Sleep?

A few new thoughts came up tonight, in regard to certain things which have come to attention these past couple days.

Thoughts which tie in to a lot of the things that had been on my mind for a few weeks.

Intercession can mean a lot of different things. Or, rather, it can bear a lot of different connotational interpretations.

Isn't there something, somewhere about Christ being our intercessor?

Yeah, there is. Romans 8:34.

So is the Holy Spirit. ...interceding on our behalf with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And according to this site, we're basically a holy priesthood...as Christ is like Melchizedek. A kingly priest, or some. Abraham gave that one a tithe upon meeting him in the desert--he was a king and a priest of the God Most High. He blessed Abraham.

Everywhere people have still been talking about Moses. It's even on that website I just linked.

The initial thoughts on Moses did have to do with his relationship with God (Mount of Transfiguration was major). Same as with Elijah. And Enoch. As to that sort of relationship.

Then, thoughts started going to Moses in relation to the plagues. Which a nice little sermon on the radio a couple days ago was directly likening each to particular goings-on in Revelations (which is what reminded me of the plagues in the first place--reading through Revelations).

Then, there was the consideration of obedience. One...a couple?...acts of disobedience, and Moses was cut off from being permitted to enter Canaan. That'll put the fear of God in you, for sure.

Alrighty, then. That was a sidestep backwards, forward. Appears to be the book that the lecture wandered across/led to was portionately sourced from. Without proper acknowledgment, initially, although author of published book (not the one linked) did go back afterwards and attribute properly.

Hm. Yeah.

So, Gideon. He's been coming up increasingly, lately. What-with the 300? Yeah. Him.

And I really don't like all this talk of fleeces. But that wasn't Gideon.
Nevermind.

Yes, it was.

Okay, so both pastors who talked about putting out fleeces were talking about Gideon, too. Awesome.

One week apart, and each as a strange sort of unintended interjection into the sermon. But included, nonetheless.

I don't know how I feel about putting out fleeces. He always answers my questions. My unconscionable and insatiable curiosity is bad enough, without further affront to majesty by outright asking randomly for fleeces. Which He will fulfill.

Faithfully.

But it just feels so very...inexcusably arrogant.

Not that it's ever stopped me, before. *sigh* ...knowing how arrogant a thing it is to approach the Master of the Universe with a request that He prove Himself. I'd never question if it weren't that I get so distracted that I don't trust my own senses, even spiritually, sometimes. I don't trust my own abilities, basically. He's trustworthy, in all things.

He is to be relied upon, in all things.

But I can't even be trusted to get groceries, honestly. Not without His help.
I can't drive without His help. I can't even have a conversation without His assistance.

So, yeah. It's only in my total reliance upon Him that I'm trustworthy.

So, this whole "fleece"-thing? I don't like the idea of it, one bit. But I would rather humble myself, trembling before His majesty, to ask such a thing...than to get wrong what He would have me do.

Some of the stuff that tries to talk to me is just outright...ugh. If you can conceive of it, it's probably tried to whisper in my ear at some point. Silence is golden, in those instances. Pray, cling to God, and they go away. Not quickly, sometimes. But they will depart.

The ones that you entertain, though. The ones which you allow to stay for tea, as you consider the thoughts whispered--weighing them for truth, for value, for potential utility or enjoyment? They stick around longer. And come back more frequently, trying again and again, hoping you'll give in.

Nope. Better just to pray. Immerse oneself in the Bible. Drown it out, by all means.

And then, there are the others which used to hold almost complete sway on a daily, hourly, or very regular basis... ...they try like crazy to get back in. Lingering over a person's shoulder, slavering at the idea that they might find purchase as to cling again. Fear attempts that a lot, with me. Of course, it had been a major standby since well before the age of 4, so...it feels as though it has rights.

Nope. All were revoked the moment I completely submitted to Christ. I'm a bond-servant of the Lord, now, and free from the law of sin and death, as to which all those sorts of things cling and mire.

Set free by the law of Life in Christ.

Grace is sufficient. Always.

But, yeah. Gideon.

And there's something else I've been wondering about, but not aloud.

OH!

Something today that was awesome:

Still keep referring to Proverbs 9:10, nearly constantly.

The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.

Proverbs 9:4-6, today

Whoever is simple (easily led astray and wavering), let him turn in here! As for him who lacks understanding, [God’s] Wisdom says to him,
 Come, eat of my bread and drink of the [spiritual] wine which I have mixed.
 Leave off, simple ones [forsake the foolish and simpleminded] and live! And walk in the way of insight and understanding

Verse 5 refers also to Isaiah 55:1

WAIT and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self- surrender that accepts the blessing].

AND John 6:27(-29)

Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using], but strive and work and produce rather for the [lasting] food which endures [continually] unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him.
 They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?]
 Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you:that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger

Which I read to the point of this:

John 6:30-49
Therefore they said to Him, What sign (miracle, wonderwork) will You perform then, so that we may see it and believe and rely on and adhere to You? What [supernatural] work have You [to show what You can do]?
 Our forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as the Scripture says, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.
 Jesus then said to them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Moses did not give you the Bread from heaven [what Moses gave you was not the Bread from heaven], but it is My Father Who gives you the true heavenly Bread.
 For the Bread of God is He Who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.
 Then they said to Him, Lord, give us this bread always (all the time)!
 Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).
 But [as] I told you, although you have seen Me, still you do not believe and trust and have faith.
 All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me].
 For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent Me.
 And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day.
 For this is My Father’s will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day.
 Now the Jews murmured and found fault with and grumbled about Jesus because He said, I am [Myself] the Bread that came down from heaven.
 They kept asking, Is not this Jesus, the Son of Joseph, Whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, I have come down from heaven?
 So Jesus answered them, Stop grumbling and saying things against Me to one another.
 No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day.
 It is written in [the book of] the Prophets, And they shall all be taught of God [have Him in person for their Teacher]. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to Me—
 Which does not imply that anyone has seen the Father [not that anyone has ever seen Him] except He [Who was with the Father] Who comes from God; He [alone] has seen the Father.
 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me] has (now possesses) eternal life

I usually don't do cross-references. Very rarely. Maybe once a week? So, for the cross-references to lead back to the verses posted prior to reading, then further--there's cross-reference to

Isaiah 54:13

And all your [spiritual] children shall be disciples [taught by the Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children.

...which has been Rhema, lately. The entirety of that book in Isaiah.

Verse 14 has apt relevance right now, actually:

You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God’s will and order):you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

As far as all that other goes, though...it's relevant because I've been wondering about a particular verse in Revelations for a couple weeks.

Revelations 7:16

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun smite them, nor any scorching heat.

I like this one, too:

Revelations 7:17
For the Lamb Who is in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

...

Now, that's just awesome. ^_^

There was more to it, too, but those were the main things.

Ah, the spirit of Elijah.
I'm really curious to learn of that soon, too.

There was this dude I met in New Orleans...oh, what was his name? Ernie.
Ernest.

John the Baptist, for just one evening.
I still have no idea what to think of all that.

...

It's strange how the emergency broadcast system runs tests on what seems a daily basis, these days. Multiple times a day, sometimes.

Or maybe it just seems that way?

Of course, part of it is that there have been tornadoes around the area with regularity for months.
Not that we actually have been known to have tornadoes in this part of WV/VA. But, whatever.

They told me about them in Tampa, actually, when I told them I was moving back up to this area.

Not that the locals have any idea of them, for the most part. My stepmom only became aware of them, two days ago. Just something else to be anxious over.

They have no place in my life. Me and mine are property of the Most High God. Anything which touches must thus first come through Him.

The crap that's been trying to inhabit my sis attempted to call them down on us, when she was first arrested a few weeks ago. I have no idea whether dad was aware of what was going on, on both sides of the house from the winds, when that storm immediately struck as she was taken away.

But the Lord is good.

Neither of the funnels fully formed. And while the wind yet raged for a moment, that's all it could do. Same as of the rain. With the sky as dark as evening.

But it cleared up, praise be to God! Dad stood by me (on the phone with my stepmom) through some of the worst of the downpour. Watching the rain recede as a visible line was wild. Left to sprinkles, and the sky immediately lightened.

Oh, thank the Lord...!

It has always been good to know the Lord--a vital and necessary thing for anyone.

But, now...eternal salvation is the only means of earthly salvation, as well.

Kingdoms are crumbling. Disease runs rampant. Strife is as close as your nearest high end retailer (girl at Lowe's here was physically assaulted a few weeks ago, over nothing--just a customer in a bad mood...she said they didn't know who they were messing with...prayers for her).
And it's only by Grace that any of us should be saved.

Every age worse than the last. Something has to give.
There's only one answer.
One Way

All that there ever is to think on.

I wonder what new awesomeness tomorrow will hold. ^_^
Gonna get to share another awesome sermon with my dad and stepmom. Lord willing.

Yay!

<Pray!>
<Repent!>
<Learn!>
<-----!>
Sleep!
Repeat!