Coming in the clouds

Psalms 68:1-4

1 Up with God!

Down with his enemies!

Adversaries, run for the hills!

2 Gone like a puff of smoke,

like a blob of wax in the fire —

one look at God and the wicked vanish.

3 When the righteous see God in action

they'll laugh, they'll sing,

they'll laugh and sing for joy.

4 Sing hymns to God;

all heaven, sing out;

clear the way for the coming of Cloud-Rider.

Enjoy God,

cheer when you see him!

Another exciting Psalm, unless you're an enemy of God.  Enemies are admonished to run for the hills, they will be a puff of smoke, a blob of wax in the fire.  Yikes!  Those of us who believe in Jesus and love God will laugh and sing, those who are against Him will vanish.  I don't believe God is looking forward to this.  I believe He wants everyone to believe in Him.  Like Jesus said,

John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

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His purpose has always been to save as many people as He can.  We are His creation, when I scrap a photo or drawing it isn't an easy decision.  There's a bit of me in it, something I really loved, and I hate to see it go.  But it's nothing compared to what God must feel, people were made in His very image.  He designed each of us carefully with a set of gifts and talents.  We are all so unique.  There must be a huge ache in His giant heart when He condemns.

When I read "the coming of Cloud-Rider" I got all excited.  Oh oh that's Jesus!  David is writing a prophecy about Jesus from the Old Testament.  When I lived in Washington state, enduring the rain storms, I thought, "This is a great location when Jesus comes in the clouds, I'll be right there!" 

Matt 24:30-31

30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

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In Revelation it says everyone will see Him- those who have died, the living.  Even those who hung him on the cross.  Ouch.  Some things are hard to read in the Bible, I am so sorry for them.  I understand what it's like to go headfirst into something only to realize it was the wrong move.  But they shouldn't have crucified the Son of God.  Huge mistake- huge results for God to show His glory.  He works everything out for good, for His glory.  They had no idea this act would open God's kingdom to the world.  We needed a Savior.

Rev 1:7

7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

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These verses are a thread throughout the Bible.   To think that the Creator of the universe, God Almighty, would care about widows and orphans is so awesome!  He sees the homeless; He cares about the prisoners.  These are people society tries to hide.  The people that are forgotten.  But not to God.  They are His children too.  As my Pastor preached yesterday, "Joseph was a prisoner."  He was thrown into prison because of false accusations.  It was a miserable place and he wanted out.  But God used him in prison to make connections with Pharaoh, to lead Israel and provide food in a terrible drought in Egypt saving many lives.  We have no idea what our circumstances are for.

Psalms 68
5 Father of orphans,

champion of widows,

is God in his holy house.

6 God makes homes for the homeless,

leads prisoners to freedom,

but leaves rebels to rot in hell.

THE MESSAGE

When I became a Christian I was the only one in my family.  I became the black sheep.  They were very nervous about what I would become.  I admit, I was too.  Did I have to wear dresses and braids to be a Christian?  Funny shoes?  Nope not at all.  I can wear blue jeans and tennis shoes or hiking boots (especially since I'm not in an office anymore! Yay!)  But, would I have to carry a huge black Bible and say, "Verily, verily?"  When I read this verse I was so happy and relieved. 

James 1:27

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

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Next thing I headed for a nursing home to visit an elderly woman. Now that's something even I could do. It was amazing, I'll share it in another post.