Meeting God in darkness

When I read Exodus 20:21 where it said that Moses " drew near unto the thick darkness where God was." I thought to myself, does God dwell in darkness? God is light and truth, no darkness in him. I had to go back to Exodus 19 and read more. God appeared in a cloud, the glory cloud of God. I have seen dark clouds, full of rain; then there was fire on the mountain and smoke. In the natural I thought of a volcano with dense smoke, but this was more than a natural occurrence. God was there, in the darkness. All the people feared at his presence and would not come near because they were unclean and lacking in faith. Moses went into the cloud and the darkness of smoke on the mountain to speak with the angel of God. 

Exo 19:9  And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. 
Exo 19:10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 
Exo 19:11  And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. 
Exo 19:12  And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: 
Exo 19:13  There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. 
Exo 19:14  And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. 
Exo 19:15  And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives. 
Exo 19:16  And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 
Exo 19:17  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 
Exo 19:18  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 
Exo 19:19  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 
Exo 19:20  And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. 
Exo 19:21  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. 

Exo 20:18  And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 
Exo 20:19  And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 
Exo 20:20  And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 
Exo 20:21  And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 

The people were not able to touch the holy mountain when God's presence was there. Moses had gone up and he had received the law. Moses spoke to the people that God was proving or testing them, for they had little faith. Because they were lacking in faith God gave Moses laws to guide them until faith was formed in their hearts. As believers by faith in Jesus Christ we will be tested. Darkness will come to us, but God is in the darkness to show us something. He is there with us to bring us through. Sanctify yourselves, cleanse yourself by confessing your sins and stay close to the presence of God. It is a good thing to fear God, but by being in Jesus we may come boldly into his presence.

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 
Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

Look up

The park is only a mile from our home, so when the last light of the day comes and I need refreshing I find solitude there. I see the LORD's creation as the sun dies in the west. How beautiful are the western skies through the majestic oaks from the pond boat dock.

The air is crisp and the beauty of God's creation takes my breath away. If it is so beautiful here, how much more beautiful will be our heavenly home?

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

John 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

The silent ripples in the pool mirror the beauty of the sunset. We too are to mirror the beautiful light that is Jesus.

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

John 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

Mark 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

Mark 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 

Mark 16:18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 

Looking towards the eastern sky through the oak, the  clouds are a cooler pink and blue.

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

Streaks of pink clouds show the urgency of moving before the last light goes out.

Mat 16:1  The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 

Mat 16:2  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 

Mat 16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 

My heart knows that the world of man's doing is a mess, having removed the foundations of truth, the word of God. The creation shouts that the Lord lives!

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Luke 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 

Luke 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 

Luke 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

Brush and feathers

Mirror mirror...who is the fairest of them all? One white duck remains in the pool. 

She has joined with a flock of Mallard ducks.

1Cor 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

1Cor 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

The Mallard is as a sergeant with his shoulder stripes.

Mat 8:8  The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 

Mat 8:9  For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 

Mat 8:10  When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 

The LORD makes beautiful creations with his brush.

Tit 2:6  Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. 

Tit 2:7  In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 

Tit 2:8  Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. 

Looking up in the sky, a cloud repeats 

the duck's wing pattern.

Psa 5:2  Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 

Psa 5:3  My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. 

Adding a little color to his brush, 

the LORD paints a rainbow.

Gen 9:16  And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 

Rain Coming

A Mickey Mouse shaped cloud earlier in the week

floated by. It looked like rain clouds were coming to make an end to our hot dry summer. Autumn begins tomorrow.

1Ki 18:44  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 

1Ki 18:45  And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 

The whirligigs twirl in the wind;

 a storm may be coming.

Pro 25:14  Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain. 

 I ordered a cord of firewood that was delivered

this morning and dumped on my driveway.

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

I remember my hard working mother. I would deliver her firewood at their ranch and as fast as I could unload it she would stack it.  As soon as I had finished stacking the wood, it began to rain. I thanked the Lord for waiting for me to finish.

Psa 128:1  A Song of degrees. Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. 

Psa 128:2  For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. 

Psa 128:3  Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. 

Psa 128:4  Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. 

Raindrops on pools are beautiful; the sounds, the smell and the many little circles of raindrops are evidence of rain.

Rain has come to bring an end to summer.

Deu 11:13  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 

Deu 11:14  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. 

The little butterfly has drowned in the pool, a tiny flower marks her passing. On the river the tree swallows search for bugs in the water in the rain. Up and down the river hundreds of them dart along the flowing water in search of bugs. Another recurring memory of the rain.

Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 18:5  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 

Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

Are you a child of God, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? 

Follow the cloud

Num 9:15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
Num 9:16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
Num 9:17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
Num 9:18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
Num 9:19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
Num 9:20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
Num 9:21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
Num 9:22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

A cloud by day and fire by night, led the people of Israel for forty years through the wilderness to the promise land. If they would have obeyed God they could have gone into the promise land in nine days.,

The Holy Spirit guides the Christian today. We must be sensitive to his leading. He may move in the natural as the cloud and fire were seen by Israel, but usually he moves in our hearts by his spirit. Lacking faith we may take forty years to learn to obey him. I remember how close Jesus was in those early times of my conversion. Many can remember experiences of his presence at salvation, but do you experience his presence today?

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Act 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Act 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Act 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Where the Spirit leads there is unity and peace.

The Glory of the LORD

2Ch 5:11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:

2Ch 5:12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
2Ch 5:13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
2Ch 5:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

The Ark was in place in the temple. All gathered to praise the LORD in one accord. Voices and instruments together making joyful praise unto the LORD. Oh if God's people would stop fighting over differences and come together in truth to praise God, then we will see the glory of the LORD in our presence.

Ezekiels vision

Eze 10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory.
Eze 10:5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

Because of their heartfelt praise in unity, the presence of the LORD filled the house with a cloud. The priest could not stand to minister because of the glorious presence of the LORD. Flesh must bow to the presence of the LORD.

Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
Isa 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Isa 45:24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
Isa 45:25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

Psa 114:7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

Many fall at the touch of man, some have the power of God, some do not.

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

We want the real thing, the awesome presence of God in our assemblies. This will happen by walking in the spirit of truth in unity and in total praise. This means we sing holy songs that honor and glorify the LORD. Worship flows from the heart and invites the presence of the LORD.