too many wives

Deut 17:16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

King Solomon should have known better.  And so should I.  

I think there is a general principle here of over-commitment and distraction.  I feel like I constantly struggle with over-committing my time and effort, especially with work. I think this is analogous to getting married to so many things that it pulls you in so many directions that you lose focus.  Just like stockpiling money, as if it directly transfers to the eternal Kingdom.

I want to be monogamous with my commitment to Christ and the Kingdom work that He has given me.  At a high level, I think it is clear: my wife and kids, leadership in my church, leadership at work... but it becomes unclear with respect to "good opportunities" to serve, especially at work.

Father, thank you for your heart for me to be clearly focused on loving you and loving people.  Thank you for your heart for me to be effective in the good works which you have prepared for me to do.  Lord, I want my investments to be eternally significant.  Holy Spirit, please convict me of commitments that are not eternally profitable, and show me how to decommit in a godly way.  I love you, and I want to be totally devoted to you.

Harvest, work, and joy

Last night, Beau said something negative about school or homework, and I told him that God designed humans for work.  He put Adam and Eve in the garden and gave them responsibility.

In the context of Moses reviewing the three Jewish annual festivals, at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, he said:

For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.

Deuteronomy 16:15 NIV

I am reminded of a couple of other passages about complete joy:

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

John 15:11 NIV

then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Philippians 2:2 NIV

I love the connections among harvest, collaborative work, and joy.  Jesus said that the harvest is ready.  May we abide in Him and overflow with joy as we work with Him, bringing in the harvest.  What a celebration it will be when we all finish the harvest!

Father, thank you for infusing joy into our work.  May the sin-consequences of drudgery be destroyed by the grace and joy of your presence.  Jesus, thank you for commissioning our work, and Holy Spirit thank you for your power and love shown through us.  I love you.

Father's love is infinitely dense

There are a lot of things in this world that weigh us down.  This morning, I feel worn out from too much work.  I feel like I am treading water.  I feel like I might sink.

But Father reminded me that buoyancy is a function of the difference in density between the suspended object and the fluid. And He showed me that no matter how weighed down I am with things of this world, the they all have a finite density, but His love is infinitely dense, so buoyancy is guaranteed.

I don't need to struggle in treading if I have buoyancy; I only need to rest and wait for someone to come and rescue me.

It is likely that I feel this way because I have overcommitted myself and have taken on more responsibility than God has directed me.  Sometimes I act like the older brother who burned himself out on too much work.  Of you are joyfully working with the Father, then you can key off of His attitude.

Father, your love has already rescued me from the enemy who comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  Your love has already won the war.  Your love sustains me daily, and when I feel like I can't tread enough to keep my head above water, you remind me that I only need to be still aandnd know that you are God.  You are in control, and you know how much work you want me to handle.  Help me gracefully decommit the responsibilities that you have not guided me to take on. I want to walk in the joy and satisfaction of the work in which you invite me to collaborate. Thank you for your infinite love and grace.  I love you.

We are prophets

But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Yahweh's people were prophets and that the Yahweh would put his Spirit on them!"

Numbers 11:29

Indeed, we are, and He has.  As the Apostle Peter explained at Pentecost:

"... this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:  " 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

Acts 2:16‭-‬18 NIV

It is our privilege to live in this age when God is dispensing Himself through us.

Father, thank you for giving us your Spirit and making us prophets.  I want to translate you today. Jesus, thank you for your example.  Holy Spirit, I want to keep in step with you today.  I love you.

Priestly Blessing

"[Yahweh] bless you and keep you; 

[Yahweh] make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 

[Yahweh] turn his face toward you and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24‭-‬26 NIV

We stand in full receipt of this blessing because Christ Jesus is our Great High Priest, and He has blessed us with the presence and favor of God.  Indeed, we are now priests, shining His grace and giving His peace.

Father, thank you for your great compassion towards us.  Jesus, thank you for making us right with God so that we can fully enjoy life with your blessing.  Holy Spirit, anoint me today to clearly bear your light and give your peace.  I love you.

Tending the oil lamp and enjoying the bread

Lev 24:1-9

24:4 The lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord must be tended continually.

The New Covenant revelation is that I am both a tabernacle and a priest.  As a tabernacle and priest of God, I want to tend to the Holy Spirit (oil lamp) who is dwelling within me.  I want to continually be sensitive to His flicker and immediately responsive to His prompting.

24:8-9 This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in the sanctuary area, because it is a most holy part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord ."

I want to enjoy Christ every day.  He taught us that the bread represents His body, which was broken for us.  By His death, we have life.  He sustains us with His life.

Father, thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit and Jesus so that I can have a relationship with you.  I love you.

Healing

Ps 30:2-Ps 30:3 TPT O Lord, my healing God, I cried out for a miracle and you healed me! You brought me back from the brink of death, from the depths below. Now here I am, alive and well, fully restored!

I don't know why He heals some, but not others.  A year and a half ago, I was on the brink of death, within 24-48 hours of being a dead man.  But the Lord healed me.  And I am very thankful for the opportunity to live more life.

But sometimes I feel guilty.  Why did I recover, but Jill didn't?  Why did I get more time, but her time was cut short?  Why isn't Jill here with us rejoicing over Psalm 30?

Father, thank you for your kindness and grace shown to me by healing me and restoring my life.  I want to live a life devoted to you.  Please use me to show your love and power. I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus.