Numbers 31

And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.

Lord, we forget.  We need memorials, we require reminders.  You instruct us to remember and to teach our children what we have experienced.  Thank You for never forgetting us.  Your perfection remains complete without us; but You still include us, You still choose us.  I praise You.

Number 27

And the LORD said to Moses, "The daughters of Zelophehad are right. ..."

Lord, they asked and You approved.  Please help me to know what and how to ask that You may approve; especially when it is for something You want me to have.  It seems You were waiting for them to ask before it was to be - teach me how to ask rightly, to ask with right motives, to ask for that which You desire that the request may be affirmed by You.

You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey.  

The Spirit not charisma, not popularity, not even Moses' endorsement - as Moses had solicited God's choice - was the new leader's prerequisite.  Authority was his new uniform, and not his own authority; but that which came from Moses at God's command and that which had originated with Yahweh.   

Oh my God, how often I try to inspire obedience in myself and my children through persuasive words or personality or blatant will-power.  Your example displays the priority of operating under the control of Your most holy and perfect Spirit and in the authority You give.  Your ways do not involve anything I can manipulate, wrest control of or charm.  Please, help me to receive all that You have for me in regard to You, Holy Spirit and all the authority You are pleased to bestow upon me.  AND, may I walk blamelessly and faithfully before You, to the praise of Your very great Name all the days of my life.

 

Number 24

... invited ... attended ... feasted ... worshiped.

Lord God, please help me be very careful about which invitations I accept, what  events (cultural or otherwise) I attend, where and how I feast.  I do not want to participate in the worship of any one but You.  God, You know how easily I can be deceived - please keep me from falling for anything but Your great Name.  I choose You.

Numbers 24

Then Balaam rose and went back to his place.

Lord God, thank You for this instruction to be about Your business and then to be gone when Your assignment for me is over.  Help me to not linger in the presence of those who despise Your people or Your Word after I have completed my work there.  Lord, let me do all You have for me; but when it's time for me to cut bait, may I do so with all promptness and grace.  May I always return to the place You have for me.  May I bring You glory in the comings, doings and goings.

Numbers 23

The LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

Oh, Lord, that we would wait until You put a word in our mouths before we speak.  May we, may I be faithful with Your words, the ones You have given me and the ones You will provide to me.  May I give Your word and Your Word to those You direct me to.  I thank You for Your provision of the word and preparing those who will receive.  Please keep me faithful and courageous when the word is difficult to speak and harder to hear.  

 ... I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot change it.

Only Wise God, my preferences, comfort, selfish inclination - even the perfect way You have wired me to be merciful - at times make me want to change what You have ordained.  Lord God, widen my vision, uplift my perspective, increase my desire and capacity for Your perfect sovereignty, do what needs doing that I may (gladly) agree with You, even when I don't want to very much.  Help me to lovingly and graciously encourage others when they are in that same place to trust You all the more.  You are always right, always good, always faithful, always God.  I am not.

Numbers 20

Cliffhangers ...  arrgghh!

God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” So Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak’s leaders, “Go back to your land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”

Lord, please keep Your words in my mouth; don't let me speak partially, let me speak Your words, truthfully and fully.  You alone are wise.  May I always choose to treat Your words and wishes as greater than any honoring, temptation or reward that man can provide to me.  May I remember that Your children are blessed, You are the Blessor and respond accordingly.  Thank You for saving the donkey.  I hope she healed well.  May my vision be as discerning as hers.

Numbers 21

... So Moses prayed for the people.

Lord, please keep me a faithful intercessor for the people - for Your people; for those who don't know they are Yours, yet; for those who have become discouraged, distracted or disobedient to You.  Holy Spirit, keep my heart tuned to You and Your purposes that I may not fall into step with those You entrust to me for prayer.  Lord, may I obey and encourage obedience in others as well.  You healed those who simply looked to the staff with the serpent - who obeyed Your curious instruction.  May I choose obedience rather than judging the feasibility of a divine direction.  I thank You for the baby steps You gave Your people in learning the ancient art of war - I thank You for the baby steps You give me in spiritual realm of war.  May I learn well and battle valiantly for my great King and Sovereign.

Numbers 20

... they fell face down on the ground then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to them ...

Thank You Lord, that You are glorious and that You reveal Yourself to Your slaves.

" ... Because you did not trust Me enough to demonstrate My holiness to the people ..." ... He(the Lord) demonstrated His holiness among them.

Lord God, You are holy.  Your holiness can be demonstrated by Your people to others.  You also demonstrate Your holiness among Your people.  Lord, I am not certain how I can display Your holiness; but I desire to do so.  I pray that You would teach me Your holiness, how to walk in it, how to live in and through it.  Lord, this quality is so uniquely Yours, that I really don't have a reference for it.  Please open my mind, my spiritual eyes and heart and whatever else needs opening that I may comprehend, as best as I am designed to, Your holiness; and may I display Your holiness, faithfully and believingly.  You alone are worthy.

Numbers 17

And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout.

When God endorses a man, fruit follows.  God's selection can be criticized by others; yet His choice will be evident to them.

Lord, help me to support the man or woman You choose.  Let me not grumble or be jealous of their assignments or ungrateful for mine.  Father, I thank You for the fruit of Your favor and sign of Your selection; may I help take care of the fruit of Your harvest in others lives and for Your Kingdom.  May I never attempt to market a false fruit for the real thing, may I never buy into fake fruit.  May Your Kingdom grow and Your harvest be bountiful, thank You for allowing me to be a part of Your story.

Numbers 16

One day, church folks - responsible folks, even - conspired with  like-minded others and incited a rebellion against the top leadership.  One day.  

Sovereign Lord God of the Universe, Holy Spirit of my heart - please keep me faithful on the ordinary days, in the long seasons of ordinary, too.  Please stop me from allowing my selfish ways to conspire, incite or rebel.  Lord, never let me see a day as just one day.  It is Yours, as am I.  May I bring You glory.

Moses became angry in this situation and then he interceded for them.  

Oh, LORD God, that I would have humility and a heart to plead for my enemies in the moment when they offend me for dishonoring You, when I am angry and hurt by them, when I have been blameless in my actions and motives.  May I desire You more than myself, my pride, my reasons. 

Psalm 90

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. ... And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us ...

Oh, LORD my God - the ever-living, ever-loving, everlasting God, let Your beauty be upon me.  Let me live in response to Your beauty, to Your presence, to You on/in me.  May I reflect You faithfully and lovingly in the small breath of time You have allotted me. Thank You for choosing me.

Numbers 15

" ... And it shall be a (blue-corded) tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.  I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.”

Lord, as I see the blue in Your creation, please help me to remember Your commandments, to be obedient, to not follow after my own heart and eyes which so often begin to lead me astray.  Obedience and holiness - that's what I desire.  You are my God, the LORD GOD who brought me out of the land of my captivity.  I praise You, LORD my God.

Numbers 14

So the LORD said, “I have pardoned them according to your word ... "

Moses quoted the LORD's words  (from when God revealed the wake of His glory to His servant Moses) as he sought forgiveness for the grumblers.  The LORD grants Moses's request for pardon and allows the people to live, just in the wilderness and to not walk into nor occupy their victorious place of promise.

This reminds me of the Garden of Eden when death was promised - it just wasn't (physically) immediate.  And the sweet homestead was denied to those it was intended for.  

Oh, gracious and compassionate LORD, I praise You for Your tender mercies and for Your provision of pardon for sin.  Lord, I know I have earned death; but You have extended grace to me.  I thank You, I am Yours.  Please fill my heart and mouth with praises and gratitude for You.  Please help me to follow in Caleb's example of having a different spirit (YOURS) and following You fully.

Numbers 13

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”  ...  But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”

The Lord sent them on this mission, knowing they would have a decision to make.  He knew how the choices would go and the consequences of this exercise.  He knew and He still gave them the opportunity to choose sides. 

The people were right in their assessment of the land - there was no way they could take it, alone.  and they got stuck on that point.  Caleb was right, for God had promised to give the land to them; but only with God leading them could they take possession of the land.  

Father God, I thank You that You allow us to make decisions, to choose the path of faith or unbelief.  I am awed by the fact that You know all that already; but we don't.   Lord, when You direct me to a reconnaissance mission, let me go in faith, gather in faith, return in faith and report in faith, to the praise of Your Name.  God, I don't want to ignore true details, I desire my filter to be Your will for me - not just the mere details of the trip.  And may I eat of the grapes, the fruit of the adventure with You.  Let me not be souvenir-minded; let me enjoy You and Your provision along the way You invite me to go.

Numbers 12

Miriam and Aaron - prejudice, discontent, jealousy, pettiness.  

Moses - meek, faithful, God-beholder.

God - Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Faithful,  Authority, Judge, Holy, Mercy.

Lord, so often my qualities run closer to the siblings' group rather than Moses'.   Help me to understand that I have no need of insecurities with You.  You are Omni-sufficient for my life.  Where prejudice seeks to direct my thoughts, remind me of who You and who I am not - let me be meek.  When discontentment rises up before me, bring to my mind Your faithfulness and let me yoke up with You.  May my focus be on You, in order that jealousy, pettiness and any other sinful, flesh-driven ways would not just be eclipsed ~ but decimated in Your holy Presence.   I want to cry out for those who hurt me before I have had time to process the injury.  Holy God, I need Your perspective for mercy to flow freely and without condition.  When someone's sin stalls the progress of the whole group; Lord, let me remember to praise You, for You are the One who did not move out, You waited on her shame to be removed, You kept them still in that time.  God, help me to be patient and grateful in the delays - because, I know, sometimes, I'm the one who needs healing outside of the camp. 

Number 11

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said.

Lord, I am not sure what happened to Your people.  It seems they were moving when You moved and staying when You stayed; You were faithful in Your presence with them, consistent in Your provision...  Somehow, in the dailyness of their lives of freedom and being led by Your glorious Self, they found hardship in it.  OUCH.  Lord God, I am so inconsistent with my gratitude, I'm sorry.  You do all these things for me and more; yet, I can complain and dish up a hardship story all too easily.  Holy Spirit, let me rest in You, let me be grateful, content and peaceful in what has been divinely orchestrated for me.  I don't want to be known as a whiner-girl.  Lord, You have paid my price and I am Yours.  Let me not set my mind on things of the flesh; but on the things of the Spirit that I may please You and experience true pleasure myself.  When I falter, shut my mouth and sanctify my imagination so that I return to Your pattern and not the world's.  Thank You.

Numbers 10

Lord, I am tickled to see that You like the horned instruments.  May we never stop blowing Your horn to praise You and call You to us.  You, alone are worth celebrating and worshiping.  

Holy God, I am challenged by Moses' asking his bro-in-law to be the guide when You were very present with them.  He met with You face-to-face and still enlisted a local authority.  Your Word doesn't say that he was wrong; but I want to You to be my Authority, local and global, physical and spiritual.  Please, Holy Spirit grant me wisdom to know when You direct me to seek "local" assistance and when I just need to follow Your magnificence in faith.  May my life bring You praise.

Numbers 9, John 1:29-36, Matthew 26:17,26-29

Lord God, I praise You for You put in our minds what we are to do; even when You have already assigned the tasks.  Holy Spirit, You really do remind us of all things and bring to our remembrance what we need.  Thank You for Your holy post-its in my life, and Israel's.  I appreciate that You are consistent in what You endorse.

Numbers 8

The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.’”   Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

I wonder if Moses ever wondered about or regretted his choice to not speak God's words to the people.   Did he ever think - not pridefully; but remorsefully, "I so could have done this."  

Lord, I know that Aaron was the high priest and it was appropriate for him to have instruction; but we are mere mortals who can look back on decisions which seem to go against Your plan and wonder, doubt, question.  Please help me to embrace that which You call me to do, as You call me.  Don't let me wimp out - even when I really, really feel like it.  I don't want my spirituality to be tainted by second-guessing.  I desire timely obedience to You.

Father, I praise You for having an order, purpose and sequence in Your instructions to us.  The light is for the front; You intend for us to see, to discern that which You invite us to.  You are the Light and You came for us to see, be illuminated and to share the Light.  Father, I thank You for Your blessing in these words and the challenge  to me to let my light be forward-facing.  Your perspective is the right and true view, may I always see and shine in the same fashion.

I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites and to make atonement for them so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.

Lord, may I be as careful in preparing myself to serve You and worship You.  I wonder what worship would look like, what attendance would be like if a plague was the promise to those who had poorly prepared, unwarily worked and inattentively atoned for those they had responsibility for.  Cultivate in me, in Your Bride holiness, passion for purity, integrity and faithfulness to Your ways.  Let us all walk worthy of our calling in response to Your very great gift and most exalted Name.

Numbers 6:22-27

The LORD said, "This is how the priest is to bless the people:

'May the LORD bless {keep, guard, have charge of, keep watch and ward, protect, preserve, save life, wait for, treasure up, restrain, reserve} you.

The LORD turn toward and cause You to be in His presence, illuminating you

and be gracious {incline Himself, encamp around, bend down} to you; 

the LORD be lifted up, be exalted on, in and through you 

and give {lay, set, extend, appoint, establish}  peace {completeness, soundness, safety, welfare, quiet, tranquility, contentment, friendship} to you.'

So shall they give {invoke, appoint, lay, establish} My Name {Reputation, Glory} upon the people of God Prevails, and I will bless, actually and abundantly bless them. "

Make it so, even more today, everyday, precious LORD.  Thank You.  And may I, as one of Your blessed, royal priesthood, bless others as You say.  Thank You.

Judges 13

Interesting exchange between the Angel of the Lord and Mrs. Manoah.  She faithfully reports to her husband what was spoken to her with an added interpretational detail that the son will be a Nazarite his whole life.  Manaoh wishes his own revelation to clarify the child's mission and manner of life - maybe what he was to do specifically (which would probably overwhelm the parents-to-be, if it had been spoken then), or to verify his wife's words, or he wanted his own miraculous encounter, or to avoid the Adam/Eve situation, or ...  The divine visitor returns to the wife of Manoah and waits for her to bring her husband to Him.  The prophetic words are affirmed to Manoah and Mrs. Manoah's interpretational detail is not corrected nor is it clarified.

This small detail sets me wondering.  Was the perfect intention for the child to be a Nazarite his whole life; but the Omniscient Lord knew that, as He had designed and purposed the coming child to be a Nazarite, the promised son would, again by divine design, have a powerful weakness for the fruit of the vine.  And the weakness would prove to be the grown man's choice?

I recognize these things beg the election versus free-will debate; but they are not incompatible to my simple mind.  God can't help being God; Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omni-everything-divine, and so He knows all that "will" happen.  He also designs us to do that which brings Him glory and somehow, in the God-only plane, He allows us to choose and "uses" those things to bring Himself best glory - the fact He knows and has set it up doesn't make it any less a choice for the mere mortal me.  My finite mind can't comprehend all the realms of imagining this requires; but that's God's role - not mine.  

The question I land on is "Why?"  Why would the Omni-Omni'd, All-Self-Suffient-and-Self-Abundant, LORD of All even start this ball we call earth a-rolling?   He always amazes me.

Lord God of ALL!, I praise You for Your ultimate, never penultimate wisdom and power.  You are never second at anything.  You are faithful to all generations, generations that You have divinely ordained.  I praise You.  I praise You for Your mysteries and Your grace.  I thank You for Your encouragement in the story of the mother-to-be - one who is without name for posterity; but who was deemed worthy of receiving Your Presence, words and responsibility to carry forth that which You required of the next generation.  Inerrant Father, I wish to be that reliable to You in my life and assignments.  Holy Spirit, please help me, teach me, cultivate in me the trustworthiness born of a "good and faithful servant."  Jesus, my Messiah and Example, please strengthen me to walk worthy of my calling - as You did.  Thank You, my Lord, for desire to even engage in this sort of life - only You could make that happen.  Please continue to do that which You began in me, keep me from trying to go my own way and struggling against the truths You have given me. May I be faithful as the wife of Manoah was with Your words and Your divinely orchestrated details for my life. May I live in the understanding and confidence she displayed, as well.  Only by You, only for You.

Numbers 6:1-21

Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the LORD, he shall be holy. … All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.

He shall be holy, he is holy to the LORD… Lord God, You are holy, a quality I don’t comprehend; but You give us instructions on being holy. You give us salvation which makes us holy. Your Holy Spirit brings the holy to us, in us, through us. And as Your children, we are holy, righteous, blameless. But there is more to holy, isn’t there? I thank You for Your provision of holy. I seek understanding of holy, what You mean by holy. I praise You that regardless of my prior life, You have still chosen to set me apart for Yourself. May I live in gracious response to Your gift to me.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 45: 1 Corinthians 14

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. ... the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. ... how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ... So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. ...

Help me Holy Spirit to do this.  May I pursue love and the "upbuilding" of the Body through whatever path pleases You the most.

 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? ... 

Holy Spirit, may I never be indistinct in what You have called me to do.  May I offer a clarion call in word or deed for Your great Name in response to Your gifting for me.  May I praise You all the more today.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 44: 1 Corinthians 12

But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

Lord, why wouldn't I desire Your gifts?  Why do You tell me to earnestly desire the higher gifts?  I don't even know enough to know that I don't want what You have.  Lord, I need your wisdom and knowledge; teach me about Your gifts, reveal to me why I don't earnestly desire them, create in me a passion to fully possess and operate in Your precious Spirit the gifts Your provide for me for Your Kingdom's sake.  Lord, I want to earnestly desire Your higher gifts; help me, advise me, provoke me, enable me, empower me - that I may be a fully functioning and glorying-bringing daughter of my very great, sovereign King.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 43: Romans 8

... the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death ... the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Two laws at work, one is known by sin and death.  One is known by freedom, life and peace. One makes me free from the other.  One enslaves me to itself.   He sets before me life and death, I can choose. 

Oh, Lord, how is this even a choice?  What grace You have shown me that I would even know the difference between life and death.  Lord, I choose life, I choose peace and liberty.  I ask that You would bind me to Your law, most Holy Spirit, that I may be Your hand-maiden.  In obedience, I desire to be under the Law of the Spirit, I long for Your authority in my life, I seek Your provision for my life through Your Spirit Law.  I praise You for doing away with the law of sin and death and its authority over me.  May I be known by Your law, Holy Spirit - by life, peace, liberty.  May my actions and reactions point to You and Your divine covenant with Your people.  Help me to daily choose Your law over any other law or "guideline" this world may offer.  Your way is right and true and best.   To the praise of Your very great Name and most generous offer.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 42: 2 Corinthians

I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.

This reliance on You, everliving Holy Spirit, is for the Kingdom's sake; but it is for the benefit of those around me ~ to cause them to trust in You and not anything people-driven and for me ~ to ensure I don't work to the glory of flesh or the fallen.  Coach me, compel me, cause me to rely only on the power of You, most faithful and omnipotent Holy Spirit.

And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

Holy Father, please help me to focus my vision on the wondrous and divine, not the apparent and physical.  You have enabled me by Your Holy Spirit to have sacred-sight.  Holy Spirit,  keep my eyes - the physical and spiritual - looking and expecting to see the glories of my God.  Jesus, Your focus was so spot-on as You transformed this world with Your life; quicken me to follow Your most excellent example.  And, as believers, we have the mind of Christ - You said so.  Lord, help us as believers to walk in the ways of the wise, to pattern our lives and disciplines after Your truths and to bring You glory.  Keep us from going adrift in the sea of pleasure and luxury and the tsunami of the urgent.  

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 41: Acts 2

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven...

Lord, they knew the sound was from You.  I wonder what non-believers would have made of the sound.  Would they have known it was from You, too?  Lord, I  welcome You to dispense from Heaven that which You would be pleased to do - in my individual prayer time, in worship, in the corporate prayer time, in any setting and at any time You choose.  Please, just help me never miss that it is from You.  Let me not gaze with distracted eyes, hear with busy ears or perceive with a lazy mind something holy, divine, sacred and think of it common.  Lord, when You give, I want to receive, to experience, to participate fully in that which comes from Heaven.  Holy Spirit, please help me be a partaker in the spiritual.  Courage, strength, focus, consistency, please be my Help, Teacher and my Advocate. 

I see that the Lord is always with me.
      I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

No wonder my heart is glad,
      and my tongue shouts his praises!
      My body rests in hope. 

Make my heart glad, my tongue to shout Your praises and my body to rest in hope for I live and depend on You, Your faithful, consistent, never-diminishing presence.  May my spirit be so intertwined with Yours that I am never shaken and am ever-joyful.  May my eyes, both the physical and the spiritual vision, be so enlightened that I would always see that You are with me. ... and that I am always with You.  Let me not be deceived.

And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. ... Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. ... A deep sense of awe came over them all ...

Lord, Peter quotes words from an ancient prophet regarding You pouring out Your Spirit upon all people and then says that happened there, that day.  People were able to believe and act in faith on Your truth in response to that drenching of Your Holy Spirit.  Many believed and called themselves by Your Name - many of the Jews.  For whom Christ is a stumbling block.  God, please drench us anew that the same may be done for the Jews in this day.  That the Muslims, the Gentiles, the "christians," the whole earth may know and believe.  That Your Bride may grow in number, grace and awe in this age.  Lord, only You can usher in this movement.  Lord, only You can reveal Yourself and allow us to tremble at Your Word.  Please teach us to live in awe of You, Your great Name.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 40: Acts 1

Peter stood up and addressed them. “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.” ...

Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’

“So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus—from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”

Lord, I am not sure what kind of education Peter had as a fisherman; but his knowledge and recall of Your words are amazing.  I know he learned greatly in Your presence; yet here I see that he not only knows the words, he has that insight into applying them.  That is a dynamic understanding, one which I believe comes from yielding to You, Holy Spirit.  Oh, Lord, may I have a heart, mind and mouth for such a yielded life.  Please help me to recall what I read and learn, know how and when to apply Your truth and a mouth which speaks at the right time and in an honoring fashion.   Teach me all things and remind me of Your truths.  Your Name be praised.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 39: John 16

I am freshly encouraged in this reading as the disciples grow in their understanding, as I see myself growing slowly in my response to my precious Lord.  The love of Jesus and the provision He promises come because of His Word, not their (my) abilities and responses.  I am reminded that all things are in the Father's perfect timetable and they rise and fall at His call.  The fact that mere mortals, i.e. me, don't  always match the flawless rhythm of the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe and that tottering manner doesn't deter Him or His plans.  In fact, that quality of inconsistency is part of His plan.  He knows the way He made us, He knows my frailties and when i will finally get something.  His promises come when His time (which includes me) is right. 

Lord, grant me vision for Your provision, heart for Your passions and strength/grace to stay on the dance-floor with You.  I can't keep up with You; but You can keep me.  Precious Lord, how I need You to keep me.  Holy Spirit, You are my Keeper.  I praise Your gracious ways in my life.

When God’s Spirit Moves – Day 38: John 15

When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me ... 

The Helper, the Advocate, the One who comes alongside...

From New Testament Greek Lexicon: 

~  one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate      

~  summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid,

~  one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor,

~  in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant.

 

 Holy Pleader.  Holy Intercessor.  Holy Succourer.  Sent to me from the Father.  Holy Spirit, please help me to respond to You in light of Your unique qualities.  I need You to plead my cause - as I deserve to be thrown out of court.  I need You to represent me to the Father, as my representation of myself lacks integrity and perfection.  I need You to bring me relief, help, to run to my rescue, to allow me to rest in You.  I need to know You in these ways, today.  Thank You for revealing Yourself to me in a greater way.  You are faithful to teach me all things.  May I thrive on Your Vine, Jesus and bear much, juicy fruit - to the praise of Your very great Name and the spread of Your fame.