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Peter and Going Where God Wants You to Go… 18FEB

A song by Michael Card speaks of going to where the Lord needs us to go … the lyrics (posted below) refer to the events in the book of Acts, the beginning of the church after Jesus ascended. Peter was called to the house of Cornelius, called to go against his upbringing and religion, called to talk to and eat with others that he would not customarily be allowed to socialize with… Peter was called to places he could not imagine, and given a vision that appears over and over again so that He knew that this WAS a calling from heaven and was not from earth… Peter was called to teach Gentiles and then go back to his own kind and tell them all he did and that God came NOT just for a select few, God came for all!

May we ourselves ALWAYS realize that we are in God’s Hands and wait for Him to place us, listen for Him to call us, and tell others what we have learned…

Peter was gifted this opportunity to teach in the early church – called to be different than the rest, Peter was sent… We too are sent in ways and places to serve Him. Are we to shy away? Likely not. Are we say we are not worthy to serve? The Lord goes with us and since He IS worthy, He will make us worthy. Yes, we are to tell of HIM – God wants us to share the same gifts He gave us, especially the gift of KNOWLEDGE to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. When God moves us to move, who are we to think that we “could stand in God’s way?”

He always finds us in His plan…

Michael Card’s song about Peter  in the book of Acts:

I’m Not Supposed to Be Here. 

https://youtu.be/pszAhSlWSGY

It was His final word as we walked beside the sea: “You will be led where you don’t want to go, “

I knew that He would test my faith and all that I believed

But just how far then I would never know

And He would send a vision then, once more beside the sea

To a rooftop where my ecstasy was seen

To ask what was unaskable, three times the vision came

And demanded I embrace what was unclean

You know I’m not supposed to be here

To cross the line no one has crossed before

To simply be one of the fools

That you’ve called to break the rules

And to go someplace I’m not supposed to be

My stumbling faith responded to what my mind said wasn’t right

So I left that place and followed in a dream

To find unfamiliar strangers who were hungry for the Light

Then I realized that no one is unclean

But I was born to be a winner

And not to serve some fallen conquered king

Who took up the cross and bled

When He broke Himself for bread

In a place that He was not supposed to be

You know I’m not supposed to be here

To cross the line no one has crossed before

To simply be one of the fools

That you’ve called to break the rules

And to go someplace I’m not supposed to be

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Acts 11 New International Version (NIV)

Peter Explains His Actions

The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.  So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him  and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was.  I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds.  Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’

“I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

“The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.

“Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’

“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Psalms of Joy and Lament, FEB2020

I appreciated this information on the Psalms – which i found on the internet, especially Michael Card saying sorrow is allowed and that’s included in the psalms of lamentations….

“Through petition, praise, lament and song, the Psalmist articulates both the difficulties of living in a fallen world but also the eternal truths about the character of God. The psalms made up the songbook of Jesus and the apostles. If habits matter in the life of a disciple, I want the psalms to form my heart and mind every day.

Michael Card: “A Bottomless Resource”

The psalms tell us who we are, and we need to know that. They provide spiritual bread or living water, or all those metaphors that we sing about. The psalms provide meat that the congregation is so hungry for. The psalms are a connection for us. When I’m lamenting, I may feel disconnected from God. The psalms express that experience. When I’m joyful, the psalms give me language to connect to that joy and remember that it comes from God. He never slumbers. He never sleeps. In the end, the psalms provide for every need, all those misconnections, all the things we’re hungry for, all the correctives we need to remind us that life isn’t about us, but is really all about him. The psalms are a bottomless resource for all the things we need.

Jackie Hill Perry: “Connected to Glory”

If the psalms were written over a span of hundreds of years, then that means God wanted these songs to be read, God wanted them to be preserved. To read the Psalms points us to him in a way that he wants, because God’s greatest aim is his glory. He loves us, and he wants us to love him, which is to glorify him, to know him, to exalt him. There must be something in the psalms that pushes us to Jesus, that secures us in Jesus, that helps us to know God. It isn’t just songs or poetry that we read to learn about ourselves. The psalms push us to worship Jesus. That’s why they matter. If it’s connected to glory, then it should matter to all of us.

We Dare Not Lose the Psalms

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The first few words heard on Michael Card’s CD The Hidden Face of God extend an invitation to a very specific group of listeners– “If you are wounded…” Because after 25 years of composing and singing legendary songs, writing award-winning books, hosting his own radio talk shows, and ministering in churches worldwide, Michael believes he has finally recognized what is lacking in the life of the average Christian today – lamenting.

“Our theology tells us that if we complain to God, we’re being disrespectful,” says Michael. “But at least 80 of the Psalms are actually Laments. It has become a lost language to our culture, yet almost every major Biblical character recorded a lament. There must be a reason for that.”

So what is lamenting? Webster says to lament is to “mourn aloud; to express sorrow or regret; cry out in grief; complain.” Michael says lamenting is ultimately a place of pure worship.

In The Hidden Face of God, Michael discovers that place of praise and worship through tearful, sometimes tragic, lyrics. “Every lament in the Bible, with the exception of Psalm 88, ends in praise,” Michael continues. “The answer to all our laments is seeing the face of God. Job wasn’t going to stop complaining until God came down and spoke to him. And when God finally did that – even though He didn’t bother to explain to Job why his sufferings were taking place – His presence was enough to make Job’s questions go away.”

The song “Come Lift Up Your Sorrows” brings another Old Testament truth to life. “I have discovered that true worship involves a wilderness experience,” says Michael. “God told Pharaoh, ‘Let my people go so they may worship Me in the wilderness.’ We need to get over our misunderstanding that if we grumble to God we are somehow dishonoring Him. God doesn’t wilt from our complaints. In fact He says, ‘Bring it on.’ What He desires from all of us is complete honesty and truth. And sometimes, the truth is we are disappointed with God.”

Michael’s personal laments have come about in the midst of tremendous grief. He comforted his sister when she lost two young children, and then years later, watched while his 18-year old nephew died of cancer. During these intense times of sorrow, Michael found that “normal” worship was not working.

“I felt that my own experiences of praise and worship had become anemic. I would be in a corporate worship setting where people were going to places I couldn’t go. I felt like the only things I had to offer were confusion and pain. But then I realized, if that is all I had, I needed to share it with God anyway. He wants all of us – even if all we have to offer Him is our doubt and uncertainty.”

https://www.cbn.com/cbnmusic/artists/card_michael.aspx?mobile=false&u=1

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Who wrote the book?

Psalms, a collection of lyrical poems, is one of only two Old Testament books to identify itself as a composite work containing multiple authors (Proverbs is the other). Some psalms name their author in the first line or title. For example, Moses wrote Psalm 90. David was responsible for many of them, composing seventy-three psalms. Asaph wrote twelve; the descendants of Korah penned ten. Solomon wrote one or two, and Ethan and Heman the Ezrahites were responsible for two others. The remainder of the psalms do not contain information about their authors.

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The Psalms are traditionally divided into five “books,” possibly to reflect the five books of the Torah—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Today I’d like to point out two beautiful aspects of this organizing structure: first, our position in relationship to the Lord that is predominant in each book, and second, the doxology (expression of praise) that concludes each book.

Book One

Psalms 1 through 41, which make up the first book, emphasize how God is beside us. A good example is found in the very first Psalm where we read that the man who meditates on God’s Word is like a tree planted by streams of water—he prospers in everything he does. Another example is found in Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

David goes on to say that there’s no reason to fear any evil because God is always with us.

Book One closes with this doxology in Psalm 41:13:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting!

Amen and Amen.

—-

Book Two

The second book consists of Psalms 42 through 72. Here attention is given to how God goes before us. David confesses his sin in Psalm 51 and pleads with the Lord to wash away his transgression and to create in him a clean heart.

Book Two closes with this expression of praise found in Psalm 72:19:

Blessed be his glorious name forever;

may the whole earth be filled with his glory!

Amen and Amen!

—-

Book Three

The third book (Psalms 73–89) reminds us that God is all around us. Asaph recounts the history of God’s people in Psalm 78, showing us that God has been at work the whole time. He admonishes the children of Israel to tell the next generation, even the children yet to be born, the great and mighty deeds of the Lord.

Book Three closes with this simple doxology in Psalm 89:52:

Blessed be the Lord forever!

Amen and Amen.

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Book Four

The fourth book (Psalms 90–106) focuses on how God is above us. Psalm 90 is the one psalm credited to Moses. In it, he speaks of how our lives on this earth are brief, so we need to number our days aright. God, on the other hand, is eternal, and He will reign forever and ever.

Book Four closes with these words in Psalm 106:48:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting!

And let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord!

—

Book Five

In the fifth and final book (Psalms 107–150), the spotlight is on how the God is among us. Psalm 128 paints a beautiful picture of a man who fears God. He is happy and blessed. His wife is like a fruitful vine within the home, and his children are like olive plants around the table. And he shall see peace and prosperity in his nation.

Book Five closes with the doxology found in the Psalm 150:1–6:

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens!

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;

praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance;

praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with sounding cymbals;

praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

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Summary

To sum up, here’s a quick look at the emphasis of each of the five books in Psalms:

Book 1: God beside us

Book 2: God going before us

Book 3: God around us

Book 4: God above us

Book 5: God among us

A Bedtime Prayer, 15FEB

 

Put Your Wisdom in my ears, Lord.

Put Your Words in my mouth, Lord.

Put Your Heart in my heart, Lord.

Put Your Hands in my life, Lord.

Put Your Time in my time,  Lord.

Reset me in my rest.

Good night Lord.

I love You Lord.

 

I long to see Your new tomorrow in my tomorrow.

Rest me then wake me to see Your Life in my life.

Put Your Love in my Love, Lord. Oh yes, it’s ALL Your Love already.

Lord, You ARE Love.

Lord, shine Your Love thru me forever.

Amen

 

 

 

 

 

815

Step into God’s Love, 15FEB

It was a blessing to step away from light pollution and see brilliance in the stars last night. No cell phone coverage in the backwoods area, almost to home.

How we have to step away from man-made interference to glimpse God-made LIGHT. Intense patterns. Orion and the big dipper are really surrounded by deep brilliance. I knew the opportunity was rare for me to be there and the crisp negative six degrees outside did not deter me at all, I had to seize an opportunity to see. And in reality I needed to wake up, as I was so exhausted driving at 10pm… so dangerous… so my desire  to see the LIGHT was also gifted to wake me to help guide me safely home (sounds like Jesus right there).

Home is a blessing for me to step back to and step forward too. Brought my son. My mom’s birthday and we get to see my dad whose health is steadily stepping down… sometimes 3 steps down, two steps up like last time, still this is a step down. A blessing  to be here and it’s important for me to see with my own eyes and not experience life in a vacuum, not shy away from processing. And also to count my blessings that this is the best stepping path of care he could have.

We all have to understand the steps of life.

Always a step in the right direction is when we can step closer to God. Like stepping away from city lights and barriers to  views, we best step away from the middle man of us, our humanness, our sin and worldly situations and distractions to step closer to our Gifted Grace. God sent Jesus not just as a “stepping stone” but as God Himself. To step us into forever love. It’s not JUST for our sake that God wants us close, it’s FOR GOD’S SAKE. Totally.  He in us and us in Him.

The best step is not backwards to God but forward. God does not change and we can move INTO His Love. We have stepping stones and can have a LIGHT load to carry on our path.  We have the forgiveness of sins thru Jesus. We have the gift of ultimate mercy. We have the opportunity to be alive and awake in our existence in God’s Amazing Plan.

So we have to take the steps. We have to not hesitate to step out of our fog, our sleepiness or confusion. The veil was torn and we can directly experience life with God. Like getting to see the brilliance of the stars, the strength  of the waves on a beach, deep sunsets, the majestic mountains, or the tiniest most intricate flowers, we want to leap into the moment, with enthusiasm and joy, to see God’s purposes for us. We want to experience God with cold wakefulness to stop ourselves from stepping away from Him. Just like no subzero temp could stop me from seeing those brilliant stars, we should have no hesitation to know God more. No hesitation to wake up. I want to want God in that same way. I want to step even further into His Love.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Let us do whatever we can to leap, crawl, step into God’s Love. Not a step back… a step forward…

See all there is to see, especially since God Himself is Whom gave us sight.

Love all there is to love, especially since God Himself gave us LOVE.

Amen

 

814

The SCENE, the SAND, the SILENCE, the SAVE, the STOP, 14FEB

What a wild scene, diffused by Jesus. Jesus stands alone with an adulteress accused and about to be stoned. The accusers then are silenced, leave convicted and the scene dissipates down to one to one conversation. Jesus simply uses the tactic of silence over scolding. ‘Whoever is without sin can cast the first stone’, stooping then to write in the sand. His actions saved Himself from the crowd too.

Silence in the crowd.

Sinners stunned

Stoning saved.

Sinning STOPPED.

Some say the sand-writing bought time for the men to realize older scriptures or to recognize their own sins. Some might say silence is the most powerful tool towards those making a scene.

Silence in a scene is impossible to bridge when there is no reaction to escalate tempers. Silence is saving grace when words would worsen it and cause woe. Standing firm in silence is still standing.

I can tell you that silence works.

So does our Savior.

See, the woman had the most intimate personal experience – one on one – with her Savior who told her to stop sinning.  Did she? Would we?

A Savior’s role in saving is not simply stopping punishment,  a Savior is all about STOPPING SIN.

So that accusatory tones are not spoken, we are ACCOUNTABLE to stop spying.

So when stoning words are not acceptable. we are ACCOUNTABLE to stand up for the sake of salvation.

So that scenes we invent or could escalate are silenced, we are ACCOUNTABLE to stand silent.

So that saving grace may work, we are ACCOUNTABLE to stop sinning.

So that our Savior can save, we are ACCOUNTABLE to be save-able. With Man it is impossible, but with God everything is possible.

The stones against us will fall, the Savior for us will stand. The silence breaks specifically and solely for us sinners to see the situation. He reads us. We need to get a read on Him.

If Jesus, the Word, can say something in Silence, then our listening can come from what He has written on our hearts. He knows that He would like to write more.

His desire is for us to read into His Love, FOREVER.

Amen

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John 8 KJV

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

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Proverbs 15

A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

3 The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

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Proverbs 17

27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. 28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.

813

In God We Trust, 13FEB

We have a faithful God, so many times for many years when I fretted about money,  like this morning getting out of the car. I then saw a coin on the ground, right in my view. The Lord is saying  “don’t worry, I will take care of you”. And I do remember that.  I do remember I am blessed. Money is a tool to use wisely,  and surely to use for living and sharing. God will make more.

He is faithful to remind me (and us) that we will be ok, even better than ok, if we just “In God we trust”….

812

Faith in the Fire, 13FEB

“IRON SHARPENS IRON”, don’t get dull…

We are forged in God’s image, therefore we are NOT to be idle or obsolete, we are to find outlets for our skills to serve. The “irony” is Proverbs 27 has so much advice, but are we “sharp enough” to glean life lessons from it?

Be the iron where there is no iron.

Are we iron-enough to challenge and sharpen each other in faith? Sharp enough to sharpen, and iron enough to be sharpened by others? Will we survive if our faith is like butter?

Are we iron stakes to hold the railroad tracks together so He can steam ahead with His power?

Have we ironed ourselves out to be our best for His use in His Work? Surely the Lord will use us no matter what shape we are in, but can we be more fit to serve?

Have you been newly forged?

Did God place you back into the fire to work out your kinks?

Can you appreciate how He hammers away to make you His tool? His VERY GOOD tool?

Will you be instrumental in His Kingdom?

What will our Blacksmith forge from you today?

Are we an industrial age iron being heated for pressing down creases and wrinkles in our faith? Are we weighted enough to work? Have we grown cold or obsolete? Are we statues forged to demonstrate that the Lord’s faith in us has never wavered?

Are we an iron furnace to warm our corner of the world or sadly stingy as a miser with our allotment of fuel?

Are we souls on fire?  Will we shine His LIGHT for all to see?

Let us share our share, sharpen our skills and pour out our praise. When we walk thru the fires of life, we will be known for how we don’t lose our SPARK.

Let us stun the King Nebuchadnezzars of the world with our unwavering faith (Daniel 3) and witness the 4th man standing in the fire with us. Know that our 4th man saves.

Lord, let us know best Your fire in us. Let us search for You in our fires.

Faith in the Fire,  Forever…

Amen

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Proverbs 27

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.

3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

8 Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.

9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.

10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

12 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.

15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;

16 restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.

17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored.

19 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.

20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.

21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.

23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; 24 for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.

25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, 26 the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. 27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.

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Daniel 3 (best to read the whole story)

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

811

Work IN the System that Works – PRAY, 09FEB

I’m working IN the system that’s working for me. I PRAY.

I work the system that works me.

I THINK.

I work FOR the system because I work for the Kingdom. I offer my gifts for HIS service.

I WORK FOR GOD. SURELY HE WORKS ME!

Who is GOD? He IS the GREAT I AM.

’nuff said.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

I was doing dishes, OLD DISHES, gotta get these chores done before I have fun. All day I had been busy, been SO patient and waiting for an opportunity to go to my girl scout camp Saturday, at least for dinner (I really really really wanted to be there all day, but also had the opportunity/obligation to be 3 other places, so I chose to let the Lord sort it out). I was not able to go full weekend camping but I just wanted to go see my friends, soul-sisters thru thick and thin, and of course I was excited about bringing science experiments for the girls to play with. Oh how I am always thanking the Lord for this wonderful girl scout family I have, even if my daughter has not been a scout for 3 years). I then said, doing dishes, wouldn’t it be nice to have somebody to ride with me who would appreciate going to girl scout camp (only 45 minutes away) and then back again tonight. First, I thought of scout friend Jen then the Lord Himself put the AMAZING connection in my brain and I realized friend Cristina would be the perfect scout mom who would appreciate the visit and would be appreciated. Cristina is so very sick from her amyloidosis illness. Working so hard for her family including super-energetic Sophia post liver transplants…  I was so blessed this day to give her a night out, and her middle daughter too, to see her scout friends. But I didn’t do anything special except LISTEN.

As a child of God and scientist, I’m always thinking and I’m knowing that the best ideas always come from God. “All good things come from God” –  and a math-head knows Boolean algebra pursuing of “if then” statements, therefore: if something is good, then it must then come from God.

When ideas click that good, they MUST come from Him. When I allow myself to listen and sort all that I have learned, He finds the match for me.

I pray to be working in the system that is working for me. I pray, I ponder, and I try not to get upset when things don’t go my way. And many thoughts do take time to percolate. God wants His Way. Our job is to comply. (And set up the percolator in us, no coffee needed. Not a fast drip but for time-consuming deep extracting thoughts.)

“You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”… James 4

Blessed are those who have Subarus and full tanks of gas. Let’s drive. The travel was only possible due to the blessings of a few days prior, when I had a window of opportunity to see my family up north before their big snow storm. How slim the window was to be there. How important it was that I got my ducks in a row first and then I got home. I got lots to do in life. God is there already so I might as well let Him sort…

God can sort us out best. Hand Him our agenda books… and listen to what He lays on our hearts. There are only so many hours in a day. He knows that,  He made this day called “Today “.

I think it’s ok to humanly discuss, argue,  wonder,  pray. It’s really good to prepare for many opportunities. Prepare your fields for rain. In the end, the best plan is to LISTEN.

God knows how the minutiae fit in total. God knows the PLAN.

Work in the System that Works.

Pray and Hear. Listen and Follow. Follow and be led.

AMEN

 

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James 1

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

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GOD USES FLASHCARDS, 08FEB

“His name is LOVE, a LOVE that always finds me.”

God looks for us, God chases us down, God IS Love. Don’t you just LOVE that?

ALL good things come from God. He called us VERY GOOD.  So Him calling to us now, seeking us out and seeking us in, is also VERY GOOD.

I had a discussion of spiritual gifts. (Hey, question, can one be the “Jack of all spiritual gift trades, Master of none?” LOL) So, my friend and I were speculating about God’s gift of “tongues”. I can speculate that phenomenon could be anything being used by God to say something that touches someone’s ears JUST RIGHT, and also could be us hearing something that strikes us as coming from Him. This concept may seem so foreign to us OR could be happening all the time. The tongues spoken by disciples at Pentecost were direct languages that the others visiting in Jerusalem for a pilgrimage could understand, yet I will stretch my opinion (maybe ignorantly) to include many mysteries of His communication…

I said to myself, visual learner that I am, ‘maybe God makes it more simple for teaching and reaching me – He probably uses FLASHCARDS’.

And why wouldn’t God used whatever method that reaches us best – some are visual learners, some auditory learners, some kinesthetic learners, etc… and some “Jack of all learning styles, Master of None”.

Yes, sounds funny, but ain’t that the truth that God will search us out; He will use anyway that reaches us.  When we start to recognize His signs, it is our belief in Him and His Love that means the most to Him. We should vet out the signs we see and seek the truth in our understanding.  But back to the basics, He just wants us to believe in Him and believe in the one He sent, Jesus.  “Seeing is believing.” Faith is believing even when you are not seeing.

In all this, our belief has to come not from others telling us, our faith must be experienced. Yes, it’s us that has to say “Oh, that was God.” Give credit where credit is due. And remember the simple truth that all good things come from God…   (Just this week I know that He helped me find the good window of opportunity to travel to my parent’s home, and then back to my home just before they got a foot of snow.)

I have seen some doozies of serious physical signs, as well as silliy-nesses that touch my heart (seriously driving under that turnpike sign that said “EXPRESS” that day when I doubted my drive to write and share, is a favorite meaningful sign!). Surely I’ve had stern warnings, even God giving me hard NO’s!!! Haven’t we all? Tough love and righteous love. I have seen windows of opportunities and thoughts put in me like flashes of brilliance that ONLY the Lord could have created. I have watched circumstances click into place, drop like from heaven into my life. People too. Signs are all around that God is in charge and He wants us to be all ears, open ears. And yet remember when faith may seem like personal interpretation, it has to ring true with TRUTH. All must worship in SPIRIT and TRUTH.

My visual flashcards would be different than your flashcards. Our experiences might find parallels and yet we all have tangents that only the Lord could reach us on – those moments when it’s UNDENIABLE that God sent you a message (or at least tried to) – those FALL ON YOUR KNEES moments. How best to just believe in His Ways – not our belief in earthly things.  Although earthly things are tools, it is our belief in connections to the heavenly realm, that will really speak to us – our turth comes simply and complex as us just knowing God.

In all, we know more if we study more. The bible stories are our roadmap to our minds, souls, hearts. We need to walk the WAY of Jesus seeking out people, study His encounters with people like us. Jesus wants us to know Him over any of His works. Just know.

In the wisdom writings of disciple John, Jesus points out that the crowds are looking for manna bread from God, looking for signs, not understanding that Jesus Himself is the bread of life, the Way, the path to the Father. They often will get signs, interpret them as another prophet, but oh how Jesus really wishes for them to have believed what the scriptures foretold. Jesus spoke directly to the Pharisees (who should have been up on their scriptures) to say, ‘you know the signs of the weather, but do you not understand the “signs of the times”?’ Jesus was looking for BELIEF, a desire to learn. He wants connectivity firing in our brains, for us to see where God has revealed truth. Like when Peter believed in Jesus and could verbally affirm his belief and love (John 6, Matthew 16). Jesus says ‘you believe in me because God has revealed this to you’…

LET’S PRAY ALL WILL OPEN UP TO THE LORD.

Each person has to find their own spiritual belief, which is revealed to them by the Father. Herding cats, herding children who run everywhere, herding sheep who don’t know any better. How much better it is for us, WHO KNOW BETTER, to WANT to KNOW MORE!!!

Our God is good, all good things come from God. How good is it that we get the opportunity to believe in Him? VERY GOOD.  God blessed us to be created by Him in order to believe in His love for us and to love Him.

Oh that’s so VERY GOOD.

Amen

 

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Romans 12

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

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1Corinthians 12

6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

…

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

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1Corinthians 14

1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. 6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. 13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.

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Galatians 5

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

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My Dad the Comeback Kid, the Power of Praise, Prayers, Determination, Ice Cream and Acceptance, 06FEB

No doubt that your prayers are appreciated and WORKING for my family.  I witnessed great improvements in my Dad yesterday, which baffle doctors and yet show us the power of the complex human body and fighting spirit.  The power of time, 48 hrs, from catatonic-like stroke OR seizure OR sepsis-symptoms OR who knows to a man determined to eat ice cream by his own spoon last night. I believe in the motivation of ice cream.  My truth is that the Lord is in charge.

I walked into the hospital room and my Dad knew my name. Enough said.

I could say that asking for prayers makes me feel like “the boy who cried wolf” whenever I see rebounds like this (and he has had MANY, lucky blessed). But prayers are NEVER wasted.  I am EVER appreciative of your prayers and my dad is far from rebounded perfectly, this IS a step down the road as an 80yr old. And yes, it IS tough to see him and everyone get older and less robust.  But it is acceptance of the natural aging process, plus a refreshed outlook everyday of “what’s today’s reality”. I count blessings that I have parents who can get older, kids who are busy. No one could tell me that the Lord is not in charge… I count blessings for EXCELLENT health insurance and the spirited care of the hospital staff this time in a hometown hospital. It also reminds me to get my own physical and mental self more robust while I have the chance. My praise is most crucial, praise comes first.

And acceptance,  endlessly I can tell you when I and we have been amazingly surprised that after accepting a certain level of any situation,  the saving grace and SURPRISE of the Lord shines beautifully thru. Yes, everything good comes from God, this too. Doesn’t it seem that God wants us to not complain but understand? I witness to acceptance with actions and game plans ready, not defeat but resolution. With my mom and brother accepting the fact of increased work on their part in order to get my father home for his care, I witness their commitment, game planning, drive. How blessed am I to be from this great example of family strength,  blessed beyond my wildest dreams. My mom knew every nurses name, the ultrasound tech’s baby, knows the ever-shifting baseline of health too.

Well, isn’t that the Lord too?! Lord-strength, determination and drive in His Home-Kingdom combined with His ultimate people-placing power. Not people-pleasing but people-plan-pursuing. God works His system. It is HIS.

I believe in the power of acceptance.

I believe in the Lord tweaking our existence in amazing ways.

I believe in the power of praise.

I believe in my earthly Father’s and my Heavenly Father’s Willpowers. I believe.

I’m blessed to know that we are blessed and no matter the circumstances things could ALWAYS be worse.

Praise, Prayers, Determination and Acceptance.

Witness,  Witnesses,  Witnessed, Witnessing…

Amen

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“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

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The Golden Rule

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

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Build Your House on the Rock

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

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Already There, 05FEB

I pray for my logistics often when to travel to visit my family up north, especially when I hear of my Dad’s failing health, I quiet the “drop everything” thought to think about my own children – what’s the best plan? My Dad would expect me to choose my children over him. It is a balance and I am blessed with a full plate. So, I prayed to find that window of opportunity and it came – I’m traveling this morning then back tomorrow.

I believe in finding the right window by being an opportunist and planner, and after starting to put my ducks in a row, I was realizing that they are the Lord’s ducks anyway, I should let Him organize my thoughts and plans. He did.

Clearly I was meant  to see this scripture passage, I felt the message DIRECTLY SPEAKING TO ME,  John 6:19-21, I NEVER saw the last sentence before. How perfect it is for explaining how we are to listen and sort life out. Logistics are best handled in the Lord’s wheelhouse,  ALWAYS.

When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened.  But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and IMMEDIATELY the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

I never imagined the finest little detail in this scripture to be the most important direction in my life. But it is TRUTH for all of us: They were willing to take Jesus into their boat and IMMEDIATELY the boat reached where they were heading. 

We listen for Jesus and when we welcome Him, we reach the destination that He has already planned us going to.  This is both small scale and heaven scale. Heaven-scale destination is our salvation by welcoming Him into our lives, realizing to give up control and letting Him steer our boat and life. Heaven-scale by allowing Him to put fire in our veins and burning His fuel to reach whom He wants us to reach. Heaven-scale by knowing He already knows the destination.

Small scale is also true. When I looked at my options for travel this week (and so many times) and said: “Lord, You know how to sort this out”,  He did.  [FYI – it WAS the perfect window because I got back home before a strong winter storm hit the next morning, dumped 12 inches of snow in less than 6 hours. God DID know the right window for me.]

Small scale is everyday scale – when I place my day of endless loose ends into His hands, He leads me on the right thread. I ask: what’s most important for me to do? When I evaluate my options, He sees me doing my part to settle the dust in my head – therefore He can shine the light brighter in the direction I am intended to go. But we are not to sit and wait – we must do our part and start rowing.

In the boat, we best let His Spirit be the “wind inside my sails, the anchor in the waves”… Can you imagine Jesus walking to you? He is.

Listen to Jesus and allow Him to save you small scale and Heaven-scale. Know His voice. Welcome Him and don’t be afraid for He knows the Plan.

Listen to Jesus and give Him the credit where credit is due.

Let the Lord establish your plans and you will get already there.

AMEN

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John 10:27-28 (KJV)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

James 4:13-15 (ESV)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

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On Edge, 01FEB

I am ever HUNGRY for the Lord’s Word. I think there is no better place than for me to be home tonight, reading my book on John’s Gospel of Wisdom, chapter 6, the loaves and fishes – with a cup of tea and peace. My Christmas tree is still lit up, even though it is already Feb 1st,  I still crave this peace that goes beyond understanding that He has placed in my life. I am AMAZED at His Peace. I pray it is not ignorance but gifted peace for purpose and likely I know it is for me to gain more wisdom to move forward to His next challenge for me. 5 years awakened – there is always a mission for me to fulfill. I persistently feel this. A cup of tea to ponder. A peace to behold. A mission to mission. A marvel of marvels. But always there is an edge to be on and to ponder – I am on the edge sometimes and sometimes just sliding back from the edge to understand it all…

In my Michael Card Biblical Imagination Gospel of John book, on the bottom of page 85, there is EXACTLY an explanation of what to do when being on the edge of life – for known and unknowns: “We shouldn’t be satisfied simply doing the things we are good at. We should strive to be right on the edge so that if the Lord doesn’t show up to help us, we will fail miserably. This is the kind of place the disciples are now in.”   Meaning that when we are placed in a position that only the Lord can solve, we can be amazed by the Lord and will have to rely on the Lord. This is not always the comfortable position to be in – not the easy road but the path that the Lord will show up on. Michael Card is talking about the nervousness of the disciples at the 5000 people who are hungry with only 5 loaves and fishes – Jesus knew what He needed to do – I expect He does that for our random life situations too… Sure He does.

I totally expect (and need) the Lord to show up in my life forever (He certainly has shown up big time in the last 5 years for me)…  I don’t need my socks knocked off – simply I need to hear His whisper – as to why I am where I am – and what He needs me to do…  situation by situation, edge by edge, moment by moment…  and a recount of where He did show up when I rest after the recovery of the edge… Yes, how better to look for the Lord to show up than to know that He has been showing up all the time…

I hope you also listen and hear that whisper of what the Lord’s plan is…
God comes in a still small voice…  I’m all ears…

“And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. ” 1st Kings 19

I believe this.

Amen

 

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Philippians 4: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus….     whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

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The Science of an Unchanging God, 01FEB2020

Loved the science experiments my workmates and I performed at a school exhibit yesterday, of course I brought my favorite foaming hydrogen peroxide dish soap yeast experiment, how could I not? That is the experiment which catalyzed the notion in my own head that Jesus was sent by God for changing the world like a catalyst. An exciting overflowing foaming experiment where hydrated yeast, as the catalyst, changes the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, thus the bubbles.  Yeast has catalase enzymes to catalyze the chemical reaction, reduce the activation energy and make the reaction go faster.  A catalyst that does not change. (In class I said my “Cool CAT-alyst” also makes things happen faster and wakes me up from sleepiness every morning to play and get me to move, sometimes by trying to bite my ankles. Oh yes – that wakes me up!)

Seven years ago, I used this same experiment in Sunday school, a lesson about lost things – Jesus finding lost sheep, also teaching about the lost coin, the lost prodigal son…. I said “God sent Jesus as the catalyst to make the Word of God spread faster.” Something snapped in my brain. God was working on me as I did not really know Jesus in me. In the lost me, God was laying out a road map for Jesus to find me. Then 2 years later (which is my FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TODAY) I understood how an UNCHANGING God changed me. Jesus was/is real. I WAS THE MOUNTAIN THAT GOD NEEDED TO MOVE MENTALLY. Jesus got thru to me. I am forever changed. Jesus is Lord.

This is a special day to me, but to God a normal work day. Five years ago today – Feb 1st 2015 – that’s when I knew God had introduced me to know and follow Jesus in SPIRIT and TRUTH as my Lord. 2 months of writing out my awakening. 2 years prior I made that pivotal mind-snapping statement: “OH!!! God sent Jesus as a catalyst!” SNAP! (I even have photos of that day’s class, wow, God made me document like a scribe what He did to me.)

A catalyst, does not change, but brings reaction components together closer and reduces the activation energy to get the reaction started. Jesus Jesus Jesus.

God is unchanging. Jesus is God. Jesus will work and work and work. God will love and love and love.

The Holy Spirit will move every item into place to reach us so that we then can explain, teach, worship, believe, and reach.

The yeast chemical reaction breaks bonds. The reaction is warm to the touch. The sting of medicine hydrogen peroxide is no more. Jesus Jesus Jesus.  Chains are broken. Warm LOVE and welcoming into the Kingdom, and the sting of death is no more.

As an UNCHANGING ETERNAL GOD. Jesus wants us to know Him. God brings us to Him. He will never lose us.

I was found. I am saved. I have work to do for the Kingdom…. I must sprinkle some Jesus today…

So, how was I going to slip in then mention of Jesus in a secular work presentation? Probably not to the school kids but to somebody? It came as an opportunity that surely even I didn’t expect, the semi-retired librarian helper came in during the lunch break and asked what we were doing, so I did the experiment JUST for her, an explanation just for one. She was amazed and I explained how I did this experiment in Sunday school. I explained my aha moment about Jesus.  I also showed her cornstarch  and water mixed as OOBLECK, a fun non-Newtonian solid, and I talked about pretending to be walking on water as Sunday school demonstration,  I said “of course ” – she said “of course” – I just tapped into seeds that were already planted in her previously – I only added a little more fertilizer and seeds… Using science to plant seeds… even the teachers can being taught everyday, I was one of them, I know. Share Jesus Today! Be amazed at what He shares with you!

AMEN!

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Judgement to Save, 30JAN

John is shared as the Gospel of Wisdom,  so that we may understand Jesus more fully and completely.  John in chapter 5 recounts this crucial teaching from Jesus – that He as the Son has been given all authority to judge. God the Father has given all judgment to the Son, so that we honor the Son.

I took a step back to think about the scripture in John 3:17 as well, Jesus came not to condemn but to save.

Jesus is judging us in order to figure out HOW TO SAVE US!!!… NOT CONDEMNING to persecute, but judging the Way that He can reach us best. His will is to Work thru all the kinks in the hiccups of earthly life so that we will understand His Truth. This is case by case business.  He will AND has resurrected the dead of human life, even those walking dead. He has worked only thru the Father’s power to be righteous in judgement and He only works for the Father’s Will.

It’s God’s Will, worked and testified by Jesus, to Save Us. We are His testimony that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

To save you.

Thank God.

Amen

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John 5:

16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

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Children of God are COGS in Something Turning, 27JAN

More and more I appreciate that the Lord reminds me that He has each of us in His plans, that we are “COGS in something turning” – as Joni Mitchell sings…. We are cogs in the machinery of the Lord’s inner workings. We are part of His plans and we are requested  to help get all Children Of God back to His garden, actually to His new Garden… In order to get there ourselves,  we best start walking with the Lord. HE KNOWS THE WAY!

Regardless of any lyric interpretation, WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD. We are part of His plans. “We are stardust” God’s VERY GOOD dust…

My thought while driving last night (after my 3rd church event of the day) stopped me in my tracks. I was playing with letters in my head, staying awake, as I continued a thought about starting a work prayer small group, and what could we call it on the work calendar that would be memorable and yet safe in “secular speak”… People Of Expanding Faith? POEF?  Children Of God,  C-O-G. Cogs…  COGS!!!!! That play on letters stopped me instantly, how does God do that? Hit my brain just so? It’s because we ARE cogs in something turning, and our praying and listening and making the connections is what He needs, our thought are populated from Him oiling our gears… and us oiling them too so the Holy Spirit can start working. 

I feel to be a cog in something turning… you know life IS for learning.

I thank the Lord for this small reminder, that he takes the time for me, gives me insights of how I am blessed to be “geared up” for His work.

We all can be “geared up” for His Purposes…. I KNOW busyness is not our role but participating in the Lord’s Business is our job…

To be a cog in something turning, the Lord is oiling our gears, I pray everyone is blessed in their work thru Him for Him.

We are all Children Of God. We need to walk and come alongside the walk of others too… be part of the movement…

Cogs in something turning – God’s plans.

That’s us. Gears moved by faith not by sight.

Amen

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Joni Mitchell – Woodstock – Live 1970:

https://youtu.be/cRjQCvfcXn0

 

I came upon a child of God

He was walking along the road

And I asked him, where are you going

And this he told me

I’m going on down to Yasgur’s farm

I’m going to join in a rock ‘n’ roll band

I’m going to camp out on the land

I’m going to try an’ get my soul free

We are stardust

We are golden

And we’ve got to get ourselves

Back to the garden

 

Then can I walk beside you

I have come here to lose the smog

And I feel to be a cog in something turning

Well maybe it is just the time of year

Or maybe it’s the time of man

I don’t know who l am

But you know life is for learning

We are stardust

We are golden

And we’ve got to get ourselves

Back to the garden

 

By the time we got to Woodstock

We were half a million strong

And everywhere there was song and celebration

And I dreamed I saw the bombers

Riding shotgun in the sky

And they were turning into butterflies

Above our nation

We are stardust

Billion year old carbon

We are golden

Caught in the devil’s bargain

And we’ve got to get ourselves

Back to the garden

804

“Come With Me”, 24JAN

My 3rd new Jesus plush doll looked like he was pointing in the squished plastic but now, fresh out of the package, this Jesus doll is extending his arm. It’s no trick. As this Jesus doll was packaged squished in such a unique way, I first thought Jesus was pointing the way as in “Let’s go”. Now, I think with this arm staying extended, it is just like Jesus commanding and beckoning to us: “Come with Me,  I will show you the Way because I AM THE WAY”. Not go – but come!

God does not want to lose any of us and Jesus beckons us to live Godly lives thru the Spirit placed in us – both for the benefit of us and for the Kingdom. The path is narrow but surely it is not like walking a tightrope. Instead, the path is a net – cast by the greatest fisherman Jesus. And imagine trying to step up on and walk a tightrope, or even a net, oh tough! Oh, how much easier and stabilized we would be IF we were holding Jesus’s Hand the whole time. And with the Holy Spirit gift of guidance. That IS the Way, Jesus forever holding on to you.

Come with Me. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Thank You Jesus!

Amen

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John 14

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

6 Jesus answered, “I am the WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

…

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

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PS. Thinking of direction that Jesus gives, i saw an arrow on the sidewalk and then another… Reminded me that every once in a while I walk into a particular grocery story and I re-see that “FIRE” painted on the ground – and remember how that stilled me those many years ago – that FIRE is fuel now – not just fire in the soul to wake up and catch wood on fire, but now as Fire to move the living water thru like steam in a railroad engine…  ah what a great analogy that just came out when typing that – this year the VBS theme is Rocky Mountain Railroad – I am so very excited about the railroad theme, my family has railroad blood… I already started trash picking things that look like railroad tracks…

“Let the King of my Heart be the Fire inside my veins!”

https://debbieupper.blog/2016/12/28/soul-on-fire-still-12sept/

803

“God Does Not Have Grandchildren”, 23JAN

Two by Two the Lord sends us out to minister and to witness and to have someone who sees what happens when we work in Jesus’s name and love, we are sent together to have someone who confirms our story.

Thru YouTube, I met singer and dynamic spiritual-cajoler Keith Green. I knew a couple of his early 80s songs for praise band,  I didn’t know his story. I learned. YouTube. Now that’s a blessing!!! Keith’s story is both very different and very similar –  a gift of mental pairing for me. The story is different in his upbringing – the story is the same in God’s “SNAP” call.

Independently, the Lord calls on each of us to realize our status as children of God. Keith Green says God has children,  not Grandchildren – meaning that young folks – each person – will have to hear their own call, understand for themselves, not ride in on coat-tails…

Yes, our jobs are to keep encouraging new children of God to find Jesus.

Keith and I have shared experiences of questioning, learning, knowing. Yes, Jesus is patiently waiting for us to follow Him. Receive Him AND Follow Him, two stages.  Keith is a pair to my witness, Keith would understand me, understand that SNAP of when we knew and acknowledged Jesus as Savior AND Lord. Yes, in this interview Keith states that he knew Jesus but then later when he acknowledged JESUS AS LORD, OH SNAP, it all came together… God wants commitment…

Keith’s testimony (discussed in this 1st YouTube video) and mine are 40 years separated by time, but God crosses all distances and medias. I understand that testimony.

Keith talks about Jesus to the viewing audience kids in his 1982 appearance on the television boob tube (those are his words in the second video link) that he knows how 70’s crazy he looks to mainstream American people, that he knows what becoming a fool for Christ looks like. And so with Keith’s charismatic ways, naturally, God found a use for him and his style.  God crosses all distances and media to reach people.

I’m blessed to know that when you know the Lord and WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH,  the Lord will snap you in. Born again. I pray that you know Him too. To give up your life to the Lord is to gain His life for you.

Keith Green would understand me and I him, oh that conversation,  oh that SNAP.   Just before the 10 minute mark on the first video, Keith speaks of how it was 2 years of Him praying to Jesus before he actually worshiped and followed Jesus – you have to be led and accept Jesus’s lead in order to be saved… at the 12minute 45 sec mark, Keith said he knew Jesus was real because He was the one God changed – a mountain could have skipped into the sea – but if God changed him then wow, that is how he knew.

Love these 2 videos – it’s the unplugged speaking at the piano testimony which is more important than the music…. I’m thankful for YouTube history… I’m so thankful to the Lord for being true thru the ages. Calling His Children.

Amen

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“Keith Green   1982 100 Huntley Street TV 01 Keith’s Testimony” on YouTube

https://youtu.be/oOYQSn46q08

Keith message and a song https://youtu.be/zwkrchALHG8

802

God’s VERY GOOD Dust, 23JAN

I have carried this crumpled red flag sign from vacation bible school for years… Psalm 147:3 ” He heals the broken hearted and bandages their wounds.”

The world is broken.  We are broken people.  I write in human brokenness always to record His ongoing repair…

In Brokenness is EXACTLY where we realize being In Jesus’s repair – He stepped INTO worldly brokenness – His Love was/is completely given because He was/is willing to become human to be broken and shared…  He understands repair…

We are broken-hearted people, the Spirit is trying to put the Kingdom back together.  We cannot know Jesus in us fully (although we surely know Him in stages) unless we open up to learn, to know of, and to share in, His broken heart too. Oh so incredibly painful to be part in the brokenness but this is our cross to bear, to sort through our pieces and those of the kingdom and to be part of the repair.

Scripture advises guarding your heart because everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4)… well, we must often guard our heart “bits and pieces”… we have hope to be whole with the Spirit but still acknowledge earthly brokenness… I believe in the Lord’s plans to assemble ALL of our hearts back into Him with His repair, He does not want any pieces to be missing… We are in Him and He is in us.

When we let the Spirit glue the pieces together,  then He can rearrange us as needed. But if we try to hold back any of these pieces, if we try to re-glue our own selves back together without His help, then we are bound to feel pain in new breaks over old fault lines. It’s not our strong warriors strength (as in Psalm 147) that He wants, it is our strong FAITH in Him. We should want His hands holding our pieces together. 

Yes, God gave each of us, every child of God, a dust particle from His Very Own Heart.

We are built from dust, God’s VERY GOOD dust.

Yes, we are worth it because our worth is found in Him.

Jesus is longing to teach us how to go out and work thru the Spirit to recollect every dust speck, every soul, each and every one. Jesus is commanding us to continue His Father’s mission to regain His children for His Kingdom.

Jesus is the Word written in our hearts because we ARE to become one with His Heart while He moves. His Sermon on the Mount speaks truth: brokenhearted people who are crushed in spirit get rebuilt Spirits in His Kingdom. From Mathew: “Blessed are the poor in spirit,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ”

Can you help set up the staging area? Work the construction? Plant the seeds? His Kingdom’s planning stages had you in mind. Can you help in constructing areas so that the dust can settle?

We are crucial to the rebuilding of the Kingdom one soul, one dust particle, on repairing heart at a time.

Amen

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Psalm 34

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;  he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

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Psalm 147 

Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

² The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

³ He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

⁴ He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

⁵ Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

⁶ The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

⁷ Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

⁸ Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

⁹ He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

¹⁰ He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹ The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

¹² Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

¹³ For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.

¹⁴ He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

¹⁵ He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

¹⁶ He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

¹⁷ He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

¹⁸ He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

¹⁹ He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

²⁰ He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.

801

Jesus: “Let’s Go!” – a college visit to pray, 22JAN

I purchased another new Jesus plush doll, it was delivered squished through the mail. Silly I know but I was intrigued at how it would look coming out of the box – and yes I love the position this doll was wrapped in, as well as expression. It is as if Jesus says “LET’S  GO! THIS WAY!” I simply moved the tag for the photo otherwise the position was set just so, one arm up directing traffic and legs back as if He were flying or maybe kneeling towards you…

Today I was happy to participate with my church in giving goodie bags away and praying for returning college kids at a local university. About 20 minutes from work, I took the late afternoon off as a last minute decision to join, yes I was blessed. I recommend this activity for every church to visit colleges.

Was so nice to pray out loud with the returning students who came to the dining hall.  Awesome giving 100 goodie bags out in an hour and a half, a token to share love. Oh how wonderful that lots and lots of the kids accepted and appreciated prayers. Even kitchen staff came up for prayers. This was a big campus for only having 700ish students. There were 12 of us from church and some CRU members from campus, plenty of time to chat and meet each other. What’s so exciting to me is to be in a church filled with praying BOLD people, who want to share knowledge of God’s Love… What knocks my socks off is always a whole new set of people that I get to meet. HOW BLESSED AM I? !!!

The students appreciated it. Everyone graciously took the bags that had food, candy, scriptures, fliers for our church and the campus church services, and even a can of Red Bull energy drink… I was fed on the energy of the Spirit – nothing compares to Him.

I remember their faces for sure, and specifically the sense of these kids being shining stars, going places… specifically I remember my chat with an impressive graduating senior as we talked about grad school, and prayers for a young lady whose Dad, Fred, is having prostrate surgery, assuring her its highly successful treatment  and watching a team pray for a young lady on her first day as a freshman transfer student, she was wearing a great sock monkey hat…  I was able to pray in group or pairs for about 10 students or more. Cool…

Jesus says “Let’s Go!” and shine that Spirit smile that I gave you to share… let’s zip along our way!!!

Yay Jesus!

800

Merry-Go-Round Brass Rings, Jesus Rings True, 18JAN

This is one of those notions that I have NO IDEA why the Lord laid it on my head in the morning (BUT LATER HE MADE IT CLEAR WHEN I SAW A MERRY-GO-ROUND!!!).

After a wonderful night of sleep, this image/concept of brass rings and Merry-Go-Rounds had to be placed for some reason. If you think I work at writing, I DON’T!

Oh, I do appreciate meditating on Jesus, so maybe that IS what the Lord is trying to demonstrate, He wants us to connect Him to us. It is our direct movement and processing to understand Him – that is where our faith becomes real.  JESUS taught in ANALOGIES for us to ponder and speculate how we relate. Jesus always said: “Let those who have ears hear!!!!!!”

Merry-Go-Round – a favorite for young and old – and oh, in the “olden days” reaching for those brass rings to get a free ride was a feat. Not easy to reach, not freely given, not without danger to you, leaning off your horse. Brass Rings did lose their value when sadly the rides closed down, the horses sold, the band played no more. Sadly those rings are never won again.

Merry-Go-Round of Life – Jesus is the Only “Ring” we need. But Jesus is NOT a token.  Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Truth. Jesus is not a free ride but a freedom. Jesus is eager to be reached, Jesus already has His Hand out for us! WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.  The roadmap is thru His Word in the Bible – Jesus is the Word made flesh. WE LIVE THRU HIS SPIRIT. 

Jesus Rings True.

Jesus’s hand will reach for us EVERY TIME we look for His Mercy.

Jesus. No golden calf, no flash in the pan, no shiny brass ring that tarnishes, gets lost, or only gives one extra ride. Jesus’s Hand is forever the Hand to hold, to behold, to become Whole.

When we hold Jesus, HE HOLDS US FOREVER. 

That Shiny Brass is nothing like the Shine of Jesus – beaming until we notice Him – and oh how His Shine wants to beam thru us, forever.

Reach Jesus’s Reach.

Shine Jesus’s Shine

His Love Lives for all Time.

Amen

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Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God….  …Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is…  … be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Ephesians 5

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I am amazed!!!  The afternoon after I wrote this, I dropped my daughter and a friend to an out of town mall I had never been to. I turned the corner and guess what they have? A relocated Merry-Go-Round!!! WOW!!! 

I wrote this devotion this morning saying that I didn’t know why I had a merry-go-round and brass rings concept in my head, but it all connects… Life with God is AMAZING to me, we are all connected and woven into the Lord’s world…. cool… granted it is not unusual to see merry-go-rounds, and I’ve ALWAYS been a merry-go-round person… but today’s timing was WOW! I just chuckled and found money in my car to ride the ride… cool beans…

Joni Mitchell sings “I feel to be a cog in something turning ” Yes, we are!!! I always know that it’s more than just “the circle game” – we are to find Jesus by looking for connectivity and purpose.

Even 800 writings, 5 years, I am still surprised that God chose writing as my outlet and task… I do know that I am blessed to be a cog in something turning!

Oh Lord, I Love You!

799

Women “Get It”, 16-18JAN

Pondering about a Michael Card lecture about Luke’s Gospel…

https://youtu.be/3gs31_dfnbo

(Starting at minute 20)

A theory from Michael Card was that all throughout Luke’s Gospel,  women (as a secondary social class in those times) were listening and were demonstrated to “get” Jesus. (Actually many men in servant roles are shown to “get” Jesus too). It’s the servants who understand the Servant better than the kings.

Jesus does not shun women. He relates to them, shares to teach, seeks them out to get them to know Him.

Many of the non-servant religious leader classes are portrayed in Luke’s Gospel to “not get it” – to fail in understanding the Lord right away or at all, or take repeated teachings to grasp whom Jesus is fully… Even Disciples who follow Jesus will try to comprehend His Message, but are often shown as “works in progress”. God Himself and life must have blinded them to only understand gradually…

US TOO… We are blinded by life and when we catch a glimpse of the Light of Jesus, we do want to understand His Message, men and women alike. It takes us time for all of us to “get it”.

So, the blind, the sick, the second class folks are shown in Luke’s gospel to be eager and willing to understand Jesus.  Those folks were already looking for a save and a Savior.  The women mentioned in Luke’s Gospel often “get” Jesus, right away, the women in the stories grasp the truth of Jesus with understanding. Throughout all the gospels we are shown examples of people like us – From His mother to the women who approach Him for just touching a thread of His garment to wanting healing for their families as crumbs of bread gifts from Jesus. They understand Jesus can give Mercy.  Do we?

Do we want Mercy from the Father thru Jesus? Do we believe that we have it already?

Those folks were subjugated to being servants but are we WILLING to be servants?

God wants ALL or NOTHING…  to be willing to be a servant now is to understand and follow the example of our Servant Jesus who serves the Lord.

Michael Card teaches that Luke shows the world turned upside down. The first must be last. The last will be first. Jesus came to serve. Jesus came to serve His Father,  not Himself.

So….  Jesus is already in conversation with us. Do we “get” Him?

Do we serve the Father as was done by His Son?

Do we know our servant role?

Do we want to know Jesus better?’

People are to find the narrow path to Heaven,  so if we kneel in service, will it be easier to find the path?

Closeness to our Servant Jesus is what we want to “get”

Amen

Our prayer: “Jesus, You are our teacher and Messiah. You came to serve, to teach, to be the One to tell All. Jesus, You were misunderstood by many, left out to die but raised again, let us all know and feel that WE are among the dead who were raised with You.

Amen and Amen

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Luke 10

“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”