Circulating Movement

Many thoughts this morning.

There is one conversation I participated in on outreach this weekend that sticks out in my mind. We were talking briefly about the human lymphatic system. Our heart pumps red blood cells throughout our body but our lymphatic system has no pump. It works primarily on muscle movement bringing white blood cells to where they are needed in the body.

"...for we walk by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

God has accomplished a great salvation for mankind.

At rest, my heart will still keep pumping oxygen and nutrients all through my body but my body wasn't made to be idle. We need to keep moving by faith in a purpose. That walking movement is needed.

Perhaps we tend to focus on goals and results and that has a place in our life but what about just moving by faith in the moment?

I need outreach. I am there for others but at the same time outreach provides a focused area to operate by faith in God's declared will.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." - Luke 19:10 ESV

It might be a neighborhood or even this generation of young people that are being raised up in front of our faces that become our focus but we can move with God and all that we have is circulating in our proactive endeavors.

"As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." - 2 Timothy 1:4-7 ESV

I plan to keep moving this week. I don't want to do it in vanity. I want to have God move me as I move by faith.

God, Please stir us up in love and motivate us to move in a redemptive vision. No striving but we want to progress in a progression that blesses You as we walk by faith.

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Build Up The Walls

Reading Psalm 51 again and again this morning.

"To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me...

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar." - Psalm 51:1-10, 17-19 ESV

The picture of repentance and hope is amazing. I marvel at it. David had an understanding of grace and mercy. He saw that it needed a sacrificial system. Zion needed strong walls so that the altars would be right altars.

I don't know about you but I repent regularly. The word doesn't mean to be sorry and beat our breast. It means we turn to God and communicate. Jesus is my sacrifice. He is my only sacrifice.

As the King David saw the importance of the walls. Why does he mention them of all things in this Psalm? The walls were a continual community project. They always needed repair and upkeep. The walls meant that the temple was safe. The strength of the walls kept bulls on the altar.

Is grace taught? Where is it taught? What will keep Jesus' work on the cross preached? What are our walls and how can we strengthen them?

If no one knows that Jesus paid the price people will just be beating their breast and have no way to be cleansed. They will do what we did before Jesus came into our life. They will cover themselves with fig leaves. They will add sin to sin and sink into despair or pile on as many good works as possible to balance a scale that can never be balanced.

Do you have a Bible study or a Church or a place where the message is made known? Reason with God He will make your scarlet heart white as snow and then build the walls of the place that taught you how to do that. Build up the places that teach other how to do that.

David ends the Psalm this way for a reason. Me. Me. Me. Can't be the end of our thinking. A cleansed heart shifts to the needs of others. It contributes to the strengthening of what helps others. It starts to say, 'Hey, That wall has a crack. I'll get some mortar and you bring some bricks and let's get to work.'

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Gardens And More Gardens

God's precreation garden was a rock garden.

"You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared." - Ezekiel 28:13 ESV

He walked in a garden on Earth with Adam that had plants and animals.

"And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." - Genesis 3:8a ESV

Then Jesus sang with His disciples and prayed in a garden. He sang praise knowing He was about to be betrayed.

"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives... Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I go over there and pray.' " - Matthew 26:30, 36 ESV

Jesus has ascended but there are gardens waiting in the future. God seems to like them. Will you be there with him to see what comes next? I hope so.

You will only be there if you know Him. Do you know Him? Jesus died on a tree and rose again for you and for me. Don't let the fruit of what He has done be in vain for you. He died when you were an enemy with the hope that you and anyone else who would believe would become a friend.

He still wants to walk with you in the cool of the morning. God wants more than beauty and wildlife. His desires fellowship and company.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV

There is a knock at the door. Please answer it.

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Today we went to a market on outreach and there was a booth there with all kinds of stones and minerals. The two people minding it were watching it for a friend. I quoted them the verse I used in the devotional thought above in Ezekiel.

I also talked to them about this one.

"Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings. And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance." - Ezekiel 1:22-26 ESV

God sits on a sapphire throne. A huge sapphire throne not made on Earth. Precious stones can only be so large here because of gravity and the density of our planet. What makes a stone like that exist? A stone large enough to carve out a throne.

"And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass." - Revelation 21:21 ESV

Where can you get pearls like that I said and they just looked at me. A man who was standing there asked me what verse I was quoting so I told him.

"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." - John 14:2-3 ESV

I asked them 'What will these mansions be like if God can make stone like the ones you have on this table? It's hard to imagine isn't it?'

Those who don't know Jesus are condemned already and they will never see those gates or that throne. Jesus died to remove that condemnation. Jesus wants to bring life where there is only death.

Only believe.

They were polite. After all they were watching their friends stand and it isn't good business to be rude to potential customers. I bought a green rock and we moved on.

I hope they heard what I said.

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Visitation In The Greek And Hebrew

Visitation is a great word.

"Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." - 1 Peter 2:12 KJV

It is a time when God shows up in a special way. It can be a time when people come by and turn someone's solitary time into a 'when two or more are gathered in my name' time.

In the Hebrew the word translated visitation is Pequddah (Strong's H6486) and it is also translated oversight, ordering, account and custody. Visitation is organized and scheduled even if it is as simple as say, 'Ok, Let's all meet at the cafe and go.'

The Greek word is Episkope (G1984) and that is also translated as 'office of a bishop' in 1 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1. In newer translations it is appears as 'overseer'... that person purposes to have sight that looks on the logistics of a situation from above. They get a higher vantage point and survey for the purpose of organizing what it happening.

"The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil." - 1 Timothy 3:1-7 ESV

Yes. Visitation is a beautiful word.

I can't help but think of my friends throughout the world who go to visit people to make them feel loved. They visit with hope in their hearts and words of grace in their mouths.

In the Hebrew scriptures the law required hospitality for those from outside who came to visit. After the cross we are commissioned to go and bring hospitality to people near and far.

"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.' " - Mark 16:15 ESV

Yes. If we have a vision to organize trips to bless then God will show up and bless. Amazing.

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