The Bronze Laver by Shalene

I have gotten a little behind in a bible study I am doing of Beth Moore's study "A Woman's Heart God's Dwelling Place. However, I realized this morning that I have spent entirely too much time in self pity, and not enough time in His Word. So I began studying again. I came upon a powerful truth today, that I would like to share with you.

How many of you, that are believers, choose to say a repetitious prayer "God, forgive me of all my sins"? Have you ever thought that perhaps that is not nearly enough? I have, but today it was brought home fully. I am reading about the bronze laver that was placed between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, for the Israelites that God brought out of Egypt. (Exodus 30:18 NKJV) This bronze laver was for washing the hands and feet of the priests before they could enter into the tabernacle of meeting. If they did not they would die.

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Psalm 24:3-4 NKJV

And did you know that the base of the laver was made of bronze mirrors? Why do you think that was? It was made to be a reflection of the priests' sins, so that they would have to truly examine their sins and repent of them.

Beth Moore states in her study that "several years ago I ceased the repetitious prayer 'Forgive me of all my sins' because I realized that I could not turn away from a sin I had not first confronted."

Have you thought about that? When you repent of your sins and ask forgiveness, do you first examine and confront each sin? What a daunting task! I don't want to do it, for sure, but I realize that unless I truly examine my heart, and my motives, I am not truly repenting, or dying to self. I do not have a Godly sorrow for my sins. If we are not truly sorry for a sin, and yet we ask God to forgive it, we are wasting our time. If you find yourself in this position, perhaps you should ask God for Godly sorrow so that you can truly repent and be guaranteed your forgiveness. (see 1 John 1:9 NKJV) This is what I shall be doing, to be sure.

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrew 10:22 NKJV

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 1 Peter 1:22 NKJV

The tabernacle of meeting was the place where the priests fellowshipped with God! How awesome that the priests had to first pass by the blood and the water before they could fellowship with Him. We too, must do the same thing. Jesus has already become our sacrifice, we must only accept it. Then we must be washed in the purifying water of the Spirit. Only then can we be in true fellowship with Him.

--Lord today, I confess my sins to you, and I ask your forgiveness, though I have not named them, each one here, I have named them to you personally, and I ask for your forgiveness of them. Lord I ask for a Godly sorrow to pierce my soul for every transgression against you, that I might be purified by the Spirit, and truly pure in Your sight. I pray this for all that read these words today as well. I pray these things in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.

I'd like to recommend a couple songs for today. There is no video for them to show to you, but you can go to the website and listen to it. The song is Stay Near to God by Jon Shabaglian. Wake Up is also a great song. He is a relatively unknown artist, but you can just click on the song title in the playlist to listen to it. He is a local artist (to me) and could use your support, if you should choose to buy his music.

There is no "MORE" to this post.

HAVE TO OR GET TO? by Gail Rodgers

What do you love to do? Do you have to stop and think hard about it? In the face of all you have to do have you forgotten what it is you love to do?

God created YOU unique, special. When you were conceived, no matter the circumstances, His knitting needles began to knit you into just the person you are. Oh yes, you have been shaped by circumstances and people and life... yet deep inside is the treasure of YOU.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully make; Your works are wonderful..." (Psalm 139:13, 14).

Today think of all the "Have to" things on your list that need to get done. Now add one "Get to" thing... just for you. Something that will celebrate the unique creation you are in God's sight.

It doesn't matter that you aren't where you hope to one day be with your career, your relationships, your weight, or any number of markers on the wall that you have for yourself. Just celebrate you in some simple yet specific way.

Get some fresh flowers for yourself.
Sit outside and have a coffee break.
Go for lunch with a friend.
Buy a cheap kid's paint set and nurture that desire to paint.
Have ice cream!
Give yourself permission to take a nap.
Stop at a park on your way home and enjoy the green for even five minutes.

As nurturing women we can bury ourselves in the needs of others. One lady told me she didn't even know anymore what her dreams were. God has a plan and a purpose for your life. That's why He made you uniquely you, placed you in this time in life and in the circle you are in. The plans God has for you are things that will bring joy to your heart. They are "get to" things!

Start today and celebrate you. Ask God to begin to show you the "get to" things among the "have to" things.

His work is wonderful. That includes you. See yourself through His eyes today and celebrate!

~Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You see me as no one else does. You made me and You have said I am wonderful. Help me today to see myself as You do. Help me to celebrate me as I thank You. Help me to take some time for the " get to" things in my "have to" life and may I bring joy to You as I do. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Discover Your Life's Assignment by Bob Gass

"If anyone serves he should do it with the strength god provides."
1 Peter 4:11 NIV

If you watch people who are fulfilling their life's assignment, their motivation is high. They have amazing endurance to overcome obstacles. They are growing and learning. There's real joy in what they do. To miss out on your life's assignment is to miss out on why God made you. Whether your job is in a church or a business, you were gifted and called by God - and you'd better take it seriously! Here are some questions to help you find your life's assignment:

What's my raw material? God has given you a certain temperament and talents, and you have to honour your raw material. What unlocks your compassion? (Sometimes the problem that infuriates you most is the problem you were born to solve.) Why do I do this? There's a big difference between doing something because you believe God's called you to it, and doing what your parents, your friends or your ego wants you to do. What are my limitations? Knowing what you're called to do often starts with discovering what you're not called to do. When you can accept your limitations, you're on the road to understanding your life's assignment.

So let's be clear: you have an assignment. It has to do with what God hard-wired into you. You must seek it with an open mind. When people pretend to be something they're not, they live with a chronic sense of inadequacy and set themselves up for a lifetime of frustration. Don't do that. Be ruthlessly open to the truth about yourself. Your life's assignment is something you discover, not something you choose.

My "Church," My "Religion," and My Faith

If you have followed my last few posts regarding "church" membership, fellowship and accountability, then you will understand that I do support the attendance within a "church." I do this not because I support a particular doctrine or place of worship, rather it is because I find that fellowship with like minded believers helps to strengthen my own faith walk. I do not expect others to agree with my stance, nor do I feel it lessens their ability to strengthen their own faith walk, unless they find that they are unable or unwilling to "walk in the Spirit" on their own. There are not many that can do so. In order for most to be strong in their faith and in their convictions that what they believe is the Truth, they need others to help guide their steps. Yesterday, in the church that I attend, our pastor made a good point for this. He gave an illustration of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus took 3 of his closest "friends" and asked them to stand watch for him, because as He said: "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Matthew 26:36-38 (NIV) In Ecclesiastes we read that "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to heop him up! Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV) This was also from our sermon yesterday. The basis for this sermon was being Spiritual Warriors for the Lord, and that we all need others that will help us. This does not mean that we must belong to a "church" as a place, but rather to a "church" as a body of LIKE MINDED believers, regardless of the meeting "place." I do not think it necessary for me to denounce my "religion" as my faith is my "religion." I give myself a label of "Christian" because that is what others would say I am. I am a Christ follower, first and foremost. I am not perfect, only loved by a perfect God! Nor has any other Christian ever been perfect (Jesus was not a Christian, as He did not follow himself.) I do not feel as some do that the Cross is a symbol of warfare, but rather a symbol of all that Christ gave, so that we might have eternal life. I do not worship the cross, but rather the one that died upon it, and then rose from the dead 3 days later! I pray the blessings of the Lord upon all that read this post.

Is There Any Need for Church??

There are those that would say that going to church is not necessary for salvation. There are those that would disagree. Here's what I think: going to "church" is not necessary for salvation. However, I do think that fellowship with other believers is necessary for continued growth and discernment in your Christian faith walk. Jesus said that gathering together to study his words and his message and finding agreement (everyone agreed as to what was meant, and all understood.)

"I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers,* I am there among them." Matthew 18:19,20 (NLT) *Greek: gathered in my name

These were Jesus' words, people! He instructed us to gather together so that we might lift one another up, and be able to discern God's will in all matters, rather than our own. All believers have the Holy Spirit within to help guide their ways, but God did not take away our free will when He gave us the Spirit. We are still tempted, and we will still ignore the Spirit's prompting and need others that will hold us accountable, and take the time to explain why our sin was sin. (I think that quite often our sin may not actually be intentional, or we just have not evaluated whether our actions or thoughts are sinful.)

The only perfect human was Jesus himself, and even He kept fellowship with others so that He might teach them, and so that all might learn from one another and keep each other accountable to the Word of God and to His instruction as Christ followers. Jesus also stated that the church would be the rock upon which His foundation would be laid.

By "church" He meant a body of believers that were in fellowship with one another on a regular and consistent basis. Whether that means going to an organized church every Sunday, or having a bible study in your home regularly, I don't know if it matters. What does matter is that you have fellowship.

In fact, I think it's possible to have virtual fellowships, if they are consistent, and the people in fellowship with one another can truly be in fellowship with one another. I also feel it's necessary that there is some educated knowledge of scripture, with attendees all having various levels of spiritual maturity, but with at least one person that is able to teach the others (because they have studied the word extensively and have tested their interpretations of it.)

Even Jesus went to synagogue regularly. "When Jesus came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. Luke 4:16 (NLT) If Jesus, the Son of God, and Savior of all, went to church regularly, who are we to dissuade anyone??? I for one wouldn't want to take the chance that I might be discouraging someone from seeking the Lord.

If you read 1 Corinthians 12:12-25 You will find that Paul shows us here that we all need one another, because we are each a part of the whole "body of Christ." And goes on to say that "This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it..." 1 Cor 12:25-27 (NLT)

For those that say that the church today is not what Jesus intended, I say this: Many churches and congregations have stumbled in their efforts to spread the Good News, and some have had leaders that stumbled. But who are we to judge? Do we not have logs in our own eye? I do not think that we can lump all churches into this group.

There are churches available that teach the Word of God, as it is written; and that strive to be truly godly in their leadership, and encourage their members to do the same. The only thing that is accomplished by discouraging church attendance, is that unbelievers usually stay unbelievers, and sinners die without ever knowing the saving grace of God.

So again I say: Do I think that church attendance is the only way to be in fellowship with other believers? No, I don't. However, I do think you must be in fellowship, in some manner. Do I think that every believer needs another to help hold them accountable? Most assuredly yes. To believe otherwise, is to listen to the deceiver, just as Eve did in the Garden, when she was told that by eating the fruit of knowledge, she would be as God. You cannot be sinless, it is not possible. You can try, and you can come close, perhaps, but all of us are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. Even after accepting Christ as our savior. Let go of pride in self, and reach out in love to others that may need your "body part."
Love and Blessings in His Holy Name.

AM I QUIET? By Marilyn Ehle

"I have stilled and quieted my soul..." (Psalm 131:2).

Whether it be the insistent cry of the corporate ladder, the more vocal cry of small children, or the never-ending cry of our loneliness, cacophony surrounds us. However, even the most "type A" personally eventually discovers that the soul, that deep place within, longs - indeed requires - stillness.

I am amazed that the writer of Psalm 131 does not ask for a seminar, retreat or religious "professional" to teach him how to be quiet. He simply says, "I have stilled and quieted my soul..." Did he hide in a cave in the midst of actual battle for moments of spiritual re - arming? Perhaps it was during the daily schedule of unrelenting decision-making as king that he escaped into a quiet side room of the palace?

In our modern world with its press of sound via television, radio, iPods, internet and cell phones, it becomes imperative for the Christian to learn how to "still and quiet" the soul. But this is not a habit that comes naturally; we are attuned to the clock and calendar, somehow wanting instant quietness without effort. Anyone who has suffered through learning to play a musical instrument knows the tendency to skip over those daily and often frustrating practice sessions. In similar fashion, any spiritual practice must also be actually practiced.

The psalmist says that the result of a stilled and quieted soul is the attitude of a small child who leans close to his mother, fully confident in her love, care and protection. There is ultimate and sure blessing ahead for the one who is learning to be still and quieted.

~Lord, I am impatient for so many things. I want results without effort, without practice. Not only does my head know that I need quiet, but the core of my being longs for it. Please help me understand and practice the disciplines that will lead to a stilled soul.

Love God with all your weakness by Jon Walker

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind ….'” (Luke 10:27 NIV)

No doubt it sounds strange, but in order to love God with all your strength, you have to admit that you are weak and that your strength is limited.

By doing this, you acknowledge God as the true source of your strength, and that in your weakness, he is strong. You become strong as you become totally dependent upon him, allowing his strength to work through you.

As you allow God to show his strength, you will find yourself doing things you never thought possible. God promises you can do all things through the Father as he gives you his strength (Phil. 4:13). You’ll take steps of faith you never thought possible, and you’ll love others in a way you never imagined as God supplies you with supernatural strength and energy.

God is strong and he wants you strong. He will change you in places where you cannot change yourself, and he will transform the broken places of your life in order to use them for his own glory.

God doesn’t ask you to take steps of faith alone; he is with you in every step, filling you with a grace-charged strength. God only asks you to take one step of faith at a time.

So what?

· Tell God you need his strength – and really mean it this time. Ha! When you try to love and serve others with just your own strength, you’ll inevitably fail. After all, there are a lot of frustrating, unlovable people out there. (Just ask some of my friends!) And that’s OK because God wants you to fail in your own strength so you’ll start to rely upon his strength.

· You can’t love God wholeheartedly – Jesus knows you won’t be able to love God with your whole heart until you become dependent upon his strength to do so. You simply can’t do it through your own energy or strength, but Jesus also knows you’ll come to realize this yourself the more you attempt to love God – and others – on your own. At that point, you’re faced with a very clear but difficult choice: Keep on keeping on in your own strength, wondering why this abundant life thing doesn’t work, or take the “Nestea plunge” into the deep end of dependence on God’s strength.

· One step of faith at a time – Relying on God’s strength doesn’t mean he will require you to take giant leaps of faith. He’s taking you on a lifelong journey, and my experience is that God only asks for one step at a time. The so-called “leaps of faith” you see some people take actually are the culmination of a lot of little steps of faith that you may not be aware of. The first step is to ask God to be your strength as you take your first steps of faith. Willingness to rely on him is a step of faith.

Rivers And Reservoirs (2) by Bob Gass

Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a [memorial offering] before God.
Acts 10:4 NIV

The things you do for others don't go unnoticed. God is keeping track of every single one. He "doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well… the love you've shown Him… by helping" (Hebrews 6:10 TM). God heard the kind words you spoke to that person who was hurting. He saw your sacrificial giving when you could least afford it. By doing what you did you paved the way for God to help you. He's storing it all up so that in your time of need you'll have a rich account to draw on.

The Bible speaks about a Roman soldier named Cornelius, a "good man… always helping people in need" (Acts 10:2 TM). And what happened to Cornelius? His family became the first Gentile household to hear and receive the Gospel. What a payoff! Why did God pick Cornelius? Because of his generous spirit, "An angel… came to him and said… 'Your… gifts… have come up as a [memorial offering] before God'" (Acts 10:4 NAS).

And, a lady was praying about starting a pet grooming business but couldn't afford to advertise. So she went to her local animal shelter and volunteered to groom the pets in order to help increase their chances for adoption. Interestingly, the harder she worked the more her own business grew by word of mouth. Finally she ended up with more clients than she could handle!

Does that mean if you don't help others God won't help you? No, thankfully His love is unconditional. But a missed opportunity to give is a missed opportunity to receive, because when you are generous with others God promises to be generous with you.