My mom always says “The weather tells us what we are going to do.” – meaning we change our plans, change our mood, do or not do things because of the weather… Yes and no… Yes and no for outdoors things but what about Spiritual things? Sometimes even while standing in it, we can get past the gloom and see the Light.
A great segue to speaking about Jesus. Jesus wants us to walk into the Light.
LIGHT. Whether it is dark and gloomy and pouring rain, like it is now, we can look for and come to the Light – and keep keepin’ on. Sometimes we simply need to wait for our eyes to adjust stepping into twilight and look for the Light so that we can step more confidently.
Jesus spoke to and answered questions for the BIG scholar Jewish Pharisee Rabbi Nicodemus, who was questioning and who came to Jesus at night, covered by security of darkness from any spying eyes. Yet Nicodemus clearly was walking towards the Light, the Light of God being revealed to his understanding and Nicodemus wanted truth. Nicodemus asked: “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus spoke extensively (see below for the full passage in John 3), and Jesus said: “He who believes in Him is not condemned” and of those who do evil or good: “he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Nicodemus probably did all the sacrificial things as prescribed by law. Jesus came and fulfilled the law (Moses’-given-by God) by His sacrificial offering as the Lamb of God. The Holy Spirit birth in us brings us born again in God – out of the darkness of a womb of the world and into the Kingdom of God.
Not only does Jesus want us to do good over evil, He wants us to come out into the Light so it’s clearly seen by us where God is working in our lives, like a newborn baby being washed up from birth.
Washed.
From my vantage point, I can see the rain letting up, the day is dawning, and I can see things more clearly. Now the reminder of what my mom says still holds true: “The weather tells us what we are going to do.” – yes, because if it’s dark in our lives then we need to keep watching and walking towards the Light, if it’s cold then cover up in a blanket of God’s love, if it’s scary then ask Jesus to stand strong for you, and if it’s ‘just right’ then PRAISE THE LORD and APPRECIATE THE LIGHT.
Amen
Please read this crucial passage about our passage into the Light.
John 3:1-21 New King James Version
The New Birth
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
A man just came back from over a year in space. He must have trusted his life to others EVERY DAY. This REALLY encourages me, that I can trust this ONE LIFE MOMENT to GOD.
New people are embarking on adventures on the Survivor TV show, living without running water, food, or privacy. And on the Amazing Race TV show too, running around the world, sleeping in airports, tightrope walking. They are trusting their lives and loved ones for a whole month to just play. This encourages me, that I can trust just ONE day of play to GOD.
People drove cars today, always a risk every split second, never even thinking about worrying. I can hand over ONE worrying moment to God.
Most stuff worth worrying about for others, we never even hear about. We can wait out one more unknown moment, giving it to GOD.
No one has left me up in space, snuffed out my torch, knocked me from stepping on the mat, nor taken my car keys away. I made it through today. AND, God gave me His Victories today too – maybe He made it look like “I got this” – but He got it – a bigger got than I could get.
If God can get EVERYTHING, then I can give Him one more thing. Especially because God gave me the opportunity to rely on Him.
Thanks God, I got this because You got this. Your Wisdom is my Way Forward.
Amen
Proverbs 3:5-26
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
Can’t beat waking up with a bible chapter on your brain… After so many weird dreams, it was so nice to just simply wake up and have “Isaiah 51” float to the top – as a message for me to write about, I am sure.
It’s a good way to break a bad dream cycle by waking up – God does that for me often. It’s ALSO fitting to hear while awake from reading the scriptures, especially Isaiah, about this prophecy to make a break in that cycle of the old ways. Isaiah has a great prophecy of a Messiah, ahhh… A New Way…
Do you remember the Mimeograph machines? Those early copy machines before photocopying? From a template you used to have to turn the drum. I can see my elementary school secretary with those blue pages. And I used to be able to help sometimes, turn the drum for her. It was fun, round and round, I see it and I feel it. My mom donated used, one side printed, good quality paper from her office and the school made them our quizzes or worksheets. Round and round we learned and learned.
If the vicious cycle of Israelites wandering in circles in the desert was round and round, then they would continue like spinning a Mimeograph to spiral again and again in circles of bad ways. Into the pit they would dig. They would then see God raise up judges and kings of justice and things went well for a while but then to ‘do evil in the eyes of the Lord’ again – then Israelites get captured, punished, exiled, lost. Even Samuel warned them: don’t ask for an earthly king, you don’t know what you are getting – instead worship God… Well, they got an earthly king string – some good some bad – no one divine.
God broke each cycle with a hopeful ruler, like a fresh new copy page to be started on the Mimeograph, but those repeated offenses towards God of not listening, not sacrificing required elements, and worshiping false gods – was vicious cycling. Israelites were stuck in the drum of the Mimeograph.
Then…. Isaiah tells us of a Messiah… Isaiah 51 is a turn of that drum, Israelites gone bad. Isaiah 52 speaks of Him, Isaiah 53 reinforces (see all the highlights below)… a Messiah Over Mimeograph… break not just the cycle but obsolete the machine… a Messiah IS Lord, and this Lord is Light, and OH, HOW WE CAN BE PHOTOCOPIES – hopefully transparencies – of our Messiah.
Make no mistake, Jesus was never flawed but His face got marred, see Isaiah 52:14 and WOW Isaiah 53 which foretells this amazing Savior we call Jesus and the truthful suffering He endured. Prophecy. Jesus broke that Mimeograph, by taking on the ‘sin of many’ and making ‘intercession for the transgressors’. Isaiah’s prophecy is a drumroll to sound out the warnings and the Way. Messiah Over Mimeograph. Jesus rolled away the repeat drum turning of God’s Wrath onto man to take it Himself – jumped into the machine – rolled the drum away when He rolled away the stone. Jesus Messiah Moved Mountains, a Savior who Saves.
Amen
Jesus Messiah Over Mimeograph
Amen
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
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please read:
Isaiah 51
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.
My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?
The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.
But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name.
And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.
These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?
Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:
But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
Isaiah 52
Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.
For thus saith the Lord God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.
Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
Isaiah 53
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
There’s times when I am reminded that the quick fix is not what you want. When not just ‘nature has to take its course’, but God needs to serve up HIS Plan, and take His Own time. It is like that adage: do you want it cheap or do you want it good? Well… GOOD… We HAVE to trust the process. We have to keep our eyes fixed on God. We have to go out for the work and win as well. We don’t just wait for God to act as much as God always waits for you to have faith IN HIM.
Praise Him first, then give God His Time, then WATCH Him work.
I was recently reminded of this favorite Old Testament story of Jehoshaphat. He was lined up by God as a leader to fight/defend/lead his/His people, but it SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. Yet, God first sent them a message to keep going on – go ahead and prepare – then God won the Battle FOR them ahead of time – by orchestrating the scene… Yes, the Battle was the Lord’s and He told them that too.
Not only did God win the battle, He was able to use one enemy against the other, knocking each other out. And Jehoshaphat got blessed with peace on all sides.
Sometimes we question immediately when we can’t figure something out. But do we Praise? Do we trust God, having gotten us not just out of a jam but preparing the way ahead of time? Do we pick up and get ready for the battle either way? God wants us to keep moving – and remember He already has gone ahead.
Well, here is the great story – please remember this as I am reminded – You’ve Got to Give God TIme to fight your battles – give Him time to line up Your plans – give Him all the praise too – before AND after…
Amen
…
Jehoshaphat in the Lord’s Hands… 2nd Chronicles 20:1-30
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.
Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
“But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
It’s still raining – and I am still reading in Isaiah…
There’s nothing like coming home, especially when it’s rainy chilly-ish and you just finished extensive driving around for errands then come home to a warm blanket out of the dryer, and a cat who puts themselves directly on your feet, and a warm snack, and 4th quarter football on TV which shows back to back clutch last 2 minutes of multiple games THEN another game in overtime (wow efficient TV)… Home is comfort to the max – not much better feeling than this – EXCEPT oh yeah, when God’s going to call us home forever, won’t that be the day, yeah can’t really beat that… Not just home old but HOME NEW!
Sunday into Monday the modern-day Jewish community members will usher in Yom Kippur, it is a holy time of atonement, with fasting, prayers, and asking for forgiveness, and a time to look forward with intentions for the year ahead. Moses was given instructions for the people on how to live – what to celebrate – and why they were to atone. They remember these feast days recorded in Leviticus.
Isaiah, in chapter 27, speaks both of contemporary times when God is going to take down Israel’s enemies and talks of a later time in the Israelites life of recovery. Yes, a nation which wandered, regained traction, wandered, went wrong – later to be scooped up by God for recovery… Well – a BIG recovery will be the New Jerusalem for our Messiah King to be worshiped forever as Savior to us and to rule over us with love and mercy. This New Jerusalem is the ULTIMATE deliverance of Israel.
So yes – let us atone and be thankful that God delivers us ultimately and today – let us remember that with God, Home IS where we should be. (still raining? no worries, God is still reigning.)
Amen
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Isaiah 27
In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword – his fierce, great and powerful sword – Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea. In that day – “Sing about a fruitful vineyard: I, the Lord, watch over it; I water it continually. I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it. I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle; I would set them all on fire. Or else let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with me, yes, let them make peace with me.”
In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.
Has the Lord struck her as he struck down those who struck her? Has she been killed as those were killed who killed her? By warfare and exile you contend with her – with his fierce blast he drives her out, as on a day the east wind blows. By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: When he makes all the altar stones to be like limestone crushed to pieces, no Asherah poles or incense altars will be left standing. The fortified city stands desolate, an abandoned settlement, forsaken like the wilderness; there the calves graze, there they lie down; they strip its branches bare. When its twigs are dry, they are broken off and women come and make fires with them. For this is a people without understanding; so their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.
In that day the Lord will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
“Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”…. Take Refuge from the Coming Judgment…
Sure it is raining here all day – A LOT – but take REFUGE FROM THE STORMS – dive into the REIGNING SAVING of the Lord – the reining-in of sin by repentance – THE REMEMBRANCE OF DELIVERANCE. There is HOPE in between the rain drops, rein-in drops and Reign Drops of the Lord’s corrections. REALLY.
Look throughout scripture and there are sunshine and salvation spots and stops. Really, I am talking about a Messiah mentioned among the mess of the Israelites’ pitfalls – embrace these readings in Isaiah 25 and 26 as if they were a GIANT UMBRELLA of protection – more than that, Isaiah is affirming the Shelter of the Lord. Yes, there is HOPE in repentance and salvation. Savor those steps UP in your life – and get yourself into those Rein Drops – where God corrals you into listening. God’s Rein in – Reign over – Rain down of Love.
Isaiah 24 – wow – remember the prophecies of the total earth destruction? Getting through that reign of terror? A Messiah!!!
Isaiah 25 – wow – a saving rainbow in our sky for Hope wow in a PRAISE!!
O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. Yes there is hope for the Israelites – Isaiah reminds them to repent – and hope for us – to be remembering to be rescued by the Lord.
Isaiah 26 – double wow – double rainbow plus a song of a Savior sliding into our scene for salvation. We have to remember that the people of the time were so oppressed and short term saving was immediate on their minds – long term salvation was and is hard to wrap our minds around but IS what is promised by God – both short and long term… Destruction of enemies also means a downfall of peoples that don’t listen. Lord, You will establish peace for us.
So, like this flooding rain – remember that there is no joy in the loss of life – no pride in “we made it because God crushed them” – there is only humble thankfulness that God’s provided this path this shelter this hope – immediate and long term. Yes, we like the Israelites can rejoice in this coming predicted saving – in this protection. Like this flooding rain that will seep into every spot – let us also hope that the seeds of knowledge shared will seep into every soul. The immense power of the Lord is enough to destroy – so how much more He wants to save. God wants repentance AND praise.
As for us in this storm, Lord, You are amazing and worth ALL our PRAISE. Let us love living in between YOUR Reign Drops.
AMEN!
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O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. For You have made a city a ruin, A fortified city a ruin, A palace of foreigners to be a city no more; It will never be rebuilt. Therefore the strong people will glorify You; The city of the terrible nations will fear You. For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat; For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
. You will reduce the noise of aliens, As heat in a dry place; As heat in the shadow of a cloud, The song of the terrible ones will be diminished. And in this mountain The Lord of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees. And He will destroy on this mountain The surface of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken. . And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” For on this mountain the hand of the Lord will rest, And Moab shall be trampled down under Him, As straw is trampled down for the refuse heap. And He will spread out His hands in their midst As a swimmer reaches out to swim, And He will bring down their pride Together with the trickery of their hands. The fortress of the high fort of your walls He will bring down, lay low, And bring to the ground, down to the dust.
A Song of Salvation In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength. For He brings down those who dwell on high, The lofty city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He brings it down to the dust. The foot shall tread it down— The feet of the poor And the steps of the needy.” .
The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just. Yes, in the way of Your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for You; The desire of our soul is for Your name And for the remembrance of You. With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord. Lord, when Your hand is lifted up, they will not see. But they will see and be ashamed For their envy of people; Yes, the fire of Your enemies shall devour them. . Lord, You will establish peace for us, For You have also done all our works in us. O Lord our God, masters besides You Have had dominion over us; But by You only we make mention of Your name. They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And made all their memory to perish. You have increased the nation, O Lord, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land. . Lord, in trouble they have visited You, They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them. As a woman with child Is in pain and cries out in her pangs, When she draws near the time of her delivery, So have we been in Your sight, O Lord. We have been with child, we have been in pain; We have, as it were, brought forth wind; We have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, Nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen. . Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.
Take Refuge from the Coming Judgment: Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. For behold, the Lord comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain.
It’s No Day at the Beach – rain rain rain…. but my methodical reading continues, Isaiah 14 to 24 is a big chunk of God’s warnings and realness. Rain on their parade, Reign over them, Rein them in…Isaiah’s Warnings of God’s Wrath! Whew! God’s Word THUNDEROUSLY HEARD – these are ROUGH chapters for hearing of the destruction and the Ruling Power of God – YIKES! (but it gets better – trust God – see Isaiah 25 after all this destruction – but we have to get thru it – we have a Savior to help)…
Old Testament strongholds crumbled, oh so YES, we are both to fear the Lord’s power AND love the Lord’s Ultimate Almighty Authority to win, to rule, to make everything anew. We get to read backwards to read ahead, I’M SO GLAD JESUS CAME A CALLING, I’M GOING TO STICK WITH HIM!!!
In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel. He will not look to the altars, The work of his hands; He will not respect what his fingers have made, Nor the wooden images nor the incense altars.
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Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings; In the day you will make your plant to grow, and in the morning you will make your seed to flourish; But the harvest will be a heap of ruins in the day of grief and desperate sorrow. Isaiah 17:7-8, 10-11
Ah, a God of SALVATION – ‘Wait for it’… We read the beginning, middle and end of this book of Isaiah, from destruction to deliverance – we see a glimpse of the Glory of God. “and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them.” Isaiah 19:20
AMEN
ISAIAH 24 – the whole earth will be laid waste – jump on the Jesus train before that, PLEASE! AMEN AMEN
The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants— it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word.
The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all the merrymakers groan. The joyful timbrels are stilled, the noise of the revelers has stopped, the joyful harp is silent. No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers. The ruined city lies desolate; the entrance to every house is barred. In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth. The city is left in ruins, its gate is battered to pieces. So will it be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.
They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord’s majesty. Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.”
But I said, “I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!” Terror and pit and snare await you, people of the earth. Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare.
The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake. The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls—never to rise again.
In that day the Lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below. They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days. The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed; for the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders—with great glory.
I could write a book – my life experiences – my observations of people – my advice – my tips on navigating and not exploding in frustrations…
I have noticed in people – that ‘knowledge displayed’ but locked up is ONLY a book on a shelf – might look nice but not so useful – whereas ‘knowledge shared’ is being an open book – and ‘knowledge taught’ is really what expands and shares the knowledge base.
I am talking about people who might have learned things but don’t teach them, people who want to be honored (sticker decorations or new sleeve covers looking all shiny) and want to be seen but then keep their covers closed and never share the knowledge with the people who could benefit the most. They are stingy in page length too. Old and yellowing pages never to be shared. Not real anymore but eventually dated.
And now I will talk about the OPPOSITE – I will talk about JESUS – LIVING WORD – He is both the Book and the Knowledge – the Opening and the Teaching – the Pages and the Sharing – the Helper and the Holder of attention – the MESSAGE AND THE MESSIAH. He will tell you about being saved while He is saving you. You will learn after His save in addition to before it – He will come to you before you have a chance to come to Him. He will warn while He waits. Jesus saves because He knows the Ways the Whys and the Whats. Jesus knows us so we don’t have any excuse of why He wouldn’t want you – He wants you – He wants us. And He is able to do all things HIMSELF.
The more we learn about Jesus the more we learn how He wants us to be like Him. Do All Things Thru Him. Be a partaker in His kindness, openness, giftedness, pleasantries, reality, correctiveness, core-value stability and LOVE. Be both His student and the teacher to others – Lead but Be Led. Know Jesus and then Share Jesus in action – in values – in hope – in joy – in pain – in suffering – in LOVE. Be the book He is – but then open it – teach it – peruse it – pursue it – learn it – share it – be it – BE.
Be the Book that Jesus wants us to be – open – teaching – on display but readable – willing to give some page space to others – WILLING TO HAVE JESUS WRITE SOME FRESH PAGES IN OUR LIFE.
Be the Book that the Lord wants you to be – be not just a facsimile dialed in – don’t be a PDF of not being able to be edited – don’t be onion skin ready to fall apart – don’t be carbon paper never used black sticky and making marks without actually being used – and also don’t use up all the ink. Be more than just a reflection and copy but be a FRESH EXPRESSION – a fresh writing of old truths in action. Be the expression of LOVE leaping off the pages to be Jesus for others – to be you – to be us. Walk thru life as pages to be shared. Be real – Be the Book for REAL – Be the Amen to the Sentences too.
Don’t be Jesus ‘by the book’ but be the Jesus from the book and put the Live into the Living Word. Lessons Lived – Lessons Loved – Lessons Learned.
I am SO GLAD that I finished the binge feeling for watching ‘Hoarders’ on Netflix, whew, it sucked me in at night on the couch, but wow it inspired me to clean and discard things in the morning!!! (and what a good cleaning day it has been – damp and dreary outside but inside inspiring to clean out my non-‘treasures’ especially dust.)
I found a precious inspiration in one special pile: the scripture card to: ‘Cling to what is Good’ and the beautiful ‘Footprints in the Sand’ poem on a prayer bulletin from the funeral services of a friend’s dear husband, taken too soon.
I paused, I’ve just been to the beach, walking my own footprints into that sand for a temporary time… Footprints in the sand do make a mark, but they disappear with the tide like they should. In other words, even the treasures of Jesus carrying us are best treasured as memories and not memorabilia. Footprints disappear, Jesus’s human ones too, on earth, but Jesus feet stay in spirit to move us along.
And do cling to what is good, all the while discarding non-treasures, oh that we would or should be willing to be less burdensome when carried by Jesus. That attachment to worldly stuff? Natural because we are human and natural because we are in this world. And that guilt of glut? Let that go too. Jesus doesn’t require you to clean up before He picks you up. He knows what to leave behind.
I kept the card and the poem, the heart prints of my memories are of Jesus carrying me and my friends. The rest of the clutter found, like disintegrated 20yr old shoes stuffed in the back of the closet, I cleaned those things out – those old footprints of me should disappear with the tide of today’s new beginnings.
And what does keep us distracted in this world? The spiritual warfare of ‘you deserve this’, ‘you need your stuff’ over the more humble: ‘Isn’t it a blessing that God gave me trinkets and resources’ and ‘l can let go of these items for another to enjoy – or not get so much next time.’… Trust God to get clean and cleaning.
Yes, Isaiah 14 tells of one of the multiple times Satan has and will fall against the ultimate almighty God. God puts him down. We should remember that the whispers of selfish intent will fall just as the devil falls. Devil DOWN. Don’t ever say “the devil made me do it.” – instead Cling to what is Good – hop up into the Lord’s arms – leave only Jesus’s footprints in the sand… He came to carry us.
Amen
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Isaiah 14:11-15 about the devil
All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; Iwill raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
Romans 12:9-18
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; CLING TO WHAT IS GOOD. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Cockroach on wheels placed in my shoe… crazy grown up kids… I eventually displayed it on my yellow crocs… funny…
The cockroach on wheels was one of two specific items that remind me of friend L. H. – both crossed my eyes on the same day while cleaning my house. She gifted to me this cockroach on wheels into my shoe, during one woman’s retreat in our shared bathroom, now on my memorabilia windowsill and also the now framed beautiful cloth from Africa where she was a missionary. Back in the states, she continued with beautiful sharing at our women’s retreats and everywhere – I love her Spirit – gently and strong… She was a non-‘bible thumper’ in my concern of missionaries being that… she was gentle and she shared as much about her family as I did about mine – God does give us all perspective… God gives us friends…
I thought I would share this memory… Yes, 8 plus years ago, I couldn’t wait to share my new awakening with her, but she threw her back out so we couldn’t meet for lunch – that was Jan 30th for Feb 1st lunch, my awakening day, so much God stuff happened that day… and since she threw her back out, guess what? I had to write out that I accepted Jesus. God made me write all about my awakening to her. I subsequently put it in a blog – months after…
My writing is much more compact these days, this is from 2015, I just thank the Lord for making me write:
Please click on the link to understand how friendship allows the openness of sharing the Lord. I’m blessed to share.
The beauty of being in three or more scriptures all at the same time is that you can see how God can draw jumping lines between them all.
The beauty of the beach includes the waves coming over and over again. Isaiah 12, sings of God’s triumph, I think that we are to sing this over and over, because God wins over and over. The sunshine and sand were beautiful and there was plenty of distance between me and the rough sea. God puts His Love between us and the roughness of day to day life – we have comfort as we are drawn closer to Him.
I was so happy to dig into my Beach book, ‘Name Above All Names’, alongside Isaiah 12, it’s a great reminder of life, ever since Genesis, God and evil spar, this is in so many biblical examples and still today. So most of these thoughts are not novel, not mine, but connections are fresh to me when God put them together. For I connected Genesus talk to a devotion about Jesus on the cross and at the wedding saying “Woman” and not ‘Mother’ or ‘Mom’ to Mary, I wondered Jesus’ tone of voice. I thought how interesting it was that Jesus could look at any situation and the whole world with Divine insight in human eyesight.
What Mom is Mary? Not just an ordinary woman, and yet simply ordinary, just not raising an ordinary child. So what view does Jesus have of her? Both human view, as in love to Mom, and Divine view to fulfill prophecy in being the offspring of the woman giving seed into the world, the offspring of Israel’s tribe, from root of Jesse, and of Jesus being the ‘seed of the woman’ born to crush the snake of evil. Down with the devil.
Jesus may see and say all things to both fulfill scripture and do all things to be scripture. Jesus says to the woman, His human mom at the wedding, ‘don’t anticipate miracles’, my time has not yet come – AND to the earthly woman in Divine lineage from Eve as her seed, ‘my time is yet to come’. Woman. If He was angry, it faded, Jesus brought the best wine.
Jesus says to the woman at the cross, ‘behold your son’, meaning John will take care of her – AND ‘woman behold your son’ as the Divine collection of all of us to be held by the world until Jesus returns again. Jesus brings the best Time. He puts distance between us and our sins. He puts eternity into our hearts.
Remember, the wine at the wedding was the finest, best for last. Jesus brings us Salvation, and Forever, best for last. As the mother of the Son is cared for, imagine all the children of all time, Jesus cares for us all. God may show anger, as He did with the Israelites, but remember Salvation by Jesus is the comfort for our forevers…
Let us sing over and over to help others know our song is for the Son and for His Salvation.
Amen
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Isaiah 12
In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
It’s taken me like an hour, digging and digging. Digging in joy, peace, tastiness and with LOTS of shell cracking. No, I’m not just talking about reading Old Isaiah at the beach, I’m talking about delicious crabs, seasoned with Old Bay, and garlic. An hour at least of nook and crannies to explore in just a couple crabs. Well worth it. I’m also talking about having the time for digging deeper into the Word, the Knowledge plus the Understanding of the Lord, AND digging to harvest meat, pure white delicious meat, crab and otherwise. Well worth it!
Digging never felt or tasted so good.
The Knowledge of the Lord is found in His Word and in our hearts. Knowledge that He has a purpose and plan. And who can stand against His Plan? Who can stand against God? No one.
The Understanding of the Lord is found in His Word and in our souls. Understanding that He is Love and He Loves. Who can negate His Love? Who can negate God? No one.
Isaiah spoke and wrote about Israel being brought out of exile even if they still were not always doing what God wanted. Isaiah said: For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
No one.
Digging into God’s LOVE gives knowledge and understanding. The illumination opens eyes and hearts. The warmth like the sunshine bringing new life into old tomes, life into old bones. I’m loving this book of Isaiah.
Digging into the crabs? Where did I get them? Not here at the beach, haha. It IS my favorite new day trip beach, only 1hr 10 minute drive. But no crabs nor boardwalk here! Just beach. So instead of PBJ I brought these goodies from home, a deliciously short drive down to the crab company. Already seasoned already cooked – just $4.50 each – I already had the knowledge and understanding because I had the previous experience (delicious experience) of them. I knew where to look.
Digging into God’s Word? I knew where to look. Digging the Word finds it a home in our hearts, comforting and protective, inspiring and corrective. We already have the knowledge and understanding because we have the previous experience (Blessed experience) of Him. Now we are digging to find comfort and protection. Now we are experiencing what God wants – us looking for Him.
Keep digging my friends…
Amen
His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders. This is the plan [purpose] determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? Isaiah 14:25-27
It only took a couple episodes of “Hoarders” on TV to make me start cleaning and then pitching things I don’t need – increasing donations of good things I don’t need. I didn’t mean to get sucked into the stories, I finished the netflix series I was watching and they do that “suggested for you” autoplay thing. I mean if I was watching the bakeoff show I started craving sweets – and they show a hoarders show and I start going ‘ut oh”, the opposite. Wow, how to both learn from these folks and their sad mental illness (these are extreme extreme folks being shown, most of us are OK) and how to study what went wrong. They say 90% of hoarders continue in their hoarding even after getting help.
In the episodes so far, as I try NOT to watch any more, they have much grief and strife that is unresolved. Yes there is TV drama editing, but the show does also show a progress of each person agreeing to get rid of more and more – especially since these cases show LOTS of family support and usually a government order to fix up their house or get their land taken away – racking up fees every day… It surprises me that the people are not moved out by their family but like all of us, we simply live day to day with our circumstances, no fairy Godmothers exist – not even on TV. This show seems opposite of ‘Extreme Homemakeover’ where those folks could never afford the new increased taxes or upkeep on their new mansions – that was a hit and run of fortune but way too much… ANYWAY… Why doesn’t anyone have a “downsizing’ show… They need a “peace-giving show” – not necessarily a “see others are doing it so I am OK show.”
Like I said these hoarder folks are extreme and we are told that they are funded with aftercare counseling and continued organizational services – they mostly (in the half-dozen episodes I watched) suffered from not letting go of the grief of a loved one and the items they said they couldn’t get rid of because it meant losing that person too. One episode the person shopped and shopped and the excess got moldy and not useful anyway. One woman thought “someone could use that’ but then her closet had hidden mouse droppings that freaked her out… In other words – you can’t take it with you AND the people here on earth shouldn’t try to save it either.
I have a decently big enough house for me and 2 kids – and that cat who knows every square inch and still wants to go outside – me too, I want to go outside and have the house as a place to come home to. Yes there are creature comforts and spaces, decorations and memories, safety and stability – those are all GOOD THINGS – but after watching the show I was reminded to just clean a little bit more so that I can enjoy even more by less “distractions” of “I need this”. GIve away those “I want to give this to X, Y, Z”. I cleaned out some trash, pared down my rag pile by using and tossing them, tossed 3 extra soap pumps for my shampoos (just in case the current one broke which it never has), and always try to do the sugar dump at work – giving them the half eaten bags of crap that I don’t need – especially from that overflow that came back after college semesters. SHED SHED SHED. I pulled together the overflowing paperwork into bags that will be going to be shred – I missed all the spring shred ones and maybe now it is time to purchase the home shredder – but these free services twice a year are so convenient. SHRED SHRED SHRED.
OH – came to my side dresser and that pile of “I will do it later” – OH – Jesus, my Jesus doll, was buried up to His Head. (It is a short doll, don’t worry – easy to clean). Jesus is the One who says “do it now” – “don’t worry about later” – “don’t store up your treasures on earth” – “God’s got this”… OK Jesus – I can unbury you by unburying myself in what I can get rid of – YES – I can unburden myself too – I can get rid of lots of worry, grief, false hopes, and simple stuff too. Yes, Jesus, You can help me clean and come clean. You can ALSO make me praise that I do have stuff to share and then just share it and don’t look back – let it go – go to You and go to others. GIve back by giving up the praise to give away… Pare down by pruning down… Start in one corner of my life and keep going.
It is wisdom that we live by – wisdom to let things go and wisdom to be resourceful… As for me today? I only watch TV at night just half an hour, and I did my cleaning and so now I am going to get myself to the BEACH for more bible reading and peace… That is wisdom of giving myself some place to sit in peace…
Ah that is what Jesus wants to give us EVERYDAY!
Amen
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Two Kinds of Wisdom – James 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
…for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea… the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people…
It’s going to be interesting, End Times, it’s going to be REALLY REAL. And it WILL get worse before it gets better. I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world – but none of us will miss it – the one thing certain about the future is that it is coming.
The future. No, I’m NOT packing a travel bag now, but we should be unpacking our burdens and handing them over to Jesus. There is a higher Way outta here, and Jesus already did all the legwork.
But first, the time will come (soon many do say), when God brings a moment when the animals that normally spar with each other now will be at peace. Isaiah speaks of this time in order to give hope, comfort that this will be a time for the remnants of Israel and the Gentiles to be saved up, as followers of a rod stemming from the house of Jesse [that’s Jesus]. This time Isaiah is describing, scholars say, is the millennium also described in the book of Revelation. 1000 years of peace as satan, snake, asp, venomous dragon of a devil, is locked up before being completely defeated. Yes, there’s many special times in our future. It’s going to be more real than real.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice [venomous snake’s] den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign [banner to rally around] of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. Isaiah 11:6-10
Ah……. The devil gets his due. Jesus strikes down and put His Hand over the snake’s ability to interfere. And as Genesis states, then Revelation states, Jesus IS the ALPHA and Omega, beginning and end, and really does crush the snake at the end as was told at the beginning. God told Adam and Eve (and that snake) of the consequences, but also of the Way. God recovers what was lost, His people to Him. The full knowledge of His presence will come again.
Isaiah first tells the people of the time, plus us, that God’s going to have His justice on the lost, and His mercy on the found. In the time of recovery, His people will have full knowledge of Him.
Know that the knowledge of the Lord brings us the Road map of the Way. Jesus WILL save our day.
Amen
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. Isaiah 11:11-16
Oh… it’s better than Back to the Future or Fantasy Island, the Prophet Isaiah speaks of Jesus 2nd return and Gathering His Flock from all the corners of the world. Isaiah spoke before Jesus had been born on Earth and yet God told of the completeness of that portion of His Coming by His Second Coming.
PART 1 – HE CAME – PART 2 – HE COMES AGAIN – WE ARE NOT IN “INTERMISSION” – BUT IN “INTERCESSION” BY HIS SPIRIT. He will come again. He is also here now by His Spirit in us.
INTERCESSION !!!
Isaiah 11 gives us hope, as Jesus won’t have judgment on us by His eyes or ears but by His Spirit which will judge us by His Righteousness. I always think of Jesus ‘righting us’ – standing us upright and then demonstrating our holiness by His covering over us. Not sweeping our sins under a rug, but banishing the sight of them. All to see is HIM.
We have the greatest news in Him because He came the first time and finished the prophecy of His sacrifice. Here on out it’s all about His recovery of each of us, now, while on earth, and then collection forever as His Own.
There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,The Spirit of counsel and might,The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:1-2
Jesus as that rod from the stem of Jesse, and Jesus as the Vine in our branch, then I know He will reach me, reach us, way out there, and pull us close.
His delight is in the fear of the Lord, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath ofHis lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist. Isaiah:3-5
(Continuing writings from my beach day reading notes)
Woohoo!!!! Made it to a Christmas Miracle in a small package pre-delivered. I don’t mean wrapped gifts but unwrapped prophecy, Isaiah 7 8 9 !!! Isaiah told the nations of his time and tells us now what we should now know: Jesus is going to be born to save us, a King for judgement and peace. A Savior born savoring butter and honey, a BABY OH BABY, Jesus is a coming!!!
Wonderful Counselor – Mighty God -Prince of Peace – Immanuel – God WITH us !!!
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. Isaiah 7:14-15
Ah, BUTTER and HONEY !?! I never read that part until I actually got here, what joy in reading the whole Bible, savoring the study. What amazing TRUST that Jesus, Son, there from the beginning as the Word, the Light made flesh, must have held in Father God and all the Heavens to protect Him, being born helpless as a baby into a poor family but deep in spirit and estra taught by angel guidance. Butter and Honey – nourishing Him to know good joy. Yes, if Jesus could give up all He did to serve us all, then surely we could give up some things (including our fear and pride) to serve a few and many. And we CAN give up to the Lord our worries and our fear. And we can give over to the Lord our trust. Because if Jesus could, so can we. That’s a gift, Christmas-time and forever – strength to live like Jesus.
Ah, Isaiah as a prophet had God’s STRONG WARNING to the people in the current divided kingdom of Judah-Jerusalem-Just Anywhere Israel Was Going Wrong. He told them they best fear the Lord and NOT listen to faking spiritualists or mediums. Isaiah as a prophet had God’s Word to announce where their hope was going to come from, a Savior born earthly onto King David’s throne as prophesied to David himself.
“do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy...”
God through Isaiah warned against those coming who didn’t speak from the Word, and surely Jesus spoke SO MUCH from the scriptures to clearly visibly be Messiah, yet many then failed to see because they remained in darkness. Many now continue in darkness, illuminated and blinded by fake artificial distracting blitzes of worldly bling. WE NEED TO Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. WE ARE TO SHED LIGHT ON THE WORD AND ON JESUS AS SAVIOR.
If God told Isaiah to tell us, and Jesus told us to tell others, then let’s bring out the baby Jesus, Baby Oh Baby, and celebrate HIS WAY.
Amen and please read the passages:
Isaiah 8:11-15, 19-22
This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people: “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear,he is the one you are to dread. He will be a holy place; for both Israel and Judah he will be a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured.” Bind up this testimony of warning and seal up God’s instruction among my disciples. I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my trust in him. Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.
The Darkness Turns to Light
When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.
Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-8
Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan –
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
…
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
I fall asleep early, then I am appreciative to wake up early for God and me to have this quiet time together. EARLY. Maybe I am not quiet enough, ever, He is still working on me being still. It’s like God is doing a diagnostic test of my system each morning after resetting me with repairative sleep. I wouldn’t trade these cool dark mornings with God for anything. That Light is already here in my heart to focus on, morning Light comes later. The window is open, has been all late summer, I love these summer bugs being free to make the loudest natural noises, and traffic is not yet buzzing its unnatural noise. The birds too start chirping, sometimes you get a early primordial screech of a fox or a cat. You can also hear your own brain too loud. Trivial stuff or serious stuff, God says ‘Shhhh… Listen to Me’.
Diagnostic tests and teachings, we are His children. He is ready to CHECK OUR ENGINE LIGHTS FOR PRAISE!
Yes, so many moments we are reminded to praise over pout. His Light installed and Illuminated in each of us, He wants us to Shine through to others. To say how can I complain when God is in control. To settle and strip the crud of humanness and earthly darkness away and get down to our core to FIND the LIGHT was always there, then polish what’s blocking His Spirit bulb, declutter our brains. God has woken us for another day of His Shining Purposes.
I have MUCH to be thankful for. I was sitting yesterday with my red car (for my son to drive, not my newer blue one) in the shop getting an inspection done. Had my laptop, worked on work. Had my ear buds in to drown out the dreary TV drama. I did put on music earbuds for focus on work, but then I also remembered that there were live feeds of the 9-11 coverage for the family members were reading the names of the lost at the waterfalls memorials at Ground Zero, NYC. This prime memory of 9-11 makes me count my own blessings – I checked my anger, sorrow, distractions and instead counted my own blessings of my loved ones alive or having had a natural death. I stopped and checked that my engine of PRAISE was still running.
My praise should always be: ‘Yes, Lord, I have this problem but You gave me an opportunity to depend upon You!”
(Kids, Life, Work, Health, you can insert any issue where we get an opportunity to lean on God for guidance)
That many months check engine light on the red Subaru, oh yeah… this 181,200 mile car is NOT vintage as a 2014, still in prime Subaru time, it HAS been a great car, my third Forester. It’s still not paid off, almost, 2 more months. I consider it a good investment into my son’s education now, I’ve invested 19 years into him, keep investing as the return on your investment is still worth it. God has invested all of eternity into each of us, His children, right? Do you throw anything away if it’s just starting to give you trouble? Nope. Do you do cost benefits analysis of money and repairs? Of course. Did God do that with us? You bet but He decided FIRST that we were worth it! To repair our original sin from a fall into darkness and recover us back to Himself to His Eternal Life, God our Father gave it His All, our All in All, in Jesus’s sacrifice. Now let’s check our LIGHT of PRAISE now! He did that for us before we were even born. He planned to rescue us before the earth was formed.
Yeah…
OK, back to the red car, the teaching tool of an under the hood problem to have, I mean a good problem to have, right? Haha. We DO have the time for discussion (inspection due in 3 months). We DO have potential resources including loans for other cars. And we DO have a repairable decent car, yes an 80,000 mile replacement engine in the 181,000 red car makes it half new in my book. The code is catalytic converter, 0420, I read it and clear it myself, nice little box tool, 35 dollars for clearing after checking. I know that catalytic converter probably damaged from misfires in the old engine, as my trusted engine replacement specialist states. A regular issue, expensive fix of precious metals in the unit to recapture gas fumes. Otherwise a decently good car, really good in my opinion, drives GREAT, and good enough to drive as a 50+ yr old let alone an 18+ yr old’s first car… I reset the light myself a few times and took the car for my highway trip to ‘run it through the paces’ with using those additive cleaners. Hmmmm, light stayed off commonly miles – but this time now 30, then 40, 50, ah 80, ah 100 miles!!!! Click click click made that appointment for inspection, give it a go 2 months early. So worth the gamble, well not a gamble if the Lord is casting lots on what you’ve put all your prep already into. (Remember these are just earthly tools and God’s reminding us to not be so attached to them. Still, would be nice, Lord, to keep this car a bit more!)
Teaching me to be patient, God had always forced set aside some time to make me think, time this particular day as well for it being 9-11, a reminder that the world is so imperfect. I found this day was a good time to drown out my whining of my little problems compared to these 9-11 peoples BIG problems. It was 2 hours I waited at the car dealer, plenty of time we make God wait trying to block out worldly noises with just earbuds, when we should just listen to Him, Lord God, and sing His Praises over our worries.
Maybe that’s why God invented summer bugs, to block out other noises and remind us it’s still summer. Maybe that’s why God instilled eternity into our hearts, so we would ponder BIGGER things forever. Maybe that’s why thorns in the side remind us: HIS GRACE is SUFFICIENT.
The car? PASSED INSPECTION!!!!!!!! No problem but one blown bulb, one, $20 not $2000 fix, whew, that check engine light not on, Thank God, and a window of opportunity to praise. That check engine light? CAME RIGHT BACK ON, HAHA, less than 5 miles later, YEAH! 120 miles off, inspection passed, 5 miles more, ding ding ding, God’s sense of humor. No, God is NO magician for fun, God wants our praise either way. This IS an earthly good problem to have. It could have gone either way but I should ONLY be in PRAISE.
But such funny timing huh? Good story I thought as I was admiring the 2024 stickers for 14 future months of not necessarily smooth sailing but at least passing inspection legally! I laughed in PRAISE, stopped for the photo. You did that Lord, yet another jam you got me out of, You gave me back what I WAS praying for: less debt, delayed car decisions, all while giving me teachable moment for my sin of impatience until I praised You first. A teaching tool of not throwing in the towel on a good car, nor good money over bad (not yet) into repair, a sturdy car still sturdy for my precious child over sporty silliness for anyone. (Yes, time for tires and new brakes, but oh yeah my son is worth that). A blessed thorny teaching tool of money talk, savings that may be earned towards a newer car a year from now. You could dlsay it’s just a car, but a second Subaru leash on life I will take for today. Just DRIVE, and let God LIGHT His engine of PRAISE in you.
May we all keep PASSING HIS Diagnostic TESTS, singing His PRAISE each morning. May we appreciate mercy each day, shining His Light in this darkness, be known by our thankfulness in good times and bad.
May Your Light Shine in Our Darkness, Lord.
Amen
David singing Psalm 30
I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.
I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
Ah, today is a day we remember. Anyone 22yrs and older, we were alive then. Anyone who has survived they remember. Those who did not survive, we remember. It’s 9-11, God Bless those souls. 9-11-2001 NY, PA, DC.
A 60 minutes special on TV last night freshly made tears and prayers for me, I highly recommend watching it (online at the link below). The story of the Fire Department of NY and 9-11 and how they are rebuilding, especially speaking with the children of those who perished, who are now part of the FDNY. They talked to one captain survivor asking: “do you question ‘why did I survive’ and not the others who were side by side with each other? The captain said he did, turned to his wife early on to ask, and she said: “It’s because you still have a job to do.”… Yes, they have been rebuilding the FDNY as a necessity and as a tribute and as therapy too. What do you do after 9-11? Remember by working for the recovery. And as a firefighter, love your job.
9-11 is forever in my memory. The recovery and rebuilding is remarkable in that city locale, it’s beautiful there. How also do we rebuild our hope, joy, and be a living example of God’s Love and sacrifice? Remember.
Remember why you were put on this earth in the first place, like those firefighters who sacrifice(d) so much. Remembering is something we should do. Remember and asking: Why am I here? Appreciating we ARE here. Here For LOVE, to be loved by God, to love God, to love each other. That’s big picture. LOVE. Then what’s today’s job? Remember. Remember then share love in hope, forgiveness, solemn tribute, sorrow, always understanding, then also share joy. Share joy because God’s forever goodness as well as justice is never negated by worldly wars, worry, and worst circumstances. Light overcomes the darkness. Be the Light today. Put the worries of today in His Hands. Put the work of today in His hands too. Our lives are short – but we can make the best of them. we can.
Remember: There’s still work to be done.
Amen
Amen and God Bless those firefighters and first responders and everyone who remembers.
Ecclesiastes 9 KJV:1, 10-13 then 7-9 by Solomon, wisdom after a long life of ups and downs, observing life and trying to focus on hope: We are to live joyfully and share hope.
For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
…
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
…
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
Verses 7-9 NKJV
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works. Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
Live joyfully with whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
—–
David wrote, Psalm 102:
A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord. Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.
For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food. In my distress I groan aloud and am reduced to skin and bones. I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse. For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity. The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. For the Lord will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea. Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord: “The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.” So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord. In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days. So I said: “Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations. In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”
I was blessed to share a sermon today about Solomon’s Wisdom – and Jesus’s Light. [I was dressed as the Queen of Sheba – fancy dress, cape, and crown – and spoke as if being Queen of Sheba]
Theme: Wisdom to Spare and Share: Wisdom over Riches, but Solomon got both. The Queen of Sheba also left with more than she came with (including wisdom and now faith). We also are receiving more than we ask, receiving all eternity into our hearts because of Jesus.
Scripture reading: The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon, 2nd Chronicles 9:1-9, 12
When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at[a] the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.
Oh – Fancy meeting all of you here at Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem! Isn’t it fun to travel????
YES, I have travelled a LONG way – WOW – oh it was so very long – Do you know how HARD it is to have people carry you all the way from Africa ?? WHEW, but I’m an easy traveler especially because there are plenty of my lovely people to come with me – yes yes – but it wasn’t always easy – some of our camels “check engine lights” came on along the way – whew – but now that I am here I can see it was SO very worth it to come.
I have brought you all these gifts of spices! I am SO happy to share – I really brought them to my now friend, your great King Solomon!! Oh you Israelites are SO fortunate to have him as your King – I had to come see for myself what the whole buzz was about…
YES – I am the Queen of Sheba – I have a vast kingdom myself which you may be more familiar with by the newer names of Yemen and Ethiopia in the North part of Africa – yes I travelled so long – some say it was 3 years maybe 7 years for me to arrive to see Solomon – but all I know is that it was SO WORTH IT – to come learn and see for myself all about your Solomon – wow – I brought him 120 Talents of God – say you young man – you are about 75lbs right? Yes a talent of gold is about 75lbs – and I brought King Solomon 120 of them – yes brought 120 of you!!! AND we also brought the finest spices and precious stones too.
Ah – why did I come? What’s all the buzz? Let me tell you all about the great WISDOM I heard with my own ears – oh yes I had LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS – HARD QUESTIONS – and he answered them all with ease from gaining this wisdom. And what wealth I saw in his house and in the temple for God – and the great treatment of the people – by your King Solomon – yes that I saw with my own eyes – such majestic kingly power and firm control by your King Solomon here!!! You folks must really love your God of you Israelites – and He must REALLY LOVE YOU!!! An ark too? You are saying that your ancestors carried a whole box of material that Your God said to keep to remember what He provided since Moses’s time – wow – but now you have this magnificent temple to store it in – awesome. Hope that ark doesn’t get lost – I imagine that Raiders would like to steal an Ark like that… KEEP THAT LID CLOSED!
And oh my, I heard that Solomon’s dad, King David, collected all the supplies ahead of time to build this awe-inspiring temple – Now isn’t that a story in in itself of David killing Goliath – being just a shepherd boy picked to be King – and sure we heard all the gossip of the crazy ways of David – and yet he always turned back to God – he was a man after God’s heart – and WOW – I heard that eventually someone from the House of David is going to bear you a Savior – an even greater king – a Light in the Darkness – but wow – how can you exceed a man like King Solomon – must have to be a Lord Almighty Who will be coming – and Oh what wonderful music you folks have been singing from these Psalms of David – keep on singing them – it gives people hope!
So this is what I heard about your Solomon – that he didn’t even ask for any of these amazing gold finds and these riches – NO – that he asked your God – the God of the Israelites for WISDOM and Discernment when he was very young – just a boy king – not for riches but wisdom in order to lead you as his people – oh yes, he said to God:
“You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. Now, Lord my God, you have made me, your servant, a king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
Oh yes – the Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this wisdom over riches. So God said to him in a dream: “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
———–
WOW! I love his poems and sayings about wisdom: -The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.
–Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
–The Lord brought me [wisdom] forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old;
–I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
-Blessed are those who keep my ways… For those who find me find life…
Yes, I also heard this amazing story about Solomon’s Wisdom in action – it was showed how the people needed Solomon and God’s wisdom – they sought it out –
*** Here is the story: Now two women came to King Solomon and stood before him. One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.
“During the night this woman’s son died. So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.” The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.” But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king… The king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
The woman whose son was alive (the real mother) was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give the living baby to her! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.” When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.
Oh how amazing – once I heard this story, I certainly told Solomon that I respected what this God of his did for him – and I am also amazed in this God – He is truly a God of mercy and power to instill such wisdom into this king and help all these people – I hope they keep listening – you know how kingdoms fall apart so easily these days!!!
I said to the king, “Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”
Then I gave to the King: the gold the spices the gemstones… Your King Solomon gave to me, the Queen of Sheba, all that I desired and asked for, and then some…; he gave me more than I had brought to him as I left and returned to my own country. ——
[now speaking as Debbie, not the Queen] Let me take my crown off now and remember how blessed we ALL are when we ALSO take advantage of seeking out and listening to God’s Wisdom – even if we can’t imagine or understand it all… I have a wonderful conversation this week about how FINITE we are and how INFINITE God is – and yet how much He loves us to complete us – we will be in AWE of Him.
Wisdom and Discernment, knowledge and decisions, there is no greater prayer that I could have about myself and life then to ask the Lord to help me with discernment. We have many choices, we need His help and Direction. We have the ability to tap into His Wisdom.
Wisdom was given to Solomon to Spareand to Share – unfortunately Solomon did not always honor or reach back to God to stay close – but he was known for his wisdom and that temple. Sadly the Kingdom itself was split into two after Solomons time and the Israelites were exiled again – temple plundered – carried off to Babylon – after that time, the people always looked again for an earthly King – but one did not arrive – there was, however, a HEAVENLY KING, who was to rise from that “remnant of the House of David” – to be the LIGHT – to come out of Judah of all places – a king born in Bethlehem.
This was, and is, Jesus and He Himself is our amazing teacher and the reacher to us – Our Light – I was reminded in the story of the 2 mothers that one carried the Light even in her sacrifice of saying she would rather give up the child than see him killed – this same mother was the one who reached for wisdom and the other one was in darkness – how sad that she remained in darkness as she even said that neither of them should have the child… This is a sad and we should not judge the pain she was in – but acknowledge that darkness can cloud our own thinking. We need the Light always – in good times and in bad – we need Jesus both for forgiveness and for the understanding that following Him is best – SHINE HIS LIGHT.
The Queen of Sheba had all material things but what is that she went to find? The Wisdom – the Light – the amazement of God. Remember the Queen of Sheba gained more than she came with – this is us too – listen to Jesus and we gain ALL of eternity in our hearts…
Jesus taught us (Luke 12:25-31): Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you…
Let us Pray: Certainly, we are BLESSED, we LIKE the QUEEN OF SHEBA, gain much more from God than we brought to this earth – we started as dust and You Lord added Your Living Water to help our dust be re-born – how exciting that we will be worship YOU LORD – the Real Temple – in Heaven forever.
AMEN
In the Children’s Message, I shared about the Queen of Sheba having so much but wanting to come hear about the amazing wisdom that Solomon had – also in the children’s message I mentioned that Solomon was young and he had to be a ruler – a king – so he called on God to help and God will ALWAYS help us.
I told the children about Wisdom – a big word Discernment – and that we pray and we ask God to help us decide on things – we ask for his help. We talk to God and listen.
[We also smelled some of the spices she may have brought – and I gave out a gold crown to each child.]
I read part of one of Solomon’s poems: Proverbs 3 13-17
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies;nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
I love that I can reread these marked up lines in my physical Bible (see photo taken at the beach last week). I need to learn the Word to be accurate in it but also understand how what when and why Jesus came. Inspired from Isaiah verse 6, I marked it up – especially cool to hear about God calling Isaiah, I said ‘come back to write about’ this. Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”
At a work training lately we have been remembering that the ‘Eisenhower Matrix’ helps us schedule tasks, Do Delegate Decide Delete, based on important or not, urgent or not. I appreciate this reminder to not spin my wheels, not multitask myself into getting practically nothing done, and ‘share the wealth of work’. I need to use it more, we all waste time not doing the things we should be doing. We have so many jobs so various and yet up to us, often, for how to get it done. Honestly I rely on the Lord not enough, it is SO important for someone in my position to literally come in and see where the Lord needs me to use my energies, what to do that day, it changes. There is much to do, but let us let the Lord shine the Light on the day.
Our callings and also simple rest will change in different days. Wherever we are in our faith, we have a calling to LISTEN, to sometimes or often act, to sometimes wait, to sometimes walk away. I’m always intrigued when God says DON’T do something. Worthy to work, yes. OK to sit, yes. Never wanting us to worry. ALWAYS willed to Worship, ALWAYS.
“HERE I AM LORD, SEND ME.” Is what Isaiah said, for he became a prophet for helping God motivate people into correction and HOPE. He had to warn them but mention the blessed hope of Jesus Savior coming.
Isaiah was amazed that God was picking him let alone speaking to him, essentially Isaiah said back to God: ‘I can’t do that! I’m not clean!’ But God showed him that He wanted him to help anyway, and found a way, and gave him a cleansing (us too). For Isaiah, amazingly, an angel cleaned up what was standing in his way by touching his lips with a coal from the Lord’s altar. The most important role now was speaking for God.
We should be so willing to ask the Lord to clean up our words – clean up our thoughts – clean up our act yes but our message for sure… Wherever we go, we can take the Lord with us, absorb His message from the Bible, see His hope in us, cultivate our listening, hear Him speaking to us from the Word, the moving Lines of His Face becoming the Lines of our Faith, embedded in our brains and ready for teaching and especially living. Each day is a new day. What tasks can we consider most urgent and important? Ask God. What do we leave behind? Ask God to help you prioritize, purge, pursue, pray on. Not everyone (very few) are called to prophesy – so ask God if that is you or not – may totally not be! God has many many gifts for us to share – encouragement is mine – so to be accurate in my encouragement I have to LEARN HIM MORE – learn His Ways (always above ours) – and Learn to listen to HIS HEART over my head. Then say: Lord, send me. I bet like for Isaiah, the message and the material will be set differently for each situation – we do need to be ready and then rely on God.
I’ve attached photos of my bibles of the moment. This new to me version is a King James Version and I like that as ‘classic’, the print is easy read – a physical tool that I thought could help me, so I don’t feel guilty marking it up with a pen, especially since I got it on sale, this can now be my travel ‘Beach Bible’ – easy to read in the sun with shades… My pink one is New King James Version, for home, it’s PINK because why not, I can also find it more easily, got that on sale too. My bible overview will help me connect the pieces. And my ‘go to’ Bible? On my phone of course. I use the Bible on my phone everyday, convenient for wherever I am, BibleGateway online… and that’s how I copy this important passage from Isaiah (see below). In order to do God’s work, we need to listen to Him first. Then say “Here I am, send me.”
DO. Don’t disregard or delegate His direction. Say: “Here I am Lord, Send Me.”
Amen
Isaiah Called to Be a Prophet, chapter 6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”
Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return and be for consuming, as a terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.”
Was a great “SNAP” of a Lego piece of faith into my ever-building brain of understanding – about FOREVER – I describe these “aha” moments like that – a “geez, of course” new level of understanding – or at least a “I remembered what I had forgotten” tidbit… I now understand FOREVER just a little bit more now. FOREVER – who can wrap their heads around that?
I have been thinking, these last few weeks more intensely, that I really do wonder WHAT we will be doing for FOREVER – like WHAT will Heaven look like? (we have some bible clues – but I am sure the message of not worrying what each day brings will continue in Heaven) – HOW will we know people we never met? – Will we be singing forever? – Will we be just sitting under that tree of life just chillin’? – Will we be meeting new people and old people on a rotation basis? – and my BIG question: WILL WE EVER GET BORED IN HEAVEN? – (what a silly non-still question, huh? But I’m still wondering)… Well, I am sure that we CAN’T be bored – but I surely can’t wrap my head around how what huh of forever… WELL, NOW I CAN rest assured, just a bit more…
See, I was pondering things when I heard an explanation from a preaching pastor about Heaven that switched my head from looking at MY experience in Heaven and instead appreciate my WORSHIP (our worship) of JESUS more in Heaven – an exploring appreciative “aha” moment meant that the Lego puzzle section my brain was searching for finally got one more piece installed. The pastor was teaching about Exodus and the Passover that God used, would see the blood and pass over the people – not dependent upon the people but by the blood and now that Jesus is Lord and Savior and finished the job of our salvation, that the Blood of Jesus will be what God sees and we are passed over from suffering death. Here is the Lego piece: In Heaven we will be FOREVER seeing the infinite sacrifice of Jesus – appreciating Him but actually seeing how much He took on for us. – SNAP!!! That’s what we will be seeing – I realized that I had to rotate my eyes and see not my role in Heaven (yes I will be singing), but see what Jesus DID to get us to Heaven – see the sacrifice – see the necessity- and keep gazing on Him… These things I knew – but that distraction of “I know we won’t be bored in Heaven, but…” was needing re-focusing. Yes, Jesus – ah, what a VIEW and vantage point maker too.
During this night study my vantage point was perfect – a close enough pew – to sing like 15 feet from the band, to see expressions from the pastor in the pulpit, AND then I saw walking in, just sitting, senior of senior pastors (and the lecturing Pastor’s dad) and AMAZING teacher – best teacher preacher reacher for bible knowledge and just plain interesting stuff that he shares in a methodical passage by passage way – Holy Spirit Fabulous… (the learning opportunity in my own backyard, blessed to learn)… Ah, it was the end of the service now and although I really wanted to tell Pastor about this Lego piece of mine – he was talking to a couple others – so I kept my eye on Pastor dad and the opportunity was just right – I walked over and said Hi and asked – “can we take a photo together – I would love to send to my friend who moved away and loves your sermons like I do” – I know, silly me, but hey! I like to be an encourager and I like to have memories of my encouragement and good fortune – BLESSED.
Well, of course I ALSO had the opportunity to talk a little bit about this realization lego piece of Heaven – that of course I knew we would be worshiping in Heave but this “do we have something to do the whole time” was something on my brain… Pastor dad chimed in with wisdom of reminding me that we are finite – Jesus is infinite – we are approaching and always will be approaching Him – even and forever in Heaven – and Jesus IS infinite and with our finite understanding, “Who can ever wrap their head around that???!!!” EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!
EXACTLY…
Remember in Lego piece building, whether in your head about faith tenements or in physical blocks, we are always building upon building – we will always have more to climb and experience and know… will we be board in Heaven? NO WAY… Jesus our infinite Savior, Lord, Guide, Brother, Servent Shepard will ALWAYS be Greater than All… Keeping us in AWE.
Amen Amen Amen
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3
One big seashell of teaching from Isaiah 5. First remember that God spoke through the prophets to teach reach.
Prophet Isaiah said Israel was in the midst of sour grapes – well, they never got to taste any pruned grapes that they thought they were growing, it was wild grapes they got instead of choice premium grapes. In other words, Israel, in the time of Isaiah, was going nowhere fast. Sour grapes.
God planted a GOOD grape vine, but because of the action of rebellion, they got whine instead of wine. Over and over again from rebuking God and His appointed leaders, judges, kings, the Israel people fell apart, landed themselves in exile (again).
Yet what warning was God continually warning throughout the Old Testament? Don’t rely or exonerate or show your need for kings – but be a people who listen to God. Plain and simple is how Samuel explained it to the people back before Saul was chosen then unchosen as king – Samuel explained that God just wanted people to listen to Him – live as He commanded. When the people were left to their own devices, they made a system that only broke their backs, caused false worship, spoiled the crops of goodness that could have come out of them. Yet there was already in the Plan an ability to bring us back – and as we all know, this world was broken from the beginning after Adam was born and rebelled. God saw and acknowledged the brokenness before anyone could, and He pointed it out again and again as a warning to others and to us…
God sent Jesus and Jesus “wrote” Himself into the world to right the wrong – crush evil and collect the remnants into the tapesty of them and us into His Kingdom. He takes mercy on those whom lived and cried out to Him. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
In otherwords, they need Him – we need Him – we all should have and will need to rely on Him. We have LOTS of examples – and these days are also a mixture of good things and bad things – and lots of confusing things – but in all we must remember that God will use ALL things – ALL people – good and bad – to bring about His completion and His corraling and His punishment and His righteousness – and especially HIS GOOD WINE from His Vinyard.
The punishment of Israel came from enemies God let linger – “in that day they will roar over it like the roaring of the sea.” – maybe we need to hear crashing waves to to respect God’s corrective power.
We are reminded that we must acknowledge the world gone crazy but that is not to be used as our excuse. We KNOW better, can learn better, to shine the Light. We must remember that God is the depositor of our Light – the Holy Spirit in us is Jesus shining thru. We are to be the embers still on fire, to remember that we are people of a different kind of captivity now but we do KNOW our KING over all things – and we must keep going – listening to God.
Israel sees this pain in exiled Babylon – but is told thru the prophets to keep looking towards the LIGHT – and get out of Babylon too. Isaiah will keep teaching and teaching – SOME will listen and understand. Some will hope to. Isaiah will promise that the Savior IS coming. Let us listen now and always to how God fights the evil with LIGHT – we do have this knowledge: Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
Let us KNOW this Light in Jesus and KNOW His Calling in our lives.
It was finally quiet-me-down time. God found that window of His opportunity (again). He settled me to BOTH go to the beach again (YAY) and also open His Good Book, nestling into the prophet Isaiah. Yes, it was 92 at home, 82 at the beach, and 72 in the water. So nice. I did get to this new beach after laboring just enough cleaning up my house. First Saturday regular beach with a friend, tis the season! Then Sunday churches (2), and then scrubbing the house. Then I was ready to RELAX on Labor Day Monday. Relax in the Lord’s Light, and provisions. AHHHHHH…..
Great provisions of a near private beach, public with lifeguards still, but with no one selling or checking tags, free off-street parking spot, hmmmm you would think God took care of these details, nice. Yes, temperatures much cooler, sand was PERFECT (and scattered and numerous as the children of Israel are), lots of seashells to collect, just as prevalent as collecting my thoughts (and in the book of Isaiah, I focused upon the BIG ONES.)
I nestled in, snacks, water, sun, sand, shade, sunblock, soul-satisfying STILLness. I also brought my other beach book which reminds me what I know is true – it is the LORD Who makes us hunger for Him.
Isaiah – oh – an explanation of what Isaiah was writing about, same as Genesis and the whole Bible: Jesus was needed. Jesus was coming. Jesus would/did/will WIN. Quoting from my bible’s book preface: “Isaiah is like a miniature Bible. The first thirty-nine chapters (like the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament) are filled with judgement upon immoral idolatrous men. Judah has sinned; the surrounding nations have sinned ; the whole earth has sinned. Judgement must come, for God cannot allow such blatant sin to go unpunished forever. But the final twenty-seven chapters (like the twenty-seven books of the New Testament) declare a message of hope. The Messiah is coming as a Savior and a Sovereign to bear a cross and to wear a crown. “
Cool… so I read chapter 1 thru 11 whole chapters… not all at once, got some swimming and napping in, and I took physical notes for later. The paper Bible on the beach was both necessary and neat, as my phone battery never would last as long as the Word.
I will be writing a few days from this… stay tuned… turning the page into God’s Plan…
“Winds in the east, mist coming in / Like somethin’ is brewin’ and ’bout to begin / Can’t put me finger on what lies in store / But I feel what’s to happen all happened before.”
It’s the first day of school for so many… It’s also a new school on a new opening day for at least one teacher friend… Not only is Mary Poppins a good example of popping into a moment of time to help, she is also one who leaves when her job is done. (It’s emotional for her, but she suppresses that because she knows her work is necessary whether appreciated or not. Well, at least Burt sees it. She doesn’t even have time to make a fuss, just do it. Just start the job and let them finish.)
“In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and — SNAP — the job’s a game!” — Mary Poppins
The wind shifts and Mary Poppins knows to arrive – that the job is hers to take – the wind itself blew away the others – then soon after, when things are set more right, she is done – It’s a short stint – one season. Ah, if we too could pick up on clues like that… In her case, a nanny helps, a teacher helps, then it’s time for parents to get back into the mix. In our case, we need to know how to rely upon God ALWAYS for our next move in or out – and/or for when we stay.
There is a season for everything, and then it’s done, or at least your part is.
So people need help. You sometimes need help. And all people need prayers. Let us all be encouragement and encouraged today, back to school. Even if we aren’t there, we could all pray for them all and ask God to inspire them to keep keepin’ on!
Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
I knew this was a great name for a ship as well as a great photo opportunity. RELENTLESS. And oh what a beautiful view… I briefly stopped, and want to revisit this fishing pier. Maybe I can soon. My ‘Anchored’ T-shirt reminds me of You Lord being my foundation.
“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”
It’s Labor Day, not a holiday where we are obligated to do anything, even though we should remember those hard workers who really did improve working conditions, enacted labor laws and better treatment. I might clean my house or get back to a beach today, yeah, but why do I feel this pull? It is because summer is fading fast. Soak up the sand and take at the beach to rest to think about the Lord who blesses and yet listen to the mighty roar of the waves and know He is Lord of all. For in me, in us, He wants us to focus on Him. He is RELENTLESS in wrestling distractions, think Peter still walking on that water.
Yes, RELENTLESS is the Lord’s Spirit inside us Who doesn’t stop working – calling and working on us- and for HIS Glory. “I will not yield my glory to another.” The Lord wants us to know Him and His Spirit. Yes, the Lord is RELENTLESS, instilling in us a RELENTLESS SPIRIT.
I put off starting my reading but now will crack open the next section of the Old Testament, Isaiah on forward, prophets prophets prophets. Me thinking I need the mindset of ‘not in summer mode’, but God says don’t wait, these days until Jesus comes again ARE short, not just the summer. And what did God do for RELENTLESS reminders? Keep dropping in huge verses of Isaiah in regular day passages. Isaiah is going to be a huge part of my understanding of how Jesus was foretold. I’m SO appreciative. God says LEARN THIS of how God was working on His people Israel. God is telling us all (now that His Word and Spirit has opened for the Gentiles too) what he told the people then, starting with Moses writing down Genesis, that Jesus would be born to win over sin, crush the devil, cover us with grace. God also told them to flee Babylon, He had already chosen who would win (hmmm, He tells us this too, that Jesus will and has won). The old testament is a testament to the new.
God speaks much through prophet Isaiah that He is slow to anger, and has a remnant of people (remember these Israelites have been a tough crowd to corral) who will experience a NEW CREATION (though many in that time won’t recognize it), and tells them also that He is not willing for others to make up their own idols and take credit for His majesty and plan. God’s Glory is God’s. Our God IS a jealous God, and all glory and honor due is His.
Now, reading ahead in Isaiah 48, as he uses Isaiah to instruct the people, God is telling them they could have listened before, when they were promised promised lands, and listened before going down a bad way leading to exile in captivity in Babylon, that “your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be blotted out nor destroyed from before me.”
Let us not forget to listen to God now. Let us hold onto Jesus because He is holding on to us. Jesus was there in the beginning and His Word says He Wins. Let us get on board with His RELENTLESS SPIRIT now, and ride the waves of life.
Enjoy today, whether you are working or resting, traveling or sitting. Know that God is going to keep all things going on His behalf (good and evil), making the best of our humanness by letting Jesus lead us. “I am he; I am the first and I am the last. My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens;...” YES!!!
Thank You Lord for this reminder that You are IN CHARGE. Let us be appreciative of Your RELENTLESS LOVE.
Amen
—
Isaiah 48:
“Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness— you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city and claim to rely on the God of Israel— the Lord Almighty is his name: I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead was bronze. Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, ‘My images brought them about; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.’ You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them?
“From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you. They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot say, ‘Yes, I knew of them.’ You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ears have not been open.
Well do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth. For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely. See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.
Israel Freed
“Listen to me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last. My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.
“Come together, all of you, and listen: Which of the idols has foretold these things? The Lord’s chosen ally will carry out his purpose against Babylon; his arm will be against the Babylonians. I, even I, have spoken, yes, I have called him. I will bring him, and he will succeed in his mission.
“Come near me and listen to this: “From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there.” And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, endowed with his Spirit. This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains;
their name would never be blotted out nor destroyed from before me.”
Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians! Announce this with shouts of joy and proclaim it.
Send it out to the ends of the earth; say, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob.” They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out. “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”
I have this special blue plastic fork, I don’t really know why I kept it but I just did – and so now I will keep keeping it. Three years ago I got this fork at a wonderful party, filled up a plate to go, took the fork too, ate the food later. YUM. But it was “risky business”, according to some. This was the first summer of the pandemic (remember that?! 2020), and it WAS easing enough in covid cases that my college sophmore was allowed back on campus (THANK GOD), which also meant some folks felt OK having parties (hey no judgment). And yet, it was still pre-vaccination time, so to get back into college, we had the last minute official COVID test (PCR, this was before self-tests too), then upload the form, and adhere to strict rules and show up at exact times for move in… WHEW… (Remember that? 3 years ago? Oh how quickly we forget, but we got through it!). So on the way to campus, we made a quick stop at a friend’s party. Just stayed outside. Just a quick Hi. Of course all masked up, 20 minutes max.
We stayed safe in the nice breeze that day, outside IS the best. The food, however, was inside, hmmm… Insects vs covid caution? Insects are ALWAYS a bugaboo. I dashed inside for a moment, quickly grabbed a takeout plate, and this blue fork. I risked it, food over fear, friendship over fear, just I’m a risk-taker normally, I mean I risked spaghetti-sauced meatballs in the car, but I knew my chances of COVID catching were very minimal (in my opinion and scientifically) by only 5 minutes inside. How human of me, of course, my stomach overtook in influence… And it’s OK to know that it is human nature to worry, and it’s human nature to not be cautious enough. We don’t want to be flippant ignorant of what others worry about. (You don’t have to grandstand for meatballs). You can also take a pass, fast even and say I wouldn’t eat them now anyway. (Isn’t that what fridges are for?)
We make choices in life. I’m glad we were OK from that day, no problem in the big city or driving or car spaghetti sauce. In all we should wash our hands and keep going. Maybe this blue fork reminds me that we should LIVE LIFE – “fork over fear” – be smart but not paranoid. Be cautious but not crazy. Be vigilant for risk, but rationalize it first. ALWAYS CONSULT THE LORD!!! I think we surely learned a lot about ourselves in the pandemic, individually and collectively. I HOPE WE LEARNED TO RELY ON THE LORD MORE!
YES! Life is all about being anchored and trusting Jesus, trust in the Lord’s protection and His safety net too.
I pray a safe enjoyable day EVERYDAY for us all, thinking of the opportunities and the saving graces… I do hope you get to fork over fear and eat the meatballs, or cake, of life.
Enjoy today!
Amen
—-
Matthew 6: excerpts16-34
Fasting
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Do Not Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Crossword puzzle 87 across was TREE of Heaven, silly me, not GATE. I mean you can’t blame my instant recall memory – we have heard of the ‘Pearly Gate’ of Heaven a lot in folklore. This oops held up this crucial middle section of the puzzle. I REALLY was close to finishing it, the simple block of my assumption that I was right by “gate” stopped me from completion. Let’s not let our worldly “I’m right” stop us from accepting humbly “I’m wrong” on occasion. (and don’t worry it is only a crossword puzzle – there will be a new one tomorrow)
I can even see endless cartoon images of God or St. Peter taking check-ins with a podium at the gate. We think Gate of Heaven as our physical block to getting in but it’s traditional folklore, not scriptural. Scripture mentions parts of gates and Peter with keys to the kingdom, but let’s not get drawn into thinking it is us needing to “work our way” to Heaven, because Jesus is the ONLY GATE we need to acknowledge, love, appreciate, believe in.
Believe in Jesus.
Believe in the TREE. Believe that there is good stuff in the Tree of Life – saved for us for forever… See the Book of Revelation, chapter 22:1-5 – I am in no rush but I can’t wait!!! The River of Life – And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
A good lesson of NOT a Tree of Heaven but a TREE of a man being cut down and corrected by God is in Old Testament King Nebuchadnezzar, written about in Daniel 4 – the King envisioned a tree in his dream and Daniel interpreted it – the tree was the king and was cut down because he was going against God – and all throughout and at the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s life it was true, he thought of himself and his achievements without praising God, and then at the very very end that king acknowledged God’s glory.
How better for us to acknowledge God’s Glory now – how better to walk with Jesus TO Heaven rather than wait to see if we get in – how better to almost taste that Tree of Heaven on our lips now with hopes of fulfilment in Heaven one day. If the leaves are the Healing of the Nations, then how best we fill in our own crosswords with the words: Peace, Love, Forgiveness, Hope – and JESUS…
Jesus IS the WORD of LIFE. His Cross – His Word – His Life – Our Forever.
It’s not easy raising kids, but SO worth it. We all know that, and yes, we all know we get through it. Prayerfully we do. I realized – and realize – it’s not ‘somehow’. It’s the “God-how”!!! Yes, maybe “God, how?”, we might ask! But Oh YEAH, it is an answer of God-HOW!!! God is how it all comes together… WHEW!!!
God’s How and God’s help and God’s power is how we get through everything – year by year – day by day – He helps moment by moment.
About 2 weeks ago, I really was pulling back and forth in my head – thinking how do I react to this and that – with my children now adulting. YES. Life choices, health choices, new driver, car quandaries, school or not school, working or not working, lifestyles, money money money… all All ALL… How do I have my own principles stated for things I don’t agree on, keep my stand, YET be supportive and everything, EVERYTHING, especially as a mom (thankful for a village of help) but doing this raising thing for years and years now best I can. Really, how do you parent your adult children??? !!!
In this questioning, I RAISED my hand as in: “Jesus, please pull me out of these waves of the water of ‘What to do’s’…” PLEASE!. I heard ONE SOLID ANSWER from the Lord, He said: “LOVE THEM!”…. THAT’S THE TRUTH !!! NO negotiation there. I heard God tell me the REAL job I have as a mom, was to LOVE. Just to hear the Word ‘LOVE” is a good thing and a God thing since God IS LOVE.. Wow… that was direct! That was God! That makes sense… It IS LOVE that God equipped me with plus commands me to do. It IS LOVE that I know how to do. It IS LOVE that the Lord demonstrates for me too.
Forever LOVE, be patient, forgive, be there, support, teach, and give. Let go too, let God handle each person in His Hand, and remind others by living your faith that you trust yourself and your loved ones IN GOD’S HAND.. Be there always so that in their mind they remember you as someone who loves them. LOVE.
Love
Over
Virtually (actually)
Everything
LOVE, takes the pressure off huh? No wind and waves to rock the boat of LOVE, calmness then keep-going-ness. Thank You Lord, because you took the burden off me. I know how to Love. I LOVE my children as children and as adults and I always will and I hope they always know that.
Debbie Upper 