trouble with his big, brute of a brother who says he's gonna kill him for his deception.  (Fortunately I'm out on that one as well! lol - the death threats anyway - the deception and selfishness...not so much) 

This leads to my FAVORITE part of Jacob's story.  He's been on the run - worked for his wives (oh and got a little taste of his own medicine with his Father-in-law) - has acquired great personal wealth and success and was about to come face to face with his brother.  But prior to that he has a wrestling match that will forever change him.  I've heard this story all my life - I've even done Bible studies based on his story but yesterday God gave me a fresh look - a new revelation about Jacob - and about myself. 

"And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”" Gen 32: 24-26.  I have heard many well intending preachers, teachers and even some Nationally acclaimed pastors preach about Jacob's cry "I will not let you go unless you bless me" as an example of not giving up on prayer - they are totally right in their point - but maybe a bit off base on this particular example.  You see, Jacob's name had not yet been changed, his walk hadn't been changed, his life hadn't been changed.  He wasn't suddenly having a big spiritual epiphany in the midst of this wrestling match - he was trying to exploit this man for his personal gain.  A talent he had learned and had developed to an art!  Jacob was still Jacob.  However, God is still God!

God, was instead exposing Jacob TO Jacob.  He was holding up this GIGANTIC mirror for Jacob to take a good, long, hard look at himself.  He invited Jacob to recall his name - saying "“What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”" (vs 27) You see Jacob's name means supplanter or to take the place of (another), as through force, scheming, or strategy or the like (dictionary.com) - Jacob was born and given the name that would predict who he was - BUT GOD (two best words EVER) had other plans for Jacob.  "Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”" (vs 28).  God gave Jacob a new name.  A name that means "God contended" and guess what contended means according to dictionary.com?  Are you ready......"to struggle in opposition, to strive in rivalry, to assert or maintain earnestly"!  Yes God struggled and prevailed over the struggler - the schemer!  He broke Him and gave him a new name, gave him a new walk, gave him a new life!!

That's the best part of the Lord - He's in the business of taking the messed up and making them new!  Creating in them a new heart!  For HIS glory!!  He did it to Jacob - and so many others in the Word - and He did it to me!!  He changed me...He changed my walk...He gave me a new life...and He hasn't stopped changing me...He hasn't stopped making me more like His Son!!  I will not let Him go - not for MY blessing but for HIS GLORY!!!.....