302 - You are Too Hard On Him

Heavenly Father - oh Lord Jesus - my Redeemer and Savior - Thank you for your love and grace, your mercy, and gentleness. Thank you for hearing my prayers and for being patient with my sin. Thank you for rescuing me from all kinds of pits and saving my soul from the very pit of Hell. Praise You and I lift You on high. May all those who see me, hear me, know me, run into me, whatever it may be - SEE YOU,hear you, touch you, feel you. I love you!

Lord, there is has only been one person in my life that has told me I was too hard on Tucker. That person was only at my house for about 2 days and really had no idea about parenting a strong willed boy struggling with respect for others. Enough said - I knew my reasons and had to discipline for a greater good and future occurrences. Still many others would say I am probably not near hard enough. I am trying! Anyway, parents have their reasons and we usually have a better perspective than an outsider looking in.

As i have read the stories of Moses and all the wonderful things He has done all throughout his life I have always been so impressed. He was allowed to do some amazing things that most will never ever even come close. But the part i have always been stumped by was when Moses struck the rock instead of the original directions. That was it. He didn't follow the plan God had set forth and this one time did things his way. God said, "That is it, you will not enter the promise land." What ???????- after all he has done, walking around a desert for 40 years, taking the people out of Egypt, bringing down the Law, setting up the Tabernacle - what, you aren't going to let me in the Promised Land because I struck a rock instead of speaking to it? That seems really extreme. God is serious about obedience in everything!

Now our man David - poor guy, still on the Bathsheba incident - has done some great things as well. (Of course I am not saying these 2 guys did these great things in their own power. I mean that God did these awesome things through them. He thought enough of them at one time to allow them to take part is His awesome deeds.) But now it is just about to be taken from David, the kingdom God has set up is about the begin to fall. Well actually on the day his mind went the Bathsheba directions the downfall began.

"the sword will never depart from your house" 2 Samuel 12:10 Oh no - once again, after all this man had been able to do with the Lord was now going to see major consequences to his sin. God is serious about obedience in everything. It was not that David had never sinned before, but this must have been the straw that broke the camels back. God had had it. My commentary says that as a result of all that 1) murder would be constant threat to his family, 2) his household would rebel against him, 3) his wives were given over to another in public view 4) his first child with Bathsheba died. Wow - that seems extreme again. But here is what i feel the Lord saying to me..............

1) Anything you do good is because of Me.

2) Anything I accomplish in your life it is because of Me.

3) If i left you all alone you would explode or implode in a matter of time.

4) The great things I do allow in your life are because of My grace.

5) Jesus does not need me for anything.

6)I am serious about obedience and will not stand one "acting a fool" for too long.

7) My favor and My blessings do not fall on you directly as a result of anything good You did. Only good in you is Me.

Lord, thank you for your understanding of how serious you are about my obedience. Your word even says that you will hold teachers, etc. in a higher level of accountability than others. Oh Lord, please put a short leash on me. Once again i scream, Keep me from me! Jerk me back in a half second when i get out of line. I certainly don't want to have to go through destruction because of my own sin, but I don't want my whole house to suffer because of my sin. Oh Lord, protect me from me. Thank you for your Word and oh Lord and Savior, thank you for your grace and mercy. Wow oh wow, do I see how special and wonderful it is this morning!

Taking off to Missouri today. I am excited, but still don't feel as prepared as i should be. Burn the message in my brain. Fill me with your Spirit and do things that are of You alone! I love you!