You shall not pass!

Exodus 14:19-21: ¹⁹And the Angel of God Who went before the host of Israel moved and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before them and stood behind them,

²⁰Coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. It was a cloud and darkness to the Egyptians, but it gave light by night to the Israelites; and the one host did not come near the other all night.

²¹Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea dry land; and the waters were divided.

This is when Israel was delivered from Egypt. This is after the plagues and Israel is being lead out to the red sea. Pharaoh is coming out after them to enslave them again.

So this is the end. Finally... long and awaited, but it came. No matter how much of a grip pharaoh had, or how much Israel desired to be slaves again, God brought them out to a promised land. God is faithful, and loyal to the end. I was reading this and seeing how it was the angle of the Lord that went from the front to the back of Israel to stand in between Pharaoh and Israel. Egypt is a representation of our flesh, our carnal side. When I was reading this, I felt so humbled. I began to think of Gandalf from the first part of the Lord of the Rings. The part where he is standing in front of that huge monster, on a bridge protecting the others from it. His famous word, "You shall not pass!". With saying that, he shoves his staff into the bridge and sacrifices himself for the others.
It is God that protects us from our carnal side. He is the one that delivered us from the slavery that it had on us. We must be delivered from our flesh. To many Christian's simply give up to early, or they forget to remember there covenant. God comes to separate light from darkness, good from evil, spirit from flesh. Don't give up to early and remember your covenant that you have. No matter what we say or do, it simply does not matter God will save us, always. I feel that it's easy to forget. But remember that it was Jesus who stood in between Pharaoh and Israel, not letting them pass.

"Father what have we done? How empty we are, we really are. Holy Spirit we keep you at a distance for our indulgences. Fill our bodies with your spirit and renew are minds. Free us from the bondage of our flesh"

Don't fence me in

Luke 4:18-19
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

This is where Jesus is speaking about himself, who he is. It's early on in luke, so the birth, then John the baptist, then this. Jesus is quoting the old testament. He does this, or luke writes this because he wants the world to know why Jesus came, him purpose.

He came to set the captive free. Are you free? Really, are you? I yearn to be free. With everything that is in me a want to live and be alive, not bound and tied down. I use to read this passage and see it as a passage about spiritual warfare. Christ came to set us free, so demon leave! But now. Now I see it differently. Yes, free from demons, always good. In fact, most of our warfare in life is spiritual, yet I want to throw a curve on freedom. I live in a country that is free. I love my land. I can do, say, think anything I want to. I can go where I please. I can go west without permission, because I'm free. The value of freedom I hold with tight hands, never to loose its grip. I find that in life freedom is not so. There are mindsets, habits, & inexperience that one must deal with. Few people ever survive. A great quote from Braveheart, "All men die, few really live".
Are you alive, free and moving? Christ came to set us free, but more than just demons, the devil, the world, and hell. I feel fenced in. I don't like it. I hate being what people want me to be. A nice guy, or a really cool person, or God forbid, a Pastor. I don't want my identity to be known. I want to be myself, and nothing else. I want to be able to move west and be free to do so. Without being bound by being the nice guy. I want freedom. Don't fence me in. Don't try and trap me and make me perform for you.
I want dignity, honor, strength. I want to love all with all the kindness there is. I want to give hope. I want to be myself, dress the way I want to dress, be who I want to be. I'm tired of performing for the actors of this world, and I want to be compelled by one. He did create me to be me, to be free. Don't fence me in. I have so much to give to this world, yet I feel fenced in like a wild animal. Don't fence me in.

I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in.
-Cole Porter

"Jesus you came to set the captive free. Lord it's only you who has the power. You were the only one who emptied himself. Teach me to be me. Teach me to fight right. Teach me to love and teach me how to manage my ship. Going as I please"

Break over me, and steer me from loneliness

Acts 6:15 "All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel."

This is the end of chapter six. Stephen was arrested and was being questioned about things he had said and done. All of them were false, yet the Sanhedren had him arrested.

Stephen did mighty works, and this was the end of his life. Being questioned by people who didn't care for him. Who hated him. Just thinking about the loneliness he was feeling made me think of times of my own loneliness. I've been dealing with loneliness lately. I sometimes feel that I have the whole world on my mind and on my heart. I can feel so empty. Stephen should have received a trial. A trial for his sins, failures, or shortcoming. His actions that had effected others negatively. You fill in the blank. Stephen stood up in front of the teachers of the law. In front of the Law its self and was being question about his actions and words. Even in front of the rejection of his own people, God stood with him. In that lonely place where you can feel so void. The Holy Spirit was there as a ever present peace. I sever a God that is a warrior. Who fights, seeks, explores, and protects. Stephen stood in that court and was full of a warrior's heart. When he was asked to give his opinion he did. He began to speak and set up his case. But he doesn't defend himself. He speaks to the heart of the matter. The bravery and aggression in stephen is something I admire. He didn't give into loneliness, rejection, or depression. His oppression, he did not carry, a man full of confidence.
The point, when the world came down on him. He lifted up his eyes. Letting the hurt go... He surrender himself completely, letting God fill his void. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. No Condemnation! He still shined on stephens face.

"Come and shine on me Lord. Come and fill me with you. I just, surrender all to you. Take me away from this court of accusations and bring me to your home. My Father, you have never let me go. Break a new bread of me tonight and drink a new wine for me. For Father I plan on coming back from where I left."

I heard there cries

Exodus 6:5-8

5 "I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites whom the Egyptians have enslaved; and I have [earnestly] remembered My covenant [with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob].

⁶Accordingly, say to the Israelites, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage, and I will rescue you with an outstretched arm [with special and vigorous action] and by mighty acts of judgment.

⁷And I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that it is I, the Lord your God, Who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

⁸And I will bring you into the land concerning which I lifted up My hand and swore that I would give it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage. I am the Lord [you have the pledge of My changeless omnipotence and faithfulness]."

Well first off what do you say? What can you say. How humbled we really are. This is in the sixth chapter of Exodus. Moses has already been to the burning bush and has come back demanding the freedom of his people. When Moses tells Pharaoh this he does not listen and instead put a heavier burn on Israel, because of Moses's action. Moses than goes to God asking why? To which God replied this.

What we say? These three verses mean so much to me. I was reading exodus and these three verses just melted my heart. Moses goes to Pharaoh for the first time and he gets denied. Then he goes to Israel and then gets denied. Moses takes his denial to God, who reminds Him that He has heard there cries. How do we view God and does our view limit His ability to save us? For four hundred years Israel view of Gods covenant was that it wasn't practical, then for some reason they realized that they don't have to deal with bondage. God is not passive, but He is aggressive. He heard and came looking for His people. Searching and seeking for them. When Moses came with confusion and doubt God shoved that (Exodus 6:5-8) in His face. Our God is so confident and bold, yet we confine Him to be meek, weak, and uninformed of our present situation. How I need deep conviction to see God as He is. How thirsty is my heart for humility. I long for the deep satisfaction of my creator's hands on me.

"Lord set me free from chains of my bondage. And give me the balls to speak your thoughts"