We are already on day 27 of our reading the bible through in a year. I can honestly say it is easier to keep up with the reading than writing on what I've read! Can I get a witness? :-)
I've learned about the Israelites seeing God's miracles and then questioning God after seeing Him deliver them... After all the things that God miraculously did to take care of the Israelites and then the "back to Egypt" committee loudly proclaims that they should never have left Egypt to die in the wilderness! They sang songs of deliverance with the same mouth that complained about God and His choice of leadership... they were called a stiff-necked people... I question myself... how can I avoid the "back to Egypt" committee mentality? Am I a stiff-necked person? The answers to those questions are simple... DO I TRUST?
We saw God giving His ten commandments to the people first and they did not want to hear it from God... they wanted God to speak to Moses. Then he could repeat what God says... They apparently did not want the relationship that God offered. So I ask myself... How is your relationship going with Jesus? Is He my "go to" first? As a young Christian I used to go around asking others to pray for me about this or that without ever going to The Father myself. As a maturing Christian I know it is my privilege to go My Father first, before asking others to pray for me. It sounds like a small step... but it is a HUGE step! The relationship between Father and Child is a binding one!
In today's reading I noticed something I never noticed before... Chapter 20 verse 24 of Exodus... (NLT) "...Build altars in the places where I remind you who I AM, and I will come and bless you there." I think we can do this today... when I read something that reminds me of who God is in my life I can stop right there and give Him a sacrifice of praise on the altar of my heart. He blesses me right then and there! I hope God is stirring your heart toward building that altar daily! ♥
In the reading in Acts 2 from yesterday, I have to share with you that I've seen this type of "speaking in tongues". Once in Fort Worth, David was leading a bible study class. A couple joined us one Sunday. The husband was American. The wife was from Rio de Janeiro and could not speak or even understand but a little of the English language. David taught and after class the husband came up to us as we were leaving for worship... he said that they had visited many classes, but she could not understand what any of the teachers were saying,... but she understood David... in her own language! God is still doing miracles and all we have to do is listen and watch with a heart tuned to God!
I love the church coming together as it did in chapter 2. The new believers were convicted of sin, turned from their sins, turned to God, they were baptized in the name of Jesus for forgiveness of sin, and then they joined with the other believers, devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, they joined in fellowship, and shared in the Lord's Supper, and prayed!
For a long time I have felt a sadness. The only new believers I would see (outside of mission trips) were children of believers. Things have been different in the last year. Many have come to know Jesus as their Savior. They are hungry for the Word of the Lord, for understanding, for that relationship with God and with man. They are telling others of the change in their lives. The mature believers are sharing the foundations of the faith while the newcomers are sharing their excitement about what they are learning. As I've said before... things are changing! It is exciting to be a member in a church that is not self-absorbed, but is actually reaching the community! At this point I want to share a picture... This picture is a picture of a painter that shared with us last Christmas Eve of his new love of Jesus and how Jesus picked him up and loved on his heart... I think you will enjoy seeing what he painted...
Here is the picture of his baptism...
Yes, it brings tears of joy when you see God at work in your midst!
And I will end today's talk with a quote from today's reading, as a child of the King... "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you; In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene - ..." AMEN
Blessings, friends!
Your writing is a blessing to my heart. Thank you dear sister in Christ.
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