"I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of Yahweh" ~Psalm 107:22
So many things in our lives can be sanctified by thanksgiving. Whether we are waking up in the morning, working, or folding laundry doesn't really matter--we can experience the holiness weaved into each moment by awakening to a state of thanksgiving.
When we call on the name of Yahweh, we're really also calling on all that goes with it. We are calling on a force greater and more noble than ourselves. We are calling for a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude to overtake us.
So many rituals in the Old Testament point to future spiritual parallels found in the New (Colossians 2:17), It's our job, not God's, to become appropriately thankful for all the things He's already done. Thanks offerings are still a part of the righteous person's walk.
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."
We're no longer on the other side of the fence, offering sacrifices to a distant, overarching God. Yahshua has come! Instead, we can let Christ in us commune with the Father in the same way He did while on earth in bodily form. We're one with Him, and He's one with us, even One with all who believe. Thankfulness can be our natural state of being. It's part of our calling, and it's a medium through which more specialized aspects of our Father's plans are directed. God doesn't always make things easy, but He does make things easier.
Showing posts with label Old Testament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Old Testament. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Dream: The Importance of Feast Days
"And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever." Genesis 12:17
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." Exodus 12:14
I've been thinking about Old Testament regulations a lot recently. Vanessa and I feel that it's been the Lord who's brought such things to our attention.
See, when God is speaking to Moses about feast days, celebration days, etc...He tends to use the words, 'for ever'.... quite frequently. And I think there's significance to that. God didn't say to keep such rules until His Son came. He could have specified that, but He didn't. There are many such Old Testament commemorations that God instructed His children to keep, for ever.
"For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."
Matthew 5:18
Even a few things Jesus said have made us think. Heaven and earth have not yet passed away! Though I don't have even close to a full revelation on all this, yet, I feel that some of aspects of the Word here just can't be discounted. To summarize, I'd say that the Law is good (1 Timothy 1:8).
And I had a dream last week that really convicted me. You know when you have a dream that you just know is from God? This was one of those. So, in the dream, I was being shown a pamphlet full of Heavenly revelation. And I was reading a page that was titled something along the lines of, "The Importance of Feast Days".
On this page, there were several bullet points, and under each bullet there was an awesome description of why God ordained dates and calendars to be the way they were. As I read more and more, the amount of wisdom and revelation coming through was astonishing. I realized what God intended when He made things the way He did. And I read all about the specific reasons for the feast days He established. Reading through that page was pretty amazing, and I had God's heart for the ancient Israelites conveyed to me in a way that's hard to describe. I realized in a new way just how meticulous, thoughtful, and wise God is in the things that He does--the things that He does for our own good.
I woke up the next morning remembering the dream, but having completely forgotten the specifics of what I'd read. And I think that's what God intended. Some of the stuff I read probably wasn't meant to be made known! But this dream convicted me of the tremendous physical and spiritual benefits that will come by following God's calendar of religious feasts and fasts.
Like I said, I don't have all this figured out yet. But I feel like there is something to it. For now, I'll liken keeping the Old Testament Law--whether by observing feast days, religious fasts, the Sabbath, or dietary rules--to icing on the cake, so to speak. The Law cannot save you! Nonetheless, I think it pleases God if His children show a conviction for the Law. I think it pleases Him if we show our interest and appreciate His workings of the past. I think that the ancient Hebrew calendar, which God first made for His chosen people and continues to work by, is worth researching.
"And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." Exodus 12:14
I've been thinking about Old Testament regulations a lot recently. Vanessa and I feel that it's been the Lord who's brought such things to our attention.
See, when God is speaking to Moses about feast days, celebration days, etc...He tends to use the words, 'for ever'.... quite frequently. And I think there's significance to that. God didn't say to keep such rules until His Son came. He could have specified that, but He didn't. There are many such Old Testament commemorations that God instructed His children to keep, for ever.
"For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."
Matthew 5:18
Even a few things Jesus said have made us think. Heaven and earth have not yet passed away! Though I don't have even close to a full revelation on all this, yet, I feel that some of aspects of the Word here just can't be discounted. To summarize, I'd say that the Law is good (1 Timothy 1:8).
And I had a dream last week that really convicted me. You know when you have a dream that you just know is from God? This was one of those. So, in the dream, I was being shown a pamphlet full of Heavenly revelation. And I was reading a page that was titled something along the lines of, "The Importance of Feast Days".
On this page, there were several bullet points, and under each bullet there was an awesome description of why God ordained dates and calendars to be the way they were. As I read more and more, the amount of wisdom and revelation coming through was astonishing. I realized what God intended when He made things the way He did. And I read all about the specific reasons for the feast days He established. Reading through that page was pretty amazing, and I had God's heart for the ancient Israelites conveyed to me in a way that's hard to describe. I realized in a new way just how meticulous, thoughtful, and wise God is in the things that He does--the things that He does for our own good.
I woke up the next morning remembering the dream, but having completely forgotten the specifics of what I'd read. And I think that's what God intended. Some of the stuff I read probably wasn't meant to be made known! But this dream convicted me of the tremendous physical and spiritual benefits that will come by following God's calendar of religious feasts and fasts.
Like I said, I don't have all this figured out yet. But I feel like there is something to it. For now, I'll liken keeping the Old Testament Law--whether by observing feast days, religious fasts, the Sabbath, or dietary rules--to icing on the cake, so to speak. The Law cannot save you! Nonetheless, I think it pleases God if His children show a conviction for the Law. I think it pleases Him if we show our interest and appreciate His workings of the past. I think that the ancient Hebrew calendar, which God first made for His chosen people and continues to work by, is worth researching.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
God's Character as our Plumb Line
A few days ago, I was walking around outside the house, when I saw a line of string hanging down from a low part of the roof. There was a tiny weight attached to the end of this string...I'm not sure what the thing was there for. And the Lord reminded me that His Word is our plumb line.
"I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line..."
Isaiah 28:17
In the Old Testament, righteousness was God's plumb line, and whenever this line was crossed, He would bring on judgement. There is a righteousness that God expected of His OT people, and when they fell away and worshiped idols, He was obliged to move towards judgement. The plumb line is something that Israel was not to cross. The plumb line is from Him, and it is also for Him, so that they knew that He was justified in His judgement (Psalms 51:4).
Today, we have God's righteousness embodied in His word. We have His plumb line shown throughout the Bible. He has set precepts that are to be fully obeyed (Psalms 119:4)--this is the plumb line. If we cross it, we lose the righteousness He's given. If we cross it, our disobedience takes away the blessing on us and hedge of protection around us. It happened again and again to the Israelites, and it happens to us today.
There is a more personal element to this, too. We can discern God's will, God's voice, through aligning it with His Word. We can use the Bible, and all of it's promises, as a plumb line to ensure that we are seeing things as He does. If we are out of alignment, His plumb line will show it.
Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God."
We need to be have God make a way for us so that we can know both His Word and His power. We have to know where our strength lies, where our foundation is at, and where our plumb line is. We have to know how to identify His righteousness and stay within His confines so that we can walk in it.
Confirmed: Later on this same day, I was reading a prophetic Word about God's plumb line. Cool! Every matter should be established by two or three witnesses... (2 Corinthians 13:1)
Confirmed: Just today, the Lord led me to the story of Zerubbabel.
Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. "For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel-- these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth." Zechariah 4:9
We have here a template for our own working for the Lord. First, we need to build upon a foundation the Lord has provided, and go on in building only according to His plumb line--only according to what He has said. We need to make sure that our effort aligns with His will and His Word. If He sends us into a project and guides us through it, then we are ensured to finish it! And if He trusts us, He will allow us to take that plumb line--that essence of His character--and use it in our own hands.
We need to be thankful for every day that God shapes our mandate and builds on our work. We need to know that His eyes are on us, and approving of us, and then enabling us, by His Spirit. We need to apply His character and His righteousness to our work, in order for Him to call it blessed. That's how we create a testimony where it's clear that He's sent us. That's where we won't be tempted to despise the day of small things. And that's how we please Him! God wants to sanctify our work.
"I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line..."
Isaiah 28:17
In the Old Testament, righteousness was God's plumb line, and whenever this line was crossed, He would bring on judgement. There is a righteousness that God expected of His OT people, and when they fell away and worshiped idols, He was obliged to move towards judgement. The plumb line is something that Israel was not to cross. The plumb line is from Him, and it is also for Him, so that they knew that He was justified in His judgement (Psalms 51:4).
Today, we have God's righteousness embodied in His word. We have His plumb line shown throughout the Bible. He has set precepts that are to be fully obeyed (Psalms 119:4)--this is the plumb line. If we cross it, we lose the righteousness He's given. If we cross it, our disobedience takes away the blessing on us and hedge of protection around us. It happened again and again to the Israelites, and it happens to us today.
There is a more personal element to this, too. We can discern God's will, God's voice, through aligning it with His Word. We can use the Bible, and all of it's promises, as a plumb line to ensure that we are seeing things as He does. If we are out of alignment, His plumb line will show it.
Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God."
We need to be have God make a way for us so that we can know both His Word and His power. We have to know where our strength lies, where our foundation is at, and where our plumb line is. We have to know how to identify His righteousness and stay within His confines so that we can walk in it.
Confirmed: Later on this same day, I was reading a prophetic Word about God's plumb line. Cool! Every matter should be established by two or three witnesses... (2 Corinthians 13:1)
Confirmed: Just today, the Lord led me to the story of Zerubbabel.
Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. "For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel-- these are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth." Zechariah 4:9
We have here a template for our own working for the Lord. First, we need to build upon a foundation the Lord has provided, and go on in building only according to His plumb line--only according to what He has said. We need to make sure that our effort aligns with His will and His Word. If He sends us into a project and guides us through it, then we are ensured to finish it! And if He trusts us, He will allow us to take that plumb line--that essence of His character--and use it in our own hands.
We need to be thankful for every day that God shapes our mandate and builds on our work. We need to know that His eyes are on us, and approving of us, and then enabling us, by His Spirit. We need to apply His character and His righteousness to our work, in order for Him to call it blessed. That's how we create a testimony where it's clear that He's sent us. That's where we won't be tempted to despise the day of small things. And that's how we please Him! God wants to sanctify our work.
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