#misery of the Israelites

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Deuteronomy 26: Moses Tells The Israelites How To Give Their Firstfruits And Tithes To Their Lord God Jehovah

1 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 

2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 

3 and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” 

4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 

5 Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 

6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 

7 Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 

8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 

9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 

10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.” Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 

11 Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 

13 Then say to the Lord your God: “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them. 

14 I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done everything you commanded me. 

15 Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Follow the Lord’s Commands

16 The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. 

17 You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. 

18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 

19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.

[saras-devotionals]

Quiet Time 2/20

What am I feeling today?

Honestly I had expected to be tired because of how early it is but I prayed before bed that God would allow me to feel well rested today and He has which is such a blessing! However I feel some guilt, I had a certain dream and it made me very uncomfortable and I don’t know if it was a subconscious thing, why do we dream what we do? is there any reason or purpose behind it? am i accountable for what happens even when I have no control over it? Anyways, I’m just a bit shaken by it.

Sermon Notes: “The Lord Reveals Himself To Man!” (Part 2/2)

2) God Reveals His Purpose: To Rescue Others From Suffering!

Exodus 3: 7-10 NIV

“The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.””

God hears us. He is not deaf to our struggles and suffering. He does not turn a blind eye to it. However, it’s not something that He can personally intervene in. God couldn’t just free the Israelites Himself, He needed to work through Moses. I think we can apply the same in our life, that God uses His people to help us in our suffering and uses us to help those around because God cares for all people.

Matthew 9:35-38 NIV

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.””

Around this time, our pastor mentioned reviving ourselves. That every day he needs to make the effort to revive his love and spirit, that every day it’s a battle to deny himself. This struck me. I thought I was the only struggling. I looked at all those around me and thought they can do it all so easily and here I am feeling like I need to fight every day. So it was encouraging to know that even our church leader expressed the same battle.

Also, I like here that it says Jesus had compassion on them, instead of for them. I don’t really know how or why it makes a difference but it does to me at least. Either way, we need to mimic Jesus and have compassion - concern for the suffering of others.

Last, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are free. The calling is to save the world, that’s what Jesus said in the great commission (which is defiantly a large harvest, but there are so few disciples and even then how many of them are workers? people that can go out on missions, people that can lead, people that can teach?)

Luke 19: 10 NIV

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””

"seek" and save the lost - are we truly seeking and fishing for people? Me personally, I need to get better about sharing and reaching out to people. With being around people, let them see you’re a disciple, let them feel the weight of who you are and let them deal with it.

3) God Reveals His Plan By Calling Us To Leadership!

Exodus 3: 10-12 NIV

“So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.””

Starting here and when you look a little further in this chapter and the next, Moses didn’t want to go. He came up with excuses, saying who am I that I should go (he was the prince of Egypt before)? Asking later what should he say? Asking what if they don’t believe him? Saying he’s not a good or eloquent speaker, and finally in 4:13: “But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.””

I feel that we can be like this sometimes, I know I can. I think I know very little, that I’m not worthy of leading, that when needs arise I think it’s best for someone else to handle (send someone else!). Although, I know I need to keep growing and maturing and one day God may call me to something which I can’t turn down and make excuses, I’ll have to go.

Isaiah 43:8-10 NIV

“Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.” “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”

are we His witnesses? Are we leading? We need to be all three, a bringer, a converter, and a nurturer. We need to seek people out and bring them to church. We need to be able to study the Bible with them and know how to lead those studies. To see it through until we can baptize them. And then we also need to be nurturing. We can’t just abandon them, we need to help them to continue to grow in their walk with God. It’s a lot of work! But we need to make sure our agenda lines up with God’s agenda.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Like Israel, the Church is a Chosen People by John MacFarlane (1798–1875)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light — 1 Peter 2:9

It is useful often to remind believers of what they are. A remembrance upon their part of this, can scarcely fail to renew their sense of infinite obligation and thus to humble them and animate them to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him” [Colossians 1:10].

The Israelites were a chosen generation. Likewise, believers in Christ are the objects of God’s everlasting love, irrespective of any foreseen qualities in themselves. They have not chosen him, but he has chosen them and called them with a holy calling. And, although they belong to different people and languages, they are of the spiritual seed of Abraham. Born from above, united in one head, and partakers of one life, they have one hope on earth, one home in heaven.

To represent the higher honor of the saints in the gospel age, Peter combines two offices never united in the Jewish church. Jewish kings were not priests; neither were all the tribes of ancient Israel admissible to the priesthood. But in regard to Christians it is true of them all that they are kings, inasmuch as they are made conquerors in Christ over their spiritual enemies. They are priests—the way into the holiest of all has been open to each of them. No exclusion but that of their own unbelieving and suspicious hearts exists to their entering in. The altar has been prepared and consecrated upon which they are enjoined to lay the bloodless sacrifice of their whole persons “holy and acceptable unto God, which is their reasonable service” [Romans 12:2].

Like Israel of old, believers in Christ are a holy nation. The true church of Christ, separated from the world, washed in the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, sanctified by the word applied by his efficacious working, in whose hand it becomes the incorruptible seed that lives and abides forever, the church stands forth with the inscription upon it of HOLY TO THE LORD [Exodus 28:36, Jeremiah 2:3, etc.].

The family of Christ are, like the Jews, a peculiar people: peculiar in their principals, because constrained by the love of Christ; peculiar in their aims because their good is no earthly thing but the desire to glorify God; peculiar in their hopes for they desire to be satisfied with the likeness of God.

He who has transferred them from the darkness, oppression, and misery of sin, into the light and privileges of the gospel, has expressly told them that he has done so with the intent that they should show forth his praise. Insofar as they fail to do so, they frustrate the very intention of their heavenly calling.

Let us seek grace to prove that we are a chosen generation by choosing God as the portion of our souls; that we are kings by maintaining the dignity of Christian character and ascendency over the lusts of the flesh; that we are priests by devoting ourselves anew as living sacrifices to God; that we are citizens of the holy nation by being holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; and that we are called out of darkness by living as children of light.

[bioethicists]

Last Night in a Mortal Body

(for ppl who wanted to see some of my poetry, here is the poem I wrote the night before top surgery)

Someone else’s daughter is burning

to death with glee while someone

unborn’s son is lighting a joint

and taking it in deep

until he sputters into life like a

drowned man.

Somewhere underneath them

an unkillable ash root drinks up

all this smoke.

Blessed be the temporality of all

empty spaces, nature’s hatred

of all vacuums, the inevitable overgrowth

of all desiccated fields.

Eve became woman only once she

could settle into the jagged cavern

carved above Adam’s heart.

G-d became holy only once the Israelites

widened their wounds, parted the sea and

ventured, warily

into the bloody gash left behind.

I part myself so love can rush in.

When the last of my people crosses

the lip of the coast,

I leave centuries

of misery behind.

Blessed be scorched woods +

dead stars + saltbloated corpses which

we leave behind like oaths and

return to like prayers,

stored in the darkness beneath

our tongues even as that

great and immovable light

rushes in.

[edgessunflower]

Can I request some fluff I've been stressed today studying. The first module is all a about Cleopatra so I was wondering if possible a fic about steven helping the reader studying but as it about Egyptian history ( my favourite period of history I may add lol) he starts rambling on about different things about Egypt not noticing that the readers tired but marc and Jake do getting concerned and points out to steven to be quiet so steven thinks the reader annoyed at him especially when they take there glasses of and rub the temple and pinch there nose so he disappears upset but the reader goes to him explaining how they love his ramblings and that there comforting and it just ends in cuddling and affection.

Ooh interesting 💙

Egyptian studying and cuddles

Pairing:Steven Grant x reader

Description:While studying Egyptian for your class your boyfriend Steven helps you but after getting tired you reassure him your not mad at him

You were stressed and dreading having to spend the all night studying,researching,and pulling an all nighter until you heard the door open and gently close seeing that your boyfriend was home from work.He noticed how you looked like you were going to cry any minute and that you got sick which you had only 6 minutes earlier "Love what's wrong are you okay?" he gently puts his hand on your face rubbing his thumb as you lean in his hand "I don't know how I'm going to get this done babe...I don't know where to even start" he looks at the folders played open on the desk with papers for your assignment on top spread out when he notices what they said immediately smiling "Baby I know what to do with this I'm practically an expert and Egyptian History" you look at him lighting up and staring at him while he giggles looking at you.He pulls you into his lap after he sits down writing things he said down asking what had happened first and things that had happened after because what occurred before slowly becoming calmer and more relaxed as you realized you were halfway done and only had just a few more pages to finish and smiling when it was only just turned 8:00 being down by 8:30 or 9:00 having enough time to just spend with steven.You started dozing off while listening to him talk about the story of Moses writing down everything he said realizing all the energy you had built from not sleeping the night before in order to get all your work in class done so you didn't have anything extra to work on while already working on the given task you were falling asleep on immediately waking up as steven had stopped to take a sip of his cup of juice he had next to him."He ran away after killing a taskmaster who was beating a hebrew and fled to Midian where God who was called Yahweh revealed himself in the form of the burning bush called moses to go to Egypt and deliver the Israelites away" he was interrupted by both Jake and Marc speaking to him at once but quickly stopped and marc spoke again "She's clearly not even listening man" jake soon follows right after "She is mad cabron she's clearly in misery" he turns to see your glasses inbetween your fingers while you held your face in your hands trying to focus and stay awake frustrated by the fact that you were tired and just wanted all the work to be done.You get up going to the bathroom coming back to see the chair empty and the cup of juice empty clearly confused looking around the house until you found him on the couch in the living room with tears streaming down his face quietly crying running to him and crouching infront of him "Baby what's the matter?" he looks at you and looks away thinking you were mad and fixing to yell about his ramblings "Hey...sweetie it's okay what's wrong?" he looked back at you with the saddest and most heartbreaking look you'd seen on his face "I know I get too much when I ramble and talk nonstop and I just wanted to help and if I had known you didn't like it I would have just said certain parts" you stop him gently climbing in his lap holding his face in your hands.You rub his face with your thumbs wiping the tears away "I love your rambling and I love how passionate you are about the things you love I'm not mad at all honey...I'm just exhausted and I just want the work to be done so I can watch movies with you and eat dinner and lay in your arms while we sleep" you lay your head on his shoulder while he puts his hand on your face placing a soft kiss on your forehead and rubbing his hand up and down your side until you both got up and finished the work smiling as he finished the story of moses going into the living room and eating dinner watching episodes of FRIENDS until you both started falling asleep on each other going up and into bed watching The road to El Dorado (Yes the DreamWorks movie) until you both fell asleep halfway through.

[hiswordsarekisses]

Our Grieving God

While God is free to judge His people in any way and at any time He pleases, the majority of what appears to be God’s judgment is simply the consequence of our actions. The sad consequence of our sins and their accompanying misery grieves the Lord.

In the book of Judges, the Israelites had abandoned the Lord yet again to worship false gods. When the Israelites came to their senses, admitted their sin, and put away their false gods, they confessed to the Lord, “’ We have sinned. Punish us as you see fit, only rescue us today from our enemies.’ Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord” (Judges 10:15-16). After Israel’s repentance, the verse concludes with this phrase, “And he was grieved by their misery” (vs. 16).

The word “grieve” defines the end of one’s patience. It is also used to describe a time of harvest and reaping. This is not to say that God is impatient as we are impatient. It means that in His mercy He will allow the consequence of our sins to take place so that in our misery of that experience He can redeem us before our sins destroy us.

The Lord never takes delight in the misery of His people no matter how grievous our sin might appear. He is the Lord of mercy. The misery of the consequence of our sins grieves Him deeply. Arriving at the point when we begin to understand what happens in God’s heart when we disobey Him is where real transformation begins to take place.

www.garriselkins.com

[mariacallous]

It’s easy to mistake Yom Kippur for a somber occasion. Many of the traditions observed on Yom Kippur — abstaining from eating, drinking, and marital relations, or swapping out leather shoes for sneakers or Crocs — are also prohibited on Tisha B’Av, the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, and other days of communal mourning. Unlike many Jewish holidays, it isn’t exactly commonplace to wish your loved ones a “happy Yom Kippur.”

But Jewish texts don’t see the Day of Atonement as a sad day at all. In fact, Yom Kippur is described as one of the two happiest days of the year, rivaling only Tu B’Av, the Jewish celebration of love (Mishnah Taanit 4:8).

The main reason for this is connected to the overarching theme of Yom Kippur: repentance. The central prayers of the day — the haunting Kol Nidre, the confessional Viddui (recited while gently striking the heart), and Unetaneh Tokef among them — push us to acknowledge and atone for our transgressions, and carry a serious and somber tone. But it is precisely the promise of forgiveness that makes the day one of joy. 

“Yom Kippur is a day of joy, because it is a day of pardon and forgiveness, and moreover, it is the day on which the last pair of tablets were given,” the Talmud teaches in Bava Batra 121a. (The Talmud also understands Yom Kippur to be the day that God presented the Israelites with the second set of tablets after Moses shattered the first.) According to the Midrash, the day is also one of joy for God, who gave Yom Kippur to the Jewish people with “great love and joy.” The Midrash continues, saying that God exclaims to the mountains: “Celebrate with Me! Let all rejoice, for I am forgiving Israel’s sins!” (Seder Eliyahu Rabbah). Maimonides described the day as the “climax of forgiveness.” 

With regard to what is perhaps the best-known custom associated with Yom Kippur — fasting — the Talmud (Shabbat 119a) teaches that fasting is required as a way to honor God, rather than as an expression of grief. The festive meal traditionally eaten before Yom Kippur begins is further proof of this, according to Yona of Girona, a 12th-century Spanish sage, who wrote: “On all holidays we have a meal to express joy in the performance of the mitzvah of Yom Kippur, but since we must fast on Yom Kippur, we are obligated to have a meal on Erev Yom Kippur in order to express our joy.” (Shaarei Teshuvah 4:9)

Even though it’s easy to assume that abstaining from many of the things that typically bring us joy is meant to invoke misery, Jewish tradition suggests otherwise. The many prohibitions on the Day of Atonement allow us to disconnect from the material world and focus on repair and repentance for our sins. While owning up to our spiritual wrongdoings can feel daunting, there is great joy to be found in knowing that God sees the opportunity to forgive as nothing short of a celebration. 

[coolksaposts]

Context Israel's Unbelief …32Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33asit is written:“See,I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and the one who believes in Him shall never be put to shame.”

Romans 9:32-33 Isaiah 8:14 And He will be a sanctuary--but to both houses of Israel a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, to the dwellers of Jerusalem a trap and a snare. Isaiah 28:16 So this is what the Lord GOD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken. Romans 10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation. Romans 10:11 It is just as the Scripture says: "Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary9:30-33 The Gentiles knew not their guilt and misery, therefore were not careful to procure a remedy. Yet they attained to righteousness by faith. Not by becoming proselytes to the Jewish religion, and submitting to the ceremonial law; but by embracing Christ, and believing in him, and submitting to the gospel. The Jews talked much of justification and holiness, and seemed very ambitious to be the favourites of God. They sought, but not in the right way, not in the humbling way, not in the appointed way. Not by faith, not by embracing Christ, depending upon Christ, and submitting to the gospel. They expected justification by observing the precepts and ceremonies of the law of Moses. The unbelieving Jews had a fair offer of righteousness, life, and salvation, made them upon gospel terms, which they did not like, and would not accept. Have we sought to know how we may be justified before God, seeking that blessing in the way here pointed out, by faith in Christ, as the Lord our Righteousness? Then we shall not be ashamed in that awful day, when all refuges of lies shall be swept away, and the Divine wrath shall overflow every hiding-place but that which God hath prepared in his own Son.

[tomthomasblog]

Gideon’s Journey: From Doubt to Deliverance

In a time long ago, the Israelites found themselves in a tough spot. They felt helpless and mistreated by the Midianites. Their struggles pushed them to stray from their faith and turn away from God. However, one man’s journey from doubt to action changed everything for the Israelites. This is the story of Gideon, a reluctant hero who discovered that even in the darkest times, faith and obedience can lead to remarkable victories.

The oppression by the Midianites was severe, causing the Israelites to live in fear and misery. As they faced constant raids and destruction, instead of seeking God, they chose to abandon their faith. This decision put them in a cycle of sin, which only deepened their challenges. They cried out for help, yearning for someone to lead them back to safety and faith. It was during this tumultuous time that God chose Gideon, an ordinary man who was hesitant and unsure about his abilities.

Gideon's initial response to God's call was characterized by uncertainty. He questioned why he was chosen and whether he could succeed against such powerful foes. These feelings of insecurity are relatable for many of us. We often find ourselves in situations that feel overwhelming, and it's easy to question our capabilities. But instead of judging Gideon, we can learn from his story. God showed great patience and reassurance, letting Gideon know that he was not alone in this battle. Through signs and encouragement, God revealed His presence, proving that faith can emerge even when we feel lost.

As Gideon began to trust God, his obedience led to incredible victories. God instructed him to gather an army, but in a surprising twist, He told Gideon to reduce its size dramatically. This was to show the Israelites that the victory was not due to their numbers but because of God’s power. When the time came, Gideon and his small band of warriors followed God’s instructions faithfully. Their actions resulted in a stunning defeat of the Midianites and restored peace to the land.

Gideon’s story highlights a crucial lesson: faith combined with action can drastically change a person’s life. It’s not enough to simply believe; we must also take steps that align with our convictions. When we realign ourselves with God’s faithfulness, we can break free from destructive cycles that hold us back. Just like the Israelites, we can find ourselves caught in patterns of doubt and sin, but through faith and obedience, we can experience renewal.

In conclusion, Gideon’s journey reminds us that no matter our circumstances, we can find strength in faith. Even when we feel unworthy or incapable, God can use us for great purposes. His patience shines through our moments of doubt, encouraging us to take that leap of faith. As a challenge, consider what areas of your life need realignment with God’s will. How can you step out in faith this week? Remember, the path to victory often begins with trusting God, even amidst our uncertainties.

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The Scripture Collection Playlist A compilation of 20 uplifting music videos inspired by a different Bible scripture. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoBTz-QtgDhox4diwLqHBjD4W-CtzM-8v

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Website: https://bwpub.net/

I wrote the song "Round and Round (The Gideon Song)"

Guitar-driven creating a distinctive, rootsy tone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av6jGebOhz0 drum and bass playing a strong base https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W33dFKVOIY techno, drumline, tight groove https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR2WJxfY4ks

[riearchivistfornow]

Good Enough?

Teens Xcite 2016.01.23

Good Enough?

Exodus 3:7-12 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Exodus 4:1-5 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. “This,” said the Lord , “is so that they may believe that the Lord , the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Some of us don't think that we can be like the great people of God. However, the story of the bible is God using ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Moses formulated a series of questions to God, making excuses because he feels that he is not good enough.

How did Moses realise that he can be good enough to be used by God?

How can we be good enough?

1) Acknowledge our Maker. Do not doubt

"Who am I?" Moses asked. He was doubting God.

God did not tell Moses that he was chosen because he was a great person or because he was excellent. Instead, God told him that "I will be with you".

If you rely too strongly on friendship or on people telling you how good you are, or you only trust yourself; you will fail and be disappointed.

This is because we as humans are not perfect and we make many errors.

However, if we rely on God, we will never be disappointed. If you trust in God, you will not fail.

"It is not about who we are but who is with us that makes a difference."

If God asks you to do something, He has qualified us. Hence acknowledge God our Maker, and do not doubt.

Too many of us think that when we have doubts, it is that our faith is shallow. Therefore you choose to hide your doubts from your leaders and your brothers and sisters. You then start to isolate yourself.

You have to be honest about your doubts and tell your leaders, your brothers and sisters so that you may be prayed for and covered.

When you have doubts, it is because of the insecurities that we have.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The good works that God wants us to do has already been prepared for us. God knows that we are good enough to do it.

1 Corinthians 1:27-28 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

You need to acknowledge your maker. Affirm that God is in your life and that you trust in him.

2) Embrace our make. Do not compare

Exodus 4:1-2 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.

Exodus 4:17 But take this staff in your hand so that you can perform the signs with it.

Exodus 4:20 So moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt, and took the staff of God in his hands.

The staff is made to last for a lifetime for the shepard. God used that staff not only to manage the sheeps but to also manage Moses' life.

Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

God has made us exactly the way that we are, so that we will be who we are meant to be to be able to fulfill His purposes.

If God did not appear to Moses, he will be a shepard for the rest of his life, but having appeared to Moses, Moses then lived a life that has been well planned for him.

The reason why we feel lousy about ourselves is in the area of comparison. When you do not embrace the design that God has given you, and you compare to others, you will only see the areas that you fail in. However, God sees the areas that He can work in your life and the areas that you can bless others in. Do not compare.

"Comparison is a thief of joy." – Theodore Roosevelt.

When you embrace God's design for you, you will be truly joyful. God makes no mistake in every detail of your life.

Kintsugi: The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.

In the eyes of God, our brokeness is a beautiful art piece - we are all His masterpiece.

Do not compare, embrace the design that God has put into you.

When you do this, you will then walk into the full purpose and the destiny that is already planned out for you by God.

[fandomficsnstuff]

Plagues And Blessings

(Warnings: Nothing really except some angst about Bob and some minor fluff at the end I think)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daisy was hesitant as she stood in the doorway, her heart racing as she cleared her throat when she saw him fold his hands at the desk, his head turning to look at her and she hesitated before walking inside “h-hi… I-I’m sorry, I didn’t-.. I didn’t mean to disturb y-you…” she muttered, Gabriel studying her before shaking his head a little “it’s alright… can I-... help you with something?”

“Y-You’re a priest, right?”

“Yes.”

“A-And people they-... t-talk to priests, right?”

“Some do. Do you wish to make a confession?”

“I-.. don’t know what that is…”

“Do you want to talk?” he asked with a soft smile and she hesitated before nodding, Gabriel giving her a nod and she closed the door before walking over, Gabriel standing up, gesturing to a couch and she sat down on it, Gabriel pulling up a chair to sit across from her. “So, what’s on your mind?”

“Could you-... n-not tell anyone I told you this? Because my uncle will freak out and so will uncle Glenn and Rick and Carl most definitely will and Maggie too and I don’t want them to freak out-”

“It’s okay, I won’t tell them anything you don’t want me to” he promised with a comforting smile and she studied him before looking down, fiddling with her hands in her lap, frowning with concern “I-... y-you heard Abraham, r-right? A-About Eugene and-... that he knows what caused all of this?” she asked hesitantly, Gabriel nodding and she nodded as well, continuing to stare at her hands as she tugged and fiddled with them in an attempt to calm her nerves. “I-I think-... I-I don’t know why-... b-but-... h-how do you know if-... if something is good or not?”

“You mean like a blessing or a curse?”

“Yeah…”

“Well… a blessing is a gift from God, an answer to prayers and hopes, something positive. A curse is-... the opposite, really. A curse can be a way of punishment, a sin to be punished for. Do you know the plagues of Egypt?” he asked and Daisy frowned, gently shaking her head and he nodded “in ancient Egypt, a man named Moses, a mere shepherd, tried to free the Hebrew slaves from the pharaoh-”

“What’s that?”

“Why? Why Moses?”

“A sort of king. The people of Israel cried out to God to be rescued from their misery as slaves in Egypt, and God heard them. He was ready to set them free. But first God had to reveal himself to a man named Moses in a convincing manner that would prove his power and his purposes. God had to get Moses’ full attention. He did this by appearing to Moses in a burning bush, yet the bush was not consumed as it burnt. In this stunning appearance, the Lord distinguished himself as the God of Israel who was aware of his people’s affliction and was coming to deliver them. God explained that he had seen how miserable his chosen people, the Hebrews, were in Egypt, where they were being held as slaves. God had come down from heaven to rescue them. He picked Moses to carry out that task.”

“I’ll get to that,” Gabriel said with amusement at her apparent eagerness to learn before continuing with the story “Moses was terrified. He told God that he was not capable of such a huge undertaking. God assured Moses that he would be with him. At that point, Moses asked God his name, so he could tell the Israelites who had sent him. God replied, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’.”

“So… God spoke to him? Through a bush?”

“Yes-”

“But-... why Moses?... He wasn’t, like… a king or something. He was just a shepherd, they just-... hang around sheeps or something, right?…”

“He was just a shepherd, yes. But why shouldn’t that be enough? God knew that Moses’ soul was pure, Moses knew that this was truly God, and he knew that God had sent out a task for him, to free the Hebrew slaves. At first Moses was afraid, afraid that he wasn’t up to the task, and at first this angered God, but our Lord assured Moses that he would not be alone. Moses and his brother left to convince the pharaoh. The pharaoh refused, and thus God sent the ten plagues of Egypt, ten calamities to persuade the pharaoh to let the slaves go.”

“What were the-... ‘plagues’?”

“First, he turned the Nile river water into blood, so they could not water their crops. Then, when the pharaoh still refused, God had Moses and his brother get every frog from the Nile river up on land and soon the pharaoh and his people were overrun, the frogs were everywhere and he pleaded with Moses to take them away, to pray to God and that he’d let the slaves go if God took away the frogs. But when it came to it, the pharaoh changed his mind, refusing to let the slaves go, and so God sent down the third plague, an infestation of lice. Still, the pharaoh refused and so God sent down the fourth plague, a swarm of flies-”

“How many times did God do this?”

“Ten. It took ten different calamities before the pharaoh finally relented when his firstborn son died because of the tenth and final calamity. So, would you call something like that a curse?” he asked sweetly and Daisy studied him with a frown before shrugging lightly “it was for the pharaoh, right?” she asked, looking up to see him nod and she nodded as well “but… what about the slaves? Did they get-.. frogs in their homes too? They lived there too, right? So wouldn’t the curses affect them too?” she asked softly and Gabriel smirked a little “God kept them safe. Every slave was spared the calamities and only the pharaoh suffered. Those who heeded Moses’ warnings were spared” Gabriel stated softly and Daisy frowned even more “so… that means that there were slaves who didn’t listen to Moses? You said that those who listened to Moses were spared. But that means that some slaves weren’t, even though they were just slaves…” she added, Gabriel studying her closely. Never had anyone thought about the situation in that way, never had someone prodded the tale in such a way, let alone someone so young, she couldn’t be older than thirteen in his opinion, maybe twelve. Daisy hesitated before sighing when she was met with his silence “how did-... you said that-... that Moses wasn’t-... didn’t want to do all of this… why did he? If he didn’t think he could do it, why did he?”

“Because he knew that God would not lead him astray. He put his faith in the Lord and He walked alongside him, helping him, guiding him. Moses knew that God would not have put him in that position if God didn’t think he could do it” Gabriel said with a light shrug, Daisy staring at him with slightly wide eyes, as though only just now realizing something, her throat closing up and she looked down quickly again “but-... how did Moses know? How did he know he could do it?”

“‘Father’” he corrected with a smile and she nodded awkwardly with a blush of embarrassment “s-sorry, my mom never took me to church a-and I didn’t really go to school and-”

“He trusted in God. He knew he was chosen for a reason, a reason he may not have been able to see yet but God knew, our Lord knew. None of us are ever truly alone, for He is with us. Every step of the way. He watches over us, he helped Moses free the slaves. He may not have walked beside him, but our Lord was by his side, helping him along the way” Gabriel stated softly, studying how Daisy nodded hesitantly “does that answer your question?” he asked and she hesitated before shaking her head shyly “not really” she muttered, Gabriel chuckling lightly, standing up when Daisy did “but-... thank you, uhm-... ‘d-dad’ Gabriel?”

“It’s quite alright” he assured and she studied him before nodding to herself, walking out of the room to join the others, Gabriel studying her closely, turning back around to the desk, sitting back down, staring at the picture before crossing his hands once more to pray.

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Daisy was completely frozen as she continued to stare at the bite on Bob’s shoulder, tears clouding her vision yet she couldn’t look away, she just couldn’t. “Daisy?” Glenn reached for her, his hand gently touching her shoulder but it was like she had turned to stone, unmoving, it didn’t even look like she was breathing. “Delilah-” Bob groaned as he forced himself to sit up, moving his head a little, tilting it so she saw his face instead of the bite “this ain’t your fault” he stated softly, the tears silently streaming down her face, her brows furrowing as she began to shake her head but Bob just smiled “don’t do that. Don’t. C’mon, get out of your own head. It’s not your fault, alright? You couldn’t have done anything. There’s nothing you could have done to prevent this, do you understand? Not a single thing… but you can for others. Do you hear me? You can. You can do it and I know you can, but this? You couldn’t have prevented this” Bob stated softly, Daisy finally relenting, her lower lip trembling as she carefully walked closer, on her knees next to him as she looked at the bite. “M-M-Maybe if I-... what if I-... I-I don’t know, what if-... maybe I could-” she stopped herself when Bob gently took her hand, making sure she looked at him “you couldn’t have done anything. It’s done. It happened. Do you understand? It happened” he stated softly, a few people frowning, Rick walking a little closer “you know?” he asked quietly, Bob turning to look at Rick, managing to smirk a little “found out at the prison, when she was sick. Makes sense why she didn’t have the same symptoms as everyone else. Maggie told me, just in case it would matter when I gave her the medicine” Bob admitted, grunting and gritting his teeth at the pain in the stump, where his leg had once been before those psychopaths from Terminus had cut it off and eaten it in front of him, making Daisy look back at him from Rick. “What if-... M-Maybe I could-... w-what if s-somehow my blood o-o-or something-”

“It’s okay, Delilah-”

“Daisy” she corrected, Bob studying her before giving her a soft smile, nodding “it’s okay, Daisy” he corrected himself softly, looking over his shoulder at Judith “you can’t do anything about me now, but do something for her… promise me?” he asked, looking back at Daisy who nodded, getting out her right pinky finger and Bob managed a dry laugh, locking his pinky finger with hers before Tyreese picked Bob up to take him to the office where the couch was, Daisy walking over to Carl as Judith cried a little in the basket.

“I need to talk to you…” Daisy began quietly, glancing at the others before looking back at Carl, her mind already made up.

------------------------------------------------

Daisy hesitantly walked into the room where Tyreese sat, turning around when he heard the door open and shut and he sighed “you shouldn’t be here for this…”

“I-... have to ask him something… can I-...?” she trailed off, Bob giving her a small smile before turning to Tyreese “give us a minute?”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure” Bob confirmed, Tyreese nodding before getting up, leaving the room and Daisy approached, sitting down on a chair next to the couch he was on. “Why not me?” she asked quietly, Bob smiling a little despite the sweat rolling down his forehead, the fever gripping him like a vice. “Sometimes… some people get sick, but don’t show the symptoms, or the symptoms aren’t as noticeable… it’s called being asymptomatic” he admitted quietly and she frowned “so… I-... I’m not immune?”

“In a sense, you are… The fever is what kills people, right?” he asked and she nodded, making him smile “the fever is a symptom. Remove that symptom, and they don’t get a fever, if they don’t get a fever, they don’t die, even though they’re infected…” he told her weakly, making her frown “but-... can my blood still-... be useful?”

“Yes” he confirmed immediately and she nodded, looking down “what’s wrong? Not what you wanted to hear?”

“I-... don’t like needles” she admitted shyly, making Bob smile almost blissfully at her innocent response. “I get that, I hated needles growing up too…”

“But, you’re a doctor…”

“I am.”

“How can you be afraid of needles if you’re a doctor?”

“I got over my fear. I got into the military as a medic, so I had to get over it” he admitted and she nodded, looking back up at him “I don’t want you to die…” she muttered quietly, tears in her eyes and Bob smiled fondly “I know… but I will. Ain’t nothing’s gonna change that, I was dying before, I’m dying now. We all die, Daisy… We just gotta make it worth something, hold it off for as long as we can, help those who can’t hold it off by themselves, like Judith…”

“Did you go into the military to help people?”

“Sometimes I ain’t sure why I joined up to begin with… but I helped people, yes…”

“And this-... thing… with me… it’ll help people too?”

“If they can make a vaccine or cure of some sort, yes” he admitted and she nodded, sighing softly “then I’m going with aunt Maggie and uncle Glenn to Washington… don’t tell anyone, please” she asked in a whisper and he smirked and nodded weakly “you got it” he rasped and she nodded “I’ll let you sleep now…”

“Thanks. And remember, it’s okay to be scared” he stated softly and she nodded and got up, walking out of the room, giving a forced smile at Tyreese who went back inside to be with Bob in his final hours.

-------------------------------------------------------------

As the others were saying goodbye, Daisy was hesitating, her heart racing and she looked at Carl. They had talked about her going with them, she hadn’t told anyone else, not even Rick or Maggie or Glenn. Just Carl. He gave her a hesitant nod and she hesitantly stepped forward after Abraham said goodbye to Rick “and-... I’m coming with you” she stated softly, all eyes turning to her, except for Carl. Carl looking down at Judith as he held her, Daisy glancing over her shoulder at him with sad eyes before looking back at Abraham, who was about to dismiss her when she rolled up her pant leg, showing off the scratches she got nearly two years ago now. “You’ll need someone who can’t turn into a walker if they’re bitten or scratched, right? Someone immune… right?” she asked hesitantly, glancing awkwardly over her shoulder at the others. Those who didn’t know; Michonne, Tyreese, Sasha, Father Gabriel, before looking at those in front of her and their shocked faces, Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, glancing at Maggie and Glenn before nodding to herself. “And I’ve-... I’ve already made up my mind, so-... so you can’t talk me out of it-”

“What about Daryl? Your uncle?” Rick asked as he stepped forward, Daisy turning to look at him. Daisy wasn’t sure if he wanted to scold her or what, his eyes holding something in them… but she smiled at him anyway “tell him I’m not pussying out” she muttered, Rick about to shake his head when she stopped him “I’m going… Jenner at the CDC knew after taking my blood… These guys will too and m-maybe I can help, you know? Maybe I can help everyone who has been bitten or scratched. I know I can’t save those who are already walkers, but if I can somehow help others… they could have a chance and no one but Eugene knows how and he’s going to Washington… so it’s worth it” she stated softly, Rick studying her, about to shake his head again when she smiled at him “it’s okay, uncle Rick” she said softly, Rick’s eyes filling with tears and he pulled her into a tight hug, holding her close as she hugged him back. “I’m gonna be okay. I’ll have uncle Glenn and Maggie and you’ll all be there soon when my uncle and Carol come back. Maybe you’ll find a car or something and catch up with us before we even make it to Washington…”

“You know what he’ll do, right?” Rick asked softly, Daisy smiling a little “tell him I’m not pussying out… tell him I’m going to kick this thing’s ass and save the world… oh, and this!” she quickly parted from Rick, taking off her backpack before pulling out a still intact Mr. Teddy, giving it sheepishly to Rick before putting her backpack bag on again as Rick nodded. “It’s-”

“Mr. Teddy” he mumbled with a smirk as he studied the teddy bear, making Daisy nod with a smirk “I’m too old for teddy bears, anyway” she mumbled, Rick scoffing with amusement, looking back at her “nah, you never are” he mumbled, pulling her into another hug that she gladly returned “tell him he can give it back to me when he’s in Washington” she stated before parting from Rick, turning to Michonne who instantly hugged her as well. “Take care, alright?”

“Only if you take care of Carl… he’s my best friend” she whispered, Michonne smirking a little “don’t worry, I got him covered. Him and Judith” she added when she parted from Daisy, smiling at her as she turned to Sasha and Tyreese. Sasha was just staring at her. Eyes wide, heart racing as she looked at the others before pointing shakily to Daisy “she’s-... Bob knew??”

“When she got sick and he got back with the medicine, I told him… I wasn’t sure if it’d matter but I didn’t want to risk it by not mentioning if it was somehow important… it was my decision, and he promised to not tell anyone” Maggie admitted, giving Daisy a small smile and Daisy nodded, adjusting her backpack before walking towards the bus, stopping before she got on it “well? Are you coming or not?” she asked loudly before getting on, Rick smirking with amusement as he scoffed, glancing over his shoulder at Carl and Judith, walking over to them “not saying goodbye?” he asked quietly, Carl looking at the bus before shaking his head “we said goodbye before she told everyone… we talked about it, it’s what she wants to do… besides, we’ll see her in Washington anyway” he stated with a sheepish smile, Rick chuckling a little, patting his son’s shoulder as the others poured onto the bus, driving off, heading for Washington with possibly the only hope humanity had left sitting in the back seat.

[spiritsoulandbody]

#DailyDevotion Only Jesus Is Our Hope Against All False Hopes

#DailyDevotion Only Jesus Is Our Hope Against All False Hopes Heb. 2 5Their mother lived as a prostitute; she who conceived them did shameful things, saying, “I'll go after my lovers who give me my food and water, my wool and flax, my olive oil and wine.' 6For that I will hedge up herb way with thorns and build a wall for her to keep her from finding her paths. She will run after her lovers and not catch up with them. 7She will look for them and not find them. Then she will say, I'll go back to my first husband because I was happier then than now.' 8She doesn't know that I gave her fresh grain, wine, and olive oil, and much silver and gold, which the people used for Baal. Verse five refers back to the children born in adultery of the previous verse. Now the mother is Israel. She was married to the LORD. However, she prostituted herself with the false gods of people of the land she took over with the help of the LORD. She imported new gods from her neighbors. She did shameful things. But remember, Gomer is acting (not in a pretend way) out in her marriage to Hosea. Kind of rough on Hosea. She was an adulteress and a prostitute. Her being married to Hosea didn't prevent her from living out her old life. Both Israel and Gomer went after her loves to provide them with food, water, flax, olive oil and wine. The LORD was planning on putting up a hedge of thorns and herbs and a wall to keep her from finding her paths. They will run after their lovers but not be able to catch up to them. The LORD is going to hide the lovers from them. On the prophetic side Gomer's going to run out of customers. On the fulfilled side, everything the Israelites were thinking they were getting from worshiping the false gods is going to dry up. Their false worship will not provide for them what they thought they were getting from it. Because of this, they'll get the bright idea to go back to their husbands. They realize things were better then. But their hearts are not really in it. Gomer and Israel thought they were getting all these good things from the LORD. They thought it was from their false gods and their lovers. Israel even offered up to the false gods the good things the LORD provided them. Gomer had no need to go to her lovers for these things, Hosea would have provided her with them. Certainly, this is looking forward to Gomer's later redemption by Hosea. The LORD would redeem Israel when He took on human flesh and died for their and our sins. Practically every addiction and sinful behavior on our part follows the path of Gomer and Israel. We have a God, who with His providence provides us with every good thing. Instead of thanking God and recognizing every good thing is from Him, we attribute our good things to other created things. We may even worship/serve the good things as our idols. We use and abuse the good things the LORD provides. We start thinking these good things are the ultimate object. When we do this, the LORD often hands us over to our sinful nature (cf. Rom. 1:17ff). In doing so we start digging a hole for ourselves we can not get out of by our own machinations. Instead of created things serving us we end up serving them. We may say a foxhole prayer life Gomer does above, but our hearts are not in it. It may be a bright idea, but unlike the prodigal son, we don't mean it. The things in our lives keep beckoning to us. The Law must do its work on us. We must give up all hope in the created things we have put our trust in. Only then will we hear the good news, the One True and Living God forgives us and accepts us on account of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our hope against all other hopes that ended up failing us and enslaving us in misery. Merciful God and Father, grant that we may see the errors of our ways, place our hope only in Jesus Christ our Savior and receive all good from You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Read the full article

[thenewdeadseascrolls]

Judges 20: 37-38. "The Counterattack."

The question of what is in good taste and what is not pervades the Tanakh cover to covers. In the Melachim, excess is almost certainly frowned upon. Excess is discussed in the Chronicles and Job, as an excess of words, in the Melachim as an excess of alotta fagina, too much money, too many wives, too many friends, too many enemies, not enough time.

The Shoftim and the Mishnah both proclaim all dogs and no buns makes a lot of no fun. The Book of Joshua says too much candy, but not enough sweets is not the way to go.

Worse than all of these are rapid and frequent undulations between extremes of not enough and too much. The entirety of the misery of the Jew is associated with inner combat between what is sufficient to please God and what is not enough. Well we are going to put a stop that right now: enter the Counterattack!

A Counterattack is the moment one decides to get off the roller coaster ride of religion called Gibeah. Gibeah is a bell curve with a side that rises sharply and another that falls just the same.

Rapid change in the perception of the Self either way is not correct. Pronounced feelings of effective and ineffective are a sign inner stability is lacking. Should this be missing the little supernovas of excellent experience in life will not register on the mind.

The Benjaminites, according to the Shoftim are the most emancipated and educated of the Jewish personalities named by the Torah.

The Torah itself is not a bell curve but an upward coiling spiral that unwinds the mind from its animal and ego centric desires and rewinds them around Ha Shem:

Recent data models suggest Ha Shem is a kind of Hurricane with an eye, but this is too flat a way of thinking. He is more of giant turret with a central rotating rod whose minor adjustments affect the cosmos.

The mind must be trained to behave like Ha Shem, an upward pointing screw whose small adjustments in rotation have great impact.

The counterattack is the moment we decide we want to get off the bell curve of religion and screw up instead. There really is a way to do this. Our sages have developed a way to read the Torah that takes us out of the realm of rote readings and memorization to the level of the esoteric:

The Torah is traditionally interpreted in four ways, which are represented by the Hebrew acronym pardes (meaning "orchard"):

P'shat(Plain) This method looks for the meaning of the text in its historical, literary, and linguistic context.

Remez(Hint) This method interprets the biblical text as an allegory or extended metaphor.

Sod(Secret) This method interprets the Bible through the lens of Judaism's mystical lore.

D'rashThis is another way to interpret Jewish sacred texts.

Finally, one must follow the Four Directions and find the Western Wall of though, "the most enlightened." Good taste exists behind the West Wall.

People are worried the enlightened state means they can't get fucked in a sling at the faire, or do drugs, have multiple partners or be gay, or make mistakes of any kind in life...

But fear not, those questions are worked out in the East and then the South long before one turns to the West.

Now the men of Israel had given way before Benjamin, because they relied on the ambush they had set near Gibeah. 37 Those who had been in ambush made a sudden dash into Gibeah, spread out and put the whole city to the sword. 

38 The Israelites had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke from the city, 39 and then the Israelites would counterattack.

Smoke, according to the Torah means "Stop and think". During the day, when the Israelites were trapped in the Desert of Zin, the desert of the penis, God told them while the Pillar of Smoke was rising, they were not to do anything, not to move. A person possessed of good taste does not move when a situation arises; he thinks instead. Smoking is learned as one ages, it does not come naturally.

The Torah says smoke is a sign of Sukkoth, of self-esteem. Etham, "gullible", the need to be popular is the opposite. The Smoke breaks the tie between the two, it creates a "dash" between the knowledge stability of the Jewish Self and the human need to want to be popular:

20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 37. They relied on the ambush and made a dash. "Sometimes but not always" is the kind of dash we want to avoid. No one says a person who thinks "Sometimes I'm a huge filthy whore but not always" is a good person.

This is an example of planning an ambush and making a dash from good sense. This kind of person who thinks this is fun, ends up back on the bell curve. It is no fun, no fun at all. The whole city, the inner world of a person must undergo reform when this happens in order for good times to return.

The Number is 10226, י‎בבו‎‎‎, "He will cry."

v. 38-39. They arranged they should send up a cloud and counterattack. We can attain to Shabbat and Ha Shem but the Rab says we must stay immersed in the Torah and Tanakh as they reinforce the aspects of the Shoftim, the Tasteful Jewish Self that manifest as we age. If we could be cute little Jewish boys and girls when we were toddlers and have unyielding good taste in all things when we were little the world would not have a single problem.

Unfortunately, we fear, lust, desire, and fumble all through life. To compensate for this we need Ha Shem, and He is only found within the life of a Jew. Everything we need to know about Jewish life is found in the Tanakh, if read properly one shall remain in Ha Shem and make few mistakes.

The Number is 7797, עזטז‎‎ ‎, gazathaz, "grasp the meaning of the Torah with all your strength."

Gaza Athaz is strongly related to the highest, most enlightened state of Jewishness called a Hebrew:

"The important verb עבר ('abar) means to pass or cross over (a river, border, obstacle or terrain). The derived noun עבר ('eber) describes what or where you end up when you do the verb: the other side or region beyond."

A Jew wanders but a Hebrew knows where he is going, and what he is going to do when he gets there. The topic is explored in depth in the Book of Joshua. For the purposes of the Shoftim, the lesson is inherent to this idea of the dash. There are aspects of the religion that do not make sense without proper plumbing. Without fluency in the plumbing of Judaism one will not achieve victory during a counterattack, the end of the occupation at Gibeah.

I know this must seem complicated but the Torah and Tanakh are already configured in a way that makes the process easy to master once their layout is understood. There is no need to ponder how to turn a specific direction or worry if one is up or down. All one has to do is understand how the offices and object lessons are parsed out and the rest of the effort is quite easy to master.

The world's Jews need to divorce themselves from the idea the Bible has an Old Testament and a New and they are second class citizens because they read the Torah as a Tanakh, "the perpetual river of God's Attributes."

Every tome in the Tanakh was written for a specific purpose, most of which we do not yet know. The mission of all Jewsat this time is to fully fathom the real reasons our sages transcribed them and add them to our system of modern thought and compel mankind to the onset of Mashiach. They will surely become Shoftim in the process.

[focr]

Merciful...

On the one hand, he is a God of wrath and punishment to those who sin not trusting him and doing what he says not to do. Certainly we see this throughout the Scriptures. But is that what delights him? It doesn’t seem so. He’s always sparing humanity in one way or another.

He spared eight people through the flood. He spared Lot and his family from Sodom. He didn’t wipe all the Israelites when right after hearing his commandments from his mouth on the mountain and they went off and broke them as Moses went up the mountain. He left a remnant of Northern Israel from the hands of Assyrians and a remnant from Judah from the hands of the Babylonians when they rejected him and would not follow his ways.

He, the God of Israel, Yahweh, forgives sin and passes by the wrong of the remnant of his people. He does not stay angry forever because he delights in mercy. Did you read that right? The one true God delights in mercy. This is not new in the Old Testament, Ezek. 33:11, “As I live, says the Lord GOD, I don’t want the wicked man to die; I want him to turn from his way and live.”

We see in also in the New Testament, 2 Peter 3:9, “He is patient with you and doesn’t want any to perish but wants them all to come to repentance.”

The one true God isn’t up in clouds with a big stick who can’t wait to wop you over the head with it when you do wrong. He will though discipline us when we stray from his ways out of love for us knowing it is not good for us to live outside of his ways.

Micah tells us, “You will again be kind to us, and throw all our sins into the deep sea.” Such is the nature of the LORD. The devil wants us to believe God just wants to punish us and make us suffer. This is so far from the truth. It is a twisting of the nature of God. If anyone wants us to suffer and be punished it is the devil. Misery loves company and the devil is the most miserable creature of all. The devil wants us to join him in his misery.

What, then, is the proof that God wants to through all sins into the deep sea? Listen to Jesus in John 3:14-17,

“As Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in Him has everlasting life. God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. You see, God didn’t send His Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him.”

God plunges all our sins into the deep sea of Jesus holes of Jesus’ hands, feet and sides. He cast them into the sea of Jesus’ soul as Paul writes in Galatians 3:13, “Christ paid the price to free us from the curse of the Law when He was cursed for us (it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’).”

So flee from your sins into the hands of the merciful God in Christ Jesus. [Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.]

[princeofgod-2021]

LIGHT OF LIFE 526

John 1:4

DIVINE ORDER 91: GOD SEEKERS 20

Gen 4:26 And a son was also born to Seth, whom he named Enosh. AT THAT TIME PEOPLE BEGAN to worship the LORD. NET

SPIRITUAL DEFECTS 2

Man cannot eat the Fruit of Life now because he has, by the consumption of the Fruit of Knowledge, not only exercised Disobedience but “awoken” the seed of Rebellion.

Would you give life to an entity that won’t listen to you or obey you?

Well, God won’t.

Rom 8:7-8 IN FACT, THE MIND-SET FOCUSED ON THE FLESH FIGHTS GOD’S PLAN AND REFUSES TO SUBMIT TO HIS DIRECTION, BECAUSE IT CANNOT! For no matter how hard they try, God finds no pleasure with those who are controlled by the flesh. TPT

The “Mind of Flesh” is clearly a by-product of the Fruit of Knowledge, which brought Death.

Rom 8:6 IF YOUR THINKING IS CONTROLLED BY YOUR SINFUL SELF, THERE IS SPIRITUAL DEATH. But if your thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace. ERV

Some Bible versions that say that the Flesh “leads” to Death, and not that it is a “product” of Death.

I won’t argue, but I know that products of death will only [yet] Lead to death.

Mat 12:33-34 “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or MAKE THE TREE CORRUPT, AND ITS FRUIT CORRUPT; FOR THE TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT. You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. WEB

Man ate the Fruit in disobedience, so he became the Fruit in all its entire constituents.

The Poison it bears entered Man, killed him and produces deadly things through him.

Rom 3:13-16 Their words release a stench, like the smell of death—foul and filthy! Deceitful lies roll off their tongues. THE VENOM OF A VIPER DRIPS FROM THEIR LIPS. Bitter profanity flows from their mouths, only meant to cut and harm. THEY ARE INFATUATED WITH VIOLENCE AND MURDER. THEY RELEASE RUIN AND MISERY WHEREVER THEY GO. TPT

These were the battles in Cain’s heart, even though he wanted to please and be close to God.

His father Adam merely disobeyed God, now, Cain had murderous tendencies and didn’t seem able to control himself, despite warnings from God.

Gen 4:7-8 If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling. But you did the wrong thing, and NOW SIN IS WAITING TO ATTACK YOU LIKE A LION. SIN WANTS TO DESTROY YOU, BUT DON'T LET IT! Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go for a walk." And when they were out in a field, CAIN KILLED HIM. CEV

This is how you see “death at work” in humanity: when he loses control of himself.

Rom 7:19-20 I don't do the good I want to do. Instead, I do the evil that I don't want to do. Now, WHEN I DO WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO, I AM NO LONGER THE ONE WHO IS DOING IT. SIN THAT LIVES IN ME IS DOING IT. GW

There’s something else I want us to consider.

Even satan knew that the Knowledge of Good & Evil was a nature of God, which [says satan] God didn’t want Man to have, right?

Gen 3:4-5 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, for GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT FROM IT YOUR EYES WILL OPEN AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL.” NET

So, that’s what satan told Eve, and God confirmed that was a true statement later, right?

Gen 3:22 THEN THE LORD GOD SAID, "NOW THESE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BECOME LIKE ONE OF US AND HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS BAD. They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever." GNB

Why was a Fruit, which actually “produced” a “nature” of God, turn out to be poisonous to Man?

The Product (Knowledge of Good & Evil) was death to Man and not to God? “They have become like one of us…”, yet they are also dead?

What really happened here?

To understand this properly, we have to look at a very unusual picture beloved.

Num 21:6 So THE LORD SENT POISONOUS SNAKES AMONG THE PEOPLE. The snakes bit the people, and MANY OF THE ISRAELITES DIED. ERV

We will have to leave this till the next lesson. Please keep your fingers crossed.

I pray that the Blood of the Lamb will erase every obstacle between you and God, IN JESUS NAME.

See you on Monday, as we proceed with this Subtopic.

Brother Prince

Friday, June 21, 2024

08055125517; 08023904307

[lordgodjehovahsway]

2 Samuel 16: David Restores All Of Mephibosheth Possession To His Son Ziba

1 When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.

2 The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

3 The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”

Ziba said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”

4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”

“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. 

6 He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. 

7 As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! 

8 The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”

9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”

10 But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”

11 David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 

12 It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”

13 So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. 

14 The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai

15 Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 

16 Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”

18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. 

19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”

20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”

21 Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” 

22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.