Sulphur Lake

"The Lord has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom." ~Solomon

I was asked once by someone that was very interested to know if I believed that hell really is a lake of fire. For years, I had believed that it was but I had never studied the subject and could recall no scriptures to back up my assumptions. I told them that honestly, I'd never studied hell because I'm not going there. I assured them that I would research it for them and get back with the answer. The next day when I saw them at work I had a cheerful answer; "Yep," I chirped.

The whole concept of hell began to crystallize in my mind. A semi-morbid curiosity drove me to imagine the scene in Revelation 20. I had always sort of hopped across those verses lightly, afraid of getting burnt, and rushing on to the good part. The part where the devil, death and Hades get tossed into the lake like twigs. What I saw made me shrink back from a Holy God this time though. Instead of cheering on the end of death like usual, I was forced to stare into the face of the damned. It chills me to think that God made the wicked for Himself for the day of doom. I realize it's His prerogative to do whatever He wants with His creation but it was hard for me to reconcile the God of love that I knew with the Holy God that proclaimed, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay". A deeper appreciation and love for Jesus grew. I'm thankful that I was created for good works in Christ and not for the day of doom!

"If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." ~John   

Seeking Truth

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." ~Paul

Once again, I've been reminded that my spiritual relationship with God is my own responsibility. It is up to me to know what I believe and why I believe it. I can't rely on clever sayings or feel good posters to give me the hard truths of being human. My preacher, mentor, friend or parent are not going to be my lawyer at the judgement seat of Christ. I won't be able to point a finger at my spouse and say, "It was the spouse you gave me".  That didn't work for Adam so I'm certain it won't work for me!

I want to be a gleaner of truth. I try to isolate everything that claims to be of or about God and examine it through the lens of scripture to see if it has any value for my life. Not that I want to point a finger and accuse others of heresy but I guard my heart diligently against lies. My heart is the wellspring of life. I'm deeply aware of the fact that I can be deceived easily and nothing slurps the joy and peace out of my spirit quicker than believing lies. Especially, lies about the one I claim as my God.

Testing or questioning teachings and even my own thoughts has become an opportunity for me to learn more about Jesus. Challenges to my preconceived ideas have resulted in the past with abundant blessings. I don't need to defend God but I do need to know him. Therefore, I seek him in the words of the Bible, in prayer and in fellowship. I ask him for wisdom and believe that I have it. I seek God and know that I've found him. I've seen the doors of heaven open at a knock of my imagination. What a day of rejoicing it will be when I get there! Until then though, the trial continues and the judgement awaits me. There is a side of me that fears it as a child fears disappointing a parent but mostly I'm looking forward to seeing the face of my king on his throne and bowing before my God while immersed in his glory!     

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." ~Jesus

Pulling a Weed

"Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?" ~Solomon

I've often looked at this verse from the viewpoint of the recipient of anger, fury and jealousy. It warns me that an angry person is cruel and a furious person is overwhelming. I've been the object of jealousy though, and indeed, I would rather have an angry or furious person in front of me. At least there is hope of making peace with them. A jealous person works to tear you down in secret. They magnify faults and dish out gossip like choice morsels. A friend can get angry or even furious at you and it is worked through and dissipates. Apologies are given and received. Some cruel things may have been said and the anger may have escalated into fury and been overwhelming for a time, but all is forgiven. Not forgotten, mind you... but forgiven!

Jealousy just sucks the joy right out of the relationships it takes root in. It's a hardy, bitter weed that sprouts up quick and grows deep roots. A lot of times, you don't even know that it's growing. When I find myself getting jealous, it's a nudge that my meditations have shifted off course. Instead of an attitude of gratitude for all that I'm blessed with, my attitude becomes one of wishful thinking. Rejoicing with friends is replaced by a "poor me" countenance. My spirit grows heavy and if the Holy Spirit could get tired, he'd be weary of my selfish groaning. It's such a relief to confess it and be forgiven! Then to redirect the thoughts to whatever is good, holy, just, and praiseworthy in my life and to share the joy that others have in the blessings they receive.

"The kisses of an enemy may be profuse, but faithful are the wounds of a friend." ~Solomon 

Fatherly Fear

"This is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...'" ~Jesus

This verse has been rolling around in my head for a couple of weeks now. The intimacy of calling Almighty God "my Father" has seemed to cast a shadow over the "hallowed" part for some time. The verses are so familiar that half the time, I just recite them by rote instead of reading it. You know, when you reach those passages that your mind just sort of swallows without chewing or skips through with a happy tune. I get all into calling God my "Daddy" and forget that his name must be hallowed. Yes, he is my Father in heaven but he's also Holy, Almighty, GOD!

Obviously, Jesus knew without a doubt that God was, and is, his father. He was wrapped in the Holy Spirit and spoke and prayed with authority. I find it interesting that when he was dying on the cross, he did not cry out to his father, he cried out to his God. He didn't appeal to the fatherly love of the divine, he cried to the Holy love of the consuming fire he knew intimately as his father. He asks both the Holy Spirit and his Father. "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?," in echo of the agonizing words of David in the Psalms. Jesus felt abandoned and forsaken. He was living Psalms 22 and knew it. Yes I can call God "my Father in heaven" but may I never lose sight of the fact that first, and of utmost importance, is that I fear him as Almighty God. Jesus did.

"Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." ~Jesus   

Muddy Motives

"All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord." ~Solomon

Jesus reserved his most stinging rebukes for the teachers of the law and the Pharisees yet he admonishes the crowds and his disciples to obey them and do everything they told them. They sat in Moses' seat and therefore, people were to respect the position but they were not to copy thier motives. These men did everything for others to see. They were showmen and salesmen. I can almost hear him hiss, "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" I love to imagine the scene where Jesus just cuts loose on the Pharisees in Matthew 23. I imagine myself standing there going, "Yeah... yeah!" with my head bobbing in agreement. Until I realize that I could easily fall into these woes. Did I share any of thier motives? Had I become a hypocrite?  

How easy it is to neglect the more important matters of the law- justice, mercy and faithfulness. How natural to look good on the outside and deny that the inside is dirty. Motives become murky and ceremony replaces fellowship. "But I'm doing it for you, Lord," I'll say. Oh, really? That's when it's time to drag out the motives and examine them closely. I'm thankful that these altercations were recorded. Not only for the slap the Pharisees got but for the nudge of the shepherds rod in my life. I pray that the Holy Spirit will expose any unclean motives I have and continue to show me his ways.

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." ~Paul

Ever Present

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" ~David

After the honeymoon of spiritual rebirth into the kingdom of God, everyday life and decisions began to leach the joy right out of me. Added to the stress of which coffee to buy was the barrage of questions about my beliefs. Did I believe I could lose my salvation? Did I believe in "speaking in tongues"? What about praying before meals? Groups had scripture to back up well planned arguments for what they believed. It was overwhelming. All I could really say I knew was that the Holy Spirit had picked me up, cleaned me up, entered my heart and quickened a dead spirit. How? Through a human sacrifice. Why? Because he loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me!

I read the scriptures pertaining to each subject carefully and concluded that I wasn't going to worry about whether people could lose their salvation or not. I was going to focus on them getting their salvation in the first place. I wasn't going to argue about whether tongues were languages or angelic words, I was going to speak the words of God in the only language I know, English. They were right there to use and God's word in English works for me. I'm usually praying continually. There's so much in a day to be thankful for and so many people in need of prayer. There is no where I can go that the Spirit isn't present and that in itself is something I'm very, very thankful for.

Today, I'm praying that people's eyes are opened to the presence of the Holy Spirit around and in them!

"If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there." ~David   

Fading Focus

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." ~Peter

As a woman, I can really fall into the trap of spending my time on my outward appearance. Not only have I spent a lot of time on my appearance, I've spent a lot of money on it. I enjoy looking nice and believe that as God's gift to my husband, it's my job to take care of myself but problems arose when that became my focus. Getting my hair done, having that jewelry, pumping iron and coveting fine clothes replaced playing with my husband, laughing with the children, and staying within a budget. I had to step back and try to give as much time to my inner self as I did my outer self. A real eye opener!    

It took awhile before I realized how fast outward beauty fades. Clothes wear out, jewelry grows wings, and hair turns gray. I didn't realize how fast children grow or how time would sap enthusiasm. I'm so very grateful that God was working in those times on an inner beauty. The Spirit was gently but firmly at work for years. My husband and I are grandparents now. He tells me every night that he loves me, he's proud to be my man, and I'm beautiful. I still work to stay as attractive as I can for him not only outwardly but inwardly now as well. God gives good gifts!

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." ~King Lemuel 




  

Real Battles

"Do not lose heart or be afraid when rumors are heard in the land; one rumor comes this year, another the next, rumors of violence in the land and of ruler against ruler. For the time will surely come when I will punish the idols of Babylon" ~The Lord 

It's hard not to lose heart or be afraid of things that are real. I have prayed with and for people that are in excrutiating pain or in the shadow of death. Depression and fear are very real. For that reason, I question the wisdom of struggling with borrowed fear and losing heart over the rumbling of rumors. If depression and fear that are real are hard to battle with, rumors can be paralyzing enemies. Rumors of bodily harm can be especially potent.

I confess, I've been in the clutches of worldly fear in the past. I've been swept up in the rumors and cried out over the "what if's". My handwringing and "what am I going to do" attitude ran the gamut from knives to nukes. Hope had been shoved out and replaced by fear. Then a wise woman told me, "Marie, God gives us grace for the circumstances not for our imaginations."

I had been boxing phantoms, and every year a new crop would sprout up after the last ones were vanquished. What a waste of time. I stopped giving the heresay the power to destroy my peace and handed over my control (hardy laugh) of the circumstances to the only one that could mete out true justice. God is in control. My joy returned as my focus shifted to the good, true and praiseworthy things in the people around me. My spirit rejoiced in the clamor of the world being turned off and the voices of my children growing louder. Hope was restored through the shedding of fear.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man who fears is not made perfect in love."   


 

No Thanks, I'm Full

"The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." ~Solomon

The words of God have been put in my mouth. Indeed; the very words of salvation. I chew and chew and chew on these words like a cow with her cud. But when the words of a gossip are dished up to me, I slurp it down like a hummingbird lapping sugar water. Down they go before I even recognize the poison half the time. I've had to go to Jesus so many times and ask him to help me to love someone after hearing some tidbit from or about them. I've also had to go to him and ask forgiveness for passing along a lie that I'd heard. I've been the subject of gossip and it's a helpless feeling not to be able to defend yourself, knowing that there are people in whom those words are taking root.

I was reading off a list once in Romans that talks about the signs of a depraved mind to someone dear to me. "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice." I continued, "They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful..." "Waait a minute," she gasped, "Gossips are on the list with God-haters?!" Her surprise caught me off gaurd. "Ummm... yep," was my ecclesiastical answer. It was then that I started to watch the course of gossip. It became more and more apparent how destructive it was to both the server and the consumer; yet almost impossible to resist- like choice morsels. I asked the Holy Spirit to remind me to sift what I hear through the filter of unconditional love. I pray that I'm so full of the words of God that not even a choice morsel would be tempting.

"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." ~Solomon

One Witness

"You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one." ~GOD

I am a witness. I've seen what God has done in my life every day. I'm not a defender. I don't need to defend who Jesus is or the God that I believe in, all I have to do is tell people what I've seen. I'm not a prosecutor. I don't have to finger point or call people out for their duplicity, all I have to do is tell them what I've heard. I'm not a judge. I don't have the authority to sentence people to hell or proclaim them worthy of heaven. All I have to do is tell them what God has done in my life and through my life. I have the privilege of letting them know that he can do the same thing in theirs because I've seen him do it. I've witnessed the changes.

I have seen miracles and been fascinated by the every day. I've heard his voice in rushing waters and felt his touch in misty winds. I am a witness to the love of God found in forgiveness through Jesus and I revel in the things he's allowed me to see! What an honor to add my witness to the timeline of human kind.

"'You are my witnesses,'" declares the Lord, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.'" ~GOD

Sowing in Sadness

"Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart." ~Solomon

Once again, I've been asked to sing a song at a memorial service. It's an honor to be asked to play and sing in the house of mourning. Hearts are broken and God is never far from the broken hearted. I hope to plant seeds in the cracks created by sorrow. I pray that those seeds will be watered by the tears of the saints and caused to grow by the Holy Spirit as it quietly seeps through the silent chapel. A hiding place for those in need of comfort.

May my voice be clear and the chords echo through the halls of heaven. May they touch the tired and weary and give strength to the downcast. May my heart be right and my motives pure as I proclaim the gospel in song to the hearts of the mourning family.

"Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy." ~Psalms 126:5

Big Hand

"I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand- I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, 'You are my people.'" ~GOD

Two things jumped out at me in association with this verse today. The first was the fact that the God who spoke the universe into being has put his words in my mouth. My mind skipped across scriptures, landing lightly on Ezekiel and the sweetness of the scroll and the bitterness to his stomach. Thoughts flittered to the words of Jesus, "Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" and "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.". God has put his words in my mouth but where do they go from there? Hmm... future meditation.

The second thing I associated with this verse was the image of being covered with the shadow of his hand. I was teaching  children's church once when one of the young men seemed to be daydreaming while I read. It caught my attention because this guy rarely sat still. When I paused in the reading he blurted out, "Do you think God is really a big hand in the sky?" I paused for a minute and told him that I believe that Jesus is God and he looks like any other man. Curious, I asked him what prompted the question. He pointed to the wall behind me. The attention of the class was then drawn to a cartoon poster of a giant hand in a draping white robe with a little kid in it's palm gazing happily at the unseen giant's face. I had to laugh. Then I explained that a poster and all other artwork that they see is only an artist's perception and interpretation. The image of that giant hand popped to mind when I read the above verse in Isaiah this morning. Instead of being in the palm though; I was happily singing along in the shadow, praising God for daydreaming children and the words he put in my mouth!

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." ~GOD

Builder of Blessings

"They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them." ~Isaiah

Washing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, cooking, scrubbing and working to maintain a peaceful household is never in vain. The unseen work that we do is just as important as the finished product. One thing I've noticed about work is that people don't see it. When my husband and I finished building our house, no one saw the nine years of sacrifice and work that we spent on it. We may have hammered the nails but the Lord was the one that built the house. He saw it all.

My family has been incredibly blessed. We have been blessed with food, clean water, clothing, health and each other. When my children were small, I feared for their future and the future of the planet, country and neighborhood. This verse was such a comfort. It squished my fears and set my vision back where it belonged. God loves my children. The fact that they will be blessed will bless the world, country and neighborhoods where God places them. They will not toil in vain and although my grandchildren may experience misfortune, they are not doomed to it. What a wonderful promise!

"Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain." ~Solomon

Trading Shadows

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." ~David

Today as the sun burst through the thin layer of cloud cover, this verse came to mind when I caught sight of my shadow flitting across the wall. I got to thinking about the shadow of death.

Death loomed between me and the light of eternity like a hideous monster. It's sting was sin and it was swallowing my life in greedy gulps. My sin had seperated me from the love that God had for me. I felt consumed by shadow, walking through a dark valley, and afraid of the evil I found within myself.

It was at that time in my life that the name Jesus kept jumping out at me from every direction. This valley was familiar territory for him. He'd faced this monster and won. He promised me he would never leave me, that God loved me and forgave me. I'm one of his children and it's comforting to know that he's there with his rod and staff. Not to punish me with but to direct my steps with gentle nudges and consistent preasure. I traded the shadow of death for the shadow of the Almighty!

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." ~David

Brighten the Future

"Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise to ask such questions." ~Solomon

Ahhh... the good old days. To live in the past and compare it to the present is not wise. I realized that if someone was asking this question, it meant that they were focused on the negative things in the times that they live in and the positive things of the past. Questions like that make me wonder about motives. Is it to draw attention to the hard times they're having? Is it to inspire the envy of a new generation that would never experience the world the same way? Perhaps to pass judgement on society as a whole because it will just never be as honest, fun loving, open, rich or fit as back in their days? One thing was certain though, they were living in the past, wasting the present and ignoring the future. Very unwise!

How easily I can be led down that foolish path. I don't want to go there. I want to live in the present with my eyes forward. I want to say, "Yes, the old days were great. Today is still unfolding and I see the beauty in it too. Tomorrow is a promise that I hope to brighten by what I do today. I want to love each person I come into contact with and perhaps influence the times we live in, one day at a time and one person at a time. Not by beating them over the head with the past but by giving them hope and inspiration for today and their future.

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." ~Solomon

See Ya

"Keep on loving each other as brothers." ~Hebrews

I just received a phone call from the man that led me to the knowledge of Jesus. He has cancer of the liver and has been sent home to await his appointment with death. There is no fear in his voice, he was laughing and bantering with me as always. I told him that since there is no time in heaven, I will be there when he gets there. I'll really miss him here on earth though. He said he would put in a good word for me and thanked me for everything. I needed to thank him! I'm  jealous that it looked like he's going to see Jesus first. He laughed.

I didn't want to hang up because that familiar voice saying my name when I answered the phone may never call again. I may never hear that rumbling laugh again in this world. His voice dripped with love and I could picture his smile and the twinkle of his blue eyes. How I wish I could've hugged him through the phone. Again I'm reminded of what an awesome reunion heaven is going to be. Oh Lord, heal him completely or take him quickly. Either way, thank you!

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of thier way of life and imitate thier faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." ~Hebrews 13:7 

 

Bait and Switch

Jesus looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."  ~Mark 3

Yes, Jesus got mad. I know that it was the stubborn hearts of the men in the synagogue that caused him distress but what made him angry was their use of a crippled man as bait. They wanted a reason to accuse Jesus of breaking a commandment so that they could bring him up on charges and have him executed. They cared nothing for the man that had lived among them except how his healing could be used as evidence against the only one capable of doing that healing.

I imagine the man was surprised and perhaps taken aback when Jesus asked him to stand up in front of everyone. He probably held little hope of a miracle knowing the Sabbath law. I can imagine his joy as he watched his hand unfurl and the bones, sinew and muscles all line up. I'll bet he was thrilled with the wonder of stretching out fingers and flexing them back and forth.  He must've gotten lost in amazement at the creases in his palm and laughed more than once at the change in his life. I hope he never missed synagogue after that. A constant reminder to the leaders there of the stinging rebuke from the Lord. A seed of the Kingdom planted in thier midst.

"So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." ~Jesus  

Do Tell

"Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. ~Luke

It's fascinating to think about all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asking Jesus to leave them. They were afraid of him because he had healed the town madman. This guy was scary! Naked, dirty and tortured, this man threw himself down on the ground in front of Jesus and screamed at the top of his lungs, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" Poor soul. The man was being tortured by demons and those demons were begging not to be tortured. Still a scary scene!

Jesus knew that demons were responsible and commands them to come out but the thing that causes me to well with love for Him is how He simply asks the guy his name. The demons answer with thiers and go on to beg for mercy but I believe that question struck a cord with the man. Had he forgotten who he was apart from the demons? Did he even remember his given name? 

Those people asked Jesus to leave so He did, but he left a seed of the Kingdom among them. A candle in the dark to remind them of His love. I often wonder if this man's mother praised God for the return of the son she'd named. Was his father happy to see him? Did he have a wife and kids? Scripture is silent on these questions. It doesn't even name him, which I find merciful. He was given a new life and sent home to talk about that life! Perhaps, he was given a new name too. 

"...and I will also write on him my new name." ~Jesus  

Battle Plans

"With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles!" King Hezekiah to the people and their officers when faced with Sennacherib's army.

The tension in the city would've been palpable. They had watched the King of Assyria gobble up countries and cities and he was on his way to Jerusalem. Hezekiah saw it coming and began preparing. He summoned the leaders. The men blocked the springs and the streams up so that the enemy would have little water. They all worked hard and fast to repair the city wall and build towers. They quickly built a second wall around the city and reinforced the roofs. Anxiety was turned into action. They were ready to take up their positions and stand firm.

A warrior king, standing at the gates of the city of his fathers, reminds them of the presence of God to encourage his people. The silence of the crowd brought the words of the past to his subjects as he shouted, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him!"

What a great story... 2 Chronicles 32.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." ~God

Forever To Rule

"When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly."  ~Peter writing to God's elect, the strangers in the world, concerning Jesus.

There are no such thing as benign insults and the natural reaction to being insulted is to return the favor. Retaliation is out of the mouth before the brain even fully grabs onto it. I was mulling this over and thought, what a different scene it would've been at the cross if Jesus hadn't entrusted himself to God as the one to judge him justly. What if he had gone to the cross throwing insults back at those who accused him and shouting threats about them getting thiers. The image I got was ugly. That's when the Holy Spirit whispered, "What you're seeing are the thieves".

Three men were executed that day but the insults and mockery were centered on only one. It's interesting to me that most of the jeering of the mob contained the same words Satan used to tempt Jesus with. The words, "If you are the son of God, then..." It's no wonder Jesus looked at his mother. He was the son of man too.

As the son of man, he died just like all the sons of men have and will but as the son of God, he came to life again. When He returned, He didn't go to the priests and the temple to get his revenge or to proclaim himself anything. He chatted with Mary by the tomb and walked to Emmaus with a couple of guys explaining scripture. He cooked breakfast on the beach and I like to think He laughed as Peter jumped out of the boat and swam to shore. He hugged them tight, ate with them, showed them his scars and comforted them with his words. Then he had to leave the earth because, as the son of God, he had to take up his position as King of creation.

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." ~Jesus

Bread Alone

The tempter came to him and said,"If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written; 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Certain things in the temptation of Christ stood out to me this morning. Satan appeals to Jesus by planting seeds of self-doubt about his really being the Son of God. It gives me joy to see that Jesus used his being the son of man to avoid the temptations. What an honor to his mother since he got his human side from her. Son of man is the title that he uses to describe himself the most in scripture. Being a man helped him to avoid the temptations.

Jesus didn't have to make stones into bread, he knew God would provide food. He didn't need to test the Lord by jumping off a building. He knew it would prove nothing. All the kingdoms of the world and thier splendor? Pshhhh... They were standing on a very high mountain! Talk about splendor! It's funny, the devil takes him up there and then just leaves him there. Angels show up and feed him though. I'll bet it was bread and tasted really good... just like his Mom used to make. (Matthew 4)

"Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." ~Jesus

Do Rest

"So then, the word of the Lord to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there- so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured." Isaiah 28:13

It took some time for this truth to sink in. God was rebuking the priests and prophets in Jerusalem when He accuses them of making His worship nothing more than a list of things to do and rules to follow. He tells them, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"- but they refused to listen. So, God allowed them to reap what they had sown. They wanted God's word reduced to a list of things to do and rules to follow so that's what it became. Thier own legalism had become thier curse. But notice, God's motive for letting His word become that way. They would go backwards and be injured. They would be snared and captured. The Sovereign Lord would make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line. God goes on to say, "The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror." Indeed!

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." ~Jesus

Today, I'm thankful for the rest Jesus has given me!