Feb 28

Lev
Second admonition to not give God leftovers. This called profane

Big time celebrate that God rescued you.

Mk
"have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another."

Feb 27

Lev
Vomited out previous occupants. Could vomit out you, too.

Mk
Boy healing. Jesus told that it threw him into the fire. He cast out a deaf and mute spirit.

"Why couldn't we" indicates that they had tried.

Ps
v5

Feb 26

Lev
v1-18 If you are honest and kinds, you just about have these covered. I do have to work at not bearing a grudge.

Wonder what is the underlying point of the haircut law or the don't wear blends law or the no cross pollination potential law

"I am the Lord who makes you holy." Please.

Mk
v11-12 How many times have it caused this deep sigh?

Peter lecturing Jesus. Hmm. May have done that, too. How wonderful that He continues to love us so much.

Ps
I'm not as good at v11 as I'd like to be.

Pr
True dis

Feb 25

Lev
Senior priest doesn't make atonement

Making sacrifices with your own style won't be accepted. Reminds me of making comments or conversation without verbal affirmation isn't meaningful, in fact, it's hurtful.

Mk
Father, let my light shine so brightly that, like Jesus, when I enter a place, I don't need to announce that I'm yours, it just shows.

Feb 24

*Just a note before I start. I am SO frustrated that I have such a hard time looking beyond my circumstances....which compared to much of the world are no big thing...to the love God has for me. Perhaps its a process of trust. A conscious effort. I appreciate the object lesson He's provided in one of my ladies. Lip service, not so much physical effort. Now, I see that I do that. It is a challenge, though, to change my ways. I keep trying to trust that I am loved by someone who doesn't know how. Shouldn't it be logical to reassign that to Someone who does love me whom I can't see?

Ugh. I'm so tired of being close to tears so much of the time. Of dreading so much of family interaction. To trust that they don't have my back or are too busy or that it is inappropriate to trust them.....to not have the trust of God's love to overshadow, take preeminence over all this.

The pancakes didn't do it. I knew that. I had them anyway. Grow up, already, Alice!

Okay, I've proofread this. Perhaps I need to make a declaration before my blogging of trust and giving my safety to God. A thought.

Now, to the reading.


Lev
More hygiene.

Thankful that we can approach God any time. I need to remind myself this is an euber privilege. A major deal.

"because of the uncleanness and rebellion"

Mk
"unclean hands/washed" So, as I start my morning apologizing for my uncleanness and rebellion, I need to be careful to not get into the habit of rote. That's what the Pharisees did.

Ps
Still need to grow to the point that I can say, "I remember when this sort of Psalm was a common thing for me." Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew [?!] build in me a right spirit.

Feb 23

Lev
What an interesting mix of hygiene and ceremonial.

Curious about spreading mold. Wonder if it's the same as the black mold in New Orleans.

Mk
Jesus knew he and his guys needed rest, but when he saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion and ministered to them. That done, including a faith teaching for his guys, they still needed rest and pushed off to get it.

Ps
Interesting passage alongside the Mark passage. In Mark, they disciples were faith-stretched to see feed the 5000. In Psalms, God lifts us up out of the slimy pit and puts us on rock. The conundrum is to realize if we are in stretching territory or need rescued. Although, as I think about it, it's a case of assume to learn. He'll rescue me from the ooze if I need it.

Pr
v12. It's hard that I see both in the same people. I can't tell how to feel or respond

Feb 21

Lev
Priests as doctors: part of God's plan to be all in all. Not some spooky thing, but quantified.

Mk
Take offense at miracles. That seemed whacked.

Herod get mad because confronted with the truth, but not as bad as Herodias who is even worse.

Ps
v1-3. Yep.

Feb 21

Lev
These dietary restrictions ...I wonder how hygienically ahead of the neighboring peoples this made the Israelites.


Mk
Woman with the issue of blood. Was Jesus being jostled in the crowd? Was it her faith that pulled power out of Him?

Ps
v20. Too much of the time it feels like here.

Pr
v9 Sometimes I long for this.

Feb 20

Lev
After Aaron and sons met with God they blessed the people.

V 16. Moses concern/God's comfort. God looking on the heart and burned up 2 brothers, but didn't have a problem with honest mistake.

Mk
Gerasene man....sounds like the man is crying out, but it is the demons. When we deal with people how do we distinguish? Demons may be causing problems, but the man is responsible legally.

Ps
"saves them because they take refuge in Him"

Feb 19

Lev
5 offerings
v 13 Priests to wear caps. Another place it says that normally, men are not to cover their heads. Interesting.

Mark
"Who are my mother/brothers" It's really something to think how welcomed into the family we are.

Parable of sower/seed always makes me sort of sad.

Ps
v12-13 Interesting word pic
v23-24 The Lord makes firm the steps of those who delight in him; though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord upholds them with his hand.

Feb 16

Lev
Before I start to read....Gulp...Leviticus has always been difficult for me.

Burnt offering
Grain offering
Fellowship offering

"Slaughter...in front of the tent of meeting" Come prepared before you meet with God?

Mk
Interesting that Jesus wouldn't let the demons name him.

Stayed in lonely places, nevertheless people came to him. CAME TO HIM

Ps
Sure have spent time feeling like v 17

Feb 15

Ex
Didn't read carefully today. Just scanned the words. I DID look up to see what an almond flower looks like. Pretty.

Oops. Read yesterday's again

I'd like to see this outfit made up. I don't know the symbolism of each of these stones.

All this gold for fastening. I didn't know it was that strong.

V 14 We need to be washed clean and dressed properly and anointed to appear before God

Matt
I always thought the ladies who went to the tomb were Jesus's mom and Mary Magdalene. If that were so, wouldn't Jesus's mom's name be first out of honor?

Mk
"and they at once left their nets" Man, Jesus must have been impressive to cause these guys to act so spontaneously.

I would like to speak with insight, humility and authority.

Feb 14

Ex
Items made under supervision on Bezalel of Judah [praise] and Oholiab of Dan [justice]

Matt
"but some doubted" I'm afraid that would be me. I'm thinking in their grief, they thought Him an illusion and doubted not Him, but themselves.

Ps
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." That with the sermon yesterday are good things to concentrate on.

Pr
"instruct the wise and they will be wiser still" Let this be me.

Feb 12

Ex
2.0...This time YOU do ALL the work.

V6 Is that the Lord saying this about himself? How cool that He says these good things about himself before he goes over the rules.

"40 days/40 nights" Sometimes, you have do BE with the Lord for awhile to soak in all he's telling you.

When you've been with the Lord, there's a countenance difference

Matt
Peer pressure. Pilate placating the crowd.

Ps
Sar has said a couple of times that she found the psalms bi-polar. This morning I had this thought. These songs were chosen as a canon. If people just chose them or they were lead to by God, it points out the recognition by people and/or by God that this bi-polarity is a human condition. I'm not the only one who expression love with one breath and frustration with the next

Pr
We were talking about this [v3-6] last night at dinner. This could be insight to ministry to the difficult to teach ones with whom we come in contact.

Feb 11

Ex
Wonder if it seemed to Aaron just a little thing to give the gold earrings. Then had enough to fashion a gold calf. This guy was part of God showing His power in a big way and still got distracted by the people. It's a hard thing to stay the course under the pressure of immediate gratification. Oy!

Moses even gave him some wiggle room "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such a great sin?" Then, how human is this, he wasn't honest about the whole thing. Another Oy.

God says He, Himself will punish. [He doesn't need our help.]

v7 Tent was nothing special. It was the presence of God that make it something. People could recognize this from their homes.

v 17 I will do this for YOU not because I'm pleased with all the people , but because I'm pleased with YOU

Moses pushes envelope [How familiar is that?!] Okay, so since you are pleased with me, let me see you.

Matt
Ugh. Another example of fear and peer pressure power.

Man, those priests. So, let's use this money that we know is tainted to do something that makes us look caring.

Jesus still doesn't try to defend himself. What a striking contrast....Jesus, who knows who he is and what he's about vs Peter, caught in fear and self-preservation.

Ps
v5 says the earth is full of God's unfailing love. Hmmm. I don't see that so much.

Feb 10

Ex
Interesting to think that for some a sanctuary shekel is a lot of money, for others, nearly nothing. Still, before God, we're all expected to give the same.

Anointing oil recipe: Lots of sweet fragrance and hard work [olive oil] to hold it together.

Incense: I don't know these smells, but interesting that the preservative of salt is called for. I need seasoned with some kind of preservative to hold on to what I learn.

In both oil and incense, they are God dedication specific, not to be used for anything else. Interesting to think that there are certain things that should remind me only of God. I don't think there are any for me. Is that a "Hmmm" or a huge "Oops"

Bezalel and Oholiab
Not only had they been artistically gifted, they had the Spirit of God, wisdom, understanding. That's a formidable package.

Sabbath
In the last several years I've heard more teaching on the sabbath. I try off and on to set aside a sabbath rest. Interesting teachings. Setting aside a time for renewal rather than my usual "one more thing to so" is pretty much foreign. I joy in accomplishment. The thought that I need to be renewed is a hard one, but makes good sense.

Matt
Over and over I'm struck by Jesus's nonuse of power. So many times in this book he could have done something very flashy and didn't. Now, that's security. I need to get there....the security part.

Ps
Hooray for v 1-2. I'm working to have no deceit. Interesting that old hurts still bubble up to be forgiven.

Mule/horse pic in interesting. Have power, don't think for themselves except to be stubborn. Hmm. See myself a bit.

Feb 9

Ex
Since it isn't a big deal how we dress for church, it's sort of funny to read God very concerned about how these guys dressed to go see him. Note to self: even if I don't do much with the outside, I need to make sure I prepare the inside before I go to church.

Representation explanation needed. Got the process. Burnt offering: sacrificed strength for me? Wave offering: God just wants me to communicate? Atonement /ordination length: this needs to be a thorough, deliberate process? Daily/Yearly: because I need to present myself before God daily and once a year, take special stock of my life?

Matt
Since Judas committed suicide, I wonder how the disciples figured out the back story.

Wow. How crummy would I feel to not be able to stay awake and feel like I let Jesus down and were, in part, responsible for him being taken into custody. I'm bettin' they still didn't have a grasp of Jesus being the Passover for us.

Ps
"In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues." I want me some of that.

Note to self: remember the middle of Ps 31. Good comfort here.

Pr

Feb 8

Ex
Uniform to give dignity and honor. Also to remind you who you are and whom you serve? How to do that and not get a big head.

Matt
Sadly, still work for me. Gladly, I'm chipping away at the work.

Ps
"but I trust in you. Lord"

Feb 7

Ex
Sorry. This is a hard part for me. I see that exact instructions are given, but beyond that, I don't see an Alice application...although it doesn't all have to be, huh?

Matt
This is a pondering place for me. At what point do you look out for yourself. Commentary adds light in making the point that the commitment needs to be heart permeating, not just works and show.

One of the things I seem to be encountering over and over is "who is the boss?" I'm finding there is more self-will and independence than I thought. I'm wondering how this fits with having an Alice personality. Ugh. Willing to lose control? Only if I trust. Back to trust.

Ps
Amen to this, especially after what I've just read.

Feb 6

Ex
I always thought God told the people to kill people. Nope. He used other means to chase them out. v 28 hornets.

"Moses only" rule reminds me to appreciate our ability to approach God.

Aaron left behind. I know that the golden calf thing is on the way. As close as Aaron was to God's power, he still listened to the voice of the people and messed up.


Matt
He says it will be obvious, the end of time, but I don't know. I sure hope so.


Ps
This morning I realized a possible source of something that has become a problem. The realization fits with v1 "YOU lifted me out of the depths.

v5

Feb 5

Ex
Interesting that these day-to-day issues are considered appropriate to a theological book. Gives credence to Christianity permeating every part.

Love the first 9 vs of 23.

Matt
We have it so easy in this country.

This is very sobering: "For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. "

Feb 4

Ex
Importance of being prepared before God. I've gotten used to just busting into the throne room. Priests warned to bet ready or God will break against them

10 commandments- starting with "I brought you out of Egypt so it is appropriate for me to expect this.

I don't do a good job of keeping the sabbath holy.

We don't erect shrines, but I do find that idols creep in.

Matt
I appreciate that Jesus saw through the hypocrisy of the religious elite and called them out Now the trick is to not do any of this bad stuff myself

Ps
This is another hard one for me. The cry to the Lord for help, then the declaration that God is there. Faith. Faith? Okay. I'll declare, too. "The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trust in him and he helps me." I'm sure wondering if I'm helped much more than I realize. If so, I need opened eyes. Father. You may open my eyes.

Feb 2

Ex
The help of friends. Ah

I love that Jethro is teachable about what he sees is working. At the same time, I love that Moses is teachable to the logic of his father-in-law.

"So the people will hear Me speaking to you and will put their trust in you." How super that we can now dial direct. I can recognize God speaking to a person, but I can dial direct, too.

Matt
Although the Pharisees keep testing Jesus, He only takes them by words. We don't have a record of him yelling at them.

Note to be careful to not love the acclaim rather than the obedience.

"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled" NO JOKE!

Ps
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Feb 2

Ex
Note to self. It's likely to remember you've gotten what you prayed for when it gets rough. The bad old days don't look so bad.

Manna: Some of these people didn't follow directions then any better than we do now.

Matt
Starting with the parables yesterday, these are hard for me. There may be lots more depth than I'm catching. Since I've been hearing/reading them for 50-some years, I need new life breathed into them.

Man without wedding clothes: were these provided? If so, if I'm provided wedding clothes, is it holding on to independence or is it lack of respect that one wouldn't come prepared from a clothing perspective?

Ps
Now, to get it stuck in my head that Ps 27: 1-2, 5-6 is one of the "go to" scriptures for comfort.

Feb 1

Ex
I can't even wrap my mind around such devotion to/dependence on God. And, that's what was called for. Probably what is called for today. Honestly, I want to retain more control than this. Well, that's certainly something to think about.

What the song says is true. Great protection should elicit great devotion.



Matt
I love that when the people in authority who had more love for obedience than people [see Les Mis - Jovert] tried to trick Jesus, he could/did play word games with them and backed them down. Made them pretty angry, but backed them down.

I'm like the good kid in the "go do this work" parable. Still, though, I want to get to the point that I don't complain first.

"Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed."

Ps
v2 Our ways are going to be tested and examined. Better to sign up for it.

Pr
"hates haughty"