Incense (prayer)...
[Exodus 30:1-9]
And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne Rev 8:3
And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. Exo 30:6
This verse from the sacred Torah is God's direction to Moses where to put the Altar of incense. The incense Altar was to go directly in front of the mercy seat much the same way we stand in front of the throne of grace when we pray.
and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations. Exo 30:8
A regular incense offering means constant prayer to us. The Holy Spirit revealed this to me a while back. It has slowly began to impress itself into my conscience. My fault. God wanted me to understand this a couple of months ago; but the urge grew slowly(undoubtedly my fault). God has drawn my best friend and I into a new revival in our prayer life. Not only that, he is already answering our prayers in ways that can't be denied. We got the first confirmation today. God is stirring up people's hearts for prayer! I got the second confirmation tonight. I love you Lord! Halleluia (it is also spelled by some Hallelujah:inside joke to a friend; )
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
Bondage and Promise...
[Galatians 4:21-31]
This is one of the best shots against legalism you can find in Paul's writings. He basically recounts the story of Ishmael and Issac. Ishmael is born into bondage entirely by human effort. Issac's birth is somewhat miraculous considering the age of Abraham and Sarah. God promised Issac to Sarah. God really does like to perform miracles! In miracles, we can't just disclaim God's part unless we are being disingenuous or just willfully ignorant. Issac's birth was miraculous; but no more miraculous than the Gospel it represents. Paul divulges that the allegory shows that bondage to the law will inevitably lead to a casting away:
You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. Galatians 5:4
The story is very interesting. You can read it in Genesis 21:8-21. Notice the parallels.
Ishmael mocks Issac. The early Jerusalem Church was persecuted vehemently by the Jews. Abraham and Sarah(being one in marraige, representing two emotions of God)are typical. Sarah wants justice, Abraham wants mercy...He loves Ishmael just as God loves Israel[v. 11]. He's told by God to cast her away. It's interesting that in the very next chapter, chapter 22:2, God refers to Issac as Abraham's ONLY son. A familiar theme if you recall Jesus' words to the pharisees, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works that Abraham did." Hagar's water eventually depletes and she accepts the fact that her son will die. But he doesn't...
There are also prophetic overtones in Ishmael's deliverance. There is no water. When the lad cries unto God, God OPENS HAGAR'S EYES and she sees a well of water.
The day will come when Israel's eyes are opened and they will know their Messaiah. Maybe this will happen when their children cry unto God.
Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob" Romans 11:25-6
[Galatians 4:21-31]
This is one of the best shots against legalism you can find in Paul's writings. He basically recounts the story of Ishmael and Issac. Ishmael is born into bondage entirely by human effort. Issac's birth is somewhat miraculous considering the age of Abraham and Sarah. God promised Issac to Sarah. God really does like to perform miracles! In miracles, we can't just disclaim God's part unless we are being disingenuous or just willfully ignorant. Issac's birth was miraculous; but no more miraculous than the Gospel it represents. Paul divulges that the allegory shows that bondage to the law will inevitably lead to a casting away:
You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. Galatians 5:4
The story is very interesting. You can read it in Genesis 21:8-21. Notice the parallels.
Ishmael mocks Issac. The early Jerusalem Church was persecuted vehemently by the Jews. Abraham and Sarah(being one in marraige, representing two emotions of God)are typical. Sarah wants justice, Abraham wants mercy...He loves Ishmael just as God loves Israel[v. 11]. He's told by God to cast her away. It's interesting that in the very next chapter, chapter 22:2, God refers to Issac as Abraham's ONLY son. A familiar theme if you recall Jesus' words to the pharisees, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works that Abraham did." Hagar's water eventually depletes and she accepts the fact that her son will die. But he doesn't...
There are also prophetic overtones in Ishmael's deliverance. There is no water. When the lad cries unto God, God OPENS HAGAR'S EYES and she sees a well of water.
The day will come when Israel's eyes are opened and they will know their Messaiah. Maybe this will happen when their children cry unto God.
Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob" Romans 11:25-6
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Reclaiming the Ark...
[2 Samuel 6:6-22]
So the story goes something like this: While carrying the Ark back to Jerusalem, Uzzah tries to steady the Ark when some oxen stumble. Only the levitical priests were allowed to touch the Ark. This was a fatal BOO-BOO. God struck Uzzah dead. Verse 8 says that David was angry because of the Lord's wrath. Hummn. Out of Fear, David decides to leave the Ark in the home of Obed-Edom. Over the next few months, Obed-Edom's home is greatly blessed because of the presence of the Ark. David, wanting to funnel those blessings on Israel as a whole, decides to go back and take the Ark again and bring it to Jerusalem. As they enter the city, David dances in praise to the Lord and promises his spiteful wife that he will "become even more undignified than this."
I was carrying my Ark proudly during one point in my life. Then something very tragic happened that I really didn't understand. I too, like David, became angry with God. My options? Continue to pray to God with bitterness in my heart, or stop pretending and just pout, cease to pray. I left my Ark in a stranger's home. I was miserable while all my Christian Obed-Edom friends continued to enjoy their relationship with God. As I watched Roy and others relish the spiritual blessings of intimacy with God, I was moved with envy. I realized that I could just not have joy until I decided to reclaim my Ark. Envy? It's not what we consider an admirable emotion, but it would later transform itself into a pure desire to become what I was made to be. My life became even more undignified than it was before and it will become even more undignified than this.
[2 Samuel 6:6-22]
So the story goes something like this: While carrying the Ark back to Jerusalem, Uzzah tries to steady the Ark when some oxen stumble. Only the levitical priests were allowed to touch the Ark. This was a fatal BOO-BOO. God struck Uzzah dead. Verse 8 says that David was angry because of the Lord's wrath. Hummn. Out of Fear, David decides to leave the Ark in the home of Obed-Edom. Over the next few months, Obed-Edom's home is greatly blessed because of the presence of the Ark. David, wanting to funnel those blessings on Israel as a whole, decides to go back and take the Ark again and bring it to Jerusalem. As they enter the city, David dances in praise to the Lord and promises his spiteful wife that he will "become even more undignified than this."
I was carrying my Ark proudly during one point in my life. Then something very tragic happened that I really didn't understand. I too, like David, became angry with God. My options? Continue to pray to God with bitterness in my heart, or stop pretending and just pout, cease to pray. I left my Ark in a stranger's home. I was miserable while all my Christian Obed-Edom friends continued to enjoy their relationship with God. As I watched Roy and others relish the spiritual blessings of intimacy with God, I was moved with envy. I realized that I could just not have joy until I decided to reclaim my Ark. Envy? It's not what we consider an admirable emotion, but it would later transform itself into a pure desire to become what I was made to be. My life became even more undignified than it was before and it will become even more undignified than this.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Caaninites?
Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, "I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.' But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you." Judges 2:1-3
I don't want to leave any Caaninites in my life. What implications does this scripture have for us? Well, I was brought out of Egypt about seven years ago. I'm truly thankful that the Lord has promised not to break his covenant with me, but it should be disturbing to any Christian to know that if we "make covenants with the inhabitants of the land," that God assures us he will NOT drive them out before us. This is why Jesus told us to cut off our hand if it offends us. Why do we expect God to miraculously cure us of certain sin, but allow ourselves into compermising situations that make us vulnerable to sin? This is not cutting off the hand. When we allow certain things in our life that we know hinder us, they become thorns in our sides. When we do all things necessary to "break down the altars," God's power and grace flows through us in a supernatural way that we can't explain.
Entertainment of thoughts is one example. A year or two ago, I was counseling someone in my small group and used this scripture:
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ... 2 Corinthians 10:5
Later that night, actually it could have been later that week, a dear Christian Lady(who happens to my best friend) gave me her take on that verse because it had been an important verse to her in her walk. She's far more descriptive than I am, so I'll paraphrase what she told me. She compared the battlefeild of the mind to a host at a party. When a guest of the baser sort arrives, the host has some options. The host can say that it is ok for the sorted charecter to stay as long as they don't cause a problem. On the Other hand, the host can simply grab the unwanted guest by the seat of the pants and throw them out the door. If the former is observed, the guest will eventually cause problems and become a thorn in the side, all the while making it more difficult to get rid of him. Sure it's possible to gain victory, but it is far more difficult than if the latter option had been taken. If the latter option is observed and the worm is promptly tossed out, then that joker had absolutly no effect on the party. In a moment's time, he will have been forgoten and the host will have no consequences of broken glasses, destroyed furniture or offended friends. The host can face the rest of her guests with no shame or nothing she has to apologize for.
Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, "I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.' But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you." Judges 2:1-3
I don't want to leave any Caaninites in my life. What implications does this scripture have for us? Well, I was brought out of Egypt about seven years ago. I'm truly thankful that the Lord has promised not to break his covenant with me, but it should be disturbing to any Christian to know that if we "make covenants with the inhabitants of the land," that God assures us he will NOT drive them out before us. This is why Jesus told us to cut off our hand if it offends us. Why do we expect God to miraculously cure us of certain sin, but allow ourselves into compermising situations that make us vulnerable to sin? This is not cutting off the hand. When we allow certain things in our life that we know hinder us, they become thorns in our sides. When we do all things necessary to "break down the altars," God's power and grace flows through us in a supernatural way that we can't explain.
Entertainment of thoughts is one example. A year or two ago, I was counseling someone in my small group and used this scripture:
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ... 2 Corinthians 10:5
Later that night, actually it could have been later that week, a dear Christian Lady(who happens to my best friend) gave me her take on that verse because it had been an important verse to her in her walk. She's far more descriptive than I am, so I'll paraphrase what she told me. She compared the battlefeild of the mind to a host at a party. When a guest of the baser sort arrives, the host has some options. The host can say that it is ok for the sorted charecter to stay as long as they don't cause a problem. On the Other hand, the host can simply grab the unwanted guest by the seat of the pants and throw them out the door. If the former is observed, the guest will eventually cause problems and become a thorn in the side, all the while making it more difficult to get rid of him. Sure it's possible to gain victory, but it is far more difficult than if the latter option had been taken. If the latter option is observed and the worm is promptly tossed out, then that joker had absolutly no effect on the party. In a moment's time, he will have been forgoten and the host will have no consequences of broken glasses, destroyed furniture or offended friends. The host can face the rest of her guests with no shame or nothing she has to apologize for.
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