Zeal For Righteousness

god required them to live by rules that inconvenienced their lives. i think it was important because it was an effort to get them to live how god intended (the garden) because that was a good relationship and we wanted it back. but because of the sin, cast from the garden, the relationship with god was changed. it was like you could only have only have that relationship if you lived right, made yourself clean, and gave the appropriate sacrifices. their relationship with god was very inconvenient. on both parts. people could not have him unless they did things just right. and god could not have them because they chose to be something that he could not accept. its different with my relationship with god because of jesus. made me a new man. a new creation that can be with god even if i dont abide by all the rules. the sacrifice was made for a finite purpose.
i am trying to be more passionate for god. maybe i could pray with people.

Burden For The Poor

not sure if this is implying that the people that are supposed to be working for him cant because they are slaves to each other. dont really know whats going on. i dont see that poverty is now his burden. where did that even come from? yeah they bought them back. and they loaned out money. and big interest but its not connecting. injustice? sure...weve heard not to lend. and not to lend with interest. so how is this unjust? is it wrong that they are charging interest? really high or not? they could just not agree to the terms. but where would that leave them? it would leave their jewish brothers still in the slavery they sold themselves into. why did they do that? what drove them there? i dont know. but its like sleep in the bed you made. because these other people trying to "clean up" after you are making a bigger mess. though there is "injustice" theres still justice in it. on some level. we cant save ourselves or each other. but we can hope and pray.pray that god be god in our lives. god is a just god. god is a mercifull god. is that injustice? the injustice lies in us. me. to not stick up for. to not pray. to not try and help. god help me to see people how you see them. and to pray for those in need. of what? you. to be a watchman. and to encourage and love.
in context there is purpose and reason. this out of context and to make a point fails. and what does fasting have to do with it? i didnt because it was illogical and unneccesary at this pointt. but it doesnt rlate to the passage. they werent without food because in the efforts of self preservation they were selling whatever to get by. even borrowing under interest. so the fasting idea for this is pointless and doesnt relate.

God Encounters

god i just want to praise you for the awesome week ive had. it was busy and a blessing and just thank you. for friends to have fun with. friends to love. and friends to live with. and you to love me. and god you showed me your love through the devos this week. to have what you have given and to know all i have is form you. and its such a blessing to return your blessings god. and god to be dedicated. to purpose for you. god i want to specifically dedicate these times for you this week so please help and put that heart in me. and to better represent you with my life. we had such a great weekend to do that. it was so good to be serving like that again. and god i was just shocked at how cool it was. that we just had hearts to serve and thats what mattered. and serve we did. god we didnt really have a plan other than just to serve you. and you had us serve. that was so amazing. and then just getting to hang out was fun too god. playing games, being goofy and just being able to show that i care. and also just the random thoughts you spoke to me about old testament vs. new testament god. i mean it was off topic but thats what you wanted to talk to me about. how sin is still sin and so you gave a sacrifice for me so that we weould not be seperated. thank you for that. thank you.

What Can We Say For Ourselves

yeah. ive said god i never get it right. because sometimes i just fail and fail and fail. sometimes we just felt bad but mostly i say to god, "i suck im sorry, help me to be better." "openly standing here, guilty before you" god let me adopt this stance when i fail. to stand before you, open and vulnerable. yet full of the knowledge and embodiment of your mercifull love. you have punished me less than i deserve but also loved me more. you are a god of love. thanks for that love and let it live in me, my heart, and on my tongue.

Open Arms

i dont fear that god will snub me. i know that he wouldnt. i have refused grace before. ive told god i dont want that right now. leave me like this (hurt, dirty, ashamed) i dont really know why i did. i mean i felt like just staying how i was and just rolling in it instead of overcoming it. i thought it made sense but it really didnt. and of coarse since i live in new testament times ive always known gods hands were outstretched and welcoming me back. i sadly have taken advantage that but thats the battle. what i find strange about this passage is gods open arms. its the time of king hezekiah and god i swelcoming back those who turned from him. i mean yeahs its what i know to be solid about god but for these times its different. jesus made teh way for me to come back to god. in the o.t. there wasnt that way. and it was almost certain damnation. yet god replaced his anger with love. and that seems so big to me for the time.

FROG: Fully Rely On God

the idea that stuck out to me was "youve lost a victory" because its gods intentions for us and all we have to do is have faith. god will give us victory. walk in that faith. but when we dont we lose that victory. that i havent thought of before? pretty sure i frog my life. well i mean i try to. i cant think of what never occured to me to rely on god for. i just do. (try to)
"the lord is with you when you are with him. if you seek him he will be found by you"
"all who would not seek the lord were to be put to death"
"for the eyes of the lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully commited to him"

Dedication Ceremonies

im not getting anything from this so im going to argue it for a moment. i dont need to. and i dont specifically want to. but i will just because it will help me think about it. what precious aspect of my life do i need to solely set aside for god as a public reminder that all i have belongs to god? first the question doesnt make sense. remind the public that my stuff belongs to god? what things do i need to set aside for that? i just dont understand it. and then hwy would i make such a spectacle? were not supposed to pray for attention but thats what this seems like. i do agree that we need to be dedicated. and that we should dedicate time and things to god. so ami dedicated? to what? when am i? my life is dedicated to god. mostly around other believers. i havent been as good recently around non believers. i should be. i will try. that means living a god reflective life. im half dedicated to first service. i want to. i like it. i think god is doing something good there. its just hard. yes i do need to inconveniace myself. and there will be blessing. its just hard. im not so dedicated to this. i fail at dedicating time for this. i did enjoy greatly the times i explicitly set for devo. and i need to do that more rather than just taking this time.
"you did well to have this in your heart" such and honor to god to have that in our hearts for you. to have the spirit in my heart to bless your name. lord put in me.

Our Lives Are Mere Shadows

i guess my job. most times i do place a big value on it. og coarse my shadow is something im not even concerned with. i forgot i had one. but yes, i do hold onto my job as if we couldnt be seperated. most times i want to be. but i find my identity in my job. not specifically thats who i am but i am a worker. so i am very connected to it. and to understand that its just on loan from god is exciting. god gave me the job. he really did a lot for me to have it. but to think that ill have to return it is a little scare but im more excited to think hell give me another one. hopefully a better one. somewhere i enjoy going and like doing.
this was actually a cool prayer to talk with god. he gave me some understanding, outlook, and perspective. good to really think about my job situation. thank you for it god, and your plans.
a willing heart god. o how you rejoice in that. put in me the heart of devotion. to love you and all your glory. to joyfully praise you in whatever you ask. you have given me so much and i shall keep ot rightously. and then upon the time i will joyfully return it to you with praise and thanks. lord let this be. i admire this quality and want more of it. to truly give what you ask and also what i want to. yes let me want to give to you.