Amazing God

Today I saw the most amazing rainbow I've ever seen.  The rainbow illuminated the sky for over 35 minutes.  It was absolutely beautiful!

Of course, who can see a rainbow and not remember the promise that God made in Genesis as he dialogued with Noah?

We see God’s mercy preserving life as the fall of man gave way to a ravaged world. A world that lost its identity in a whirlwind of sin!

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:13-17)

I was just leaving the hospital after a visit that concluded with prayer as we called on the Name of the Lord.  The beautiful thing for me was the fragrance of the anointing oil that remained on me and in the room.  The bottle read, Oil of Gladness, Anointing Oil.

As I drove, this wonderful sign of God’s promise continued to lead before me as I continued home. No matter where I drove, it seemed that the rainbow was right above me.

Wow!  I was so full of JOY, I began to praise and worship the Lord!  Prayer, joy, laughter, tears, and shouts echoing in my car.

It was like God was saying to me, “no matter where you go, I am always with you.”  I know that is in his Word but today it was a beautiful picture that God painted over me!

I was surrounded by God’s presence for sure!  What a beautiful moment to experience. 
I picked up the phone and began to testify.  I just rattled on about God’s goodness!
What a glorious conversation with God.

He is Amazing!

Can you imagine what heaven will be like?  Read it for yourself.  Revelation 21

God bless you!~Liz

HUSH

 “In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.” (1 Kings 6:7)

Take a moment. Even as you begin to read this, stop and listen. What do you hear?  No, don’t rush. Just be still.

I like my environment to be quiet. Oh, I am a people person.  Invite me to the gathering and I'll be there! But when I'm alone, I love the quietness of the moment. There is such peace and opportunity for clarity to be born in my mind.  I can go for hours just having nothing in the background except my heart speaking to the Lord, or more importantly, allowing God to speak to me.

When the temple was being constructed, scriptures say there was an absence of hammers, chisels, and other iron tools on the temple grounds.  You may ask why? According to the book of Joshua, instructions were given through Moses to build the altar for burnt offerings and sacrifice with uncut stones.  This seems like such a minor thing, but there was to be no defilement in the building of the altar of the Lord.  The altar of the Lord was to be different than the altars built for false worship all around them.

King Solomon established this act of worship as the temple of the Lord was being built. No hammering, not chiseling or any other defilement is how I read it. 

In the New Testament, we are reminded by the apostle Paul that we are the temple of the Lord. God, the Spirit of the Living God, lives inside of us with all power and authority! How can I hear if I'm constantly talking? How can I listen if I welcome every morning like the world does? 

The world calls it the hustle and bustle of life. The phrase itself sounds noisy!  I grew up in NYC.  That phrase reminds me of yellow cabs and horns! “Get your paper here, get your paper here.”

The God of the heavens and the earth desires time with me. “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.” (Psalm 119:147)

Reverence is a word that should be used when we think of our God. The imagery given as we read 1st Kings has respect and worship written all over it.

What can I learn from scripture as I read the history of how the house of God was being built? Reverence. Respect. Worship God according to His Word. 

Take a peek again.  The temple is being built according to the plan of the Lord.  No chaos.  What we see is the unfolding of God’s instructions.  What we hear is awe and respect.

 “He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

Feeling frazzled? Does it feel too noisy? Go, hide quietly in the presence of God.  He still speaks today and desires some quiet time with you!

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

HUSH.  It's time to worship the Lord.

God bless you! ~Liz

Free Indeed!

Discouragement was trying to visit me today.  The thing is, I almost opened the door!

Today I did not attend church, which is very, very rare.  I’ve been feeling under the weather, battling a cold and allergies. 

I sat outside my home listening to the sermon on my phone.  I was trying to catch some sun rays.  It felt refreshing!

As I turned to go inside, something caught my eye.  I have excellent peripheral vision. I looked closely, and it was a tiny little sparrow.  He was tangled in a very thin vine.   I tried to poke him to see if he was alive.  He did not like the poking!

I ran inside after calling my sister, who lives an hour away.  You see, my brother-in-law is an animal whisperer.  He has rescued many sparrows. 
Perhaps you remember the story of AUGIE. (https://shorturl.at/NYTI2) 
Anyway, she assured me she could not drive up to my home for this rescue!  I went inside and got some old rags and proceeded to try to extract this little creature.  He was not happy.  Perhaps he thought I was the hand of danger.  I spoke to him. “It’s ok, little creature. I’m trying to help you. It’s ok.”

Somehow, I managed to untangle him from some tiny vine trying to choke life out of him. 

I could feel his wings fluttering inside the palms of my hands.  He was chirping.  He was afraid.

Hallelujah.  I grabbed him and kept him sealed in my hands.  I transferred him to the side of the house and kept speaking to him as I prayed to the LORD.  “It’s going to be alright.  Lord, help this little creature.”   

I was concerned to open my hands and find this little bird losing its life.

As I opened my hands and placed him on the table, Hallelujah, the little sparrow began to fly to the highest tree in my front yard.  He was free.  Free indeed!

As I began to rejoice, the Spirit of the Lord ministered to my heart.  You are free! 

God is always speaking.  He’s always watching. He intervenes in the affairs of men.

He is a Good, Good Father!

Happy Mother's Day!

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”  (Matthew 10:28-31)