Strength

The perception of strength and actually exhibiting strength are often two completely different things. In my weakness, I am strong.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Love

Love must be freely given, with no strings attached, for it to mean anything. Otherwise, it’s not love.

Connection

Love Giver and Teacher

12/2/06 - Should I apply for a job with Food for the Hungry?

“… From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” - Luke 12:48 (NIV)

I didn’t understand how that answered the question, but that was just part of a much larger and cryptic answer anyhow. I suspected there was more to what I understood at the moment.

Now, tonight, Jeff Cavins connected that verse with this one.

“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” - James 3:1 (NIV)

And I connected it all to my name.

What does it say about my relationship with Becky and my belief that God is saying,

“Chris, I am trusting you with something that is precious to me - Becky’s heart. I believe in you. I have chosen you for her, made you for this and believe in you.”

Authority

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses …

“Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”

The Body of Christ is this way. I was, and still am occasionally, this way.

Who are you to say I should do this? I can hear the Lord just as well as you can, Mr. Pastor Man!

True.

But I haven’t been given the authority to lead. The pastor has. The priest has. The pope has.

The authority must be respected.

“When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam - leprous like snow.”

Surrender self. Surrender pride.

Kadesh Barnea

To be holy is to be separate and distinct.

Kadosh - the Hebrew word for holy - is the root for Kadesh Barnea, located in the Desert of Paran, the location the Israelites find themselves when 12 men went to explore the land of Canaan (Numbers 12:16 - Numbers 13:1-31, NIV)

It was a decision point for the Israelites. Trust God and go forward? Or not?

All the major decision points in our lives are Kadesh Barnea. They are holy. They are where we meet God. They are where the faithful are separated from the pretenders.

Blessing

The priestly blessing. The benediction.

The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!
- Numbers 6:24-26

If ever a father, I pledge to bless my children every day with this divine blessing.

They need to know I love them. That they are “beautiful” and “have what it takes.”

Ignorance

“Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ”
- St. Jerome