When we “work” for salvation it is just that- it’s about appearances to the world. It’s all about how well we perform. #missthemark

On our walk this morning, I was expounding on the thoughts below. (Things I’ve been contemplating all week in response to heavy personal needs in the lives of those near and dear to me). My husband encouraged me to write this blog.

The passage from earlier this week, (see below) was a scene from when Moses and Aaron were in the throes of grief (Miriam, their beloved sister, had just died), it was then that they lost their chance to lead the people into the promised land. In fact, they could not fake an infallible priesthood at that moment- as good as they were. Those quarreling Hebrews needed water and God specified to speak to the rock to allow the water to flow. Moses did not follow the instructions exactly. (Maybe feelings of anger made him strike it instead?)

Now, let me ask- who does Moses represent to us? Yes, as a type of Christ, he delivered the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt, just as Christ delivers us from slavery to sin.

How important is it for us to let Jesus Christ the LORD carry out God’s plan perfectly? We can never take on this role of “priest from the order of Melchizedek” or hope to perform it “perfectly”. #Salem #peace

Fast forward to the New Testament. Jesus was talking about not being anxious about clothing, food and drink. What did he say to seek first?

That’s right…seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness!! Who alone can make us righteous for God’s kingdom? As a dear friend of mine answered so well… “the blood of Jesus”. He is both the Savior and the Deliverer of the world (saving and delivering us from sin’s curse).

Why does any of this matter?…we cannot fake transformation. Mind renewal and heart change are a powerful result of love.

Christ alone brings us into a right relationship with God the Father. His perfect sacrifice covers us, so to speak. He then sent the Holy Spirit to help us as believers, after ascending to the right hand of God.

If we leave the “heavy lifting”, aka perfection, to God, then we are freed up to experience transformation. We are no longer forced to perform, instead we are invited into a family relationship. God’s family dynamic has all good ramifications.

Because there is no faking it, we can be honest with God about the need of our hearts.

He meets us at the point of our need. He is able to transform us when we trust His provision through His Son.

Faith is powerful, faith is transformative, faith is the means of justification. #truth

What transforms people who are a bit timid? Yes, faith even brings boldness because it’s not about the quantity of our faith as much as it is about the greatness of our God (whom we place our faith in).

He has already finished the hard work for us, for our families, for our country and for the world.

Why? “Because God so loved the world that He gave…“ (John 3:16)

Since when did we stop trusting our great God and His heart for the world?-Teresa #nolongerduped #confidentrust #focusontheOne

Rich Mullins- My Deliverer is coming 🎧🎧

Numbers 20: 1-13 (ESV)**

The Death of Miriam

20 And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.

The Waters of Meribah

² Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. ³ And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! ⁴ Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? ⁵ And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”⁶ Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lordappeared to them, ⁷ and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁸ “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” ⁹ And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him.

Moses Strikes the Rock

¹⁰ Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” ¹¹ And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. ¹² And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” ¹³ These are the waters of Meribah,^[a] where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV)***

Do Not Be Anxious

[25] “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [27] And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [28] And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, [29] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ [32] For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

[34] “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

**OneyearBibleonline

***ESV.org