Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Ending the Old Testament

I'm in Lincoln City, Oregon with our pastoral staff and their families.  What a blessing to have seven pastoral staff come together in one home for four nights and five days.  We are in a beautiful seven bedroom home with two kitchens, a large dining table, and a large living room where we can all sit around with our calendars, laptops, and pen and paper.  Outside is a three tier deck overlooking the ocean.  We are on a 30 foot clift with the ocean coming very near when the tide comes up.  Wow.  Today we saw two rainbows and one of them was a double and a full rainbow.  God is so good.
 
Today I am in the last chapters of the Old Testament and here are a few thoughts:
1) HE MADE ME TO CLIMB- Habakkuk 3:19 says:  "The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.  To the chief singer on my stringed instruments."  God will make our feet like hinds' feet and we will be able to climb over every obstacle life throws at us.  You may be facing some difficult times in life, but God will allow us to get the victory.  We will, by God's grace, climb over each and every obstacle, and be stronger for having done so.  God will see to it because He made us that way.
2) A JOYFUL, LOVING, SINGING GOD- Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing."  Here we see that God is a joyful, loving, singing God.  I know God wants us to sing, but I didn't realize that God enjoys singing Himself.  Wow!  I love this.  How wonderful it is to see the nature of God showed to us in Scripture. 
3) A LITTLE DISPLEASED - In Zechariah 1:15, it struck me how God said this.  He is speaking about the heathen nations who have been used to humble the nation of Israel.  Here is what it says:  'And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease:  for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction."  Here we see that God was not terribly displeased with the heathen, just a little displeased, but then there being at ease over the troubles of Israel caused God to respond in being very displeased.  So, God changes His mind over our actions.  It is amazing to see how God thinks and feels as related to us in the Bible. 
Well, just these three thoughts to share.  Have a wonderful day dear friend.  Service is starting.  Pastor Mike Mutchler
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