Isaiah 41:19 "...and the oil tree..."
God promises to bring the oil tree where it shouldn't be able to grow. The oil tree or the olive tree represents two things, but for the purpose of today's blog entry I would like to concentrate on only one- peace and fellowship. Ps. 133:1,2 states how good and how pleasant it is to live together in unity. There will not be many people who do not desire to live together peacefully and in unity. There is only one I can think of who does not like us to live together in unity. It is the Enemy of our faith.
You see, he knows according to Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-23 that it is by our unity that others will know and believe that God sent Jesus. This unity cannot come from ourselves, in verse 22 Jesus says, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them that they may be one just as We are one." It is through His glory, His anointing, His life , we have the ability to be one.
Romans 12:14-18 gives us a good formula for practicing unity. I think the part which jumps out at me the most is "do not be wise in your own opinion." The longer we are here on earth, the more opinions we form. Whether the opinions be on the far left or the far right- whether they be conservative or liberal- they are simply opinions. According to the dictionary and opinion is " a personal view, attitude, or appraisal."
How careful we must be not to be crusading for an opinion and lose sight of the One who has prayed for us to walk in unity! Preach Christ and Him crucified; it seems so simple and yet it is the key to unity.
Let that olive tree spring up even today in your life. Ask God to bind us together in unity and love for one another.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Merciful presence of God
Isaiah 41:19 "...the acacia (shittim) and the mrytle ...."
It is amazing to see what God can do, when we allow Him to be in charge. As we continue to allow the Holy Spirit to purify us, we see more things sprouting up in the wilderness. Too often we want to continue to hang around in our desert or wilderness, even though we see His divine road signs directing us which way to go. We want to keep going on our way and then we wonder why we are so dry inside.
He keeps directing us to enter His merciful presence. The shittim or Acacia tree was used to build the Ark of the Covenant. It also was used to build the table of shewbread and the altar of incense. These were articles in the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. They were representations of God's presence as well as participation in His presence. At that time, only the priests could enter the Holy place. Now we are all part of the royal priesthood. We are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace and find mercy and grace in our times of need. (Heb 4:16)
When we are at our worse, we need to run in to His presence and allow Him to shower us with His grace and mercy. Why is it we always wait until we think we are 'good enough' before we come to God? Ephesians 2:8&9, remind us, we are not entering with our own works. We are able to approach God because of what Jesus did on the cross.
So, are we just going to enter His presence? What do we do there? The myrtle tree was used in the feast of the tabernacles (booths, ingathering). It acknowledges God as provider and Savior. It expressed joy and a humbleness of heart. It was a reminder of obedience to God's ways. There was a time of forgiveness and reconciliation.
In entering God's Holy presence, we will see our lack. We will be humbled. However, we will also see His unconditional mercy and love. We can rejoice in His unfailing love and mercy. We can revel in His grace. He has forgiven us so we can now go out and be forgiving and merciful to all those around us. We need to allow the acacia and myrtle to be evident in our lives. Watch as it springs up and starts bringing life not only to ourselves but to those around us.
It is amazing to see what God can do, when we allow Him to be in charge. As we continue to allow the Holy Spirit to purify us, we see more things sprouting up in the wilderness. Too often we want to continue to hang around in our desert or wilderness, even though we see His divine road signs directing us which way to go. We want to keep going on our way and then we wonder why we are so dry inside.
He keeps directing us to enter His merciful presence. The shittim or Acacia tree was used to build the Ark of the Covenant. It also was used to build the table of shewbread and the altar of incense. These were articles in the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. They were representations of God's presence as well as participation in His presence. At that time, only the priests could enter the Holy place. Now we are all part of the royal priesthood. We are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace and find mercy and grace in our times of need. (Heb 4:16)
When we are at our worse, we need to run in to His presence and allow Him to shower us with His grace and mercy. Why is it we always wait until we think we are 'good enough' before we come to God? Ephesians 2:8&9, remind us, we are not entering with our own works. We are able to approach God because of what Jesus did on the cross.
So, are we just going to enter His presence? What do we do there? The myrtle tree was used in the feast of the tabernacles (booths, ingathering). It acknowledges God as provider and Savior. It expressed joy and a humbleness of heart. It was a reminder of obedience to God's ways. There was a time of forgiveness and reconciliation.
In entering God's Holy presence, we will see our lack. We will be humbled. However, we will also see His unconditional mercy and love. We can rejoice in His unfailing love and mercy. We can revel in His grace. He has forgiven us so we can now go out and be forgiving and merciful to all those around us. We need to allow the acacia and myrtle to be evident in our lives. Watch as it springs up and starts bringing life not only to ourselves but to those around us.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
God's Purity in a wilderness
Isaiah 41:19 "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar...."
God promised to plant trees in this wilderness we are in. What is this wilderness? It is a place where we feel destitute and forsaken. It is a place where sin and impurity seem to have the upper hand. Everywhere we look we see chaos and confusion. It also is a place where we feel spiritually dry. People betray one another, lives are taken, and hope is trampled upon. In the midst of this God wants to raise up a standard of holiness. A ruler by which we measure our lives. We are those 'cedar trees' (Holiness) springing up in this wilderness!
The Cedar tree is an evergreen tree. It was used in cleansing and to build the temple. In fact, it was used to build the Holy place. When we think of the cedar tree as an evergreen tree, and we relate it to the idea of holiness, we realize holiness is not a seasonal thing. We don't get to decide when we want to be holy and when we don't want to be holy.
I Peter 2:9 says we are part of the royal priesthood. How are we to rise up and be who God wants us to be? Ps. 92:12-14 says "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing."
We are to be 'planted' in the house of the Lord. We will 'flourish' in God's presence. As we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, we will see changes in our lives. A thankful spirit protects us against bitterness, discontent, murmuring/complaining, faultfinding, doubt and unbelief. (Col 4:2) Without these things pulling us down we will be able to flourish in a dry and thirsty land.
Finally, as we are planted and flourish, we will 'bear fruit in old age.' Our lives will be a living testimony to those around us. We will bear the fruit of the spirit- peace where there is fear, love where there is hate, joy where there is sadness, faithfulness where there is no more loyality, etc.
God has a standard of holiness and He desires to raise us up as cedar trees all over the world. Why would we want to be stunted in our growth by clinging on to things of the past? Why would we want to hold on to memories, habits or behaviors which are only drying us up internally? Hebrews 12:1 says we are to lay aside any weight or sin which will hold us back from doing what we need to do. We must release ourselves to God and allow Him to do His work within us so that He can raise us up to stand firm in a time of great uncertainity.
God promised to plant trees in this wilderness we are in. What is this wilderness? It is a place where we feel destitute and forsaken. It is a place where sin and impurity seem to have the upper hand. Everywhere we look we see chaos and confusion. It also is a place where we feel spiritually dry. People betray one another, lives are taken, and hope is trampled upon. In the midst of this God wants to raise up a standard of holiness. A ruler by which we measure our lives. We are those 'cedar trees' (Holiness) springing up in this wilderness!
The Cedar tree is an evergreen tree. It was used in cleansing and to build the temple. In fact, it was used to build the Holy place. When we think of the cedar tree as an evergreen tree, and we relate it to the idea of holiness, we realize holiness is not a seasonal thing. We don't get to decide when we want to be holy and when we don't want to be holy.
I Peter 2:9 says we are part of the royal priesthood. How are we to rise up and be who God wants us to be? Ps. 92:12-14 says "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing."
We are to be 'planted' in the house of the Lord. We will 'flourish' in God's presence. As we enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, we will see changes in our lives. A thankful spirit protects us against bitterness, discontent, murmuring/complaining, faultfinding, doubt and unbelief. (Col 4:2) Without these things pulling us down we will be able to flourish in a dry and thirsty land.
Finally, as we are planted and flourish, we will 'bear fruit in old age.' Our lives will be a living testimony to those around us. We will bear the fruit of the spirit- peace where there is fear, love where there is hate, joy where there is sadness, faithfulness where there is no more loyality, etc.
God has a standard of holiness and He desires to raise us up as cedar trees all over the world. Why would we want to be stunted in our growth by clinging on to things of the past? Why would we want to hold on to memories, habits or behaviors which are only drying us up internally? Hebrews 12:1 says we are to lay aside any weight or sin which will hold us back from doing what we need to do. We must release ourselves to God and allow Him to do His work within us so that He can raise us up to stand firm in a time of great uncertainity.
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