RUMPAS

Today is Leap Day – We are so blessed by our Loving God – We just closed on a new home – Our journey has been long and sometimes hard but we have placed our trust in the One who leads – Onward and Upward to our new home with God leading the way!

We are on the move again! No, this is not a statement for this Country or anything in connection with the economy. Literally, my husband and I are moving – Again! But this time, we are moving for ourselves; not because of a job loss or a family member. We are moving for us and moving to, wait for it, Pahrump, Nevada.

Screech! Where is Pahrump, Nevada? Pahrump is about 60 minutes from Las Vegas. Pahrump is derived from an Indian name meaning: big flow of water or water rock. When my husband discovered the meaning of Pahrump, he immediately thought of Moses in the desert when Moses struck the rock and life saving water poured out.

Exodus 17: 5-6 (NIV): The LORD answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink

I’m not sure if there are any big flowing water(s) in Pahrump but the town is quiet and water is available, the people are friendly and the Las Vegas smog stays in Las Vegas.

Here are my top Three (3) favorite nick-names for the Town of Pahrump.

1. A Rumpus in Pahrumpas – (courtesy of my sister-in-law and Neil Sendak)
2. We are going “Over the Hump to Pahrump” – (old Las Vegas saying)
3. Pahrump sang as “Pa-Rump-Pa-Pump-Pump” (courtesy of Moi)

So let the wild rumpus begin! We will be moving soon and going over the Hump!

Oh sing it loud – Pa-Rump-Pa-Pump-Pump!

Figs and Forgiveness

Mark 11: 24-25 (NIV)

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

How many times have you read or heard someone say: If you believe – You will receive?

Fig trees are very messy trees – when a fig drops to the ground its innards open and out spills a sticky, slimy and messy fruit slime. Yuck!

Think about sin – when sin spills out of our mouths, thoughts or actions – It’s messy too! Sin is filled with all kinds of consequences.

Jesus tells us to Believe in our prayers but Jesus adds a post-script. He says if you are holding anything against anyone, if we are holding anger, resentment, bitterness, fear, worry, the desire to dominate, guilt, sexual impurity, jealousy, inferiorities, or lack of love, then, we must forgive; first!

Don’t be like the messy figs – dropping your mess into others lives

Stand in prayer – FORGIVE – Hold nothing against others

Believe – Receive the benefits – Your Father’s gift – Forgiveness

Let Forgiveness bloom in your life and spill into others – Forget the Mess!

Have you made your Appointment?

We need an appointment for just about everything. We make appointments for Doctors and Dentist, scans and x-rays, hair, nails & toes, car repair and home repairs. We schedule vacations, play-dates for our kids and even date-nights for our marriage.

Previously, we had appointment books and used our calendars and now we use our phones or “Me” pads.

Do you schedule your time with God? Do you keep your appointment and your eyes fixed on heaven?

Schedule your time with God today because He has given you life and by serving Him you will Stand Fast.

Make sure you keep your appointment – Make it stand today – Don’t reschedule!
Before you do one thing today – turn everything over to the ONE!

Psalm 119: 89-91 (NSRV)
The Lord exists forever; Your word is firmly fixed in heaven.
Your faithfulness endures to all generation; You have established the earth and it stands fast. By Your appointment they stand today; for all things are Your servants…I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life.

No Longer

Ephesians 2: 17-22 (Amplified)
And He came and preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off and [peace] to those who were near. For it is through Him that we both [whether far off or near] now have an introduction (access) by one [Holy] Spirit to the Father [so that we are able to approach Him].
 Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household.
 You are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the chief Cornerstone. In Him the whole structure is joined (bound, welded) together harmoniously, and it continues to rise (grow, increase) into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, consecrated, and sacred to the presence of the Lord].
 In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.
No longer without peace, no longer far away, no longer outsiders or exiles, no longer set apart. We have residency with the saints. We belong in God’s household. We were built on the foundation of Jesus and He is our Cornerstone.
We will continue to grow and increase, welded harmoniously, dedicated and sacred in the presence of the Lord. In Jesus and in fellowship with others we are being built up to form a home of God through the Holy Spirit and we now can approach the Almighty.
Oh, what glad tidings!

Sunday is Worship Day

SUNDAY IS WORSHIP DAY

Please enjoy: Hallelujah – Light has Come by Barlow Girl

Psalm Saturday – Psalm 63

The Psalm for this Saturday is Psalm 63: 3-7

Psalm 63: 3-7 (NKJ)
Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name? My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
Psalm 63: 3-7 (Young’s Literal Translation)
Because better [is] Thy kindness than life, My lips do praise Thee. So I bless Thee in my life, in Thy name I lift up my hands. As [with] milk and fatness is my soul satisfied, And [with] singing lips doth my mouth praise. If I have remembered Thee on my couch, In the watches — I meditate on Thee. For Thou hast been a help to me, And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing.

Running in Circles

I just saw a commercial for a medical Scooter Repair. The commercial started with a man asking a question. “Is your chair running slow?” Then there was a picture of a slow-moving scooter with a very unhappy occupant.

Next, the man asked another question “Is your chair running in circles?” Again, there was a picture of the medical scooter circling round and round. I’m guessing the occupant was not very pleased with their scooter performance.

Please note: I am in no way making fun of any medical disability or making a joke about someone needing these valuable tools to get around.

My first thought – Sometimes I feel like I am moving slowly through life with everyone one else going in the fast lane and I am in the “turtle-zone”. Other times I feel like my life is going in circles – slowly circling around my problems.

The good news has always been the Good News!

Isaiah 40:9 (NIV): You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”

Mark 1: 1 (NIV) The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God

Life moving slowly? Running in circles?
Proclaim the Good News – Walk Faithfully.

Genesis 17:1 (NIV) I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.

Fill Your Tabernacle

Exodus 40 is the last chapter in the Book of Exodus. Finally, after all the hard work of gathering offerings, working on the Lord’s project, following the Lord’s specific instructions, the Israelites completed the Lord’s Tabernacle. This last chapter of Exodus shows the final preparations for the Tent of Meetings, waiting for the Lord to fill the tabernacle.

Exodus 40 1-11 says: Then the LORD said to Moses: “Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. Place the Ark of the Covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lamp stand and set up its lamps. Place the gold altar of incense in front of the Ark of the Covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

All through the last chapter there is a recurring statement. Several verses stated that the gifts of each person were God-given-gifts. Reviewing the Lord’s instructions to each group of crafts-person, the writer says: as the Lord commanded him. (Verse 16, Verse 19, Verse 23, Verse 25, Verse 29, Verse 32)
Then, and only then, did the Glory of the Lord fill the tabernacle. Watch and listen for the Lord’s instructions – just as He has commanded you – Watch and Wait for the Glory of the Lord to fill your tabernacle.
 Exodus 40: 34-35: Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Willing

I’ve been reading Exodus; the story of Moses and the Israelites. God required a Tabernacle, an Ark, an altar and priestly vestments. All of the gold, silver and material including thread to be woven into garments came from the Israelites; precious commodities to the people on the run from the Egyptians. Commodities gathered in a rush during the call for flight.

But listen! In Exodus 25, after Moses called a meeting and asked the Israelites for their possessions. Some of the Israelites had a open heart and “willingly” brought all gold, silver and bronze, blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows, acacia wood, olive oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and fragrant incense and onyx stones and other gems as an offering to the Lord.

In Exodus 25: 20-21: Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.

Everyone who was willing – everyone whose heart moved them!

Today, are you willing to let your heart move you as an offering to the LORD?

Forgiveness

When forgiveness is requested, do you feel it’s easier to forgive others or forgive family members? I’ve been pondering and struggling with this question. Even one of my daily readings from Stomie Omartian said: It’s very easy to have un-forgiveness toward family members because they are with us the most, know us the best and can hurt us the deepest. But for those very same reasons, un-forgiveness toward one of them will bring the greatest devastation in our lives. That’s why forgiveness must start at home.

Family, why is it the hardest to forgive our loved ones. Is it because, as Stormie Omartian said, family knows our hot spots and cut us the deepest?

Family means: ancestors, descendants, lineage, family tree and blood.

Since the Bible is the Truth – Let’s see what the Bible says in this matter: (NIV)

Ancestors:
Leviticus 26: 45: But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD.

Descendants:
John 7: 42: Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?

Lineage:
Genesis 5: 1: This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.

Family Tree:
Matthew 1:16: and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. (Savior)

Blood:
1 John 1:7: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

OK, OK, I know Lord; surrender! I need to immerse myself in your Word; once again. I remember your Covenant. You created all of us in Your likeness; not just me but my loved ones and others as well. Jesus will help me walk in His light while I fellowship with others. Jesus will purify me from sin when I ask His forgiveness and ask forgiveness from others.

Just give me another minute.
I’ll start asking and stop my whining!