Biblical References for the Ascension-Pentecost Prayer Period

 The Timeline and Command to Wait

Acts 1:3-5 - The 40-day period and command

"After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'"

Luke 24:49 - Jesus' instruction before Ascension

"I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

The Promise of Power

Acts 1:8 - The purpose of waiting

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The Ascension and Prayer

Acts 1:9-14 - The Ascension and devoted prayer

"After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight... Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem... They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers."

Key detail in verse 14: "They all joined together constantly in prayer" (or "devoted themselves with one accord to prayer")

The Fulfillment at Pentecost

Acts 2:1-4 - The coming of the Holy Spirit

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

The Count: 50 Days Total

• Resurrection to Ascension: 40 days (Acts 1:3)
• Ascension to Pentecost: 10 days (Acts 1:3 + Acts 2:1)
• Resurrection to Pentecost: 50 days total (Pentecost = "fiftieth day" in Greek)

The 10 days between Ascension and Pentecost became the model for concerted, unified prayer in expectation of God's power—approximately 120 believers (Acts 1:15) waiting in obedience and prayer for the promised Holy Spirit.

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Waiting for the promises of God, filling time with love not distraction

 Isaiah 64:4 For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!

1 Corinthians 2:9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam a life-giving spirit. The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven 1 Cor 15:45-47

Enjoying Eyes that see, ears that hear and heart that understands

Romans 2:25-27) Circumcision is everlasting covenant promise, sign in flesh - many nations,

• Colossians 2:10-12, "And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. In Him you were also circumcised in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands. And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead"

God speaks, do you hear it (Heb 4:12, 12:25)?

• The word of God is a mirror for self-examination, restoration, and transformation: Quit going into self deception (James 1:19-27)

Old and New Covenant promises: 

• You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ - Acts 3:25, 
• He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant—the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. Luke 1:72-73
• After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. - Luke 22:20 (Matthew 26:28, Mark 14:24)
• “God also gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision at that time. - Acts 7:8
• Romans 2:28-29) True circumcision is heart changed by God's Spirit
• Jeremiah 4:4, Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskins of your heart,
• John 3:3-21, Jesus explains being born again comes from seeing him on the cross
• Ezekiel 11:19,  I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart,
• Ezekiel 18:31, Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Romans 11:27: And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”

2 Corinthians 3:6-7 - He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away.

Take to heart:

2 Corinthians 3:14 - But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.

Long for, wait expectantly for the Lord for clarity (Hosea 10:12, Isaiah 30:18-22)

The Lord prepared me to give a One Step Closer Bible to Paul yesterday and he received it. We're walking through Matthew 5-13 to get an understanding. 

King of Kings, resurrection and the Kingdom of Heaven (part 1)

King of Kings, prepares our heart to receive the good news about the Kingdom (Part 2)

Lord thank you that you love us and guide us, forgive us as we forgive those who've sinned against us, your kingdom come, your will be done. Amen

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We are like Jesus, and job - praying for others (1 Cor 15:48, Job 40-Psalm 1)

The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man. 1 Cor 15:47-49

AIM: God restores us and blesses our abundantly when we forgive others.

People have a hard time with how God treats people in the Bible and in everyday life. Life is hard and doesn't feel fair. This is where it's important to receive God's Word for what it is, not what we wish it was. 

I'm enjoying Quit going into self deception (James 1:19-27), where I'm encouraged to receive the Word and practice the Word - specifically the part;

Practice the Word (James 1:22-25), let it be your mirror for self-examination, not a candid snap-shot but an X-Ray ("Woe is me, I am undone" Isa 6:5, see your sin at the core Luke 5:8, Job 42:6).

Job replied to the Lord,  “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.” (Job 40:3-5). The Lord speaks from a whirlwind. "Will you discredit my justice and condemn me just to prove you are right? Are you as strong as God" (Job 40:8-9)" Lord explains his creations Behemoth and Leviathan, dinosaur bones today. 

• Job, like Isaiah and the apostles and everyone who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior have eyes that see and heart that understands. Job 13:1  “Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand. Job understands - alludes to Abel (Job 16:18, Heb 11:4,12:24), points to Jesus (Job 16:19,20, Heb12:24) seeing death approach (Job 16:21, Heb 12:23)
• For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it (Job 33:14 NLT) God speaks, do you hear it (Heb 4:12, 12:25)?

I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” - Job 42:5-6

When we have clarity about who God is and our natural disposition to stray away from God. We come to a place of repentance. We desire God's restoration, we sit calmly in dust and ashes and wait upon the Lord. We cultivate the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, seeing Jesus resurrection power at work in our hearts, mind, soul and strength. Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. (Gal 5:22-25)

Now we are in a position to intercede for others, like Jesus (Heb 7:25) and Job (Job 42:8,10):

My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has...When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. (Job 42:8,10)

When we forgive others, God restores us and blesses our abundantly, Psalms follows Job for good reason.

Job 40-Psalm 1

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Wait patiently and work on a prayer quilt

We gave out these "boxes of blessing" that describe using them as a prayer quilt. What a great idea!

It's a way of finding life verses, that speak to your soul level needs. Years ago a friend said to pay attention to verses that pop out at you while reading or consider using a topical reference to find a verse to meditate over in prayer. In my life I've resonated with Daniel and Philippians. In captivity yet seeking the Lord from the core of my being. 

Daniel's life honors God, saving lives with miracles and prophecy

In our SALT leaders meeting my friends Elshaddai and A.J. are developing a fellowship activity on emotions and spiritual practices. I'm excited to see what they come up with. A.J. leads our Wednesday praise and encouragement and this past week she talked about Jonah which I had been looking at that very morning. 

My prayer quilt is coming together 

• Dying to Self, being made alive for God (Luke 9; Gal 2:20,5:24; Romans 6, 12; 1 Peter 4)
• Everyone's choice: sacrilege or coram Deo
• Quit going into self deception (James 1:19-27)

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Long for, wait expectantly for the Lord for clarity (Hosea 10:12, Isaiah 30:18-22)

Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain. -  Hosea 10:12 

• The idea of "breaking up my unplowed ground" is wonderful and impossible without God. Receiving a fresh word from the Lord, preparing our hearts (Jer 4:3)
• The Easter message at church was on Romans 10, God makes saving faith available to all people, yet some reject it. Troy's big idea was that people misunderstand what being a Christian is. 
• Often times we want to reap the fruit and blessing but miss that it comes from "seeking the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain"

Isaiah 30:18 is interesting. The LORD is longing for us, who are longing for him. Watching for plants to grow and bloom in the spring and summer. My friend Javon had vision of flower growing in terrible conditions (wind, hail storm, cement ground). A person interpreted it as a picture of him growing. We gave out Jesus Centered Bibles and 101 promises from Psalms cards. Encouraging each guy at TC to share what they are learning with eachother, change the themselves and their world. 

 "So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help." NLT

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" NIV

"Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him." ESV

"Therefore the LORD waits [expectantly] and longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed (happy, fortunate) are all those who long for Him [since He will never fail them]." AMP

To "long for" something means to have a strong, often heartfelt or persistent, desire or craving for it, especially something that might be unattainable or not readily available. It implies a deeper level of wanting than a simple "want" or "desire". The feeling can be likened to a yearning or pining for something. 

• Strong Desire: It's not just a casual wish; it's a deep and powerful yearning. 
• Persistence: The longing might be for something that's distant in time or space, or even something that's not currently possible. 
• Emotional Connection: It often involves a sentimental or emotional attachment to the desired object or experience. 
• Can be about past, present, or future: It can be a longing for something in the past (nostalgia), for something present (a specific need or want), or for something in the future (a desired outcome). 

Psalm 37:34 - Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will raise you up to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

Lamentations 3:25-26 - The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. / It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Micah 7:7 - But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

Psalm 27:14 - Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!

Psalm 130:5 - I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait, and in His word I put my hope.

James 5:7-8 - Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains. / You, too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.

2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

Psalm 33:20 - Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield (faith).

Psalm 62:5  -  Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.

Isaiah 40:31 -  But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

Habakkuk 2:3 - For the vision awaits an appointed time; it testifies of the end and does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it, since it will surely come and will not delay.

Romans 8:24-25 - For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? / But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.

Hebrews 10:36 - You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.

Psalm 25:3 - Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who engage in treachery without cause will be disgraced.

Psalm 25:21 - May integrity and uprightness preserve me, because I wait for You.

Isaiah 30:19-22 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem,

    you will weep no more.

He will be gracious if you ask for help.

    He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food

    and suffering for drink,

he will still be with you to teach you.

    You will see your teacher with your own eyes.

Your own ears will hear him.

    Right behind you a voice will say,

“This is the way you should go,”

    whether to the right or to the left.

Then you will destroy all your silver idols

    and your precious gold images.

You will throw them out like filthy rags,

    saying to them, “Good riddance!”

Lord I see where you are pointing me, thank you for still teaching me, graciously guiding me and helping me take the next step of faith. Help me to wait for you, to have patience and trust in your word - not relying on myself, but putting my life in your hands. Help me to trust and obey. In Jesus name. 

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King of Kings, prepares our heart to receive the good news about the Kingdom (Part 2)

I previously understood Jesus life message; have faith in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew) and that the Parables of Jesus are primarily about Salvation

I had to break this in half because of this revelation (part 1): The word of God transforms us into the people of the kingdom. 

Our heart must be prepared to receive the good news about the Kingdom. 

• Matthew 13:19: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 
• Matthew 13:24:  Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 
• Matthew 13:31: Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 
•  Matthew 13:33: Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” 
• Matthew 13:38: The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 

We can't circumcise our heart, or crucify our flesh, we can however fast, pray, wait and hope with expectant faith in the power of love of Jesus. Modeling our life after his and praying for every saint about to take their last breath, we see a multitude in heaven. Lord help us to number our days. Help us to see your perfect redemption and submit to your surgical removal of sin and evil from within us. Lord I take of my shoes and welcome you to wash my feet. I renounce the sin and evil I've allowed in my life and ask you to remove it in Jesus name. 

• Matthew 13:41: The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 
• Matthew 13:43: Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! 
• Matthew 13:44: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. 
• Matthew 13:45: “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 
• Matthew 13:47: “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. 
• Matthew 13:52: Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.” 

Lord help me to ask, seek and knock. To take your yoke upon me, that I may learn from you as you plow the ground of my heart into the future. Thank you for Wally, Gloria, Judy, Gail, Warren, for Mercy Gilbert, Kathy, help me remember Jason and your promises. The leaves will heal the nations, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. 

• Matthew 16:19: And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” 
• Matthew 16:28: And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.” 

Lord teach my heart to obey you and follow through on turning from sin and never returning. Let me be humble like a child, in your presence, Coram Deo, Jehovah El Shaddai, El Roi. You are the greatest, submitting with joy to your fathers will. 

• Matthew 18:1: About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 
• Matthew 18:3: Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 
• Matthew 18:4: So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Lord forgive us our sins, debts, transgressions, as we forgive those who sin, owe us, and transgress upon us. 

• Matthew 18:23: “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 

Lord help us to see as you see, live as you live, love as you love, hope as you hope, work as you work, will as you will, give as you give, hire as you hire, suffer as you suffer, obey as you obey, forgive as you forgive, produce as you produce, celebrate as you celebrate, invite as you invite, open the door as you are the open door, and enter your kingdom in spirit and in truth. 

• Matthew 19:12: Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” 
• Matthew 19:14: But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 
• Matthew 19:23: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 
• Matthew 19:24: I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 
• Matthew 20:1: “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 
• Matthew 20:21: “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” 
• Matthew 21:31: “Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. 
• Matthew 21:43: I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. 
• Matthew 22:2: “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 
• Matthew 23:13: “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. 
• Matthew 24:7: Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.

Lord you showed me that everyone with ears that hear, eyes that see has the capacity to understand the good news about the Kingdom. We all stand before you, waiting, with our lamps, and oil. Serving the needs of others as we see you in them. Help us to see others with the compassion you have for us. 

• Matthew 24:14: And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. 
• Matthew 25:1: “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 
• Matthew 25:14: “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 
• Matthew 25:34: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 
• Matthew 26:29: Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

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King of Kings, resurrection and the Kingdom of Heaven (part 1)

 Reflecting on King David and Jesus "King of Jews" 

• David chosen by God, brings victory against Goliath (1 Samuel 16-17). 
• King Jesus fulfills prophecy of salvation on the cross and is buried (Matt 27:32-66, Psalm 22)
• When Jesus was dying he was speaking God's word

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Sam 16:7

What is the kingdom of heaven, paradise, a world uncorrupted by sin. A place of perfection, where we will be like Jesus (eyes, ears, heart, and mind). 

Kingdom in the New Testament

Matthew 3:2: “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

• Matthew 4:8: Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. (Jesus remember "serve the Lord only" and don't forget all of Deuteronomy 6-8 MSG  

Matthew 4:17: From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

• Matthew 4:23: Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. (pattern continues in Matthew 9:35, Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near Matthew 10:7)
• Matthew 5:3: “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
• Matthew 5:10: God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (like John the Baptist Matthew 11:11-12)

What does turning to God and humbly doing the right thing look like? Righteousness is asking God "your kingdom come, your will be done - on earth as it is in heaven." It's like the correct way to swing a golf club - the ball ends up where you wanted it. Humility doesn't swing harder, it swings righteously - trusting the club and learned mechanics to do the work. Turning to God, we find effortless joy and peace, the presence of God in our heart, the kingdom of heaven is ours. 

What does jesus say about ignorance, obedience, and teaching? To ignore is to forget, disregard, overlook, neglect, miss, reject, bypass, or omit. To obey is to follow, observe, conform (to), adhere (to), comply (with), abide by, keep to, mind, fall in with, submit (to), yield (to), surrender (to), hear, defer (to), agree (to), heed, watch, accede (to), regard, take, listen (to). 

Matthew 5:19: So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Matthew 5:20: “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

Pray and seek the kingdom of God above all else. Enter through the narrow gate by actually doing the will of Father God.

• Matthew 6:10: May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
• Matthew 6:33: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
• Matthew 7:13: “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.
• Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

Jesus shared that when the Kingdom of Heaven is near we should repent of our sins and turn to God. 

• Matthew 8:11: And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.
• Matthew 8:12: But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Turning to God in repentance is changing our minds. To receive the light of God and say yes to him, is to say no to all other spiritual forces that make us miss the mark. 

• Matthew 12:28: But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.
• Matthew 13:11: He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 

Our heart must be prepared to receive the good news about the Kingdom. 

• Matthew 13:19: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 
• Matthew 13:24:  Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 
• Matthew 13:31: Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.
• Threads of the inner veil (unrebuked self-life, self-sins), true rending should be excruciating
• Love is the tool that unveils our hearts, crucifies our flesh, and welcomes God into our lives (Gal 2:20,5:22-25,Rom 6:6-14)
• Love keeps us faithful to the Lord (James 1:12)
• How the wayward in spirit will gain understanding (Isaiah 29, Mark 7)

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What's wrong is a good place to start (Ezekiel 3:20-21, 1 Peter 4:8)

My friend Jim and I were talking about our ideal self, the character traits we long to see in our lives verses the real self. When we are discontented it's because there's a disconnect between the two. Sometimes we need to ask "what's wrong?" 

“If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.” Ezekiel 3:20-21

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:7-11

Those who choose to listen will listen, but those who refuse will refuse, for they are rebels. Ezekiel 3:27

I've been drawn to Ezekiel 3 over the past few days. The Sin of Being Silent about Sin, Ezekiel appointed watchmen; responsible to rebuke people to save them.

Warn of the Sword

If a watchman sees the sword coming and doesn't blow the trumpet, then people are not warned and they are taken away in their sins, but their blood is on our hands because we said nothing to warn them (Ezekiel 33:6,8). Not even the good deeds of a man will save him from his sins (Ezekiel 33:12). 

Repent before it's too late

The word of God is the sword the judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb 3:12). Jesus gave the message that all should see the end is near and repent away from sin to God (Luke 13:1-5). To believe in Jesus and be saved from the sword of God's judgement to eternal life is not a passive and lazy (Luke 13:22-30) but requires all that we are (Romans 12:1-2).

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Threads of the inner veil (unrebuked self-life, self-sins), true rending should be excruciating

"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning." -Hosea 6:3

The word "excruciating" originates from the Latin word "excruciatus," meaning "to torture, torment, or rack." This Latin word is derived from "crux," which means "cross," and refers to the suffering endured during crucifixion. The word "excruciating" itself first appeared in English around the mid-1600s. 

In The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer talks about the "threads out of which this inner veil is woven."

It is woven of the fine threads of the self-life, the hyphenated sins of the human spirit. They are not something we do, they are something we are, and therein lies both their subtlety and their power.

To be specific, the self-sins are these: self-righteousness, self-pity, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love and a host of others like them. They dwell too deep within us and are too much a part of our natures to come to our attention till the light of God is focused upon them. The grosser manifestations of these sins, egotism, exhibitionism, self-promotion, are strangely tolerated in Christian leaders even in circles of impeccable orthodoxy. They are so much in evidence as actually, for many people, to become identified with the gospel... (wowza! sounds like me Anointed Enthusiasm, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 6:63 ESV)" We are God's instruments, not God's conduits

One should suppose that proper instruction in the doctrines of man's depravity and the necessity for justification through the righteousness of Christ alone would deliver us from the power of the self-sins; but it does not work out that way. Self can live unrebuked[Pg 46] at the very altar. It can watch the bleeding Victim die and not be in the least affected by what it sees...

Self is the opaque veil that hides the Face of God from us. It can be removed only in spiritual experience, never by mere instruction. As well try to instruct leprosy out of our system. There must be a work of God in destruction before we are free. We must invite the cross to do its deadly work within us. We must bring our self-sins to the cross for judgment. We must prepare ourselves for an ordeal of suffering in some measure like that through which our Saviour passed when He suffered under Pontius Pilate.

Let us remember: when we talk of the rending of the veil we are speaking in a figure, and the thought of it is poetical, almost pleasant; but in actuality there is nothing pleasant about it. In human experience that veil is made of living spiritual tissue; it is composed of the sentient, quivering stuff of which our whole beings consist, and to touch it is to touch us where we feel pain. To tear it away is to injure us, to hurt us and make us bleed. To say otherwise is to make the cross no cross[Pg 47] and death no death at all. It is never fun to die. To rip through the dear and tender stuff of which life is made can never be anything but deeply painful. Yet that is what the cross did to Jesus and it is what the cross would do to every man to set him free.

Let us beware of tinkering with our inner life in hope ourselves to rend the veil. God must do everything for us. Our part is to yield and trust. We must confess, forsake, repudiate the self-life, and then reckon it crucified. But we must be careful to distinguish lazy "acceptance" from the real work of God. We must insist upon the work being done. We dare not rest content with a neat doctrine of self-crucifixion. That is to imitate Saul and spare the best of the sheep and the oxen.

Insist that the work be done in very truth and it will be done. The cross is rough, and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victim hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies. After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual spiritual experience the Presence of the living God.

Lord, how excellent are Thy ways, and how devious and dark are the ways of man. Show us how to die, that we may rise again to newness of life. Rend the veil of our self-life from the top down as Thou[Pg 48] didst rend the veil of the Temple. We would draw near in full assurance of faith. We would dwell with Thee in daily experience here on this earth so that we may be accustomed to the glory when we enter Thy heaven to dwell with Thee there. In Jesus' name, Amen. - AWTozer

Doctrine: Humanity tied to the Romans road. 

• Image bearers of God, uniquely given a spirit for relationally bear fruit, rule and subdue. Yet all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 
• Distinct from other created beings. God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us
• God's representatives. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord
• Made for fellowship with God, everlasting friendship. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" 

Lord I lay me down, I'm not my own - I belong to you along, lay me down, lay me down. Hand on my heart this much is true, There's no life apart from you...Letting go of my pride, Giving up all my rights, Take this life and let it shine...It will be my joy to say, Your will, Your way!

Faith in Jesus is my response to his Spirit speaking to me (Genesis 8:20; 9:9; Hebrews 11:7)

Take off your sandals and put on the Gospel of Peace

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Love is the tool that unveils our hearts, crucifies our flesh, and welcomes God into our lives (Gal 2:20,5:22-25,Rom 6:6-14)

Enjoying a time of fasting with the Lord, listening, receiving, praying and walking with Him. This holy week I'm contemplating God's love held Jesus to the Cross, not the nails. Love is the tool we use to unveil (circumcise) our hearts, to crucify our flesh, and come into God's light. Love removes the spec from our eye, so we can see clearly. Love lifts the shame and guilt from our spirit. Love fills us with living water. Love plows the hard ground of our heart and removes the weeds so that new life can flourish and be fruitful. 

• Matthew 28:5: Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
• Acts 4:10: Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.
• Galatians 2:20: My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. - Romans 6:6-14

Gal 2:20,5:22-25,Rom 6:6-14 NLT, MSG

Tuesday we enjoyed the Session 4: Holy Saturday: Where? "Where is God when heaven is silent". So many guys left before hearing the big finish about Psalm 22 which Jesus was remembering on the Cross. The creation of all that popular music, revealed at the end. 

Yesterday I was reviewing 40Days, revisiting day 2. Then on my way to work A.J. shared the Story of Jonah during SALT and Light, it was amazing!

• Sign of Jonah - Listen and repent for salvation and receive true Light (Luke 11:29-36)
• Discovering the Light of listening and being Salt (Luke 8-14)
• Light of listening and bearing the cross (Luke 8:1-9:45). 

It's so obvious that we hide, in secret shame for no reason. We need more than a reading of these truths we need to come into the presence of God. 

Veil of our fleshly fallen nature living on, unjudged within us, uncrucified and unrepudiated

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Love keeps us faithful to the Lord (James 1:12)

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

Remembering God's work in my life from the Covid 19 era, In love to Christ when trails come: count, know, let, and ask (James 1:2-12). 

Eph 4:13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Mature Christians are happy, useful, encouraging others and build their local church.

The early church is described as "scattered seed" in that they carry God's word with them and plant in good soil. It's important not to retreat in the midst of conflict because God is using this to test our faith. We can prepare ourselves before conflicts or trials come by seeing ourselves against God's standard in his Word and Son and commit ourselves to the needed change. To say yes to God and no to the devil. BeMature Warren Wiersbe

 James 1:22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Matthew 7:21-27 MSG

21-23 “Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our super-spiritual projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’

24-25 “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

26-27 “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

Crowns of reward for those who lovingly trust in Christ Jesus (James 1:12)

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How the wayward in spirit will gain understanding (Isaiah 29, Mark 7)

 Isaiah 29:24 is so interesting, it translate to english like a diamond in sunlight. 

• Those who are confused will gain understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction. CSB
• They also that err in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmur shall receive instruction. ASV
• Those who err in spirit will know discernment, And those who criticize will gain learning. LSB

• Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction. NIV
• “Those who err in mind will know the truth, And those who criticize will accept instruction. NASB
• Hebrew: Those who are wayward [vacillate, reel, stray] in spirit [wind, breath, exhalation, life] will come [to know] to understanding [an understanding] and those who grumble [murmur, whisper] will accept [to exercise in, learn] instruction [something received, instruction, inveiglement, doctrine]

I rediscovered this verse while pondering My spirit is the lamp of the LORD, who sheds light on my inmost being (Proverbs 20:27)

Jesus points to Isaiah 29 when he's confronted by man-made requirements, ignoring God's law and substitute with tradition (Mark 7:6-8), It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart. (Mark 7:15) “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” (Mark 7:20-23)

And so the Lord says,

    “These people say they are mine.

They honor me with their lips,

    but their hearts are far from me.

And their worship of me

    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote...

What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord,

    who do their evil deeds in the dark!

“The Lord can’t see us,” they say.

    “He doesn’t know what’s going on!”

How foolish can you be?

    He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!

Should the created thing say of the one who made it,

    “He didn’t make me”?

Does a jar ever say,

    “The potter who made me is stupid”? 

Soon—and it will not be very long—

    the forests of Lebanon will become a fertile field,

    and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.

In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book,

    and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness.

The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord.

    The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

The scoffer will be gone,

    the arrogant will disappear,

    and those who plot evil will be killed.

Those who convict the innocent

    by their false testimony will disappear.

A similar fate awaits those who use trickery to pervert justice

    and who tell lies to destroy the innocent.

That is why the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the people of Israel,

“My people will no longer be ashamed

    or turn pale with fear.

For when they see their many children

    and all the blessings I have given them,

they will recognize the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob.

    They will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

Then the wayward will gain understanding,

    and complainers will accept instruction. - Isaiah 29:13,15-16,17-24

I must keep this in mind: Receiving a fresh word from the Lord, preparing our hearts (Jer 4:3)

Praying for my BSF leaders, SALT co-workers, and meetings today. For Darren M.

People Of Color Career Fair™

People Of Color Career Fair | Professional Signup

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Active obedience, consecrated, holy (heart, soul, body) Leviticus 20:8

Obey my laws, observe them, and live by them. I am the LORD who sets you apart as holy. Keep my decrees, statutes and follow them, by putting them into practice, do them, practice them, perform them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy, sanctifies you. I have chosen you as my people, and I expect you to obey my laws. Obey my laws, because I am the LORD and I make you holy. Lev 20:8

• Leviticus 11:44-45 For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground. / For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
• Leviticus 19:2 “Speak to the whole congregation of Israel and tell them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
• Leviticus 22:31-33 You are to keep My commandments and practice them. I am the LORD. / You must not profane My holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy among the Israelites. I am the LORD who sanctifies you, / who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD.”

for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

Offer ourselves as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-5), our heart is refreshed and our mind is renewed. This prepares our soul to test and approve God's perfect and pleasing will in our lives. Keeping a humble mindset as we are as fragile as jars of clay. Let the word of Christ dwell within, shape me an mold me, and place me where you will. 

• Romans 6:19: I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
• Romans 12:1: Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
• Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

We are grafted into Israel. Romans 11:17-24, uses the metaphor of grafting trees to illustrate God's relationship with Israel and the Gentile church. It portrays Gentiles being "grafted" into the "olive tree" of Israel, representing God's covenant people, while some natural branches (representing disobedient Israelites) were broken off. This signifies the Gentiles' inclusion in God's blessings through faith in Christ, mirroring the practice of grafting where a branch from one tree is joined to another. 

• Exodus 31:13: “Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
• Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth.
• Deuteronomy 28:9 The LORD will establish you as His holy people, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.

It wasn’t so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, easy marks for sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God’s gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there’s more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone. Stay away from mindless, pointless quarreling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere. Warn a quarrelsome person once or twice, but then be done with him. It’s obvious that such a person is out of line, rebellious against God. By persisting in divisiveness he cuts himself off. Titus 3:3-11 MSG

• 1 Peter 1:15-16 But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, / for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
• 1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.
• 1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
• 1 Corinthians 6:11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
• Ephesians 1:4: For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love

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Binary: Belong to the Lord or belong to the enemy

My friend Paul M. is retiring this month, he shared this truth with me years ago: 10 types of people, those who understand binary and those who don't

Continuing the theme Corrie Ten Boom says, 

The world is very sick. There is tragic amount of darkness and sin in the world. And every child of God is standing on the front line of the battle, and the battle is very severe. There's no time anymore for a compromise. You do belong to the Lord Lock Stock and barrel, or you do not belong to him, and then you belong to the enemy. 

Just imagine when you are on the front line of a battle. And you compromise a little bit with the Enemy and the other side. You yourself are in danger, and you, your nation, is in danger because of you.  - Choose Your Side - Corrie Ten Boom

John 14:23: Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 

This may be my most important insight: It's evil to refuse to follow the Lord completely (1 Kings 11:6, Mark 8:36)

• God heals our unfaithfulness when we listen and obey him (Book of Hosea)
• Acknowledge God for three days and you'll experience mercy (Hosea 6, Acts 9:9)
• Three Days, recurring theme in the Bible for changing your heart

Aleluia, You have saved me, so much better Your Way, Aleluia. Aleluia Great Defender, so much better your Way! Jehovah-Nissi, Banner of protection, El Shaddai, our Lord God Almighty, El Olam, the Everlasting God, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord Who provides for us, Jehovah Rapha (Great Physician Luke 5:31), the Lord Who heals us, Jehovah Mekoddishkem, the Lord Who sanctifies, to Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our Peace, Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts, to Jehovah Raah, the Lord our Shepherd, Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness, Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is There (Ezekiel 48:1-35, 35). 16-Names-of-God

the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The LORD is there. - Ezekiel 48:35

• Revelation 21:3: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.
• Revelation 22:3-4: No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him. / They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
• Revelation 21:22-23: But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. / And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp. Isaiah 60:19-20: No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor. / Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not wane; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your sorrow will cease.
• Revelation 21:10-11: And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, / shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.
• Revelation 21:2: I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
• Zechariah 2:10-11: “Shout for joy and be glad, O Daughter of Zion, for I am coming to dwell among you,” declares the LORD. / “On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you.
• Zechariah 14:9: On that day the LORD will become King over all the earth—the LORD alone, and His name alone.
• Isaiah 12:6: Cry out and sing, O citizen of Zion, for great among you is the Holy One of Israel.”
• Isaiah 7:14: Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. Matthew 1:23: “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). John 1:14: The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• Jeremiah 3:17: At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations will be gathered in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. They will no longer follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts
• Jeremiah 33:16: In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
• Genesis 22:14: And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
• Jeremiah 33:16: In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.
• Zechariah 14:21: Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. 
• Exodus 15:26: And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
• Exodus 17:15: And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
• Judges 6:24: Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

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God's love held Jesus to the Cross, not the nails

Yesterday, my friend Jason from SALT shared this amazing truth. It was God's love that held Jesus to the Cross, not the nails. That morning I had been pondering all the Lord is showing me through Receiving a fresh word from the Lord, preparing our hearts (Jer 4:3)

• Command #1: “...Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts... 
• Default "...or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done— burn with no one to quench it." Jer 4:3-4

I was pondering how the Lord changes our hearts and enables us to be fruitful. Galatians 5:22-25 exploded like a geyser of living water.

• But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
• I'm commanded to "break up my unplowed ground" and "circumcise myself to the Lord" to "circumcise my heart" and the only right tool to use is "love" 
• Jesus teaches love precedes obedience and the indwelling Holy Spirit
  

I was pondering the great illustrations of good news and witnessing from the word studies from Bible Project, (and BSF lesson this week about eternal life in heaven) and just discovered The Lost Sermon of Tim Mackie -  Discovering the Melody, he says Job is 11 hours into a jazz ensemble and the melody is summarized by Jesus in Luke 24:46-47,  Messiah -> suffer and die -> resurrection, forgiveness of sins for all who repent. This is Jesus "summary sentence" of the old testament:

"And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ Luke 24:46-47

In the Q & A section of the sermon Tim talks about suffering and God's confidence in Job is like God's confidence in Jesus. God has confidence in us if we are connected to Christ. He also shares a story of his boys taking the hammer and clawing the dirt with it for hours in the backyard. Sure it sort of works but it's the wrong tool for the job. Turn it around and you can nail pieces of wood together. The big idea is to see the old testament like Jesus saw it, to have it mentor us like it mentored Jesus. We are the apprentice of Jesus, we should learn to use the tools correctly. Biblical authors share different aspects of what they saw (Ezekiel is different from Isaiah and John's Revelation is different). Everytime God interfaces with people its in our contexts (personal, cultural, imaginative). Presence of God is the most real thing but indescribable. 

Luke 24:24-47 is wonderful, in a walk for 8 or 9 hours (20 miles, similar to walking from Southdale to Weaver Lake Maple Grove) Jesus opened their minds to the scriptures (Luke 24:25-27). I hold the belief that the unnamed disciples on the road to Emmaus wrote Hebrews. 

I'm super excited for the Next Three BSF Studies

• 2025-2026 Exile & Return: A Time to Build 
• Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, Malachi
• 2026-2027 Romans
• 2027-2028 The Life of Moses

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"I'm a man of unclean lips" - then God changed his mouth (Isaiah, 2 Timothy 2:15)

When our heart is illuminated by God's character and the nature of faith, we go from undone to diligent.

God's Character: Holy, Creator, Lord

Isaiah 6:5,7 Guilt and shame, physically removed by God (faith experience, we see it Heb 11-13)

• Genesis 1:1-31: Creation - God's power and artistry. Rev 21:1, new heaven, new earth (without the curse)
• Exodus 34:6-7: God's love, mercy, and faithfulness. (our SALT theme this year with words matter)
• Psalm 103: God's goodness, compassion, and forgiveness. Gal 5:22-25: Fruit of Spirit in our lives: for those who belong to Christ have crucified their old nature, live by the Spirit.
• Psalm 139: God's knowledge and presence... Search me O God and know my anxious thoughts, lead me into the way of your everlasting. Listeners mindset (ears that hear, let them hear)

Isaiah 40:28-31: God's strength and encouragement. Being a man of the Word

• Isaiah 41:10: God's strength and unwavering support. Philippians 4:13: God's strength in all things. Luke 1:37: Nothing is impossible with God.
• Matthew 6:33: Seeking God's kingdom above all else.
• Matthew 11:28-30: God's invitation to rest.
• Romans 5:8: God's love shown through Christ's sacrifice.
• John 3:16: God's love for humanity. John 10:10: God's provision and abundance. John 14:1: God's assurance and peace.

Isaiah 45:1-7: God's sovereignty and faithfulness. Jeremiah 29:11: God's plans for hope and a future.

• Romans 8:28-30: God's plan for believers.
• Romans 8:38-39: God's love that nothing can separate from.
• 1 Corinthians 13: God's love is patient, kind, and enduring.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17: God's new creation in Christ.
• Galatians 5:22-23: The fruit of the Spirit.
• Colossians 1:15-17: Christ, the image of God.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks.
• Hebrews 13:5-6: God's faithfulness and promise.
• 1 Peter 1:3-5: God's blessing and inheritance.
• 1 Peter 5:7: Casting anxieties on God.
• 1 John 1:9: God's faithfulness in forgiving sin.
• 1 John 4:8: God is love.
• Revelation 21:4: God's future of no more pain.

The Nature of Faith:

• Abraham's faith (Genesis 12:1-2, 15:5-6): Obedience and trust.
• Moses' faith (Exodus 3:1-10, 4:1-8): God's call and response.
• Explained in Hebrews 11-13

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Receiving a fresh word from the Lord, preparing our hearts (Jer 4:3)

Thinking about my friends in Teen Challenge, Alpha Ministry, SALT, Grace Church, BSF and Tennessee DOC. While we do life together we need to be on guard against being fake and letting God change us from the inside. Praising God for his work in my life and grateful for all my mentors, employers, pastors and friends. Grateful for Church and enjoying the Chosen season 5 in theaters, shows a wonderful connection of passover and the last supper. The Passover Seder 2020 | Jonathan Cahn explains it well. In my prayer for the Church this year, I want to incorporate the "it would have been enough." 

I reflect on Jason, and 40 days this lent season. It's good to also reflect on having permanent fast, like I have with drugs, and smoking. These aren't part of my life anymore, hallelujah.

Quit going into self deception (James 1:19-27)

1. Receive the Word (James 1:19-21), swift to hear (Matt 13:9, Rom 10:17), slow to speak (Prov 10:19,17:27), Slow to wrath (Prov 14:29), and a prepared heart (first, confess your sin and ask the Father to forgive us - 1 John 1:9, then by meditating on God's love and grace and asking Him to "plow up" any hardness in our hearts - Jer 4:3, finally have an attitude of meekness/humble (James 1:21, Matt 5:5 AMP, Mat 5:5 MSG). Humble acceptance doesn't argue with the Word, but honors it as the Word of God - not twisting it to conform to your thinking, but letting it renew your mind (Romans 12:1-2).

and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.” For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.” Jer 4:2-4

God's heart change is required, pride and power must be surrendered. (Jer 4:1-9)

4:3-4) LORD says, "Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Don't waste good seed among thorns, surrender pride, power - change heart before the LORD or bear unquenchable fire of anger for sin.

• Today, God's word is living and active (Heb 4:7,12),Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:16). 
• The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. Luke 8:14
• But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. Luke 8:15
• I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:26-27

Hosea 10:12: Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.

Matthew 13:3-9: And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. / And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. ...

Mark 4:3-9: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. / And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. ...

Luke 8:5-8: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of the air devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture. / Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the seedlings. ...

Isaiah 55:6-7: Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. / Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Joel 2:12-13: “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” / So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Ezekiel 18:30-32: Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. / Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? / For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

James 1:21: Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1: Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Hebrews 3:7-8: Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, / do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness,

Proverbs 28:13: He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.

Isaiah 1:16-17: Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil! / Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

Matthew 3:8: Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.

Luke 3:8: Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham

Lord I give you my heart, I give you my soul, I live for you alone. Every breath that I take, every moment I'm awake, Lord have your way in me. Amen. 

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I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered (Psalm 34:4)

We've been having a morning meeting from 7:55-8:05 am called SALT Praise and Encouragement. The idea came from Hanna, and Karo after we met with Christian business leaders at Target (led by Jorge). We've consistently had 20+ people join and share a word. Yesterday Joel shared Ecclesiastes 2:9-11, 

So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me. Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

• Genesis 3:6, where the fruit was "pleasing to the eye."
• Jesus said, Deny Yourself: Jesus is calling for a complete surrender of self-interest and a willingness to put aside personal desires and ambitions. 
• "Take up your cross and follow me" is a call from Jesus, found in Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23, urging individuals to embrace the challenges and sacrifices of discipleship, even if it means enduring hardship for the sake of following him. 

Thinking about praise and encouragement  brought me to 1 sam 21:10-15;Psalm 34 where David responds to pressure with fear and lies instead of faith (acts crazy, Achish/Gath/Goliath's hometown), then later writes Psalm 34 where David praise God for deliverance, promises, and eternal salvation/resurrection. Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord [on the authority of His word], and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears... Trust In God (feat. Chris Brown & Isaiah Templeton) | Elevation Worship

• Waiting on the Lord with trust, hope, expectation (Isaiah 40:31)
• Example of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in us (Romans 15:1-13)
• David experiences God through righteous friends, deliverance from evil Saul (1 Samuel 21-24)

Praising God for ministry and the opportunity to encourage one another, all the more as we see the day approaching. Praising God for Gloria, Rob, and Ron. May we continue to pray with and for one another everyday.

Getting a new perspective Genesis 1-3 compared with Revelation 20-22

Gloria: morning prayer: 

  Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends Your works to another; they tell of Your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of  Your majesty--and I will meditate on Your wonderful works.

Psalm 145:3-5 NIV

  Jesus is in the business of passing along good things such as: outpouring of mercy, visions of hope, a acts of great love. They are life-giving. As we follow Him, we get to do the same, sharing joy and words of encouragement and reminding others that Jesus is at work in our life. Love you  

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My spirit is the lamp of the LORD, who sheds light on my inmost being (Proverbs 20:27)

Matthew 6:22-23: The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. / But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Luke 11:34-36: Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness. / Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness. / So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, you will be radiant, as though a lamp were shining on you.”

Lord, help me to stay away from media that takes me away from you. Help me to see what you want me to see, to be clear minded and self controlled so that I can pray. Above all to love eachother deeply, covering a multitude of sins. Let the peace of Christ dwell inside me, Coram Deo Alleluia.

 Proverbs 20:27 is so interesting as it's translated into various ideas: 

• The human spirit is the lamp of the LORD that sheds light on one’s inmost being. NIV
• The LORD’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive. NLT
• The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. NKJV
• The spirit of a person is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. NASB
• The spirit (conscience) of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching and examining all the innermost parts of his being. AMP
• The LORD’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life, searching the innermost parts. CSB

Genesis 2:7: Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

Job 32:8: But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.

Psalm 18:28: For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God lights up my darkness.

Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. / See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.

Isaiah 11:2: The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 26:9: My soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit seeks You at dawn. For when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.

Isaiah 29:24: Then the wayward in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction.”

Jeremiah 17:10: I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.

Zechariah 12:1: This is the burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth, who forms the spirit of man within him:

John 1:4-5: In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. / The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 3:19-21: And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. / Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. / But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”

John 8:12: Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Romans 8:16: The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Lord fill my life with your presence, and lead me into your promises. I place my life into your hands and I'm willing to let you carry me away. Yet I hear your servants say, "get up and walk." So Lord, I'll walk with you today. I'll let my yes be yes and my no be no. You are enough, you fill my cup, you make me strong, you're will be done. In my heart, my mind, my strength, my soul. I love you Lord, amen. 

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