Our bodies and the law

Scripture: Numbers 3 & 4 | My highlights and notes (must be logged into bible.com): Numbers 3:2-4, Numbers 3:11-13, 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Observation: The Lord required Israel, Aaron and his sons, and the Levites to pay great attention to detail when caring for the tabernacle. This great attention to detail can also be carried forward into today’s temple for the holy spirit, our bodies (and by default our spirit, mind, and soul) as Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

Application: This attention to detail, and the fact that if not followed correctly it resulted in possible death, is something which is not easily applied in today’s world of distractions and justifications. It can be easy to try and apply this universally to all of humanity, yet, what I see is this specifically applying to God’s people. This is key to how we interact with the world, we apply the things of God to ourselves, and we serve the world around us. In this service to the world we do not become part of it, but rather we elevate it, creating bridges for people to walk into the Kingdom and experience the grace of God through Jesus. Take care of our minds, spirit, and body in great detail, and we will experience God’s Holy Spirit.

And in regards to Jesus even in Numbers we see the LORD substituting requirements through chosen people for the greater good of all. Although we are never going to fulfill the law on our own, and the only man to do this was Jesus, we can see how the LORD started with a standard, and after many examples of Israel failing to meet the standard God sent Jesus, which tore the veil between God and all of humanity and offered grace to all people.

Simple, basic Christianity, yet everyday I fail to meet the standard and it is in Jesus alone that I am made righteous, not my behavior, my words, my actions, simply the fact that I allow Jesus to be my LORD and submit myself to Him, even if not all the time, I do come back because he makes it perfect with unconditional love.

Prayer: Father may you remain the one true holy authority in my life, may I recognize your standard and give you praise for the perfection you created, and will restore again in your Kingdom. I want your will to be done, for me to submit to it, praise it, and live it, may I repent of the things that are of me. May I be content with what you give to me, and forgive me for the sins which cut me from enjoying your will. Protect me, my family, and all of us from the evil one’s temptations.

In practice…

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Just a quickie today… so all the things I spewed out in my previous entry are all good and dandy, but don’t really mean much if I can’t put it into practice. A lot of my “stances” on things can seem to big to really make a difference, yeah they are big but we all know a lot of little things makes a big thing, otherwise we wouldn’t be talking about the crazy debts we find ourselves in.

So walking life iuby values and with conviction isn’t easy nor is it particularly “nice” but whn your’e able to finally see the big picture the rewards are huge!

In the Bible, particularly from Paul the idea of running life like a race is brought to our attention. For some that may sound exhausting and to some extent it is, but only during the race, and aborted attempts. When I ran 5k races I send to always have at least one thought per race of giving up, and the times where I did I during practice never felt good, both physically and emotionally. But on race days and good practice days — it was fantastic, to know I finished and finished well!

I say all this because life takes intention and direction. And most of all we can’t take our eyes off the goal, when we do that we feel the exhaustion and become prone to fainting.

And th counter balance? Don’t burnout! Oh man, that’s another entry for another day. This MAX ride is complete.

Ultimate love

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Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. This is something I’m learning all to well, and it’s not about me waiting but rather for some others. I’ve finally come to peace on the fact no matter how “at peace” and “reconciled” I am about something, I sometimes need everyone else to reach that point on their own.

I tend to regain trust and forgive people quickly, sometimes at a fault, and many times within God’s boundary. However, there are times where as much as I feel things need to move faster, it simply can’t be rushed, my convictions cannot be used to convince others to trust.

Rather my role is to pray, listen, and speak truth of God’s kingdom. Patient endurance is both ugly and beautiful. My heart longs for both reconciliation and healing and sometimes the healing piece takes time to grow so that reconciliation and love can thrive.

The ultimate love is free will without interference.

Gotta start talking

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Yesterday we took two truck loads to the dump, felt really good.!

OK, apologies for the 1000th time for neglecting this blog. I wonder if anyone else actually reads this thing anymore. It’s kind of tricky to write anything on here these days because the things I would like to talk about I can’t, just isn’t the right time.

Our life right now is completely fluid, not many answers to anything, but we’re surrounded by amazing people. A church family that cares, and a God who loves. There is a lot to say, but I’ll leave it for future content. Consider this post as a primer for more. I just wanna start talking more and see where it goes. But I hate small talk.

The boy now…

The boy now…

He stands at the fragile edge of a new life.

Before him, a few doors to oppurtunity.

But for now he continues down the same dusty path.

This path has been the same for four years now.

Coming soon, a break in the path.

At the break he finds two doors,

one to adventure and obedience,

the other to cowardness and comfort.

He takes the steps to the door of adventure,

but he must wait and sit at it’s steps.

Until the resources are in, and the time is right.

For now his heart is to serve,

but at the same time he is too tired of the current path.

He has no motivation to continue down this path,

he would rather sit at the door of adventure and do nothing but ponder what is to come.

When he worships the creator,that is the only state of complete satisfaction for him.

He wants to stand at the edge of his throne and fall to his knees before the king.

He is frustrated that he has not taken the oppurtunities to teach others of Christ.

The boy wants to move on with his life, but life is not moving that fast.

The boy prays to God for peace, and wisdom in his decisions.

How much, how far, how fast, how will he do it.

God has called him to these things.

God has provided him with skills which produce the resources.

How can he use his skills to teach others of Christ.

When he returns from his adventure, what doors will be waiting to be knocked on.

Which ones will open?

Which one will he choose?

What school will he go to?

Who will he work for?

Who will be his friends?

What people will be in his life?

So many questions he has.

So many unanswered.

But he feels God’s spirit in him,

guiding him.

He knows what will happen,

the anxiety is strong,

but the will must be done.

Imagine

Imagine being in a black void, you see a pearl of light, swirling in on your self. Soon, it enters yourself, you are feeling this awesome sense of joy, peace and love filling you up. Soon, the dark void begins to get brighter, you look at yourself, and you are glowing, it gets brighter and brighter. Pin hole beams of light begin to flow out of your body, out of every pore. Now it is at the point of blinding you. You are so awe struck by the happiness you feel inside, you don’t even notice the pain your eyes are feeling. Soon the black void is filled with such a magnificent light, that all you see is white, white light which is living. You take a deep breath, and your lungs are filled, with a breath of fresh air, a crisp air which is found nowhere on Earth.

You soon realize that for the first time you are truly loved, this love can not be broken. You can feel the love all over and inside your body, mind, soul, and for the very first time, your spirit. Your entire world is rocked, what was once an enormous void which seemed impossible to fill, is now over flowing with a love you have no words for. You begin to hear thousands, maybe millions of voices, they are singing, you can’t quite tell what the words are, but they resonate through your body, mind, soul and new spirit. You realize that, they too, have found this same love.

Once you return back to earth you can’t do anything except yearn for everyone to embrace this same love you have experienced, and from that day forward, you can not but tell and show everyone of this love. Otherwise you feel selfish.

You have been filled by and with the Holy Spirit, the mind of God. You have come to know Christ. You have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God the creator.

Thanksgiving

So this is thanksgiving.

We all have much to be thankful for.

That you can read this.

That I can write this.

That Americans can give thanksgiving.

That you have access to this.

That we have life.

That we have the possibility of receiving a new life.

That we can thank others.

That we are thanked by others.

That fish are all around the world.

That people are fishing for other people.

That the fish are fed.

Then there was Chris.

Who likes to eat fish.

And likes to go running.

But would rather fish.

Who would like a housewife.

And likes wildlife.

But is tangled with the governors.

Who want the altars.

And is being hurled.

But life is still ample.

But he is misread.

.: prayers, prayer requests :.

Lord,

In your awesome name, we ask?

That everyone be able to count their blessings.

That this be a time of uplifting thoughts.

That those oversees, who are not spending time with their families be feeling your love.

That the homeless find a good meal, not only today but every day, and that the job opportunities in their lives are multiplied.

That those in need, in desperate situations, who have forgotten you, who have left you, who need you, who don?t know you, and who are seeking you, know you.

Lord, we thank you, for our friendships, family, school, life, and most of all YOU. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to worship you in a unique way, and to grow in you and learn more about you. We love you Lord.

Jesus Heals Ten Men with Leprosy [Luke 17:11-19]

As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, ?Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!?

He looked at them and said, ?Go show yourselves to the priests.? And as they went, their leprosy disappeared.

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ?Praise God, I?m healed!? He fell face down on the ground at Jesus? feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, ?Didn?t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?? And Jesus said to the man, ?Stand up and go. Your faith has made you well.?

-= foot notes =-

17:16 Jesus healed all 10 lepers, but only one returned to thank him. It is possible to receive God?s great gifts when an ungrateful spirit ? 9 of the 10 men did so. Only the thankful man, however, learned that his faith had played a role in his healing; and only grateful Christians grow in understanding God?s grace. God does not demand that we thank him, but he is pleased when we do so. And he uses our responsiveness to teach us more about himself.