Happy Monday, everyone! :)
There is a video of a very good skit that kind of goes along with today's Mornin' SunShine on YouTube; it's done by The Skit Guys, is about 9 minutes long, and I highly recommend it. Here's the link if you want to go watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXut0HxncvY I just wanted to pass that on! :)
Deuteronomy 30:6
And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
What would it mean for God to circumcise my heart? First of all, circumcision was the sign of the covenant that the Lord had made with His people. So for Him to circumcise my heart would mean He is entering into that covenant with me. What was the covenant? That He would be their God, they would be His people and walk in His ways, and He would bring them into a land of abundance and give them victory.
Secondly, this "circumcision" would have to mean that God would cut away from my heart, my life, all that is not of Him; all that is less than He would desire. Why? To enable me to love Him with all that I am, that He might give me "life--life in all its fullness" (John 10:10 [NCV]).
So, if I were to paraphrase this verse, I would put it this way: "The LORD your God will cut away everything in your heart and life that is not of Him, enabling you to love Him with all that you are, that you may truly live." And, this is a multi-generational promise, because it also says that the Lord will also carry this "circumcision of the heart" on to your descendants.
Father, the only way I will ever love You the way I long to love You is by allowing You to "circumcise" my heart. So please--cut away from my heart and life everything that is not YOU!
May the Lord richly bless you with His grace and peace!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Deuteronomy 14:1-2
Good morning, all! :)
Deuteronomy 14:1-2
You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. For you are a holy people to the LORD you God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
As God's chosen people, there were certain things that the Israelites were not to do; this is just one example. But it wasn't because God is mean or wanted to keep them from having fun or withhold good things from them--it was simply because they were called to be holy, set apart, His special people. There was a relationship that was supposed to be there. Without that relationship, the Jewish religion became a bunch of rules to be kept. Christianity is in danger of becoming the same thing. It's not a list of rules! It's a relationship. It's being His. It's living for His glory, His approval. It's being His very own special treasure! When I think of it that way, the little things that I may have to give up to maintain that relationship seem really petty.
Father, thank You for calling me, setting me apart. Help me to live as one You have chosen--as Your special treasure! :)
May the Lord richly bless you as you revel in being His own special treasure!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Deuteronomy 14:1-2
You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. For you are a holy people to the LORD you God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
As God's chosen people, there were certain things that the Israelites were not to do; this is just one example. But it wasn't because God is mean or wanted to keep them from having fun or withhold good things from them--it was simply because they were called to be holy, set apart, His special people. There was a relationship that was supposed to be there. Without that relationship, the Jewish religion became a bunch of rules to be kept. Christianity is in danger of becoming the same thing. It's not a list of rules! It's a relationship. It's being His. It's living for His glory, His approval. It's being His very own special treasure! When I think of it that way, the little things that I may have to give up to maintain that relationship seem really petty.
Father, thank You for calling me, setting me apart. Help me to live as one You have chosen--as Your special treasure! :)
May the Lord richly bless you as you revel in being His own special treasure!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Deuteronomy 13:4-5
Happy Thursday, everyone! :)
Deuteronomy 13:4-5
You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams [false prophet, referred to in previous verses] shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.
Whatever there is in our lives that would keep us away from the Lord must be put to death. Obviously, for us, we aren't going to literally kill a person who turns us from following the Lord--but then, for us, it's not usually a person that is holding us back from Him, is it? It's things; things we watch, things we listen to, things we read, things we own, things we want to own, things we do...you get the picture. As Christians, we are called to be different, to be separate, to be HIS. If we are to truly follow Him with all our heart and soul, we must "put away the evil from [our] midst"! Like we're told in Hebrews 12:1, we have to lay aside every weight that would drag us down, cast aside every sin that would entangle us, and just run after Jesus Christ!
Father, help me to live as one who is truly Yours, truly crucified to my flesh and the world; pursuing You with all that I am!
May the Lord richly bless you as you "put to death" the things that would keep you back from following Him!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Deuteronomy 13:4-5
You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams [false prophet, referred to in previous verses] shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.
Whatever there is in our lives that would keep us away from the Lord must be put to death. Obviously, for us, we aren't going to literally kill a person who turns us from following the Lord--but then, for us, it's not usually a person that is holding us back from Him, is it? It's things; things we watch, things we listen to, things we read, things we own, things we want to own, things we do...you get the picture. As Christians, we are called to be different, to be separate, to be HIS. If we are to truly follow Him with all our heart and soul, we must "put away the evil from [our] midst"! Like we're told in Hebrews 12:1, we have to lay aside every weight that would drag us down, cast aside every sin that would entangle us, and just run after Jesus Christ!
Father, help me to live as one who is truly Yours, truly crucified to my flesh and the world; pursuing You with all that I am!
May the Lord richly bless you as you "put to death" the things that would keep you back from following Him!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Deuteronomy 12:5-7
Hey, y'all!
Deuteronomy 12:5-7
But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the LORD your God has blessed you.
This is one of three passages in Deuteronomy 12 where the Israelites are told to rejoice and the command is joined with this reference to sacrifice. Rejoicing in sacrifice is a foreign concept in today's society. But could it be that we are rejoicing in the wrong things? So many of us tend to have the "rejoicing" part of our life totally compartmentalized away from the "spiritual" part of life, much less the "sacrificial". I think we have it backwards. I think our only hope for true joy comes in rejoicing before the Lord and in sacrifice--in living daily for Him, not me; in trading my will for His; in kneeling in His presence, arms open wide, ready to receive what He is pouring out for me. That is a joy unspeakable!
Father, help me to rejoice before You--not just "even" in sacrifice, but especially in sacrifice!
May the Lord richly bless you as you rejoice before Him!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Deuteronomy 12:5-7
But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the LORD your God has blessed you.
This is one of three passages in Deuteronomy 12 where the Israelites are told to rejoice and the command is joined with this reference to sacrifice. Rejoicing in sacrifice is a foreign concept in today's society. But could it be that we are rejoicing in the wrong things? So many of us tend to have the "rejoicing" part of our life totally compartmentalized away from the "spiritual" part of life, much less the "sacrificial". I think we have it backwards. I think our only hope for true joy comes in rejoicing before the Lord and in sacrifice--in living daily for Him, not me; in trading my will for His; in kneeling in His presence, arms open wide, ready to receive what He is pouring out for me. That is a joy unspeakable!
Father, help me to rejoice before You--not just "even" in sacrifice, but especially in sacrifice!
May the Lord richly bless you as you rejoice before Him!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Deuteronomy 8:2-6
Good morning, y'all!
I apologize for the long silence on my part...this summer has been a crazy time of being here, gone, everywhere. Things are starting to slow down and fall into a routine now, so I'm working on getting back into the routine of sending out the Mornin' SunShine e-mails again. Thanks for your patience! :)
Deuteronomy 8:2-6
And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
There is a fascinating progression of the "you shall/should" statements in these verses. First, you shall remember, then you should know, and then therefore you shall keep.
May the Lord richly bless you as you remember His works, know His holy love, and keep His commandments!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
I apologize for the long silence on my part...this summer has been a crazy time of being here, gone, everywhere. Things are starting to slow down and fall into a routine now, so I'm working on getting back into the routine of sending out the Mornin' SunShine e-mails again. Thanks for your patience! :)
Deuteronomy 8:2-6
And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
There is a fascinating progression of the "you shall/should" statements in these verses. First, you shall remember, then you should know, and then therefore you shall keep.
- remember how God has led you, tested you, provided for you, protected you, and worked in your life.
- know that God, because of His great love combined with His perfect justice and holiness, disciplines and trains you--as a father would his son.
- keep God's commandments and walk in His ways. This last one flows as a natural result of the first two. When my heart and mind are focused on God's work in my life and His perfect holy love, my life will reflect it by obedience to God's word and way.
May the Lord richly bless you as you remember His works, know His holy love, and keep His commandments!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Monday, July 20, 2009
Numbers 11:21-24a
Mornin', y'all! :)
Numbers 11:21-24a
And Moses said, "The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.' Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?"
And the LORD said to Moses, "Has the LORD's arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not."
So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD...
Over the course of his life, Moses was probably faced with more impossible situations than most of us could dream up. And over and over he saw God provide in some way and bring them through impossibility. However, sometimes he still had questions--like in these verses. He can't quite figure out how in the world God is going to pull this one off! Meat for well over 600,000 people for a month?!
Here's what I think is interesting, though: Moses doesn't really get an answer to his question. God just says, "Now you shall see...", and Moses goes out and tells everybody that God is going to provide meat for them to eat. C.S. Lewis once said, "I know now, Lord, why You utter no answer. You are Yourself the answer. Before Your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice?" That's the situation Moses find himself in; the only answer to his "how" question is GOD. No other answer is needed!
I want to have the kind of faith that will accept that reply. Not that I will never question, but to be satisfied with that simple and all sufficient answer: God.
Father, help me to trust in You as the answer to all my life's questions!
May the Lord richly bless you as you trust in Him as the answer!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Numbers 11:21-24a
And Moses said, "The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.' Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?"
And the LORD said to Moses, "Has the LORD's arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not."
So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD...
Over the course of his life, Moses was probably faced with more impossible situations than most of us could dream up. And over and over he saw God provide in some way and bring them through impossibility. However, sometimes he still had questions--like in these verses. He can't quite figure out how in the world God is going to pull this one off! Meat for well over 600,000 people for a month?!
Here's what I think is interesting, though: Moses doesn't really get an answer to his question. God just says, "Now you shall see...", and Moses goes out and tells everybody that God is going to provide meat for them to eat. C.S. Lewis once said, "I know now, Lord, why You utter no answer. You are Yourself the answer. Before Your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice?" That's the situation Moses find himself in; the only answer to his "how" question is GOD. No other answer is needed!
I want to have the kind of faith that will accept that reply. Not that I will never question, but to be satisfied with that simple and all sufficient answer: God.
Father, help me to trust in You as the answer to all my life's questions!
May the Lord richly bless you as you trust in Him as the answer!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Numbers 9:22-23
Good morning, y'all!
Numbers 9:22-23
Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. At the command of the LORD they remained encamped, and at the command of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
The Israelites' journey through the desert was filled with complaining and mistakes and plagues, but at least they got one thing right: whether they camped or journeyed on, they did it only at the command of the Lord. Even if they wanted to rest a little longer when the cloud started moving, or even when they were chafing at staying in one place so long, they moved and stayed as God commanded.
There is a time and a season for everything. A time to press forward and a time to stand still. Although we probably don't have visible clouds to tell us when to do which (that would be nice!), God does still lead His people in this. Question is: do we trust Him enough to move or stay only at His command?
Father, help me to see and hear Your leading, and to follow it implicitly. My tendency is to either rush ahead in something, or sit back and do much of nothing...I want to press forward when You say to move, and to stand still when You say to stay!
May the Lord bless you richly as you follow Him!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
Numbers 9:22-23
Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. At the command of the LORD they remained encamped, and at the command of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
The Israelites' journey through the desert was filled with complaining and mistakes and plagues, but at least they got one thing right: whether they camped or journeyed on, they did it only at the command of the Lord. Even if they wanted to rest a little longer when the cloud started moving, or even when they were chafing at staying in one place so long, they moved and stayed as God commanded.
There is a time and a season for everything. A time to press forward and a time to stand still. Although we probably don't have visible clouds to tell us when to do which (that would be nice!), God does still lead His people in this. Question is: do we trust Him enough to move or stay only at His command?
Father, help me to see and hear Your leading, and to follow it implicitly. My tendency is to either rush ahead in something, or sit back and do much of nothing...I want to press forward when You say to move, and to stand still when You say to stay!
May the Lord bless you richly as you follow Him!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
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