LOVE WINS! which means that God wins – and God is Love.
So since God wins, He protects…
Love protects – as Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 13 – Love is patient – love is kind – and yes Love protects – which means when we love we protect and when we protect something it should be out of love – and when God loves us, God protects us.
When all else fade away what will be left? God – and when we stand or be shielded by God, we will last because of His Love.
The best protection is the Lord – so fear won’t work – anger won’t work – strife won’t work – hoarding won’t work – carelessness won’t work – fakeness won’t work.
The better protection is by the Lord – that is LOVE always.
Amen
1 Corinthians 13 NIV
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
I got my summer reading all set for the beach! These laminated pamphlets (from Rose Publishing) with titles like “Proverbs” and “Prophets” and “Bible Maps” and “Bible Timelines” are perfectly going to be my “short” sets of reading for absorbing the Lord’s Word in bite-sized chunks. AT THE BEACH!!!. I really hope to get to the beach quite often – already dreaming of it even though it might be a month before we get there and have to be all bundled up with the sharp ocean breeze, but that is OK. And then when it does get warm enough, I already know the two best shade spots, no umbrella required. Under the pier or under the pavilion on the boardwalk – I know the plans that will be good! Lord willing the sun will shine – and we know the Lord is willing.
And as I see in a bookmark I just acquired, quoting Jeremiah 29, scripture’s wisdom and wish for us is to TRUST GOD – “For I know the plans I have for you.” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best reading “into” the Word is reading ourselves into it. The Best Better experience is to know that the Lord has given us the Word as Wisdom to live by and live through. And we are to know that the Lord DOES want us to live – so to live BEST – live BETTER – we best listen to His best advice. God’s Word is Better Advice than anywhere else.
That’s MY plan – a plan to prosper – to not harm – to give hope and a future -that plan of mine is to keep reading the Word. The BEST reading is from the Lord!
“Like the ocean, it’s good to keep moving ahead in waves…”
That is a quote I came up with in response to my friend who is finding herself moving again. A separate person from my other friend moving but the same plan, downsize. This friend from school moved south then north and is drawn back again south, to the ocean. Thus the quote I made about waves. “Like the ocean, it’s good to keep moving AHEAD in waves…”
Having downsized like twice now, this particular friend will start again in the lifestyle she used to have, but different, because this new past she is leaving behind, in stages, lightens her load. And it is not to pick up her old past again but make new. Her situation has changed – mostly by her choice – and it is time to move on – move to the new situation which will be new even if it is returning to a location she was already in. And her packing and peace will be in waves.
Not all situations are the same, and even if they seem similar, God makes them NEW for us, or at least makes us NEW in the same situation by His Mercies, which are fresh each morning.
“All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.”
I find reading and rereading scripture gives new insights. It is new to today even if I experienced it before. I love to see scripture that maybe I read but never absorbed – like in Isaiah 28 – about the Lord teaching the proper way for the proper situation – and changing tactics when it’s time.
Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever.
Yeah… Not all situations are the same – this is for people, for seasons, and for times – for the descriptive text in Isaiah about Soil and Grain, it’s like it means you have to apply life changes in attitude too. Isaiah said Caraway Cumin Spelt and Wheat – listen to the Lord in how you prepare it – how you grind it – how you plant it – how you harvest it.
LIFE IS DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND THEREFORE WE SHOULD LET THE LORD ADAPT US INTO HOW WE HANDLE THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Pay attention to the situation at hand. MOVE FORWARD ALWAYS.
When we study what Jesus said to His disciples about the scripture of the cornerstone rejected but on which the kingdom being built, which they all recounted later in the gospels, we understand that Jesus was teaching THE WAY to have Jesus be OUR WAY. Jesus wants us to stand with Him when He is standing with us. Jesus wants us to build upon HIS WAY. This is true wisdom because with Jesus as our firm foundation we will be anchored and adaptable applying love.
In other words, when you find yourself in a situation where you COULD lash out – but the Lord HELPS you hold your tongue or roll something off your back. We can let Jesus be our foundation in standing up for His Way and standing up to simply walk away. The power to be patient is a true Godsend.
We find that Jesus is asking WE APPLY HIS ATTITUDE. Jesus is saying: “Don’t sweat the small stuff” – Just let it roll off the back. MOVE FORWARD.
To have BETTER RELIANCE UPON THE LORD’S WISDOM is WISE.
Amen
Isaiah 28: excerpts 16, 23-29
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; …”
… Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say. When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil? When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field? His God instructs him and teaches him the right way. Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick. Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain. All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.
Sunday is a day of rest – well it is interesting how we interpret rest.
We put a human interpretation on rest – as if God rested His weariness, His muscles, His mind from creating the earth in 7 days – but honestly we know that God did not slumber in rest – He totally was still God – but for creating the earth He took the time to say “I did it”…
Our rest can not be restful in a physical way if we don’t let ourselves rest.
Our rest can not be restful in an emotional way if we don’t acknowledge we need it.
Our rest can not be restful in a spiritual way if we don’t accept that “in God we trust” – that we let God be in charge – and that we acknowledge that in Him we will be OK.
Our rest is in God being in control.
Rest this Sunday also in an active way – IN PRAISE!!!
The rest that is personal is also praiseworthy. The rest from work work means time for worship. We can still work with our hands, allowing the Lord to work our minds.
And if God’s Command is to rest – to accept the worship of completeness in Him, then especially because we often can not keep all the 10 commandments perfectly without breaking them, especially the one about jealousy, nor the one about taking His Name in vain, nor the one about putting God and Love and Godly things first, then we forgiveness. We need to find the REST in the One who makes us perfecting and Who covers our sins with forgiveness” JESUS… And Jesus is FOR us!!!
If Jesus is FOR us – then we can not fail – and we can not fail to have rest.
MAY WE REST IN JESUS!!! All PRAISE and Honor is Yours!
AMEN
MAY WE REST IN JESUS!!!
AMEN
——
Exodus 20:1-17 NKJV The Ten Commandments And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before Me.You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. “You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
I have a friend who is “breaking down” her house – moving – it is tough but her children are going to be there to help to both pack up this one and blessedly to open up the new life for her in her new place. It is a process that the Lord started by building up her family to help her – as she helped them build their lives, they are helping her build and rebuild hers. And she will get to see her grandchildren and be part of building up of their lives. And the Lord? The Lord is the Cornerstone of all. Let us Let the Lord build us up.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it”
Better Building is by the Lord – Better Building – of faith, of foundations, of families – of fruit – of Forever. The road to the Peace of the Lord is by His “Smoothing” of our road travelled and of the conditions allowing the building up of plans. If we want to see something to succeed – it is best to be planned with the Lord rather than ask for the Lord’s blessing after the fact. It is best to also watch what the Lord is building and then join His Labor Crew.
With my friend moving, I have watched the Lord provide the time the people the energy as “on a needs by basis” – doled out not in one big flourish of movement but by continual piece by piece falling into place.
I am always fascinated by the understanding of scripture being revealed with an eye-of-the-brain “Ah – ha!” … And I am intrigued how people of the scriptures did not see something until the Lord let it be revealed to them. I know that the Lord has given us a brain – and a heart – and a soul – ears and eyes – but we require the Spirit of interpretation to see things from His Perspective. Yes. And we do need the Holy Spirit to guide us in building up ourselves, our faith, our families and our plans. We need Jesus as our Cornerstone – as He is the Cornerstone of the building of us into the Kingdom of God.
The interesting scripture to contemplate is of how the disciples of Jesus walked with Him thru the Temple of Jerusalem built by Solomon and rebuilt in the time after the Babylonian exile. Solomon’s marvelous temple, destroyed and pillaged much – is still remembered today. Jesus was and IS a marvelous Temple of God Himself, destroyed and pillaged much – but still remembered. Jesus, the flesh, was in a time for a purpose and Jesus the God is for Forever.
Jesus talked about the temples being destroyed – the building (as He walked with His disciples marveling at it) – and of Himself. Certain people could not wrap their heads around this notion until by the Spirit’s Guidance. This is recounted in Matthew 24:1-2 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
Jesus talked about the Temple being rebuilt – HIMSELF – in John 2:18-22, the Gospel of Wisdom, about the authority he used to overturn the crooked unfair dealings of the money exchangers in the Temple – The confused Jews said to Jesus: “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
And Jesus talked about Himself being the Cornerstone – our faith’s cornerstone and that being the foundation of the building up of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mark 12:10–11 Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Luke 20:17 But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?
1 Peter 2:4–7 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
Blessed to be in the Build – BETTER BUILDING BY THE LORD!
Amen
Psalm 127 NKJV
Laboring and Prospering with the Lord – A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Better EVERYTHING by the Lord to be our ALL IN ALL
Better BUILT by the Lord
Better PLAN by the Lord
Better HANDLED by the Lord
Better ADVISED by the Lord
Better ADAPTED by the Lord
Better TEACHING by the Lord
Better GROWTH by the Lord
Better CHOICE by the Lord
Better ATTITUDE by the Lord
Better BEHELD by the Lord
Better HELPED by the Lord
Better KNOWN by the Lord
Better BETTERED by the Lord
Better RECOVERY by the Lord
Better ATTENTION by the Lord
Better STANDING by the Lord
Better SURVIVED by the Lord
Better HONOR by the Lord
Better SAVED by the Lord
Better EVERYTHING by the Lord
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.Isaiah 28:16
Better RELIANCE UPON the Lord
Better SACRIFICE THROUGH the Lord
Better HONOR FROM the Lord
Better LIFE IN the Lord
Better EVERYTHING by the Lord
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 1 Peter 2:4–7
My excitement – nerdy in a way of course – was that a TV reality show showed not just a cross, but used scripture as a clue. The Amazing Race is such a joy to watch – I get to travel to places that I would never be able to get to – and see cultural elements which are embraced as traditional even vintage to the place. In this episode, in Bulgaria, the racers were to decipher a clue from a highly ornate book – ancient text in fancy language – with a cipher. The racers had to flip the cipher over to find the english words – many teams were racing at the same time to understand. No one knew to turn the device over. And when they did – then “OH!” – the words of the Word spilled out and spelled out into a clear Heaven-sent message: “In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.“
WOW!!!
WOW for the Word and WOW for the Word on TV and WOW for the deciphering of the cipher – and especially WOW for the WORD to decipher itself! That is the truth – the Word came to be understood – and yet that in itself has been the stumbling block to many. The scripture from this TV episode is a puzzle revealed, it recounts a truth that came with “clues” too. Remember that John, the disciple Jesus loved, was writing a gospel of wisdom when he was in his 90’s – the only disciple not to be martyred and to live a very long time teaching. John, in this first chapter of his gospel, was laying down the answers to the “clues” yet to be discovered by future generations. Well, the big puzzle of that moment in time, recounted in the bible gospels was one that confused and intrigued so many, the clues that prophesy spoke of and unveiled by the Spirit. It may have seemed like a puzzle to those yet to witness Jesus in the flesh AND to have experienced Him as God. So, when John the Baptist (verses in chapter 1 of John’s gospel) showed to be a prophet to “prepare the way” for Jesus, we can now read that he himself was prophesied about, as a voice in the wilderness. Yes the clues kept ruling in for those who could decipher with open minds, souls and spirits. John the Baptist said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” And John the Baptist experienced Jesus as a man and as God. John did this by understanding the moving of the Spirit and THEN saw the descending of the spirit upon the whole scene. Talk about a big response to unlocking the biggest clue!
These “clues” in the Word – the scriptures of prophecy – were also the WORD too, as Jesus IS the Word. Unfortunately so many did not understand, as John the disciple recounted: “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him”
John the disciple wrote about John the Baptist who bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
How blessed FOR US to have received these words and the Word and the HOLY SPIRIT clue solving: to the open ears and eyes which might be able to say “AH – HA !!!!!” and then “AMEN”. Blessed are those who will come to understand Jesus as the Word, as God, as the One to come and the One who came.
Let us continue leaving open book clues to let Jesus be known. And for them to be known as “children of God”… One could say that we were born to be His.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
AMEN !!!
—
John 1:1-34 NKJV
The Eternal Word In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John’s Witness: The True Light There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Becomes Flesh And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
A Voice in the Wilderness Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
THE THRILL… I did get to see this pope, Pope Francis! It was 10 years ago – have many photos – he stopped to kiss every baby! I’m so grateful for a friend who scored passes and thought of me!!! Whee!
I wore my Aunt’s Connemara Marble Irish Cross necklace to see the Pope, I am very blessed to have it, she passed many years prior but we had just received her items from her son’s storage bin clean out after he passed. It was an emotional time in my 1st year in newly awakened faith, 10 years ago, it’s still a blessing today to remember that feeling of newness in awe.
I remember the interesting thing about the traffic, there was none, people avoiding the area like the plague, they warned ahead and people must have hunkered down fearing Pope traffic. We took the train, nobody on it… we never zipped into the city faster.
I remember the good set up, the waiting with a foot of space to sit on for hours, I remember chatting with people, I remember it wasn’t bad, there was a portapotty nearby and friendly folks, but oh so anxious to wait and see.
I carried a photo of my kids with me, blessed. I also took a VBS snowball, not real but really fun to have, I’m sure I still have it, VBS is part of my blessed existence. I am thrilled to teach in vbs again this year. I’ve saved real snowballs for that in the freezer this year.
I wore my special green t-shirt to represent my hometown happiness. I wore my God-made smile because He made me into ME. I am grateful. I am grateful to be me.
I can give an opinion, but I won’t, about “was this a good Pope? or “good for the church” because that is too complex an answer. I just know people loved him. I know God loved him too, and I pray him rest in that Popemobile in the sky… Kiss Jesus for us, thanks…
I thought about the chicken salad all morning yesterday – well, I think of chicken salad all the time anyway – but this day I needed an easy lunch, coming back from a trip over the weekend, I spent no time prepping lunch or meals for the week – so a quick trip to a food convenience store was already in my plans. And yet I wasn’t sure – dill pickle chips or no chips – well to be determined… Lunch (and life) is more interesting with chips – don’t you think?
So, a needed break had just found me – and I went to go get lunch – the right time surfaced and I had just transferred some “blessings bags” to my friend’s car – one subaru to the other – she helps with a group that helps those on the margins – and these blessings bags came from my neighbor – they were a gift from girl scouts earning their bronze award by getting donations and assembling them – all I did was move the bags from one friend to another… It’s good that folks make these bags, hope bags for sure. For the people who donated and who made them and who will get them – we can know that a transfer of love occurs – gifted and received in a spirit of gratitude.
At the store, the parking was the toughest I ever could have had – but I got one – and backed it in – to the applause of the driver next to me – whew… but my pride of parking was just silly – that isn’t being through the fire – however my timing was surely the Lord’s because my pride and self-centeredness melted just then, with an interaction with a man asking for change to get something to eat. He was well dressed, not typical of those asking, he did look like his struggles melted his pride enough to beg. And in our brief conversation, what struck me as more sad than physical hunger was his answer to my question if he was able to do anything for Easter. He said no, that “each day is not different from any other” – “well, but some nice church people brought some good food” to him, “that was nice”. Yeah, I appreciate those nice church people too in my life. I appreciate the realization of faith-found generosity is a fruit of the spirit.
I got my chicken salad, I don’t boast about getting him something, it was just a natural feeling of offering, and when he asked if he could get chips too, I said sure, chips too. I think chips make life (and lunch) more interesting and I have an interesting life, no doubt. I felt grateful about having a choice to make and hope in choices. I felt grateful also in this week’s work anniversary. Work has allowed me to provide for myself and family and others in joy. in spontaneous joy.
I’ve been hearing this theme of GRATITUDE all week – first of course for Easter – the most important day of realization for the victory by Jesus for our sakes. Easter is for our jealous God’s sake too, so that He can pull us close, forgiven and forever fortunate. The pick me up for tired selves is gratitude, gratitude that God cares and saves, saves AND cares.
There are many songs of gratitude of course we could sing – and I just heard a new one – written by Brandon Lake – “Hard Fought Hallelujah” – with a lyric that rings true for many who know it is both their hard fight to survive and rise and for God’s hard fight to rescue them and all. For a person realizing each day is a battle: “the struggle keeps me honest – and it breaks down the walls of my pride” – and another lyric for each day is a victory:: “faith isn’t proven like gold till it’s been through the fire”…
I can’t say that I have had a hard fought battle, I haven’t, I just have had a fortunate existence despite some foibles and frustrations. That conversation in line and it was his face which humbled me most, that “no day stands out” – “no different existence” day to day. That’s what humbled my pride, brought near tears, refined realization that everyday is something different to me, spontaneous me. I’ve got a dill pickle chip dusted life of spicy flavor and crunch everyday…
Gratitude is choosing praise too. Thank You Lord for refining reminders to keep faith eyes open. enjoy the day, for this IS the day the Lord has made!!! Enjoy life – and lunch…
Amen
—
Here is a song “Gratitude” – really great… heard on american idol, Breanna Nix & Rylie O’Neil – “Gratitude” as well as Brandon Lake (and Jelly Roll) with multiple song videos of “Hard Fought Hallelujah”:
Easter morning was a blessing of being able to stroll into the cemetery with the lack of fearing death. Jesus VICTORIOUS, celebrated on Easter morning… Us knowing He overcame and we won’t have the eternal sting of death either one day, in rising one day WITH His command.
Yes, we do have such sorrow for our lost loved ones – as my daughter was able to express in the cemetery when we went later that afternoon. Yet even then as I comforted her, I could think of the peace these folks had now – whether they feared death or not, they were now at peace.
The fear of death, however, came back for me surely quickly as I rode the roads home, with a good but NEW driver at the wheel. Whew, Jesus take the wheel, the whoa, the woe, and the whew… I gripped that “Oh God bar” in the view of a few semi-trucks swerving and us going into construction cattle corral-like chutes with no breathing room… Whew, we are fine, and I took over in the last 45 minutes as it got dark… Whew, Whew, thank you Lord for the safe arrival home. Praise that is due!!! And THANK YOU LORD for an extra and safe driver as she journeys now through life.
Life moves fast and the road bumpy bumps as the Day grows long…
Remember however that we have ULTIMATE PEACE ahead of us, even if we have a bumpy ride getting there. Like our roads, life it seems is always “under construction”… We are to know the narrow gate is Jesus Himself getting us through to heaven. Sometimes it feels like someone “picked up” the life we have and is shaking us, like a game, into a slot labeled home. But we are the know that as Jesus holds our hand, we are going to need Him for this bumpy road challenge course called life. Our challenge to keep looking to Him.
We need to hold onto this fixation upon Him, especially when we travel into the rest of this year. After that early morning celebration, we need the Holy Spirit hope and movement going forward, staying on track, lighting the way.
Back up home, I took a moment to see the natural gorgeous waterfalls. We all do love waterfalls, the sight and loud sound, but probably not being in a barrel tumbling down them. We appreciate simply sitting or walking around the waterfalls and hearing that crashing water sound helps drown out noise of our heads overthinking, help us remember that the Lord moves mountains and is IN CONTROL. With a rumble of a waterfall crash or with the calmness of still water, He hold it all in His Power.
In driving, my new driver did well, my new “passenger position” is what stressed me out. In life you also have to let Jesus drive, you have to keep your eyes on Jesus more than the earthly road. And ask for that fresh filling of Spirit – fresh air in the tires that we need to keep rolling…
Follow the Light, the Jesus Headlights, He knows the Way…
Amen to today!
“God is Light, in Him there is no darkness at all”, 1st John 1:5
Jesus Christ has Risen Today! Alleluia!!!! Blessed…
Sunrise Easter service, I am glad I found out about it, a great way to be appreciative of today, starting early… This was in the cemetery overlooking the lake…
This is where some of my family rests, and where my pre-paid plot is. I’m very grateful that Jesus pre-paid my rest in His resurrection too…
Here is my poem for the day:
Death has no sting,
That should be a familiar ring.
For we die but soon after WE WILL FLY.
There is a Heaven to behold, above earth and sky.
.
So on Easter we know,
Our faith in Jesus has to grow.
For Jesus paid the price,
Jesus is the Christ.
Jesus paved the Way,
For our lives this very day.
Let us pause, praise and sing,
Let us have immense JOY, let JOY ring!!!
Amen
—-
I was blessed to read Acts 10:34-40 at the service, having arrived early enough to volunteer.
Peter’s recounting: ” Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every people anyone who fears Him and practices righteousness is acceptable to Him. You know that the message He sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ – He is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after baptism that John announced; how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but GOD RAISED HIM ON THE THIRD DAY and allowed him to appear.”
Yesterday, Good Friday, on our annual trek around town carrying a big cross between churches, a pastor speaker challenged us to think about whom we were walking for. We were surely walking in witness of our trek, remembering the way of Jesus, but were we able to walk “in spirit” for the marginalized, wrongly accused, and ignored people. I do pray justice in mercy for downtrodden folks This walk specifically however I thought to myself that as I was walking enjoying the comradery of Christ-followers that perhaps it was best that I frame my mind in prayer for others without this knowledge… I decided I would walk for the LOST.
LOST. Pray one day that they will find that they were found.
I myself being awake and aware now 10 years, I best find myself to pray mercy of those asleep in faith like I was. I pray for the prideful and even angry, those bothered and bitter, the ignorant and arrogant, the LOST. I pray for their Easter to come, to see the light, to rise from their earthly graves.
What does it mean to be lost? Spiritually lost? I didn’t understand until I was found. There surely are millions of skeptical cynics out there, not just bliss ignorance but vengeful dark mud-stuck lost. May we see one day they prayerfully become sincere seekers. As I am THANKFUL to be found, I cry tears of salvation in JOY, so let me spare a Jesus Tear for these lost.
In the Revolutionary War cemetery on our trek, one of our stops, I learned they found very little of the 248 yr old remnants during excavation performed just 30 years ago. They weren’t moving dissolved caskets, just cataloging what was lost now “found”. The land was swamp marsh and “to dust” (mush, mud, dust) so these soldiers returned, lost in flesh but not in memory. The cemetery was unmarked and long lost. Thankfully they had records of written stories of the burials, then they decided to look hard during the whole area’s excavation for development. They found shifted soil with detectors, some artifacts, and structural 4-deep placement. They had known the recruited hospital was nearby, not far from the battlefield but also entrenched in fever episodes of the day. The clues were ready to be picked up. Bur the soldiers had already moved on. The cemetery found but the soldiers gone. We pray them found.
How can we walk for the lost? By leaving trails, traits, teachings behind. By shining the light forward. By great commission continuation. By shifting the soil under others from dry or rocky or thorny into good. Shifted soil makes for a shifted soul and then joyful memories. Pray for the lost and pick up a cross with a shovel attachment and look to find those who need a little shifting.
We pray to keep walking and keep walking to keep praying.
It’s Good Friday. What makes it good? Jesus did what only Jesus could do, stepped down into earth, stepped down to where all sins got taken from us, and was raised up by God’s ability and power and plan. It’s good for us because not only do we get the rescue via Jesus, it’s good for us because we CAN’T do this ourselves. We can’t! He did.
His LOVE brings us this time now: “that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
Last night after Thursday evening service, I remembered we were supposed to be able to see Starlink in the sky, a string of satellites, lights looking so strangely connected traveling synchronized in the sky. I told someone and pointed to what I thought was west, they both (men of seasoned age, having grown up in that neighborhood) looked at me like I was crazy, west was a whole other way, oops. I never did see it, even if it was a crystal clear night, I didn’t even know the direction, I do now, I think…
Following Jesus is like that, we want to see more and more, we want to have awareness and self-help vision, but we don’t always know our east from the west. We are becoming transformed by His mercy and grace, but our sense of direction will often trip us up. Our humanness makes us flawed, and although that is not an excuse for bad behavior, it is a reality for our weaknesses, which God-help pulls us through. Our awareness is more and more, even to become childlike when we awe at the Lord’s abilities and majesty. Our level of awareness of His awesomeness needs our awareness of Him and only Him being able to be so aware of us as human frailty, and chose to save us. He is the only God Who could.
I once was working at a used book sale, inexpensive prices, but the patron who brought books to my counter said “these were free”, no cost, because the sign said “self-help”. I chuckled but gently explained to the non-native speaker that self-help was a genre of books to help yourself improve, not help yourself for free. And isn’t that true, we can help ourselves improve, but our ultimate ultimate help is not free, Jesus-costly, and by the time all this world is no more for us, we must and only can rely upon what comes from the Lord. There is no free self-help, only Jesus’s Ultimate LOVE and sacrifice. Everything comes through Jesus, fully God, and fully ours.
On this Good Friday, let us absorb thankfulness for Jesus walked our way to show us the Way – looking towards Him, being as Christ-like as we can, and remembering that we fall short but it is Jesus Who has already picked us up.
Amen
An Ultimate Amen!
Philippians 4:4-8 NKJV
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Meditate on These Things Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
1 Peter 2:1-12 NKJV Our Inheritance Through Christ’s Blood Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Living Before the World Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Each Wednesday, I gather with church friends to go through this devotional book based on the scriptures of Jesus’s speaking directly to us. Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. April 11th has like my favorite devotional, it is TIMELESS talking about time… One day at a time!!!
Timeless advice remembering Jesus did not shy back nor go boldly into each day, but stayed humble at the approach to a day that He KNEW what would happen. Jesus was not just recruited into being Jesus, He fully God was before time. So yeah, the Lord knew how to approach the time humbly, living within that days boundaries. The Lord lived in earthly boundaries but with a spirit of forever. We could too.
We should too. We need to forgive the past, realizing we are here in the present by God’s Mercy, and in His Forever by His Grace. So many times we must remind ourselves to stay in the present, as praying for tomorrow is fine, but worrying about it is not.
A poem:
We are human and complained yesterday, worried, wallowed, and whined.
But fresh today prayerfully leaves that all behind.
Jesus please give us today’s rhythm and today’s rhyme.
“This IS the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
For today Lord, we live in and for YOUR TIME.
Amen
Amen – and may you continue to feel the peace and pace of Jesus this Holy Week.
Jesus Calling: April 11 by Sarah Young:
“This is the day that I have made. Rejoice and be glad in it. Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life. BE CAREFUL NOT TO COMPLAIN about anything, even the weather, since I am the Author of your circumstances. The way to handle unwanted situations is to THANK ME FOR THEM. This act of faith frees you from resentment and frees Me to work My ways into the situation, so that good emerges from it.
“To find Joy in this day, you must live within its boundaries. I knew what I was doing when I divided time into twenty-four-hour segments. I understand human frailty, and I KNOW THAT YOU CAN BEAR THE WEIGHT OF ONLY ONE DAY AT A TIME. Do not worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past. There is abundant Life in My Presence today. “
Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Hebrews 3:7- 15 Be Faithful Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
To recount my whole dream would be so convoluted by now as I drifted in and out of sleep… I will remember that in the dream the little piece of paper I held, written at the bottom said “appreciative”.
Being appreciative is a state of mind as well as a commandment as well as the best mental health you could ever have. It’s a frame of mind so crucial – to be appreciative in good and bad. If we wake up in the morning, I pray we remember there is a purpose of today. And I pray that something today finds you finding yourself appreciative.
This morning I woke up – appreciative.
Being appreciative is not grumbling too much.
Appreciative is being woke up by the cat in time to write.
Appreciative is taking a snooze power nap pre-planned later.
Appreciative is having showered in the night time to reduce the pollen levels and taking allergy medicine for this short but pollen-intense time.
Appreciative is having a nice warm bed to snooze in.
Appreciative is remembering this is Easter week without stressing about it.
Appreciative is remembering what Easter week is all about – being appreciative of God’s forgiveness. – Ah….. FORGIVENESS for forgetfulness of being appreciative in all times.
APPRECIATIVE FORGIVENESS
Jesus said: “when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25
Being Appreciative is remembering Jesus died for us, to forgive sins in a tangible way, not just in word only, but in flesh sacrifice and in mission. Therefore we could at least think about forgiveness of others – maybe we get to tell them – maybe we at least get to live the thought process of forgiving them. If Jesus forgave the people, begged on His cross for the Lord God Father to forgive, we could at least try to forgive for His sake. Jesus took on our burdens – not just our burdens of living but our burdens of dying without doing all the forgiving we should have done in life. Remember Jesus’s commandment: forgive in order to be forgiven.
And even if we can’t forget a sin or situation against us – we can remember that Jesus Himself will not hold it against us if we look to Him for help in forgiving…
“Thank You Jesus” was spoken sincerely as words we heard from Gayle King as she exited the Blue Origin rocket capsule and kissed the ground, returned to earth.
I have just now been hearing about this space travel for just a few minutes – tourist travel for sure – got to have the guts – but got to have the money and the guts – this is an expensive thrill.
So do we learn anything? Well these astronauts like Gayle King and Katy Perry surely learned something about keeping their wits together – and surely learned about what their next whole few years of dinner conversations will be – just talking about their experience…. I think they must have learned more about their faith in the hardship of the situation – but the privilege of the situation – I mean they wouldn’t have done it unless it was certified as safe as it could be – (but wow doesn’t look that safe to me – but apparently they have been doing this for a while.)
“Thank You Jesus” – I know that was sincere. I can understand both the thrill of a thrill ride and the thankfulness of safety. “Thank You Jesus” should be out of our mouths everyday – every moment – as Jesus gives us this thrill of life with the safety net of His Hand. Jesus gives us the stretch to walk out and the comfiness of being HOME all at the same time.
I appreciate the Book of Romans today for our scripture in this Holy Week – I don’t think Tuesday has a name – but the remembrance of Jesus in His Journey surely should include the remembrance of HIS timing – and HIS MERCY – to the people who would have known the struggles of living far away from God by their own doing, especially the israelites and judahites who came back together after their Babylon exile, and to the gentiles (romans and many of us) who never knew in the first place and had to hear. In the book of Romans, Paul is writing to gentiles in Rome – as well as anyone who would hear – and explaining why Israel itself needed the gospel – their ignorance and them not being submitted – but then the fulfilment of the law of Moses by the actions of Jesus for us all. “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Paul wrote for the intellect of the people then and now: “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.”
Paul wrote for understanding those who were still asleep in the faith: “Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”
Paul wrote to say that the Gentiles are also justified – grafted into the tree of faith – and that we all have mercy – that those who were once “disobedient to God” – HAVE “now obtained mercy” – “that He might have mercy on all.”
AMEN and thank you Jesus for the mercy – of landing THIS flight and of our flights in life, landing into Your Mercy!
AMEN!
—
Romans 10-11 New King James Version Israel Needs the Gospel Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Israel Rejects the Gospel How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
Israel’s Rejection Not Total I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”
And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always.”
Israel’s Rejection Not Final I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”
Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?”
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.Amen.
Jesus is the Passover Blood Jesus is David’s descendant Jesus is David’s Lord Jesus is our purifying fire. Jesus is establisher of His Kingdom Jesus is the greatness of His governing
Jesus, our Victory Jesus, our Righteousness Jesus, our Hope Jesus, our Lord Jesus our Savior Jesus All in All… Wonderful counselor Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace
Jesus is the Author of never-ending Peace between God and man… Jesus is the sword of truth, as the divider Jesus is the conqueror over evil Jesus is the crusher of the snake Jesus the lamb suffering Jesus the burden holder Jesus the healer of our ailments Jesus the healer of our sin Jesus the conqueror over death
Jesus, Immanuel, God with us Jesus our brother Jesus our Shepherd Jesus the Teacher, “Rabboni”, Rabbi Jesus as God’s Chosen Son in which He was and IS well pleased Jesus our Groom for the church as a Bride
Jesus is our daily bread Jesus is our breath Jesus is our Strength Jesus is our Spirit Jesus is our Judge Jesus is our forgiveness
Jesus our JOY Jesus the Christ Jesus Holy Redeemer Jesus the Blood Jesus the Body Jesus the Sacrificed
Jesus the Master Jesus the Servant Jesus the Word made Flesh Jesus is Love Jesus is the LIGHT… JESUS is THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES
Jesus, is Alpha and Omega, beginning and end. Jesus, Messiah, more than we could EVER imagine. Jesus walks to the Cross this week – FOR GOD – and FOR US.
Children’s Message (aimed for adults as big kids) including scriptures… “Students – ready for our science lesson?” – Pass out palms to congregation – Show PLANT STUFF – PROPS with tablecloths– about photosynthesis, chloroplasts, thylakoids, CF1 CF0… Stomata… so many interesting workings… “So, science students, if this in the plant leaf – in the cell – in the chloroplast is more than we knew or even could fathom, then OH – we are here on Palm Sunday for someone greater and all-knowing WHO ARE WE WAVING THESE PALMS FOR? OH JESUS!!! “Students – so is Jesus more than we can imagine? YES – Jesus is the Messiah – and there were even prophesies for His coming – many – Here is but one of them: from Zechariah 9:9 in prophesy of this day Palm Sunday – the day beginning holy week: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” “These people waiving Palms knew that Jesus had just risen Lazarus from the dead – and had performed many miracles – they believed the hand of God was on Him. “Here is the gospel of John 12:12-16 telling Jesus Coming to Jerusalem as King… “The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting : “Hosanna!” – “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” – “Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.”
big HOSANNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KEEP WAVING………….
Psalm 118:1, 14-15, 22-29 Read in between songs Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. … The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! … The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
2
PALM SUNDAY SERMON HOSANNA!!!!! Let’s say it again waving our palms! Don’t you just love that we are walking into Easter? – But it is going to be a long hard week for Jesus – and we humbly know that His Steps are what He took for His Love of us. His deep deep LOVE. May we hope to return that love to Him today and always. May our JOY be more than our sorrow – May our JOY be a realization that He died for us when we were yet still sinners – and that NOW we know that God’s VICTORY is everything to us. Therefore, we can sing even when we still have trouble in this world. Forever God is Faithful – we could sing that all day – Forever God is faithful – Forever God is strong – Forever God is with us – Forever …. His love endures forever – Sing praise, sing praise… I love this line: For the life that’s been reborn, His love endures FOREVER !!! Yes, “Sing praise, sing praise”, Forever is brought to us by Jesus – not just in Easter – not just Palm Sunday but FOREVER – even in the deepest of winters of our lives, we are to hold out for spring… hold out for FOREVER… HOLD ON TO JESUS… STRENGTH – remember the little card scripture here – He stands by us – I appreciate that we are in the Spring – today it stopped raining (finally) although I was thankful for the rain to knock down the pollen allergies – and yet with spring we can talk about renewal and life and love and the blessings of Easter’s Promise and Hope – We see this in spring renewing every year with the new blooms – the greening up of the grass – the April showers bringing May flowers and May flowers? – well – PILGRIMS – we are the pilgrims on this journey. A journey WITH Jesus this week. Recounting our kid’s message: I hope you enjoyed learning about the intricacies of plant leaves and the fascination of complex photosynthesis, thylakoid pancake grana stacks, knob-shaped ATP producing and using protein complexes CF0CF1, F0F1, and yes the antenna-like photosystems of chlorophyll and accessory pigments – the complexity that takes in CO2 – makes life-giving Oxygen gas, make Carbon complex sugar molecules, stores up, uses, and makes renewing energy – and allows flower to bloom and fruits to be set. We love to learn and we barely scratch the surface!!! It is WISDOM for us to know that as much as we learn, we realize we don’t even know a fraction of how it all works, let alone comes together all in an area smaller than a speck – it is more than we can even imagine – more than our microscopes can see – more than our imaginations too. Us not knowing makes me hunger for more knowledge and all of us realize that we cannot know all things – but we are to know they work together in concert … And Have Faith in the unseen…
3 SO… I want us to learn today more about God – know and believe in the things that we cannot even see – to know God is to know how He brings things together for the GOOD… and for us to barely scratch the surface of all that He does for us…. All He has and that He is still doing. To know God is to know Love – His Love is AMAZING, VAST, more than we can ever imagine.
When we learn about God’s Love – knowing God’s LOVE – we learn about Jesus – and in our Knowing God series of sermons – I present today that we continually want to know God more – and more – and WOW, Jesus, Messiah, is more than we could ever imagine….
Previously, we brought up our prophet Jonah was told to cry to Ninevah, scooped up inside that whale because he did not want to go – Jonah experienced 3 days of repentance, remorse, and surely fear – I don’t know how you would feel inside of a whale – but fear is a human emotion that we experience… And Jonah came OUT of the whale to preach as God directed him, to preach to all the sinful people – even if he could never imagine they would repent. For us to know God – we know and imagine Jesus coming out of the tomb, 3 days later to SAVE all the sinful people – already KNOWING to be their Shephard – to be the Word – to be our All in All.
Jesus walking into Jerusalem (actually riding on the donkey) – Jesus KNEW His Mission – no whale was needed – Jesus DID choose to walk this path… Jesus chose to save us before we even knew Him. As our scriptures recounted: Jesus came into Jerusalem at the what we now call Palm Sunday – John’s gospel tells us that Jesus had been there multiple times – of course we know of him as a boy going there to the temple, losing mom and dad, this journey was common in that time – and known to Him, taking the trek as a human and as the Savior. And so, it is no surprise that the timing of this entry was expected, known, prophesized, and palatable and real to Jesus. Others were in awe, Jesus was in fulfilment of “doing His job” which He knew from before time, it was a path He was to take. Jesus did come into Jerusalem knowing the week ahead – the hard steps –– We know the crowd was there in cheers on Sunday – and yet the crowd later would take to jeers by Friday on crucifixion day – disillusioned and disappointed… The Sunday crowd thought Jesus was an earthly king. Oh, Jesus was much more than that – as many would discover in one week’s time with the resurrection of this the Christ. There would be many who would turn away but come back again – we too who have turned from Him are always welcomed back – to know Jesus is to know He is Always there for us.
On that Palm Sunday, Jesus came in “on His Word” fulfilling prophecy – and even if the crowd was in cheers, Jesus came in – on that donkey – IN TEARS… Luke’s gospel states the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” – “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”… As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.”
4 Should the people have known? Should they have been looking for more than an earthly king appointed by God? They surely thought Jesus or any potential earthly king would swoop in and save them from Roman rule and oppression. So many times we hear that the peoples’ eyes had been closed and ears had been closed – how many times did Jesus petition for those to hear – to see… We know from the reading of Psalm 118 and from the prophet Zachariah, that God’s messenger and God’s fulfillment would come… Zechariah’s prophesy came in the rebuilding time – after Babylon’s rule – His visions were surely complicated to the future but this portion is about a Messianic King – to understand that the people would cheer this Heavenly messenger – would come humbly and then be rejected – and there was a complicated time frame to understand that people were likely not aware of – and then there is that “crowd mentality” that took over – especially end of the week…
EXCEPT for the ones whose eyes and ears were starting to be opened – to those who were filled with Spirit like 30 years prior for Simeon and Anna in the temple when Jesus was brought in as a baby… but unfortunately most did not imagine this Jesus would be amazing and King to come. It clearly states in John’s gospel of wisdom years later that: “Only after Jesus was GLORIFIED did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him” …. And Psalm 118 probably attributable to King David – mentions the Messianic King – who we now know in spirit-site to be Jesus – to be prophesied to reign on and restore the Kingdom – this too speaks of the coming and the rejection of Jesus: stating The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone – so Jesus knew this plan – helped author the plan – and ached for those who did not understand and don’t understand.
Jesus’s tears – if one could have seen them – they would have spoke volumes if not these words: “Forgive them Lord they know not what they do”, spoken on the cross and surely felt deep inside by Jesus riding in: Forgive them Lord, they really don’t know WHO I am…. I pray we understand Jesus as the LOVE that God sent – remembering John 3:16-17 “ For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” — Knowing Jesus aching in His hear there for the crowd there that day – and for us to Know Him now – to request us to REPENT of sins – we learn our God is a God of sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed out of LOVE for giving His Way to repentance – for giving God’s Grace and Mercy. Knowing God is knowing that Jesus came to save. Psalm 118 again: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”
5 One of my favorite favorite scriptures of Jesus – stating how IMPORTANT it is for Him to come in saving Grace is from Luke’s Gospel: Jesus’s disciples were hoop and hollering this Hosanna – and “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” – “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” – WOW – [hold up rock with smiling face] – We are encouraged and told to both believe and shout it out – that the rocks will cry out if we don’t acknowledge this greatness of the Glory of God bringing Victory over Sin and Death.
I want to acknowledge and celebrate that this has been the week of Passover – the most celebrated of the Jewish faith – and we too should have the reflection of God’s amazing act in the Book of Exodus – of Moses’s charge to bring the slaves out from Egypt – and the preparation of their meal before the escape – to put the blood of the lamb on their doors and have the angel of death pass over and skip their houses from a terrible plaque. The Lord told the people who did escape to pass these stories down in generations to generations – it is in Leviticus to remember this time of Moses and the enslaved people.
And so for us to Know God – we must on faith be in the knowledge of God’s Plan – and to Know Jesus is to know Him as our Passover Lamb – His blood shed…
We can raise our branches of palms in Hosanna for both His entrance to Holy Week – and wave them for the sake of having our lives now – and for our entrance to Heaven by Way of His Way…
I am going to wrap up my sermon in a practice of understanding Jesus – so many things He is to us – I want us to take a deep absorbing of these truths about Jesus – as I read them – let us think of Who Jesus is to us personally – to that crowd that day – and to know Jesus Forever as we KNOW His entry into Holy Week turns into His Resurrection – and our FOREVER…. (so here we go – please mediate on all these – and imagine each step of Jesus this week like the movement to the Cross):
6
[slowly read] TO KNOW JESUS IS TO KNOW:
To Know Jesus is to KNOW: Jesus, is MORE than just the earthly king. Jesus is the Passover Blood Jesus is David’s descendant Jesus is David’s Lord Jesus is our purifying fire. Jesus is establisher of His Kingdom Jesus is the greatness of His governing Jesus our Victory Jesus our Righteousness Jesus our Hope Jesus our Lord Jesus our Savior Jesus All in All… Wonderful counselor. Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace Jesus is the Author of never-ending Peace between God and man… Jesus is the sword of truth, as the divider Jesus is the conqueror over evil Jesus is the crusher of the snake Jesus the lamb suffering Jesus the burden holder Jesus the healer of our ailments Jesus the healer of our sin Jesus the conqueror over death Jesus, Immanuel, God with us Jesus our brother Jesus our Shepherd Jesus the Teacher, “Rabboni”, Rabbi Jesus as God’s Chosen Son in which He was and IS well pleased Jesus our Groom for the church as a Bride Jesus is our daily bread Jesus is our breath Jesus is our Strength Jesus is our Spirit Jesus is our Judge Jesus is our forgiveness Jesus our JOY Jesus the Christ Jesus Holy Redeemer Jesus the Blood Jesus the Body Jesus the Sacrificed Jesus the Master Jesus the Servant Jesus the Word made Flesh Jesus is Love Jesus is the LIGHT… JESUS is THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES Jesus, is Alpha and Omega, beginning and end. Jesus, Messiah, more than we could EVER imagine. Jesus walks to the Cross this week – FOR GOD – and FOR US Amen and AMEN
This writing is #206 of over 2000 now – a great reminder to keep blooming because you never know who God has to put in your path and you theirs…
I appreciate now that I was 10 years ago realizing that God put these thoughts into my head – it was up to me to move my fingers faster and capture them..
Thank You God for making me and making us BLESSED IN THE BLOOM…
…
God Wants YOU in HIS Bouquet in Heaven, 08July2015 #206
I’d like to take the wonderful opportunity to say thank you to God for placing such certain people in my path. I have and had so many wonderful people to learn from, pull the best characteristics from each one into my bouquet of life…. Blessedly more amazing people, than terrible people… But I learn from those folks as well… Learn to delineate the good from the bad traits within each person (because we all have both), the roses from the thorns, the grain from the weeds.
Matthew 13:29-30 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
When God choose me, and when God choose you, He let all the seeds grow, grain and weeds alike… good grain people and weed people/temptations (planted by the evil one). When it is time to harvest, the weeds are set aside and burnt… And the best in you will be taken into the barn of God… into HIS eternal kingdom!!! Yes, you see God let those bad habits grow like weeds alongside your best grain characteristics. He dare not pull the weeds that intercalated into your being, entangled all around you, because the grain of who you are is/was not yet mature, it is/was not yet firmly rooted in good soil.
When you are mature enough, which does not depend on your age, God will call you louder by name… God will lead you to Jesus… maybe others will cajole Him to come into your house and raise your life spirit like Jarius’ daughter (Luke 8:41-56)… Maybe you will cry out in painful screams of angst… When God says it’s time to wake up, you sometimes snooze thru the alarm, then angrily realize you weren’t ready to get up but God called you anyway. When you wake up earlier than the alarms, it’s refreshing and peaceful to see God coming for you, and you can be ready and waiting for HIM. You can work on your root growth deeper and obey his Word.
Before harvest God says: it’s time to get right with the Lord…. It’s time to start pulling those weeds within you, so hold on tight to your roots planted in ME… God’s harvest of the good in your crop will become easier and less painful if you cooperate with God and not work against him, if you identify and start eliminating the weeds in your life… If you dig deep and get to the roots of these vice-causing traits and clean out your soul.
It’s ok if you can’t get out all the weeds or invasive roots out before God takes you, it’s ok because God knows any harvest, no matter how small is still pleasing (Matthew 13:23). God will take you as you are. Be grateful and let God bless you with HIS joy.
God sees the Jesus within you, and takes you for HIS bouquet of heaven. God loves you and will keep you forever…
Oh – ten years since my first real realization Easter and I am blessed to remember the story of Jarius’s daughter because that is the story of ME – of me as a child asleep in her faith and at God’s direction, Jesus swooped in and woke me up – hand in hand He Raised me.
Yeah…
10 years ago my reading of a pretend narration that could have been made by Jarius’ daughter was perfect for me – meant so much for me to read at the sunrise Easter service that year – my first year awakened. Our Pastor sure knew how to pick up on my awakening.
This was a speech that “could” have been said by Jarius’s daughter and sure was and IS said by me – and the first line is “I was not surprised that the man who brought me back to life rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion. I was proof that he had power over death.”
Here is the rest of my writing – where I was acknowledging that I was still dissecting this new creation that the Lord put together in me. I am GRATEFUL to acknowledge that I am God’s Daughter STILL!!!!
10 years ago:
“I was not surprised that the man who brought me back to life rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion. I was proof that he had power over death.”
Yup Yup Yup…. that’s me in a nutshell… I am not surprised at hardly anything that God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit do anymore – not surprised at all… sometimes I question the timing and say “Really God?” but I don’t question the motive. And, I say “Really God? – little me?” So much time and energy that God has spent just for me? – unreal… but He is doing this for EVERYONE and not just me – I just am blessed to notice it more and more.
I so realize now that I am not the one who this “corrective action” was for. Sure, it happened to me and I get to benefit in the glorious happenings – but really, I have to say that God chose me as a servant – which is not a surprise. For my whole life, my family has raised me as a servant to serve others – I get the greatest joy from seeing others happy – I am just happy to be me and to make others smile…. So yeah, it is not a surprise to me that God took me and said: “OK girl, let’s fix you and put your head on straight and focus you on what you are supposed to be here for” – and now He says: “Let’s Roll!”
So – it is/was the strangest experience to have been “awakened” – in Jesus’ eyes I (as Jairus’ daughter) was simply sleeping – in people’s eyes I (as Jairus’ daughter) was completely dead and they were too late and there was nothing they could do and why even bother… Well, at least someone DID bother – and for me that somebody was God… God bothered to think of me – even with everything He holds in His hands (as the song lyric goes: “and He makes time for me, I can’t understand…”).
I now see in this very recent stage (now three months after my awakening) that I am in a new phase – which I am calling the “SELF-AUTOPSY” phase – I am dissecting and examining every aspect of self – to the detriment of time sure, but hopefully to the glorification of God, so that at the bare minimum it is to figure out how I got here and how can I sustain where I am – one would hate to fall back asleep – I vow to NOT let that happen to me – and I doubt God would ever let that happen anyway, He’s got plans, I can plainly see… He even made my sins clearer to see – and when the Devil is creeping up in old or strange new ways, it has become so much more easy for me to spot it. Even the mundane sins are still sins and it’s a binary 0/1 or on/off designation – you are all sinners doesn’t matter if you killed someone or did something “light” – still sinners in God’s eyes…
Yes, this self-autopsy has me WIDE open – and I don’t mind – as Jarius’s daughter (in the play) says: “It’s not been a terrible sacrifice.” – which is true – I have been easily telling my tale now – not a problem God, it’s OK, if you are guiding me I will follow. Does it matter what others see, no it doesn’t matter to me…. BUT – it does matter to those people who see it. They either don’t want to see it – or don’t even notice – or they are at least curious and want to see it – and in that case I am happy to share. I have not yet had to scare people with it – but I wonder if that will happen – probably.
SO, there are some SQUEAMISH people out there – they don’t want to see my spiritual blood and guts – they might get tired of seeing my sins and/or my saintly moments strewn out for display – think about some carefully preserved glass jars of formaldehyde with my parts preserved for eternity… BUT, there are also some JADED people out there – it doesn’t even phase them to see what is going on with me – they just keep walking – don’t pay any attention to someone that God has opened their whole heart and soul for the world to see… nope, that doesn’t even register with those people. This is EXACTLY like the times when I can walk down a hallway with a red clown nose on – or easter eggs glued to the top of my car – and they don’t even crack a smile (I love it when the people are trying to hold back and be serious – but it gets them and they fight the smile – they just don’t want to be moved – but it starts to creep out of them)…. BUT – there are tons of those curious people – well, it doesn’t matter whether they are ambulance chaser folks or just super interested in how this happened to me or curious or scared how and IF this might happen to them….
Jarius’s daughter says (in the play version): “I must give my life to the one who has given it back to me. I have to surrender my desires and follow his teachings instead.” – and this I know: there are going to be some more painful trials ahead and yet I won’t have to endure any of them without God’s reassurances, Jesus’s hugs, and the Holy Spirit’s lifting presence.
OK God, Let’s Roll!
—– Mark 5:35-43 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.”But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
We got home and then I went back out to the car, looking looking looking because my son lost his wallet (probably) in there, knew he used it in the car, good for that. So yeah it was a situation with an unknown mystery and he started to retrace his steps (again). My first time looking, I bumped my hand against it – found it “easily” while getting trash (straw wrappers) out of the way. I hadn’t seen it blending in either until it was SO OBVIOUSLY there. But really it took a second. Then, I left it there and called to him to come see. It was a ‘teachable moment”… true… it was OK, nothing lost, but still a moment for teaching the value of reevaluating and relooking without panicking.
So you’ve been there surely – imagine in a panic (hopefully never) of this type of situation – a wallet or phone or whatever… Remember too the hope – those memories of “it is OK” it might resurface, should resurface, will resurface and then it WAS OK. That trust is teachable. We fortunately or unfortunately have LOTS of teachable moments.
Isn’t that true for us in faith too? We should be teachable and reassured that mistakes happen, accidents too. And we need to get into a learning frame of mind!
Another teachable moment for kids this time was tonight – I was happy to help just for a little bit at a STEAM event – Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math hosted at the high school for a madhouse of kids – wow. I sat and helped and I love watching the kids WANT to learn – want to TRY – want to PARTICIPATE. And I appreciate having enough strength to tell the parents who might try to “do it” for their kids to LET THEIR KIDS LEARN. Of course each parent was super close and monitoring.
Interesting that THIS is EXACTLY how God is handing us – allowing us to learn – wanting us to learn – and OF COURSE being RIGHT THERE – monitoring – guiding – WANTING to be relied upon. God would rather we NOT take it into our hands only – He would rather we LEARN to be dependent upon Him – and when we praise Him – we please Him.
A teachable moment from God is a real adventure in faith…
Keep Faith!
Keep keepin on!
Amen
—
Keeping the Word – Luke 11:27-28 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Oh wow, it’s starting… TREE POLLEN!!! I never used to be allergic, well…. rats… and it rained 3 days and wow relief… Who knew the smallest POLLEN could be so powerful in overwhelming our systems. Maybe we should remember this for spreading faith, yes spread seeds but first be the busy bees that pollinate the blooms of people’s faith. Spread the Word, bring it directly to each person. DON’T OVERWHELM THEM – that is for the Lord to work on opening eye and ears – we are to just be present COVERED IN POLLEN.
In seed spreading, we could toss or drop seeds into any soil. In pollination, the POLLEN has to get to the right flowers, so imagine the right Word getting to the right ears. And by the Word, I mean also our actions consistent with the Word, the encouragement, the kindness, the gentle chastising too.
POLLEN can fly in the wind, but it’s a good thing for bees and moths to both feed on the flowers and POLLEN, and for extra POLLEN to cover their fuzz. Then a vehicle for transport is established to get POLLEN to the same alike flowers, fast… Fly fly fly, jump jump jump, buzz buzz buzz!
The Fruiting of Faith starts with the POLLEN of patience, of perseverance, of prayer. The seeds of harvest start with the hearing of hope.
Let us be busy bees today!
Pollinate and ACHHOOOO…
God Bless You!!
AMEN
—
Matthew 4:17-25
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond Jordan.
If last week’s word of the week was Strengthening, then this week my word is ENRICHMENT. Yes, enriching the soil, like in the garden, and enriching our lives with nourishing feedings of the Word with enrichment to GROW.
One growth is to appreciate what God thinks of us over what anyone else does. Our enrichment is physical often in hearing, but our mindset is SPIRITUAL in focus and refocus to pick up on the cues and clues to our strengthening. In other words, we need to realize that GOD IS FOR US!
A song aptly placed in a youtube feed for me was “The Blessing”, a 2020 song by Cody Carnes, Elevation Worship, also sung by Kari Jobe. Ah 2020, do you remember that we thought in 2020 about 20:20 vision – and trust the scriptures that the Lord has envisioned us in each of our days – sometimes strengthened and sometimes needing strengthening. The lyric in this song “The Blessing” rings out loud and clear: “He is for you. He is for you.”
The other song that hit me perfectly right is Mudcrutch’s “I don’t scare easy” – sung by Tom Petty. We should not scare easy if we are in our best intentions and have some experiences that DID scare us, but shouldn’t now. We need to know that we got through certain experiences before and we will get through them again…
If we could step through our days NOT with more hubris but with humble confidence in HIS LOVE, in the Lord’s strength and purpose, we could approach life with more energy and stick-to-it-tive-ness. We could stand more strong in the wind. We could remember that we are always a child of God, no matter what. And this gives us also the freedom to not retaliate nor swing back, but turn that other cheek on our way OUT of the way of barbs that won’t stick.
Romans 8 reminds us of God’s everlasting love: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
And the book of Numbers 6:24-26 gives us the familiar blessing: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
SO, to be enriched with Spirit is to know that God sometimes puts us in locations that might get heated, but we are the cool of the Spirit to muster through. Then the coolness of hot and cold people also will remind us that there is no victory in the world or winning over people, our victory stand is with the Lord in His stance – we are more than conquerors in HIS LOVE.
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8
The Lord bless you and keep you Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you The Lord turn His face toward you And give you peace
x2 Amen, amen, amen Amen, amen, amen
. The Lord bless you and keep you Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you The Lord turn His face toward you And give you peace Amen, amen, amen x4
. May His favor be upon you And a thousand generations And your family and your children And their children, and their children
.x4 May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you All around you, and within you
. He is with you, he is with you In the morning, in the evening In your coming, and your going In your weeping, and rejoicing He is for you, he is for you He is, He is
. Amen, amen, amen x4
—
Romans: 8:28-39 NKJV
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
God’s Everlasting Love What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long;We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
It’s the growing season, yes we love to work the soil. I put more into the veggie garden than I get out of it, and yes the soil is more expensive than the seed!!! So this year I’m changing it up for container gardening for peas and beans and strawberries. My garden needs weeding too, because I do see strawberries making a comeback there too, strawberries propagate by runners, a shoot to become rooted, and sow down the lane…
We in faith, like the plants need good soil to root, plant ourselves and fruit. We in faith also have to branch out into new soils or spread seeds outward because new soils mean we are reaching, spreading the ABILITY to grow, not just tending close by.
We know we are to spread seeds, but God does the ultimate miracle of growth… Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven – so many parables about seeds and soil and growth – as well as spreading them. I find too that the Lord has invested SO MUCH into the soil – so MUCH in so much as sending Himself down here to accomplish growth for everyone – the opportunity for salvation – the teaching to repent – the gift of the forgiveness of sins. The stage is set – the soil is poured and the nutrients are available. The Lord wants to have a well-watered season, and fruit in good yields.
I recently heard an interview with Rick Steves, travel expert, and Martin Sheen, TV and film star, about India and how experiencing travel puts into perspective our needs and wants. Travel is a whole level of privilege. It taught them to count blessings looking at the situations of impoverished people, and how they were grateful for having a passport and ability to get on a plane for their work – to travel the world . We can see the scenes on TV, but the in-person experience of the people changes your perspective. We grow by experiences.
We also surely grow in faith by experiences. We understand that Jesus loves all people (and there certainly are a lot of people in the world), and so we must keep working the soil – around us and sending seeds ahead – spreading faith – and enriching our own.
May we, like Jesus’s disciples, keep leaning into the learning and then sharing all that we have insight for – may we keep growing to keep teaching…
Amen
—-
Mark 4 excerpts
The Parable of the Growing Seed
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
BEHOLD Baubles and Bargains and Brownies and Bathrooms and Bed, Blessings to Lay One’s Head.
My Saturday was SO BUSY, I BLESSEDLY was most thankful to go to bed after a BUSY day. Basically weekend warriors work at wacky combinations of wows on weekends. Days off are days ON. And we get WORN OUT.
Basic living is what we need, right? But we surely live anything but basically these days – especially in blessed american dream dedication. Days are both blessed and burdened with baubles and busy. I could babble on about baubles – but I need to be back to the basics.
So what is the busy we should be basically doing? Be less burdened? Be more basic? How about BEHOLDING BLESSINGS and BEING THANKFUL. There is where we find BLISS!
Jesus said to a deciding disciple: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Basically we have to live life more lightly. LIGHT as in less burdened and LIGHT as in lit up for Christ – LIGHTING the WAY of HIS WAY – BEING LIGHT AND SALT!
I know it’s hard to be a full-time disciples for Jesus, but for a basic purpose, we best live “making due” and be thankful for what we do have! We are supposed to be BOLSTERING the BRIGHTNESS of the DAY – and yes, taking a battery recharge for ourselves. You can’t be ON all the time from artificial light, you need to tap into a resourceful recharge. (Thus me/us resting now and pondering the restart for today.)
Yes, our days are filled with busy. Yesterday I was selling Christmas stuff at a local non-profit rummage sale at a historic site, gifting smiles and daffodils in my Santa suit, for “Christmas in April” – people were shocked and laughed – I sold about half my room contents in bargains that the people appreciated – they also appreciated looking inside the renovations of the place – chatting – and just reminiscing… My favorite was little kids with their treasures (like little bird figures) which we either gave away or inexpensively sold. My ultimate JOY in seeing JOY was a 20-something who saw the wooden painted plaques for a video game and I gave them away at 2 for $1 – and he gave me a hug in astonishment and glee – yeah – JOY in the TREASURE find…. FUN… Then we had to take the time for packing packing packing the leftovers for another sale day. My Christmas stuff was easy – 3 bins consolidated – but oh those vintage tea cups of fine china, from the other room, which were priced at pennies practically to simply unburden the big collection of attic finds, they took some time to repack. It is interesting to realize that these items, so beautiful and useful, came across the seas from places far away 75 years ago plus. They might have been used well or just viewed. I remarked that we are trying to practically give away something that an ancestor may have fought for as an inheritance…
Busy continuing, I then zipped home to grab a shower and be on the road again to a friend’s invitation to bingo fundraiser for the betterment of a cat shelter charity, lots of “B2’s” and “G52’s” but no winning except for the blessings of friendship and food, and thus the blessings of clean bathrooms, public and home, and the ultimate daily blessing of BED, whew!!!
Put a basic need in the busy lives we lead, how do we find the blessings? But just BEING and just BELIEVING in a purpose greater than basic living. Being with people who are thankful. Being thankful. Believing in thankfulness. It is a lesson for us, in learning from life now, to approach each day with less lust of life’s loads of loots, and be more transient, less trashful and more true. We need to truthfully TRUST in being TEMPORARY in this world, and just enjoy one day at a time.
Jesus Himself said there is a cost to discipleship, that He Himself has no place to lay His head, must keep moving, must go out to work His Word-spreading work. We have work – in the worthy living of life. We have rest – in the restfulness of realization of temporary work in the here and now for eternal rest.
Isn’t life funny? We surely are human and we accumulate stuff and dust, we are human and fight for stuff like teacups that once were inheritance but now that outlive us, and maybe are burdens to pack in future generations for them to move or sell. We pour money into extravagant but fun events for foodies, but now eat off paper plates and fill trash cans with waste. (Trust me we wasted none of the yummy food from the bingo event last night – I just ate the leftovers of chicken salad sandwiches and half a brownie for breakfast, yum). Life is funny as we pay money for a chance to win something like at bingo, that we could have just bought ourselves, but for the sake of a good cause, sure, it’s about community… Our jolly allows the recipients of the money to live better (in this case cats to have shelter and food while they await the home that will spoil them!). I enjoyed the event, feeling the normalcy in joy, and the blessing of friends of friends, knowing my gut said my blessing is to be thankfully present at all things in the present. I appreciated the normalcy for the woman next to me too – who had her arm covered and had been going thru cancer treatments. I also marveled looking across the room that 5 years ago we would never be here – we flew out of that covid era – it is like a distant memory now… Do we count our blessings for that?!? I also marveled at the historical site rummage sale that we are just a few stewards now of back-breaking work to build the infrastructure of the day – including indoor plumbing – are we thankful for that? I hope so!
So – what is the message in my wandering of pondering, plunked down in my restful den of a house? That we need to take our rechargeable spirits, and recharge them and look where to shine the LIGHT today – and if we have human limitations of needing daily down time, we have to simply be thankful to have what we have when we have it. And when we feel low, we should look for Jesus’s LIGHT. And we have to remember that we have to BEHOLD BLESSINGS – no matter what they are – even in trials – whether they are brownies at bingo – or baubles at bargain prices – or blessings of modern bathrooms and beds.
We take the blessing to lay our head – into the rest of the ONE, Jesus, Who did not rest from His mission even if He did rest from his long days. Let us be MOST thankful – that He has shown and shone us the Way. Be the Light and the Salt of the day!
Amen
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The Cost of Discipleship Matthew 8:19-22 NKJV
And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
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Matthew 6:19-34 NKJV
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Lamp of the Body “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
You Cannot Serve God and Riches “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Do Not Worry “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
The label on the bathroom towel dispenser “MARATHON” reminded me of the Jackson Brown song, “Get up and do it again.” That we are in a marathon of life. That life changes and yet doesn’t. There are common situations all around, even if the scenery or seasons change. Then there’s core situations that instruct us that “what is old is new again”. No matter what season or place we are in, we best to keep moving, learn from the past, and apply newness to the new times. Times change, but yet how many repeated scenarios will we encounter? Many… Many…
Marathon life. Keep running… Don’t forget to shine… If the Lord doesn’t change, He doesnt, and if our gifted salvation is secured by our belief in the Lord, asking forgiveness, it is, then who are we not to be working out in the world with a renewal of faith every day. Jesus said to remember this and SHINE.
Today I’m helping with a rummage sale for a local non-profit. Selling for proceeds, yes, because they need money to paint the place to preserve it, but also since clearly things at the sale are priced to move – they don’t want to keep it all!!! Reducing the volume of what surely was donations and attic accumulations and what not. Dishes are a quarter, the stuff is OLD and yet not. The stuff is simply A LOT! And if we don’t sell it we have to pack it up! So we want to sell it!!!
My marathon marvel moments were MANY last night, the first time I stepped into the sale set up… First this is a reminder for the many church rummage sales of the 70s, that my mom used to volunteer with. Stacks and stacks, and people chomping at the bit to come in. Other marathon memories include taking my kids to this mansion to absorb history and remember that we are to remember. But what got me last night walking in to help price, was that the SAME CHRISTMAS donations that I personally brought were there for me to SELL, AGAIN, haha, Lord that is funny. After selling for my friend who is moving, these are now the SAME in the room that I am staffing for selling today… weird and not… It’s like I’m in a loop of my life for a reason. And yet I think the lesson here is just keep living life… This is an opportunity to share and to shine – and have fun for a good cause – and really – I hope we DO sell it and not have to pack it up and sell it again…
I heard the birds chirping last night as I was putting price tags on – it is definitely spring and we could even leave doors open in the warmth of the weather… it was a short long winter and spring has sprung. Yet I am going to wear my Christmas outfit because it is funny – humor is timeless. SO we have no excuse to not get out of our ruts of winter and move forward.
Our scripture for motivation today is Jesus reminding us to live life and keep living it – no matter how many times around the sun – we need to shine the LIGHT of HIM. We don’t shine to shine our accomplishments – we shine to show that He is still lighting us up from within… We as believers are called to be salt and light. – let us shine and not put our lights under baskets – let us keep salty preserving the goodness trusting inside of us. Let us KEEP LIGHTING UP FAITH IN EACH OTHER!
Ok – time to keep going and get rolling…
It is time to shine….
Amen and please read: Matthew 5 – Believers Are Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
It is Easter coming – and we condense an already condensed 3 years of ministry into a month of study – and watch and feel Jesus in His Journeying… Some days easy, some days hard… I would say that it was a novel new day each day – yet Jesus KNEW EXACTLY what He was walking into…
Jesus Begins to Preach (Matthew 4:12-17)
When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali – to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles –THE PEOPLE LIVING IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT; on those living in the land of the shadow of death A LIGHT HAS DAWNED.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
A Jesus Journey never stops…
My journey this past year and 10 years has no scale nor complexity that Jesus had – but yet I realize that this Jesus Journey for each of us is mapped out in a TRIP-TIK if we choose to open that up with the Lord’s account – and study the roadmap of life. Our lives can be the open road or the intricate mountain passes or the tiny street nooks of fun things to look at. Really our Jesus-journey is for each of us and so varied even day to day…
I enjoyed my trip yesterday – gave a talk and saw the operations of a very impressive small group. When someone said “You are getting so much mileage out of that 4 weeks sabbatical” I reply YES I AM! – I did not imagine that I could use it to drive encouragement to as many people as possible AT WORK, as the opportunities to speak to big small groups of people and especially individuals fell right into my life-mission “TRIP-TIK”. WELL… YES… Yes, I actually DID know and was excited for the possibilities. I knew that both for my learning and for the eventual teaching, that it is SO IMPORTANT to take folks on this journey of science and life… and oh the people you will meet – and all that fun stuff in between. It is not all about me – but about the gears turning inside the mindsets of the folks you get to talk to – the folks who are going places even when sitting simply at a lunch and learn before dashing back to the lab. It was a joy of seeing minds turning for the places that the students of life will go…
So yes, I hopped in my Subaru and with my PowerPoint slide decks fully decked out – these are encouragement slides and science journey slides that I started making at the same time I started my sabbatical – I even wondered at my hyper-drive to spend 3 hours one Sunday afternoon at the beach plugged into the electricity of the boardwalk pavilion to work on 5 slides which are beautiful to me – and meaningful to my experiments – and a treasure of trivial stuff that is not trivial. So, with these slides in hand, I jumped at the opportunity to visit one of our sister-sites. SO COOL TO SEE IN PERSON! I also brought my own posterboards of my science fair of me – and just like the day before this, when I was a science fair judge – you need good shoes to keep journeying on this life journey… and good tires too as yesterday was rain rain rain – but no problem for my new-ish tires…
Crossing the BIG bridge, in to and from the event, and seeing the majesty of the steel towering, I was impressed with visual beauty of engineering usefulness combined with the strength of it – that bridge was sturdy – and I am sure and hopeful that the engineering designs allow it to withstand extreme weather conditions and whatnot… Can you imagine the folks sitting up at the top and overseeing their work – knowing that generations to come would benefit from their day to day back-breaking work. Now imagine that small scale – at the work bench – at the engineering discussions – at the data crunching – at the anything that you do locale… Imagine that again in bigger life-scale – and then in God-scale – and then come back to that Jesus Journey that Jesus went on during his short time on earth… It is not just engineering and timing – it is a whole Majestic view of God’s Sovereignty to take us on our journeys just like Jesus took Himself on His… God is walking us back to Him – and giving us Mountains to both look at and climb, valleys to admire and slide into, and flat even life fields too – just walk the narrow way rather than the wide wander.
I have the best advice that I can give – live today in a Jesus-Way… Just be open to the opportunities – and get out there and meet the people – and be the “encourager” or use whatever spiritual gift you have for this life journey… KEEP WALKING… Good shoes… Maybe bring a good PowerPoint set of slides or posterboards too… Take your smile and your listening ears…
Bring your Jesus Journey to where He needs you to go.
Jesus, He Went His OWN Way, and the devil went away (for a while). Jesus stood strong against temptation by the devil in the wilderness, which is where the Spirit led Him, to pray and fast, which was to fulfill prophecy. Jesus prevailed by speaking His OWN Way of Scripture into His direction. Jesus quoted truth: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’, and ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’, and ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’… Quoted from the truth. Jesus also rebuked the wrong use of Scripture when the Devil tempted Him. We too must remember that the evil one twists truth, but Jesus lays our way and His Way STRAIGHT…
Follow Jesus really closely and don’t let the devil distract. Let Jesus Keep Us On Track.
Like Jesus, in hunger, reach for the daily bread of His Word over the worldly wilderness of wanting.
And keep walking…
Amen
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Luke 4:1-13 NKJV
Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”
Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
Fast Fast – we like everything FAST! And yet we yearn to slow down…
We also think too fast and comprehend too slowly – we are human.
We need a moment!
Even Jesus went to the wilderness – more for just a moment – He went 40 days at times – such a long time… Actually He wanted to go, did not hesitate – and he went to rest NOT like a spa but to be apart from the world but in the mind of His SPIRIT – Jesus went to pray, to fast, to be tempted like us humans, and to demonstrate worship in the way He knew was the best way – to completely TRUST – by being completely in God’s Hands.
And God sent angels.
God ministered to Jesus (like to us) with extra hands of angels. God told Jesus (and those there at John the Baptist’s scene) that He was Pleased with His Son. Then Jesus took the time out to go to the wilderness. Mark’s gospel is the shortest but to the point: And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Jesus already knew that the Spirit led Him there – required Him to Trust – would be there WITH HIM.
Angels are everywhere – the wilderness is wild but not barren.
My cat sits sometimes looking at the wall – I wonder of her wondering – but I think she is looking at angels who are telling her to sit – to wait – to rest. I can’t even imagine the angels who are attending me attending us – except that they are – and that they are for all of us for God’s Spirit in us sake. Angels are working all the angles in our lives – especially the spiritual battles that we are not even paying attention to. “Angels are all around us” – we say this phrase but do we know the scriptures? I went to google and “AI” found angel scriptures. Really “AI” is algorithms for the searching, then let us say “AIM”, I will make a new acronym, to be “Angels in Ministry” – and for us to be in the receiving. The AIM of life in this wilderness of earth is for us to be in the receiving – in the trust – in the living of our lives.
All around us is God’s AIM – that is God’s Angels in Ministry.
Let us accept their help.
Amen
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Mark 1:9-13 NKJV
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
MORE AIM – Angels in Ministry:
Psalm 91:11-12: “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone”. Psalm 34:7: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them”. Hebrews 1:14: “Are not all of them ministering spirits sent out to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” Matthew 18:10: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.” Exodus 23:20: “See, I am sending an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.”
My friend’s son made a cute easter craft project and all the people around Jesus were every which way around the paper. Yes, that’s how life, even post Easter, feels at times, like a trampoline of life. Jesus would understand!
Jesus knew and knows about storms of the weather and the storms of life.
It WAS a wild storm last night, well a normal storm, we forget sometimes that this is how weather works, storms are “normal” – and thus building codes as they are, and it’s why there are drainage places, and places to take cover. It may feel like April fools with cold weather – but yes this too is “seasonal normal”…
I don’t live in tornado areas, my prayers for those folks for sure. We here have “normal storms”. I live on a hill, close my door and ignore them. Well ignore most of my fear now that we don’t have big trees here anymore. And I tamper my fear down while waiting for my youngest to come home late from work. It’s a normal storm so normal concern is normal. (The cat however knew the severity of the storm! Her eyes said volumes! And she knew to hunker down.)
I want to enter this month of Easter thinking of the storms and retreats of Jesus walking the earth. It was just 3 years on earth, that’s so short, yet every step was meaningful and real. Including and especially the retreats. Jesus took retreats, sometimes out of the storm, sometimes into a storm, ALWAYS praying through the storms and through the calm. I hope we remember the Lord’s STRENGTHENING and tap into it.
Jesus weighed not just the day in His sight, but the whole of all from the beginning of time. Jesus IS Alpha and Omega and every little letter in between. Jesus being the Word, provided the letters too to explain His journey. Luke tells us that He often withdrew and prayed. The Lord’s STRENGTHENING came in praying.
Jesus prayed in obedience not in requests alone. Alignment with God is not God aligning with our will. There are storms, there is HOPE, and with God there is guidance and strengthening.
“The Lord stood with me and strengthened me.”
Let us start this month with the wind still blowing, the storms still passing, but ourselves walking with Jesus, standing with Jesus, resting with Jesus, and just plain living with Jesus as we trail out of and into each day. Let us pray through our way, HIS WAY, and always one day at a time…
Amen
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Luke 5:15-16 NKJV
However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
Debbie Upper 