Finding Purpose In Your Life Through Jesus

By Cathy Wilson on May 1, 2022

Photo by Kendall Hoopes on Pexels.com

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

God has planned your life before you were even born (Psalm 139:13).  That plan includes joy and purpose! Do you believe that you have a purpose for each day?  Each day becomes an exciting opportunity as you look for purpose. In Proverbs 16:9 the Bible states “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Does God have purpose for us each day?  Yes, He does.  How about the monotonous times of everyday life?  Yes, God has you there, too.  How about the time when you are going on an awesome vacation? Is there a higher purpose?  Yes, in those times too, God is there.  We are to experience life in the here and now through the lens of our Creator to make a difference in the world. We were created in God’s image (Gen 1:27), for God’s pleasure (Rev 4:11) and for His glory (Is 43:7).  We were created to be salt of the earth (Matt 5:13), so let’s spread out that salt and spice up the lives of others! We were created to be light in a dimly lit world (Matt 5:14).  In Matthew 5:16 the Bible states, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.“

Trust Jesus with each day.  Trust Him with all the tomorrows.  Trust Him for the years ahead. 

FINDING PURPOSE IN EACH DAY

Each day, each step, trust that he is leading you in the path that he wants you to take. The purpose He has for you today may not be earth shattering, but may be more subtle.  An encouraging word or sharing your life happenings with someone may alter their decisions.  It may set them on the path God intended them to take. Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”

Believe that every meeting, every encounter that you have with others is not coincidence but divinely appointed.  Be willing to allow Him to speak through you into each situation. Let’s face it, we aren’t always on the top of our game and aware of the needs around us, but God is. He’s never taken by surprise, even though I am sometimes.  

Recently, I went shopping to a quaint little town that’s a bit of a drive for me. It’s what I do to get away for a moment of time when I am feeling exhausted and need a break.  Most of the time, I don’t bring friends.  It’s just a quiet time for me.  The drive is my “talk with Jesus time.”

Main Street is lined with stores.  It is full of antiques, boutiques and my favorite cupcake shop. I was enjoying my ME time, when I was snapped back to reality.  I was putting a package in my car that was parked near the sidewalk when I glanced to the storefront.  An older woman leaving the store fell and I gasped.  She stepped out of the boutique, didn’t realize there was a step and landed, sitting up on the step.  The look on her face was sheer surprise and embarrassment.  I ran to her and said, “Are you okay?”  After assessing that she really was, I helped her get up.  She was scolding herself about the incident and was being very negative in her self-talk.  I gave her words of encouragement and acceptance. I assured her that we’ve all fell at one time or another.

I didn’t quote Bible verses, even though I could have. I didn’t tell her that she would be going to hell if she didn’t accept Jesus, even though that’s a true statement.  I just showed her loving kindness.  Sometimes, that’s all God asks of us in that day: Just show up and show loving kindness.  You never know when someone is going to need a “pick-me-up.”

Sometimes we get the idea that “God moments” are only when God does a miracle.  There may be times such as those, but even in the monotony of life, God is there.  Relax in where you are. You are where you are supposed to be. 

Be ready for those “God moments.”  I call them “God Winks.” That’s where He winks at you and says “I see you.” Be ready for the time he teaches.  Be ready when you are keenly aware that what you are saying to a stranger seems so simple, but is profound to them because God is in it.

Just like when you tune a radio to a certain station to hear the desired music clearly, tune into the Holy Spirit.  Make your heart ready to speak a word in season and out of season (2Tim 4:2).

TUNE IN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT – MAKE READY YOUR HEART

Prepare your heart ahead of time:
• Seek Godly counsel: Surround yourself with people that are trying to be like Christ. Read good Christian literature. Read the Bible and pray every day. God places people in our lives to be our mentors, anchors and guides. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
• Obedience to God: If you feel God is placing someone in your path to help, don’t hesitate. Obey God and he will bless the situation. Obey God if he is directing you to use your talents for Him.
• Be in tune with the needs of others: The world is full of people in need. People may have physical needs as well as spiritual needs.
• Show a little kindness: Showing kindness speaks volumes to people and especially to strangers.
• Be willing to be involved with messy lives: Sometimes God places in our paths people with messy lives. These people seem to have many problems.

If you’re in tune with the Holy Spirit and have a willing heart, God will place people in your path. You will meet them to help them or for your personal learning experience.

TRUE JOY COMES FROM THE LORD AND HIS PURPOSE

The world seeks joy in money, power and possessions.  These are never fulfilling. Only Jesus and His purpose for others will give you a lasting joy. Jesus said, “”These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full””(John 15:10-11).

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU BRING PURPOSE TO YOUR LIFE AND SALT AND LIGHT TO THE WORLD.

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

Freshly Fallen Snow

by Cathy Wilson on January 4, 2022

Photo by Kristin Vogt on Pexels.com

As a Midwesterner in winter, snow is a common word.  One thing you can be sure of, you will receive snow at some time in that season.  Some years we receive a lot of snow, other years snowfall seems to be lighter, but I never tire of the beauty of freshly fallen snow. One of my favorite times is when I am snuggled up with a mug of hot chocolate and I look out my picture window onto a beautiful scene of freshly fallen snow.  You know those special times when each branch of every tree has an inch of snow attached to it?  That happened the other day and some of the branches even had ice on them.  What a beautiful sight!               

When the storm broke, the sky was blue with puffy white clouds moving across it. The sun reflected bright light through the snow and ice.  What joy to see the beauty of the prisms of light and clean, white snow.  When I think of freshly fallen snow, I think of purity. 

Isaiah 1:18, “..though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be a white as snow;”

 In the midst of that scene of white, a bright red cardinal flew in on the scene creating a color contrast of bright red against a white background.  It left me breathless and pondering the verse in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. “

I am thankful that Jesus cleanses our sins by his blood.  “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). All we have to do is repent of our sins and confess them to Jesus and He will clean us up according to I John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

                Have you pondered lately the redemption that Christ gave us when He died on the cross? Eph. 1:7 (NIV) “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

                Jesus died and paid the price of our redemption, so that we might be made pure, spotless, and white as snow. 

Grow in Wisdom, Rooted in the Word of God Day and Night

by Catherine Wilson

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I bought a new rose bush for my flower gardens, choosing it for color and fragrance. I came home and soaked the rose bush roots in a bucket of water overnight until the next day when I would be planting it. My Dad always had beautiful rose bushes and he is the one that taught me to do that.

Water in the Bible is a symbol of the Word of God. Just like immersing the rose bush in water would help it to grow, we need to immerse our own roots in the words of the Bible to aid in our fresh spiritual growth. As the roots take hold, we too will be like beautiful roses with color and fragrance to brighten the world.

What’s more, the word of God is living (Heb. 4:12). God can use the Word to speak to us in an intimate way. His word is truth in an ever-changing, unstable world.

When we are rooted and grounded in faith and the Word of God, others will see it. “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh. But her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:8)

When I planted the rose bush, I removed it from the bucket of water. I amended the soil that would surround the roots of it. I placed the rich soil in the hole where the bush would be planted. I mixed it up and filled the hole with water. I removed any debris that shouldn’t be there. My father taught me to pour water into the hole around the bush before you fill it with dirt. Then let it drain, and then fill it again.

This is much like our spiritual lives. Remove debris in the form of sinful desires or things that keep us from God. Then fill our roots with living water of God’s Word. Just when you think you have had enough, fill it again. Saturate our roots and lives with the living Word of God. It will help us to have a great foundation and protect us from the harsh weather of life.

I challenge you this year to read the Word of God each day. Water those roots and watch how beautiful you grow!

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Field Trip Life Lesson- The Glassblower

by Catherine Wilson

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I was asked to chaperone a fifth grade field trip to Henry Ford Greenfield Village. The teacher gave me a rowdy group of boys to watch.  I guess she entrusted me with them, knowing I was rearing three boys as a single parent and it would be nothing unusual for me to handle. 

The Village is our local working heritage museum.  It has a mixture of homes, a farm and vintage factories that were owned by important inventors from the Victorian era to turn of the century.  We had fun visiting an old railroad train and vintage car display where the boys were allowed to climb. I love history and I enjoyed walking the sidewalks of the neighborhood with Model-T Cars rattling past us.  I was encouraging the boys to stay on the sidewalks when  I viewed on the sidewalk a sign that stated there was a demonstration from a glass blower and it was about to begin.

 Much to their dismay, I ushered them toward the glass blower’s vintage factory.  They thought it would be boring.  Climbing on trains seemed to be more their speed, but I assured them they would have fun and learn something, too. 

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I admired the different colored handmade glassware on display as we walked in.  I led them to sit down on wooden benches near the glassblower.  “Listen closely,” I leaned over and whispered to them with a bright smile.  A little surprising to me was that I would be the one that learned a profound lesson from the demonstration, not the boys.

The Glassblower is like Our Creator God

We huddled around the glassblower.  We marveled at the craftsman who formed mere sand into delicate Christmas ornaments.  As he intently watched over his creation, spears of flames reflected from the nearby furnace. They danced on his large brown eyes and sweat beads formed on his brow.  You could tell he loved what he was doing and was pleased with his creation.  As I watched, I realized this was the same relationship of the glass blower creating beautiful ornaments to how God feels creating us. 

Like the glass, our spiritual heart can become cold and unpliable

The boys gasped as the glassblower opened the furnace door and flames licked out.  He thrust the blowing bar back into the fiery furnace because the glass was getting cold and hardened.  Sometimes we become cold and unpliable as we live in disobedience to God. 

The glass became pliable again, so he pulled and tugged on the molten glass with tongs while spinning the blowing bar.  He spun strings of glass around the bubbles.  He explained that it wasn’t just for outer beauty, but to add extra strength.  Sometimes God considers it necessary to thrust his children into the fiery furnace of trials and problems to soften hardened hearts.  He burns off imperfections and adds strength to our character.  He patiently and lovingly pulls and tugs at our heart strings while turning us, spinning unique life stories for each of us.

He is moving and molding us into a unique and special pattern.  He leads our talents and gifts and He weaves our inconsistencies.

Carefully, the glassblower kept the blowing bar moving.  He explained that if he stopped, the beautiful glass would be ruined.  God never stops leading our lives.  Sometimes we feel as if He has stopped moving and wonder if he really cares.  He is always there.  He is moving and molding us into a unique and special pattern.  He leads our talents and gifts and He weaves our inconsistencies.

The boys stared in awe at the finished product.  “Wow.  That is really cool,” my son said.

Another boy said, “It was made from sand.”  I nodded.

We all are made unique and special to God

I looked at the group of boys that were watching so intently.  Each looked different.  All four of them had different color hair.  They had different color eyes.  One had adorable freckles spattered across his nose.  Although they had been a challenge that day, I remembered how God sees them.

I pointed to the ornaments that were displayed on a table and said to the boys. “See how each ornament is beautiful.  They are all different in color and pattern.”

They nodded.  “God made each one of you just like that.  In His eyes you are unique and beautiful in every way.” The boys guffawed and asked to leave and move on to more adventure. 

“Really, I said.  “Don’t ever forget how special you are.” I got up and thanked the workers for the demonstration and moved the boys toward the door.

God is always working to make us complete

As I left, I glanced at the burning furnace.  My mind kept returning to the picture of what I just experienced. In my heart, I said a prayer to God, “Lord, help my heart to never become cold and hardened.”  I smiled.  I felt as if I had been thrust into the fiery furnace while meeting the challenges of single parenting.  Maybe he was making me more pliable to be used for Him. “Make me into a beautiful ornament,” I said. ”Change my heart into a unique ornament, beautiful for all to behold.”

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

7 Reasons Heaven Will Be Perfect

by Cathy Wilson

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I was teaching the preschool aged class at church when one of my students said something that made my heart melt.  That particular day, I had the hard task in my lesson plans to teach the concept of heaven.  I hardly understood heaven myself, let alone teach it to a group of young children.  The coloring page for that week’s activity was a picture of a castle-like building on top of clouds with rays of light coming from it.  When I studied the lesson, I thought it was a good artist’s conception of heaven. A small child should be able to relate to it.

I did my best to teach about heaven that day and then I passed out the coloring page.  There was a lull in the noisy classroom as they began to work on their pages.  I noticed one of my students was coloring intently.  I thought it was adorable so I went closer to see what she was doing.  She was drawing many different mini-rainbows around the clouds.

“Very creative!” I said, “You’re drawing little rainbows aren’t you?”

“Yes. God puts rainbows on strings and then lets them down from heaven through the clouds,” she said matter-of-factly.

I love the heart of children.  “Who told you that?” I asked.

“How else would they get down from heaven? God does that,” she said. She shrugged her shoulders and resumed coloring intently.

My heart melted.  She was so sure of God and how things were created by Him.  To her, God was big enough to place rainbows on strings and let them down through the sky. I love the faith of little children and Jesus does, too.  In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” I learned so many things during my season of teaching small children.  They have a fresh view of the world and a faith that’s alive.

For me, heaven has grown from a dreamy place “hoped for” to a real place. It’s no longer a castle on the clouds, but my tangible destination when I leave planet earth. Heaven becomes more special each day.  As family and friends pass from this life to a new life in our spiritual home, the thought about it becomes sweeter.  Heaven is a place where we will never be separated from God.  We will see people we love again in heaven.  There will be no more sickness to disrupt our lives. Although there are countless verses in the Bible about heaven, following are 7 that are most important to me.

 7 Reasons heaven will be perfect:    

1. We will see Jesus face to face. (2 Cor. 5:8) (I John 3:2)
2. It’s going to be more beautiful than anything we have ever experienced. (1 Cor. 2:9) (John 14:2)
3. Jesus will be the light and we won’t be confined by day or night. (Rev. 22:5)
4. We will not suffer pain or sorrow. (Rev. 21:4)
5. Animals will be in harmony with humans and with each other. (Isaiah 11:6-9)
6. We will receive rewards for our faithfulness on earth. (I Cor. 3:10-14)
7. We will be reunited with our friends and family. (Heb. 12:22-24)

The way to heaven is simple enough to understand for even my preschool students. We won’t get into heaven by our good deeds that we have done.  Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” If not by the good things we have done, how do we get to enter heaven?  It is a free gift offered to us by God.  Consider the following verses.

Each of us is a sinner.

Each of us has sinned according to Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Admit it. Admit that you are a sinner.

Jesus died for your sin and mine.

Romans 5:8 “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Believe it. Believe that Jesus died for the sins you committed.

Confess or tell God and others that you believe it.

Romans 10:9 “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Confess it.  Pray to God and tell others that you believe.

People of all ages have been pondering heaven throughout time. If you follow the above steps (Admit it, believe it, and confess it), your name will be written in the Lamb’s book of Life (Rev. 21:27) and you will be assured a place in heaven.

Diamonds in the Sky

By Catherine Wilson

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 Shadows moved quickly across the sky. Clouds billowed and blustered in rolling balls and moved in quickly.  I was on my knees tilling the soil with a hand shovel.  I stood up and looked up at the sky, pushing the brim of my straw hat above my forehead.  That’s when the lightening began.  I was mesmerized by the beauty and power of the storm and stood paralyzed in awe.  I heard that it might rain that afternoon, but the speed in which the storm overcame me was astonishing or maybe I was so involved in planting I had tuned out the warning signs.   A lawn chair near me blew over and snapped shut, bringing me back to reality.  

I gazed down at the stark red tulips that were waving frantically in the wind.  “Guess I have to call it a day my friends,” I said to them, but the sound of the words dissipated in the wind.  I picked up my spade, pail and lawn chair and headed toward the protection of the porch.  My straw hat blew off and rolled like tumble weed in the wind.  The smell of new rain surrounded me.  

With force, raindrops spattered about and across my face.  I snatched my hat while running with all my might. I decided not to go into the house and once again feel trapped inside, smothered by problems. I decided to watch the storm from the porch.  The wind brushed against my cheeks and it felt as if my problems blew away with each gust.  Lately the only solace I felt was when I was gardening.  The burning ache of loneliness melted away with the happy colors that my flowers brought into my world.  How I love the wind, flowers and all that God created.  I thanked him quietly under my breath and stood awhile thinking about the power of God and the power of the storm.  That’s when God decided to send a spectacular show for my viewing. 

The lightening ceased, the rain temporarily stopped, and the clouds parted as quickly as they came.  Half the horizon was dark gray.  Behind me the rays of sunshine spiked through the dark clouds.  A brilliant rainbow danced in the sky and displayed its translucent spectrum of color.  Then it began to shower huge raindrops.  The raindrops looked like diamonds falling from the sky.  The diamonds sparkled and shimmered.  Sun rays danced upon them as they tumbled to the ground. 

The diamonds were from my Best Friend in the whole world, Jesus. He knew I was feeling overwhelmed that day and needed a gentle reminder of His love.   I stood still and enjoyed the beauty of what I saw.   He sent a spectacular show just for me.   With each dropping diamond, I heard His voice, “With Me, you are never alone.  To me, you are more precious than diamonds.”  Once again my world returned to right and good as I remembered how much Jesus loves me. 

The price for my soul cost more than diamonds.  It cost the life blood of Jesus and He willingly paid that price for me.

John 15:13 ESV Greater love has no one than this,  that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Lightening Bugs on a Summer Night

by Catherine Wilson

Photo by Ave Calvar Martinez on Pexels.com

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12) ESV

As a child, I often went on vacation with some neighbors and good friends to their cottage in rural northern Michigan.  Their cabin was on a lake and we had some fun times there.  There weren’t any computers there or any television. The radio rarely picked up any stations, so we really had to be creative to come up with things to keep us busy.

One muggy evening we all found jars to catch lightening bugs.  The darkness hung thick in the air and made me nervous.  I had heard many scary stories of bears and ghosts while we sat around campfires.  We soon forgot how dark it was as we saw the lightening bugs “Blip, Blip,” as they speckled the skyline.  It was quite a sight to see. Four giggling girls running around with jars and catching bugs. Each jar had a few shining bugs so that we could see each other in the dark. After catching them, we transferred them into a larger gallon-sized pickle jar. 

Soon we were satisfied with the amount of bugs we had and carried the large jar into the cottage.  We turned off all of the lights and watched the bugs in the dim light and shared stories. We shared scary stories. We shared funny stories.  There’s nothing more fun than a group of girls giggling in the night.

The more lightening bugs we caught, the stronger the light. 

I was fascinated by the bugs and they taught me some spiritual lessons.  The more lightening bugs we caught, the stronger the light. If you caught a large amount of bugs and placed them in the jar, the light was continuous.  We had created a nice bright light to use.

What if you took out each firefly, one at a time?  The light would grow dimmer and dimmer until the last firefly “Blip….blip…” was in the jar alone. 

As we share our faith, we are like a tiny firefly in a dark and vast world, “Blip….Blip..”  We shine and dispel the darkness of sin each time we share what God has done in our lives.  When we work together as a community, helping each other and showing kindness to one another, we shine our little lights. We become a bright lantern to the community around us.

God said in Philippians 2:15 “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

Timeless beauty of God’s Tabernacle-Peering through the Portals of Time

by Cathy Wilson

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2Peter 3:8 ESV “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

I have been studying the Old Testament Tabernacle from the Bible’s book of Exodus with a group of women.  Each time we discuss different aspects of the Tabernacle, the more amazed I am at the symbolism. The symbolism always points to the Messiah, the New Testament Jesus.  Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies and symbolic pictures. God saw across the portals of time to place symbols in the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the New Testament to prove the deity of Jesus Christ.

As we discussed the Ark of the Covenant, we shared a few “aha moments” and they further solidified my faith in Christ.

The Ark of the Covenant was a beautiful piece of tabernacle furniture.  It was made of acacia wood that was covered with gold.  On top of the ark was the mercy seat where there were two angels bowing with their wings facing toward each other. The Ark had rings on the corners, allowing the priests to place poles in them so that the ark could be carried.

THE ANGELS ON TOP OF THE ARK

It is interesting to mention that at the resurrection of Jesus when Mary came to the tomb, she saw two angels positioned in the tomb, it is possibly a picture of the Ark of the Covenant.    In John 20:12 it says, “saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.”  The angels of the Ark also bring to mind the angels of Revelation 7:11. “All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.”

THE PRESENCE OF GOD

In Exodus, the Ark of the Covenant is where God dwelled.  The Shekinah glory of God would come up from the Ark in the form of a brilliant pillar and cloud.  The cloud would cover the camp area of the children of Israel.  When the cloud moved, it was time for them to pack up and move forward.  This presence of God would come from the mercy seat which was on top of the Ark of the Covenant.  The mercy seat is where the priest would sprinkle blood of the sacrificed animals on the Day of Atonement. 

At different times of their journey, God requested that three different items be placed in the Ark. These would be carried with them and eventually, when the temple was built, they were placed there. The items were a golden bowl filled with manna, the Ten Commandments tablets and Aaron’s budding staff.

THE MANNA

The golden bowl with manna signified that God was the giver of life. He provided food for the wandering nation each day. He was Jehovah Jireh, the great provider. He would always provide for generations to come.  Across the portals of time in the New Testament, Jesus proclaims himself as the bread of life in John 6:35 and then continues to say in verses 48-51, “I am the bread of life.  Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.  But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.  This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

THE TEN COMMANDMENT TABLETS

God had the priest place the ten commandment tablets in the Ark to remind everyone that God is Holy. The Ark was in the “Most Holy Place” or the “Holy of Holies” of the Tabernacle. Across the portals of time, in the New Testament, Jesus was in the temple and saw a man possessed of a demon. The demon cried out in Luke 4:34 NIV “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!” Jesus Is Holy and never sinned (2 Cor 5:21). The Holy and sinless One proclaimed in Matt 5:17 that He came to fulfill the law not to destroy it.

AARONS BUDDING STAFF

In Numbers 17, God asked them to bring twelve staffs and then the priestly line would be established by the staff that was chosen. The Israelites were arguing over who should be in the priestly line. God would put to rest the argument.  In Numbers 17:5, “The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout.” The next day Aaron’s staff budded, establishing the Levites as the priests.  Across the portals of time we see that Jesus in Hebrews 7:13-17 is the high priest in the order of Melchizedek. He is the Chosen One (Is 42:1).  He is the living branch Zech. 6: 12-15.

ACROSS THE PORTALS OF TIME, JESUS SAW YOU

Jesus sees each one of us and all those throughout the ages in all of our humanity.  He sees our frailties, failures, sorrows and sin.  He sees our victories and when we are at our best. In spite of it all, God desires to be part of our lives. He desires a relationship with you and with me.

GOD DESIRES A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU

In the Old Testament under the leadership of Moses, God had the Israelites build a Tabernacle, which included the Ark of the Covenant because He desired to live among them.  He still desires to live among us today. He desires a relationship with you.   

Jesus paid the price for our sins. By confessing that we are sinners and Jesus died for that sin, we immediately become a child of God.  We are sealed with the Holy Spirit and He indwells us according to Ephesians 1:13, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”

After we become believers, we are commanded to share the gospel (Matt 28:19)  May the light of the gospel within us shine forth as brightly as the Shekinah Glory showed forth from the Ark of the Covenant. May the world see “your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:16)