Genesis 1:2 The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters
Exodus 31:3-5 I have filled him (Bezalel) with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftmanship.
Numbers 27:18 Take Joshua, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.
Judges 6:34 But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him.
1 Samuel 16:13 So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Psalm 104:30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
Isaiah 44:3 I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessings on your descendants.
Ezekiel 2:2 And as he poke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet.
Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you walk in my statutes.
Joel 2:28 I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.
Micah 3:8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression.
Zechariah 4:6 “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty those what are oppressed.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 16:13 When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 7:51 You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears. you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself interceded for us with groanings to deep for words.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
I think the Holy Spirit was active in a lot of the Old Testament folks. Certainly, when God was creating the world, he was present and breathed aspects of the world and creation as God spoke.
Although there were some people on the earth, God spoke to Abraham and told him he would be the father of many nations when he was 90 years old. Abraham had faith and he believed God, and I believe the Holy Spirit kept reassuring him that he and Sara would have a biological child in their advanced years. It did not make much sense to either of them, and I can certainly understand that. But I think in moments of doubting, the Holy Spirit must have come and reassured Abraham that he had not misunderstood, and what he had heard from God would in fact, take place. They would give birth to a child and become the parents of multitude.
But we all doubt sometimes. We hit a rough patch, then get another, punch to the gut or face, then another strange and unexpected bill comes in, and then there get to be familial loads and caretaking, or the car dies or just stops giving reliable transport and we are faced with that problem to solve. God gave Satan the right to presecute Job–and when Job did not complain against God, SAtan asked to further bring him discomfort. Again, God said yes, but Satan could not kill him. After all poor Job went through, I think I would have been praying for the death and the end of his illness and sores and open wounds. Yuck! The flies, maggots, having to scratch the injuries with a sharpened rock to find some temporary relief from the wounds. And when Satan attacks with different issues–financial, illnesses, familial stress, automotive difficulty, or whatever the added burden might be, we need to realize that yes, Satan tries, and tormnets us. But we have a God who has defeated Satan and although we may be challeneged, we have a God and Father in heaven who loves us and wants the best for us. And the Holy Apirit is right there to remind us of verses and promises God has made to us. We are not promised fairness, but we are promised His love, His care, and that He wants the best for us. That does NOT mean no worries, not burdens, no hurts or any such thing. Each person has their own issues, burdens and worries, illnesses and problems. But God has supplies us with His Son who sacrificed HIs life, so we could have eternal life, and also gave us the Holy Spirit to remind us of His love, HIs word, verses to bring us strength and confidence when our own is waning. The Holy Spirit is a vital member of the trinity, and is important in helping us grow, understand more of the Word. He helps guide us, He even will pray for us when we are so overwhelmed we do not know what to pray for.
During difficult times, we need to remember this so we remain steady, continue praying and praising all God has done for us, trusting he will continue to care for us, and eventually bless us again. We are blessed–but it does get difficult at times to hold on and believe God does have our best interests. And at times when we are stressed with several matters, the Holy Spirit continues to give us guidance, Jesus and the Spirit offer us comfort and reassurance.
Satan does not want anyone to choose God over him. No, he wants to take as many into hell with suffering and eternity of no hope, eternal life of darkness, stench and pain. And because he does not want any to choose God, once someone does, feels the release of forgiveness, grace, and realizes the cost of death of one Man who sacrificed His life so we could be forgiven, unburdened of addictions, turned from our blackness and sin, emptiness, and the chains of feeling terrible, believing one is unworthy. But the devil wants you to believe you are unworthy; that God has not really called you–although God does not want any to perish, and if one truly confesses with a heartfelt regret and belief in the One and Only Son, Jesus; BUT that is NOT what God’s word says. And the Holy Spirit will remind us of different verses that prove you are loved, you are a child chosen by God.
How comforting the Holy Spirit is. And he offers comfort and guidance, reassurance that the entire trinity loves each of us who choose to follow and repent and follow God and Jesus, teaching others that there is only ONE God who was willing to die for us to set us free, who is willing to forgive each time we sin and then confess. If you have given your heart to God, asked for forgiveness, and then truly want to be free of sin and to follow Jesus, you must keep your heart as pure as you can. We will never be perfect, sinless, but once we really we have sinned, we confess our sin and truly repent, we grow in God–the trinity. We have the Holy Spirit for teaching, guidance, growth, and the knowledge of who Jesus is and was. He is ALIVE. Our God cares for us.
Thank You for writing my name in your book of life, and leading me on this journey to know you deeper, to grow in love and forgiveness of others, and to deepen my relationship with You. How blessed I am that You have always been there for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Luke 24:45-47 Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: “The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
HE IS RISEN, NOT IN THE GRAVE!!! HE IS ALIVE, YES, ALIVE!!! You need to listen to the song written by Don Francisco, song by many, but my opinion is by Dolly Parton. Please look it up and look it–for YOUR joy!
That year, Passover occurred the day before the Sabbath began. Passover is a big celebration, occurring on the fourteenth day of the first month, the month of Abib or Nisan–either month is as the same meaning in the Jewish faith, and usually occurs during our calendar year of March or April. (SURPRISE! generally around the time the Christian faith celebrates Easter.)
The disciples and Jesus celebrated the Passover–Jesus still feeling He had so much more to share with them, knowing He had less than sixteen hours or so before He would be nailed to a cross after suffering a bunch of humiliations and torture. He knew what was coming, and peaceful and loving as He is/was, He never fought, but ‘went silently as a lamb to the slaughter’. The only remarks He commented on were things like Pilate saying, “are you then King of the Jews?” And He said, “You have said it is so.”
Initially, the twelve sat at the table with Jesus, praying, sharing the Passover meal, dipping their fingers into the bowl of wine and repeating the ten plagues God had sent on the Egyptians before {Pharaoh screamed for them to leave and go do their sacrificial offerings with the agony that his eldest child, sibling, in-laws were dying, all the eldest of the herds of animals. “Go! Get out!” But in remembrance of the plagues, and God’s order to get and prepare a lamb for the Passover meal, each year at Passover, the story is repeated–sometimes as a song, sometimes as a recitation, and sometimes as an education. When I first heard it, it was an education, and I found it fascinating hearing it from the Jewish perspective, and how important it is to them to celebrate and remember God’s miracles more than thirty three centuries ago.
As close as the disciples were to Jesus, there were things I do not think they knew. I don’t think they realized he was born in Bethlehem, and escaped Herod’s atrocious murder of boys two and younger, sitting in their parents’ arms at times. (Who can be so brutal? How does one go through life not being appalled at the carnage, murder, and loss they have created? Who is that icy? But did Jesus share with them that his parents had taken him to Egypt for a couple of years, missing that murderous time in Bethlehem and Jerusalem? Did they understand that Isaiah’s prophets identified Jesus as the Messiah, the one who take ‘our stripes’? I don’t think they fully understood all the prophecies about Jesus until after His death. Until after forty days, when the Holy Spirit infused 5000+ people, including the apostles. That influx of the Holy Spirit into so many people must have been so impressive. I am impressed by just reading about it–but to have experienced it?!
A terrible day. ‘But did you feel the earthquake? Did you hear the Holy of Holies curtain was torn ibn two? Did you see the darkness? There is no thunderstorm–why the darkness? But the earthquake–do earthquakes lead with dark clouds and storm, how are the skies dark and the earthquake happening? This is the Messiah; how can this be happening ? Jesus has been killed. Our peaceful loving teacher? How have the Pharisees and religious leaders managed to kill Him. We thought He was our Messiah. He was going to save us from Rome; free us from these oppress taxes, and these men who brutalize and terrorize us. But now, LORD, what, what LORD, is happening. My heart is aching is badly. My Lord cannot be dead. He cannot be hanging on a tree–the worst death to our God/ Our Father, Our God, Help us. We thought He was our Savior . . . so what, of what is God doing. . . what is happening????’
Joseph of Arimathea went to Pontius Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus to be buried in a tomb he had had constructed. Joseph believed in Jesus, even though he was a member of the religious sect. But Joseph knew He was the Messiah. It was scary times for believers, Followers of Jesus, of the Way The Pharisees were angry, they wanted this “imposter” out of the way, gone, omitted–no longer a worry to them. Thursday evening had been the beginning of the Passover Festival which was to last 7 days and 8 nights. but Friday was the weekly Sabbath. By evening the dinner needed to be prepared and the prayers said. The Sabbath meant nothing could be done until Saturday evening, from Friday evening until Saturday evening, the people were to relax, to be in tune to God.
Many of them watched Joseph of Arimathea come, get Jesus down from the cross, wrap him in the linen cloths he had purchased, and carry his body to the nearby tomb which had belonged to him.
Numbers 3:5-13 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. They shall guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. They shall guard all furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.” And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborns are mine.
Numbers 3:45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.
Number 8:16-19 “…..For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.”
Deuteronomy 10:8-9 At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD to minister to him and to bless his name, to this day. Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God said to him.
Deuteronomy 18:1-4 “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the LORD’s food offerings as their inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them. And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him.
Malachi 2:1-3, 7-9 “And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. . . . For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have turned aside from from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”
Matthew 23:5-7 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deed to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.
Matthew 23:23-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”
Luke 18:10-14 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
John 11:47-52 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, sait to them, “You not nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
John 18:14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
Levites were told they were chosen by God to care for the temple and all the objects within. And there was only one day a year, the Day of Atonement, when one high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. That was a huge honor among the priests. Some of the priests were primarily teachers–teaching the torah to young boys, perhaps training them to become priests, while others would be responsible for caring for the items within the tent or Tabernacle once settled. Yet even with the tent to worship, there were a lot of duties. Keeping fires burning, cleansing utensils, keeping the priests garments and altars clean. This was a high honor God chose for the entire family of Levites. I often wonder why they were chosen; after all, Levi was one of the two who insisted all the men in Shechem be circumcised, then two days later when to the town and slaughtered all the people there. That is pretty gruesome to then several centuries later give them such an honorable and responsible job over the other Israelites.
But, God chooses whom He desires for this and that. I am blessed–still puzzled, although very thankful, why he ever thought I should be included as one of His chosen. Don’t get me wrong, I am beyond thankful, but I see so many others who are so much more obedient, loving, non-judgmental, and less crass than me. But, He did bountifully choose me–and I could not be more thankful. I also wondered why God allowed Aaron to live after he disobeyed and fashioned a gold calf as their “god” only forty days after his brother ascended the mountain to meet with God. He could not have had much fortitude to allow himself to be talked into making a “false god”. He had been Moses’ right hand and mouthpiece initially when they confronted Pharaoh. After experiencing all the plagues face to face with his brother, how could he so easily turn and agree to make a false god?
But over the centuries, 14-15 centuries (about 1500 years) many of the priests became self-righteous. They added to the rules and commands for the people these their commands did NOT come from God. They were dictated by the priests. They did not have their own land, but were given land, and part of their needs were covered by the people–they got the best pieces of meat, grain and wine offerings. They felt important and put more and more stringent loads on the people. They were mostly no longer servants–teaching and serving the people God’s words.
Eventually the priesthood separated into separate factions, the most commonly known are the Sadducees and the Pharisees. Although they held some separate beliefs, they both agreed that Jesus was due for punishment as He was saying He was the Son of God. And how could that be? Did they have trouble believing since 15 centuries had passed and they did not believe in their hearts that God would truly send a Savior? Were they just frightened of their own standing, money, power, and position so they felt justified pushing the possibility away?
I can imagine after centuries of believing you were ‘top dog’ within the church that you were entitled to all the bounty. But that is not what God intended. He wanted the Levites to be servants to Him and to the people. They were to serve and decide when someone had a serious illness that needed to be removed from within their camp/cities such as leprosy. They were to teach and help the people develop a stronger bond with the Creator. But instead, they became entitled to the blessings they got, and began to demand more.
By the time Jesus came, most of the Pharisees were critical, skeptical and too arrogant to believe that there was a Son of God. And they chose to let their arrogance, anger, and fear of losing the benefits they had by this “imposter” who declared He was God, and they decided to kill Him. After all, they were the chosen for many years, and they knew they were chosen by God and appointed by Moses. They had developed a disgust to their spirit–they did not like the poor, the diseased, the widows and having to care for widows and children–that would mean less for them. They enjoyed fancy robes, being treated with respect at least, and maybe at times, awe, and standing in front of people, knowing that they were envied and admired often.
But they were not serving the people. Most were enjoying the pleasures they took for themselves. They let those they were supposed to nurture and care for suffer. And they certainly resented Jesus when He confronted them with their arrogant, self-righteous behavior. So they decided Jesus had to die for His “lies and blasphemy–Son of God, indeed!” And how dare this poor upstart try to show them up with His preaching and healing. Who is He to teach? Who is He to have all these followers? Who is He who can heal? These men disdainfully asked one another.
So, the arrogant worked to grab Him and put Him on trial–fake trial of course. And with their arrogance, the deemed Him guilty and needed the Romans to declare Him worthy of crucifixion. Yay! Just what they wanted. No more of this upstart. Kill one to save the nation–not the nation, really, but their own standing and lifestyles.
So silly. This was God’s plan all along–and you scholarly, arrogant men did NOT get it. Yet, you had the Torah, the Old Testament with all the prophets telling of the Messiah–and you purposely shoved it away.
I am so thankful God had a plan that He used many men and prophets to share that there would be One who would save all. I am grateful for Easter, but it always squeezes my heart in pain knowing how very much this wonderful, loving, man suffered and gave up for me. Such agony. But such joy for those who believe in Him, repent of their sins, and become closer and closer to Him and the Holy Spirit.
I don’t think I could have stood there and been one of the disciples–men or women, who stood there watching His torture and suffering. But I am so thankful that He gave His life for those who want to follow Him and be set free from the slavery of sin. So, although I still hate the agony He suffered, I am so thankful He willing became our Sacrifice. Halleluiah!
Exodus 15:24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, :What shall we drink?” And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
Exodus 16:2-3, 8 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, where we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. . . . And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him–what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.
Numbers 11:1-4 And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.
Numbers 14:2-4, 26-30 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” . . . . “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
Deuteronomy 1:26-27 “Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the LORD hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
Psalm 105:5 Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
Psalm 106:25 They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD. Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness.
Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
1 Corinthians 10:10-11 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
James 5:9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
I think most people complain. If I tried to add how often I murmur something negative, it is technically a complaint. There can be a fierce wind that blows between my house and my neighbors’. As I climb my outside stairs when it is winter and breezy, that cold blast will frequently have me saying, “Dang, I hate the cold; that wind is bitter.” Then, because I remember that my comment about the wind and cold is a complaint, I apologize to my Creator, and will sometimes, even remind myself that the cold is keeping mosquitoes, flies, and many other anty bugs hidden until the spring and summer give them a rebirth. To everything, there is a time and a season….
But, we complain when we don’t have immediate water and have to call a plumber, when out cell phone is not readily available since we laid it somewhere that is out of the norm. Because I live alone, I bought some trackers and attached them to my phone. If I can’t find it, I go to the signal connector, and press the number that is attached to the phone back, and then follow the beeping until I locate it. But, I may complain about how careless I am, how often I misplace things–still a complaint.
As the Hebrews made their way through the Wilderness, they offered many complaints. At times, Moses felt they were complaining against him, and he was doing his best leading about a million or more people. They complained about not having meat, not having water–or if water was present, it might be bitter and tainted. But God always came through for them. He made sure there was a way to clean the water–throwing a branch into, He delivered quail in inexhaustible amounts for them to eat meat, they complained about not having a lot of grain and flour, and God supplied manna. And He gave them all with specific commands “Do not collect more quail or manna than what you require each day.” Initially, the gluttons did collect more than they could use–they collected more quail, and they collected more manna than they could use in one day.
So often, I hear folks complaining about the weather. And this has been growing up in New England and throughout all my blessings living in many other areas. As a kid I enjoyed the weather in the Massachusetts. As I got older, I did not like shoveling, walking on treacherous icy grounds, going to work when it was dark, leaving work when it was dark, and the COLD. I had the blessings of living in Germany for a number of years–and think they got more snow than in MA, but the air was slightly drier and we were in a wonderful country with different customs, pretty “European style” homes, and the winter did not seem as dark and oppressive as it had in New England. Flowers, like pansies, amaryllis, poinsettias, and primroses began to appear in stores and gave one a boost of color and excitement for Spring.
But I have complained about clothing, being ignored or interrupted, hairstyles, and on and on. It seems we always want what someone else has and covet that. But God has blessed me with the traits–positive and negative He wants me to have and develop or refine–sand down or get rid of for His glory. But I find it has been easy to complain when we are not aware of the impact and how disrespectful it is to our Creator. I am working on it. When I catch myself complaining, I apologize to Him; remembering all the blessings I have and enjoy, and it is not as though I have more than enough. It’s a learning journey. But I am glad I am working on this. I have no reasons to complain.
Often, a complaining spirit is in fact detrimental to the peace, joy, and patience that comes from the Holy Spirit. Complaining often reflects a lack of faith, distrust in God’s provisions and leads to our selfishness and then His anger. (gotquestions.org, updated Jan 21,2026)
So, Lord, my apologies. You deserve all of my thanks, not my complaints because I don’t have what another may have, no complaints about skills I don’t have when You have given me plenty to enjoy. You have blessed me with so much. I thank You, Lord for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Deuteronomy 28:13-15 If you listen to these commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom. You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today, nor follow after other gods and worship them. But if you refuse to listen to the LORD your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you…
Joshua 1:7-8 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
Judges 2:11-15 The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them and they angered the LORD. They abandoned the LORD to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. This made the LORD burn with anger against Israel, so he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to the their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them.
1 Samuel 15:22-23 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than offering the fat of the rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”
2 Kings 17:7, 12-13 This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. They sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Yes, they worshiped idols, despite the LORD’s specific and repeated warnings. Again and again the LORD had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees–the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets.”
Proverbs 1:24-25 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered.
Proverbs 19:3, 16, 23 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD. . . Keep the commandments and keep your life; despising them leads to death. . . .Fear of the LORD leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.
Isaiah 1:18-19 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat.
Isaiah 59:1-2 Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.
Jeremiah 7:23 This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’
Ezekiel 18:28, 30 They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die. . . “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign LORD. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy! Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?
Matthew 7:26-27 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.
John 3:36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who d0esn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment
Acts 5:29-32 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed hi by hanging him on a cross. The God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven.
Romans 2:8-9 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil–for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
Romans 6:20-21 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.
Human beings are pretty selfish beings, initially crying their frustration, hunger, and discomfort, and getting accustomed to having their needs met, and the frustrations relieved. With caring, giving people the babies receive what they need–dry diapers over clean genitalia, if a reddened area a protective, healing ointment applied; given food in loving arms, encouraging words to show and express love, food, both nutritional and emotional giving the child needs.
As the infants grow and develop. they learn different methods of getting their wants known. As infants, babies cry to have needs met. If the caretaker does not answer those needs regularly and with sincere care, the infant can develop a syndrome called “failure to thrive” and the baby learns not to interact with others. It is sad to see–the eyes are blank, there is no interest shown to surroundings, not glances with another person–no smiles, no following a colorful mobile–just an emptiness.
But a child who has been shown love, encouragement, direction, guidance and interaction with others–parents, grandparents, siblings, other children in social events those children usually blossom. However, along the way they have learned some manipulative ways to try and get what they want IMMEDIATELY. This is not necessarily a need being fulfilled, but a new toy, a new cereal or other food, or some other bauble they have spotted. Often times they have learned that crying, whining, screeching what they want in a piercing voice will have a caretaker capitulating–more out of embarrassment and harassment than wanting the child to have whatever, and certainly not fulfilling a need.
Score one for the child–a desire filled by screeching and being a brat; and more groundwork laid for the parents or caretakers to learn how to save themselves from embarrassing misbehavior by giving in to the whiny, crying misbehavior. The child quickly learns that this bad behavior gets him/her what is wanted–for the moment. It is the parents/caregivers/ who have to learn to teach methods of how to change this bad behavior. Until they recognize the child is being a misbehaving, manipulative young one, they cannot correct first, their behavior and rule setting, and then give the rules and expectations to the child with follow-through.
This is what God did while Adam and Eve lived within the Garden. ‘Enjoy all, BUT do NOT eat of this tree.’ And for a while they obeyed that, but with the help of Satan tempting, Eve tasted of the forbidden fruit and then shared with her husband. Feeding the first bit of sin, that underlying selfishness that humans are born with, and if circumstances are amicable, the selfishness and greater sins flourish. I imagine it is harder for children in Third World environments are able to fine tune selfishness and other sinful behaviors. Other higher level needs (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs) such as water, food, clothing must be met first, before more desires and wants should be met.
We are all capable of sin–lying to protect self from punishment when you and sibling have done something wrong and parents are honing in to dish out discipline, one sees a piece of ‘bling’ and covets it. Does it get picked up and pocketed, or is it left? Has one stopped, realizing one of God’s commands is to not covet and to not steal. Getting used to disobeying and sinning, then stuffing the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit down, makes continued sinning appealing. And then one gets pulled further, tempted with more sin, deeper, harming self and others. And then often, one is unable to ditch the sin and sinful ways, even without family and friends love and support. Oh, the desire might be there. But, too easy to follow the selfish desires, the sin(s), and often without God one is NOT able to break out of the slavery of the sins.
Having idols, other than only God is a sin. God demands that we are to only desire him and He will supply all our needs. Our selfish desires are idols we want–and we are commanded and repeatedly told that God demands our complete obedience, that we should only desire Him–no ‘bling’, no desire for lots of electronics, clothing, shoes, money, working too many hours, over-eating, sexual appetites, and so much more. These are other idols humans crave and desire.
Lord, even though I have been a sinner, still commit some and have the blessing of being able to repent and be forgiven, and yet, with all sins, You chose me. Thank You for guarding and guiding me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Rewards come with obedience, God’s word is clear on this. It is not a life without stress and difficulties. God’s Word promises He will be with us through all of life’s ups and downs.
Hi, I'm Kathy. Welcome to my website!