"I am a Great King!"

Malachi 1:11 - ... a pure offering...

Malachi 1:14 - ... For I am a great King... 

Malachi 2:2 - If you will not hear and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to My name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings...

"For I am a GREAT King!" Those words resounded in my head. The words rang off the page like a gong. "For I am a GREAT King!" Our Holy God.... our Great King... our Lord of Lords. Here in Malachi, we read about the people of Edom. We read about their offerings that they are giving to the Lord, the sacrifices that they are laying on the alter in a "supposed" act of worship. The offerings and gifts that they brought to the Lord were far from pleasing. Here we have this GREAT King and the people of Edom are bringing GIFTS of diseased animals, blind animals, lame animals. THESE are the gifts they are bringing to the GREAT KING! Gifts that certainly are not pleasing. Gifts that really shouldn't be called gifts at all. Who wants a diseased animal as a gift?!? I know I sure would not!

A pure offering. That jumped off at the page at me. For I am a great King. That jumped off the page. Here we have the Almighty God, the King of Kings, speaking. I can just imagine His baritone Voice ringing in the air. For I am a GREAT KING! I AM A GREAT KING! He is not just "a" great king, He is THE great King! He is the King of Kings! Here our God, whom at the sound or sight, we should immediately be in a place of reverence that we fall to our knees in honor and worship. The people of Edom were greatly displeasing to our Father.

In Malachi 2:2, we see the warning. If you will not lay to heart to give glory to my name. 'Lay to heart' -  one of the ways the Hebrew describes it, is to plant. Plant in your heart bringing glory to the Lord. PLANT in your heart the honor due is name. Plant. Allow it to go deep. Allow roots to take place. Allow roots to dig so deep that with your body & soul & heart, your automatic desire is to give GLORY TO HIS NAME. 


Malachi 2:2, goes on further to say the warnings if Edom does not do this... He will curse their blessings! Wow! Curse their blessings! Just because they have been blessed, doesn't mean the blessings will stay or remain. The Blessing is CONTINGENT! The Blessing of the Lord is contingent upon obeying the Word of God. Contingent upon honoring His Name. Contingent upon giving glory to His Name. Contingent upon our reverence, our honor, our obedience. Sure, our salvation may get us into heaven, but wouldn't it be better to live the Blessing on earth & not have to wait to enjoy the fruits in heaven?

Malachi has caused me to reflect... what offerings am I bringing? Am I bringing a pure offering? How is "my honor." Am I bringing honor to my Father? Am I reverencing His name? Am I planting in my heart the desire to give glory to His name? With my actions, am I following the calling that HE has on my life? Be it uncomfortable at times, be it even scary at times to enter into a place uncharted by me. Not uncharted by my Father, but a place I have yet been. Am I fully passionate and fully committed to answering the call of who I am meant to be? I am willing to push through the uncomfortable? Am I willing to DIG IN to the Word, DIG IN to the quiet time and seek His presence, SEEK answers, SEEK direction of where HE would have me go. Is it quiet enough that I can hear His Voice? Is it possible for me to turn off the noise of life just long enough to hear HIS Voice? His direction? Is the noise of facebook, pinterest, text, twitter, cell phone reminders, movies, the desire to 'decorate' my house, frivolous activities.... is the noise of ALL that TOO loud? Can I hear the Voice that resounds, "I AM A GREAT KING!" 


I can hear the echo of the deep baritone voice. In the Voice is strength and power, but it also has the sound of a longing. A longing to draw me in. A longing that says, "Please Come be with me. Please come fellowship. Please come sit at my feet so we can talk."


Can I hear the echo?
"I AM A GREAT KING!" 
"I AM A GREAT KING!" 
"I AM A GREAT KING!" 




Do I need to eliminate noise?

 

#215 - The Ultimate Game

Proverbs 9:3,6 - She has sent out her maids to cry from the highest places of the town...Leave off, simple ones [forsake the foolish and simpleminded] and live! And walk in the way of insight and understanding.

Proverbs 31:15 - She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks.

Life is busy. Would you say these would be some of the priorities you deal with? Job, kids, family, cleaning the house, owning a business, doing laundry, cooking, working to have a consistent quiet time, working out, reading maybe some self-improvement books, trying to stay organized, keeping the bedroom picked up and clothes in their place, spending quality time with your spouse.... and then maybe even some down time for you. With all the priorities we already have, is there really room for anything else?

I looked at Proverbs 9 this morning and noticed that it is talking about "Wisdom" here. Wisdom is sending out maids to help guide people to insight and understanding. Wisdom is trying to steer the foolish, those who may be on the wrong path. She is trying to steer them to the path of LIFE. Wisdom wants them to live. We know that our Proverbs 31 friend walks in wisdom as well, and she also has maids. As a Proverbs 31 woman, do we have more of a responsibility? As a Christian, with our long list of things that occupy our time, do we have more of a responsibility? We are reminded of this responsibility also in Matthew 28:19, where it tells us to "GO and make disciples!" Here we see Wisdom doing that very thing, leading people to insight & understanding (which ultimately is Jesus.)

I would anticipate that our Proverbs 31 friend does the same as Wisdom. Being on her game to share the gospel. Being on her game to step out in boldness and ask the tough questions. Being on her game to steer others to the path that leads to life. Sometimes it is as simple as one question, "Do you know Jesus? Do you know what he did for you?"

To be on point. To play in the "The Ultimate Game," the game of leading people to the truth, leading people to life.

As we go about our productive, daily lives... today, is there anyone in your path that may not know Jesus? Could YOU be the one to ask them the question that may very well change their life? Change their eternity?

___________________

Check out the video in yesterday's post! 

Jesus did all of that for YOU, me & the person who needs to know Him. 

#100 - Relax WITHOUT Toil!

Good morning & hello HEAT! Hip Hip Horray! We have heat! That's a good thing! I'm thankful for several reasons....but, it brings me back to a time when the heat may have stopped working because we weren't able to pay a bill, or did not have the money to fix it. Praise God, I'm thankful to say that God has brought us out of a time of lack. I'm thankful that God has MORE THAN ENOUGH to supply us with our needs and wants out of HIS ABUNDANCE. AND, with God's hand there is no shortage. He doesn't run out. There is pure abundance and overflow with Him. Praise the Lord. So... it makes me thankful that the heat did not go out because our lack of ability to pay for or fix something. Praise the Lord for growth & progress. From moving to revelation to manifestation. Walking in the blessing, that we can abide there. Praise God! What does it say, "abide in the shadow of the Almighty." With the Almighty is abundance of blessing, abiding IN there is accompanied with fullness and everything we need. I can't imagine "abiding in the shadow of the Almighty" and being hungry? Can you imagine that? Or not being able to afford clothes that fit. Abiding, living with God, and there being LACK in HIS house!??!?! That just doesn't line up. So I commit to STAYING in the shadow of the Almighty and abiding there forever! So long LACK! I've tried lack and I didn't like it, it only brought sorrow, frustration & tears. I choose ABUNDANCE! I choose prosperity! I choose to LIVE in the BLESSING!


OK... that was worth coming for, but let's jump into some MORE Word! :) 

Proverbs 10:22-23 - The blessing of the Lord--it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it]. It is as sport to a [self-confident] fool to do wickedness, but to have skillful and godly Wisdom is pleasure and relaxation to a man of understanding.

Wow. That is good stuff. As I was sitting down to read, I just thought, "Wow God! There is so much good stuff here! Where do you even start? The WHOLE chapter 10 is loaded! I didn't even get to read anything else. I was swimming in amazing verses that were jumping off the page, all of which I won't discuss in this devotion. 


As I was reading, my mind began to race at my schedule for today. To be honest, I was basically just toiling in my mind. Not completely "stressing", but my mind was definitely racing! And then the Holy Spirit said to me, "Amy, don't be so busy in your mind. Pleasure and relaxation. You can accomplish a lot & still be relaxed! Don't toil in your mind & thoughts. The blessing of ME makes rich. I add no sorrow. No need to toil, even in your mind!"  


Then... He told Tyler a pretty amazing thing too... as Tyler read it to me, I honestly thought he was reading a quote out of a book. It was good. This one is noteworthy enough to write down and keep somewhere as a reminder! He said, "When you plant & water, you put a lot of things into motion & sometimes you just need to relax & let the seed do it's own work." 


WOW! Relax. Don't toil. Trust in what you have sown that the law of sowing and reaping won't stop working with you. It's a law. Trust that once the work is done, the seed will grow and then RELAX! 


What a blessing that the Lord adds no sorrow with his blessings. And by us TOILING, living in frustration, or rush rush rush, go go go, constant toiling in our mind... that is NOT FROM GOD. Like He told me, we can STILL accomplish a lot without having to toil, but to be at peace moving from accomplishment to accomplishment. HE will direct our steps if we listen! HE will make the way plain. HE will make our plans succeed! How do I know that? It says it in his word! (Go study Proverbs 16 also!)


Bless you today! I've already wrote in my book, made meatloaf, made 48 ounces of baby food, been in the Word, wrote this blog, and now getting ready to go to MyGym with the boy. Blessed to listen to the Voice of the Holy Spirit! Praise GOD that HE speaks to us today!


XOXO, 
Be Blessed!
Amy J

#67 - "Tell them, I will hear their cries."

Good morning. It is definitely turning fall here in South Carolina. It's nice. :) Summer has been great... but the breeze of fall is welcoming and refreshing. Can you believe that Christmas is not far away? In the meantime, Tyler and I have been discussing and trying to plan a trip for our 10 year anniversary. 5 days. Will it be Vail? Aspen? Northern Michigan? Vegas? Or the Caribbean? Cold or warm? Well...we are just thanking God for giving us wisdom and letting us know the perfect place. Quaint. If it was a ski place. A chalet would be nice.... or a suite in the lodge. Where we could just ski out of the back door, not have to drive anywhere.  Coffee. Good food. Hot tubs. Pools. Just nice, yah know? Or... warm... the feeling of Venice or Italy. You walk out and enjoy lunch outdoors, drinking in the smells.... enjoying authentic spaghetti, tastes you have never experienced in such a rich fashion. Wrap your hands around a mug, while sitting in a cafe, drinking in the taste and aroma of good coffee. Though I doubt this time we will go as Italy or Venice, you get the idea. So... we are excited about what it will be, knowing God has the perfect place, the perfect price and the perfect experience. :) 


Ok... let's see what He has to say today...


Reading Schedule: Proverbs 31:10-31, Proverbs 13, Psalms 13, 43, 73, 103, 143

Proverbs 13:10 - By pride and insolence comes only contention, but with the well-advised is skillful and godly Wisdom.

Psalms 13:2a - How long must I lay up cares within me and have sorrow in my heart day after day?

Psalms 73:16-17, 28a - But when I considered how to understand this, it was too great an effort for me and too painful. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood... But it is good for me to draw near to God...

Psalms 143:1a - Hear my prayer, O Lord...

Proverbs 31:15 - She rises while it is yet night and gets (spiritual) food...

Pride.... here are some of the definitions and synonyms given in the dictionary:

• a high opinion of one's own dignity.... a high opinion of one's self. 
• imply an unduly favorable idea of one's own appearance
• a lofty and often arrogant assumption of superiority

And... contention is another word for strife. So we could say, "with pride comes strife... esteeming yourself higher than you are causes strife....being arrogant or self-centered brings strife."

How long must I lay up cares within me ... 


Have you ever felt like the following? Why do bad things happen to me? Why does my life seem like such chaos? Chaos. Annoyed all the time. Frustrated. Always in a hurry. If it's not one thing, it's the next. I'm always busy, in a hurry. No time for me. Arguments with my spouse. My friends aren't very good friends. Troubled relationships. Specific people who are a major 'thorn' in my life. AHH! Everything is just so annoying! I live in a constant world of frustration. 


Have you considered that maybe nothing will change until YOU go into the sanctuary of God ? That strife in your marriage, strife in your work, strife in your relationships, strife with your kids, strife in your life.... that you will continue to live in a state of strife until something changes? Until YOU decide to get before the throne.... to take that 1st, awkward time and actually approach God? Like Julia Roberts in the movie Eat, Pray Love, "Hi God. Nice to meet You. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to talk to You. But, I need your help. I really need your help. I need answers." She cried. Have you ever considered that NOTHING changes until SOMETHING changes? 


In reading the verses today... I asked the Holy Spirit what His thoughts were about all this... this is what He told me: 

There are people Amy, who do call themselves Christians but really do not know ME. They go about filling their lives with everything BUT ME. They fill their lives with idols & other gods, with hobbies. They murmur & complain and then wonder why their life "sucks." Amy those very people don't even ask or acknowledge Me for help. They are to busy doing everything else, while parts of their life is in turmoil. Yes, they are going to heaven, but why live this hell on earth with chaos & turmoil when if they just turned to ME, I WOULD give them direction. I would answer their questions. I would help. There are some that will just continue in life, being miserable, complaining, and not every truly knowing Me. Help these people. Help awaken the few who will change & turn to Me. Who will make Me #1 in their life above all else. You can't save them all. They have to choose to save themselves. They have to choose to change. Tell them I will answer their cries. 

Yah... the first time may feel really weird. The first time when you come to God. Like Julia, you may be in your bathroom in the middle of the night, get on your knees and begin to cry. You may be in your car. You may bring your Bible and go sit on your porch..... and there, you begin with, "Hi God. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come talk to you. Hi." You feel awkward, you feel weird and maybe even silly. You look around and kinda hope that no one is watching or listening. This introduction, all the while, you know that HE knows who you are, and HE knows everything about you, but He is a complete stranger. And... there.... there you begin. You begin a relationship. One that you want to grow. You desire to KNOW, really KNOW Him. You desire to have direction. You desire to really, truly BE happy and find happiness. You desire to be fulfilled and not continue having that empty feeling inside. The void that you have been trying to fit EVERYTHING else in it's place. Soccer practice, the mom's group, running, working out, craft projects, your children, your spouse, obsessively cleaning your house all the time, staying at work late, taking on extra projects just to stay busy, or brainlessly sitting in front of the TV while life itself drifts away... you not making even a dent of impact. The VOID. You begin to fill the void with the ONLY Person who can really fill it to the full, until it overflows and is running over. You begin to crave this spiritual food in a relationship with Jesus. That just like breakfast, lunch and dinner... and fasting from those would leave you hungry and extremely famished.... that the same would be true in your time with Jesus. That not having it, not getting that food would leave you hungry and unsatisfied. 


I pray if this is you, that you will decide to take the first step... and then that you continue with the 2nd and the 3rd... that you work past the introductions, and awkwardness of a new relationship, and that you would work to a friendship, a love, a peace, fulfillment, a wholeness that you have never experienced in your life. 


It is there for you. And like He said to me, "Tell them I will answer their cries."


Will you make Him #1. Put down the idols. Let the dishes wait. Will you let HIM fill the #1 place in your life? 


Start today.