It’s noisy in the sky – light pollution. 

It’s noisy in the air – so many sounds of motors and noisy noise of people. 

It’s noisy in our heads – our thoughts, our experiences, other’s emotions projecting, there’s just mud and crud…

The Lord is the filler and filter (the maker and the shaker) to push out the rest, to give REST, to BE the REST. Now you know “the REST of the story“, not Paul Harvey’s tagline but the simple REST of the Word lived into your life.  Therefore, take the Word in and it can SORT yourself out.  Sorting importance over fluff, the Word can straighten the frayed ends, or simply cut them off. The Word can put to REST the worldly arguments keeping you up at night. The Word can quiet the arguments between your left and right hands when the right hand gives without the left hand knowing. The Word can Work when you are stopped idle or dumbfounded from exclusion and roadblocks, the Word still Works. The Word goes ahead. The Word already read ahead and wrote ahead. The Word finishes the REST of the EVERYTHING in you and that you wanted to do. The Word WILL WAIT you out and the Word will work things out in Ways that you could never have imagined, let alone heard in the noise fray until you put quiet your day.

The Word, The Way. His Way for your day.

Can you not hear the excess noise when you read the Word? It is quieted by the filler and filter. The Word rests your thoughts into give His direction. “And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.” The lyric from “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” can be rewritten: “And the noise of Earth will grow strangely din, in the REST of His Glory and Grace.”

A musical REST of the Word quieting our noise.

Rest – IN THRU BY WITH FROM BECAUSE OF – THE WORD.

THE WORD RESTS ITS CASE!

Amen

—

Paul writes of God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit (excerpts from 1Corinthians 1):  “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age… No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began

…

It is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” —the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

…

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.  The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.”

It’s the little things and big things too – and this timely reminder (a blog below that I got in email) hit home to me – it is a big reminder that the little things of God IS a big thing! God sends reminders and ways out when we are tempted – and if we check with Him, He will tell us especially that He is in charge and that we are to respect Him over any human desire or plan… Yup… 

“You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight“. Luke 16:15

This hit home to me this morning when there were and are human temptations abounding! And I decided to wait on the Lord. We should all decide to wait and weigh questions of the day on the Lord, because He knows where He needs us: waiting on Him!!!! Not waiting ignorantly but intelligently and with purpose. This is not being idle but having the temptation cause us to THINK. Then making a decision with Him in mind rather than people in mind.

1Corintians 10:11-13 These things happened to them [wandering Israelites] as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Thank You Lord for reminding us to watch out for little sins and big… You send messages where evil sends confusion. Don’t wander but wait in the wonder of God and KNOW His Totality and Majesty.   He will ALWAYS be Sovereign.

Amen Amen Amen

Thanks Lord !!!

——

This is the emailed Daily Devotional – Detestable to the Lord! 3/17/2021 from “The Daily Dose”

Good Morning, Are you surprised in this verse by the fact that our loving God expresses seven things that He finds detestable?

Proverbs 6:16-19 “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”

We often speak of what the Lord loves and His never–ending mercy. But we rarely, if ever, hear or talk about the things God/Jesus hates and detests. Here are some more scriptures that convey to us God’s heart, which is the “same Yesterday, Today and forever!” Hebrews 13:8 “do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.” Zechariah 8:17 “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence”. Psalm 11:5  “And you shall not set up a pillar, which the Lord your God hates” Deuteronomy 16:22

It is important that we study the full character of God, which to me, makes his mercy so much more awesome! It is also important to study the full character of our loving God, so we will not be deceived, and begin to think that He does not mind it when we sin. We need to very mindful that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us daily any evil in our hearts, as the Lord said that thinking these things are just as bad as actually doing them. And the Jesus always always knows what is in our hearts. “Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Luke 5:22 “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight. Luke 16:15

In summary, God hates sin. He loves us, which is why He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ as redemption for our sins. But may we never begin to think for a moment, that God does not hate sin. It is through the blood of Christ, and only through the blood of Christ, that we are forgiven. But we have free will and the choice is ours each day. We must first humble ourselves, turn to God, admit our sin and ask for forgiveness in Jesus name. When we sincerely do this, then our sin is forgotten forever and is as far as the east is from the west in God’s eyes. But even with God’s amazing grace, I reiterate that it is important that we are always mindful that God hates sin and that sin has its painful consequences.

Lord, please forgive us for ever taking Your amazing grace for granted. Thank You for Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for us! Please keep us from evil and give us the desire to be more like You each day. In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Have another powerful and prosperous day of detesting sin and expressing God’s love as you serve others in the workplace and at home!

Bob Bennett

Real Men Ministries

—-

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” — Philippians 2:3

Copyright © 2021 Real Men Ministries. All rights reserved.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

God’s got a plan… and a light… and a saltshaker… God opens windows and doors for His entry. A trial becomes an opportunity for God to move – and when we take the time to put on our armor of God right before the conversations, we are not caught off guard. When we put on our armor of God, we can stay outside in the fray longer and make our way from His Way.

Sometimes, when we put on our armor of God, we can actually hear the clinks of the world bearing down on the armor, taking swipes and not penetrating, but feel and know SECURITY OF SPIRIT.  After the battle quiets, then we may speak with softened hearts. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

This Easter season, let us not forget that it IS EASTER. Jesus doesn’t change, why should out attitude change? It’s not about the convenience of gathering in church as much as taking the time to gather the flock. It’s not about displaying flowers as much as getting out to reap what others, even us, have sown, appreciate what seeds have sprouted and plant some more. Hand to the plow and look forward, plow forward. Much work, few workers. It is the time for gathering what God has ripened.

Because the first Easter opened the tomb, this year and always we need to think outside the tomb. That is where Jesus is anyway…

I never figured out what the TV shows switched at Fall behind or Spring ahead 2AMs, I never stayed up on purpose, just studied the TV guide grid in the paper. Would a show get shortchanged and skipped? What was extra? Like they really needed an extra infomercial. Did anyone buy the Romco egg beater for inside the shell?… I know kids these days don’t even read newspapers nor TV schedules on them, I barely even use the TV… And time? Figuring time out, well that went out the window too. I mean who even has time to contemplate time?!!!

Time flies, TRUE. 

Time heals.

Time steals.

Time is a gift.

Time gets away.

Time is endless.

Time is short. Don’t waste time. 

Time is not enough time, never.

Now is the best time of our lives.

Now is better than never.

Never has there been a better time.

The last statement means that now IS good. Now IS the best time. Live in the present. 

It’s good to live in the present AND wait for God. Don’t just wait for time to pass but wait for God to act. God does not pass the time like we do, He makes the time.

What time is Jesus’s 2nd coming? I wouldn’t be surprised if it were at 2AM when we can’t plan His arrival based on the TV grid times, nor the times tables, only the sign of the times… then we will know,  so for now be ready, even ready on the go.

Maybe we don’t want us to think about “the End is near” as a doomsday message, rather that “the time is dear”. Time to heal. Time to understand. Time to pray. Time to play. Time to sow. Time to reap…

Time of the harvest, the fields are white. Yes, that’s true ALL THE TIME – no harvest can take place unless you put the time in to the fields. God makes the time, we must take the time. 

Therefore, this Easter season, let’s not forget that it’s EASTER. Jesus doesn’t change, why should out attitude change? It’s not about the convenience of gathering in church as much as taking the time to gather the flock. It’s not about displaying flowers as much as getting out to reap what others, even us, have sown, what seeds have sprouted. It is the time for gathering what God has ripened. Much work, few workers.  

So this Easter, let’s think outside of time, think outside the box, and best yet, think outside the tomb.

Let’s not cancel Easter Messages or dismiss Easter Spirit because it is HARD to think about Easter Joy. For Jesus LIVES We, like Jesus, must walk out of the tomb to meet the people where they are.

There’s no better time spent that walking with Jesus, including walking to bring Jesus to others…

Keep time with Jesus. 

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” 

John writing about seeing Jesus in Glory, sees and knows: His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, “Fear not; I am the first and the last:  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:8, 16-19 

Keep time with Jesus!

AMEN!!!

—–

FYI – my phone clock changed automatically this 2AM to 3AM to match the time, we should too… Jesus doesn’t change, we must adapt. Glory awaits the workers that He calls, listen ahead, no time tables are revealed, and no time grid is needed, He simply WAS, IS, and IS TO COME. 

God does not make the time for convenience; He makes the time for all to hear.

Amen Amen

Woke up from a dream about racing, and a motto in neon scroll: “Don’t grind the cross crossing”… hmmm… I awoke after a stage in my dream where I had learned a special needs person passed away from covid. This person/child was known to be pure of heart. I awoke. I don’t know this person in real life or anyone else in that dream, but I appreciate thinking about that phrase – “don’t grind the gears” thinking to instead say “don’t grind the cross crossing” – and that I interpret as: crossing into heaven.

Don’t grind your gears means don’t cause your life to be in the edge of sin as you run out of steam. Don’t use the forgiveness of the cross as an excuse to live sinfully. Don’t use the cross as a stick-shift to drive an agenda – and don’t drive so hard switching gears on the go and ruining the engine.  Nope. Be humble in accepting Jesus and your need of Him. He’s already pulling you towards the finish line, finish well – and finish fair.

This might be related to the Revelation sermons that I am listening to, and this long series has me in October or November 2020 when the sermonist mentioned the need to be demonstrating being a Christian and that means that you don’t attack or gossip about your fellow Christians in person or on Facebook. The sermonist was nearly in tears urging this, especially because he really does think we are close to the beginning of the end of times with earthquakes, pestilence and all. We are to holdfast to Jesus. And even in the tribulation years, these slowly staged segments will allow 1/3 of peoples affected to have an opportunity to get on board with Jesus, will have one more chance to say YES to FORGIVENESS by acknowledging that Jesus is Lord. Every knee will bow, either in humbling ourselves or in defeat. Let us be witnesses in appreciation to the way the Lord has saved us.

Back to my dream, don’t grind the gears and don’t be rough on life… also, now that I note thinking about a car analogy, here is one more: don’t seize up the engine by running dry. Stay awake and fill your oil lamps awaiting the bridegroom. Stay hydrated by Living Water. Stay salty and not lose your flavor, be the one who doesn’t freeze the Living Water into ice, keep yourselves fluid in faith.

My car burns oil like crazy, I was first told this is normal for this model. But this month seems it is worse as I consult my records of top offs… So can the Lord, He can recall our records of trials and refills. Blessedly God in Heaven will see us only pure clothed in Jesus-glory, the pureness of peace and forgiveness. But let’s not grind the gears, let’s not overdue our oil usage for that humility knee bend time is around the bend, it is for us to gear up and to gear into.

Hear up and gear up.

Heaven is near.

Lord, reverently You we fear.

Pure of heart we can restart. 

It’s our sin You spin.

Let’s Cross into Heaven as Your Win.

Amen 

—-

Paul’s letter to the Romans ch 13:11-14

The Day Is Near

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

God’s love gives you love in excess.

Everything else is meaningless.

If the cat wants to play, play. 

Because God shows love through your cat.

Everything else is meaningless.

If the college kid wants to come home for the weekend, pick her up. Video calls, answer. 

Because God shows love through you to her. And her to you.

Everything else is meaningless.

If the hermit kit wants to go out for water ice, go. (And partake, for tomorrow you can return to low sugar.)

Because God shows His love through you to him. And him to you.

Everything else is meaningless. (And gummy bears on water ice seem meaningless, but they are not)

If it’s time to work, work. 

Because God gives time to work. Work honestly and fair.

Everything else is meaningless.

If the lonely need words, speak.

If the hungry need food, feed.

If God’s love finds a need for you to fill, fill it.

Love God.

Everything else is meaningless.  

If it’s time for praying, PRAY. 

Love listening to God.

Be quiet enough to hear.

Brave enough to fear.

Empty enough to be filled.

Willing to love and be loved.

Everything else REALLY is meaningless.

If it’s time to encourage, encourage in God’s love and your faith.

If it’s time to serve, serve in love and faith. 

If it’s time for prophesying, speak in love and faith. 

If it is time for giving, then give generously in love and faith. 

If it is time to lead, lead diligently in love and faith. 

If it is time to show mercy, do it cheerfully in God’s love and your faith. 

Do in faith, don’t overdo the meaningless, just LOVE wisdom and LOVE listening…

Focus on GOD’S LOVE AND YOUR FAITH, Everything else is meaningless. 

Amen 

—

Listen to  Ecclesiastes 1- 3 and so forth for a great understanding in the spoken Word…

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/suchet/nivuk/Eccl.1

Excerpts:

Everything Is Meaningless

The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”  says the Teacher.

“Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.”

—

Wisdom Is Meaningless

 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.15 What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.

16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

Chapter 2

Pleasures Are Meaningless

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

4 I undertook great projects…

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.

My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil.  Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, EVERYTHING WAS MEANINGLESS, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,..   I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.

15 I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both……. What then do I gain by being wise?  “This too is meaningless.”

Toil Is Meaningless

22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?  To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Chapter 3

A Time for Everything

3 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. 15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.

—

Everything is meaningless. 

20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 

22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

Chapter 4

6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Chapter 5

Fulfill Your Vow to God

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven and you are on earth,  so let your words be few.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.

Fear God. 

Riches Are Meaningless

10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income…. the ability to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God… 

God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

Chapter 6:

12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

Chapter 7

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.

14 When times are good, be happy;

18 Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

Chapter 8

15 So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

Chapter 9

2 All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.

7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.  Enjoy life with [all yours], whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come…

16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” 

17 The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

Chapter 11

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

Remember Your Creator While Young

Everything to come is meaningless.

9 You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.

Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.

Chapter 12:6

Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken;

before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well,

7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

8 “Everything is meaningless!”

The Conclusion of the Matter

13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

I love this teaching in Revelation, I love this teaching time, one hour for my commute home. With God, we are ALWAYS learning on the go…

In the Book of Revelation, chapter 3, Jesus is dictating to John for writing to the church of Sardis explaining the importance of watching for Jesus to come in end times, and the people being surprised like having a thief in the night. Reminding us as saved that unless we are blotted out, our names are to be in the book of life, and we are to become clothed in white light when we are in heaven… Most importantly we are reminded that we are to be strengthening those in the remnants of the church, reminding all to be holdfast to Jesus, and we are especially to BE ON FIRE with the childlike faith we first had when we were reborn awakened saved, and we are to keep gathering in Christ. We are called to be out witnessing. The second coming should not surprise us. WE WATCH, WITNESS, WORK, WALK.

And the end sentence by Pastor Joe really brought it home, as I think that the devil digs so terribly at us. Pastor Joe said: “when the devil reminds you of your past, you can say: “stop”, and remind him of his future”… yup, Revelation reveals the end of the devil, reveals the fullness of Christ, the forever-more of our lives with God Jesus and in the Spirit.  Jesus is the gatekeeper yes, the teacher, the Savior, the LIGHT…

This teaching is for all! LET US HEAR!

Watch, strengthen, learn, live, TRUST. PRAY…

JESUS WILL BE CALLING, BE AWAKE!

Amen

—-

Revelation 3:1-6 CC Philly video bible study: https://subspla.sh/74b6nvc

John writing Jesus dictating: “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Words divinely sourced, simply spoke, gratefully heard:

Wait

Rest

Be

Hold

Breathe

Peace

Go

Do

Read

Listen

Wait

Move

Love

Amen to the Lord for speaking:

Simply to lead.

Soulfully to save.

Certainly to love.

Completely to heal.

Forever to hold.

Amen

Now is NOT a time, especially today, for self-righteousness, but it is time to listen deeply and talk directly with God… There’s so much going on with each person in their lives, and with the world, and with life – the best thing we can do is talk to God and not cause other people to stumble… I know Paul in one part of his letter to the Romans was talking about judging people based on what they eat because of the concern between Jews and Gentiles both in the faith. I know that the best sentence here, which pertains to everything:    

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. 

Not judging people in faith is different than not judging people in life, but it is also NOT different. Judgement that separates you from helping people goes against God’s commands. Making sure we do not cause someone to stumble in faith and life are both commands that we need to heed. Helping, loving others is equal to loving God, because He made them like He made you, HIS. Don’t separate yourself from God by being your own self, be of His-self, love, forgive, keep between you and God.

We are not worthy but we have His grace. Others also have grace.  Don’t let yourself be against God’s Grace…

If you’ve got something to say, say it to God.          

If you’ve something to judge, give it to God.

If you’ve got something to forgive, let God forgive for you, as He would forgive you. And follow HIS lead.

Give it all to God and go in peace.    

Share His Peace and Grace. LOVE MERCY. Now that’s Sharing Faith. FAITH IS FOR YOU AND GOD TO BE TOGETHER.

Amen

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Romans 14:13-19

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.  Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,  because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

20-21 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

22-23 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.  But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Found the biggest seashell I think I’ve ever found while walking the beach yesterday. I also found a green rock and a cool square brown rock that looks like toast, TOAST!   So many perfect specimens of seashells that I could be surprised people had not already picked them up – except this IS winter and just brave souls were taking walks (not brave but blessed because it was beautiful weather)… The ocean sparkled blue, bluer than the sky… The ocean is still here even if we don’t visit, the seashells and birds don’t know why people come in summer but not winter. After real winter, it was a reprieve for us to know the ocean was still there.

My friend and I discussed that when we remember to be praying more often, looking for God’s reply, He DOES answer with guidance and direction.  YES, in EVERY season, God IS still there. God is still HERE. God is still listening, always listening, and loves to hear from us. God is not going ANYWHERE. God is NOT STILL either, as His Spirit works mightily and fiercely and gently and quietly. Like the roar of the ocean – in crashing overcoming waves or the simple ripples of water creeping in when you don’t expect it – He is there.  We can look and find the biggest Holy Spirit presence to do the same, come ashore for our guidance and more. Returning to Heaven, but always in our hearts, Jesus prayed Holy Spirit help for us all. And the Holy Spirit is ready to move us anywhere. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. Psalm 139:17-18

God comes with love.  Biggest Love.  All Love.  Love and patience for all. How vast are His thought?!!!

The seashells were not over picked based on my view, and God’s Love will never run dry. He is not just the dealer of love, He is the Deal, the Big Deal, He is Love.

If you look for the ocean you will find it, it’s vast, it might take a little drive, but it’s there. If you look for God, He will find you, He is more than vast, your drive, your rest stop, is only a prayer, because He is not just there, He is everywhere.

If we want to see God everywhere, we should love. If we want to bring God everywhere, we should love. Love is stronger than the ocean, wider than the world, bigger than anything measurable like a seashell, and bold.

We can live bold because we have love.

We are a moment, let us enter into life everyday in LOVE  and JOY because we know that we will only be here a moment… Let us make a JOYFUL noise, God is listening.

Be still, God is moving.  

Be love, God IS LOVE. 

Amen 

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Psalm 98:4-9

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

—-

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

—-

Romans 12:9-12

Love in Action

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 9: 20-21

“But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? ‘Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”’ Does not the potter have the RIGHT to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath – prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory –  even us, whom he also called,”

If you got saved or are in the process of being saved, you must get ready for the kiln. The clay the Lord uses (and is His RIGHT to use) must be put into the fire before it becomes useful. We are not necessarily super special, I am not, but we ARE made for a special purpose.  The MOST SPECIFIC SPECIAL purpose we have is to love our Maker, LOVE GOD, then love all He has made, common or special. All clay from Him is His. 

The Romans 9 scripture pertains to us all – that we are ALL formed for special purposes. And our skills give us leverage FOR the Lord to take us into fields and meet the people whom God needs to touch.

He knows best and He knows how we can survive the fire, that we must actually be placed into the kiln to become strong and melt-proof. Some are decorated after firing and some are not. Remember that our earthen clay pots hold God’s purposes. He fills, we hold still and strong as He fills.

We might always get flack for doing God’s work… but we are made strong by Him… 

Alas, there are others, sadly many, who fail to see the wrath that awaits if they neglect their roles and their eyes and ears are shut. Clearly in these times, we can see a mix of people and privileges. We might get jealous, but Paul is instructing in the book of Romans (to them and to us) that God has the right to show love and patience for the people whom won’t make it, whom become the goats. We should pray to be more sheepish!!!. And we must be grateful that He gives us patience and guidance. And we MUST stay true to His call, to withstand the work, stop complaining, and understand the riches we enjoy.  An eternal life is priceless compared to treasures on earth, we must burn off what hinders (remember THE KILN IS HOT), be upright and be true, and be His. We can do special things in common ways and quietly in God’s whisper before our one hand knows what the other is doing… 

Just give God the time He already created for you. Yes, it’s surprising to me that just being generous with time is a surprise to people… and they spend time fretting whereas others have time to simply work… Well, it’s God’s grace that works, He decides what activities He gives Grace to. He decides what to make out of His clay. He makes us special for His purposes, not just our play. 

We feel in trial by fire sometimes. But purposefully we have to appreciate the kiln! Remember you are NOT alone in the fire… You are in company with the King of kings, Jesus. 

Amen 

—-

Daniel chapter 3: 15-29 wrote: 

King Nebuchadnezzar said: Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.  The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

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.”

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.”

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, 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.

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. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

I’ve been blessed with the slowdown and have sped up my bible reading (and listening with my commutes an hour each way in the Way). Plus a cat AND the Lord who wake me up 2 hours early, before I ever start thinking about preparing for the day. (Even on a Saturday)

It’s purposeful studying the bible with the understanding that Jesus is the script of scripture,  He is speaking, He IS. We are to listen to the backstories like BONUS MATERIAL.  He can say “In My Day…” because it IS His Day, every day.  … In His Day in a Good Way … we are not asking Him into our day as much as we ARE entering into His Day.

Filling up for the day in a scriptural way. There’s no better way to start than with a filing of Jesus in our cup. For some of us, simply this slowdown can be us being “in between rounds”… retooling for renewed vigor KNOWING that we are learning, yearning, doing, moving. Fill up faith and feed a feverish soul, old testament new testament, because we all have a reNEWed testament role. We all have gifts to share.

If we’ve been listening to the wires, then we will know He’s planning on us kindling new soul fires. 

If we find if it’s quiet enough to read the bible, then it’s quiet enough for hearing whispers. God speaks in whispers of wisdom. Wait on the Lord. Read ahead and be fed. Let us always be HUNGRY enough but satisfied in supply. Take not a scattered approach to bible study, but a BLENDED approach. Remember Jesus knew all this to live it, to walk it, and He lives in His Word. We can too.

Because I do believe that I personally need to know more bible stories, to connect the plots and the dots more, I am blessed to be in multiple online offerings, and reading myself (I’m in the book of Romans). For example: simultaneous learnings of Samuel and the Psalms, oh how the psalms make more sense when you learn the backstory of David, Solomon, etc. I couldn’t more highly recommend the online resources to fill in gaps. Gaps you didn’t even know that you have. I’m also blessed to be with ladies from California and Texas zoom-ing the book of James, a great book teaching us to “Be Mature”. In addition to my favorite churches’ pastors’ sermons, I’m listening to current Revelation sermons and Matthew sermons, on the edge of my seat, about end times, the tribulation. I find it is easier to walk forward towards the end of time when I am seeing the LIGHT leading, and knowing that we will navigate NOT the easy road but the steady path continuing with an urge to do right, to have compassion, and skip the complaining of the craziness, because really it is foretold for the world to get much worse than better… REALLY… 

Keep walking… keep sharing… there are pockets of people ready to hear… keep trusting the Lord to bring you to them… the fields are white, ready for harvest… this does not mean you need to work harder but work smarter... actually work SIMPLER… just LISTEN and OBEY. there’s no better way. 

In His Day

Listen and Obey 

Don’t tarry away.

Lest you would sway. 

Focus on Him today. 

Tomorrow’s worry causes delay.

Holy Spirit pray to stay.

Let us walk in His Way.

Still waters, green pastures lay.

Jesus knows the Way.

Watch what you say.

Be patient and pray.

Be ALIVE in Him, yay!

Jesus is the Way. 

Listen and obey. 

Be in His Day.

Amen 

—-

Paul’s letter to the Romans 12 NIV

A Living Sacrifice

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 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; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 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.

Love in Action

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

In His Day

Listen and Obey 

Don’t tarry away.

Lest you would sway. 

Focus on Him today. 

Tomorrow’s worries cause delay.

Holy Spirit we pray you stay.

Jesus knows the Way.

Let us walk in His Way.

Still waters, green pastures lay.

Watch what you say.

Be patient and pray.

Be ALIVE in Him, yay!

Jesus is the Way. 

Listen and obey. 

Be in His Day.

In His Day.

Know.

Go.

Preach, you heard the call.

Teach, His Word to the hungry, big and small.

Reach, His call is collect, Jesus accepts the charges for all.

Hear, the call is strong for a select few.

Believe, the call is specifically ringing for you.

Rejoice, declare, extend the call,

Reach first God’s chosen people, THEN CALL ALL.

Go, go with the Good News.

Be Beautiful, Be Bold, Be Light on your feet.

Speak of Salvation, ever so sweet.

Reconcile the world, chosen by Grace, ears to hear.

Bring LIFE to the dead, have no shame, nor any fear.

The Message in your mouth and heart is from Jesus, held dear.

He is always near, the Message is forever sincere.

Jesus IS the Saving Word.

The Word yearning to be heard.

Preach Teach Reach.

Know.

Go!

Amen

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Selections from Paul to the Romans:

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

—-

“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”

—

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

—

So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

——

Whole scriptures: Paul’s letters to the Romans, chapters 10-11:

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”

And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”

But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Chapter 11:1-15

The Remnant of Israel

 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:  “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”?  And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”  So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear,

to this very day.” And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

Ingrafted Branches

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

Since we don’t know who knows the Lord or not, we must treat all with respect and compassion. Let others witness our waiting. I waited patiently yesterday at the store – I think the person in front of me was trying something sketchy but not really making a scene but maybe was making a distraction to steal something – or maybe not – I could be totally wrong… He could have been one of those folks just easily frustrated, he hung up both self-checkouts and then bumped the regular line. I could have complained what was rolling thru my head but waited where I thought I should.   Waited and prayed instead of fretting… Waiting and praying was my best course of action since didn’t want to make a scene either. I felt bad either way at his anxiety, maybe he was fine, but it was weird. I am no saint, Jesus knows. We wait as a judge all while ignoring our own judgement. No salvation comes by us to us, only from Him. Me knowing Jesus doesn’t justify my judgement of others, only strengthens my need of Jesus. We need to need Him. We wait upon Him now and in His return.

We wait.

I’m blessed to be waiting for my vaccination turn. I’m grateful that I am still well, well enough to work, well enough to wait. It is something I look forward to getting. We will see the double whammy of reduced cases soon. Our spring will be sprung. We will see the sun. I am also looking forward to Easter coming up, with new life, new hope, a renewed sense of peace. We will see the Son, we will feel hope, we will see the Risen Lord.

When we know the Lord, we can see how He gives us such peace so we can wait and await all these things – simple as that. So, let’s witness while I wait. (I will whistle while I wait too: Safe thus far!) … If we have already accepted Jesus – we should not worry. Yes that is easy to say and hard to do, but okay we must be with knowing He has our hope.

But we are NOT okay, as a whole population, knowing total renewed life, now and/or life after death, all reaching salvation, because there are so many people who don’t know the Lord. (Or sadly who’s rotting branch is now fallingdown ready to crack.) So let us offer a prayer of hope the Lord will find them in time during their time here on Earth… Let us say to them “Don’t wait. The Lord is great”. Our witness may help them not wait. Demonstrating FAITH in a fire is a stronger FORCE in us than fear. We should remind ourselves and others that if you focus on the Lord, everything else fades away. Wait not in anxiety but in wonder. 

We are NOT to wallow in our existence or tribulations. We are to tremble in the powerful presence of God and feel blessed with the gain of the Holy Spirit directing our lives. We are to actively walk with Jesus. How is your walk? I was grafted into understanding the importance of rooting myself in the Lord, knowing my graft to the Vine Jesus, my anchor held behind the veil, my dependence on His Spirit. How about you? Do you feel like you spiritually grew when you hear Jesus say: “Hey, I know you.” I still need His daily Vining – my daily cross carrying – our daily bread.

Paul’s instructions to the Romans AND us: “… you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.”

This morning I was at the convenience store to get my son a breakfast sandwich before school. It’s close to my house, so I just wear my PJ’s, I’m ok with that and a big coat to cover me. The couple in front of me found the leftover coins in the change dispenser, placed them in the donation bucket. She told the cashier that she does that often, or she gives her change to someone if they look like they need it.  No, they didn’t give it to me, I apparently didn’t look THAT disheveled, especially with my fabulous polka dot mask on… So as I thought about their sweet intentional gesture to see the people in need, that this also relates to how we should relate to the world.  We need to give hope. We should think about people in the need of prayer and we should think about blessing people who don’t know the Lord. Pray for them. Share with all. We should live as saved people and be grateful. Share Jesus, friendliness, patience, goodness, and hope (and more than a few coins of compassion) with those who don’t know the Lord. In action and verbally we can support the root of our hope, the Lord whose Goodness allows us to bear His fruit.

Greater is the Lord we know than the tribulations in the world, if all the world could know that. We can be well enough to WAIT and well enough to WITNESS. Let us not harden our hearts but be soft in speaking and solid in understanding.

Let others WITNESS US WHILE WE WAIT.

AMEN

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Romans 11: 13-27

I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Finally got to scrubbing the dishes so many back-logged chores… I have been very busy… Work is taking seemingly extra time, life is taking time, and the Lord?  Well since He made time, He’s the One that gives time and it is up to us to determine how best to use it… Yup. He asks me (and I feel He makes me) to give back Time to Him for Him. How better than to keep going in life under His tutelage. There’s no time to lose.

I have been listening to a great Bible teaching on the book of Revelation and if you want to get your head straight and not worry about the small stuff and really understand our roles as Christians, it’s actually REALLY GOOD to think of the end times and how we are to help others know Jesus before we all get there. 

Salt and light.

Being the SALT in conversation means to spice it up, to engage in conversation to make it more lively and to help everybody think, including ourselves…

Being the LIGHT in conversation means to give HOPE. It means to remind people and teach people that the world is in HIS HANDS. To teach about JESUS… To share His PEACE with others. 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

So that’s a renewed purpose for us all: to CONTINUE SHINING and to SPICE UP LIFE. Always look for opportunities to be the Light.   You don’t put a burning lamp under a basket, you continue to shine it. You will never regret the time to shine His shine. 

I finish scrubbing my sink and my stove top, it has a nice enough look but it will always have a slightly dull shine.  I then noticed that fallen between the two is a big empty container of salt…  Not sure why it didn’t get thrown away, except I remember that there was a little bit of salt left and I did not want to waste it. That’s us as well, we all have at least a little bit of salt left in us to share – actually we have a ton of salt available, because we know that One who minds the salt and mines the salt. We all have a LOT of SHINE left in us to share. Actually the smallest amount of salt and shine can be HUGE in the situations that need them the most. 

Go be the SALT today.  Go be the LIGHT today.  You have nothing to lose, only the Lord’s work to gain. Love His children. Love His Ways. Keep Running the Good Race. 

Amen 

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13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5

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21  And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Mark 4

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The Beatitudes
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5

“Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven. Can his forces be numbered? On whom does his light not rise? How then can a mortal be righteous before God?” Job 25

Job learned to respect the Lord and so should we.

We should respect AND reflect You Lord, share LOVE from Thee.

Jesus points out where to clean up His Reflection mirrored in us, you see.

He wants to model the person we ought to be. 

Then in God’s eyes, from His hand of judgment, we will stand free.

Jesus, I pray, Shine Your Life THRU me.

Humility is a human’s best trait before God. Before man, one best trait is showing respect to God. Old Testament Job learned this. He listened to advice like this above and realized his own AWE of God. Job did not have experience of living with knowledge of Jesus, but we do. We see Him as a humble human and have His merciful mannerisms to model in our lives, to reflect Him going forward, to refuse to look back. Job could look forward to the time the Lord would give him rest. We have a mirror of Jesus into which we are to be viewed. Then God will then choose to not see our sins because they are covered by the Lord’s blood and He will know our bodies are broken but that His Holy Spirit permeates our souls, if only we make room for Him to work. God loves us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus, to save us, make us worthy and although our sins were and are weighty, He lifted up freedom from eternal death by banishing sin’s death and He restored life. Jesus Saves.

We can say:

Mirror Mirror: God is Awe.

Who IS the Savior of us all.

Jesus, Jesus You came to Save.

Lifted up, walked beyond the grave.

Let us worship Him all our day.

His forgiveness we do crave. 

Daily Bread is Eternity’s SAVE.

Amen

—–

Job saw the weighting of sin, and the wait for redemption.  But knew God would provide: Ch23:2-17 Then Job replied:

“Even today my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.

If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling! I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say to me.

Would he vigorously oppose me? NO, HE WOULD NOT PRESS CHARGES AGAINST ME. There the upright can establish their innocence before him, and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.

“But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

“But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases. He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store. That is why I am terrified before him; when I think of all this, I fear him.

God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

—- 

This is sound advice given to Job preceding: ch22

Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you. Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God. You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways. When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then he will save the downcast.  He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. Romans 8

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It’s HOT WATER, not innocence, that we are all in.

We are in judgement when Jesus comes again to convict the world of sin.

His first visit was an ultimate sacrifice, burnt for us, so now He will SOON come again.

His Forgiveness will feel like we also jumped out of our skin.

Grace is ours IF only we accept Jesus as our kin.

But first we must give our sinful ways over to HIM.

Living by the Spirit involves not thinking of flesh desires which haunt us.

By the Spirit is NOT justifying sinful things in our past lives behind us.

By the Spirit is NOT letting us long for sinful things in our lives not yet before us.

Living by the Spirit means praying for a peace of mind mindset set in a place above us.

If we focus on HIM, choosing life and peace, He reduces the sinful desires of our natural sway.

Jesus gave up living in His skin as HIS sacrifice for all for God on that first Easter Day.

The earth shook that crucifixion gray day, the veil torn, the stone was rolled away.

His body gone, even the linens were left in the tomb that day.

Let us repent and have remorse, pick up our cross and be Reborn everyday.

Now our record of earthly sin can be moved out of the way.

May we ONLY be seen by God’s Mercy to have chosen JESUS as OUR WAY.

AMEN! and HOORAY!

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Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Romans 8:1-11, Paul’s letter to us all.

• 

I had quite a few trials this week, but I trusted the Lord and then watched the Lord give me back blessings twice over… it’s too complicated to explain, but who can explain how the Lord works…

A poem of praise.

Double Double:

The Lord gives double, this I know,

because scripture truthfully tells me so.

Double trouble, no.

Double blessings YO!

▬

If I gave something away,

I saw it come back in double pay,

There’s only one thing that I can say,

The Lord is blessedly behind this ALL THE WAY.

▬

Then there’s projects going astray.

Let the Lord handle it, that IS what I say.

He will figure it out, in a specific way,

Plus teach you a lesson in how to pray.

▬

Doubling our joy.

It’s no secret ploy.

He’s clearly working from above.

He gives us double all because of His Love.

▬

A double portion we may ask.

But splitting in two what is One is the Lord’s task.

He is already One, nothing can be more.

Yet He still gives us a feeling of double portion because it is we He does adore.

▬

Keep walking, You say.

Keep in You, forever we may.

Amen to You Lord, All the Way.

Your LIGHT we always pray.

▬

Amen and Hooray

——

And THANK YOU Lord for my trials this week and always – and THANK YOU for helping me quietly accept them.  I understand Long Suffering a little more deeply now… But thru these trials I did get to see you work them into blessings, DOUBLE TIME. I realize trials are not about me surviving, but about You providing.

DOUBLE DOUBLE, You are both walking with us and walking us closer to be with You.

Watching You is a gift from Thee to me. It both the trial of learning my blessings as well as seeing them delivered thru the trial, even if it takes a week, even if it takes forever. EVERY day it is the walk WITH YOU that means the most. You teach all the while that You stay with us. Even if we are to walk towards the end of time, we are walking the arrow with You, and our walk is more straight and narrow because of You…

We will walk towards the end of time, so that our time with You will NEVER end.

That IS a double portion.

Amen Amen

—–

2nd Kings 2   Elijah taken up to Heaven

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.’

But Elisha said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel.

The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, ‘Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?’

‘Yes, I know,’ Elisha replied, ‘so be quiet.’

Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.’

And he replied, ‘As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So they went to Jericho.

The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, ‘Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?’

‘Yes, I know,’ he replied, ‘so be quiet.’

Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.’

And he replied, ‘As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them walked on.

Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’

‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,’ Elisha replied.

‘You have asked a difficult thing,’ Elijah said, ‘yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours – otherwise, it will not.’

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, ‘My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’ And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. ‘Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’ he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

Hear and believe – Jesus raps on my door.

Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Hear and live – Jesus raps in my ears.

John 10:27-28 

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Witness and see – Jesus wraps Himself in Light 

Psalm 104: 1-2 

Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent…

Witness and Live – Unwrap the Word

Proverbs 4:22-23 TPT 

Then, as you unwrap my words,
they will impart true life and radiant health
into the very core of your being.
So above all, guard the affections of your heart,
for they affect all that you are.
Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being,
for from there flows the wellspring of life.

Believe and know – Jesus wraps up our hearts

Paul to Colossians 2:2-3 TPT 

“… that your hearts will be wrapped in the comfort of heaven and woven together into love’s fabric. This will give you access to all the riches of God as you experience the revelation of God’s great mystery: Christ. For our spiritual wealth is in him, like hidden treasure waiting to be discovered—heaven’s wisdom and endless riches of revelation knowledge.”

Be His – Jesus wraps creation together

Proverbs 30:4

Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?
    Who holds the wind in his fists?
Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?
    Who has created the whole wide world?
What is his name—and his son’s name?
    Tell me if you know!

See and believe – Jesus’s wraps are left behind for us to see.

John 20: 6-9 

Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 

Be wrapped – Jesus wraps in righteousness
Isaiah 61:10

I greatly rejoice in the Lord, I exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a groom wears a turban and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Be Saved – Jesus wraps up our lives

John 3:16-17

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

Be raptured and encouraged – Jesus raptures into forever

1Thesoloians 4:16-18 

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Ah…. such a needed reminder that I gleaned from an emailed devotion: Trust in God, wait on Him, and listen to what He will have come from your own mouth in times of trouble, fed from your heart… Don’t let the devil get a foot in your mouth or your heart. Let the Lord flow…

The song that just popped in my head, after I was thinking about something stressful was not a praise song but a true song: Talking heads: “Stop Making Sense”…  Meaning FOCUS ABOVE and not trying to make sense of this world, situations in this world, and people in this world…

Stop making sense and instead taking advice FROM the Lord. To quote below:  “By submitting ourselves humbly to God each day, and realizing that He is our Deliverer from evil, we are humbly admitting that we cannot oppose the enemy in our own strength. We are proclaiming that we ONLY have the ability to resist the devil in and through the power of Christ.”

YUP!!!

——-

The Daily Dose – Resist, and he will Flee! 2/24/2021

Good Morning, How are you doing with resisting the devil?

James 4:7-10  “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

It is not coincidental that in James 4:6 that he first begins the guidance on resisting with talking about God opposing the proud and being humble instead. By submitting ourselves humbly to God each day, and realizing that He is our Deliverer from evil, we are humbly admitting that we can not oppose the enemy in our own strength. We are proclaiming that we only have the ability to resist the devil in and through the power of Christ. 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded”. James 4:6-8

Jesus is telling us not to worry in Luke and stand firm in our faith. In other words, we should be resting in His faithfulness to us and He will supply us with all we need to defeat our adversaries.14 “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 All men will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By standing firm you will gain life.” Luke 21:14-16

Lord, please pull us into a deeper and more intimate walk with You. Please do not allow us to become proud and deliver us from evil. In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Have another powerful and prosperous day of resisting the devil as you serve others in the workplace and at home!

Bob Bennett  Real Men Ministries

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” — Philippians 2:3

The last few minutes in this podcast bible study from the book of Samuel, about David, Nabal, and Abigail, are teachings about patience, about responding to correction, about turning the other cheek. This advice is so perfect for explaining how to act when you get something that you don’t expect.  It’s ok, and the Lord fights our battles so that we don’t fall off our horse! Oh, so much waiting on the Lord… And He willingly will wait on us, and we are blessed to have correction as well…

Just wait on the Lord. Trust me, it’s better to wait than anything.

Abigail went to mend the rift with David, and became a servant for the cause – sparing her family and nation. We are to wait on God to determine what HE needs us to do.  We are to wait on the Lord…

David was convinced by Abigail that avenging the situation would have been futile and bloodshed on his hands rather than a direction from the Lord… She both saved the lives of her nation but also woke David up from his stupor in selfishness. He returned to listening to the Lord. David wandered often but returned to the Lord most strongly.

David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”

Amen

—–

https://subspla.sh/y43ndx5  Based on 1st Samuel 25…

Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David moved down into the Desert of Paran.

A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings—he was a Calebite.

While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep. So he sent ten young men and said to them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel and greet him in my name. Say to him: ‘Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!

“‘Now I hear that it is sheep-shearing time. When your shepherds were with us, we did not mistreat them, and the whole time they were at Carmel nothing of theirs was missing. Ask your own servants and they will tell you. Therefore be favorable toward my men, since we come at a festive time. Please give your servants and your son David whatever you can find for them.’”

When David’s men arrived, they gave Nabal this message in David’s name. Then they waited.

Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”

David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. 13 David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did, and David strapped his on as well. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.

One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. Night and day they were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them. Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him.”

Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs[b] of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Then she told her servants, “Go on ahead; I’ll follow you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!”

When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.

“Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant.”

David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”

Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, “Go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request.”

When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak. Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”

Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.”

She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife. David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel, and they both were his wives. But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

Wait on God.

Wait out the situation. 

Wait for Him to give direction. 

Wait for you to actually hear.

Wait until He gives you the all clear.

Listen and follow, go not stuck but sure.

Listen to His uncommon sense make your common sense become crystal clear. 

And I’m just talking about waiting out a SNOWSTORM, but this is truth for ALL SEASONS:  Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” 

YES! WAIT FOR THE LORD.  In ALL things. All activities. All scarythings and good things alike. All strife. All life. In things that are unpalatable, stop eating – in stuff that doesn’t make sense, stop doing – in stuff falling from the sky, put up an umbrella – in stuff falling around you, put on the armor of God.

If it is scary to drive in snow, don’t. If it’s better to wait for the plow, then wait! If you have to venture out, make sure to pray it out. If you can wait it out, wait. And wait. Listen. If you know how to go then go.

If it is a wonder whether, then wait for God to answer. If you feel lost, wait for direction. If you have to venture out, make sure to pray it out. If you can wait it out, wait. And wait. Listen. Then GO. Go with God.

Waiting doesn’t mean doing nothing. 

Yesterday, was supposed to be rain, and it was wet snow.  (SO PRETTY). I am not afraid of snowstorms but respect the situation and either wait or venture carefully. Yesterday 9am snow, 3 quick inches in a few hours. Was I worried? No, I was BOTH super busy already at work so barely had time to worry even if the window showed the best snow show AND I knew the conditions would improve with a plow blazing the way and salt to melt the way and temperatures to rise. I knew to proceed with careful driving when it actually was time to go. It was good and fine leaving normal time, not wasting time worrying.

That’s waiting on the Lord: Good and fine. Be busy in your work in the meantime. Don’t sweat the small distractions stuff, keep working. FOLLOW JESUS – FOLLOW THE WAY.  Let Jesus blaze your trail, make your paths straight. Let SALT stay tasty and liven up the path, let salt in conversations melt the scene. And be careful when the Lord says LET’S GO. Proceed with Christ. He is NOT slow to answer. 

Wait and then go with grace. That’s better than going in haste.

God gives good things, therefore why wouldn’t He give you of His Time. 

Pray in the meantime. Pray all the time, the Talking Time is on God’s Dime.

Amen 

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(PS – this year there are many activities which slowed to a halt and many which didn’t happen. I think it is a great time to hone our listening and decide upon what path God will provide.)

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Here are more great scriptures for waiting on the Lord, which I pulled off the web:

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the Lord;

Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.

Psalm 130:5

I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.

Psalm 37:34

Wait for the Lord and keep His way,

And He will exalt you to inherit the land;

When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

Psalm 37:7

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

Psalm 39:7

And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.

Lamentations 3:25

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him.

Psalm 40:1

I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

Micah 7:7

But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

Psalm 62:5

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.

Psalm 31:24

Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 33:20

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.

Psalm 38:15

For I hope in You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God.

Isaiah 40:31

Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

Jeremiah 42:7

Now at the end of ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

Lamentations 3:26

It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord.

Psalm 130:6

My soul waits for the Lord

More than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.

Isaiah 30:18

Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.

Psalm 5:3

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

Psalm 25:5

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.

Psalm 106:13

They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel,

Psalm 104:27

They all wait for You To give them their food in due season.

Psalm 25:3

Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

Romans 8:25

But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

Psalm 59:3

For behold, they have set an ambush for my life;

Fierce men launch an attack against me,

Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord,

James 5:7

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.

1 Corinthians 11:33

So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Hebrews 6:15

And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.

Galatians 5:5

For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.

Isaiah 33:2

O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for You. Be their strength every morning, Our salvation also in the time of distress.

James 5:8

You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Psalm 37:9

For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.

Hebrews 10:36

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

Jude 1:21

Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Numbers 9:8

Moses therefore said to them, “Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you.”

Psalm 69:3

I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.

Isaiah 8:17

And I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him.

Proverbs 8:34

“Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.

(Scripture Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Waiting-On-The-Lord )

Here is a blessing – that if we fall asleep, others will look out for us – as we should look out for others as well… Their falling asleep may be from weariness on the road they travel. We can pray them well. Our roads are never going to be without trouble, but our roads will firmly be there. Keep walking… there were churches even in the apostles time which came and went. But we can always keep walking…

Luke’s account of Paul’s travels and teaching in Acts 20: 7-12
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.”  And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. And they took the youth away alive, and were greatly comforted.

I would be greatly comforted if I saw someone raised from the dead whom I wished was not dead. And I would be comforted if people I knew/know who do not believe in God, would be raised from the dead because of something Jesus said and it resonated JUST at the right time. I wish that we could just walk by the open windows and see who fell out and help them up.

I’ve been thinking about an old advisor of mine who professed his form of atheism and even railed against the belief system.  It wasn’t just ignoring faith, it seemed to be a personal vendetta against it – as if it was against any other system we could believe in as fact. I don’t know how he came to be that way, or why he was so adamant against God and so against how people believe in God. We have seen strife inflicted due to abuse of power and you have a recipe for ruin. Some people can’t see past the hypocrisy and find the truth of Jesus when their anger, not just their blindness gets in the way. It is sad in so many situations.

God Raise His Soul

Sometimes people are so really angry against God, but at least they believe in God. I really loved this sweet but “sullen-ed by the situation” gentleman. Both as a recruited listener to him and with a daughter-like set of ears from time to time, I was familiar with his situation. He would vent to me about the strains of work life and work politics, and I felt sorry for him. I also feel sorry for anyone who strains to be more upset than I think is warranted, who finds fraud and fault in a system that they think would be perfect, but never could be.  Truly I am not them and not living in their shoes, I can’t judge their justification. Yes, justice should prevail, and we all need to rail against big gaps in our smooth trail, but don’t lose your peace through it. Our peace is the only thing that should not fail. Perhaps we will help others by picking up life’s pothole-filling detail.

We could say “God Rest His Soul” – but if someone doesn’t believe in God, a better statement and prayer is: “God Raise His Soul” – Lord please raise them because they are Yours. Yours to raise in so many Ways. RAISE as in nurture and RAISE as in resurrect. God Raise Our Souls. God Praise Your Whole.

Surely, there will be so many goats when the flock is separated (Matthew 25:31-on). Can we pray for all the departed to not be discarded? Our message is for Your Mercy Lord. Retroactive remorse as a matter of course? When raising of the dead, whose regret will You forgive? It is only in You that we will live. I will pray, for those hearing and not.  God Raise Our Souls, because there are a lot!  

Amen

Be His Fleet of Love 

Life takes its toll on everyone. We are living in a world that is not our home, yet we must travel thru. Many will experience road weariness as well as delight in seeing the sites. Many will make the best of everything and lighten our lives. We love their love. 

We have often seen how fast a bad pothole in the road of life can knock us off our travels. This is true for slower progressing illnesses and immediate deaths. Some potholes of life cause irrevocable damage. Some we can shrug off. And some make us call out for repair.  I’m talking about life travels, not simply vehicles. We are in fleeting times, hold on tight. 

Drive on.

We are all at different speeds. Sometimes see some others pass us fast, some slow. We are this too when compared to other’s points of view.  In life and in death, we see our friends and family simply run out of gas. We too will someday. Meanwhile we are all navigating the way.

Follow The Way.

We must respect death and respect life. We must respect that others are on their side excursions, we are all sometimes seemingly wandering off the path, as we are human. Perhaps we only stop a moment to see the view. Some are adjusting their mirrors to see behind better. Some are cleaning their windshields to see ahead. We must respect all traffic especially because we too stray from time to time. We must be gentle and genuine in our bumper cars and not knock out someone else off the road. We must sometimes help grab a tow truck to deliver aid. We must often refill our gas tanks and carry extra for those on the road. We must watch out for bad weather, not get distracted.  We must put our seat belts on and SLOWDOWN. We must have our affairs in order and be prepared to stop at any moment. 

No road map thru life or thru death exists from human power, only written heavenly.  We are already knowing that life travels on this broken beat up road. There only is certainty in that there’s MUCH NAVIGATING to do. We must actually read the map, put air in our tires and carry a spare. We must read the signs, use the tools placed before us. We must follow the narrow path home. 

Acknowledging our lives are not our own, we are simply are RENTING these cars of us on earth. We are but a RENTAL fleet of His Love.

Love and respect all – that is our Dispatcher’s Call. Turn on His Light and Drive Right. Take the Fare, be ready to Drive Anywhere. 

Life is Fleeting and so are we. Let us be the Fleet of Love – for Thee.

Amen 

—-

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1Corinthians 6:16-20

Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure – not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing. Jeremiah 10:23-24

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 

Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13

I was chomping at the bit to write as soon as our guest pastor, of the neighboring AME church, started her powerful preaching on Ash Wednesday. I LOVED the Lord’s Strength bolting out of her. I loved that she spoke of her time in New Orleans, and all the while I was wearing a Mardi Gras mask under my other mask.   (and please no worries, I was appropriately social distanced at the service… I was actually seated behind the ZOOM iPAD and I loved seeing smiles from the home folks.)

A BLESSING to be in the house of the Lord everyday – and especially Ash Wednesday.

Here’s my devotion:

BE DUST, 17FEB

What a blessing to receive ashes tonight from a pastor who felt like she was so DUST, so worn out by covid and related challenges, that only the Holy Spirit could have taken her from ashes to showing her BRILLIANT LIGHT of Spirit and splashes and flashes of faith. A POWERFUL sermon indeed, urging us to find strength, pray in humbleness and praise in sacrifice. To represent to the world what the ashes really stand for. She felt like she was dust, as in how much more can she and we take? “You have a sense of humor, God?” She battles being a covid survivor “Longhauler”, battled for keeping her church open, tackled the zoom gatherings, and even the vaccination side effects knocked her down…  But I could see that she had not just risen from the ashes as much as it WAS and IS the Holy Spirit that keeps RISING her to KEEP GOING!!!! 

We should all be such DUST, that only the Holy Spirit is left to move in us. We should be the hard pressed clay, filled with the immeasurably magnificent Lord to make His strength known. 

Her tremendous message (her first in a church building in 8 months) spoke of giving and seeing the Lord providing back everything and MORE. She urged us to humble ourselves. Pray. Sacrifice. Go further. Be healed…  Our awareness in these times of turning our sacrifice into a sacrifice of praise can pivot on this scripture: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2nd Chronicles 7:14

Let us all BE DUST and put to rest our human self.  Let us all turn our assets into HIS ASHES and let us rely on HIS POWER. We are BLESSED to be called by HIS NAME. 

We need to choose to kick up a STORM OF FAITH IN HIM. We are HIS DUST.

BE DUST. 

AMEN

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2nd Chronicles 7:12-14

12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice.

13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

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2nd Corinthians 4:7-11

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.

Funny how there was something SO very important – so seemingly DIVINE – in my dreams when the cat woke me up at 430am. Do I remember it? No. Was it divinely earth-shattering? Yes. But me and we have all pushed the “snooze button” on God too many times. boo…. 

We are blessed with the Lord waking us up EVERY DAY not just when He has something to say… So did I “interrupt” the divine telephone line? Was the cat in cahoots with the Lord? or did I just stumble into something we don’t usually tap into? There’s plenty of time to sleep, but never going to be enough time to listen to God…

I do feel this dream thought chain was important enough to say that these thoughts were NOT my thoughts: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

How often what gets planted in our brains (all of us, not just me) are CRUCIAL tidbits to expanding our faith – from being re-wired, re-vined while God has us in downtime… You know what? none of it is FROM us anyway – the Spirit speaks from the Spirit. We are the filters to catch big chunks and small little whispers and the more time we take listening, the more refined the connections. Now, I’m NOT saying that this revelation in my dream would change or save the world because the truth is there is only ONE savior for the world’s people and He already did just that – if only people could and would hear… I wish I had more to say of what the Lord says – but the truth is: He already said it all when He gave it all.

Oh, what does the Lord say?

Maybe tomorrow it will replay.

We are to assemble the Word in a Worshipful Way.

And Savor working His Work for one more day.

Listen and Pray.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday

as He is today.

Amen

Jesus, I DELIGHT in what You Say. 

Lord, Please Don’t Let My:

Heart Sway

Soul Decay

Mind Stray

Strength be at Bay

Heart Play

Soul slip Away 

Mind Nay

Strength Fray

Lord in You, Please Bless My:

Heart to Pray 

Soul to Stay

Mind make Hay

Strength to Splay

Lord for You, My:

Heart Delights Today 

Soul Leaps Today 

Mind Worships Today

Strength Works Today 

…

Because You Give Light to the Day, 

I want to Love in Your Way. 

I shall DELIGHT in what You Say. 

—-

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 NIV

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

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Luke 10:28-37 NIV-UK

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’

The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’

‘Well said, teacher,’ the man replied. ‘You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.’

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Whose son is the Messiah?

While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, ‘Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?  David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

‘“The Lord said to my Lord:

    ‘Sit at my right hand

until I put your enemies

    under your feet.’”

David himself calls him “Lord”. How then can he be his son?’  THE LARGE CROWD LISTENED TO HIM WITH DELIGHT.

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Matthew 22:37-40

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

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Mark 12: 30-31

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

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Leviticus 19:16-19

“‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.

“‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.

“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

“‘Keep my decrees.”

…

32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.

It’s the sweetest thing to behold a baby, but what a huge obligation of protection, nurturing, safety, precaution and love to see them thru life…. it’s both that we still worry when they are older and we are thankful they are older as they navigate life OK on their own without us…. wow, the stress and bless lifestyle of a parent… They do carry our guidance and love, we pray they will always remember our love. 

What does the Lord do with us? Raise us until we are on our own then jet off to His own doings? NOPE. We are still blessed with both Fatherly oversights and older brother Jesus’s guidances for sure AND also benefit from the Holy Spirit moving, a hedging protection for us, making things happen, stopping us in our tracks when we forget guidance… IF WE WOULD ONLY LISTEN!!! WOW, baby, we have never been so blessed and coddled… God says: “Baby, BE MINE!!!” (Let us be HIS Valentine)

Let us not baby our faith as much as the Lord babies us. Because the maturity of faith is in the following BY faith. The Lord is herding cats when He probably would rather have sheep. But He knows how we are,  He knows the decision is ours to accept His guidance or not, and He does ask us to walk with Him, not crawl uninformed. He knows there are worldly perils and wants us to walk above the fray. We know our rebellious choices or just sneaky moves might sway us and distract us from seeing His shepherding. He doesn’t overlord us as much as Lord over.

He doesn’t want us to run ahead of Him like a cat criss-crossing our walking legs, thinking they know where you are going. But urge us to follow behind, to follow in order to pause and love. Stop and smell the roses sure, but it’s more like stop and plant the roses, cultivate the roses, hand out the roses. Be the rose for Him that He cultivates on the Vine.

See, we are but babies in a forever Kingdom, we are getting old in tooth but not old in spirit. We are just getting our feet, we have much to learn from the Lord.  If we are sensitive to listening, He is merciful to us in many ways.

The Lord wants us to learn how to live to SHARE LOVE. Wants us to walk in LOVE. Wants us to BE THE LOVE. BE HIS LOVE in the world. 

I’d rather be a baby in the Kingdom and toddling along to learn how to love, sharing love FOR Him, than to crawl in darkness looking for love for me. I’d rather stop to learn the love lessons, than zoom so fast ahead and run until I realize there’s no road map because there’s no road. Remember, Jesus is the Way, He knows the Way, He made a Way where there is no way. 

I appreciate that Jesus walks WITH  us, so let’s walk WITH Him.  LET’S LIVE TO LAVISH LOVE, ALL ALONG THE WAY. 

AMEN 

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2nd John 5-9, writing a letter:

“I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ASK THAT WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. “

A soaking thought when I went to bed was still in my sponge soul when I woke up, that I had to write asking that we pray for all people: for a softening of hearts thru hydration for the soul – to become a sponge spiritually soaking up Living Water.

Tears soften our hearts to our plight and to the plight of loved ones and those who simply touch our hearts. Love, which comes totally from God, softens the soul. Jesus taught that the thirst for Life was only quenched by Living Water, worshipping In Spirit and Truth (John 4). Our sponge wants to soak Him up.

In John 4, Jesus is said to be baptizing people, however it was (and still is) His disciples baptizing – but we all know now that Jesus at that time provided the atmosphere of Living Water in which people were drawing nearer to Him. (He still does)

Isn’t it interesting that instead of us drawing water from a well like the Samaritan woman, this Living Water of Jesus draws us to Him, we seek the Well because His Water is good. He wants to refill the sponge of our souls. And not be stale water holders, but fluid active conduits. We are to be not just Jesus sponges but Jesus wicks. Jesus Himself as human needed to drink well water on a hot day. We too run dry and need to rehydrate in water wellness and Living Water Well-ness. If we soak Him in, we become filled with not stagnant water but “a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

I’m remembering to refill my humidifier each day (wish that had an endless source).  The fan draws electricity and waves of moisture from the wick draws even more water from the tank. The moisture spreads throughout the air, helping us all to breathe easier.  The ultimate moisture droplets we pray to fill the whole atmosphere are from Living Water, and we need to soak it in, to plug ourselves in, to draw it up like a wick, and then SPREAD HIM as Healing Hydration to the world from the springs in us. The closeness of His Well allows the Waves of His Love to waft thru.

Let us pray: Word of Jesus, water our sponge-soaking souls, please warm our hearts, fan our wicks, and make us a wave of Your Living Water to spread knowledge of You where want Your Love us to go.

Let us worship in spirit and in truth. Wick our Way.

Amen

—-

John 4:1-26 NKJV

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John  (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),  He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.  But He needed to go through Samaria.

So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour [noon].

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”

The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”

Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”

Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”