I am sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, The Holy Spirit of promise. What is that? I know who and what the Holy Spirit is, but what is this promise? The Greek word means “an officially sanctioned promise” or “a summons.” In Acts Sha’ul says we are given the promise of the Holy Spirit. One writer says that almost all New Testament mentions of a promise point back to the Old Testament, which makes sense since that’s the only “Bible” Sha’ul had when he wrote all his letters. I wonder if it refers to the promise that God made to Abraham. Or, even more likely, the promise that Yeshua made when He told the disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to them. That makes sense. In John 14:26, Yeshua says, “But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.” Perhaps the promise is of the Holy Spirit, who is a comforter and a helper to remind me (remember ADAM means to remember) of all the things that Yeshua taught. Next, what does it mean to be sealed… a seal is used on a piece of wax that is melted in order to place an image upon it. Once the wax dries the image, if it is whole, means that the document or whatever is being sealed hasn’t been broken. If the seal is broken, it’s a sign that the item has been opened, read, or tampered with. So perhaps the Holy Spirit is that image imprinted into the wax of our lives that declares that we are God’s based on His promises and the message of truth (that YHWH is the One True God and Yeshua is His Son who, through His sacrifice, enabled us to have a restored relationship with YHWH again). I wonder if the seal can only be broken by God – kind of like the doors that only God can close and open. Interesting.
Psalm 56:4, 9 O God, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? … On the very day I call to you for help, my enemies will retreat. This I know: God is on my side. Today I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by everything that I need to get done in the next week. There are a lot of important tasks that I’ve taken on (at least important to me), not so much because I was asked but rather because they bugged me (not necessarily anyone else) and I’m the only one who can fix them, or because they were my idea and past history has shown that if I let someone else do them, they’ll won’t turn out the way I want them to and I’ll be disappointed (and because I’m so particular, I’ll end up redoing them anyway). But that’s my own personal issue, and I’m okay with that. This verse, is great. First of all, it worships and praises God and the words He gives to us. I believe that this project, this school, is a word from God. It’s a dream and a desire placed in us by Him. Last night at our meeting, one of the other board members shared some things he learned in a devotional he got. One of the things was that when God gives us a desire or a dream we should go for it. Don’t be afraid of it. That’s what got the servant who buried his talent in the ground in trouble. He was afraid of his master so he never used the gift. Our Master is our Father and He loves us and gives each gift to be used. The other lesson was that we should be passionate about our dreams. If we’re not passionate, then why should God be passionate about helping us achieve them? This was from the story of Elijah, the king, and some arrows. The king was told to hit the ground with the arrows, which he did, but he only did it a couple of times. Elijah scolded him for his half-hearted attempt because if he had been more passionate about it then God would have completely destroyed the enemy. However, since he only hit the ground a couple of times the enemy was not completely destroyed (and I’m guessing the king died or was taken prisoner, but I can’t remember). Anyway, good lessons. Back to the verses… so Praise is due. But also, when I get afraid and overwhelmed, I should remember that God is on my side, what can mere mortals do? I love that part about mere mortals. It’s such a great reminder that relative to God and His power, we’re pretty puny. God is on my side. And the very day I call for help, God begins to work. The very day! Not several days later… That very day He begins to move mountains. He is for me. He is for the dreams He plants in me. He is by me every step of the way. So, my conclusions are that my God is AWESOME! He plants dreams and stands by me, helping me, as I jump into those dreams with courage and passion. Hang on! It’s going to be a wild ride!
Ezekiel 34:31 You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God,” says the Sovereign Lord. The Lord is angry at how the leaders of Israel have abused the flock, not caring for the sick or the injured or the weak. He promises that He Himself will search for and find His sheep, caring for them and healing them. And He also promises to judge between the sheep and the goats. But, finally, amidst all the promised terror and destruction, there is a glimmer of hope. God clearly loves His people, and He states several times that the purpose of his destruction is not to crush the people. He truly hopes that they will turn from their sin so He can hold back the tide of death. But he does warn them earlier that “the good works of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the sins of evil people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins.” (Ez 33:12) Repent, repent, come back to Me, cries the Lord over and over. What I loved about this is the personal touch. He isn’t going to send an angel to find His people and care for them. He isn’t going to send another human. He’s coming Himself to find His sheep. Although He is the God of the universe and has untold resources, He still cares enough about us to come Himself. That’s pretty cool! You, I, everyone, we all matter that much to God! Makes me feel pretty special!
Jeremiah 32:38-42 They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and mind to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, promising not to stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will rejoice in doing good to them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land. Just as I have sent all these calamities upon them, so I will do all the good I have promised them. I, the Lord, have spoken! I love this passage! It’s been a favorite for years. The promises here are so beautiful! They’re verses I claim for my family. It reminds me that despite the hardship that goes on, God will one day bring good. It reminds me, too, that He puts a desire in our hearts to worship Him. It’s not something I make happen, but I respond and worship Him, never leaving His side. It’s also cool to note that God rejoices in doing good to us. He likes doing things that are good! Sometimes I tend to think of God as a God of lessons, who is always bringing difficulty to me so that I learn something. It’s easy to remember He’s the God of Justice. But it’s not as easy to remember that He likes to see His children smile. For example, there are weeks where it seems like Gavin pushes the envelope over and over and over, constantly disobeying us. And that’s hard because I hate to discipline him, because I don’t like to see him upset. But, I love to do things that make him happy and make him smile and laugh. Whether it’s playing toss with a balloon, chasing him around the living room, or snuggling with him on the couch while we read or watch Veggie Tales, it’s awesome and I rejoice in those times. And, it helps me to think of God kind of like that. He promises good, and He is faithful to bring it again. He doesn’t just allow or bring calamity and difficult situations. He also brings good and restoration.