My Journey Journal

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
and give no opportunity to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26 – 27 ESV

Fighting in Anger

Our church is studying what it means to be members of the church.  Recent lessons are on unity within the church and building one another up.  As I read the passage above I was struck by Paul’s command five verses later:

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Ephesians 4:31 ESV  Read more... (1081 words, 3 images, estimated 4:19 mins reading time)

So David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, “Blessed are You, O LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.
“Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone.
“Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.
“But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You.
“For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.
“O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours.
“Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You.
“O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, our fathers, preserve this forever in the intentions of the heart of Your people, and direct their heart to You;
1 Chronicles 29:10-18 NASB  Read more... (1220 words, estimated 4:53 mins reading time)

14 When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. 15  The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Moses told them, “It is the food the LORD has given you to eat. 16 These are the LORD’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.” 17  So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.
Ex 16:14-18 NLT  Read more... (234 words, estimated 56 secs reading time)

As a person given to pride, too often my focus is on myself.  I’m at the center of the stories I create in my head.  Upon reading the Bible, however, I learned (and continue to learn) that everything is about God.

I’m made to love, worship, glorify and commune with Him (as is everything else that’s created).

   Read more... (644 words, 2 images, estimated 2:35 mins reading time)

The sons of Korah (also descendants of Kohath) were descendants of a Levite who rebelled against Moses – Numbers 16.

This group of Levites were given the ministry of

… lead[ing] the music at the house of the LORD after the Ark was placed there. They ministered with music at the Tabernacle until Solomon built the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They carried out their work, following all the regulations handed down to them.
1 Chronicles 6:31-32 NLT  Read more... (609 words, estimated 2:26 mins reading time)