PSALMS 84:10 - I WOULD RATHER BE A DOOR KEEPER IN THE HOUSE OF MY GOD

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Sunday, March 17, 2013

The Blessed Hope


I cracked the door open ever so slightly and quietly peeked in to see if she was sleeping.  Bright-eyed and awake, she saw my head peek through the door and her face lighted up with the smile I have known all my life.  "Hi, Mom, you're awake!" I greeted her.
 
"Yes, come on in," she replied, in her ususual cheery voice.  I sat next to the recliner where she spends all her waking hours now and we began to chat.  I had dropped Dad off for a medical appointment and came back to sit with my 89-year-old mom, suffering with Alzheimers.  As I often did, I picked up her bible and asked if I could read to her.  Because she also has macular degeneration, she can no longer read anything, and is unable to process most TV programs or movies.  But when I read God's Word to her, her eyes fill with light and she really comes alive.  I opened the bible to Revelation 4 and began reading to her the description of heaven.  She listened with rapt attention and when I finished I said, "doesn't it sound glorious?"
 
"Oh yes," she exclaimed, "it is glorious." Then she added a bit sadly, "but it's far away." 
 
"No, it's soon," I told her. "The Lord is coming soon for His people and you will have a healed body and a clear mind and memory."

Then I began to talk about some memories of my children (her grandchildren) when they were little, as I always hope this will bring her some joyful moments; but I was not really ready for what she said. She looked right at me and said, "Well, I remember a lot more about Kelly's family. I don't know much about your family." I took her hand and got much closer to her face and then asked her, "who do you think I am?" To my dismay, she began to cry and responded, "I don't know. You look like someone I should know, but I don't know who you are."

I guess I knew this would come, but who is ever ready for it? It seemed to distress her greatly also, because she could not remember, and so I very quickly changed the subject by opening up the pages of the Word again, and reading some more to her: "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.  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 65:17-23)

By the time I finished reading, her tears had subsided, she forgot that she had a memory problem and she looked at me once again in wonder at God's words. "You came to encourage me, didn't you? This has given me hope."

 I had started the day early, reading in Isaiah chapters 65 and 66 and my heart had stopped at chapter 66 verse 9: "I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations - to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. And they will bring all your brothers from all the nations to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD..."

Suddenly my whole end-times understanding had been rocked with the thought that my opportunity to proclaim the truth of the Gospel of Messiah would not even be over after the Tribulation! "I will send some of those who survive..." Survive what? That has to mean "those days," the days of tribulation. There will be more opportunities to bring people to the Lord! My heart and mind had reeled all day with that glorious thought, since I know I was put on this earth to bring people!

And now, alone with my little white-headed mother, the Lord had encouraged her also in the words of Isaiah the prophet, with the thrilling pictures of life in the kingdom! I wiped away the few tears I had allowed to escape when Mom didn't know who I was - and envisioned us in this incredible place where weeping and crying are heard no more, and an 89-year-old person will be thought a "mere youth!"

Thank You, Lord.  You gave us both hope today.



Saturday, March 9, 2013

A Willing Heart

Exodus 35:20-21: Then the whole community of the people of Israel withdrew from Moshe’s presence; and they came, everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit made him willing, and brought Adonai’s offering for the work on the tent of meeting, for the service in it and for the holy garments.

Passages from Exodus 35-36 stirred my heart deeply this morning! This word willing continued to pop up over and over, until I began to feel the desire of God's own heart, to find people who give and serve willingly.

The word willing in Exodus 35:21 is Strong's 5605, the Hebrew word "nadab." It means literally, to be willing, to willingly offer oneself, volunteer, give a freewill offering.

I confess I was quite surprised to find Hebrew word nadab, since there was a certain man in the Torah (Exodus 6:23) whose name was Nadab, and whose offering was unacceptable to God! In fact, my bible commentary says, "Nadab, firstborn of Aaron, was killed with Abihu for offering unauthorized fire." Wow! The firstborn son of Aaron, Israel's High Priest, brother of Moses! You would think this man, whose name literally means "willing, freewill offering," would have deeper understanding of what YHVH, His God, desired! But it is the same problem many of us suffer from today. Either we give of ourselves grudgingly, or we give what we think God wants, when really it is a mixture of the holy and the profane.

IT IS ALWAYS A HEART CONDITION!
Let's read on about how YHVH directed the children of Israel, through Moses, in the building of the tabernacle: "And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to YHVH freewill offerings for all the work that YHVH through Moses had commanded them to do." (Exodus 35:26, 29) Here we see a people working together in cheerful unity, with willing hearts, giving of themselves in all the ways the Holy Spirit has gifted them!

Exodus 35:30, 34-35: "Then Moses said to the Israelites, 'See, YHVH has chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts... and he has given both him and Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers...

Exodus 36:2-3: "Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom YHVH had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning."

What extraordinary examples we have here of the way our God desires for us to serve Him! He alone gives skill, talents, gifts and knowledge! Freely He gives these gifts through His Ruach, and freely,willingly we should be giving them back to Him, with all that our hands and hearts find to do. Bezalel means "God's shadow" and Oholiab means "the tents of his father." Even in their names we are inspired to see God's message to us: "Abide in the shadow of El Shaddai, stay under the covering of your Father, and be willing to receive the gifts I so lavishly pour out on you, and willing to offer them back to Me freely, morning after morning!"

Nadab and Abihu made the same mistake that Cain made when he brought an unacceptable offering to God. They did not inquire of Him what He desired! These were men who had been taught Torah, however, and so they probably knew what was acceptable to God and what was not, but they were not concerned about His heart, nor operating in His Spirit. They were operating in the flesh. That is why we must embrace the importance of keeping the Sabbath on YHVH's day - the seventh day - and keeping His appointed feasts, instead of feasts mixed with pagan traditions. People say to me, "Well, God knows my heart!" But my response is, "Do you know His heart?"

We must become a people, like these Israelites, whose hearts are stirred to give and serve willingly, with freewill offerings that please Him! Abide in the bezalel and the oholiab, joyfully receive whatever gifts and knowledge God chooses to give to you, and then do as the Israelites did, and give until "the people were restrained from bringing more because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work!" (Exodus 36:7).

Shabbat Shalom!

 

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Purim to Passover

I am standing in awe at the sequence of events that all seem to be converging with rapid-fire speed into the final weeks of this month.  The resignation of a living pope is certainly a greatly unusual event, and the selection of the 112th pope bears a close watch, to see what we can glean that may fulfill prophecy.  This event is timed closely with President Obama's scheduled first official visit to Israel, which also merits close scrutiny.  What is his agenda for this visit? We can be sure it is not going to be anything favorable in the eyes of the GOD of Israel!  If Obama has a "new" plan to facilitate the division of the land, God have mercy on the United States of America! Today I read an article from an Israeli newspaper, which stated that he intends to visit the Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, entering from the Damascus Gate on the Arab side of the Old City. This brings chills down my spine, as I seek the Spirit for the meaning of such an act! Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet been able to form a government coalition, and so the government of Israel remains in turmoil. There is a flutter of excitement in my spirit as I wonder if we could be approaching the time when the God of Israel once again places Himself as King over the nation, defending her against all her enemies! What a thrilling time to be alive - and all these happenings occurring right between Purim and Passover!

It was during the week of the Fast and Feast of Purim that the Spirit gave me so much revelation about the book of Esther. I had been asked to speak at Beit Messiah congregation in Denver last Shabbat (a week ago) and give a Purim message.  All the deeper understandings that Holy Spirit gave to me from Esther chapter 2 really inspired me and I want to share some of them with you.

In Esther 2:3 we are told that all the virgins who were to be presented before the king were placed "under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen." I began to understand that Hegai is actually a type of the Ruach (Holy Spirit), whose care we must come under before we are ready to meet our King! Just as Hegai intimately knew King Xerxes and what would please him, so the Ruach intimately knows Yeshua, our King, and knows just what would please Him! Whereas most of the world’s population is seeking to live for their own pleasure, we are to be like Esther and want to do ONLY what will please our King! We don’t really know how to obtain His favor, and so we must go to Ruach and ask for His counsel and advice.

We are told that Esther was first soaked in Myrrh oil for six months.  Myrrh is the oil that was used to anoint the dead for burial.  Do we have to be DEAD to meet the King?  Yes!

Gal 2:20: I have been crucified with Messiah; it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Romans 8:6, 10: To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. If Messiah is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

We are told in Esther 2:8-9 that she was given EXTRA BEAUTY PREPARATIONS BESIDES HER ALLOWANCE.  Did you ever think about that?  What does that mean? The Spirit took me to the story in Matt 25 of the 10 virgins – 5 HAD EXTRA OIL IN THEIR LAMPS! This was an overflow of the Ruach! It was an increase of the Word in their hearts! Esther had extra oil in her lamp and she was ready. We are also told that she was given SEVEN maidservants.  Who are these? I believe this is representative of the SEVEN SPIRTS OF GOD, which we find in John’s description of heaven, Revelation 4:5: “And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thundering, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD.” This pictures the FULLNESS OF THE RUACH IN HIS MANIFOLD AND PERFECT DYNAMIC ACTIVITY!  Go to Isa. 11:2 and find the list of the full, dynamic working of the Ruach, and glean understanding of the “Extra beauty preparations” Esther was given!

The young virgins went into the king, but could never appear before Him again unless he called them by name.  Will our King return one day and call you by name?

 Rev. 3:4: You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me for they are worthy.  He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

 Those who have gone through the mikveh of repentance, the purification of oil, and the refinement by fire, will be dressed as a Bride ready for her Bridegroom:
 
Gal. 3:27: For as many of you as were baptized into Messiah have been clothed with Messiah.

Rev. 3:18: I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed…

Esther took no thought for worldly wealth.  When she found favor with the King and became his queen, he offered her half his kingdom (Esther 5:3) - half the wealth and treasure of all that he owned – but she was not interested.  She wanted only to buy gold refined in the fire, which in this case was to save her people from being killed. She was far more concerned about all the people than about her own wealth or advancement.

Esther has caught the eye of the king; she is beautiful to Him because of her heart, her attitude, her humility and selflessness.  She and her SEVEN maidservants have been MOVED UP to the highest place in the house (as Yeshua tells us not to take the best seat, but let HIM promote us. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted!” Luke 14:11) Then, when Esther is promoted and made Queen, her King gives a great feast. Your King is preparing such a banquet for you too:  Rev 19:9: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!

 Are you ready?
 
The days between Purim and Passover are days of great testing. We will be tried in many ways so that the motives of our hearts will be revealed. Here is my prayer for these days:
Ruach haKodesh, speak to each of us and give us your Godly wisdom to make us ready to meet our King.  Refine us in your fire that burns up our flesh and our selfish ambitions. Soak us in your oil that purifies and removes the stain of sin.  Keep us in the mikveh of repentance, that we would humble ourselves. Clothe us in the white linen of righteousness, that we would desire to keep the commands of our Messiah and not stray from His paths.  We need You, Holy Spirit.  We need your power and your counsel.  We will not be prepared if we try to do it in our own might.  We pray that with your help we will have the courage, boldness, and humility to come before the throne of our King and find grace and favor in His sight.  We don’t want to be dismissed! With all our hearts we pray that King Yeshua will know us and call us by name because we have spent time with you, Holy Spirit, and You have given us the white garments of salvation.  Amen.

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