Exodus 29:1-30:10 ~ Matthew 26:14-46 ~ Psalm 31:19-24 ~ Proverbs 8:14-26   So each time we get to the stories of Christ’s betrayal, of his giving up his life in such truly horrific fashion, becoming the living sacrifice, laying down his perfect life for us and dying the way that he did to purchase our salvation, it is difficult because it is the most joyous thing in our very existence and yet it is difficult to watch this happen, you know?  So we see Jesus in the garden and he is seriously human at this point, right?  I mean, he is crying out to God in anguish, and these are human emotions.  This wasn’t a situation where Jesus had transcended his humanity and just kind of went through it all, just aloof to the whole thing.  He suffered as a man in this moment.  “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak,” he said.  He says something very poignant in his prayers, the final one just before his betrayer came and kissed him.  It is something that should help us as we face hardship [Read More]

  Exodus 28:1-43 ~ Matthew 25:31-26:13 ~ Psalm 31:9-18 ~ Proverbs 8:12-13   So Jesus offers a challenge again.  Most of the things that he says are so direct and they offer absolute, clear-headed wisdom that we can’t help but sit up and pay attention because our very lives depend upon it.  So he’s talking about the sheep and the goats and the end and the judgment.    So the king turns to the sheep and says, “Come enter in.”  The reason that he gives is that you cared for the least of these.  Then he turns to the goats on the left and says, “You didn’t care for the least of these.  Depart.”  That’s a big deal because God is saying when you do for the least of these, you are doing it as if you are doing it directly for me.  Alright, again, this isn’t some real wacky metaphor.  This is what Jesus said.  This is how the Kingdom works.  It is not one of these you just really can’t understand, it’s too difficult, we just don’t know what the true meaning is, it’s just too far out the [Read More]

Instruct all the skilled craftsmen whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. Make sacred garments for Aaron that are glorious and beautiful. 9 “Take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the tribes of Israel. 10 Six names will be on each stone, arranged in the order of the births of the original sons of Israel. “Next make a medallion of pure gold, and engrave it like a seal with these words: Holy to the Lord. 37 Attach the medallion with a blue cord to the front of Aaron’s turban, where it must remain. 38 Aaron must wear it on his forehead so he may take on himself any guilt of the people of Israel when they consecrate their sacred offerings. He must always wear it on his forehead so the Lord will accept the people. anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they can serve as my priests. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, Pas [Read More]

Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. 11 For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.

  Exodus 26:1-27:21 ~ Matthew 25:1-30 ~ Psalm 31:1-8 ~ Proverbs 8:1-11   I find that to be utterly true.  As I slow down and spend a couple days of downtime, wisdom from every corner, every crevice, every mountain peak, every valley, everywhere wisdom is calling and we will hear if we will listen, listen with ears of our hearts, slow down, jump off the world for a second as it spins like a merry-go-round and makes us dizzier and dizzier and dizzier.  If we’ll step away for a second from the chaos that is meant to just keep us dizzy and distracted, sick to our stomachs, nauseous even, and just listen, slow the whole thing down, we can hear the whisper of wisdom, wisdom calling to us.  I have the answers, everything you desire.  I have.  Follow me.    It’s interesting what Jesus said, in the parable of the talents today.  One of my favorite of Jesus’ parables, but one that never fails to hit between the eyes.  Three men are given a portion of their master’s treasure.  One, 5 bag [Read More]

Looking at the paprable of the 3 servants, or the parable of the talents: I recently came across a post on a discussion board by an atheist who said "what sort of a God takes away from those who have nothing and gives to those who have more?". The implication was that this was somehow unjust. If only I had read this parable a few days ago. The atheist thought that the parable discussed the life circumstances people find themselves in, like rich or poor. This however is not the case. Each of the servants had the same living standards and were presumably on the same wage. The gifts they had been given were surplus to that and were given for a specific purpose - to see how they would be used, not to keep. So really God was not "taking from the poor and giving to the rich".  He was giving to the faithful and taking away from the unfaithful. I hope this helps someone if they have recently struggled with the same problem. Isn't it interesting how those who do not believe find it d [Read More]

Exodus 23:14-25:40 ~ Matthew 24:29-51 ~ Psalm 30:1-12 ~ Proverbs 7:24-27   So it is interesting and it is important to look at what God is saying to Moses as he predicts their coming into the Promised Land.  He is saying, “You’re going to take this land.  You will have this land.  I have promised this to you.  You will take this land.  You’re not just going to cross over and everybody is just going to be wiped out and gone in the snap of a finger.  It isn’t going to work that way.  Little by little I’m going to drive them out before you, because if I just wipe them out before you now or let you go in and just tear it up, well, everything is going to go to spoil.  The land will go to weeds.  The cities will crumble.  Everything before you will just disappear because you are not great enough at this point to take the land and fully possess it.  Little by little, though, little by little, you are going to drive them out because I’m going to drive them out before you and you’ll rise [Read More]

Jesus uses the fig tree. I remember someone compared the fig tree to the nation of Israel at one point. Perhaps Israel will continue to exist now until Christ returns.

I'm sending my Angel ahead of you to guard you in your travels, to lead you to the place that I've prepared."I'll send my Terror on ahead of you I'll send Despair on ahead of you. They will worship from a distance; only Moses will approach God Moses took the rest of the blood and threw it out over the people, Then they climbed the mountain—Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel—and saw the God of Israel. He was standing on a pavement of something like sapphires—pure, clear sky-blue. He didn't hurt these pillar-leaders of the Israelites: They saw God; and they ate and drank. "Now make a lid of pure gold for the Chest, an Atonement-Cover, three and three-quarters feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide. I will meet you there at set times and speak with you from above the Atonement-Cover and from between the angel-figures that are on it, speaking the commands that I have for the Israelites. Then, the Arrival of the So [Read More]