Tag: Maturity

Finger-pointing

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Don’t get so caught up in blaming your neighbor that you waste the energy you need to increase your spiritual maturity.”

TB

Blame

It’s not hard to find fault in the people you do life with. There are bad drivers, annoying bosses, nagging spouses, spoiled kids, the list goes on and on. If you’re looking for a reason to be frustrated or angry, it does not take long to find a reason. However, when we exert our energy and focus on who and what is wrong in our lives, we forget to focus on the one who is right. More to the point, we stop to realize our responsibility to ourselves.

Mirror

Friends, life is not perfect, and neither are you. By focusing outward, we stop reflecting inward on how we can pick up our daily cross to walk with Christ. Instead of obsessing and pointing the finger at your neighbor, look in the mirror and ask God how you can improve yourself. We all have areas of improvement. When you aspire to move in God’s direction, you’ll find that you focus on being a better neighbor, lessening your time or need for finger-pointing

Today’s Question

Are you focused on improving with God, or complaining about your neighbor?

Enjoy the reading

Exodus 29

1 “This is the ceremony you must follow when you consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams with no defects. 2 Then, using choice wheat flour and no yeast, make loaves of bread, thin cakes mixed with olive oil, and wafers spread with oil. 3 Place them all in a single basket, and present them at the entrance of the Tabernacle, along with the young bull and the two rams. 4 “Present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and wash them with water. 5 Dress Aaron in his priestly garments—the tunic, the robe worn with the ephod, the ephod itself, and the chestpiece. Then wrap the decorative sash of the ephod around him. 6 Place the turban on his head, and fasten the sacred medallion to the turban. 7 Then anoint him by pouring the anointing oil over his head. 8 Next present his sons, and dress them in their tunics. 9 Wrap the sashes around the waists of Aaron and his sons, and put their special head coverings on them. Then the right to the priesthood will be theirs by law forever. In this way, you will ordain Aaron and his sons. 10 “Bring the young bull to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on its head. 11 Then slaughter the bull in the LORD ’s presence at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 12 Put some of its blood on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest at the base of the altar. 13 Take all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat around them, and burn it all on the altar. 14 Then take the rest of the bull, including its hide, meat, and dung, and burn it outside the camp as a sin offering. 15 “Next Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on the head of one of the rams. 16 Then slaughter the ram, and splatter its blood against all sides of the altar. 17 Cut the ram into pieces, and wash off the internal organs and the legs. Set them alongside the head and the other pieces of the body, 18 then burn the entire animal on the altar. This is a burnt offering to the LORD ; it is a pleasing aroma, a special gift presented to the LORD . 19 “Now take the other ram, and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head. 20 Then slaughter it, and apply some of its blood to the right earlobes of Aaron and his sons. Also put it on the thumbs of their right hands and the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar. 21 Then take some of the blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his sons and on their garments. In this way, they and their garments will be set apart as holy. 22 “Since this is the ram for the ordination of Aaron and his sons, take the fat of the ram, including the fat of the broad tail, the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat around them, along with the right thigh. 23 Then take one round loaf of bread, one thin cake mixed with olive oil, and one wafer from the basket of bread without yeast that was placed in the LORD ’s presence. 24 Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons to be lifted up as a special offering to the LORD . 25 Afterward take the various breads from their hands, and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering. It is a pleasing aroma to the LORD, a special gift for him. 26 Then take the breast of Aaron’s ordination ram, and lift it up in the LORD ’s presence as a special offering to him. Then keep it as your own portion. 27 “Set aside the portions of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons. This includes the breast and the thigh that were lifted up before the LORD as a special offering. 28 In the future, whenever the people of Israel lift up a peace offering, a portion of it must be set aside for Aaron and his descendants. This is their permanent right, and it is a sacred offering from the Israelites to the LORD . 29 “Aaron’s sacred garments must be preserved for his descendants who succeed him, and they will wear them when they are anointed and ordained. 30 The descendant who succeeds him as high priest will wear these clothes for seven days as he ministers in the Tabernacle and the Holy Place. 31 “Take the ram used in the ordination ceremony, and boil its meat in a sacred place. 32 Then Aaron and his sons will eat this meat, along with the bread in the basket, at the Tabernacle entrance. 33 They alone may eat the meat and bread used for their purification in the ordination ceremony. No one else may eat them, for these things are set apart and holy. 34 If any of the ordination meat or bread remains until the morning, it must be burned. It may not be eaten, for it is holy. 35 “This is how you will ordain Aaron and his sons to their offices, just as I have commanded you. The ordination ceremony will go on for seven days. 36 Each day you must sacrifice a young bull as a sin offering to purify them, making them right with the LORD . Afterward, cleanse the altar by purifying it ; make it holy by anointing it with oil. 37 Purify the altar, and consecrate it every day for seven days. After that, the altar will be absolutely holy, and whatever touches it will become holy. 38 “These are the sacrifices you are to offer regularly on the altar. Each day, offer two lambs that are a year old, 39 one in the morning and the other in the evening. 40 With one of them, offer two quarts of choice flour mixed with one quart of pure oil of pressed olives; also, offer one quart of wine as a liquid offering. 41 Offer the other lamb in the evening, along with the same offerings of flour and wine as in the morning. It will be a pleasing aroma, a special gift presented to the LORD . 42 “These burnt offerings are to be made each day from generation to generation. Offer them in the LORD ’s presence at the Tabernacle entrance; there I will meet with you and speak with you. 43 I will meet the people of Israel there, in the place made holy by my glorious presence. 44 Yes, I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. 45 Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, 46 and they will know that I am the LORD their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the LORD their God.

In the Mirror

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Growing in your relationship with Christ requires constant self-reflection.”

TB

Stranger

Accepting salvation means that we are consciously declaring that we need God and are taking Him up on Jesus’ sacrifice. Of course, for us to admit the need for help, we have to be able to accurately assess our shortcomings. When we were blind, it was easier to accept our corrupt and flesh-driven behaviors as truth. Even still, there is (and always will be) a nagging feeling that something is missing. When we fail to develop an authentic connection with God, we will always be looking at a stranger in the mirror.

Reflect

If you’re tired of worshipping false idols, including yourself, take an honest reflection in the mirror. Ask God to reveal the Truth, and humbly look within to see the Truth of the need for salvation. When we look in the mirror to see who we are without Christ, it becomes clear that we must reflect on who He is to have a better understanding. So friends, let’s not get too high and mighty off of our own reflection. Instead, develop the spiritual maturity to embrace God’s reflection. In doing so, you build your relationship in Christ through self-reflection.

Today’s Question

Are you too proud of your own image to see how foolish you’ve become?

Enjoy the reading

Micah 5

1 Mobilize! Marshal your troops! The enemy is laying siege to Jerusalem. They will strike Israel’s leader in the face with a rod. 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf. 3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the woman in labor gives birth. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land. 4 And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD ’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored around the world. 5 And he will be the source of peace. When the Assyrians invade our land and break through our defenses, we will appoint seven rulers to watch over us, eight princes to lead us. 6 They will rule Assyria with drawn swords and enter the gates of the land of Nimrod. He will rescue us from the Assyrians when they pour over the borders to invade our land. 7 Then the remnant left in Israel will take their place among the nations. They will be like dew sent by the LORD or like rain falling on the grass, which no one can hold back and no one can restrain. 8 The remnant left in Israel will take their place among the nations. They will be like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a strong young lion among flocks of sheep and goats, pouncing and tearing as they go with no rescuer in sight. 9 The people of Israel will stand up to their foes, and all their enemies will be wiped out. 10 “In that day,” says the LORD, “I will slaughter your horses and destroy your chariots. 11 I will tear down your walls and demolish your defenses. 12 I will put an end to all witchcraft, and there will be no more fortune-tellers. 13 I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars, so you will never again worship the work of your own hands. 14 I will abolish your idol shrines with their Asherah poles and destroy your pagan cities. 15 I will pour out my vengeance on all the nations that refuse to obey me.” Micah 4Micah 6  Parallel Compare

Allowance

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Thank God for His allowances!”

TB

Tenure

It’s arrogant to believe that just because you’ve known Christ for a long time that your wages will be any better than the believers who show up in the last hour. Like the workers in the vineyard, Christ’s generosity supersedes our limited understanding. While the end allowance (salvation) is the same for the last and the first, do not discount the glory of walking with God.

Gift

To have walked with God for a long time is a gift in itself, so there is no need to worry or be jealous of new believers. Just like the brother of the prodigal son, if you’ve already known God, then you already have access to His kingdom. That does not change just because someone else got the memo. So instead of letting your pride lead you into foolish arrogance, Thank God for His wages and walk in peace.

Today’s Question

Are you enjoying your wages or are you counting someone else’s?

Enjoy the reading

Jonah 4

1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD ? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, LORD ! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” 4 The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?” 5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the LORD God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed. 9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!” 10 Then the LORD said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

End, Scene

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“The same script will not work in a new scene.”

TB

New Material

As we mature in our relationship with Christ, so will the scenes of our lives. Every chapter and scene will have a change in lines, some with the same scene partners and others with new ones. Spiritual maturity requires new material as our old ways cannot support a new life.

Learn Your Lines

You cannot recite old lines in a new chapter, and as such you must learn new ones. Fortunately for us, the Bible is tried and true material that possesses all of the parts we need to know. So let’s not get complacent in our old scenes and learn the new parts that God is trying to teach us.

Today’s Question

Are you learning the new lines?

Enjoy the reading

Joel 1

1 The LORD gave this message to Joel son of Pethuel. 2 Hear this, you leaders of the people. Listen, all who live in the land. In all your history, has anything like this happened before? 3 Tell your children about it in the years to come, and let your children tell their children. Pass the story down from generation to generation. 4 After the cutting locusts finished eating the crops, the swarming locusts took what was left! After them came the hopping locusts, and then the stripping locusts, too! 5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you wine-drinkers! All the grapes are ruined, and all your sweet wine is gone. 6 A vast army of locusts has invaded my land, a terrible army too numerous to count. Its teeth are like lions’ teeth, its fangs like those of a lioness. 7 It has destroyed my grapevines and ruined my fig trees, stripping their bark and destroying it, leaving the branches white and bare. 8 Weep like a bride dressed in black, mourning the death of her husband. 9 For there is no grain or wine to offer at the Temple of the LORD . So the priests are in mourning. The ministers of the LORD are weeping. 10 The fields are ruined, the land is stripped bare. The grain is destroyed, the grapes have shriveled, and the olive oil is gone. 11 Despair, all you farmers! Wail, all you vine growers! Weep, because the wheat and barley— all the crops of the field—are ruined. 12 The grapevines have dried up, and the fig trees have withered. The pomegranate trees, palm trees, and apple trees— all the fruit trees—have dried up. And the people’s joy has dried up with them. 13 Dress yourselves in burlap and weep, you priests! Wail, you who serve before the altar! Come, spend the night in burlap, you ministers of my God. For there is no grain or wine to offer at the Temple of your God. 14 Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people of the land into the Temple of the LORD your God, and cry out to him there. 15 The day of the LORD is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty. How terrible that day will be! 16 Our food disappears before our very eyes. No joyful celebrations are held in the house of our God. 17 The seeds die in the parched ground, and the grain crops fail. The barns stand empty, and granaries are abandoned. 18 How the animals moan with hunger! The herds of cattle wander about confused, because they have no pasture. The flocks of sheep and goats bleat in misery. 19 LORD, help us! The fire has consumed the wilderness pastures, and flames have burned up all the trees. 20 Even the wild animals cry out to you because the streams have dried up, and fire has consumed the wilderness pastures.

Avoid

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

burning-log-2088631_1920.jpg

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“Do not avoid uncomfortable situations or moments. Instead, walk boldly in the truth that God is with you in all things.”~TB

Unpleasant

The world teaches us to avoid unpleasant experiences. Human logic dictates that if the moment induces discomfort, it must be a bad thing, therefore we remove the “yucky stuff” from our lives. What an amazingly ironic and counterproductive paradigm! The problem with that ideology is that it eliminates the most vital and necessary aspect of our spiritual growth. Through the unpleasant times, we get to grow closer and know God in a more personal and one-on-one manner. In fact, it’s those uncomfortable and painful moments where we grow the most. That is if we take them as they are and not as we perceive them to be.

Kiln

When I was a kid in elementary school, we’d have the opportunity to participate in an art class. Some of the projects included working with clay, making different sorts of things. I loved it. Being able to mold and shape things– essentially making something out of nothing– is something I love. My favorite part was seeing my work after it was fired in the kiln. For those that don’t know, a kiln is a heating chamber that transforms materials in high temperatures. When the clay is heated properly, it is then ready to be turned into a vessel. If you’ve ever worked clay, you’ve seen firsthand how a slippery and malleable substance is transformed into a sturdy and utilitarian product. God is the Kiln to our clay.

Good Burn

In order to be the vessel that God has called you to be, you must learn to reexamine your mind about the kiln process. Trials and tribulations are the firey elements that shore up your vessel. Without them, you remain mushy and unsustainable. When you avoid the molding and kiln of God, your ability to rise to the calling on your life is impossible. Don’t avoid the process,  but trust that all things in your life are used to strengthen your relationship with God. Let the Bible mold you and your time with God be the fire that hardens the clay. In doing so, we see as God intended us to see. When that happens, we walk in the way that God called us to.

Today’s Question

Are you going through the kiln or do you want to remain mushy and broken?

Enjoy the reading

Jeremiah 8

1 “In that day,” says the LORD, “the enemy will break open the graves of the kings and officials of Judah, and the graves of the priests, prophets, and common people of Jerusalem. 
2 They will spread out their bones on the ground before the sun, moon, and stars—the gods my people have loved, served, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up again or buried but will be scattered on the ground like manure. 
3 And the people of this evil nation who survive will wish to die rather than live where I will send them. I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken! 
4 “Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: “‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back? 
5 Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path? Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back? They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around. 
6 I listen to their conversations and don’t hear a word of truth. Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”? No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle! 
7 Even the stork that flies across the sky knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane. They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know the LORD ’s laws. 
8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the LORD,” when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies? 
9 These wise teachers will fall into the trap of their own foolishness, for they have rejected the word of the LORD . Are they so wise after all? 
10 I will give their wives to others and their farms to strangers. From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. Yes, even my prophets and priests are like that. They are all frauds. 
11 They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. 
12 Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the LORD . 
13 I will surely consume them. There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes. Their fruit trees will all die. Whatever I gave them will soon be gone. I, the LORD, have spoken!’ 
14 “Then the people will say, ‘Why should we wait here to die? Come, let’s go to the fortified towns and die there. For the LORD our God has decreed our destruction and has given us a cup of poison to drink because we sinned against the LORD . 
15 We hoped for peace, but no peace came. We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror.’ 
16 “The snorting of the enemies’ warhorses can be heard all the way from the land of Dan in the north! The neighing of their stallions makes the whole land tremble. They are coming to devour the land and everything in it— cities and people alike. 
17 I will send these enemy troops among you like poisonous snakes you cannot charm. They will bite you, and you will die. I, the LORD, have spoken!” 
18 My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken. 
19 Listen to the weeping of my people; it can be heard all across the land. “Has the LORD abandoned Jerusalem? ” the people ask. “Is her King no longer there?” “Oh, why have they provoked my anger with their carved idols and their worthless foreign gods?” says the LORD . 
20 “The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone,” the people cry, “yet we are not saved!” 
21 I hurt with the hurt of my people. I mourn and am overcome with grief. 
22 Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people?

Help > Hinder

tarynbarnesLeave a comment

girl-1641215_1920.jpg

Hi Peeps,

Today’s Quote

“So you’re spiritually mature, great! Now, step aside and let others pass theirs instead of trying to do the work for them.”~TB

God’s Concepts

The longer you spend with God, the more you understand how complex yet simple His love and teachings are. Like a game of chess, it takes a lifetime to study God’s ways. Even still, the wisest of us all will never truly and fully understand the miraculousness that is God. Depending on where you are on the spectrum, God will use you for His purpose, but friends, do your job and nothing more, as we all learn at a different pace.

 

Learning Curve

Everyone goes through trials and tests at their own pace. Some learn faster than others. And some need to retake certain tests before they ace the exam. No person’s journey is superior to another’s, no matter how quickly they learn. If you are a quick learner, be a help and not a hindrance.

Help

Helping others is part of the journey that is being a Christ-follower. This means encouraging the downtrodden, aiding those enduring hard times, and giving mercy to one another. It’s great to help, but when helping turns into servitude, you’re doing too much.

Hinder

Yes, it’s natural to want to step in so that loved ones do not endure pain. However, everyone needs to go through their own tests so that they can learn the lessons and grow closer to God in the process. When you overstep in “helping” you’re actually hinder the person’s growth and maturity. Assist when necessary and let others develop accordingly.

Today’s Question

Is your help a hindrance?

Enjoy the reading

Proverbs 24

1 Don’t envy evil people or desire their company. 
2 For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble. 
3 A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. 
4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. 
5 The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. 
6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers. 
7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools. Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say. 
8 A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker. 
9 The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker. 
10 If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. 
11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. 
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. 
13 My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. 
14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.
15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don’t raid the house where the godly live. 
16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked. 
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble. 
18 For the LORD will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them. 
19 Don’t fret because of evildoers; don’t envy the wicked. 
20 For evil people have no future; the light of the wicked will be snuffed out. 
21My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t associate with rebels, 
22 for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the LORD and the king? 
23 Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment. 
24 A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. 
25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them. 
26 An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship. 
27 Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house. 
28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them. 
29 And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me! I’ll get even with them!” 
30 I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. 
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. 
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: 
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

 

Levels

tarynbarnesLeave a comment
level-789387_1920.jpg
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“There are levels to developing a relationship with God. The more you grow in your walk with God the more you level up in Christ” ~TB

Milk

The moment we accept Christ we are reborn as infants in desperate need of care from our Father. Like a loving parent, he feeds us milk to encourage and help us grow stronger in our faith so that day by day we level up in faith, maturing in our walk.

Meat

As we mature, God weans us off of milk and begins to feed us meat. The tests, lessons, and trials become more complex, but rest assured God has given us sufficient time to develop the Biblical teeth to consume His word. Through careful study and application, we begin to connect the dots as we ascend to a deeper level of faith.

Level Up

The devil wants us to believe that the turbulence we experience as we grow is a sign that we are failing. Don’t give up, because this is not so! The truth in the matter is that the evil one has no real dominion or power over us, resist him and he has no choice but to flee. Once you recognize this fundamental truth, you then can begin to enjoy the meat.

 

 

Today’s Question

Are you leveling up to enjoy God’s filet mignon or has the devil tricked you into believing it is spoiled meat?

 

Enjoy the reading

Psalm 62

1 I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. 3 So many enemies against one man— all of them trying to kill me. To them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. 4 They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts. Interlude 5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. 7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. 8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude 9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. 10 Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life. 11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; 12unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.

Bored

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
book-791652_1920.jpg
Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“Your life is boring when you have accomplished nothing with what God has given you because you buried your talents in the dirt and wasted the time of development and mentoring.”  ~  Jon Barnes

Boarded

Walking with God is exciting with new adventures to face at every hand.  There is no time to be boring while walking by faith, not by sight!  The success of each mission is granted by each step you take in the right direction, as new doors open and close for your protection, growth, and maturity. There is no need for you to live in a spiritual house that is boarded up. 

Game

Master the board game of boring by bringing your fresh ideas to God for approval. His guidance and confidence in your abilities to do good things will overwhelm you.  Just pick one of the great ideas God has given you and finish the job.  Practice makes perfect so play the game every day and listen to what God has to say.  Your playground will become more interesting, fresh, and new each morning.

Smile

Let God put a big, permanent smile on your face, as you love everyone around you, particularly your enemies, and enjoy the transformation of lives right before your very eyes.  That smile you have will make everyone else smile and work to do a better job.
Remain diligent and focused in your best effort and you’ll be remembered for the quality of work you produced.
Today’s Question
Is your life boring because God is not present in your lifestyle?
Enjoy The Reading
 

Psalm 56 

For the choir director: A psalm[a] of David, regarding the time the Philistines seized him in Gath. To be sung to the tune “Dove on Distant Oaks.”

1 O God, have mercy on me,
    for people are hounding me.
    My foes attack me all day long.
2 I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
    and many are boldly attacking me.
3 But when I am afraid,
    I will put my trust in you.
4 I praise God for what he has promised.
    I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me?
5 They are always twisting what I say;
    they spend their days plotting to harm me.
6 They come together to spy on me—
    watching my every step, eager to kill me.
7 Don’t let them get away with their wickedness;
    in your anger, O God, bring them down.
8 You keep track of all my sorrows.[b]
    You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
    You have recorded each one in your book.
9 My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.
    This I know: God is on my side!
10 I praise God for what he has promised;
    yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me?
12 I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,
    and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
13 For you have rescued me from death;
    you have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in your presence, O God,
    in your life-giving light.

Love,

Jonathan

Back

jonmbarnesLeave a comment
dove-2516641_1920.jpgHi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“The movement of the ocean and breath of life are similar and you have to back off to pay attention to the rhythms, similarities, and differences of life and the environment to make proper adjustments.” ~ Jon Barnes

Off

You need time to back off from work to pay attention to the life of your spouse and family to make adjustments and become sensitive to their personal needs.  You can work yourself into sickness if you are not careful in balancing your time, recreation, and habits.  Create a balanced diet of good activities to improve your life, just like eating a well-balanced meal.  It takes work and effort to rest in God’s plans and hands while navigating sensitive issues.  Often I Back Off and reflect with God.

Too

Too much access to many things is not always good.  You can become consumed with stuff and options to ignore God’s simplistic plans. It is a challenge to pick what is necessary, good, evil, or wasteful.  Monitor the heart rate, pulse, and motives of a situation to determine it’s value, validity, and vantage point.  When less is more, you have reached the top of the bell curve in your understanding and usefulness, when implementing God’s advice.

Much

Maturity and wisdom in God are needed to master and balanced efforts in life and it is nice to have wise old people to listen to stories, ideas, and methods that have worked in the past.  Then you will be able to use technology, wisdom, and common sense in the same sentence to state your case, finish projects, hit targets, and connect generations to God.
Today’s Question
Do you know the difference between resting in God or just being lazy and consumed in foolishness?
Enjoy The Reading
 

Ezra 7 

Ezra Arrives in Jerusalem

7 Many years later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia,[a] there was a man named Ezra. He was the son[b] of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son[c] of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the high priest.[d] 6 This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him. 7 Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign.
8 Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in August[e] of that year. 9 He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year,[f] and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4,[g] for the gracious hand of his God was on him. 10 This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.

Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

11 King Artaxerxes had given a copy of the following letter to Ezra, the priest and scribe who studied and taught the commands and decrees of the Lord to Israel:
12 [h]“From Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the teacher of the law of the God of heaven. Greetings.
13 “I decree that any of the people of Israel in my kingdom, including the priests and Levites, may volunteer to return to Jerusalem with you. 14 I and my council of seven hereby instruct you to conduct an inquiry into the situation in Judah and Jerusalem, based on your God’s law, which is in your hand. 15 We also commission you to take with you silver and gold, which we are freely presenting as an offering to the God of Israel who lives in Jerusalem.
16 “Furthermore, you are to take any silver and gold that you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the voluntary offerings of the people and the priests that are presented for the Temple of their God in Jerusalem. 17 These donations are to be used specifically for the purchase of bulls, rams, male lambs, and the appropriate grain offerings and liquid offerings, all of which will be offered on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem. 18 Any silver and gold that is left over may be used in whatever way you and your colleagues feel is the will of your God.
19 “But as for the cups we are entrusting to you for the service of the Temple of your God, deliver them all to the God of Jerusalem. 20 If you need anything else for your God’s Temple or for any similar needs, you may take it from the royal treasury.
21 “I, Artaxerxes the king, hereby send this decree to all the treasurers in the province west of the Euphrates River[i]: ‘You are to give Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the God of heaven, whatever he requests of you. 22 You are to give him up to 7,500 pounds[j] of silver, 500 bushels[k] of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil,[l] and an unlimited supply of salt. 23 Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against the realm of the king and his sons? 24 I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.’
25 “And you, Ezra, are to use the wisdom your God has given you to appoint magistrates and judges who know your God’s laws to govern all the people in the province west of the Euphrates River. Teach the law to anyone who does not know it. 26 Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished immediately, either by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.”

Ezra Praises the Lord

27 Praise the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who made the king want to beautify the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem! 28 And praise him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and all his mighty nobles! I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me. And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem.
Love, 
Jonathan

Grandma

jonmbarnes1 Comment
borkum-82493_1280
 Hi Peeps,
Today’s Quote
“Grandma was honest, killing the negative actions of people with kindness, love, long-suffering, meekness, maturity, prayer, faith, and love; which is a quality she transferred to me from God.” ~ Jon Barnes

Accept

You cannot accept something good from God that you didn’t give consent to receive. So, take what is yours. You cannot receive something you don’t believe. Believe what is yours.  Accept the invitation of faith by activating your love towards God so that your actions of faith births your good works! Accept the work of your faith and it’s full measure.

Except

How can you believe in God without faith to be born again, by the Spirit of God. Christ is the only way, granny would say. We accept God’s information and conditions based on our obedience and love. I chose to listen and accept the lifestyle of my grandma. You can love, trust, and believe God, except you choose not too.

Avoid

You cannot believe in God or trust Him when your lifestyle practices the opposite commandments of what is in the bible. I chose to do what my grandma did, by following God. Your belief is not valid or correct and will not be accepted by God when you are a hypocrite. My Grandma taught me how to avoid being a hypocrite by showing and doing the work of love, faith, and godly actions. Develop your heart, mind, ways, faith, and work after the examples of Jesus.
Today’s Question
Did you know you cannot hide secrets or thoughts from God?
Enjoy The Reading

Leviticus 23

The Appointed Festivals

23 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as official days for holy assembly.
3 “You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of complete rest, an official day for holy assembly. It is the Lord’s Sabbath day, and it must be observed wherever you live.
4 “In addition to the Sabbath, these are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the official days for holy assembly that are to be celebrated at their proper times each year.

Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread

5 “The Lord’s Passover begins at sundown on the fourteenth day of the first month.[a] 6 On the next day, the fifteenth day of the month, you must begin celebrating the Festival of Unleavened Bread. This festival to the Lord continues for seven days, and during that time the bread you eat must be made without yeast. 7 On the first day of the festival, all the people must stop their ordinary work and observe an official day for holy assembly. 8 For seven days you must present special gifts to the Lord. On the seventh day the people must again stop all their ordinary work to observe an official day for holy assembly.”

Celebration of First Harvest

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you enter the land I am giving you and you harvest its first crops, bring the priest a bundle of grain from the first cutting of your grain harvest. 11 On the day after the Sabbath, the priest will lift it up before the Lord so it may be accepted on your behalf. 12 On that same day you must sacrifice a one-year-old male lamb with no defects as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 With it you must present a grain offering consisting of four quarts[b] of choice flour moistened with olive oil. It will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. You must also offer one quart[c] of wine as a liquid offering. 14 Do not eat any bread or roasted grain or fresh kernels on that day until you bring this offering to your God. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live.

The Festival of Harvest

15 “From the day after the Sabbath—the day you bring the bundle of grain to be lifted up as a special offering—count off seven full weeks. 16 Keep counting until the day after the seventh Sabbath, fifty days later. Then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 From wherever you live, bring two loaves of bread to be lifted up before the Lord as a special offering. Make these loaves from four quarts of choice flour, and bake them with yeast. They will be an offering to the Lord from the first of your crops. 18 Along with the bread, present seven one-year-old male lambs with no defects, one young bull, and two rams as burnt offerings to the Lord. These burnt offerings, together with the grain offerings and liquid offerings, will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 19 Then you must offer one male goat as a sin offering and two one-year-old male lambs as a peace offering.
20 “The priest will lift up the two lambs as a special offering to the Lord, together with the loaves representing the first of your crops. These offerings, which are holy to the Lord, belong to the priests. 21 That same day will be proclaimed an official day for holy assembly, a day on which you do no ordinary work. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live.[d]
22 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. Leave it for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God.”

The Festival of Trumpets

23 The Lord said to Moses, 24 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. On the first day of the appointed month in early autumn,[e] you are to observe a day of complete rest. It will be an official day for holy assembly, a day commemorated with loud blasts of a trumpet. 25 You must do no ordinary work on that day. Instead, you are to present special gifts to the Lord.”

The Day of Atonement

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, 27 “Be careful to celebrate the Day of Atonement on the tenth day of that same month—nine days after the Festival of Trumpets.[f]You must observe it as an official day for holy assembly, a day to deny yourselves[g] and present special gifts to the Lord. 28 Do no work during that entire day because it is the Day of Atonement, when offerings of purification are made for you, making you right with[h] the Lord your God. 29 All who do not deny themselves that day will be cut off from God’s people. 30 And I will destroy anyone among you who does any work on that day. 31 You must not do any work at all! This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live. 32 This will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and on that day you must deny yourselves. This day of rest will begin at sundown on the ninth day of the month and extend until sundown on the tenth day.”

The Festival of Shelters

33 And the Lord said to Moses, 34 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. Begin celebrating the Festival of Shelters[i] on the fifteenth day of the appointed month—five days after the Day of Atonement.[j] This festival to the Lordwill last for seven days. 35 On the first day of the festival you must proclaim an official day for holy assembly, when you do no ordinary work. 36 For seven days you must present special gifts to the Lord. The eighth day is another holy day on which you present your special gifts to the Lord. This will be a solemn occasion, and no ordinary work may be done that day.
37 (“These are the Lord’s appointed festivals. Celebrate them each year as official days for holy assembly by presenting special gifts to the Lord—burnt offerings, grain offerings, sacrifices, and liquid offerings—each on its proper day. 38 These festivals must be observed in addition to the Lord’s regular Sabbath days, and the offerings are in addition to your personal gifts, the offerings you give to fulfill your vows, and the voluntary offerings you present to the Lord.)
39 “Remember that this seven-day festival to the Lord—the Festival of Shelters—begins on the fifteenth day of the appointed month,[k] after you have harvested all the produce of the land. The first day and the eighth day of the festival will be days of complete rest. 40 On the first day gather branches from magnificent trees[l]—palm fronds, boughs from leafy trees, and willows that grow by the streams. Then celebrate with joy before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You must observe this festival to the Lord for seven days every year. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed in the appointed month[m] from generation to generation.42 For seven days you must live outside in little shelters. All native-born Israelites must live in shelters. 43 This will remind each new generation of Israelites that I made their ancestors live in shelters when I rescued them from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
44 So Moses gave the Israelites these instructions regarding the annual festivals of the Lord.
Love
Jonathan