journey in Him

hello again. yes it's been awhile and trust me, God has been blessing in so many ways it is all too exciting to contain within this blog. church, family and work has all seen God's miraculous hand throughout. I am only privileged to be a vessel.

Exodus 40:36 & 37, “And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.” these verses are both loaded with so much good stuff that I need to back up, get the steam going, then explain.

chapters 36-39 tell of how the Lord used the wisehearted within Israel to construct the tabernacle in the wilderness. then men were filled with the Holy Spirit as they performed the set tasks given to them. the bible says they did “as the Lord commanded Moses.” Moses was the leader so God told the leader and he in turn passed the memo down to the workers. every little detail was carried out as God commanded. nothing was let half done or waiting for someone else to complete. even the priest's were clothed according as God commanded. on top of all this every item was anointed for the service of the Lord. the items were sanctified, or set apart, to the Lord. this included every ladle, pan, candlestick and even the altar. even Aaron and his sons were anointed as they were the priests using those items on a daily basis. God wanted to make sure they were set apart as well.

now here is the good part... God commanded Moses to construct the tabernacle. He gave Moses the plans to the minutest detail. God gave Moses able-bodied individuals to carry out those tasks. those individuals carried out God's plan. then God set apart certain men to perform within the tabernacle to continue the plan. only then did God rest within the tabernacle. only then did God Himself reside within the tabernacle that He Himself had commanded to be built.

once we get God's command, enable those God gives us to carry out the command, and then perform the command will He then continue to reside. but it doesn't stop there. if the cloud moves, then we move. if the cloud stops, we stop. being in God's will doesn't matter where the cloud leads or where the cloud travels, you need to follow. can you see through a cloud? no. can you see around a cloud? no. so the only choice is to stay behind the cloud and follow. too many times I want to look around. too many times I want to look through. I've found it very difficult to look through, around or past my Lord. but that is exactly where He wants me. dependant upon Him to lead and trusting in Him while I follow on life's journey. I can only journey in Him. not through or around. but in Him.

right now God is working in my life. I don't feel qualified to carry out the task He has asked me to perform. but I do know that He will be my strength to perform said task. does my imagination try to look around Him? yes. does it try to look through? still yes. but I know one thing is certain. He is taking me to the mission field. see I must journey behind the cloud through this task in order to get to the mission field. that is why I must journey in Him.

my eternal Priest

I am Baptist. like died-in-the-wool, born and raised, till death removes me from this earth Baptist. the main reason I am of the Baptist faith is that it is the only one that I am able with which to align my beliefs. I've tried several evangelical churches but none that stay entirely true to God's word. the topic of today's post is one many have fallen away from.

Hebrews 7:15 & 16 states, “And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” feel free to study this guy Melchisedec, or Melchizedek, as he was the recipient of Abraham's tithes. in Jewish tradition, sins of the people were absolved by the sacrifices made daily by the Levite priests aka commandment from Moses given by God. once Christ died on the cross, those sacrifices became null and void as He paid the once for all sacrifice for our sins. HALLELUJAH! hence He was the priest after the order of Melchisedec and not a Levite.

verse 27 states it quite clear, “Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” because the payment on the cross was the final sacrifice, I no longer have to rely on an earthly priest to absolve my sins through an animal sacrifice. Jesus Christ is the Eternal High Priest so only He can absolve my sins, whether committed already or those to be. this cuts out any earthly priest and any earthly form of sin removal. no human can wash away my sins, see I John 1:7.

I thank God that I can go directly to Him and ask forgiveness for every sin that I commit. trust me, I sin daily and the Holy Spirit convicts daily which means confession is daily as well. though God already knows my heart, “He is faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness” I John 1:9.