I have been enjoying the sermon series “Half-truths” that my friend Pastor has been giving… Sayings that we tend to say but are not in the bible, like: “God helps those who help themselves….” that is not in the bible and GOD is the one who helps!!!!  God is the ultimate help for things we can not help ourselves do.

IN GOD WE TRUST.

One phrase or concept that I don’t know if Pastor will talk about (or not) is related to our recent flurry of sports activities here in town… The phrases I hear and we tend to say is: “I don’t want to jinx it”… Like we could make the biggest difference in a highly-trained workforce (sports or otherwise) by whether we wash our shirts or not… Playoff beards and lucky socks. Thinking about jinxing is a different phrase than I don’t want to harm you – or I don’t want to disappoint you – or I don’t think you could do it all by yourself.  In truth we do think of ourselves as big parts of the “pull” in the universe (as if we could jinx) at the same time that we tend to think of ourselves as “nothing” in the universe… Well we ain’t nothing…

Something – we are at least SOMETHING in the universe or else we wouldn’t be here.  And in God’s eyes you’re everything…

How about praying or wishing for snow? None this season yet for us – so how are people going to pass on that tradition of wearing your pjs inside out to get school cancelled the next day…  Trust me, we never did that or even heard of that as kids and school DID get cancelled – in my day – but then again we had snow as a norm not a novelty… Do we have a pull on the weather? 

And don’t get me started on being lucky or not – the lottery – in love – in winning the big stuffed useless thing at the carnival…  There is skill – there are rigged things – there is STATISTICS – In fact, Accuweather said that compared to a 1-in-whatever million odds winning jackpot, “getting struck by lightning would seem like a near certainty! According to the National Weather Service, a person has a 1-in-15,300 chance of getting struck by lightning in their lifetime, 20,000 times higher than hitting the winning numbers for the next jackpot.” 

Well, you got to be in it to win it… well…..

What about life? You got to be in it to win it…  Well,….  God put you in this life but who has “won it”? God.  Who created? Who gave skills? Who uses the lighting and the snow and the sunshine and the earth and even those snowdays to His advantage? God.

The Psalms from David speak of both PRAISE for keeping himself safe – and PRAYER for keeping his enemies at bay – and PAUSE for anytime he doubted. Really his prayers and our prayers are similar – well at least maybe – David both acknowledged God’s POWER and his MERCY…  David was reminded and reminds us to fear the Lord and realize He is the one who moves mountains and all that stuff that we tend to think we can have power over…  We don’t…  THE ONE THING WE DO HAVE IS PRAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WE CAN CALL UPON THE POWER OF GOD…

Back to football – there is a mom who has sons on each of the teams – a prime example of letting the game play out..  and perhaps that is what we should do as well – LET GOD PLAY OUT HIS GAME – WHICH IS NO GAME – REALIZE WE ARE needing to be letting OUR MINDS AND HEARTS TRUST GOD over simply letting God Do Something – BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO DO IT OR NOT…

David said in Psalm 31: ” In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; … deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” and “O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”

Like David – we need to know God – knowing what He does and why He does it will help us ask the questions that we need to – but realize that God does it regardless of us – but also FOR the LOVE of us…. God is Power…  

Remember that penny that people put in their pockets or purses for “luck”? (like my aunt who has a 50 year old plus collection of every purse she owned)… Well that penny (those 50 pennies for luck) even say: “IN GOD WE TRUST” !!!

“IN GOD WE TRUST”

AMEN

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Psalm 32

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.  For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.  I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Gypsies for Jesus, are you one too?

I should forever be a Gypsy for Jesus.  The Lord Himself does not change, so He needs us to be adaptable, flexible and lift-able. Perhaps we are free moving people… actually in Jesus we are already free, but if we are called to be Gypsies for Jesus, then we must NOT move of our own free will but ONLY move by the Holy Spirit calling us, moving us, pulling us, settling us.

Sure, we are free to move, but we ALWAYS need our roots to be fed by the Lord…  the Lord often sinks old roots really quick into a new feeding, where the people actually look thru root collections to learn how and where to connect with you and each other…  We often are placed where we can be useful. Simply put, we are planted to bear fruit, planted NOT in the world, but in His Word. Psalm 1.

I am fed so that I can feed.

One day in the middle of the 2 church services, in a church that the Holy Spirit surely moved me to, I sat IN JOY on the back pew nestled between 2 wonderful gentlemen of my father’s age. The first gentleman, Lee, introduced me to Bob – I will call him Mr Whipple because he received a life-saving technique – after pain and medical issues, the doctor found he had pancreatic cancer – a 96% fatal disease – Bob is in the 4% – he survived – he said the Holy Spirit apparently needs him around. Not knowing why, he said that 4 times he was saved from near death. The Holy Spirit saves us because the Holy Spirit needs us.  Bob reminded us that even thru pain, God has a plan.  I immediately said back to the first gentleman, Lee, “Wow, wasn’t our earlier chat EXACTLY about just that?” He agreed and I said: “Look how the Holy Spirit connects our conversations: Even thru pain, God has a plan”.

Look for the Lord and wait out the storm… Psalm 121

Oh, how blessed I felt when I sat between Lee and Bob, learning just as much as I was talking, listening just as much as I was laughing, being at peace just as much as processing rough edges of life… I lingered… listened… and I loved it…

The Lord often is stirring up His mixing bowl of life. I’m one of those unprocessed clumps of cookie dough stuck to the spoon and I happened to have gotten scraped off into another section of the bowl to meet these new people, to pick up their new chocolate chip bits of praise, to hear new faith stories, AND to put my own issues in perspective. I often pondered on how UNBELIEVABLE it was that I landed where I landed. This church – that church – this place – the next place. It is no doubt because I was placed. We are placed. We are planted NOT in the world, but in His Word. Psalm 1.

I will always TRY to be a Gypsy for Jesus, rather than requesting a place to go, I will try to go where I am called, thru the Holy Spirit’s power, not mine, and both still be still  AND  be free to linger as long as the Lord needs…

I WILL LINGER FOR THE LORD.

Amen

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A  mom’s dream,

Could be a clean living room scene. 

But actually it was working with the TEEN who helped rearrange and CLEAN. (Such is the scheme to plan a football watching party scene).

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A mom’s dream,

Could be chasing her own dreams.

But actually it is sending her child off away to their own – then exchanging text messages of beautiful sunsets scenes… and a cooler full of ice creams. (Yum)

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A parenting dream is to see children grow and financially succeed.

and yet we don’t want them to be in a rush,  nor have worldly success greed.

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Surely the only thing FOR our children that we REALLY need,

Is to help them to TRUST God, LOVE Jesus, and understand and FOLLOW the Holy Spirit’s LEAD.

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Teach

Study

Explain.

Live in Faith.

Long for God’s embrace. 

Pray too to grow in Grace.

Reflect God’s Glorious Face.

For we do wish for our children to understand FORGIVENESS and to grow in their FAITH.

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This mom loves to see each child’s face.

This mom longs for each child’s embrace.

This mom’s best dream is to one day see them in Heaven’s Forever Scene… With God, Face to Face…

Face to Face.

Amen 

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Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass [reflecting] the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2nd Corinthians 3:17-18

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If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: FAITH, HOPE and LOVE. But the greatest of these is LOVE.  1st Corinthians 13

Friday Night 

A strong night of NOT getting anywhere  but still being HERE.

Where? Here. But not there…

In the beginning of the checkers game at the great church “Community Night” FILLED with a sea of happy bustling children around us playing games, we couldn’t even remember WHERE to PLACE the checkers pieces to start…haha… LAME… Dark or light squares? or some of each? We were not embarrassed enough to not google it, so we did – dark squares… and so we started… Stealth checker strategy would win… In the middle of the game we didn’t doubt that I would win, I had many kings. But in the end, we realized there was actually no end to the game at all. We knew it would be a chase around the board, a never ending of 2 minds on equal par. A CAT GAME… but it was NOT a lame game after all, it was time well spent for a while realizing that even in a cat and mouse chase, there is a point where the cat will get bored… but NO cat game is lame because you STILL get to play the game.

We left the game aside. Even aggressive play didn’t win. Even defensive ploys didn’t lose. We just left it and even if my opponent said I won, I really didn’t. But it was OK as it was still a good game. It made us each think… 30 minutes? Yeah, 30 minutes for a checkers game?  crazy… crazy not lazy… thinking until almost all was all thought out…

At home, I settled into a perfectly IRREVERENT and touching NETFLIX film, I highly recommend it: “Sr.” – about Bob Downey Sr, who is Robert Downey’s dad – a filmmaker – an IRREVERANT 70’s artistic filmmaker. This documentary movie even Jr asked: Who was documentary-ing whom? Who was framing whom? It was a crazy life lived and a film made for forever – as Parkinsons took Sr’s mobility away but not his humor. He became stuck but not out of the game… He still had laughter and a way to move his eyes along a camera editing frame view…  and this movie RE-FRAMED their LIFE IN LOVE… I  learned a lot about Robert Downey Jr too and his growing up life, they all irreverently lived interesting lives… (They all regret the drugs)…  I HIGHLY recommend this Netflix film, “Sr.“, especially on a Friday night that fades away, there still is love… A tribute to love of a father and a son…  LOVE… (and for me it was OK, tomorrow (today) being another day…  and especially when the next day is SATURDAY… endless possibilities)…

SO thanks for letting me ramble and rhyme, life is no gamble it’s really fine. We ARE living and talking on God’s dime. You must flow in rhythm and rhyme during one’s lifetime. … Take heed of the past as it won’t last. Take hold of the present, it IS a present. … There is no lame in any life game, NONE. …No cat game is lame, because in life you STILL get to play the game, until it is DONE.

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I also will add in Psalm 27 because God DOES rescue us from our mundane, our enemies and our thoughts – and even knows the plan for a dress that doesn’t zip and knows the comfort plan and anything else going on in this game we call LIFE… Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

A cat game has no winners with equal opponents. (remember the movie “War Games” with Matthew Broderick? The computer melted down mentally because it couldn’t win the cat game… Life’s game however? GOD WINS,  and therefore we win, because God has NO worthy or equal opponents… GOD WINS…

Let’s get in God’s Game.. 

Amen

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Psalm 27 Of David.

The Lord is my light and my salvation

 whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life  of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,to gaze on the BEAUTY of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of JOY; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.

Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.

Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.

I remain confident of this: I WILL SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD in the land of the living. WAIT FOR THE LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

AMEN… !!!

One of the many reasons I work at my workplace is that I’ve always had plenty of people to talk out my problems with and had an opportunity to listen to theirs (work or otherwise). We problem solve, we vent, we understand each other, and often we realize things aren’t so bad compared to what others go through. (And we do work at work too, LOTS of work)…

That’s the corner conversation by the coffee machine, the after-meeting mulling over, and the random not random intercept to someone’s rant, ours too. That’s us able to talk it out… And listen…

What about remote working? Call up the people. Reach out… read and write messages in chat conversations. Listen. 

That’s us too with the Lord. Talk it out. Be in a place to be honest. Vent. Voice. ConVerse-ation. Prayers are not always or ever needing to be formal PowerPoint presentations, prayers can be an informal cooler conversations of the day with the Lord who wanted you to realize He was orchestrating the day anyway.  An attitude of decompression, in prayer, can be like sitting around the table for happyhour and saying “Jesus, did you hear that? Geez, did you see that?”…. and imagine Jesus saying that to you? Jesus saying: “Did you see how your problem was answered? Did you see me intervene here? Did you notice Me in the person coming to ask for your help and friendship today?… With the Lord, we problem solve, we vent, we understand and we realize things aren’t so bad compared to what others go through. Compare any of your uneasiness with Jesus’s treatment by people and He certainly DOES understand. 

Talk it out with the Lord.

Prayerful life activities alone can include reading His chat messages to you. From snippets of psalms to colorful stories of how He handled things. Of course our gathering together with his faithful increases our faith. We all realize we ARE God’s remote team on location. Of precious alone time with just us and God are actually suggested by God. 

One of the devotions I read this week essentially said: DON’T rehearse your day, just go live it. Encounter things with an attitude of there WILL be challenges and there WILL be joys. Walk WITH me… At each moment: TALK IT OUT or just understand and BE. 

…for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him….

Let us approach today (speaking and listening) in a fresh way, His Way, for Jesus is walking WITH us. Let’s talk the Walk. Then walk the Talk.

Amen

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Jesus instructed (in Matthew 6:6-15):

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

King David had lots of concerns, but He (and we) had a BIGGER God. 

We have days, months, years filled with CONCERNS, but God has FOREVER to be FAITHFUL. Everything pales and fades in comparison… Hold on to His promises…

I was holding on tight to the steering wheel last night, rain as intense as I’ve seen plus flash flooding.  I would have taken snow over that… i got home safe. I had a LONG day, but I reached to the Lord for energy and organization… I’ll never have nothing to do, but these last few months have been a silly amount on my plate… luckily, blessedly, God helps me sort – what to do – what to wait… Where to REACH? God.

Chocolate… I don’t need chocolate, but wow what a treat God has given… and I left half a dark chocolate bar from Christmas in my car. Maybe even my mom gave it to me, Christmas was one month ago, seemingly feeling forever ago, that’s an example of how fast and far we get… we move fast… we are moved into the future… 

Chocolate… I dropped a piece while driving.. I didn’t need it but ugh, can’t waste it! God knows my hands stayed on that wheel, both hands this storm was bad… the distraction mentally of chocolate (5 second rule) was more of a driving force than my fear of driving. My mind was focused visualizing that piece. Within but not safely easily within my reach. But it was preserved and OK.

I think that’s a fraction of how God focuses on us (small correlation), He loves us SO MUCH, that NOTHING can separate us from His Love. His reach? Ha, we are ALREADY in His Hand. He is NEVER distant. We are OK before we even think we are in danger.

I stopped my car, safely on the side, I was APPRECIATIVE of the mental break in my hour rainy 730pm commute from that long day. The chocolate was there, not in a puddle, not melted, not smeared by my driving foot… INTACT! Survived the moment. I reached and brushed it off… YUM… (See I have new weather tech mats, so clean enough!) 20 more minutes home, I was thankful. Safe thus far…

Imagine God being so intense and we are protected in the moment! We are!!!… Imagine God being so loving and we are protected from our enemies and our concerns and our foibles… WE ARE !!! He’s better than weather tech mats, He’s in us and not just around us. He’s better than chocolate, so soooooothing… He’s better than better… He’s saved us…

And ALWAYS GOD IS WITHIN REACH!

AMEN!!!

Psalm 20

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but WE TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.

They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!

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FAITHFULNESS 

Psalm 26 – of David.

Vindicate me, Lord, for I have led a blameless life;

I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.

Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. 

I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites. I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, Lord, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells. Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with those who are bloodthirsty, in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes. I lead a blameless life; deliver me and be merciful to me. My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the Lord.

There’s one BIG scripture of four little words which is sometimes tough to adhere to, but a blessing to remember. A reminder for when we count our blessings: “I SHALL NOT WANT”…

Psalm 23: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I SHALL NOT WANT...” 

As David writes and surely sang, is a reminder to get what we need from the Lord and realize He has been providing all along. Worldly possessions won’t forever pacify us. He provides preparations, provisions, protections, purposes, pastures, paths, placements and PEACE. Our cups overflow… (Note there is One PEACE for all, not peaces)…

I’ve not been perfect in realizing this myself because I am human and we tend to get hung up on the small stuff, we clash with people who should be on the same page, or at least resting in the same green pastures of Peace. We wander away from the Shepherd too. We get jealous not just of others and their fortunate circumstances (the grass always seems greener) but we get jealous of the lives we think we SHOULD have had for ourselves.  We are jealous of what we want in unbrokenness, frustrated with ourselves sometimes. We should be ambitious but not jealous. 

Perhaps (definitely) we need to shift our eyes and REFOCUS ON THE LORD. If we are not so willing to accept hardships as challenges to overcome by ourselves, let’s try doing so WITH the Lord. If we don’t want to walk through these valleys of the “shadow of death”, then don’t stop and sightsee the situation, REFOCUSon the Lord!!! He Leads… 

We forget we are not walking alone… We should remember to ride under God’s Wing. We shall not want…

Jealousy of a life without God’s leading is no life at all.

Keep looking at the Lord. FOLLOW. WALK. REST. KNOW.

AMEN 

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Psalm 23 – a psalm of David. (KJV and NIV)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023&version=KJV;NIV

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Treasures!!! Precious Treasures!!!

This is the first time in a few years that the Bohemian Czech Crown Jewels were put on display…  They are held hidden under 7 pairs of locks and keys distributed to various members of the government and in the church… The re-creations (which I have seen) are beautiful and so these original pieces on video appear exquisite… one of these years I would love seeing the real ones, but the trip itself was even more priceless to me. The amazing St Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle is just one of the sights to be seen… 

Treasure any time you can take a trip!  I sure do… The people who saw the jewels had to wait outside in the cold for a couple house. This year is special for new presidential elections. This is also the 30th anniversary of the separation of Czech from Slovakia. And it was 33 years ago when the velvet revolution got Czech people away from the iron curtain, I bet they waited a LONG time under that regime, behind the curtain. I have to wonder how much prayers were prayed in waiting it out… In a country of Europe, a continent of people losing their faith, many did not. Thank God. 

King Charles of Bohemia, 1300’s, was also a man of faith and the Holy Roman Emperor, he had these jewels put together. There is faith in worldly items and then there is faith in God. If riches are as precious on earth, then heaven treasures are priceless! Priceless Heaven – our ticket bought by Jesus. Charles knew he had earthly jewels! And the gold overlays in his castles are unbelievably beautiful. Charles (Karl) also believed that He had hundreds of relics from Jesus’s time, including breast milk from Mary and especially a thorn from the crown Jesus wore. He had that thorn placed inside the cross in the jewels, they have no reason to believe that it is not still there. Charles used earthy riches in decorative art to honor God.

My scriptures this day are from another king, King David, who at times was under much distress and hiding from duress… Psalms 22, 23, 24, 25… What best JEWEL did David find in his heart? THE LOVE OF GOD… David BELIEVED in God’s rescue and he saw it! We should believe too.

There is nothing more precious than what God holds precious: His Love for us. David knew the Precious Love of God in rescue and in respite. (included below is His famous Psalm 23 – such a comfort to know God’s strength)…  Even when David felt so distant from God, he knew God was looking for him. I pray we do too…

I pray we know we are PRECIOUS in God’s Hands. WE ARE HIS PRECIOUS TREASURES!

And He is ours.

Amen

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

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Here are videos of people going to visit.

Here is some history

https://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle-for-visitors/other/the-bohemian-crown-jewels-10273#:~:text=They%20are%20considered%20to%20have,1531%20and%20Emperor%20in%201556.

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Scriptures

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+22-25&version=NIV

Psalm 22:14-23

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.

But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

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Psalm 23 – a psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

—–

Psalm 24 – of David. A psalm.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory?  The Lord Almighty – he is the King of glory.

Psalm 25: 1-7 – of David.

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those  who are treacherous without cause. Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.

I appreciate the brief few years I sang in praise bands. I praise the situation and the unbelievability of it too as a non-trained singer, but mostly I praise the Holy Spirit for putting me where I needed and need to be. The songs were new to me, my praise was given an outlet, and it still is in recordings of those and other songs. Good thing because what was memorized before fades away…

Singing is soothing. My praise pours out loudly splashingly or it sips on His soothing of pain like sipping a cup of tea… in other words the Praise songs as well as life tears include BOTH praise and pain… isn’t that true… True. Pain and praise intertwine.

“There MAY BE pain in the night, but JOY comes in the morning.” That’s a lyric from a modern praise song which comes from old truth in Psalm 30 of David.

And Psalm 19:1-4 is speaking praise without speaking: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

My bandmate friend from many years ago wrote a new song, based on that scripture and others. It’s complex and yet so are we and so are our lives, there’s a mixture of pain and pondering and pure happiness. Joy can be in all, and one’s JOY in the Lord can be deliverance or diversion from pain. In other words when we look big picture, God view, the problems fade away.

How could we not feel pain alongside our praise. Sometimes we fall silent in pondering. Revelation 8 states that heaven goes silent for half an hour between revelations of the seals. Even in heaven there is pondering…

Sometimes we don’t hear the song or it doesn’t lift from the page until notes are added which can be understood musically. We don’t know the tune of these psalms. But our life experiences can make them our own. We travel our own tune.

In other words, music lyrics and song are meant to be together. Life Praise and pain are the same way on earth, intertwined they give completeness to our comprehension. How more intense our praise when pain is stopped. 

Remember The Word IS Jesus, Jesus understands the pain and the prayers and the praise. Jesus IS the truth, the Way and the Life… He knows it all… And with Jesus comes forgiveness If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. (Psalm 130:3-4)

Since we are not there yet, we humanly feel that pain still real and raw. Our relief – and our eternal relief – we are still taking hold of. It is a new mix for us remedying pain, pondering, and praise. Let us wait on the Lord – My soul waits on the Lord – He can be the mixing table for our new songs.

Amen and keep singing…

—-

I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:1-5

—-

My Soul Waits for the Lord from Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Simply waking up in the morning, I realize how blessed I am to embrace a new day, even if one doesn’t feel like starting it quite yet on my feet,  much to the cat’s disappointment… I like to start my day by embracing our God who gave me rest to be my best. I’ve yet to do many things, but I WILL start with the best morning activity I have in trying to please Him more – SIMPLY TO GET TO KNOW HIM BETTER. In us He WILL give us a new day, so in Him we should PRAISE.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

We tend to think of OUR problems, OUR issues and of course OUR deliverance. Even that great scripture “Be Still” – we think of that as ‘people-centric’ as ‘Be Still and God is working things out FOR US’… And yes, He IS, but in reality read the Psalm 46 full text, it is referring BIGGER than that – it is that God telling us to Be Still, He WILL be EXALTED even by those who didn’t think He was handling everything… He WILL get credit where credit is due. Let’s start that now.

That is another reason to jump on the PRAISE bandwagon, be an optimist of God’s deliverance of the whole situation on earth, and praise of the little things too. Be still knowing – Be still PRAISING. 

All in All, have faith in God being Whom He is. This does allow us to ask for help… Yes, we have much company in people who reach out to God to ask for help – and in the asking is also the faith – in the knowledge of deliverance… So, Psalm 18 is yet another great opportunity for David to sing of the Lord’s deliverance and His Victories even to the next generations…

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?

Remember that God was telling David that He was favored, He would have a whole line of people (including the greatest King, Savior to Jews and Gentiles, Jesus) come after him in his bloodline – David was being told that Jesus would be connected to him, a remnant of Judah even if Judah was just in rags by then (God predicted the ongoing strife and exile). David already knew to speak of the Lord as “my Lord”, and God promised fulfilment…

Psalms 18, 19, 20, 21 all are of God’s Amazing Power deserving of PRAISE. We too should say “My Lord” in appreciation for it is true and for the appreciation that God is good. Psalm 46 is the Be Still psalm… We can find familiar phrases in our psalms of praise. That’s how I’m starting this day… Knowing and PRAISING..

Amen!

(These psalms below are worth the read!)

(OK, cat has spoken, time to get going and move out the Christmas decorations!)

—

Psalm 18:25-36

To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. 

You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.

——-

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

The law of the Lord is PERFECT, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

—–

Psalm 20

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but WE TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.

They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!

—-

Psalm 21

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him— length of days, for ever and ever. Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes. When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them. You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from mankind. Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed. You will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.

Be exalted in your strength, Lord; we will sing and praise your might.

—–

Psalm 46: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee. 

I always say: be careful not to major in extracurricular activities (in college or at work). Always get your basic work done. When you work at work, don’t forget to work… That’s life too!!!  Being everything you are and want to be, like being a mom, like running a house then setting aside things to be able to get out of that house (laundry WILL WAIT and so will the dishes). Be who you are supposed to be but also know how to focus. Yes, WORK your situation… (and if you can’t get something to work – ask for help)…

When I started working at my near 21 year place of work, I started landing some unique projects and fulfilled unique roles in my department and in my whole building and in my global organization too. I could do the science or the activities or the new hire trainings or the client conversations or the fill in the blank… There is a nice niche of work, cleft for me… set aside… yeah… and sometimes when I do get called upon for my experience and expertise, it IS because I both have knowledge AND I learned how to maneuver within the system and get stuff done. (how can you not learn SOMETHING after 20 years – it is NOT that I am special it is just I never left…) ANYWAY, you have to know the system to work the system. This is NOT unique to me, but I recognize this as a blessing. 

If you are fortunate, your niche may make you a “go to” person as needed – but if there’s too much on your plate (or you want to take a vacation) and you don’t know how to get thru your “to do list”, then first do what ONLY your skill set can do, then do the other stuff anyone can do.  Work within your niche but also branch out…

Cleft for me. Is this God’s Will? Is this God’s Action Plan? To have the niche and yet branch out from it too?

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me… So, I only recently truly read and understood this hymn. I woke up and the tune was on the top spinning disk in my head. This DOES pertain to work and to life. Like our cats which sometimes sleep hidden tucked away, remember that they ALSO sometimes sleep WIDE OPEN and sprawled out because they feel safe, they feel comfortable to do so, they TRUST you, they recognize a protective environment. Us too – we much know what to trust – we have niches and we have the opportunity for branching out!

If one knows the Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me old-time 1700s tune, one can easily follow along the words, close the book and leave it there. But if you READ the words, like I recently did, you can get SO MUCH MORE out of it. “Cleft for me” is us being able to hide ourselves in Thee, because the Rock opens a spot to nestle in, to protect us within. To be under God’s Wing. To be safe in a storm. The Rock of Ages is our sturdy foundation. No wonder He sends us out to the world, He knows we are protected and yet given opportunity to work. You have to know the system to work IN the system – and to work FROM the system. God Bless HIS System!

The Rock of Ages tune, whenever it plays in our heads, double reminds us of Jesus’s love AND a niche He carved out for us: to live and to work and to be protected and ALSO to be SAVED… The lyrics proclaim (in verse 1) of a double cure: water and the blood bring guilt relief AND cleansing… 

The next two verses speak of Jesus’s actions and our saving thru Him ALONE… He fulfils the Law (Moses’s Law as given by God) as the ultimate sacrifice. Our SALVATION is not from the labor of our own hands, not from our doing, not out of our system. Verse four reminds us of the AMAZING AFTERLIFE… close your eyes and IMAGINE IT then nestle into His niche to really live.

Can we really live now? In God’s system? No matter how broken and bumpy the ride is? Well Yes! Through Jesus, God Almighty and a Living Spirit, we don’t always have to hide under His wing, we can be out sharing in His Joy. But don’t worry – His rock IS cleft for us. He will keep you HIS.

HIS.

Amen

.

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

Verse 1

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy wounded side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure;

Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

.

Verse 2

Not the labor of my hands

Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;

Could my zeal no respite know,

Could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone;

Thou must save, and Thou alone.

.

Verse 3

Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress;

Helpless look to Thee for grace;

Foul, I to the Fountain fly;

Wash me, Savior, or I die.

.

Verse 4

While I draw this fleeting breath,

When mine eyelids close in death

When I soar to worlds unknown,

See Thee on Thy judgment throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee.

.

Read about the author’s own coming to faith story: Augustus Toplady (1776) from a website with lyrics alongside music playing (like hymn karaoke): https://hymnary.org/person/Toplady_Augustus

https://my.hymnary.org/song/126/rock_of_ages_cleft_for_me_let_me_hide

And another online link:

Rock of Ages

“These wounds are a story You’ll use…” 

Scars is a song that hit me “just so” this morning… I am grateful for songs that touch your own experience(s). And no matter your original pain and no matter how deep your healing became when Jesus touched you to bring you to Himself, the scars – in Him and in us – are something that make us worthy – because of His Worthy…  “Thankful for the scars”… and the scars we bear, and can show bare to Him, can make us remember not just the experience of getting them but especially of the HEALING – HIS HEALING – even if it took a long time – even if it is still ongoing – even if it takes forever…  

No scars in Heaven will be as deep and as powerful than those of the Lamb, Jesus… No Healing on earth or in Heaven is done as powerfully and completely as from Jesus’s healing of us. God’s glorification of Jesus for our sake – and for His Ability to Hold His Children blameless and near to Himself. Rescued. Restored. Really…

The “Scars” song is said to be inspired by John 17 (posted below with Jesus’s words to Our Father and His disciples and us). Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Below are the lyrics of “Scars” – a good praise song for thankfulness… “And I’m not who I was before… No, I don’t have to fear anymore”…

No Fear – only Faith…

No sin – only scars…

Scars of Praise…

Amen

—-

“SCARS” by I AM THEY
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=i-lWfVupxU8&feature=share

lyrics:
Waking up to a new sunrise
Looking back from the other side
I can see now with open eyes

.
Darkest water and deepest pain
I wouldn’t trade it for anything
‘Cause my brokenness brought me to you
And these wounds are a story you’ll use

.
So I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful for the scars

.
Now I’m standing in confidence
With the strength of your faithfulness
And I’m not who I was before

No, I don’t have to fear anymore

.
So I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful for the scars

.
I can see, I can see
How you delivered me
In your hands, in your feet

I found my victory

.
I’m thankful for your scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And with my life, I’ll tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful

.
I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful for the scars
So forever I am thankful for the scars

…………..

John 17 NIV – Jesus Prays to Be Glorified

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Jesus Prays for All Believers
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

In my notes from a Michael Card conference on Hesed (loving kindness, forgiveness, grace, mercy), The Scripture from Luke 6:35 is highlighted – it says “But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High.”

My notes are that of reciprocity but in a paying it forward kind of way. We were given this Hesed first. We were given the opportunity to be those children of God because God loved/loves even the sinners, gives love and does good. God does WANT love from us – and when we realize how good He is, we appreciate it. So we too are to do what is good, even to the bad – to our enemies -a hard pill to swallow sometimes and yet Jesus went to the cross for this. The ultimate sacrifice of good for bad, for forever-sake.

Jesus came to teach us all this in the fulfilment of the One who will cover our sins and missteps. To train us to be like Him. “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.”

David also wrote about being upright and doing what was good. David said one can despise a vile person – but we are to honor others – especially those who fear the Lord. Doing what is good, even to the bad. Jesus still says to love them. Tough love, huh? But David reminds: the person who lives upright will never be shaken.

In today’s world, it is often a murky scene of people – yet we can see clearly if we focus on the love and the forgiveness (no matter how hard) and study the ability to forgive over the sensationalism of sin. And remember Jesus’s REAL DEAL advice: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

We ain’t perfect – let us realize we HAVE the love and grace and Hesed from God and give it to others best we can.

Amen

—–

Psalm 15 NIV – A psalm of David.

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?

Who may live on your holy mountain?

The one whose walk is blameless,

who does what is righteous,

who speaks the truth from their heart;

whose tongue utters no slander,

who does no wrong to a neighbor,

and casts no slur on others;

who despises a vile person

but honors those who fear the Lord;

who keeps an oath even when it hurts,

and does not change their mind;

who lends money to the poor without interest;

who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things

will never be shaken.

————-

Luke 6:27-42

Jesus said: “But to you who are listening I say: 

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 

If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. 

If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 

Do to others as you would have them do to you..
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Had some Great News – with is good news for me – and for us:

God proved very trustworthy – not that I doubted but He pulled thru!

So – I have a praise playlist – better than my words are my praises…

God IS Trustworthy – so Just Trust… Listen… Believe…

.

What’s the best rescue from God? The ultimate one. What’s the best NEXT rescue? A RESCUE from going it alone…

.

In anything and everything, just remember that God is going with you, better yet He has gone ahead!

.

REALLY!

.

So here’s a playlist of PRAISE I started just then rather than any other explanation… I START with PRAISE before anything else because I was already listening to praise…  YES, I’d rather have Jesus than ANYTHING this world affords today (even good or bad news)… I’d RATHER have JESUS… YUP…

The playlist is called RESCUE. 

WHEW!

(Now, if my news had gone the other way? It’s still the same playlist. It’s the same PRAISE, because He STILL is there. You Don’t Walk Alone (oh that’s a good song too!))

Thanks God! REALLY!!!

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Surround (Fight my Battles) – because This IS the Way we should fight our battles – by noticing His Surround on us.

Goodness of God – because He IS GOOD!

Is He Worthy? – He is!

Word of God Speak – yes let Him talk…

Wonderful Merciful Savior

I’d Rather Have Jesus

You Raise Me Up

Oh Lord, Your Beautiful

The Heart of Worship

Defender

Surround (Fight my Battles)

Word of God Speak

I’m finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it’s okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I’m finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness

Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness

I’m finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it’s okay

Songwriters: Pete Kipley / Bart Millard

Word of God Speak lyrics © Songs From The Indigo Room, Wordspring Music, Llc

I have a spiritual reading “to do list” and I’ve held onto some notes for 3 years now – and this packet always is BARELY kept from being completely buried. I wrote part 1 of my notes of going to Michael Card’s conference in 2019, never finished part 2.  I will restart. But first, I have a story, I do remember the plain ole cold I had been getting over, the cough drop HESED *grace mercy* when Michael Card HIMSELF gave me a cough drop when I had a huge coughing fit and was stuck, no water, totally landlocked in my seat location by so many round tables and chairs and people staring… I was so embarrassed that I intensely cried outside the church for like half an hour… INTENSE embarrassment. I’m sure Michael and those people don’t remember, I do, the crawl under a rock feeling… Most importantly, I remember the forgiveness in the situation. I remember walking back in… I came back, back from outside and back, out of the field of fear.

Hesed is God’s forgiveness. In hindsight my coughing fit was just 6 months before covid hit, (and imagine the EXTRA stares I would’ve had then?!!!) Well, SO, my long-winded start here brings me to the thought and truth that THANK GOD,  that GOD is in charge of Salvation by His actions and not ours. By His Love.  Hesed. Loving kindness forgiveness. He’s got the power to forgive (and He does)!!!

This note paper (photo attached) is from that day, and it has the EXACT scripture that was read in my church yesterday. WOW! It’s a parable told by Jesus of a king paying day-laborers a wage whether they were short or long in the field, and his generosity allowed him to pay them all the same, regardless of time in the field. It’s a parable to demonstrate God’s forgiveness, His Hesed, IT’S GOD’S GENEROSITY, IT’S GOD’S MERCY HESED GRACE LOVING KINDNESS… God brings us into Heaven based on His ability. Jesus came to call the sinners…

The Vinyard in this parable can be a place to work, but what about the flip side? (Actually many flipside lessons from this but let me talk about just one angle): What of the “fields of life” that people wander in and around every day? I am going to take a cup of Holy Spirit contemplation within this story, and state that just like me coming back in from my “field of fear” after the coughing incident, we all need to come back out FROM the field to accept that offer, back to the King, back to the One who pays our way into forgiveness… Come back to Jesus,  especially when we are feeling lost. Don’t stay out in embarrassment for sins or stupid stuff, or even perceived fear. Especially don’t stay away from fear of others. 

Remember Jesus is looking too, looking for you. He’s leaving the 99 behind (whom He knows won’t stray at that moment) to come get you, His lost sheep. Come back from being out in the field of lostness.

(And we also need to extend forgiveness to others so we are also not stuck out in the field)…

God has HESED, loving kindness, grace and mercy to give you peace.  Come get your Gift of Him, from Him, no matter how long you were gone. 30 seconds or 30 years, time is meaningless in the face of the Creator of all. 

Let’s return to one of the the actual (non-flip sidebars) of the parable of the workers in the vinyard. God is saying “you all come” – and my notes from the conference state that Matthew was writing this story down FOR those former Jews who lost their Jewish identity by following Jesus. Matthew explains this love to those new believers, explaining “you are the salt of the earth, light of the world”…  “[YOU ARE PART OF THE KINGDOM. Accept it, you do have an identity.]”  We do too.

Remember God’s the One, 

giving even His Son, 

whose telling you your battle is won. Don’t stay out in the field when the day is done.

Amen 

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There’s many more sidebar learnings, from this parable… just like tilling the soil, we are only scratching the surface of Word, and it’s wealth of understanding… put your roots in deep… here’s the link:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2020&version=NIV;KJV

always worth re-signing this song… there is a season…

Ecclesiastes 3 NIV

A Time for Everything

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

²  a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

⁹ What do workers gain from their toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 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. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. ¹³ That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. ¹⁴ 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.

¹⁶ And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
    in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

¹⁷ I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment
    both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
    a time to judge every deed.”

¹⁸ I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. ¹⁹ Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. ²⁰ All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. ²¹ Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

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?

I have often wondered why we sleep, maybe we won’t sleep in Heaven, but I bet cat naps will still be available when needed, I mean who wouldn’t need that sleep time for processing Heaven’s Almighty Amazing views. But we will rest assured in Heaven if we don’t need to rest at all… Well, I will take whatever God gives me and say THANK YOU….  MEANWHILE, here on Earth, I appreciate sleep and I bet God does too, He needs it to happen in us (and we need it too) to REPAIR our broken thoughts, to give us FRESH perspective after rest, to RESOLVE muscle aches, to get us simply QUIETER in our world for a third of the day. I think our Guardian Angels must say ‘Whew, THANK YOU! I’ve got that person in just one place to not get into trouble for a while…’ Most of all, us resting restores some order to the System. Order is VERY Godly. 

ORDER. 

These are my views of sleeps’ benefits, but God’s view IS from His seat. He Knows. I just speculate. I bet He is SO SATISFIED to know that His children (us) are resting peacefully and in one place, just like I am thankful for my two children right now sleeping in my house. 

ORDER.

Order is completing life laps around the sun. Following life’s course. Finishing the Race ‘one day at a time’. 

ORDER.

Order IS Very Godly. Very Mom-appreciative. Especially teenagers, I get a 6 hour lead time of quiet work around the house on weekends, nowadays still getting woken at 5AM, get to write, sip some tea, then spring into action all while keeping quiet (including not waking up the cat.)

ORDER. 

Revelation scriptures by John certainly show us an orderly Heaven. Order. Apostle Paul saw an orderly Heaven. Order. Acts reveals Peter seeing a portion of Heaven – whatever he saw to be there was supposed to be there – so why wouldn’t God have ordered it to be there…

ORDER.

A preacher once mentioned that in Heaven we will have perfect pitch singing, I mean why wouldn’t we?!!! Singing sounds so good to me for something in Heaven. I LOVE SINGING, ESPECIALLY HIS PRAISE! I am always singing (much to the chagrin of my kids). It’s the best calming thing…  Singing restores order to my thoughts or at least replaces some of the worries with words of praise or positive vibes or processing pain in potent lyrics. Recently I was singing (humming) a praise song at the work copy machine not thinking anyone would notice, giving myself peace processing. A co-worker later said she loved how I was singing and it reminded her of her mom (who lives back home far away), almost made her cry thinking of her mom. Singing is universal in voices and hearts made by God. GOD MADE SINGING.  

ORDER.

In John, Jesus says “in my Father’s House there are many rooms…  I go to prepare a place for you…” Surely Jesus, Who can know the clean and unclean in people’s thinkings and cover them with His Blood, and Who can also wash physical dirt off of feet, can prepare rooms in an orderly fashion for us… Surely Jesus, Alpha and Omega, seeing and knowing the desired order can have ordered it organized. Surely God re-ordering the order by sending Jesus means that we are made into a new creation in Him. Surely the leaves of the tree in Heaven planned for “the healing the nations” will provide God His desired outcome then if we can’t make peace now. ORDER comes from the Lord’s Peace, we have to wait for that too..

…

ORDER.

…

We have to wait many times for God to reveal His Plan. We have to wait for HIS TIMING… and if there is no revelation yet of something like a medical diagnosis, or a financial situation, or even the dawn to come up, then just WAIT on GOD…  He knows the order and DON’T RUSH HIM.

In other words, REST, REST in HIM, take the moment to praise first, pray second, and then continue waiting…

There is an ORDER to everything…  Why wouldn’t there be? GOD’S IN CHARGE.

Amen

(PS it was dark when I started writing, the cat is now up watching me, the sun is now up welcoming me. The cat is back to cat napping. God gifts a new day – just wait for it… God ‘ordered’ this day, take full advantage of it from His Menu. Double Amen)

One day I was visiting my neighbor, who recently moved to a new place. She was in pain after broken hip surgery, had yet to take her ibuprofen, and so I suggested ice, simple ice… She remembered that she had a bag of frozen peas. She hates peas, but she had them, not for eating but for pain. Frozen peas are the perfect ice pack that contours easily. Yes peas also refreeze. A simple solution to pain. Remember that we have something to reach for. Keep it just in case. Basic pain relief. Ahhhhh…. My neighbor was visibly relieved. Didn’t need the hard medicine stuff quite yet, just frozen peas…

HOPE. Hope is a simple complex thought that we often have. Hope IS what we remember we should tap into and do actively reach for. Hope could be a specific prayer request we have or a general feeling that God will intervene. Hope comes in all sizes, we can keep it in the freezer, refresh it, use it again. Hope is the belief God will act and the witness that He has already, so many times.

We have rough times and we have good times. Before, after, in between all we have God who does not change and is listening.  In our remembering of His existence, in our reaching out to Him and in towards Him, we need to remember not just Him but remember how POWERFUL He is. And remember God is the Temple as well as being Whom we praise in the Temple. He is the Owner of both the strong bird wing that we hide under and carries us as well as the still air giving the bird flight. 

He is the Hope as well as Whom we hope into. God is All. 

David in Psalm 16 remembers our Lord God is the portion AND the cup. God is the Joy AND the One Who fills us with JOY.

We ALWAYS need to remember He IS available.  GOD IS. Reaching for God is kinda (well much much more) like remembering the frozen peas, reach for Him, and apply… God IS in the reach as well as the relief.

The application of HOPE is prayer. The result of prayer IS HOPE. 

The existence of God is also His Power. The Power of God is He exists. 

Amen 

…

A bag of peas and a Psalm of “pleas” and “please”

Psalm 16 NIV of David.

Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

.

“GIVE LIGHT TO MY EYES”

I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.

The amazing thing (well there are many) about God is that God HAS prepared the Way for His Plan and for His people well before anyone roamed the earth or moaned in pain on the earth. He was preparing the Way for His people, even through a wicked minefield of mayhem. He saw the other side because He MADE the other side. If David could see it and put it to pen, David also must have seen the refuge,  felt it, especially since he has so many writings in the Psalms. God is credited with being both ALMIGHTY (slaying the wicked) and being a God of refuge (protection for those seeking His Face).  Psalms 10 through 14 are a walk through of both: ‘Why are the wicked so wicked?’ AND ‘You Lord are the Rescuer, Resource, Restorer.’ Yes, everything pales compared to God’s Glory.

For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

We may know trouble here and there, but unless you are in much much more corrupt company, we ALREADY have and know a protective barrier of God’s protection. (That’s why we remind folks to count their blessings!) If you are even having a chance to read this text (and I had time to write it), then we will have already been afforded by God time, precious time, time to rest, time to work, time to reap benefits from working income or rescue financing, and we will likely have moments of remembering when we have been rescued. Just us whom get to Friday and can say TGIF, Thank God it’s Friday, it is like the week fades away in the face of a weekend. Think especially then how the life wickedness and strife fades away in the Face of Almighty God. 

The upright will SEE His Face…

Give LIGHT to my eyes…

So why do we read so much historical prayer in the Psalms about the enemies of God? And the rescue of the innocent? Why do we hear of those enemies whose minds are corrupt “in all his thoughts there is no room for God”?  We are told because He has a way to destroy them. IN HIS TIME, not ours. AND, because we are to be aware there are pockets of real wickedness in the world and plain pastures of wicked ways that derail people. And because in the future, others who are oppressed need to hear that GOD WILL PREVAIL!

We are often sheltered from hearing as well as having to face the situations and the people suffering thru them. God hears them. God hears you if you are going through something terrible. God has already made a Way. Trust Him.

This is the month (January) where we recognize that human trafficking is real, is evil, is hidden from our ivory tower lifestyles. (Just do an information search on the big sports events and the increase in trafficking.) God DOES see this. God will bring all the enemies of God to His punishment and justice in due time. Our awareness of situation may make us able to help. If anything, we can pray against the wickedness and praise the protection of God’s shielding to those who escape. 

You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.…. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.

If we have seen BOTH evil and good, then we can share our witnesses of God taking care of our situation and salvation again the ultimate evil of sin and death.  Then we should share that David saw the Lord prevail, we see the Lord prevail, and our future brothers and sisters will ALSO see the Lord prevail. If David waited for salvation, we see salvation, others live in the shadows of death, we must share hope against enemies. God already won, keep hope. Let us hope to see. GIVE LIGHT TO MY EYES

TGIF?

Thank God it’s FRIDAY. 

Thank God it’s FINE.

Thank God it’s FINISHED. 

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Amen Amen

“GIVE LIGHT TO MY EYES“

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Psalm 10 NIV

Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims; like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. He says to himself, “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.”

Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”? But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.  Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.

The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.

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Psalm 11 NIV

For the director of music. Of David.

In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.

He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

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Psalm 12 NIV

For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.

Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?” 

“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.

You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.

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Psalm 13 NIV

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, Lord my God. GIVE LIGHT TO MY EYES, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.

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Psalm 14 NIV

For the director of music. Of David.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

You know, Christmas was over roughly just 2 weeks ago – crazy – seems forever ago and yet it’s not. I still have the tree up, still snacks too. It is nice to sit quiet on the couch now and appreciate the lights and the beauty – the quiet – and appreciate not having to clean up Christmas just yet.  So much work – but worth it! I am SO HAPPY to be on THIS SIDE of Christmas – THANK GOD! It was like a jump over an arbitrary dateline. When my daughter goes back to campus, that’s probably when I will start to de-Christmas, but not yet. Enjoy what did happen. 

Sounds funny to say but I am speculating that God also says ‘Thank God! Christmas is done’ – and ‘Easter is done’ – not the dates but the actions. Thankful His children (we) who hear are saved from sin and death… and I feel certain that Jesus must have felt that relief to “get the job DONE” – to get people back to God by cleansing them with His blood – however painful and however long it took – Thank God It is Finished! Scripture Fulfilled. 

Thanks God for Your Plan. 

But unlike Christmas where some get the urge to rid the decorations out of their sight quickly, to clockwork take that tree down at the appointed hour of moving on, GOD DIDN’T. GOD DOESN’T. GOD LINGERS (for now)… God knows everyone doesn’t know. LINGER. Jesus walked the earth for weeks after rising on Easter. He taught, He connected the dots for confused people whose eyes could only see once God unveiled the fog from their heads. Jesus even asked God to send the Holy Spirit (Who is also God) to come at the appointed time to help the disciples and us to be filled with His mission, His motivation, His movements. God wants us to want more Holy Spirit. 

So, I am not rushing this post Christmas cleaning until the tree is too dry to keep safely. I’m not rushing the new season in, however I do notice that I don’t notice the old newness of Christmas, that’s because we move forward (we have valentines day next a 5 year old told me! A holiday of love, how fitting)… Each day brings God’s new steps… And each day brings us asking for a fresh filling of Holy Spirit. That’s God’s Walking Working Way.

Now we are waiting again – and creation is groaning waiting – for there will be a time that Jesus comes again. Will it be a surprise? Yes. Only God knows. We just have to be ready – and what does that mean? Endurance – Working – Sharing Peace – Spreading the Word. It means it’s NOT OVER, THANK GOD!

It is Finished, but it is not over, and we WAIT. Keep working. Keep walking. Keep watching. Keep loving!

I’m so happy to be on this side of Christmas. I’m so grateful to be on this side of the Cross. I’m grateful for the Holy Spirit to reveal our life IS with God. I’m so blessed we still get to live now. I’m also so grateful to live again… 

(We also wait for the jump to over the grave, don’t rush it but hold His Hand before and after. Holy Spirit help us count our days not waste them away.)

Amen in Him

Amen

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Jesus speaking to the disciples and us before His death (John 14:25-27)

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

—–

Jesus speaking to the disciples and us before His death: (John 16:5-15)

…”but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

—

Jesus in Revelation 3:11-13

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

There’s historical artifacts looking through collections from a house lived in from the 1950s. Cool things to show your kids and teach them about the past (and be VERY grateful for modern conveniences). In my neighbor’s house (all our section was built in mid 1950’s), I discovered a nifty real Western Union Telegram. Saved and tucked away and still readable and understandable. It’s a congratulations note from friends – maybe for a wedding or baby’s birth. Nice note! “Congratulations and Best Wishes! Sorry we couldn’t be there.” The extra cool thing about the Telegram is that it’s single line text printed and glued to a paper backing. Vintage versions of “over the wires” text messages, sent to be “fast”… Maybe a novelty then but effective! And a hint at our modern message systems. Imagine every message now over the wires and even wireless. Amazing.

How is this like us? Single messages glued in our heads? Sent wireless?The Telegram paper backing is like a clean slate and God’s Word wants to be laid on our hearts. GOD Himself in Jesus as the Living Word. That’s the ORIGINAL Messaging System for sure! God’s Word spoken to us from others and especially by our own reading. Phrases and advice that we can pull up later. (Interesting enough I am placing this Telegram in a Bible now. The “WORD” is our Heavenly Telegram).

Here’s a one great “one-liner” from The Word: “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” That’s from David in Psalm 8. He wrote many songs of praise and many of prayer. One word prayers are also heavenly said, like THANKS!

How EXCELLENT God IS, He is WORTHY of our thanks, and PRAISE to Him is knowing there IS power in His Words, even just in saying His Name. 

We can send messages to each other now in modern ways, but will the other person opens the message fully or pick up on the nuances or not?… God does. GOD KNOWS ALL. God not only hears, He KNOWS the PRAISE (or the PRAYER) or even our grunts BEFORE they even go out of our mouths!!!. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. That’s David’s realization, Psalm 139.

I also tell myself again and again: “DON’T FORGET TO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD!”, especially after I know He helped me, and even in waiting I say THANK YOU! It’s good to send that message instantly – pray it – say it – praise it. Our thankfulnesses. Those praises sustain us. 

Imagine times when we are in such pain that we can’t get the words out, God already knows the ache in our hearts, God already sees. He knows tears, He knows to send friends to hug us, to listen and understand. He wants us to turn to Him. David in Psalm 9 says: “The Lord shall endure for ever….The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee…Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.”

Let’s keep singing. Let’s keep reading the Word, and incorporating it into our hearts and making it READABLE by our ACTIONS all the time.

If we Listen, we can better know. 

If we hear Him, let us follow. 

Let us truly be led, 

by what the Lord has said!

Amen

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. David in Psalm 139

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Here are the complete Psalms 8, 9, 139 by David. (Especially I love singing Psalm 139)

Psalm 8 KJV

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

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Psalm 9 KJV

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right. Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.

O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.

But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.

The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.

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Psalm 139 NIV

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down;  you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 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.

If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them;  I count them my enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

Hmmmmm….

I was thinking about the BACK STORY for 2 recent posts, about the PEACE that I got from me STOPPING OVERTHINKING about a situation and just TRUSTING GOD, to where my doubts changed to my witness of His deliverance. I’m always amazed when He delivers results BIG TIME. Yet He makes everything beautiful in its time. 

God knows the know-how that we see as WOW. 

Let me mention what we surely learn to know: God IS the Power behind ALL our good circumstances, our good strength, all our good hope. He IS the backing we need to do anything. No wonder King David sang songs/Psalms to God again and again. “The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.” David knew to wait on God, to wait for something good. We need to wait.

WAITING. 

Waiting situations… I picked up a pizza, I had to wait a little extra, the owner (such a nice guy) said he did not like how the first pizza came out and was remaking it for me! WOW, weird but wow… Good thinking and his generosity and GOOD that a back up second pizza was already cooking so I wasn’t delayed more than 5 minutes.

Backups… it’s good to wait.

I wished there was back up support at the mini Starbucks too (in the grocery store), as they only had one worker. And a physical makeshift sign (an old receipt taped onto the screen) posted to say “be right back”. Well, hmmmm… I waited over 10 minutes, first world problem of course, but I didn’t have any other way to get the particular sandwich (for my daughter). Even though all of the kiosk was WIDE OPEN for me to walk into, I had no capability to find or make that sandwich anyway. I wouldn’t cross the arbitrary barrier of behind the kiosk. (And I wouldn’t steal anyway).  So, I was stuck with no backup! Waiting… I needed them or their backup to make it happen. There’s stage actors have understudys who prep and wait and amazing the young woman working in the regular store saw me wait and stepped in using her previous Starbucks skills and made my sandwich and cashed me out. What’s the chance of that, a backup who intervened for my timelines and for the overworked kiosk worker too.

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Backups… The Backing – The Back Story… Jesus, fully God on earth, had God send the Holy Spirit as an Advocate, a Holy backup on earth to help disciples and us after He arose.  He told the disciples to WAIT for the Power, the Holy Back up. God is the Back Story (God is the Whole Story). 

God IS needed to get stuff done! *Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. *Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.*Psalm 127:1

What about money? Money usually is based upon GOLD backing, giving paper or tin copper zinc coins backup value. Well I found these old bills at my neighbor’s house, from the early 1940s, but they are practically worthless even though looking like collectibles. The “funny money” is real, but it lost its value as soon as it was issued by Japan to pay for items in the Philippines in 1941-1945. Such funny money had no GOLD backing so that they called it “Mickey Mouse money” and used it like paper. Worthless because it had no backing! It’s a souvenir sure, but according to ebay and money exchanges it’s worth less than a fraction of the price of that Starbucks sandwich. And the coins? The souvenir 5 Francs from 1945? With no metal available in WW2, 95 million of these coins were made from aluminum. So light and chipping at the edges that I thought someone ate the chocolate out of it (LOL!), but it WAS real money, just felt so fake, was not made of material worth its weight. 

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Jesus reminds us about treasures: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The coins and bills are examples of things which could be valuable but are not always. Isn’t that common to “things” in life… Treasures are not always treasures and almost always less of a monetary treasure than the MEMORY treasure. My treasure is the memory of my friendship with my neighbor (who had those coins and bills) and not the money they are worth (or not worth). Blessings that are GOD-backed not gold-backed.

The treasures of life are in Heaven and bringing Heaven on earth, but it IS sometimes work to work out Heaven on Earth. But when you do the Lord’s work, there’s power and JOY and energy behind it all. God is the Back Story for our histories and our mysteries too. My amazement in God power to get things done is related to the recent posts I made: I doubted but He delivered. I doubted the ability and the smooth sailing and the timing – but God coordinated. God got it done over my doubts. Put it in God’s Hands and Vroooooom, He IS in the driver’s seat. Each the moment I doubted and I said ‘it’s up to You Lord’, that’s when I heard the Vroooooom of Him…. 

God IS the backstory to our motivation and energy.  I dream flat tires, but He convinces me of His Power. We (I) should be in awe of God. Putting my knees to the floor. (Good thing the floor is the solid rock of the Lord too.) So that’s the backstory, understory, little story from BIG God.

Amen, I BELIEVE in You Lord!

Amen

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Here are the 2 recent blogs of my doubt and my witness:

Don’t Dream Flat Tires 

Don’t Dream Flat Tires

Knees to the Floor 

Knees to the Floor

This time of the year and always, let us try to complain less.  

Job (see the book of Job) was in BAD STRAIGHTS, he didn’t know he was being sifted by the devil and watched by God.  (We on the other hand SHOULD know this). Job’s friends consoled but that only seemed to extend the conversation, even made it worse. (Wow, they went on and on….) … I do wonder why the many many many chapters were given for these conversations (we would too) and its not just that “Job had to get it out of his system”, it’s just Job did not use his wisdom to apply to the system… and Job had LOTS of words seemingly more than almost everyone, except of course,  THE WORD.  Jesus (the Word) would know this feeling of suffering physically and feeling also… also seemingly separated from God to take our sins away, but never was He nor us nor Job separated from God Almighty. Never separated and always on the same page.

I know it is curious why we suffer, and yet we don’t know the half of it. So many suffer so much that our suffering should pale in comparison and yet we speak in distress, we are but human, it’s natural.  Perhaps so much more that we are to reach to the Supreme Hope. We are instructed that we are to fear God, acknowledging both His Power and His compassion. 

Reading through the book of Job, I saw a passage that I could discern an answer – Job said the following: “He [God] is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.”

Oh!!!!! I can read between these lines, into the Wisdom of God. He DID create a mediation path, a forgiveness, an advocate. We ARE in life now able to keep safe under God’s Wing because Jesus covers our sins with His blood.  Let us apply wisdom and allow Jesus to be our Savior. 

We MUST fear God, He really IS all that powerful, yet we must LOVE God, He really IS that compassionate. Love God. Understand that we are human and we are NOT God to understand it all…

God has the power and He uses it! So importantly God has the power to save. He gave us wisdom, unlike some creatures. And God’s wisdom protects His children. 

After the trials, the Lord spoke to Job (remember all these Words are Jesus the Living Word that remind us God IS God): The Lord said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!”  Then Job answered the Lord: “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his? – Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and bring them low, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.”

Who IS this RIGHT HAND? (Of God, not Job)

JESUS, that’s Who.

Let us start now with belief… and wisdom to know.. 

In the end we will all see all, like Job. And we will understand!!! Until then, let us just BELIEVE!!!

We MUST have the WISDOM to WAIT upon GOD. 

Amen!

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Here us how the earthly story ends:

Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Epilogue

After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.  All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

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One more passage about wisdom:

“The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, though they cannot compare with the wings and feathers of the stork.She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand,unmindful that a foot may crush them, that some wild animal may trample them. She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain, for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense.”

God has wisdom He wants to share.

His children, we, in whom He does care.

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Amazing God. Just AMAZING!

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God, You Did SO WELL, You suceeded AGAIN.

AND You nearly finished my problem before I even knew HOW to even begin.

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You say to those who know much, they will be given insight even more.

Well we humans dream flat tires but You, Holy Spirit, fill big tires and You put Your Pedal to the floor.

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Vroooooom……

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I know a Lion of a Lord.

I can hear Him ROAR!

I know a Lamb of a Lord. 

I need to bow down to Him, knees to the floor. 

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‘Put it in God’s Hands’ we always say.

Well, YES, and let us watch Him really Work, He will have His Way.

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For this task and many more, You Lord certainly got it done. 

You Lord, WON.

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We live a life parable, and so often YOU let us know that YOU are in charge.

Love Lord God’s control, He knows best how live life LARGE.

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And how You do it all? I don’t know, that I must confess.

You also cover the little details, You BLESS. 

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And so today let me say,

I watched God work here today.

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I also knew God put me to work with JOY and ENERGY.

I felt our “can-do” God open my eyes to feel His SYNERGY. 

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Of course I stand convicted by my doubts, my previous words were vinegary.

I now feel convicted for judging when my words should have been more lovingly.

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And yet even for our sinning.

You redeem us in Your forgiving.

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So today Lord, let me explore,

Let me see Your victories, let me see MORE.

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If You need me, knock on my door.

I am down here, knees to the floor. 

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Knees to the Floor. 

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AMEN 

Epiphany is the most relevant history,

  More than any other Jan 6th infamy. 

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See, a King was visited by kings pre-known, 

 seeing a Seed of Everlasting Peace Who was sewn.

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Jesus did it by stepping off the throne.

 And from Him our Salvation was grown. 

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Welcome Wisemen and Wisewomen to this very day!

A baby alive in your hearts will surely start you on the Way! 

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This is the Epiphany shown to all, I do pray.

Let us Praise God’s Given then Arisen Son, Forever and Today!

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Amen

…

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“One king held the frankincense – 

one king held the myrrh – 

one king held the purest gold – 

ONE KING HELD THE HOPE OF THE WORLD…” song lyrics from One King…

…the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace…

Joni Mitchell sings “You dream flat tires” and honestly many of us do. I quite often realize that I OVERTHINK! I don’t even give God a chance before I’ve already declared a situation to be a disaster or a problem insurmountable. In other words, dreaming flat tires when things are actually rolling along OK.

“Don’t worry worry before worry worries you!” – “Don’t make a molehill back into a mountain “… Yeah well, good luck with that.

Trust me, don’t dream flat tires because it is like you are already saying to Almighty God that you don’t think He can prevent a disaster nor fix a situation. You’ve reduced God, at least I have, to the backseat if you even let Him in the car. Trust me and trust your own experiences that God IS in control. Let Him Drive. 

Don’t dream flat tires (hey and I’ve had plenty of flat tires and the situation was always fixable! Plus there has ALWAYS been a spare. And aren’t we HAPPY when we actually see the nail as opposed to not know what made our tire flat?!)

My latest over-stress-ings have been over something that HASN’T EVEN HAPPENED YET (and actually NOT even an earthshattering situation, so I won’t waste the time explaining) and yet my stress has been real and yet my worry surely has been and will be matched and overcome by God telling me to TRUST His Guidance.  No, He’s not pulling off a miracle (yet) both because the situation hasn’t even happened and because God IS saying: ‘Haven’t I told you to let tomorrow worry about itself? Focus on today!’ Yup. Plus God HAS given me tools and people skills and people helpers and perspective.  Our perspective can be: what can I do, rather than later say: how have I failed to prepare. We do have options in life, God just wants us to talk them out with Him. Start talking and better yet, start listening!

And so I opened today’s devotion book and sure enough God’s repeated this advice to me (to us): “Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish.” Yes, that scripture is based upon Isaiah 40 and other passages. That Way of life is knowing: GOD is in control!

So, I will stop dreaming THIS flat tire of fear and actually put right thoughts first, both because I know God is in control, AND Jesus helps me walk (roll along) AND yes, God provided A SPARE TIRE in my trunk because the life helper IS the Holy Spirit – IS Whom Jesus had God send to us to move us along in His Work.  A spare in the air… Holy Spirit gifts us air in our tires and breath in our lungs.

Today’s problem is not a problem (yet) if you let God give you the answer, which is: “Trust Him!” God is the Answer (and was the answer before anyone even had a question).

AMEN!

PS – today Jan 6th is Ephiphany – so those Kings traveling for so very long must have TRUSTED GOD to get them to where they were going – to get them to see the King – to survive along the way and not feel their travel was in vain… did they have flat tires? who knows – but even camels carry extra water with them!

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The whole devotion for Jan 6th by Sarah Young’s book “Jesus Calling”:

“I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me. Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark. The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention. Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life.”

based upon: Ephesians 3:20-21; Romans 8:6; Isaiah 40:30-31 (NKJV); Revelation 5:13

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… the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

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Isaiah 40:28-31

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. (David in Psalm 3)

We all have enemies, maybe not always physical ones but mental enemies too, like fears, like dividing forces, like Satan himself.  We all have various ways to deal or not deal, to ignore, to pray away too… There are certainties in life, death, taxes and yes the enemy of sinful ways which we simply cannot avoid because we are human. The last commandment against jealousy will be our downfall in the law. That’s why we needed and need Jesus.  Forgiveness… We need God’s Shield. 

(And what makes people war against us, even if only in their hearts?… Jealousy… yeah… that age old division of evil, we need to shun that in ourselves too.)

Enemies… Psalm 3 is written by King David trying to escape from a big enemy, his own son Absalom. Wow, going back to the books of Kings, Chronicles we learn that keeping enemies at bay (with God giving the victory) fills hundreds of years of history which the Chronicler (likely Ezra) wrote down to give courage to the current population fighting enemies. So that they would look to God. Written down for us too.

From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

God’s Word is written down so we pick IT up and pick UP on it. You will have enemies, but even better: YOU WILL HAVE GOD TO FIGHT YOUR BATTLES. AND God to comfort.  

Psalms 3, 4, 5 of David (God’s annointed son and leader) help us know that even God’s most beloved were fighting enemies. David was, Jesus certainly was. And God Himself was fighting the enemy of sin in the people’s lives, and God won.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

… let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

God gives us the ability to chose right vs wrong. God looks for us to look to Him and shake off malice, malaise and mistakes. God will be our shield, but we must choose Him as our God. Jesus will be our Savior but we must recognize that we need saving. We must recognize enemies are around us, but God is around it all. And let God work in His Time frame, not yours.  

Be at peace with a God who saves!

…for the Lord sustained me…

…I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety….

Amen!

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The 1st 3 verses of Psalm 5 are a song I would sing in my old band:

“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

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FYI the Psalms are divided into 5 books – here’s some info: “Except for Psalms 10 and 33, the remaining psalms of Book 1 are psalms of David. Most of them are prayers of distress. Others are statements of confidence in the God who alone can save…”  https://www.esv.org/resources /esv-global-study-bible/chart-19-03/

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PSALMS 3, 4, 5 by David, in KJV

Psalm 3

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

Psalm 4

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.

Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 5

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

There is great comfort, consolation and direction by staying the course and living by God’s Word, mediating on it, reading it like the best advice you will ever get… Never separated from God, He knows the Way. Both not doing wrong but striving to do right. Listening to stay on course is watching (actually feeling) His Peace light the way.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who MEDITATES on HIS LAW day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

MEDITATION, not on mindlessness or mind emptying, but ON GOD’S WORD over worldliness. Not living with intent of sinning or mocking but MEDITATION on God’s Law, on Jesus’s fulfillment, and on His Holy Spirit Scripture Song in your heart. Moving forward WITH GOD is every day’s best game play.

We can stay on course in life by listening to God’s Way. Stay out of the rough, just like the willing golfer to pick up the clubs and walk through the game. The woods are not where you want your ball to land, and yet the wood club is the tool for getting your ball up into play and farthest down the course. More golf references: The Wood of the cross, by Jesus’s death gets us all farthest to Heaven. Irons are strong clubs to get the middle of the game going. The irons of scripture are sharp to help each other – helping us stay on course. And the puttering around on the green help us all finish the game. Life is no game, but know that God already won it for us.

It’s no wonder that the Psalms were written as songs… How comforting they must have been to face the world with the song of scripture. We too may sing our way into comfort with a hymn or pick me up song. King David wrote at least half, 75 of the 150 Psalms. And after reading his adventures, triumphs and failures, it’s a blessing to learn that keeping one’s heart towards God is the best course of life. God loved David for it. God kept David’s family line alive to deliver Jesus into it. God’s Son Jesus is the King to Whom all earthly kings will bow down to. God even told Samuel, the prophet who announced David as God’s anointed, that earthly kings will make slaves of the people  and be fallable. God wanted the people to follow Him, keeping the Law. God knew to send His Son Jesus. His earthly son David was inspired to write: Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Psalm 2

Yes, let’s take refuge today.

God knows the Way.

Iron sharpens, God’s Word cuts thru the course of the day and makes our steps work. God’s Will, Way, Word, don’t leave home without it!

Amen 

—–

Psalm 2 of David 

Why do the nations conspire land the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

A friend brought me a new juicy-looking orange for 2023 on New Year’s Day all while reminding me to hunt for that old one lost in my purse that I wrote about yesterday (https://debbieupper.blog/2023/01/02/happy-new-year-one-day-and-one-step-at-a-time/ ). I did find it, still tempted to eat it because it’s not TOO old. But now that I have a new orange, should it be “out with the old” everything? Well not too sure about that, and certainly not before I took a photo… Carrying over old into a new year is not necessarily bad… I can at least try the juicy old fruit that took so long to develop, if not I’ll compost it back to the soil. 

Another example of good stuff from “old” last year is a “new to me” almost vintage mug gifted from my neighbor who is moving soon. She let me make a cup of tea in it from her keurig when I visited weekend mornings these last few weeks. How BLESSED to embrace some time together in person, steeped in love,  and now take our memories of visits with us in our hearts. Old friends are super best to carry into the new year, even if they themselves move forward into their own new experiences. God wants us ALL to be fruitful in life. 

BLESSED is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1

The best “old” thing (which is hard to call a “thing”) to bring in and ring in the new year with IS the best old thing there ever was and is: LOVE. Love is timeless. Love conquers all. Love fufills one ultimate request commandment of God, to love Him back.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

If we listen to Psalm 1, knowing Jesus fulfilled the Law (a sacrifice of all time) and He fulfilled the prophecy of the Prophets, and if we do know how GOD IS LOVE, then we really do know that “Blessed is the one who delights”… Delights in LOVE, shares LOVE, appreciates God’s LOVE, and performs acts in LOVE. 

Love wins. And fruits of the Spirit become ripe for harvest. 

Let us make a NEW resolution EVERY DAY this year to find how TIMELESS LOVE applies to EVERYTHING. Every resolution of peace, get that from God. Every step we wait upon God to take, let it be stepped and steeped with LOVE. Pray Holy Spirit, please fill us all up. Let us love comfortably like a beloved old cup, fill us up and serve fresh love each day. Let us love uncomfortably too and fulfill and delight in the law of the Lord. 

Happy 2023 to you and me!

Delight in God and LOVE will set you free.

Amen 

—-

PS, what a delight to step into the new year with reading and writing about a “new to me” book chapter of the Bible, I finished Job in 2022 now in Psalms for 2023… what a delight of meditation on God’s Word. It’s also the lyrics of one of my favorite songs to sing from my old band, which I have framed. “I will delight in the Law of the Lord. I will mediate day and night. And like a tree firmly planted I’ll be, grounded in the Word.” – “Blessed is the one who follows the Way of the Lord. Blessed is the one.”

PPS – the old orange tastes just as sweet!

Happy New Year!

So many possibilities!

So much new – new to you but known to God, so why not let Him direct our paths. 

I woke up with gratefulness, a dream slipping away in my forgetful wakeness (was something about clear vintage glassware pink and clear, awesome vintage shapes), and a devotion to write: a message of the New Year is not yet walked so don’t race through it. Take each new step with the Lord’s Direction. 

Yes, the new steps are so new to you that a new year is either scary or exciting. But honestly it’s not a different message of how to live because we ALWAYS should be looking for the Lord’s guidance. That’s our best resolution, to actually listen. 

There are old memories and missions that we must finish up and even nagging feelings too of things we forgot in 2022 – like I woke up to remember that 31DEC devotion I fell asleep writing AND woke up to remember that I think I have an orange at the bottom of my purse from a week ago, yikes. I’ll have to look, but surely the Holy Spirit of watching out is helping me and intends me to clean up my act in so many ways… that’s the new year resolution, not the cleaning but the LISTENING. 

And so, before I look for that orange, let me finish these thought – we must be willing to work for God – we really are in this together. One big thing we can do in 2023 (gee it rhymed better in 2022, “can do 2022” becomes “let’s see 2023”)… But seriously, one thing for me in 2023 (and maybe big thing to do for you too) is TEACH – teach the children because you also were taught – teach the children who grew up not getting taught because you have the wisdom and knowledge to share. TEACH, REACH, PREACH, embrace your walk… SHARE… and don’t dare to go anywhere on your own, go with God!

Old advice, new resolution to FOLLOW God.

One day and one step at a time. 

Go with God…

Amen 

Dust-in (ring-in) the New Year!

The scripture: “for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” MUST have extra meaning referring to my VERY dusty house (I’ve been deep cleaning dust I haven’t seen in years)… We have the sin of Adam therefore we always have to work for our food and till the soil (see Genesis 3 for the fall from grace), AND forever since then, we have lots of cleaning to do because since Adam, LOTS of dust has been created and recreated… Farming, cleaning and dusting is sweat of the brow work given to Adam that surely we WON’T have to do in Heaven, RIGHT?… And who knows but God where all this dust came from… So if I needed, if you need, yet another reminder that we AIN’T in Heaven, start dusting… DUST…

Seriously, since we are made by God’s Hand as our Potter, He would surely gently and firmly purposefully make us STRONG yet delicately weak unless filled with Him – His Spirit. In Jesus, our Grace from God is corrective action. Yet sometimes we are in the need of rework here and now, especially when we don’t listen. The slip of the clay is like dust plus water, therefore directed living dust (us) plus Jesus (directed Living Water) is the makings not of just MUD but MAN. Surely God is rendering us alive. And fresh filling of the Spirit restarts us every day.

In Heaven, we rise again in Spirit and in Jesus’s Power and Victory. His Spirit-indwelling within us gives LIFE. Our life will be risen from the dust here on earth. 

“The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”

God knows how to organize His dust. Adam was dust, I have dusting (seemingly of dust gifted unto me), and IN Jesus we all have VICTORY. 

Heaven is Dust-free Dust-freeing victory… Death (and dust) has been swallowed up in victory.”

Amen [Thank God]

—-

1 Corinthians 15:35-58 NIV

The Resurrection Body

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised?  With what kind of body will they come?” How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”  –   “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.