Allergies are really acting up today – even Carla was feeling something this morning and she rarely suffers from allergies.

We are going to be in the high 90’s this week, not necessarily what we like, but what is.

She has the garden in pretty good shape, now we need to keep it that way – I am feeling somewhat better and hope to be of more assistance in the weeks to come.

Ken reminded me that Mom was so upset that my brother and I didn’t recognize each other that she sent out pictures!

He says he still laughs and tells that story to others.

2 Chronicles 26:15-19 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.

¹⁶ But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

¹⁷ And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that were valiant men:

¹⁸ And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God.

¹⁹ Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.

As I read this I couldn’t help but think of some of the stupid things I have done.  Secure in my knowledge or abilities I moved on without thinking about how it impacted my life.

Uzziah had relied, heavily, on God supporting him and Judah.

Because of his dedication to God he was able to overcome those that warred against them.

But he became more confident, he relied less on God and more on his own thoughts and power.

Because he was THE KING he thought he could over rule God and His commandments and do what he wanted to do. 

Even though it was to come before God he was wrong.  He violated the law God had handed down to Moses and chose to go where only the priest could go – after all he was THE KING!

Instead of yielding to what he knew was right, instead of listening and obeying the priests – he grew angry.

Uzziah knew what the law was; he was told by the priests that he couldn’t do what he wanted to do he could have apologized to them and then bowed before God and asking forgiveness – he did not.

Because of this grave disobedience and refusal to obey God made him a leper.

Verse 21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

Because this was a disease that caused the patient to be isolated he lost all he had and could no longer rule.  And what was worse, he was cut off from the house of the Lord.

Pride can cause us to do things we would never have thought of if we remained humble before God.

Whatever our position in this life, if we start to think we are more important that others we become vulnerable to pride.

It is a subtle thing usually comes in degrees – first minor feelings then as we become more self-important major feelings of our position or abilities become infused in our life.

We no longer seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  We don’t even listen to the warnings that are given by God through whatever He may choose – it could be another person, or situation we find ourselves in.

We believe we are deserving of the accolades and power that comes and forget from which they come.  We start relying on our own understanding and forget to include God in our decisions.

There is a difference in being confident in God and thinking God will cover us no matter what we do (if we even consider God at that point.)

We may not see the immediate wrath of God that Uzziah felt, but it will come if we do not turn back to Him.

Fortunately, for us, God is a very forgiving God.  Even if He has to chastise us for our misdeeds, He does it to bring us back to Him.  He wants us to be secure in Him – not in ourselves or something else.

John 16:23-24 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

²⁴ Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

When we come to God through Jesus, desiring to do His will, we will have all the success we need.  We can rest in the fact that He cares for us and will direct our paths – and His Holy Spirit will make us successful – regardless of what may be seen by the world’s eyes.

Psalm 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

We need to take stock of what we are doing, and why.  We need to understand what is happening to us in our emotional state.

Are we proud of what we are doing?  Are we so proud of what we are going that we feel we deserve special tributes and privileges?

We need to make sure that every single day we acknowledge what God is doing in our life and thank Him.

We need to ask for His continued blessings and guidance that we not get so full or ourselves that we forget Him and what He has done for us.

We must live for Christ, as He died for us; with our whole heart.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again