Bibledoorajar: What Moses Wanted

     Moses went up Mt. Sinai twice. The first time as he came down, he was filled with anger at what he saw the people doing (golden calf incident),  and he threw down the tablets of stone. I  personally think Moses had become fully aware that the laws given by God totally revealed man's inability to keep them.  He decided more of God was what was needed. On his second trip up Sinai his emphasis was entirely different. Basically, he said to God that He(God) knew all about him (Moses) and he asked if he could know more of Him (see God's glory). What had God shown Moses up there before? He had revealed His Name. He had revealed His Law. He had revealed His character. These were to be the proof of His holiness and worthiness. But these also brought judgement and death.  But this time, Moses asked if he could see more of the God of the Name, the Law, and Pristine Character. God told Moses that no one could look on His perfection and live. But He would do a great thing to help Moses know Him nevertheless. He told Moses that there was a place nearby God where He would put Moses. He was to be nestled IN the cleft of the ROCK and be covered by God's hand as He passed by. Talk about a different RESULT!!! Moses came down the mountain with the tablets and his face shone gloriously. His aim for the tablets was different. His intent was to place them in the ark in the Most Holy Place. Interestingly enough, Moses did not even realize that his face was glowing, but the people saw it and knew. Their "view" of God was also elevated by this event!!! And so it is, even today, that when we can see the glory on the faces of Christians hidden in the Rock our faith is elevated. It is not so much what these Christians do for God, but the solace and peace they seem to have gained from being hidden with Him.
      This week our minister said that he wanted us to focus on elevating our worship during these next months even as the world elevates its worldly approach to the holidays. Perhaps one way to do that would be to meditate on the safety from the death of the law that we have been given as God has placed us in the cleft of the Rock. Let's see if anyone can see our shining faces and thus honor and worship our God. Meditate of John 14: 9ff. and let your heart sing. Have a great week.
    

Bibledoorajar: Love Never Fails

This week has been a week of the Father renewing within me the principle that love never fails. It did not fail Aaron when he did not meet the challenge of being a bridge builder to God for the people at the golden calf incident. But the love of God shown brightly as Moses reminded Him that Aaron and the people were His and that they needed Him. God's love swelled toward them and the Holy Spirit led Moses to record this about the high priest who had failures. It is referred to as the Aaronic blessing and can be found in Numbers 6.

The LORD bless you and keep you: The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26 RSV) 

In this prayer we see an Aaron who is much more in tune with the God of Israel than before. He asked the Lord to see the people with respect and give them blessings. He asked Him to guard the people and keep them safe. He asked the Lord to let the people sense his loving expressions on His face for them and to illuminate their lives with His presence. He asked Him to give them a protection that they would not want to run from. And lastly to set them in a place where they would feel totally safe.
     Yesterday in Bible class the teacher shared a film about how one evolutionist found the Creator God by studying some of the marvelous intricacies He has provided for particular species. These provisions spoke of how intentional and specific God is with His creation. The Holy Spirit overwhelmed me with God's goodness and spoke to my heart: "never again question that 'love never fails'. Thank you Father for all you do for us. Today may we see your many facets of love shining on us and see how much you love us and bless us. May the loving work of our High Priest of our confession shine brightly within as we find the power to share love even as He.

Bibledoorajar: Are You Being Served?

Aaron was High Priest of Israel but oh how he failed Israel when the talk of the calf erupted. Where was the sacred influence he could have had on the misled people? Could he have not called them back to the system of worship that God had placed with he and the Levites? Could he have not reminded them of the awesomeness of their God and the benefits they enjoyed? Could he not have acted from the dignified position of his office? But maybe that was the trouble, his dignity was from an office and was not personal. The writer of Hebrews makes it plain that our Redeemer's mediation and His person is so great that the glory of the most noble angels wains in comparison. Set your heart on these verses:



  "Being so much better than the angels inasmuch as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they"   Hebrews 1: 4

" For unto which of the angels said He ever, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?" Hebrews 1: 5





"and let all the angels of God worship him."  Hebrews 1:6      AMEN

Bibledoorajar: WRATH

The Fathet got really mad; He was so mad He told Moses that the people were not worth it. He
planned to start a new line that descended from Moses. No grace for those who had no interest in His
will.
It is good to remember that God 's grace goes with His will. The blessings fall on the cup held
up open and the one up side down, but only oneis filled.

  "Here's my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord.
   Come and fill this longing in my soul"
                              CeCe Winans