Wise choice…
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans
Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome.
Psalm 2
Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
“I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”
Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Psa&c=2&v=1&t=NKJVP>
Acception of Christ and making Him Lord of our lives is still seen as chains and fetters,
“…Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
Boundaries arise, restrictions imposed and obligations required. That is how life in Christ is seen. However, for those of us who live it, we find that is a lie. When you serve out of love, it is not an obligation. When you limit your exposure to and participation in any thing that is the opposite of loving your God and neighbor, and do so out of love; that is not a restriction nor a boundary. What is viewed as chains is actually a love response to a loving God who has provided a way to live this life and beyond fully.
Mankind insists upon seeing the freedom from sin through God’s gift of love as chains and fetters when in reality loving rather than hating enables growth, giving rather than taking blesses, humility rather than pride brings prosperity. Those who are anti-God speak words of hate, act on greed, and develop arrogance. All of this is punishable by the God of creation, all of this results in death.
So the choice should be clear, do not be deceived…
Be wise
Be warned
Serve
Kiss
Be Blessed
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
There is a way…
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans
Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome.
Hosea 14
O Israel, return to the LORD your God,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;
Take words with you,
And return to the LORD.
Say to Him,
“Take away all iniquity;
Receive us graciously,
For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.
Assyria shall not save us,
We will not ride on horses,
Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’
For in You the fatherless finds mercy.”
“I will heal their backsliding,
I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from him.
I will be like the dew to Israel;
He shall grow like the lily,
And lengthen his roots like Lebanon.
His branches shall spread;
His beauty shall be like an olive tree,
And his fragrance like Lebanon.
Those who dwell under his shadow shall return;
They shall be revived like grain,
And grow like a vine.
Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
“Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’
I have heard and observed him.
I am like a green cypress tree;
Your fruit is found in Me.”
Who is wise?
Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent?
Let him know them.
For the ways of the LORD are right;
The righteous walk in them,
But transgressors stumble in them.
Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Hsa&c=14&v=1&t=NKJVP>
What are the ways of the Lord? What has been learned about him? He will not tolerate greed, pride and arrogance. He cannot stop the evil that results from denying Him. He will not intervene where He is not recognized and so the consequences of the greed, pride and arrogance, to name a few, will come to fruition and result in violence, pain, harm and destruction. Look at our headlines and see that this is true. Drive down a highway and witness the road rage over being first. Go shopping and watch the fighting, cussing, pushing and shoving. Listen to the filth that flows daily from the mouths of young and old alike. Experience the lack of respect humanity has one for the other; witness the lack of respect for life unless it be your own. We know one of the ways of God is he will not intervene; he spoke: “The wages of sin is death” and death comes in many forms.
But it doesn’t end there. We also know he loves his creation and has provided ways for them to return to relationships with Him that will combat the fruits of evil mentioned above. The key is our turning to him away from the self-driven impulses that only bring harm. The key is learning the ways of righteousness, loosely defined as right living. We also know He is longsuffering. He will respond, he will intervene when he is recognized, acknowledged and received. And the fruits of that are love, peace, hope and a life that is good with a portion of humanity who have learned to love one another, who do not engage in the actions of those living in denial and darkness.
We can personalize this passage and see if it does not ring with truth:
“…O America, return to the LORD your God,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;
Take words with you,
And return to the LORD.
Say to Him,
“Take away all iniquity;
Receive us graciously,
For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.
Government shall not save us,
We will not ride on horses, (of war)
Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’
For in You the fatherless finds mercy.”…”
Come let us worship the Lord. Let us follow in his ways of right living. Let us be a force for the good and not join in with the force for the evil. Watch what is happening and read the signs.
“… Who is wise?
Let him understand these things….”
Listen to the voices around us and to the voices crying out for change…
“…Who is prudent?
Let him know them….”
Do not engage, but be a force that fights for the poor and oppressed, the ignorant and innocent.
“…For the ways of the LORD are right;
The righteous walk in them,…”
Follow the Lord, return from the cross and the empty tomb with hope, peace, and love. Let our lives shine with His presence.
This concludes the reading of Hosea and what it holds for us today…
Proverbs 14:12 KJV - There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.
Choose life or death
What are we doing!?
Hosea 1
The word of the LORD that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
When the LORD began to speak by Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea:
“Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry
And children of harlotry,
For the land has committed great harlotry
By departing from the LORD.”
So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Then the LORD said to him:
“Call his name Jezreel,
For in a little while
I will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu,
And bring an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
It shall come to pass in that day
That I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”
And she conceived again and bore a daughter. Then God said to him:
“Call her name Lo-Ruhamah,
For I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel,
But I will utterly take them away.
Yet I will have mercy on the house of Judah,
Will save them by the LORD their God,
And will not save them by bow,
Nor by sword or battle,
By horses or horsemen.”
Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then God said:
“Call his name Lo-Ammi,
For you are not My people,
And I will not be your God.
“Yet the number of the children of Israel
Shall be as the sand of the sea,
Which cannot be measured or numbered.
And it shall come to pass
In the place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
There it shall be said to them,
‘You are sons of the living God.’
Then the children of Judah and the children of Israel
Shall be gathered together,
And appoint for themselves one head;
And they shall come up out of the land,
For great will be the day of Jezreel!
Say to your brethren, ‘My people,’
And to your sisters, ‘Mercy is shown.’
Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Hsa&c=2&t=nkjvp>
Moving from Daniel to Hosea we see references to a nation who was called by God, chosen by Him, who did not remain faithful but turned away from Him to follow their own desires, thoughts and ambitions. Unity in Him is gone and evil practices have crept in. Can we see the correlation with our own nation? A nation that once was known as ‘Christian’ meaning that we followed a path and direction that honored God in principle but now though continuing to be called ‘Christian’ has left honoring God to follow our own desires, thoughts and ambitions and no longer giving credit to a Creator but touting our own accomplishments as if they were our doing alone? Division has occurred and unity as a nation is disappearing. This is so similar to what is occurring in the account of Hosea. Does God turn away? He states His people will feel His wrath. Is our nation treading in the same direction? There are reasons to consider that we are experiencing His wrath, however, there is a remnant of true believers who do honor God not only in name but also in action. They carry a promise of blessings for that practice. May we continue to pray for a wayward nation, pray for its leadership, pray for mercy then share with others the hope we bear. We have a promise of new life that begins at the cross, is confirmed by the empty tomb, and bears fruit as it is shared with others. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
![pray[1]](http://lifesearchforchrist.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/pray1.jpg?w=150&h=112)
The Promise…
Daniel 12
“At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.
“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”
Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”
And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
“But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Dan&c=12&v=1&t=NKJVP>
A promise of resurrection is given. Those who believe and receive will be found in the book and rise to life, bless the name of the Lord!; and those who don’t will rise to shame and contempt.
“…Every one who is found written in the book….” “…Some to everlasting life,…”
”…Some to shame and everlasting contempt….”
Can we allow our fellow human travelers to face that consequence without trying to inform them of what is written? Again there is a distinction between the wise and not so wise. Ask, Jesus said, and you will receive. We can ask for the ability to understand and be faithful to share with others what we receive.
”…but the wise shall understand….”
”… Blessed is he who waits,…”
How long? the question is asked. How long? Daniel asked and we want to know also.
”… “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”…what shall be the end of these things?”…”
It is enough to know and be found faithful for whenever it comes.
”…Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. …But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”…”
Knowledge of when does not change what is. Knowledge of what is and faithfulness to the Lord’s commands, telling what we know, encouraging and assisting others in their search and walk with the Lord is more valuable than knowing ‘when?’. Let’s spend our energy increasing the size of the multitude who will rise to life. Let’s spend our time and energy seeking to know Him and living as He wants us to. Be an example…be righteous…live right. And the promise is given that we will have rest until the end and then rise to receive our blessing.
”…for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
note: How cool is it that the 12th chapter came up for reading on the 12th day of the 12th month of the 12th year of the 21st century!
Iceberg of judgment…
Daniel 9:1-14
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.
“O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.
“As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice.
Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Dan&c=9&t=NKJVP&x=12&y=8>
Substitute the name US for Jerusalem, Judah or Israel and this prayer holds truth for us today!!! We have shamed our nation’s history of standing for the Lord. Our laws and prevailing manner of thinking are in opposition to his commands. No amount of justification will make the killing of the unborn right. No amount of justification will make living according to our lusts driving us, right. We seek and worship at the feet of the gods of self and wealth. We are promised sure judgment for this collectively and our present culture of financial collapse and terrorist-driven wars may be the tip of the iceberg of judgment. Make no mistake, God is not mocked.
Thankfully for the believer, Christ has given us hope and peace in the middle of this turmoil. We are in this world but not of it. We can be the voice protesting the turning away from God’s commands; we can be the voice giving hope to those who have ears to hear and eyes to see. May we be found faithful so that as in the days of Abraham, God may find many more than ten who still hold to His teachings and truths.
Resting in the Lord’s time…
Daniel 8:15-27
Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”
Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.
“And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
“Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.
“And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future.”
And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.
Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Dan&c=8&v=1&t=NKJVP>
And today we still have many who try to understand or claim to possess what wasn’t given to Daniel. What was the purpose of the vision and why was it given? What time of end? There are many endings? What comes to mind is the scripture my thoughts are above your thoughts and yet we receive the mind of Christ and are renewed by it.
“…Isa 55:9 KJV – For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
“…1Cr 2:16 NKJV – For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
We cannot presume to know with the ability to instruct the Lord God, but we may know with understanding that comes from the Holy Spirit and assists us in our walk with Him.
Again we have a point at which to stop and reflect, meditate upon his word. Ask for wisdom and understanding; it may be unique to each individual believer. There is a temptation to be “the one” who receives full understanding.
“seal up the vision…”
Sometimes it is wise to wait upon the Lord; place our full trust in Him for He has the big picture.
Limited explanation was given pertaining to kings of the Medes and Persians. And the king of Greece and what was to transpire there was given. But after that no clear explanation. It is interesting to note the effect of this vision upon Daniel. It troubled him at first; it also drained him physically. But then, he got up and went back to work. He recognized its significance, that he was chosen to receive from the Lord, but he was also told to seal it up. Sometimes what we are given from the Lord is for our keeping rather than our sharing. Lord may we live so close to you that we will know when to share and when to seal it up. There is much noise out in our world space about prophecy and many who claim to ‘know’… and much of it is just that, noise. It leads to confusion. Confusion is not of God. One of the characteristics we are learning to see in Him is that of order. To everything there is a purpose, time and place. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
No fault…
Daniel 6:1-5
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What a personal testimony to the presence of God within Daniel and his faithfulness to the word of God! His life was so exemplary he continued to find favor with whoever ruled the land at the time. His excellence gave birth to jealousy among those who worked alongside him. And to further testify to his right living, they could find no cause for complaint!
Take away: with the presence of God’s Holy Spirit living in each believer who has been to the cross of Christ, accepted His gift of forgiveness and life; the same should be said of us all. The power received is an overcoming power and enables us to walk in faith and excellence as Daniel did. Others then can also testify to our having the presence of the Holy Spirit and no cause be found for charges of misconduct in what we do. There is a goal to be met, the mark of the high calling as Paul put it, and we do this in and through Him, the Most High God. Let it be said of us there is no fault, we are found faithful and His excellence is in us. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Who has knowledge, understanding, wisdom?
Daniel 5:1-12
Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Dan&c=5&v=1&t=NKJVP>
Ah, to be known as the one in whom the Holy Spirit resides. Looking at this passage a question comes. Can the wisdom of God be bought? I will clothe you in purple, place a gold chain about your neck, give you authority over a third of the kingdom, only tell me what this means. The king was wise enough to be fearful of the hand that wrote. What has he done? He has treated the holy vessels of God as common and to add insult did so while praising other gods. Has he done this out of ignorance? It seems it does not make a difference if he knows the God Almighty or not; he is judged guilty of disrespect. The Holy Spirit is the giver of understanding and knowledge and fear of the Lord brings wisdom. Rather than fear of the Lord the party-goers were exhibiting pride and mockery. And now, it takes the voice of a woman to remind them of one who has the Holy Spirit. How are we known? Can others sense the presence of the Holy Spirit within us? Do we give evidence of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge only He can give, not of this world but of the kingdom of Heaven?
Walking in pride? beware…
Daniel 4:28-37
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Dan&c=4&v=1&t=NKJVP>
The letter from Nebuchadnezzar continues; detailing the events that followed the dream, a full year later. Enough time for naysayers to discount the prophecy, perhaps? But in its fullness of time it did occur. The end result was a great king humbled, acknowledging the God almighty and restored to his position of rule. Nebuchadnezzar’s words are recorded for us all to heed…”those who walk in pride He(the Lord) is able to humble.”…
On a side note: Rulers of all kinds, names, types and authority are where they are because God has willed it.
“…He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.…”
the Lord deals with them as He works with all mankind. The message of the kingdom of God is given to all and He is able to deliver. Let us be found faithful to the God of Heaven in our actions, words and thoughts. Let us not try to take on the work of the Holy Spirit but rather be found faithful in our given tasks according to His will. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Rise and fall of earthly nations…
Daniel 2:36-49
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And Jesus said the kingdom of God is at hand. He spent three years prior to his death telling about the kingdom of heaven. This is a kingdom that will never be destroyed.
“the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed;…”
This kingdom is in the hearts of believers, we are the agents of the kingdom of heaven on earth. Daniel spoke of it lasting forever.
“…it shall stand forever…”
King Nebuchadnezzer when faced with the words of God fell prostrate.
“…Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel,..”
The evil that had been intended was turned to blessing. Daniel’s faithfulness to God, his trust in God, his faith that said–I believe God– was rewarded.
Take away– It is good to remember the works of God, it is good to know where to turn when evil threatens. We are the Lord’s and we can exhibit the same faith Daniel did. We have the same source of strength, hope and peace available to us. Political systems, philosophies, ideologies come and go. Governments rise and fall but the kingdom of God remains and crushes the things of this world. We need have no fear of mankind’s evil, we serve a God who is greater. God says; “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He [is] the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Joshua 1:5 – “No man shall [be able to] stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, [so] I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
Hebrews 13:5- [Let your] conduct [be] without covetousness; [be] content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
About
This blog is a mosaic of writings from the scripture, ramblings from the mind, paintings done in play as an expression of the creative spirit within each of us. The writings from the scripture reflect my daily readings along with my thoughts, reflections and messages I receive from the Holy Spirit. They are meant to be shared and they are not meant to be imposed upon anyone other than myself. It is my hope that they can be used by the Holy Spirit to speak to another. I believe the sharing of the Word of the Lord is useful for instruction, edification and enlightenment. The ramblings are just that, the mind exploring, expressing and exposing the mindscapes it wanders to and from. The artwork that is mine is an adventure in creative expression. You the reader and visitor are welcome, your comments are welcomed and my the Lord God’s face shine upon you.
This wife, mother, grandmother is the oldest of six children, was raised in a preacher’s family with all that entails, retired from a career in public education only to continue in private Christian education and homeschooling.(my ministry, calling), now waiting for a new assignment from the Lord. L. L. L. as(lived for my Lord,living for my Lord, and loving it) My goal is to please God and not man. I am not responsible for how others’ see my actions and others’ do not determine what I do, how I do it and when I do it. God does. They hated Jesus, he said be sure if you belong to me they will hate you, too. I will stand for His word, I will love him and my neighbor, and I will defend the right to do so.
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