Why was the Ark Pitched INSIDE and Out?

above photo can be seen at "free bible pics" here

Yesterday, As I do every morning, I was watching one of my many favorite pastors.  This podcast through streaming TV was from TD Jakes.  Here are some of my notes and a link to this video which is a MUST see.  I watched it twice.  There are not many pastors that can give you real spiritual MEAT.  Listen with your bible open and take notes.  Pray before so God will  open your mind to understand these truths!

God is always working with us in ways that our child like  minds can understand.    He uses things and cercumstances we can relate too, so He can GET us to a higher understanding.  It is a step by step life long school.
 But first we must go through the door after being invited.  Like that door to the tabernacle, once inside (confessing our sins and saying YES LORD, I want to change and be taught) the door is opened to understanding and growth to the Great Plan of God.

 You walk through the door and then right off you must sacrifice something.  CHRIST sacrificed his life and by His blood you CAN walk through the door.  But you must sacrifice and give a offering through out the rest of your life.  Giving up fleshly desires, your strong will against the ways of God, giving up over time all the wrong ways of thinking, acting and living.  These COST your flesh, but the rewards are worth it!

Salvation was given by Christ, but it costs us too! But not our LIFE, Christ Paid that price!


TD JAKES says, "God may alter His methods but never His purpose!


I loved how Mr Jakes explained the analogy of the arks (the Ark of the flood and  baby Moses little ark the reed basket)  and the PITCH used.  In the first ark of noah.  God told moses to pitch it inside and out.  Pitch would SEAL and PRESERVE the living people and animals inside.  Moses was placed in a reed basket (ark) and it was pitched inside and out to keep it from sinking in the water, safe from snakes, crocodiles etc.  Again, Sealed and preserved safe.  And that baby had no power or strength to save himself, only God's plan and the mother being obedient to place him in there saved that baby.  So are WE saved when we are obedient and walk into the safety are of HIS care and providence!  No Effort on our part to save ourselves once we are IN God's plan and trust and believe In Him. Obeying Him.   God tells me " HE is before me and Behind me" meaning that He paves the way before me and protects my back side.
Then the last example Mr Jakes gives is the Ark of the Convenant which was sealed not with Pitch but of GOLD.  Analogy of Divine covering.

I find it interesting that WATER is the force against the lives of Noah and Moses.  Many times water is used in a spiritual analogy of purpose.  Jesus WALKS ON THE WATER.  Water will KILL us if we sink in it.  No air is in it.  We cannot breath in water.  Yet water is also used as a analogy of quenching our thirst.  We need to DRINK water.   Depending on how water is used either for Life or Death.  In either case GOD is the factor that saves us!  The waters of trouble seem to overpower us with living in a world of trials and tests, but GOD has overcome it all.  God will help you overcome it all IF you trust, and obey.





We give up our knowledge of what is right or wrong and and begin acting, thinking according to what HIS TRUTH of what is Right and Wrong.


Thus, our lives do matter in What we go through, our cercumstances but what matters is WHO are we IN?

Now this IS interesting:

Acacia ( /əˈkeɪʃə/ or /əˈkeɪsiə/) is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by theSwedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not. They are pod-bearing, with sap and leaves typically bearing large amounts of tannins and condensed tannins that historically in many species found use as pharmaceuticals and preservatives.

The generic name derives from ακακία (akakia), the name given by early Greek botanist-physician Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40-90) to the medicinal tree A. nilotica in his book Materia Medica.^[2] This name derives from the Greek word for its characteristic thorns, ακις (akis, thorn).^[3] The species name nilotica was given by Linnaeus from this tree's best-known range along the Nile river.

also from Wikipedia:
Acacias in Australia probably evolved their fire resistance about 20 million years ago

Wood

Acacia koa Wood

Acacia tree near the end of its range in the Negev Desert of southern Israel.

Some Acacia species are valuable as timber, such as Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood) from Australia, which attains a great size; its wood is used for furniture, and takes a high polish; and Acacia omalophylla (Myall Wood, also Australian), which yields a fragrant timber used for ornaments. Acacia seyal is thought to be the Shittah-tree of the Bible, which supplied shittim-wood. According to the Book of Exodus, this was used in the construction of the Ark of the Covenant. 

My sister pointed out this fact too:

Interesting to note that the Acacia was a thorny plant.  Just like Christ had thorns placed upon his head when he was crucified.

Acacia heterophylla Wood

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So we see how this wood has spiritual meanings also. A strong wood, a incorruptable (fire resistance) substance.

put this information together and you start to see the huge spiritual aspects to YOU and your relationship with GOD.

To see the whole video of TD Jakes on the Ark of the Covenant.  Part one.  You can see part two listed right next to it when you finish this one on that video site.  Just click the highlighted  area here.

What IS God's will for Me?

How do we know what God wants for us? For each of us?

Some simple step to be in God’s will:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks: 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1. To rejoice in ALL things.  Not just the good times but in the hard times.  In the trials and tests of life for this is living proof you BELIEVE and TRUST in God.  Every day you can find something to rejoice about.  You just have to look and ask God to show you if you do not.  But it will be there.  Rejoice and be Glad.  I find that getting out my hymn book and singing even when ever fiber in my being says I do not want to sing, is more helpful for me than any other thing.  Esp. if anger is welling up, you just can not stay angry and be singing joyful songs to God!

1. Pray without ceasing.  Do you know how to pray with out ceasing?  This does not mean praying every minute of every day, but to be in prayer in your mind every waking minute.  Even in your dreams!  After all these years, I now have prayer when I need it even when I sleep.  I have found that if a situation in my dreams causes me fear or anxiousness I am calling on my Lord !  I have woke up with my voice calling GOD and I am rescued!  What a great thing to not have nightmares any more, and even if something dark does start, it ends quickly when my mind even at rest calls on Jesus.  Also, during the day, downtown, working at home, any where at any time I am talking to God like He is right there with me.  To me this is prayer without ceasing.  Constantly aware of His presence, knowing 100 percent He hears my every thought and comment.  

1. In every thing give thanks.  As in #A above, giving God prayerful thanks every day all through the day.  For the food He gives us for today, to be able to walk or to see, for our family and friends. And yes, for our enemies who keep us close to God and are the sandpaper of our lives toward a better finish!  Find all the things you can every prayer in morning and every prayer at night and give God the thanks.  For nothing we have has not come from God himself.  Even the health to earn a living is from God, every basic need, every blessing is from God.  Go even further and Thank God for the trials and hardships He allows us to go through, for they are pruning us into diamonds of character to serve in the kingdom to come.  They prepare us to work with more honor, more character to be like Christ and thus be a better witness to those who have yet to believe. 

Do we say we know him and yet not do what He says?  Then the truth is not in us.  By this we know that we are in Him, when we act and walk as He did! 

(1 thess. 3)

Read the word of God and follow the ways of Jesus Christ.  You cannot know how to act unless you study.  

Do you hate your brother?  By this I mean ANY other human being!  IF you say you follow and believe in God and hate your fellow man/woman you are still in darkness and the light of Christ is NOT working in you.  You cannot walk with God and hate others.  We hate the sin in the world but NOT the lives of other people.  All people are God’s children, even tho many do not know Him yet. (1 Thess. 2:7-10)

Hatred, distrust, will promote anger, depression, anxiety and burdens untold in YOUR life.  Get rid of it by following the simple rules God gives upon on living in His will!  

Finally God wants me to tell you He loves you!  With Godly Agape Love not as the world loves but with the Love of GOD!

What is a covenant with God?

covenant |ˈkəvənənt|

noun

an agreement.

• Law a contract drawn up by deed.

• Law a clause in a contract.

• Theology an agreement that brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people. The Jewish faith is based on the biblical covenants made with Abraham, Moses, and David. See also Ark of the Covenant.

verb [ no obj. ]

agree, esp. by lease, deed, or other legal contract: the landlord covenants to repair the property.

PHRASES

Old Covenant Christian Theology the covenant between God and Israel in the Old Testament.

New Covenant Christian Theology the covenant between God and the followers of Jesus Christ.

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The first covenant where the word is found, was between God and Moses where God makes a  “unconditional” promise to never again send a world wide flood upon the earth.  Gen 6:18 ,  But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.9:9 And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants[a] after you,and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. 11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

NOTE; every time I see a rainbow, I remember two things:

#1 God's promise to never flood the whole earth again

#2 God ALWAYS keeps His promises, Always!

OLD COVENANT before Jesus:

The second one is seen in Genesis 15:18: between Abraham and God. This one is really important!  This whole chapter should be read of the agreement between God and Abraham AND ALL his descendants! God promised to make Abraham’s name great (genesis 12:2) that he would have unlimited descendants (gen. 12:16) and nations, etc. 

Many more covenants are found throughout the bible and always they are a agreement between God and His chosen children of His calling.

The children of Israel in the old testament and then the people who come to his call (all nations and peoples) in the new testament. These were “conditional” covenants with blessing if we followed the agreement or cursing if we did not.

A good understanding of the word covenant is in Whikipedia at:

NEW COVENANT Prophecy of :

Jeremiah 31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,[a] says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

35 

Thus says the Lord,
Who gives the sun for a light by day,
The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night,
Who disturbs the sea,
And its waves roar
(The Lord of hosts is His name):

36 

“If those ordinances depart
From before Me, says the Lord,
Then the seed of Israel shall also cease
From being a nation before Me forever.”

37 Thus says the Lord:

“If heaven above can be measured,
And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath,
I will also cast off all the seed of Israel
For all that they have done, says the Lord.

”

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AFTER Jesus came and died, the NEW Covenant is established!  The new convenant is not just Israel and Judah but ALL humanity.  Christ fulfilled the law of Moses.  The new covenant now gives us access to true freedom.  We are now able to receive the FREE gift of salvation, the sins of our past are now paid by Christ’s blood.  No amount of laws and regulations from the old covenant could do that.  Now we all can be given life with God as His children.  Begotten heirs but not yet inheriting the life as a spirit being with God in the world to come.

“The wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Rom 6:23”

We can have the free gift  IF we believe in Jesus Christ that He was born a human by the spirit of God and raised from the dead to sit on the right hand of God the Father.  

again- eternal life is not something you can earn, it is God’s gift through Christ! That is the plain teaching of your Bible! You earn wages. The only wages you can earn is death.

If you are really brave and want the truth no matter what’ go read this article and look up the scriptures yourself!

<http://www.herbertwarmstrong.ca/Salvation.pdf>

I now pronounce you Husband and Wife

For many the search is done, the prayers answered and now you are married to the person you love the most. The perfect companion and you will live happily ever after.  Well, at least the fairy tales go like that.
If you are married or about to be married or expect to marry, do you know the cost?  Have you studied how God wants you to see marriage and what is your role in this union between man and wife?

I am greatly saddened how we are programed to believe about relationships in this world.  From as young as, what?  TEN girls are now dressing, acting like they are in a mating search.  Have you ever watched the funny ways birds and other animals act when it is time for mating?  The pomp and fluff is quite comical !  But why I feel  sad is because instead of people just enjoying being young they put all this effort and anxiety into having a serious relationship before they are ready.

Instead of learning  who they are as individuals, and the plans for their life they start going steady, or"hooking up"( for my older readers that means a night of sex but rarely any commitment.)

  Most shows do this all the time!  A couple who are physically attracted are portrayed,   so they go to bed together as soon as they meet!
 This is WRONG.  It is  no different than the animals of the wild and even some of them have better mating habits.  At least the geese mate for life and some others.   It is like we are going back to the stone age of "Me like you, we have sex now" mentality.  No thought of the future, the consequences. The unwanted children,  who then are neglected or abused. Or in our throw away world, just kill the baby before it is born.

My husband that died from the drunk driver, He wanted me to abort my pregnancy with him.  We were not married, but I refused.  My treasured son would not be alive today if I had did that.  Later Bob apologized to me for trying to get me to do that.  Once our son was born, he stole Bob's heart and Bob would have gave his life for him.  I guess in a way he did.  Babies are God's little treasures.  Life is precious.  This photo is my first grandchild from my son.  Another life that would not be here if I had aborted. 

What about waiting for sex.   What about finding all the things you really want to do in life.  I did it all wrong when I was young too.  I know what I am talking about, I KNOW the consequences of this route.
I actually went to my dad when I was about to graduate.  I wanted to go to college and study art and design.  It was my passion.  I also loved animals and loved training them. I wanted to live on a ranch and raise animals.  Arabians and herding dogs.

But My dad told me woman were to get married and have kids and stay at home.  He would not send me to college.  I SHOULD have gotten two jobs and worked my own way through college but sadly I did not.  I had sex outside of marriage, when I did marry I married for all the wrong reasons and my marriages failed.  Yes Marriages!  Not once or twice.  I had no instruction on living a life as God had planned.  I lived on feelings and let go of my dreams.

Photo of my dad and mom a few years after they were married.

Thankfully God has a instruction book for people.  Lets read what the Holy Word of God says about husband and wife in 1 Peter 3:

Wives Submission to Husbands

3 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, ² when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.(respect) ³ Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

Let me say that too many preachers in the past have used the words "submissive" to the end of dominance over woman.  Like some kind of slave.Or that woman is less than man.  NO where in the bible does it even hint of that!

This is NOT what this means dear children of God.  GOD wants man to LOVE and CARE for the wife.  Sarah obeyed her husbands lead.  She called him Lord, was Respectful of Him.  The word LORD here is the Greek word Kurios meaning one in Authority, and in control.  The LEADER.  A leader will lead with LOVE and make decisions for the rest of the family for their GOOD and not tear down or hurt.

Was Sarah perfect?  by all means NO, read the story.  She was human, and neither was Abraham perfect, again go Read for yourself the story but what they did have is what is lacking in todays marriages.  COMMITMENT to stay the course and not give up on each other! 

The wife is the husbands responsibility to provide a home, food, and all her needs.  Not all WANTS but needs.  

A woman is to love God so much she can fully trust GOD to fulfill these even if her husband is not a true follower of Christ and that in those times when the husband lacks the ability to provide the faithful wife will trust GOD to fulfill the rest!  I have personal experienced that many times.  My husband Bob who died from a drunk driver, had his own demons.  Many times I was left alone in alaska without him to chop the wood to heat the home, no money coming in etc etc. BUT every time God found a way to provide for my needs.  Every time.  I never went without warmth, food, love of friends and help when I needed it .

A woman is to work every day at keeping her home a good place for the family.  Her home is clean, her home has food, she provides the clothes by making them or buying at places the family can afford.  

In todays world most men and women work outside the home.  Some woman work at home and make extra money.  Thus many men and woman share the home duties as well as child care duties.  This is up to each family to decide who does what, but the wife is to be HELP to the husband not a burden. She will not spend more than they can afford. God wants a woman and man to train up their children in the way of God. This is a huge responsibility.  She will be faithful to her husband, she will do every single thing to help and encourage her husband in their goals as one unit.   She will not speak in negative downgrading ways to others about her husband.  To do so will destroy her own respect for him as well as others.  She must build him up and find the good in him.  To focus on his positive traits and remember that she herself, has many flaws so not judge her husband as less than her!  

A Word to Husbands

⁷ Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker (or more fragile, some one who needs their strength) vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
⁸ Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, betenderhearted, be courteous;^[a] 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For

“He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹ Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”^[b]

Men, God wants you to  understand that woman are not possessions.  That this woman you want to be your own is actually the treasured child of God and you are only accepting to care and love her while she is upon the earth.  You are held in high responsibility for her care and to lift her up when she is down. Find out what she likes, what her goals are before you ask to marry her.  Value her faith in God, respect it.  Do not assume everything you want and do in life is going to be the same as you.  Choose wisely for she is to be your help mate.  One to stand by you as you make wise and sometimes unwise decisions for you both. LISTEN to her advice, you do not have to do it, and you should not IF it is unwise but listen out of respect and love.  For believe it or not woman have great ideas too!  ;-)  They will see and understand things from a different perspective that is vital to decision making. 

I know this is getting long but I wanted to speak on What you ladies should consider before you marry, and you young men should ponder before you marry.  

1.  Are you ready to "give"  more than "get" in this relationship?  

2. If this person you want to marry were to be in a accident or something and was handicapped for life would you still love them so much and care for them?

3. What are the relatives like of this person you want to marry?  For whatever they are like you will have to deal with for the rest of their lives.

4. Can your partner deal responsibly with money, do they have goals for the finances and what are they? Do they match yours?

5. Do you plan on having children and if so how will they be raised?  What values?

6. If you are a believer is your partner?  If not you are heading for disaster, I KNOW! At the very least a tough road.

7. And the best advice I can give is that you DATE for at least six months before you even consider marriage.  Then go to a good christian marriage councilor for more advice.  By spending a lot of time together , many unseen things will become seen and you can better decide wether you will make ago.

8. Remember that No one is perfect, we just find the one person who's flaws we can live with, and that they can live with ours.  Be authentic, do not pretend to be someone you are not.  Do not give up your dreams and esp. do not give up God's plans for your life!  God always must come first.

My mom and dad at thanksgiving 2005.  Dad had cancer when this was taken.  They were married almost 60 yrs when he died a few years ago.  My mother is still alive and loved by all.  They had a long marriage but it was not without a lot of sacrifice and pain.  However the benefits far outweigh those! I love my dad and mom, for their values, their faithfulness to each other, their commitment, their lives have touched many to this day. The two became one and succeeded in life.  

The True Center of Christian Life

God impressed upon me last night to copy this passage from His word for todays post.  And to remind you that LOVE, Godly LOVE is the key to overcoming all sins.  IF we have true love for another we can not hate them.  If we have True love for those around us, we will not be afraid, for perfect love cast out fear.  And to put any thing that takes us away from God and from growing in Grace and knowledge of our Creator !


Colossians 3:
 ¹ Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven,(Spiritual Truth not earthy physical evidence) where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ² Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. ³ For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ And when Christ, who is your^[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

 ⁵ So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. ⁶ Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.^[b] 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. ⁸ But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. ⁹ Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. ¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. ¹¹ In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,^[c] circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,^[d] slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

 ¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

 ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

 ¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.