Holy Smoke

Scriptures

·         Exodus 13 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

·         2 Chronicles 5 when the trumpeters and singers were in one place to make one sound praising the Lord that the glory of the Lord showed up in the form of a cloud and the priests could not even stand to minister

·         2 Corinthians 2:15  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing

·         Leviticus 16:13  He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die.

·         Leviticus 6:13  The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

·         Psalm 141:2  May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.  

Definitions

A cure for some diseases

A screen or shield

A slang term like Holy Moses or Holy Cow

A symbol  or image of prayers being lifted up to heaven

An expression of surprise or wow!

An indication of presence of the supernatural

Common byproduct of fire

Eternal flame:   Lasting flame in the Tabernacle, flame from gases coming out of the earth, monuments as memorials, Olympic torch,

Fills, creates pressure – power - energy

Form of communication

Part of an incense

Part of rituals

Some say that in electing a new Pope, when one had passed away, that if black smoke came out of the chimney of the Vatican than they had not elected a new Pope. If white (holy smoke) came out than the decision had been made.

Something people inhale

Used as a form of military offensive and defense

Used as a sacrificial offering to the Lord

Used for pest control

Used in cooking

Used to create a mood

Used to produce a smell

Used as a flavoring agent

Was believed to protect the king from evil and disease

Altar of incense:  was in front of the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies.    God commanded the priests to burn incense on the golden altar every morning and evening.  The incense was to be left burning continually throughout the day and night as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It was made of an equal part of four precious spices (stacte, onycha, galbanum and frankincense) and was considered holy. God commanded the Israelites not to use the same formula outside the tabernacle to make perfume for their own consumption (Exodus 30:34-38).  The incense was a symbol of the prayers and intercession of the people going up to God as a sweet fragrance. God wanted His dwelling to be a place where people could approach Him and pray to Him. 

http://www.the-tabernacle-place.com/tabernacle_articles/tabernacle_altar_of_incense.aspx

Process

Jennifer’s parents collected handcrafted little German incense smoker gnomes.  I enjoy them.  A part of family, heritage, culture, and I like the smell and to watch the smoke out of the little people…At the primal roots I have a fascination with water and fire…I like smoke generally, I occasionally enjoy smoking and the smell of it especially a pipe…I would love to be in a worship service consumed with praises to God and consumed by His presence so much that nothing else can be done i.e. 2 Chron 5… cool song by sarah reeves:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-e40UCxlYw

Prayer

I desire to be a pleasing aroma to You, God… but I know You wants me to be continual and not fizzle out… I also feel You directing me to be set apart and to keep Your incense fires special, Holy, not something use for general, regular use, to take it much more seriously than I do i.e. Lev 16:13… and pleasing, not saddening or here we go again … I know and feel a prompting to physically, verbally, and continually pray and lift my hands and thoughts to You much more than I am and with every area of my life.  Please fill me, help me sense Your presence, help others around me to sense You as well, then appreciate, tell and show others.  May the offerings I bring in song and life be sweet and pleasing to You and those who offer them with me

Throw Out Of Kilter

The internet gave a few definitions – and then I have applied my own…

·         Kilter:  a state of good health or spirits, or good order

FEELING:  Off working order is a pretty good definition of how I can easily get and when It happens it is very difficult and slow to get anything done.  I usually feel in good health and spirit but especially when I haven’t been working out like I should or when I have been eating too much and just laying around I get thrown “out of whack”

Sometimes it is because I fail to make a plan

Sometimes it is because I fail to follow the plan

Sometimes I blame it on the weather

Sometimes it is because I am just plain lazy or unmotivated

Sometimes it is because of circumstances

Sometimes it is because I did not know what to do

·         Kilter:  in good condition; in working order

PHYSICAL:  It is not only a feeling but also how some of the things I operate work, cars, washing machines, bicycles, motorcycles, really off center.  From a mechanical point of view I really do not have any right to use the term since in am not mechanically minded at all.  How about “out of sync”?

·         Kilter:  Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

SPIRIT:  that reminds me of the noble, royal things that I equate to Spiritual, the Holy, God.  I can easily get “not right” because of sins like: laziness, disobedience, and lack of discipline, no devotion time, not making the most

·         Kilter:  or proper arrangement

MENTAL:  I don’t like to follow the plan, like to do it my own way, do not like to do it the same way twice, do not always see things in proper order.  I do not take notes in any order-kinda of all over the place.  And I could not even remember 4 numbers, the numbers of the hospital room of a staff member for 10 minutes.  “out of sorts”

·         “Off Kilter” a Celtic rock band that play at Epcot Center's Canadian Pavilion in Florida. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfntxAIzgk8  great arrangement of Amazing Grace

MUSIC:  As far as music goes or a song set, when the band is not together, or it is bumpy, which is often probably because they have taken on the characteristics of their leader !!!

·         Origin of Kilter: 1630–40;  var. of dial. kelter  

some say that the phrase has been evolved from the word Scottish 'kilt'.   It is said that the person who is wearing the kilt should not wear anything inside. And if the kilt is out of his body, you yourself can imagine that in what kind of embarrassing situation the person is facing;

FAMILY:  I’ve always like many Scottish things and thought my family might have come from their although my brothers research says England.