Back to the Present - Sarah Young

Trust Me and refuse to worry, for I am your Strength and Song.

You are feeling wobbly now, looking at difficult times looming ahead, measuring them against your own strength.

However, they are not today's tasks --nor even tomorrow's.

So leave them in the future and come home to the present, where you will find Me waiting for you.

Since I am your strength, I can empower you to handle each task as it comes. Because I am your Song, I can give you joy as you work alongside Me.

Keep bringing your mind back to the present moment.

Among all My creatures, only humans can anticipate future events.

This ability is a blessing, but it becomes a curse whenever it is misused.

If you use your magnificent mind to worry about tomorrow, you cloak yourself in dark unbelief.

However, when the hope of heaven fills your thoughts, the Light of My Presence envelopes you.

Though heaven is future, it is also present tense.

As you walk in the Light with me, you have one foot on earth and one foot in heaven. 

 -- From Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

The LORD is my strength and my song;

He has become my salvation.

He is my God and I will praise Him.

 Exodus 15:2

We demolish arguments and every pretension

that sets itself against the knowledge of God,

and we take captive every thought

to make it obedient to Christ.

  2 Corinthians 10:5

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,

for He who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23

The Grid - Sarah Young

Let thankfulness temper all your thoughts.

A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me.

I hate it when My children grumble, casually despising My sovereignty.

Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin.


Furthermore, a grateful attitude becomes a grid though which you perceive life.

Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining on all your circumstances.

Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with joy.

--From Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

Giving thanks always and for all things to

God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:20

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,

for His steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 106:1

I hate it when My people grumble, casually despising My Sovereignty.

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 12) - The last bit

God's Ark found a resting place at Obed-Edom's home. For 90 days Obed-Edom was host to God's presence. When King David came to retrieve the Ark and remove it to a new resting place in Jerusalem, Obed-Edom joined to procession of faithful, joyful Jews who accompanied the Ark. He played his harp, maybe danced with David along the road, and rejoiced that he could stay close to God's presence by moving to Jerusalem and serving God in the new tabernacle King David had prepared.

When there, Obed-Edom, whose name means "servant/enemy of God", found places to minister, and was finally promoted to care for the vast treasures (probably about 2 and 1/2 billion dollars in today's money) that David was collecting for his son Solomon to place in the great new Temple which Solomon was going to build for God.

Sometime in his life, Obed-Edom became a friend, not an enemy, of God. And being in God's presence appears to be the central point in his life.

How blessed we are now -- because now the great Sovereign LORD of the universe can come live within us -- now He can enter our lives and actually settle down and be at home in our hearts.

I remember when I invited the Son of God to come in and live in me. I will never forget that day. But there is another day I remember also. That was the day I suddenly realized I wasn't doing it right.

I was so caught up in cleaning each room (what about that horrible Hall Closet?) that I was living like a child with one of those games -- you know, when the child sits in front of a platform with pegs sticking up -- and he takes his mallet and pounds one down and another pops up...and he keeps going and going..faster and faster, the pegs keep popping up -- well, that was my life.

I would clean one room and by the time I was through, I saw the dust and dirt in another room. And so I hurried there. And it went on, around and around.

But after all, the King of the Universe is living here. I have to keep it clean!

I couldn't take it any more. I was frazzled and tearful.

So I asked Jesus one day, "Would it be possible, or would you be willing --you can see how weary I am-- to take care of it all and operate it for me, just like You did in that Hall Closet?"

His face was shining on me when He said, "Of course." And I could see He was pleased.

"That's really what I came to do. It is impossible for you to do it in your own strength. Let me do it in you and through you. That's the only way it will really work."

I felt relieved and like the biggest burden had been lifted from my back.

"But," he continued. "You know, I don't own this house. I have no authority to make changes since I am not the owner. I am just your Guest. I can't take charge since the property is not Mine."

Then I understood. He was being treated like a Guest. I was trying to play host.

"From now on You are going to the owner of this house. I am going to be the servant."

I ran for the strong box. I took out the title Deed that showed me as the owner.

"Here it is," I said to Him, "all that I am and have forever. Now You run the house. Just let me stay with You as house servant and friend."

Like Obed-Edom who wanted to be near the presence of God every minute of his life, I, too, wanted to be with God, and have Him with me, every moment of my life.

He took my life that day. A great soul-happy peace came upon me, and it has stayed with me every day, no matter what the cicumstances of my life on the outside, I live with the King of the Universe in my heart.

And what about you?

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 11) - To all generations

Israel's First King
SAUL
1020-1000 BC


Israel's Second King
DAVID
1000-960 BC


Israel's Third King
SOLOMON
960-931 BC


When Solomon died the Kingdom split into two Kingdoms.

Jeroboam became king of the northern 10 tribes (931-910).
 Rehoboam became king of the southern tribes (931-914).

The events of 2 Chronicles 25 occurred just over 100 years later, when Israel
and Judah (the southern tribes) were actually at war with each other. Jehoash was the King of Israel and Amaziah was the King of Judah.

The record (2 Chronicles 25) says that Amaziah was disobedient and so God "worked that he might hand them over to Jehoash...Judah was routed and every man fled to his home. Jehoash King of Israel captured Amaziah King of Judah...Then Jehoash broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate -- a section about 600 feet long. He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the Temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom..."

Both King David and Obed-Edom had died many years before this. But everyone still talked about the Temple treasure as being in Obed-Edom's care. They still associated the treasure with Obed-Edom's name. That shows great respect and honor for a humble servant of God.

Some historians estimate the total wealth (the list of gold and silver articles is listed in scripture) as being worth about 2 1/2 billion dollars today. And all that was in the care of the faithful servant/friend of God, Obed-Edom.

Shakespeare wrote, "The evil that men do lives after them. The good is oft buried with their bones."

Maybe that is often true, but here is an example where it is not true. Obed-Edom's good name lingered a long time after he was gone. It was not buried with his bones.

Then I think about the horrors of slavery. Yes, the results of that evil still live with us.

And who ever remembers the thousands of people who died to bring freedom to slaves?

Their good is buried with their bones.

The Bible talks a lot about "sowing" and "reaping." We do "reap what we sow"! When we plant corn, we get corn, not cotton! When I plant petunias, I expect petunias!

Remember reading Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimmage"?

Here is a great verse that illustrates sowing and reaping:

The thorns which I have reaped are of the tree I planted,
--they have torn me,--and I bleed:
I should have known what fruit would spring from such a seed.
Canto IV, X.

I can think of many things I have done in my life -- seeds I have planted--that resulted in a thorny bush of regret and pain.

Praise God for His forgiveness, and the way He takes that ugly, rotten fruit...discards it...and then is able to reap glorious fruit from the seeds He has planted in me.

Something beautiful, something good
All my confusion He understood
All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life!

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 10) - The Bedroom

It was such a relief to have my Gracious Guest take care of that odious Hall Closet that I decided to go to our bedroom next. I am remembering an old song: You always hurt the one you love, the one you shouldn't hurt at all...so if I broke your heart last night, it's because I love you most of all...."?

I guess I am a lot older, because the lines surely seem ridiculous to me now. Yes, we do hurt the ones we love, but I seem to hurt people I don't particularly love, even strangers!

On the other hand, I do know how easy it is to hurt the ones we love. It is so convenient, there are so many opportunities, and the risk is so much lower. We can't tell off our boss, or the preacher, usually, but unloading on our spouse is almost a by-product of being married. It is part of what we expect!

I remember once saying something really awful to Art. Not only was it hurtful, it wasn't even true! (I am so thankful I can't remember exactly what it was that I said -- but I remember being very ashamed.) After stewing and feeling guilty for a couple of hours, I came back to him and gave a deeply-felt apology and request for forgiveness. He looked at me and said, "I don't know what you are talking about. I don't remember you saying anything like that!"

Home free!

These days many people find the habit of spouting off and unloading on our spouses is almost impossible to control.

When my Omnipotent Guest came into our bedroom, He could see photos of us taken at important events or recalling special vacations and times together; our Bibles in our reading areas, and typical homey items other couples have.

He nodded at the pictures and acknowledged that we loved each other very much.

He told me He understood how hard it was to show constant love and respect to those we live with. How the struggles of each day weigh heavily on us and how easy it is to lash out and accuse. And how hard it is to defend ourselves form these unwelcome attacks.

And how hard it is in our culture with its ungodly worldview to keep our vows to each other.

Faithfulness to each other is such a profoundly simple concept! God is faithful to us. We are to be faithful to Him. Since marriage mirrors and conceptualizes His faithfulness to us, we are to be faithful to our mates. As God loves the church, we are to love each other. As God is faithful to His church, we are to be faithful to each other. What could be easier to understand?

I guess the problem is not in the understanding. It's in the obedience part.

We are to keep our promises and commit ourselves to each other, just like we do to Him. He has never been unfaithful to us. We are to mirror that to each other.

Israel is a perfect example (and I guess that's why God left so much of her record for us to observe) of God's faithfulness versus ours. In spite of God's faithfulness to His people, they were, to their continual disasters, unfaithful to Him.

Hosea is a good example. This small book in the Big Book, relates God's way of showing Israel what it means to be faithful, truly faithful, no matter what.

Hosea was directed to show his fellow Hebrews a very hard lesson.

It seems that sometime, probably when Hosea was pretty young, God went to him and asked him to do a hard thing.

"Hosea, I want you to marry a woman who is going to be unfaithful to you, but to whom you are going to remain faithful. You will love her, but she will disgrace your love. I am asking you to do this so I can show My people what My love is like.

"You will be like a living parable. Instead of telling them again how much I love them and how much I cherish My relationship with them (which I have done repeatedly), I now want you to demonstrate it. You will be a symbolic, object lesson.

"It will be sort of like a stage play. You are going to play My part. You will represent God. The woman I will ask you to marry will represent Israel. The reason I am going to let her run away and make you look foolish, is because that is what My people are doing to Me right now in the spiritual marriage I have established with them.

"But no matter what she does, and she will be truly unfaithful to you, more than once, you will remain faithful to her. She will embarrass you. People will pity you and ridicule you because of her actions. They will question what kind of a man would put up with that conduct! Perhaps, they will think, you are weak and powerless. But you will still care for her -- even when she becomes a prostitute and lives in the gutter, you will go to her and bring her back. You will forgive her no matter what she does. There is nothing she can do that will outreach your love for her.

"You are going to show, by example, how forgiving I am. You are going to demonstrate how My love endures forever. Those are not just words My people say when they go to the Temple: Those words, 'My love endures forever,' are an inseparable part of My holy character."

So that is what Hosea did. He married Gomer. She left him and chased after other men. (We would call her some very descriptive names.) He followed her to bring her back. He forgave her. He didn't 'keep a record of her wrongs' (1 Corinthians 13:5).

His love, like God's, was pure and unchanging. It was eternal.

Reminding me how great God's love is helps me understand how important our love for each other is.

Sometimes on TV we see a celebrity confessing tearfully his (or her?) failure to maintain faithfulness to their mate. Often they dab their eyes with a handkerchief, and stumble on their words. We watch them express their guilt and ask forgiveness for their "mistake." I wonder, isn't a mistake what you make in math class? And you use your eraser to remove it and then do the problem correctly? Or in an English paper you delete a wrong word, or change the incorrect spelling, with just a simple 'delete' on the computer? Aren't those "mistakes"?

God tell us that unfaithfulness is not a mistake --- it is a deliberate wrong choice. It is an intentional decision to do wrong. It is not erasable. It is not just an inconvenient situation, or an embarrassing time in our lives. It is an offense to God and a terrible assault on His holy character. It is cosmic treason against the King of the Universe. ('Against thee have I sinned,' said David.)

Unfaithfulness is an act that carries great consequences, far beyond what we can see before us.

My Guest reminded me that He knows how hard it is to live as He wants us to. When something comes up I find hard to handle, "Talk to Me about it," He said. "Let me help you take steps to avoid temptation. Rely on Me and My strength. I will show you ways to control and shape circumstances so that You bring honor to Me."

He also reminded me, "And if you do something to cause you shame and guilt, know I will always love you and will remain with you, right here in your heart-home. Acknowledge what you did and I will help you take steps to avoid it happening again. You will never do anything that can outreach My love for you!"

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 9) - Almost the Last Word

When the Ark was at Obed-Edom's we read that he was greatly blessed, and his household, and all that he had.

And then Obed-Edom learned a great principle. As God had blessed Obed-Edom's house, so he should then bless God's house.

Obed-Edom was faithful in applying that principle to his life. He accompanied the Ark when David came to remove it and take it to Jerusalem. He played his harp in the great procession that paraded the Ark up to the dwelling place David had prepared for it in the Holy City.

Then he was appointed gatekeeper in the house of God. What did gatekeepers do? He helped collect offerings (2 Kings 22:4). He guarded the entrance to the tabernacle (l Chronicles 9:19),and he probably welcomed and greeted worshippers as they came in.
Many of the same duties our deacons or ushers have today. Many of the same tasks my father did at our church when I was a child.

~~~~If We Are Willing...~~~~

If we are willing to be used by God, there is always a place for us. We must have, as Obed-Edom had, a servant's heart.

In some places and in some traditions, there is a line of demarcation between "professional clergy" and "laity."

I don't find that anywhere in the Bible. We are all called to "minister."

Sometimes "ministry" means opening the windows, picking up trash, serving food, removing loose bulletins in the pews to prepare for the next service. It might mean taking the offering, preaching, teaching Sunday School. It doesn't matter -- it is all to be done as servants of Christ, ministering with a humble heart and listening for His voice.....Well done, my good and faithful servant.

[Don't most congregations have a great need for members to visit in the hospitals, fix hot dogs for the kids, recruit prayer support for the pastor and other staff, send letters to college and military youth?]

When Obed-Edom was serving as gatekeeper he probably heard the priests singing, and maybe sang himself, maybe playing on his harp, many of the Psalms we have recorded in God's Word. What about Psalm 84:1 - How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! And probably he also sang Better is a day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:10) --- my father's favorite verse.

And In thy presence is fullness of joy? (Psalm 16:11)

Is this a lesson Obed-Edom learned? One that God wants us all to learn?

He was called into ministry. But he was created to worship. What we are is worshipers.
What we do is ministry. Does God want us to be a worshiper before we serve Him? Is His first goal for us to make us worshipers? (God seeks those to worship Him in spirit and truth).


He wants us to be something before we do something. What ministry we do in His family should flow out naturally from who we are, which starts with our being in His presence -- continually and conspicuously.

Yes, I think Obed-Edom experienced that flow.


~~~~Obed-Edom Gets Promoted....~~~~


Obed-Edom was a faithful servant. And later we see that he is promoted. King David himself appointed Obed-Edom to minister before the Ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel (1 Chronicles 16:4).

So Obed-Edom was right where he wanted to be -- as close to the Ark as he could get. Because that's where God was!

And on that glorious day when the Ark was actually placed in the tabernacle, Obed- Edom would have heard David's heart-felt prayer in 1 Chronicles 16 (much of which is included also in Psalm 105).

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known to the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him, tell of all his wonderful acts. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Glory in his holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Hundred of years later, the Son of David, said Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Obed-Edom eagerly sought God's righteous holy presence and so we know he was filled with God's joy and peace.

Then in 1 Chronicles 16:38 we see that Obed-Edom had 68 associates to minister with him. He had become a leader. But he still served and led with a servant's heart.

Jesus said, The greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11). In Mark we read even more. James and John were interested in being promoted. Jesus told them,whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all (Mark 10:43-44.

So what is the last of the Obed-Edom story? Look in 1 Chronicles 26. There the genealogies of the gatekeepers is listed. In verse 4 we read about Obed-Edom's descendants. Verses 4 and 5 list 8 sons (For God had blessed Obed-Edom the record says)that were born to him.

[There is an old Jewish legend that says all 8 of Obed-Edom's sons were born during the 3 months the Ark was at his house. Some variations of the story say that all 8 were born at once! That story is not in the Bible, but for hundreds of years it has been included in the whispers of tradition.]

And then the names of his grandsons are listed.
And these notes: leaders in their father's family because they were very capable men...and...capable men with strength to do the work....

~~~Now for the Rest of the Story~~~~

The last reference we have to Obed-Edom is in 2 Chronicles 25:24.

The events in this chapter took place over a hundred years after King David's death.
It was very troubled times for Israel and Judah, years after their civil war and the division of the tribes into 2 separate countries.

The historical account is that Israel and Judah were at war with each other. Amaziah, King of Judah, would not listen to God and so Jehoash, King of Israel, defeated Judah in battle. Judah was routed by Israel and every man fled to his home (2 Chronicles 25:22). Jehoash came into Jerusalem and broke down part of the city wall, a section about 600 feet long. Johoash knew exactly where to go -- to the great Temple. And there he collected all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God, that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the palace treasures and the hostages and returned to Samaria (2 Chronicles 25:23-24). [Samaria was his capital city.]

David had turned over all the temple treasures, as he collected them, to Obed-Edom for safe-keeping. When Solomon completed the great Temple, all those treasures were placed where they belonged - right in God's house, where David had intended them to go. It would have been a very high honor to any man to take charge of these treasures. Certainly a great show of confidence and personal trust in someone's honesty and ability.

Or maybe the writer is referring to a descendant of Obed-Edom, maybe a grandson, who is listed in the genealogy, who cared for the treasures during the later years after the Kingdom divided.

But probably not. Probably the Obed-Edom referred to here in 2 Chronicles is the original humble/servant/enemy of God who had become the humble/servant/friend of God when David was King. Probably the same one who had picked up his harp, left his farm and helped transport the Ark of God's covenant to God's house in Jerusalem because he wanted to spend his life near the holy presence of God.

In either case, the Obed-Edom guarding the King's Temple Treasury was a man who realized that we are always stewards, not owners of God's wealth.

When God puts wealth in our hands it is to be used for the furthering on His Work.



These accounts of Obed-Edom reminds me of my mother often saying, "Glorya, don't you get out of my sight!"

Obed-Edom could not let the Ark get "out of his sight."

We don't know when Obed-Edom died. But we do know that whenever it happened it was not the end of his story.

For him, to paraphrase C. S. Lewis, It was only the beginning of the real story. All his life in this world, and all his adventures and all his devotion to God's presence, had been the cover and title page of the book of his life. Now at last he would begin Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read. Which goes on forever. In which every chapter is better than the one before.

And that's the rest of his story.

If we decide to look for Obed-Edom when we get "over yonder" I will know exactly where to look first -- as close as he can get to God Himself. And that's exactly where I want to be too!

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 8) - The Hall Closet

We have seen this exceptional man, Obed-Edom, as he cared for the Ark of the Covenant at his home for three months. Then we saw him take up his harp and join the joyful celebration as David escorted, properly this time, the Ark up to Jerusalem to the new tabernacle (tent) he had prepared for it. We saw Obed-Edom chosen to serve near the Ark and act as gatekeeper. Later we will see how he is promoted to even more important positions.

When Obed-Edom had the Ark at his home, we are told that God blessed him and all he had and all in his household.

Obed-Edom provided a home for the Ark. King David wanted to build a great new temple for that spiritual treasure but God denied his desire, telling him his son, Solomon, would be the one to build the marvelous temple, but David could start compiling materials: silver and gold, gems, vessels and great artistic ornaments for the temple.

God told David that he couldn't build his God a temple-house, but that God Himself would build David a house - a dynasty that would eventually bless all nations.

And in His tender caring way God tell us that we too can build Him a temple, right in our own hearts. This has to be one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines: that Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, will actually enter our hearts, settle down and be at home there. Christ will live in any human heart that welcomes him.

So when Christ moves into our hearts we let Him settle down, feel comfortable, and
feel "at home" in us. And there are some things we get to do to make sure He is comfortable living in us. We can re-model, re-decorate, move furniture around. But there are some things we don't have the power to take care of.

I am re-reading again that quote from C. S. Lewis:

Dozens of people go to Him to be cured of some particular sin which they are ashamed of, or which is obviously spoiling daily life (like cowardice, bad temper, gossip, etc). He will cure it all right; but He will not stop there. That may be all you asked, but if once you call Him in, He will give you the full treatment.

He didn't come to change us into nice people, but new people. He is the painter and we are the painting. He is the inventor. We are only the invention. He knows what we can be and has given His Son to make our transformation possible. His goal for us is higher than we can imagine for ourselves.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage; but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

The thought that the Sovereign Lord of the universe is within us is still as astonishing to me as it was when first I learned it. Or began to learn it, since I still haven't fully grasped it.

Anyway, as I go with Him through my heart-house and He observes how I live sometimes I am ashamed.

What about that Hall Closet? The one I keep closed unless I am, for sure, the only one at home. Because I don't want anyone to see what is in that closet. So I keep the door carefully closed (and locked) at all times.

It contained, not anything so awfully bad -- just some things left over from my life before I invited Him into my heart. Sometimes I justified leaving them there to remind me of what I used to be like! But they were things I didn't want anyone to know about.

One day, my omniscient Guest met me at the head of the stairs.

"What is that awful smell?"

He pointed to the closet door. "It seems to be coming from there. Is there something in there we need to clean out?"

I felt some anger. After all, I had given Him the Living Room, the Family Room, the Kitchen -- how much room did He have to take? It was only one small closet! I thought to myself, "I am not going to give Him the key. This is just too much!"

My omniscient Guest, since He knows all, heard my thoughts.

"OK," He said. "I will move outdoors to the back yard. I can't live in this house.
I can't stay near the things that are in that closet!"

I watched Him turn away from me to leave. He took one step on the stairway, and then I realized, I couldn't let Him go. All my joy and peace was leaving with Him. I loved Him so much I couldn't let Him walk out!

(When once you've experienced the presence of God in your life, you cannot live without Him.

That's exactly what Obed-Edom found out, too. He couldn't sit at his farm and watch the Ark--the symbolic presence of God--leave him. So he followed it all the way to
Jerusalem, and then stayed right near it, serving God and ministering to God's family.)

"All right," I said. "I will get You the key. But You will have to open it and clean it out for me. I don't have the strength."

"I know you haven't," He said. "Just give Me the key and authorize Me to handle that closet and I will take care of it for you."

I turned away and let Him take over. He removed all the putrefying, stinking stuff that was rotting there. He cleansed it with a strong antiseptic, painted it, and I was amazed to see that awful Hall Closet now sparkling and clean, with a fresh smell that brought genuine pleasure to me.

And I noticed that the new fragrance that wafted out of that closet was making its way all through the house.

Now I knew, no matter what sin and pain and regrets there might be in my past, Jesus is ready to forgive, to heal and make whole.

I am so thankful I gave Him the key to that closet and authorized Him to clean it out for me!

I hope you don't still have a room left like that.....

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 7) - The Kitchen

From My Heart, Christ's Home by Robert Boyd Munger

"We've enjoyed many good meals here," my Lord said to me later when we were in the kitchen.

"Yes, we have," I said with a feeling of satisfaction.

"Now I think you are ready to help in the kitchen. With a family as large as mine, with many young children (and adults) devouring large quantities of food, the kitchen can be the busiest room in the house.

"Preparing and serving food is essential to keep a family healthy and happy....
In the family of God there are many doing kitchen duty: ministers, missionaries, employed and voluntary workers devoted to preparing and serving the Bread of Life to the people of Christ. They are eager to offer it to all who will receive Him. But the pressure can be great. Many cooks burn out, drop out, or settle for doing perfunctory, dutiful jobs which are not always productive. Many cooks are trying to do the work all by themselves."

I took His words to heart. When I began to serve Christ in the kitchen of my heart, I quickly learned that there are many other members in the family who have both the willingness and the ability to help me if I would only give them the opportunity and make the effort to show them how to do it.

What a difference it makes when there is a good crew in the kitchen, with one preparing the salads, another the desserts, and others the main dishes. And then there are those who set the tables, wash the dishes, and clean up the pots and pans...In a good, close-knit family there are always those eager to give a hand.

Believe me, I am sold on serving Christ as a member of a team, especially when we are aware that the assignment is beyond our abilities. Then praying together, working together, encouraging one another we are often amazed at what God does to feed and bless His family.

Jesus worked with His disciples as a team. And so did the Apostle Paul. It is important for God's people to be of one mind, bound together in one body of Christ. To serve as a team member in Christian leadership does not require unusual gifts or perfection of performance.

It does require relying on the grace of God. The One living in my heart is "able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20).

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men...

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body...

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

(1 Corinthians 12)

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 6) - The Family Room

I ran across these verses yesterday:

And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant--these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. (Isaiah 56:6-7)

These verses were written after Obed-Edom's time and refer to another time in the future. But our LORD, who does not change, often talked about foreigners who would join the Jews in the family of God.

And sometime, we don't know when, Obed-Edom, whose name meant "humble servant, enemy of God" had become a friend of God.

We have seen him as the one who had kept the Ark of God's Covenant in his home for 3 months. Then we saw him take up his harp and join that happy band of God's people who delivered the Ark up to Jerusalem.

Then we saw him chosen to be a gatekeeper and a doorkeeper in God's house, and now he is selected "to minister before the Ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the God of Israel" (1 Chronicles 16:4).

I think Obed-Edom, still a servant, but of God; and not an enemy of God, but now a friend and in His family, felt right at home as he served in front of the Ark.

When Jesus moved into my heart, He showed me that I needed to make some changes in my Family Room. He commented that it seemed empty most of the time.

"My family includes many people of many different languages, cultures, ages and interests. They come together in many ways," He said.

He continued, "And even when you worship at church, sometimes I notice some people are lonely and don't feel close to their brothers and sisters. It might be a warm, joyful service for you, but maybe others don't feel that same warmth and joy. I don't want it to be that way. I didn't design my family to create feelings of exclusion and separation among my people."

"What should I do?" I asked.

"I want you to start working on the problem. And it is a very big problem.
Start by greeting people, not superficially, but with open hands and heart. Really find out how they are doing. Bring them into, and I mean really into, My family, and into your Family Room."

I am working on it. I see now, as I try to look at those around me through His eyes, that there are many hurting people right around me. Brothers and sisters who are in great pain. They are worried about many areas of crisis in their lives.

A healthy family developes and grows through honest, non-intimidating relationships. Where my friends and I can confide in each other, feel acceptance (and God's acceptance, His grace) through and with me.

I can't pretend I have no problems, because (well, for one thing, I am lying) then they don't feel the safety they need to confide in me.

I remember C. S. Lewis once said that the first stage of friendship is when someone can look and us and say, "You, too? I thought I was the only one......" And that's when friendship begins.

Are all my friends white, middle class (what we used to call WASPS - white, anglo-saxon protestants)? When Christ was on earth He moved about among all kinds of people. Most of them poor and needy. The rich young ruler came to Christ as well as Nicodemus. But Christ went to the powerless, the poor sheep who seemed without a shepherd, the hopeless and the ignored and neglected.

A Family Room is where people come to sit and relax and feel at ease. All of them need to feel loved and accepted and cared for by everyone in my family.

I want to fill my Family Room -- to fill it with all kinds of people -- and why? Because I want Jesus to feel at home in my Family Room. And He won't feel at home if I have neglected some "kinds" or "colors" of people; or if I have ignored some around me who are not as high on the social scale or as mentally competent as others.

Jesus told me it is important to Him, and I can see that from the example He left for us to read about. And then, another reason, Jesus' own earthly brother, James, emphasized it in his book....

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourself and become judges with evil thoughts?

Evil thoughts?

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 5) - The Living Room

When we were in the Dining Room Jesus showed me that the only really soul-satisfying food comes from Him, each day, and it nourishes me, supplying everything I need for spiritual growth.

Next I showed Jesus the Living Room. It is a cozy, welcoming room, with a fireplace, comfortable sofa and recliner (my favorite). There is an intimate and warm atmosphere.

There are book shelves and specially-made cabinets for my favorite objects I have
collected on our trips, even trips to the Holy Land.

One is what I call our "King David cup"--a plain, undecorated small piece of pottery, in very good condition, excavated from old Jerusalem (the part they call the 'City of David') and dating back to about 1000 BC, the time of King David. It had been given to Art by Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel, in the late 70's and early 80's. (Begin was born in Poland in 1913, when Poland was part of Soviet Russia and he received the Nobel Peace Prize for helping initiate the peace treaty with Egypt. I remember being in Israel about that time and a woman gave birth to triplets -- she named them Carter, Sadat, and Begin to honor the signers of that historical treaty, which turned out to be short-lived. I hope the children lived a lot longer than the treaty!)

Prime Minister Begin gave the cup to Art in appreciation for his leadership of so many tours to the Holy Land, sometimes with as many as 3000 pilgrims. And all these pilgrims participated in the "tree planting" ceremonies Begin designed to help re-forest Israel, after being ravaged and de-forested by enemy armies for hundreds of years.

That little cup is precious to me. It speaks of the past, the present, and the future.

Anyway, I guess all that about the cup is in the category of 'by the way."

But here's the real point.

Jesus seemed pleased with the room. He looked at the chairs and the fireplace and I could see His approval. (And I can't think of anything else in the world that gives such joy as the signs of His approval.)

This is what He said: "This is really a delightful room. Let's come here often. It's secluded and quiet, and we can have good talks and fellowship together."

He promised, "I will be here every morning early. Meet Me here and we can start the day together."

So morning after morning I went downstairs to the Living Room. He would take a book of the Bible from the bookcase, open it, and, while He was sitting beside me, we would read it together.

Day after day He showed me the wonders of God's revelation to man that is recorded in those inspired words. He opened my eyes and enabled me to see the glorious truths.
He taught me how to honor Him, how to live with hope and peace. How to walk through life each day in full faith that He was showing me the right paths. He would talk to me through those verses and speak to me through His Holy Spirit. And I would respond to Him through my prayers, knowing, through His Spirit, that He was right there with me.

Our friendship deepened in these quiet times of personal conversation. And then when I left the room to begin all my daily scheduled activities, He walked out with me and joined me as my companion for the day.

Somehow, through my inattention, these times grew shorter. It was due, I told myself, to my heavier schedule. I seemed too busy to spend time with Him. And often, much of the "busyness" of my day was due to activities I was doing for my own local church. So I reasoned that it was proper for me to work hard for His Kingdom, even if I had to neglect our relationship.

Urgent things began to crowd out important things. One morning I rushed downstairs, running late for an appointment, and I noticed the Living Room door was slightly open. I peered in, and Jesus was sitting there on the sofa. There was a fire in the fireplace. The room seemed like a refuge of safety and its peace and serenity embraced me.

I went in. "Master, I'm sorry. You are my Guest. Have you been here every morning?"

"Yes," He said. "I told you - I promised - I would be here every day to meet with you and enjoy time in your special company."

I was ashamed.

"The trouble is," He said, "You were thinking the time with Me was for your own spiritual growth. And it is. But you have forgotten that this time means something to Me also. Remember, I love you. I redeemed you. When you call on Me and turn your face toward Me--I cherish those moments."

Those words helped me schedule my time to be in the Word and with my best Friend.
Sometimes it is not in the morning. Maybe it is later in the day. It doesn't matter. He is always there. He never forgets. He is never too busy. He always shows up. Because He is always faithful.

He did not try to make me feel guilty. His grace was shining through every word and every glance. I know His love is always there for me, even if I don't spend precious time with Him. But my joy is so much greater when I do. And the joy carries with it a kind of sublime peace that settles me down and calms my anxious heart.

Morning by morning I wake up to find
The power and comfort of God's hand in mine
Season by season I watch Him, amazed,
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways.

All I have need of His hand will provide
He's always been faithful to me.

I can't remember a trial or a pain
He did not recycle to bring me gain.
I can't remember one single regret in serving
God only and trusting His hand.

This is my anthem, this is my song.
The theme of the stories I've heard for so long
God has been faithful, He will be again
His loving compassion, it knows no end.

All I have need of His hand will provide
He's always been faithful to me.

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 4) - You can go home again

The presence of God had an eternal and profound effect on Obed's life. I think he no longer wanted to stay at his home after David retrieved the Ark. Obed-Edom had become satisfied only when he was in the presence of God. So, when David took the Ark to Jerusalem, Obed-Edom joined the parade, playing his harp, and accompanied it all the way up to Jerusalem, to the new tent, or tabernacle, that David had erected purposely for the advent of the Ark of God's Presence.

God had blessed Obed-Edom and his entire household when the Ark was in his home. And everyone who was close to Obed knew he had been blessed. But Obed-Edom wasn't leaving his home because of material blessing. He wanted God's presence. He wanted to be close to God, no matter where that desire led him or what it cost him.

Because Obed-Edom's home was blessed, I believe he wanted to bless God's house. And so Obed-Edom was appointed as one of the "gatekeepers" and one of the "Doorkeepers for the Ark" (1 Chron 15:18). These men guarded the doors and helped collect the money (tithes and offerings) the people brought to God. They also welcomed those coming to worship God at His house. It was a trusted position and quite near the Ark of God's Covenant.

My own earthly father was a "deacon" at the church where I grew up. He went down early every Sunday morning - an hour or so before services began- to open the doors, turn on the air conditioning, or heating, making certain everything was in order.

He closed and locked everything at the end of the services. He did this also on Wednesdays for Prayer Meeting, and for all other activities. Our pastor, Rev. Burch, greatly appreciated my father's close attention to these humble duties.

My father did not become a Christian until I was about 10 or 11 years old. Oftentimes he would tell me his important life-mission verse:

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
(Psalm 84)

My father lived these verses. He would rather spend one day in God's house than to spend 1000 days with earthly kings or presidents! My father knew the difference between God's gracious and loving Sovereignty and man's empty positions here on earth. He said before he died, "Glorya, always remember, Jesus Christ is not going to return on Airforce One!"

Obed-Edom was greatly blessed when the Ark was at his house. He found that when he was faithful to God's house in Jerusalem and blessed it, God's blessings on him continued. He found that as he served God, he, too was blessed. And I know why. It's because God's favor is never paid back. It can't be. It must always be paid forward! Because that's the only direction it can go. And so we, too, can never pay God back for His grace and mercy. We must always, continually, pay it forward.

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 3) - The Dining Room

After leaving the Library we entered the Dining Room, a very important place to me. I spend many pleasurable moments in this room. He sat down at the table and asked what was on the menu.

"Well," I said,"my favorite dishes: money, academic accomplishments, approval and applause from others.." I know there is nothing really bad or evil about any of these dishes.

When the plates were served, though, I noticed He didn't eat anything.

"Savior, what is wrong?"

He said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me. If you want food that really satisfies you, do the will of our heavenly Father. Put His pleasures before your own. Stop striving for your own desires, your own ambitions, your own satisfaction. Seek to please Him. That food will really satisfy you. I guarantee it. Try a bit of it!"

Then He gave me a taste of doing God's will. What flavor! There is no food like it in the world. At the end, everything else leaves us hungry. I have learned when I seek God's will and His pleasure with me, His Spirit fills my soul, overflows my soul, with His joy and peace. It truly satisfies!

So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13).

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 2) - The Library

Thinking about Obed-Edom and how the Ark was in his home for 3 months, reminds me of a little booklet I read years ago--WOW--now that I think about it, it was over 50 years ago! I can hardly believe it. The title was "My Heart--Christ's Home" by Robert Boyd Munger. It was published by InterVarsity and has been republished many times since.

I ordered a new copy. And I am as delighted with it now as much as I was then.

Originally it appeared in InterVarsity's HIS magazine and then later in Billy Graham's Decision magazine.

The text is Ephesians 3:16-17,

"That God may grant you to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith."

Weymouth's version is:

"That Christ may settle down and be at home in your hearts by faith."

And The Message:

I ask Him to strengthen you by His Spirit--not a brute strength, but a glorious inner strength--that Christ may live in you as you open the door and invite Him in. And I ask Him with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God

.

I can't stop reading and re-reading this from C. S. Lewis:

Dozens of people go to Him to be cured of some particular sin which they are ashamed of, or which is obviously spoiling daily life (like cowardice, bad temper, alcoholism). Well, He will cure it all right; but He will not stop there. That may be all you asked, but if once you call Him in, He will give you the full treatment.

He didn't come to change us into nice people, but new people. He is the painter and we are the painting. He is the inventor. We are only the invention. He knows what we can be and has given His Son to make our transformation possible. His goal for us is higher that we can imagine for ourselves.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage; but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

.

In Munger's wonderful little about God settling down and being at home in our hearts, as soon as he invited Christ into his life he gives the Lord of the Universe a tour through His new home.

First is the study, or the library. It was filled with books, magazines and pictures on the walls (actually the thoughts and imaginations and fantasies of the mind). In a way it is the most important room because it serves as the control room of the whole house.

Suddenly as he saw Jesus looking at the books and pictures he realized that many of these things (and the thoughts they represent) did not in any way make Jesus feel comfortable. In fact, some were shameful, and the host was embarrassed for Jesus to see them.

He turned to Jesus and said, "Master, I know this room needs to be cleaned up. Will you help me clean it up and make it pleasing and comfortable to you?"

Jesus said, "Certainly, I've come to handle things like this. First, remove everything from your shelves that is not good, true, pure and helpful, and throw them out! Fill the shelves with the Sciptures and things that honor Me. Meditate on them."

"But what about the walls? My thoughts and imaginations?"

Jesus said, "You will have difficulty controlling these images. But I have something that will help."

He handed the host a full-sized portrait of Himself. "Hang this in the center of the wall of your mind. Concentrate on Me."

The host did and acknowledged later that when his mind was centered on Christ--the awareness of His presence and purity and holiness--impure thoughts seemed to back away. "So He helped me bring even my thoughts under His control, even though the struggle still continues, I rely on His power and presence to give me victory."

If you have trouble with this little room of the mind, bring Christ in there! Pack its shelves with the Word of God. Study and meditate on it. And keep before you the presence of the Lord Jesus.

Remember Christ's words in John 14: I go to prepare a place for you...that where I am you may be also. Later in John 14 He said, If a man loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him and make our home with him.

He was promising that even as He was going to heaven to prepare a place for them, so it was also possible for them to prepare a place for Him, in their own hearts right here on earth.

Gleanings from Obed-Edom (Part 1) - Whatever happened to Obed-Edom?

A day or so ago I was reading about King David's first attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, and how his impulsive plan ended in a catastrophe. The Scripture says that David was angry (2 Samuel 6:8) and in the next verse that he was afraid (2 Samuel 6:9). So he left the Ark in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. There it stayed for 3 months. "And the LORD blessed him and his entire household" (2 Samuel 6:11). In the parallel story in 1 Chronicles it says "and the LORD blessed him and everything he had" (1 Chron 13:14).

I am curious about this guy. Edom was the name given to Esau after he rejected his birthright. His descendants settled in southern Palestine below the Dead Sea. They were Philistines. The Greeks and Romans later called the area Idumaea and its people Idumeans. It appears from history that the Herod family was the last to carry that name.

We remember the Edomites mostly because they refused to grant the Hebrews safe passage through their territory when Moses and the Jews came out of Egypt on their way to the Promised Land. (And Moses had sent the King of Edom a very nice message requesting politely that they be allowed to just pass through. "Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory") (Numbers 20).

It was a very polite request. But it was denied, and, in fact, the Edomite army came out to make sure the Hebrews got the message.

Later the prophet Obadiah pronounced judgment on the Edomites because of their mistreatment of God's people, the Israelites. And that is a reminder to all of us to not mistreat God's people, whether it be Jews or our sisters and brothers in Christ, since they are, with us, God's people.

"Obed" means servant or slave. And "Gittite" means from Gath, the area Goliath was from. So this man must have been a proselyte to Judah. His people were long-standing enemies of the Jews and he was a humble farmer. But he must have made a good impression on King David, since he entrusted him with the priceless Ark.

When David returned in 3 months to transport the Ark, he told the Levites to "appoint their brothers as singers, to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals" (1 Chron. 15:16). Obed-Edom was appointed to play one of the harps.

So now we have gleaned a little more information: Obed-Edom, a humble proselyte to the Hebrew God, maybe married to a woman of the Levite clan, was trusted by David, and he was musical. And chosen to accompany the Ark into Jerusalem with King David!

And we know that this humble man, whose family was enemies of Israel, was greatly blessed the 3 months the Ark was in his possession.

It was when someone brought up God's blessings on Obed-Edom that David decided to go back and try again to bring the Ark to Jerusalem.

Could this be a reality show on TV? When God moved into Obed-Edom's house, things changed. It was no secret. Everyone saw it. His livestock produced healthy offspring.
His fields had abundant harvests. He went about his work with expectant joy and received God's extraordinary blessings with humility and gratitude. After all, who was he anyway? Just a servant, a member of a group of people who were Israel's enemies.

But when God moved in everything changed. God's presence, in the Ark, radically affected his whole household. That always happens when God moves in. Nothing will ever be the same. In those days God symbolically inhabited the Ark.

Today God inhabits us.

You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? ...God's temple is sacred, and you are the temple. (1 Corinth. 3:16)

In those days God spoke to the people from the Ark, not inside with the broken law, but outside, above the mercy seat. It is the same today. He walks and talks with us, not in judgment, but in mercy and grace. He does not punish us. He is eager to give us His blessings -- poured out -- with our cups overflowing -- because we have invited Him to come in and live in us. We are His house.

He is not a visitor. He lives in us.

He wants to use all of His power to bring blessings into our lives. The greatest miracle we will ever experience on this earth, is to have the Sovereign, Supreme Lord of the Universe, Creator of all that is, come, through the Holy Spirit, into our hearts to live.

And it will not be a secret. Just as Obed-Edom's blessings were evident to everyone around him, so God's presence in our hearts will be evident, visible, to everyone around us. We will have more energy, more joy, more peace, more comfort, when He comes to live in our house.

But He has to be invited. He does not barge in and "crash" the party. Remember the picture of Christ knocking at the door? The handle is on the inside. There is no way He can get in, except to be invited, and the door opened for Him. Have you done that? Or is He still outside?

(US) Hitler's Plans for the Bible

                         Hitler's Agenda for the Bible....

Hitler, during the 1930's, had his own agenda for the future of the Church (National Church), to be implemented when he gained control of the government. There were 30 points. Here are a few:

13. The National Church demands immediate cessation of the publishing and dissemination of the Bible in Germany.

14. The National Church declares that to it and therefore to the German nation, it has been decided that Fuhrer's Mein Kampf, is the greatest of all documents  It...not only contains the greatest but it embodies the purest and truest ethics for the present and future life of our nation.

18. The National Church will clear away from its altars all crucifixes, Bibles, and pictures of saints.

19. On the altars there must be nothing but Mein Kampf (to the German nation and therefore to God the most sacred book) and to the left of the altar a sword.

30. The Christian Cross must be removed from all churches, cathedrals and chapels...and it must be superseded by the only unconquerable symbol, the swastika.

I read this list in Eric Metaxas' book, Bonhoeffer.

I decided to do some research and find out what happened to the Bible after Hitler's death.

This is what I found out about the German Bible Society:

1. Though its roots go back to 1710, the modern German Bible Society was officially organized in 1965.

2. The purpose of the GBS is twofold: (1) publishing the Bible and important Bible studies
and (2) spreading the message of the Bible.

3. At this time the GBS publishing operations cover more than 700 books and other products, of which 300 are Bible editions.

4. It distributes more than 400,000 Bibles annually, mainly Martin Luther's translation of the Bible and the modern Good News Bible.

5. The GBS also publishes internationally accepted base texts for Bible translation.

6. The GBS also publishes children's Bibles, electronic Bibles and Bibles in all other modern formats, with the intention of providing new ways to access the Bible.

7. The GBS, along with 145 other Bible societies around the world, works to translate, publish and distribute the Holy Scriptures throughout the world.

8. The GBS World Bible Support initiative has been raising funds in Germany to support projects in less wealthy countries that make God's Word available to all people.





"...I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mathew 16:18).

"..so is My word that goes out from My mouth: it will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11.)

I challenge myself to remember to thank God every day for our country, for the freedom that allows us to gather and study God's Word openly and publicly.

One of the 145 Bible societies that works with the GBS is the American Bible Society, founded in 1816.

Its first president was Elias Boudinot, who had served as the president of the First Continental Congress. Other people of note who worked in the early days of the ABS were John Jay, John Quincy Adams, James Fennimore Cooper, Dewitt Clinton, Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, Francis Scott Key...and many more....

In 1776, the year of our nation's birth, an atheistic leader of France, Voltaire, predicted, "100 years from my day, there will not be a Bible on earth, except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity-seeker."

After his death, the presses used to print his books began printing Bibles, and Voltaire's house was used by the Geneva Bible Society to distribute Bibles.

 In 1876, one hundred years after his prediction, the first edition of his work sold for 11 cents in Paris, but the British government paid the Czar of Russia half a million dollars for an ancient Bible manuscript.

            And the gates of hell shall not prevail...

Interesting Quote from Dean Koontz - Worry

Without faith to act as a governor, the human mind is a runaway worry generator, a dynamo of negative expectations. And because your life is yours to shape as you wish with free will, if you place no trust in Providence, what you fear will more often come to pass. We make so many of our own troubles, from mere mishaps to disasters, by dwelling on the possibility of them until the possible becomes inevitable.....hope and trust will more reliably keep a man afloat, while fear is more likely to sink him.

--From Odd Apocalypse, by Dean Koontz

Anointed - Sarah Young

Let Me anoint you with My Presence.

I am King of Kings and Lord of Lords, dwelling in unapproachable Light.

When you draw near to Me, I respond by coming close to you.

As My Presence envelops you, you may feel overwhelmed by My Power and Glory.

This is a form of worship: sensing your smallness in comparison to My Greatness.

Man has tended to make himself the measure of all things.

But man's measure is too tiny to comprehend My majestic vastness.

That is why most people do not see Me at all, even though they live and move and have their being in Me.

Enjoy the radiant beauty of My Presence.

Declare My glorious Being to the world!

     -- From Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

...until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in His own time -- God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, who no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might for ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:15-16


Come near to God and He will come near to you.
James 4:8


No one can see the kingdom of God
unless he is born again.
John 3:3

 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom.

Psalm  145:3