Reign in life

‭Romans 5:17 NIV‬

[17] For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Notice the change in the reigning entity:  Adam's sin allowed death to reign, but Christ's death allows us to reign.

Father, thank you for the opportunity to reign in life.  Jesus, thank you for your example for us to follow.  Holy Spirit, please teach me how to reign in life.  I love you.

Drinking the Spirit

‭1 Corinthians 12:13 NIV‬

[13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 

I want to learn how to drink the Spirit.

Father, I am so ignorant.  I don't know how to drink the Spirit, but I want to. You promise to give wisdom generously to those who ask.  Holy Spirit, please teach me how to drink.  Lord Jesus, I want to be filled with the Spirit like you.  I love you.

Jesus is both High Priest and High King

‭Zechariah 6:9-13 NIV‬

[9] The word of the Lord came to me: [10] "Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. [11] Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak. [12] Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. [13] It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.' 

Gold and silver represent heaven and redemption, respectively.

"Joshua" is the English version of the Hebrew equivalent (יְהוֹשׁוּעַ) for Jesus's name in Greek (Ἰησοῦς).

Jesus is the Branch from Jesse, and he is High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.  He is the High King, and we are his temple.

Father, you have made an amazing story with humanity!  Jesus, thank you for being the High Priest and High King.  You are the singularity.  I love you! 

Testing and Promotion

Daniel was awakened by the officer sent to execute him because King Nebuchadnezzar didn't know the meaning of his dream.  Daniel and his friends asked God for mercy and revelation, and God answered.  They were tested, and they experienced God and His goodness in the midst of the testing.  Then King Nebuchadnezzar promoted Daniel, and Daniel requested promotion for Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  Promotion followed testing.

Later, King Nebuchadnezzar constructed a statue and required everyone to worship it, but Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah refused to worship the statue, so King Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the fire with the furnace heated to seven times hotter.  They experienced God and his goodness in the midst of the testing.  Then King Nebuchadnezzar promoted them to higher positions in the province of Babylon.  Promotion followed testing.

Father, thank you for revealing mysteries and wisdom to us.  May we be faithful to seek you and honor you when we are tested, for your glory.  May we see your goodness. Jesus, thank you for your example.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your presence and power.  I love you.

Protection and vindication

‭Isaiah 54:17 NIV‬

 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of [Yahweh], and this is their vindication from me," declares [Yahweh].

Father, thank you for your protection from evil attacks.  Thank you for your vindication. I trust you, and I love you.

Childish versus Child-like

A few attributes of each:

Childish

- selfish

- impatient

- vengeful

- rigid

- fearful

Child-like 

- joyful

- playful

- wonder-filled

- trusting

- fully dependent on the Father

- curious 

- innocent

- compassionate

- forgiving

- flexible

- full of adventure 

Father, help me be child-like.  Holy Spirit, please restore my sense of adventure and playfulness.  I love you.

Expensive money

‭2 Kings 5:20, 24, 26-27 NIV‬

[20] Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him." ... [24] When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put [the silver and clothes] away in the house. ... [26] But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? [27] Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

There are so many things in this world that one can chase.  Most people don't realize the consequence of biting the hook hidden within the bait.

I feel convicted about spending too much time working, trying to make sure that I cover my summer salary.  I wish I spent more time with my kids.

Father's Day is a reminder of how far I need to go to be a good dad.

Father, help me be more like you.  Seems impossible, but you call me to be perfect like you, so I want to try.  Holy Spirit, please help me listen to you.  I love you.

Heavy loss and ironic timing

Yesterday, Brandi and I closed on a house that has an attached apartment so Brandi's parents could move in with us. It was the only house that checked all the boxes. Thankful for Father's provision.

Sadly, also yesterday, Brandi's dad passed away unexpectedly.  We prayed every night for him to be healed, but the progression of Bill's ALS was steady. We sensed that time was short, but we didn't think it was that short. 

Nonetheless, we are thankful for the 11 months we have had back home with them to make so many great memories.  Perhaps as a culmination, we just had a family reunion with Bill's siblings and their families this past weekend. 

The timing of closing on the house and Bill going on to be with the Lord on the same day is so ironic to me.  It feels like a gut punch, and I'm still reeling.

Reflecting on the longer timeline, it was hard to leave El Paso after 13 years of hard work digging trenches and postholes to make friends and establish professional momentum.  But I felt like God had opened up a little window of opportunity for us to spend time with Bill and support Denise as she cared for him.  

Not everyone in El Paso understood that dynamic.  Maybe I could have done a better job at trying to explain it.  Some people who were very close to me became very bitter at me for leaving.  But now I know it was a very small window of opportunity in the grand scheme of things.  If I had waited a year, I would have missed it.  I am sad for the loss of friendships of those who did not understand the stakes, but I am so very thankful for the many memories that my family made with PopPop these past 11 months.  They are irreplaceable.

Zooming out even further, I am so thankful for the privilege of being Bill's son-in-law.  I still can't believe he let me marry his daughter , especially at such a young age.  He invited me to call him, "dad," and he was proud of me like a son.  He was a spiritual leader and committed to growing in faith.  And he demonstrated for me one of the greatest lessons in mercy and grace I've every seen; I had hurt Brandi so deeply, and they drove to Austin to counsel us.  They extended forgiveness to me immediately, and they encouraged Brandi to forgive me.  A month or two ago, I seemingly randomly told Bill how much that still means to me.  I'm so thankful that I told him when I had the chance.

Father, thank you for your sovereign timing.  Thank you for the opportunity to be back home with family.  Thank you for Bill, his mentorship and spiritual leadership.  I still wish you had healed him from ALS.  Maybe you wish I had healed him.  Maybe one day I'll understand why you didn't or why I didn't.  I want to be like Jesus, and Jesus sure healed a lot of folks.  I would appreciate it if you get me on track, resolve whatever the disconnect is so I can heal people.  I love you.

Growing in Yahweh

In the New Covenant, this age of grace, we have the privilege of being a royal priesthood.

I want to raise my children in the presence of Yahweh so that they know His presence and His word.

1 Samuel 2:18‭, ‬21b‭, ‬26 ESV

Samuel was ministering before Yahweh, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 

... And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of Yahweh. 

... Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with Yahweh and also with man.

1 Samuel 3:21 ESV

And Yahweh appeared again at Shiloh, for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.

These verses about Samuel remind me of Jesus.

Father, teach me to raise my children in your presence.  Please speak to them.  I want them to know your voice and the power of your word.  I want them to walk with you, love you, and obey you. Holy Spirit, please guide me.  I ask in the name of Jesus.

Integrated life

Yahweh gave us commands for our benefit.  He desires to bless us. Honoring Him in our hearts and obeying him is how we show our love for Him.  He will supply more than what we need for His glory, as we live an integrated life, loving Yahweh, the one true God, and loving people (especially the fatherless, widow, and foreigner), and training our children in the same.

Deuteronomy 6:1‭-‬9 NIV

These are the commands, decrees and laws Yahweh your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear Yahweh your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, promised you. Hear, O Israel: Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one. Love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 8:1‭, ‬5‭-‬11 NIV

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land Yahweh promised on oath to your ancestors. ... Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of Yahweh your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. For Yahweh your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise Yahweh your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget Yahweh your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.

Deuteronomy 10:12‭-‬21 NIV

And now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God ask of you but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe Yahweh's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? To Yahweh your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet Yahweh set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For Yahweh your God is God of gods and Lord of Lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Fear Yahweh your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.

Father, thank you for your abundant mercy and grace.  Jesus, thank you for demonstrating a fully integrated life with the Father and Holy Spirit.  I love you.

40 moves after leaving Rameses

Yahweh instructed Moses to record the stages of their journey.  In Numbers 33:6-48, there are forty moves recorded after leaving Rameses after the Passover.  That is an average of one move per year.

I'm still savoring the end of the book of Exodus:

Exodus 40:36‭-‬38 NIV

In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of [Yahweh] was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

They saw the cloud of Yahweh lift forty times, and they followed forty times.

Father, I want to watch you and follow you.  Holy Spirit, I want to go with you and keep in step with you.  Please calibrate my senses to hone in on your presence and track you.  I love you.

Water, Purification

Coincidentally, or maybe divinely orchestratedly, I attended two water conferences this week, and I read Numbers 19-20 in my daily reading (water of cleansing and water from the rock, respectively) earlier this week.

On the two flights yesterday, I read the first half of the book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, and Chapter 3 about fear challenged me to think about how I fear failure.  And, as a recovering perfectionist, I struggle with categorizing anything I do that falls short of perfection as failure.  Thus, I struggle with considering myself a failure, categorically.  I want to be freed from this mindset so that I can be more impactful at helping provide safe drinking water to people around the world.

Father, deliver me from perfectionism.  Perfectionism is not the mind of Christ.  I break agreement with perfectionism.  I break agreement with thinking of myself as a failure.  I take courage in knowing that you are orchestrating my advancements and victories.  I love you.

Faithfulness

My word for this year is faithfulness.

Galatians 5:22‭-‬25 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

I've been meditating on how faithful our Father is to us.

Father, I want to be faithful to you and faithful like you.  Please deliver me from trying to please people.  I love you.

Living in paradise

The Kingdom of Light is full of peace.  It is paradise.  

Every day can be paradise if we allow His light, life, love, joy, peace, .... to flow through us.

Through me, others will taste and see that Yahweh is good because His goodness will overflow through me.

Father, thank you for bringing me into the abundant zoe life.  Jesus, you are the King of Shalom.  Holy Spirit, may the people around me know that paradise is real because of my life.  May they see your face in mine.  I love you.

Perspective on adverse conditions

Job 31:35. NIV

"Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.

Our enemy, the accuser, tries to convince us that our Father is the bad guy, that He is the accuser.  The accuser wants us to blame our Father for our adverse conditions, and the accuser wants us to think that our Father is indifferent to our pain and cries for help.

Job's first three "friends" thought Job was guilty, and Elihu argues that since God controls the weather and we can't, God would not listen to humans.  In one sense, we have no leverage against God to make Him listen to us and answer us, but we learn from David that our Father is compassionate towards us:

Psalms 8:3‭-‬4 NIV

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

Our Father created us to abide with us and love us; we are objects of his affection. So we should show compassion, mercy, and grace to all humans, especially those who are experiencing adversity.

Father, you are kind, loving, merciful, and full of grace toward us.  Father, you sent Jesus because you love the whole world.  You cause it to rain on the just, as well as the unjust.  Jesus, you showed the Father's affection through beholding and healing people who were hurt.  Holy Spirit, please help me defend the Father's reputation against the accusations of the enemy.  I love you.

Yearning

Job 19:25‭-‬27 NIV

I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

There are so many things in this world for which people yearn.  But none of them will fulfill; nothing will ultimately satisfy except meeting God face to face.

I spend too much of my time thinking about work.

I'm reminded of the lyrics from Shane & Shane's song, Yearn:

Lord I want to yearn for You

I want to burn with passion

Over You and only You

Father, you are the only one worth yearning for.  I want to have a singular devotion to you that is motivated by a desire to know you and love you, in response to your great love.  Holy Spirit, please teach me.  I love you.

Yahweh is the reference for time

I'm reading the Bible in chronological order this year.

I've been contemplating the six days of creation.  I previously subscribed to the "young earth" perspective (i.e., that the earth was formed in six literal 24-hr days), but a number of years ago, I relaxed that position because the Hebrew word for "day" in Genesis 1 could also mean "age".  I think it is much more important to focus on the fact that Yahweh is the creator than exactly how much time it took based on Gen 1.

It occured to me over the past couple of days that the tricky point about 24-hr day versus "age" is that Yahweh created light on the first day, and He documented evening and morning in that first day.  But He did not create the sun until the fourth day.

So, what was the source of light on days 1 through 3? How could there be evening and morning on the first three days without the rising and setting of the sun?

After a week and a half of pondering, I eventually concluded that Yahweh is the reference for time.  He determines what a day is.

Father, you are the keeper of time.  You are eternal.  From my perspective within time, you are infinite in both directions of time; but actually, you are outside of time.  Timeless.  Teach me to number my days.  Jesus only had three years of ministry.  May my life be lived to the fullest.  I love you.