Sunday, April 20, 2014

Making eye contact with Christ

Exodus 20

New International Version (NIV)

The Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
“You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”


The 10 commandments have been on my mind for a few weeks now. I didn't know why either, probably because I've broken most of them. I began to ask myself why and what was going on between moses and God. Sip some coffee, I read and think.  

 I've been working on this entry for a while so the coffee kind of comes and goes.

I've come to recognize that this meeting between between God and Moses wasn't a coffee house conversation like, "lets narrow down a list of things that the people shouldn't do and try to keep it to 10".  God engraved these stones with lightning. So this is for real. It also hit me that, that they weren't just commandments, but God saying "i understand what you are struggling with, and know you will continue to battle these 10 things".


“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.: 
He knew that a lot of times I think I should just get a job and forget this self employment thing. I want to blame people. He completely acknowledges and take responsibility for this.

“You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
He knew I would replace him with other people and things.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
He knew my coping ways wouldn't be drawing to him, but to other things, he knew I would ignore his calling at times.

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
 He knew, I would be addicted to things due to my upbringing, and would need to keep knocking on my door to show me what I need to do and that He loved me.

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
I'm careful about this one, but swearing and cursing, I've become really good at. Yet when I become ashamed and neglect to acknowledge him, I feel the conviction.


“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

He knew I would be a workaholic and neglect to take a day of rest. He knew I would always be thinking about getting work in and getting it out. He knew the passion he gave me would get out of hand.  He also knew I would eventually get upset with the concept of a building, pulpet, and how corporate church has become. So much as to be tired of it. Yet he clear states, take a day off!

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Lol, because he knew I would rebel and not listen to them


14 “You shall not commit adultery.
He knew this would be a problem.


 13 “You shall not murder.
i've never thought like this, but he knows its possible and its happened to others.

15 “You shall not steal.
 He knew I would steal and brag and laugh about it. (online stuff)

 16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
He knew I would get upset with neighbors at times.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

He knew this was an issue too. He knew that things find there way in to my mind in different formats because of situation upon situation of life that happens.

Hits me,
I wish he said, don't read peoples thoughts, don't fly, don't be embarrassing. He wasn't messing around. He wants me to be addicted to Him, but understands that it will be challenging. He's really just said "i know you guys, and here are ten ways to grow in me.
 
  

Monday, April 7, 2014

I desire mercy, not sacrifice - Jesus

Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.  While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.  When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
 
 
At first I'm thinking, wow this is how he meets Matthew. As I read further, I find he comes back with what is the age old problem, defining the healthy and the sick. Sip some coffee, I read and think. "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" sticks out. What is sacrifice? the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone. Yet Christ wanted mercy. Christ didn't have anything to keep. He wasn't looking for perfect people, he was looking for passionate people, the people who were considered outcasts. How many times have I pointed fingers and judged others for there bad decisions. What a bad decision I made. What is Mercy?
compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. I have to look at others as though I'm no different. I am no different, I'm as much a sinner as they are. We're all sick, in need of a savior.

Hits me, if its a sacrifice to help the sick? I'm not thinking right. I'm also sick, in need of a savior.