Tag Archives: God

Holy vs. Common

Rosary Worship

Have you ever noticed that sometimes God puts valuable information in sometimes obscure parts of the Bible?  That nuggets of wisdom are sometimes hiding in the shadows of other information?  We’ll be lighting the shadows in today’s post and looking at Leviticus 10:8-11.

During the time God was giving the law to Moses He spoke to Aaron, his brother, once in a while too.  In this portion of Scripture He tells Aaron and his sons to distinguish between holy and common.  God uses the possibility of to much ‘wine or other fermented drink’ as an example of the kinds of worldly issues that can be brought into the arena of worship.  Basically, He’s giving the First Commandment again…You shall have no other gods before Me!

I want us to particularly look at the idea of holy and common, and what that means in our walk with the Lord.  Let’s start by defining the words:

Holy      The Hebrew word is qodesh and means a holy or sacred thing or place.   It refers to being sanctified which is being set apart for a specific purpose.  The Miriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as – exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness; devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity.

Common    The Hebrew word is hol and means not holy, ordinary.  Webster defines it as belonging to or being shared by two or more individuals or things or by all members of a group; falling below ordinary standards, second rate.

With the realization that these commands were given regarding the Holy Place and the use of it and its contents, there are a couple of concepts here that I think apply to my (and perhaps your) personal walk.  First, what is God’s, is God’s.  It is set aside for His purposes, it is holy.  It does not become the object of our worship.  What might this include?  Objects, robes, vestments, furniture, art, buildings, and more that have been given/set aside for His use.  I think sermons, music, lessons, VBS, Sunday School and many other activities of the church are also to be perceived as Holy.

What does it mean to distinguish between the holy and the common?  A synonym for common is ordinary.  He was telling the Priests to be aware of the ordinary invading the holy.  He wanted His place of worship to be holy, sanctified, set aside (as different) from the ordinary.  For me this means maintaining a worshipful atmosphere in the Church/Tabernacle/Cathedral that is all about God and not about the world around.  It means the things of worship are for God.

So…..What is the focus of your/my worship?  Are we bringing so much of the ordinary and common into the Temple that we no longer worship the One and Only?  Have we made the environment of worship so sterile that there is nothing of God in His Temple?  Does God even know the place is set aside for Him?

A musical moment of Holiness – What Do I Know of Holy

Heavenly Father I worship You!  Give me the ability to use the Temple as You intended.  Help me keep out the ordinary and embrace the Holy.  Oh, Lord, You are the Great High Priest!  Cause my worship to be all and totally about You.  Make it so!

The picture at the beginning of this post and following are of the Rosary Cathedral in Toledo, OH.  The first time I was there was with the Toledo Symphony Chorale in singing the Bruckner 9th Symphony w/voices.  It took my breath away then and still does.  God’s presence was so visible.  I am in awe of what God allows man to do so He can be praised and worshiped   Don’t get me wrong,  I worship indoors, outdoors, and all the places in between, but I believe that are places that God has set aside from the ordinary to give us a glimpse of His great glory.

Rosary Exterior

Exterior of the Rosary Cathedral in Toledo OH.

Rosary CathedralThe sanctuary in the evening without worshipers.

Rosary OrganThe Pipe Organ located in upper balcony at the rear of the church.

Rosary AltarThe main altar area.

Always Forgiven!

ResurrectionWE CANNOT OUT-SIN HIS FORGIVENESS!!!!

For Heaven’s sake don’t even think that I would ever suggest even trying.  One of the ways we get ever closer to Jesus likeness is our whole-hearted desire not to sin.  But we are human and we are sinful and that’s something we simply can’t ignore!

In Psalm 103:2-3 David tells us that we are not to forget His benefits and one of these is the forgiveness of sin.  For me, David’s words speak mountains of truth about forgiveness.  His story helps us understand that even the one (David) who had a Heart like His could and would sin!  David depended on God’s forgiveness, asked for it and it was given. Fully!

God is the God of the second, third, forth….chance.  Take a look at Jonah 1:1-3.  God told him to go to Ninevah and preach against its wickedness.  Jonah tried to run away and had the adventure and epiphiny of his life.  (Yes, my God is the Only One who could keep a man alive in the ‘belly of a whale’!)  Jonah 3:1 says the LORD spoke to him a second time and said go to Ninevah and proclaim the wickedness of the Ninevites.  Jonah obeyed!  God will forgive our disobedience but does expect to eventually obey.

Jesus tells us clearly in Matthew 6:14-15 that we must forgive others when they sin against us.  If we don’t the consequence is to big to imagine…the Father will not forgive us.  We are to be the picture of God to those around us.  If there is no way to out-sin God’s forgiveness then there is no sin of another that we can’t forgive.

Mighty, Awesome, Forgiving LORD!  Forgive my sins, the ones I know and the ones I don’t.  Give me Your super-natural ability to forgive those who have and will sin against me in some way.  Nurture in me a heart of forgiveness!  Make it so!!!

Breathe on Me

I just came across another example of God’s ‘aliveness’ while studying His Word. Second Timothy 3:16 tells us that ALL scripture is God-breathed.  I found another set of scriptures that reinforces and strengthens this concept.

Turn Back To God

In John 20:22 we once again see the Breathe of God in action.  After Jesus’ Resurrection the Disciples have locked themselves in a room because they were afraid of the Jews.  Jesus had come to them to prove He really was Jesus.  After He spoke with them and reminded them of their mission He breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit”.   As Jesus breathed on the original disciples His very breath is on us as we disciple those around us.  Are you saying, whoa, wait a minute here, how did she come to that conclusion?  It’s really quite simple.  I believe God’s word is God breathed and is alive and active in me AND every time I open the Word it is the Breath of God.  Verse 17 of 2 Timothy 3 says that the Scripture completes me and equips me for every good work.  The Breath of God is both on me and in me.

pentecost-small-1

Think about Pentecost.  Acts 2:1-4 tells us that on Pentecost, (By the way, Pentecost is not a new Holy Day to the Jews.  It is the second of the OT established harvest festivals occurring 50 days after Passover.)  the sound of rushing wind came from heaven and filled the house where they were gathered.  Tongues of fire rested on them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  This time the Breath of God is perceived as what sounded like rushing wind.  (Scholars believe this outpouring of the Spirit filled the 120 present in the Upper Room.  The 120 represent those Believers who were part of the larger group that followed Jesus.  The 12 Disciples that were closest to Jesus were a part of this group but had already received the Spirit directly from Jesus.)

Whether God’s Breath is directly breathed as with the Disciples, sounds like a rushing wind as with the 120 or is breathed through the Scripture it is still His Breath.  Isn’t it awesome that we can experience it whenever we want to just by opening His Word.  Praise You Jesus!

Worship Him in Song!  Breathe on Me

Heavenly Father, breathe on me.  Fill me with Your Holy Spirit.  Make me constantly aware that You are constantly with me.  All praise to You, my God and King.  Make it so!

Let My People Go!

This morning I was having a great cup of coffee and spending some time just enjoying reading His Word.  This is something I do every morning.  I have no plan for reading through in 90 days or a year I just read and let Him get into my mind and heart with whatever He needs me to know at that point.  When I’ve finished I just start all over and read the Bible again.  Today I was reading in Exodus about the Plagues and found some very interesting concepts (Even though I’ve read these words many times before He always adds something new for me to think about.).

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh (painting by Be...

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh (painting by Benjamin West) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sometimes, because of the way our Bibles are divided into chapters, I miss something interesting.  At the beginning of Exodus 7 God said to Moses ‘Look at Me’. In the last verse of the chapter before Moses had said to God ‘Look at Me’.  Can’t you just see God smiling in this exchange of words.  Look at me, NO Look at Me!  You’re saying you stutter, I AM saying I’ll make you like a god to them.  one-upmanship at it’s best….

In Exodus 10 Pharaoh’s servants have had enough.  They want to know how long Pharaoh is going to let this go on.  There is basically nothing left of their country.  What wasn’t taken by boils and hail was eaten by flies, gnats and locusts.  It didn’t matter to Pharaoh, even though he called Moses back and said OK you can go, God kept him stubborn as ever.

10 pl

In the 9th Plague God puts a thick darkness on the land of Egypt.  So thick the Word says it was so dark you could touch it.  Can you imagine what fear that would cause?  Ray and I have experienced that kind of darkness, literally.  We’ve been deep in caves under the surface of the earth when the guide turns off the lanterns.  Let me tell you, it’s so dark it can be felt.  Here’s something I find interesting.  The exchange between Moses and Pharaoh is enlightening (pun intended).  Pharaoh says, “Get out of my sight!”  Moses says, “You won’t see my face again.”  After darkness so dark it was blinding, no one could even move because it was so dark, Pharaoh says I don’t want to see you again…Hm-m-m-m!

Before the Plague of Death Moses gives Pharaoh God’s words about the Death to come.  This is powerful stuff!  The first-born will be killed.  This is a huge punishment in this culture and time.  Everything belonged to the first-born.  But, once again, Pharaoh gets stubborn.  Death sweeps through Egypt, saving only the Israelites, and still Pharaoh refuses to act.  Everyone else does, though.  They beg the Israelites to leave giving them jewelry and clothing for the trip.

Isn’t it the same with us.  Aren’t we a bit like Pharaoh?  He truly believed in his god-status and wasn’t about to let the Real One get the upper hand.  When we say my way or the highway, I know what works for me, don’t tell me how to do this or that…aren’t we acting like Pharaoh?

Worship the One and Only with me in song – –Days of Elijah  (Just click on the title)

Heavenly Father speak to me.  You know me and know what I need to ‘hear’.  Open my ears, eyes, mind, heart and soul to what You would have me know from the Words You have ‘breathed’ onto paper.  Make it so, Lord!

God Is Who HE Says He Is!!!

thI read the article “Higgs-Boson Particle May Spell Doom” and wondered – really?  Is God so small that He can be a tiny speck created by a collision in the Large Hedron Collider?  Can the theories created by this possible discovery predict the end of the universe and time as we know it?

Let me tell you what I personally know about my God.  HE is not one tiny little particle.  HE is everywhere, in everything and every one, ALL the time.  He is the ONLY One who knows the time of the end and since He didn’t share it with Jesus (Matthew 24:36) I’m very sure it hasn’t been discovered in a mathematical theory based on a teeny-tiny speck that may or may not exist.th (1)

How about on a more personal level.  How do I know God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do?  I survived a dysfunctional childhood because I knew HE is always with me (Even though at that point I hadn’t publicly accepted Him as my personal savior.)  HE was carefully holding me when a tornado ripped our first home apart, turned it on it’s roof, and I was on the inside.  HE was watching and protecting me when a truck ran a stop sign going the full speed limit and T-boned my car, making it a total loss.  The three people on the inside were kept safe with just a few minor injuries.  At a hearing where my personal integrity was being questioned and my job at stake HE showed up, made His presence known with what felt like the slightest breath of fresh air, and all charges against me were dropped.  He was present during the 20 days I sat by my husband Ray and waited for him to wake from a coma.  It was only with His incredible downloadstrength that kept me from being a crazy, sobbing lump as those days went by.  Not only did Ray wake with all his mental facilities, He is a walking, talking Miracle.  I know He is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do because I’ve seen Him at work!

Worship Him in Song: How Great Is Our God (in several languages)

Heavenly Father, You Are the I Am!  You are Jehovah Jirah, my Provider.  You are the Is, the Was, and the Always Will Be.  You are my Rock, my Fortress, my Shepherd, my always present Help.  Ah, Lord, God, what a humbling honor it is to be called Your own.  I give You all my praise, my heart, my life, my all.  Amen and Amen!!