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 A new chapter. See The Journey Dance on Weebly.com. We continue on.

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Just watch

Matthew 11:25-30 NRSV

25 At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

These five verses are so meaningful and restorative to us- when we hold on to them. Verse 25 is my focus. Because of who we are in him we are privy to the “inside places” with him. We learn, hear, know more than our intellect affords us. Can you see it? Not everyone can communicate like that with God. And yes, there are times that we ‘just know’. There are times that we can ‘see’ when others can’t. It is not because of our selves,  yet because of who we are in him. Because of who you are in him- you are beloved. 

Hold on to that. So, in our moments of trials, problems, we do not carry them alone. When we release our burdens to Jesus (cause these are the words in red), he makes a way. He gives us rest, peace. 

When we rely on him, when we trust in him, then we learn from him. Life has so much for us. This journey is not always easy but it is always doable with God, because of his promises to you. I’m telling you something I know, and not just read about.  more later

Spend some time with these five verses, and watch what God is doing- and trust. 

Go for it

John 1:35-39 NIV

“The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 

Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”  

This will be short. Too often we can say what we don’t want but we don’t know what we do want. When we know what we want we can pursue it. The disciples were ready for more. They recognized Jesus as the teacher and followed him. They spent time with him and then knew him as the Messiah- the deliverer. 

The thing is to know what you want and pursue it. We all have different wants. They are ours. No one can dictate what we want. When we spend time with God we find more - we get more. So in your pursuit, pursue him and watch as everything else falls into place. Go for it. Don’t let anyone distract you from your dreams. More later.

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You. . . and him

Jeremiah 7:23 NRSV

“But this command I gave them, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk only in the way that I command you, so that it may be well with you.”  

We are going to back into this. I was reading in 1 Chronicles the  assignments, including the temple assignments, for each family of Israelites. Within the family of Levites they had assignments to assist overall assist the descendants of Aaron( the priests), and among their assignments they stood every morning thanking and praising God. The priests had duty in service to the Lord. The skilled temple musicians provided the music. 

The assignments went on and on, the gatekeepers, the treasurers, officers, judges, military, the leaders of tribes, those who were skilled in building the temple, assembling the pieces in the temple. and it goes on. Everyone had a role to play and it worked because everyone knew their assignment.

Now, each of us has an assignment given by God for our gifts and talents. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about the jobs we may have,  or what we do in those those jobs, but what each us bring to those jobs. 

You see, you are still you. The gifts that God gave you for your assignment are still your gifts. We get our assignment from God and when we follow - all is well. It all works. So we listen, we follow, we watch what God is doing in our lives. There is no need to covet another’s gifts. It’s how my pastor, F.G. Sampson used to say, “Don’t let anyone out you you.” Blessings of joy on this day. more later.

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Wait On It

Habakkuk 2:1–4 NRSV

“I will stand at my watchpost, and station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint.

Then the Lord answered me and said:

Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.

For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.

Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.”

In the three short verses of Habakkuk we see his complaints to God and God’s answer. Go back and read all three verses. Habakkuk knew who to complain to- God. Not mankind. and he expected an answer. 

God’s answer- write the vision and make it plain on tablets. There is still a vision for an appointed time. Listen, that was God’s reply to Habakkuk. What it says for us is first- We can complain to God, we can lament, take our issues, our hurts, our disappointments, our disillusionment. And then expect an answer. 

Next- we wait on an answer. When we wait - things happen. Yes, there are times that it doesn’t look like what we expect, but our expectations pale in comparison with what God has. Waiting on him does not mean doing nothing, but moving as he moves. That’s trust. It breaks through those barriers of pride, thinking that we know all the answers- we don’t. But it sets us up to receive in areas outside of ourselves. That’s a hard thing for all of us. 

Now, I tend to write down what I hear. I journal. That’s me. But there is something about writing down what you hear and watching when it manifests. 

Man, I learned a beautiful lesson the other day. To “Go expecting good things.” Don’t get me wrong. I learned that long ago when I first went to Israel. My pastor, Doc, said, “Go expecting what the Lord has for you.” I did. When I returned home I kept that idea. Ah, but along the way, through crazy times, I began expecting the same old, same old, the negative. Even now, I’m forever teaching to move away from the negative- yet there I was. 

My son brought me back. He helped me to get back on track. To expect good things, positive things. No negativity. My my. 

There is still a vision for an appointed time - wait on it. 

Bottom line, we can tell God where we are, we can wait on him because the righteous live by faith. There is an answer.  enough for now.

Get Up

1 Kings 19:1-9

19 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” 8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. 9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.  

After all that Elijah had done Jezebel so frightened him that he ran and wanted to give up his life. When he was at his lowest (v7) an angel appeared and had him to eat. Listen to the second beckoning to Elijah “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.”

Elijah went on the strength of that food forty days and forty nights. 

Everyone knows what happened next when Elijah was at the cave. But this got him there. He had to receive what he needed in order to carry on. 

There are times that we are able to do great feats, get things done, move big things, make big ways . . .  But with all of that - there comes a moment that we feel we have failed. Life so throws us off that we want to give up. Something so terrifies us that we think giving up - walking away is the only way.  

So I’m pulling verse seven - get up and eat. Get up from where you are in your down moment, get up to receive what God has- that’s the nourishment you need. You don’t know what the journey looks like but you will make it. 

It’s something about getting up from our misery to receive from God. It’s shifts our thought and undergirds us for the journey. And the journey is doable as receive that nourishment. 

Listen, trust, follow. We continue watching what God is doing. We don’t do it alone. Enought for now.

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It keeps Pouring

2 Kings 4:1-6 (NRSV)

“Now the wife of a member of the company of prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead; and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but a creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a jar of oil.” He said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not just a few. Then go in, and shut the door behind you and your children, and start pouring into all these vessels; when each is full, set it aside.” So she left him and shut the door behind her and her children; they kept bringing vessels to her, and she kept pouring. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” But he said to her, “There are no more.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your children can live on the rest.”

Six short verses with much impact. What do you do when you can’t do anything else? You get to one that can help. I like how this shows us - us at times. We all have been there- needing help. 

Elisha asked what could he do for her? That’s a big ask. And then he narrowed it now to what did she have. Can you see how she would be able to participate in her own aid? She just needed Elisha’s guidance. Yes, his miracle, but when we begin to see miracles all around us, they become everyday occurrences.

She got the jars from her neighbors, that’s conversation- relationship. We need that in life. But when it was time to work she had to close the door with only her and her sons. You know I think that had some of the neighbors came to see what would happen - it would not have happened. I’m thinking too many skeptics. Too many with no faith. Anyway. .  

So yes, the oil kept pouring as long as there were jars.  My my. The widow was to sell the oil, pay her debts, and they would live on the rest.

That’s the promise. When we have faith in God, it keeps pouring. Your ‘it’ keeps pouring. He allows us to participate in our healing. The participation is our faith. As long as we believe we see what God is doing. And we can trust even when it gets hard- because it will. enough for now.

God Chaser

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile” (Jer. 29:11-14 NRSV)

Let’s revisit this passage. Yes, he knows his plans for us - but it’s hard sometimes to allow him to show us. I think that’s why he gives us pieces at a times. And we must listen - we must learn to listen. Oh but when we do- then we have an assurance- that no matter what- God already has it covered. 

So what do we do with this? We watch for what God is doing in our lives. We seek him. Bottom line. It all lines up. We seek God- above anything else. Everything flows out of our seeking God. We seek him with all our heart. And when we seek him, he allows us to find him - over and over. In the book, the “God Chasers,” by Tommy Tenney, he says We chase God, he allows us to catch him, and then he lets us go, and we chase him again. The things is that he will always let us catch him. My my. 

God restores us. There is nothing more to say. We are restored. We are the  restored. Spend time today to watch what God is doing. Look at how it connects. enough for now.

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Who then?

Psalm 124

“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side

—let Israel now say—if it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us, then they would have swallowed us up alive,

when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away,

the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters.

Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken,

and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

This is thanks for Israel’s deliverance. But this is also thanks for our deliverance. “If it had not been for the Lord on our side- where would I be?” Take time today and thank him for all he has done, is doing, will do. 

Blessings of joy and peace to the fathers!! And yes! Thank you to the Father for keeping us. If not him-who then? enough for now.

Time

Ecc.3:1-11 NRSV

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. 

What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”

Just as we all have a life season - our time to be born and to die, there are so many seasons intertwining our lives. Yes, it is wise to recognize the season and when it is over, recognize that in order to move on. 

We can’t keep pouring into a season that is done- you know trying to revive it. Trying to make it fit.  The seasons are indeed a mystery and each one serves a purpose in our lives. 

I like how Henri Nouwen likens the season to God as a trapeze artist. He swings us out and lets us go- to soar! And as we are soaring just when we begin to wonder- he catches us!  Oh the soaring. And then he swings us again- to again soar- and he again catches us. 

Here’s the thing- when he lets us go to soar, we can’t soar if we grab him at that point, if we can’t trust what he’s doing with us at that point. And yet he catches us. 

This is a season of transition for some of us. Let’s go with it is and watch what God is doing. enough for now

Bless Him

 Psalm 33:18-34:3 NRSV

“Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, 

on those who hope in his steadfast love, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 

Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. 

Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, 

even as we hope in you. . . 

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. 

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

Although these are two different Psalms I love how they fit. Oh yes, it feels good to know that God watches and keeps us. He gives us favor. Not that he favors us alone but each of us has his love, his divine favor. 

When we can recognize that alone, then we can bless the Lord at all times, praising him continually. Watching him move and thanking him in the good and bad. Loving him not as he loves us, yet because he loves us. We can’t love him like he loves us- we don’t have the capacity. Aww, but we are mighty thankful of all he does. Let’s keep a praise on our hearts and our lips. enough for now.

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All is Well

2 Kings 4:18-26

18 When the child was older, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. 19 He complained to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 He carried him and brought him to his mother; the child sat on her lap until noon, and he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, closed the door on him, and left. 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again.” 23 He said, “Why go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” She said, “It will be all right.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Urge the animal on; do not hold back for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out, and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. 

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman; 26 run at once to meet her, and say to her, Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the child all right?” She answered, “It is all right.”

Go back and read this whole story from verse 8-37. As you read, see the compassion, courage, and steadfastness of the Shunammite woman. Yes, this story is about one of Elisha’s strongest miracles- bringing someone back from the dead. But it all started with the compassion of this woman. I stopped on verse 26, with her response “it is all right.” I love KJV says “All is Well.” 

Oh to have that resolve - that all is well in whatever. This woman’s baby died in her lap, and she never voiced it. She never let that come across her lips but she got to the one that she felt could do something. 

She didn’t waste time talking about it to anyone who could not help her. Did you hear it? 

She didn’t even say it to the prophet, but he knew something was wrong.  

We have to get to the One that can handle whatever we are going through. And I just believe that we cannot let negativity come across our lips. All is well. 

If we believe that all things work together for good to those that live the Lord and are the called according to his purpose- then all is well. 

Let that permeate your spirit. Watch as negativity fades away. Blessings on your day. enough for now.

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Happy Mother’s Day

Proverbs 30:10-31

“A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from far away.

She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and tasks for her servant-girls.

She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong.

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.

She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 

She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all her household are clothed in crimson.

She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies the merchant with sashes.

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her:

“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.”

 

This Proverb of “Ode to a Capable Wife” or “Who can find a Virtuous Woman?” says a lot. Today we salute mothers - those who made a way when there was no way. Those who stayed up crying, praying, those who gave us what they had. Those who showed us how to get what we have. The tired, the weary, the steadfast. Those who beamed with pride in our accomplishments. Those who cried with us in our hurts. Those who encouraged, protected, provided, loved on, prayed with, walked with . . .

Yes, the mothers.

We salute the mothers. The new ones, the ones not new. The mothers that God loves. The mothers who love God. The mothers who know where their help comes from, the ones who are learning. 

The last two verses sums it up, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.”  enough for now.

Believe It

Psalm 125

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people,

from this time on and forevermore.

For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, so that the righteous might not stretch out their hands to do wrong.

Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts. But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways

the Lord will lead away with evildoers.

Peace be upon Israel.”

Spend some time with this Psalm. “Those who trust in the Lord cannot be moved.” Mount Zion is about 2,430 ft in elevation, so the Temple Mount is even higher. This is why you see in scripture “going up to Jerusalem.” It is higher than Mt Everest. It’s not going anywhere. It can’t be moved. That’s how powerful our trust is in the Lord- we cannot be moved.

And then - the mountains surround Jerusalem, yes they do. God surrounds us, envelopes us in his care, his protection. He keeps us when we don’t even know we need to be kept. That’s some keeping. When we let him, when we rest in his peace. 

I kept the remaining passages just to show how he has kept us, he is keeping us, he will keep us. He ain’t going nowhere, we ain’t going nowhere. It’s his powerful everlasting love for us. Trust that. Believe that. Rest in that. enough for now.

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Three Things

Matthew 28:1-10 NRSV

“After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” 

Happy Resurrection Day! 

This is the highest day in Christendom. This is the day that assures our freedom. The angel said to the women: Don’t be afraid, Come and See, and Go and Tell. And on their way to the Disciples they met Jesus. And he said, don’t be afraid, see me, go and tell. 

Each day we seek Jesus.  We are invited to press in to God in communion with him through prayer. We seek him and we are found by him. We can’t be afraid as what he has for us is more than what we can get for ourselves. He keeps us, grows us, teaches us, loves us, protects us. You see me? 

The cross is the symbol of his resurrection and that is what freed us. We really are free from any and all negativity. Those chains have been broken. We no longer walk in fear, guilt, doubt, unforgiveness. We are already free. The more time we spend with God, the more we recognize who we really are in him. 

And after spending time with him we go and tell others our story. We want to tell how he has kept us. We want others to know that they too can be released of the burdens they needlessly carry.  We tell our story. Our story is wrapped up in Jesus’ story. And his story is the gospel story. This is a grand day of remembrance. A grand day of celebration! It’s life for us! Don’t be afraid, come and see, and go tell. enough for now.