I have been doing a daily Bible study with a church I attend online through the Bible App (the OWNit365 Whole Bible Plan). There have been several passages and days that were great reminders and today’s was no different. But for some reason, today’s just hit me and I had extra notes, underlines and stars so I thought I would enter it here to save for future reminders.
Today’s passages were Leviticus 4:1-12, Hebrews 9:16-28 & Hebrews 10:1-18
Leviticus 4:1-12 set forth the cleansing of sin through the old covenant. Then the Hebrews passages said “But now, ONCE for ALL TIME, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice… Christ was offered ONCE for ALL TIME as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, NOT to DEAL WITH OUR SINS, but to BRING SALVATION to all who are eagerly waiting for him…. Then he says, I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds…And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices”. (Caps were in my notes to emphasize the passage).
I am so thankful that we don’t have to continuously sacrifice year after year, over and over repeatedly. Like, He did the thing. ONCE. FOR ALL TIME. And it is DONE. Dot. Period.
Thank you Jesus.
I also underlined this verse (Heb 10:12-13) “Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet”. Lord, I also pray that you will humble my enemies. Bless those who bless me and curse those who curse me. Amen.
I read this today and it is a valuable reminder that aligns perfectly with my prayers concerning some evil people I’ve been reintroduced to recently. Saving here as a reminder.
I woke up this morning, made an iced coffee (Starbucks unsweetened medium roast iced coffee mixed with a Fairlife chocolate protein shake for “cream”) and checked my Facebook memories. 13 years ago today I had shared that day’s personal prayer.
O Lord, oppose those who oppose me, fight those who fight against me, prepare for battle and come to my aid. Blow my enemy away life chaff in the wind. Make their path dark and slippery. You know all about this. Do not stay silent. Take up my case. Psalm 35.
I was going through so so much mentally and emotionally at that time. I had filed criminal charges against the man who sexually assaulted my minor child and was so concerned that there would not be enough evidence to convict or that justice would not be served. I so desperately wanted – hoped and prayed – for the Lord to handle the matter. Other than reporting the incident to the police, there was nothing I could really do except wait.
Thirteen years later I am outside of that horrible year and now it is simply a “13 Years Ago Today” Facebook post. The experience did change my life and my families lives. Forever. But God DID indeed handle the matter. God protected and sustained. Again and again. Over and over. Even with the next decade of enemies and events.
Watching the news, seeing so much conflict, going through family struggles and the court process, it is easy for me to be distracted and lose sight of God in the mix. But God …
Thank you God for opposing those who oppose me time and time again. Thank you for your love and favor, your mercy and grace.
Did you watch the Hillsong Church documentary? Or Shiny Happy People about the Duggar family church group? I am so thankful that people are coming forward about corporate church abuse. Church and God are not the same. Not at all. And I’ve personally seen inappropriate, manipulative and controlling behavior within church. When the youth group leaders were making out deep french kissing then used their positions of power as leaders to inform the teens that sharing what happened at camp with their family members was gossip. It was so disgusting and unreal and if parents stood up about the incident, they were treated as the problem. Just horrible behavior. But with social media, cell phones and cameras, recorded zoom meetings, this type of unacceptable behavior is being aired out. And it should be.
Jesus has been telling off inappropriate church “leaders” for a very long time.
MATTHEW 23
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders
1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2“The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. 3So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
5 “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. 6And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’
8 “Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. 9And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father. 10And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you must be a servant. 12But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
16 “Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. 19How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. 21And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. 22And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
25 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.
27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
I need to read the book of Matthew again. It’s been awhile.
I’m finding myself in a situation where I’m required to deal with difficult people. It’s so easy to be manipulated emotionally or feel protective or defensive or angry. Wronged. Which reminded me of a Joyce Meyer motivational clip I heard one day where she said that we should simply do our responsibility but then cast our care (stress, worry, anger). At the end of the day, we can only do what we can to the best of our ability but that’s all that we have to do. We don’t have to allow our minds or emotions to run wild or allow people to have control of our thoughts. So today, I am casting my care and the things and difficult people that I cannot control. Now tomorrow is a different day and I’m sure there will be times that I fail. But for today, I’m giving it to God and letting the things go that are beyond my control.
Last night I went to bed just so unbelievably thankful and grateful. I started a cleanse 3 days ago and had to go to about 4 different grocery stores to find all of the “allowable” items such as unsweetened non-dairy milk, no sugar added lean turkey breast, organic fruits and veggies, etc. And I was able to locate them all, bring them home and stock the refrigerator and deep freezer to over flowing. In that moment I said a prayer of thankfulness. For years…. for many many many years, money was so tight. Soooooo tight. I took a calculator to the store with me and had my grocery list organized by priority (not by location in the store) so that no matter what, we would have the basics that we HAD to have for the week. I was a single mom to 2 kids and had absolutely no financial support from their dad or my parents or anyone. I did receive some food stamps but that did not help with diapers or toilet paper and it only helped cover a portion of what was needed (still, I was so very thankful to have the help). The weight of the responsibility rested solely on me, myself and I. In those moments, I would “wish” (because I was agnostic at the time and didn’t believe in prayer) that things – one day – wouldn’t be such a financial struggle. Even though that was over 20 years ago, I still cannot help to be anything short of overwhelmed when my refrigerator is stocked full to abundance lacking nothing. Moved to tears thankful. It’s the little things.
Since then I’ve learned that life is SO HARD sometimes y’all. Stressful. Relationships are challenging. Child rearing. Marriage. Loss. Grief. But I am no longer doing it hungry and today I don’t have to limit toilet paper usage. For that, I am so thankful.
Like the story of the Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19 NLT), I just wanted to return and give thanks.
Today I was thinking about a friend of mine. About 15 years ago she had stated that one of her children was “easy to love” and the other was “very difficult”. The difficult child had returned and needed her. Time and time again. Whereas the “easy” child was a bit self-righteous and felt better and above the difficult child. Regardless, she loved both of her kids dearly and unconditionally. She did not approve of some of their choices but their choices didn’t have any bearing on her love. To this day I find myself reliving that conversation. My love for my kids is genuine and unconditional even when I do not approve of their actions. I suppose it’s the closest thing to God’s love for us. Even when we make wrong choices, He is still there waiting on us to return, and celebrating when we do.
I saw this reminder today and LOVED it. Oh the countless hours I’ve spent in my life stressing over things – and people – and not one moment will I ever get back. I need to remember to be like the tree. Seasons come and go, but worry gets me no where. Have faith. Stand strong.
godizreal 