I went to bed exhausted from a busy but blessed day – and went to bed hearing about a tsunami warning for Hawaii and Japan but was unable to do anything so I just went to bed and left it in God’s Hands, where it started and always was. Love loves people, we can love and we can not always (can’t ever) change the world that is impacting us physically or emotionally or mentally – but we have the GREATEST of powers to put INTO the world – the power of Love…

Love is what drives us. Love is God and God is Love and therefore without LOVE we would be nothing, we could do nothing if we were nothing. Therefore WITH LOVE and God never leaves or even changes like shifting shadows, we HAVE God’s Love and we are forever going to be SOMETHING.

Love was in the air and “in the cards” yesterday with my eldest’s birthday – and as like I am always amazed that my mom sends presents well in advance, but she has had lots of time to grown in love and in preparation… So, I was blown away amazed that my youngest gave my oldest a birthday present AND a card… The timing I had prayed on – that last week my cat passed and that I prayed it would not be so very close for birthday timing. It wasn’t…  Lord had mercy on timing…

Without love we wouldn’t be able to see thru the tragedies unto the deeper understanding of love beyond brokenness. So these gifts and cards my youngest gave their older sibling marked a turning point of love being uncovered and acted upon. The big photos were made into a poster and given youngest to oldest and the small photo prints were given oldest to youngest…  cool…

Back to that tsunami – seems to have settled down – and let me state that connection of things that come and go in waves – that good things come and go like a birthday – but we won’t be in birthday mode always – and back to busy – that bad things too like tsunamis and other bad things come in waves – but we don’t have to dwell there either – they will come and go – life comes and goes… BUT LOVE? Love stays – and Love is all the things of God…

Life washes away – it really does – but Love stays – and love lasts beyond the physical…  “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.”

Really we have barely scratched the surface of Love – “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.”

And someday we will be standing face to face with our Lord. That is when we will understand fully what came before us and what is after and all the love that kept it all together. “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.”

So, we will remember that without Love we would be nothing – so let us live LOVE as something – today and always…

Give the Love that has been gifted to us. Don’t try to hold onto the rest – not even and especially not time…

Amen

—————

1st Corinthians 14 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.

With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early… Isaiah 26:9

Go to the beach, I will flee…

An early morning, YES PEACE for me…

No tolls, no frills, no hassle, no bills,

Not worrying, resting life skills and be still.

Just me.

And the Sea. 

And God of course, blessings to hear, feel and see.

At the Sea…

Thank You, Lord. 

Thank You for blessing me.

—

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

Isaiah 26 – NKJV v3-4

Christmas in July faded as fast as my green glow stick.  I appreciate that there’s no prep, just action in the moment *haha work liked my Christmas tree, so did the kids when I brought it to church. And then it (xmas in july and vbs) is done… (except for cleaning out my car…)

And vacation bible school was such a tremendous week of sharing and joy in Jesus. I’ve said it was my fourth vbs, this month,  3 whole weeks plus a one-day. I’m not slated to work any more but I will help deliver supplies to a friend’s… My next recovery and relaxation goal is to get to the beach!!!

Having not been a vbs director this year, it’s nice instead to direct myself, direct me being honestly me… and let the Lord populate the ideas and energy.  He’s got plans, let’s be in them. I could not have known that my cat would pass away either this July, it was like with my dad passing 4 yrs ago and seeing “oh, this is how it is going to go” in life… in other words, we live in the moment, we proceed process and pray for purpose. I find service to the Lord is the best processing…

And the Lord wants us to keep sharing HIS LOVE. HIS STORY. HIS ENERGY. HIS DRIVE.

In Imagination Station, science (and crafts) we did the overflow of foam experiment yesterday. Yeast represents Jesus in making the Word of God spread, and that warm feeling from the exothermic reaction of hydrogen peroxide and the yeast enzyme catalyst, it’s just fun and warming. The love of God is warming to our hearts. We also did the glowing goo experiment on people’s hands like the northern lights, and as I explained, like us being the light as well as the salt… the kids did not really.I like the goo experiment that much, this generation needs a little bit more of a wow, and yet God is all HIS Power is the biggest WOW. 

I want to talk about the Holy Spirit and how He brings us the strength and power and knowledge in order to share about Jesus. The Holy Spirit is SO present in VBS. It’s even more jumping than the three year olds could jump all over the front of the church last night at the dance party. It’s great to have this excitement and honestly, regular people don’t go to the front, just the kids… the Holy Spirit jumps into our lives constantly consistently and cleverly. 

I often wonder about the amount of information that we can impart in Vacation Bible School. The stories are there for teaching, the logistics might differ, yet as a BEGINNING, VBS simply is setting the ATMOSPHERE of LOVE, and that’s the conclusion too, because if we want to know God in Whole, we are to know and SHOW God completely as LOVE…

Live LOVE…

Thank you, Lord, for a great month of vacation bible school…

AMEN. 

Under Authority – Jesus was – and the Centurion was – that is what the Centurion could see and know and have faith for. The Centurion, we learned in VBS day 3, TRUE NORTH, was a Roman Officer who commanded at least 100 men and he marched them respectfully right towards Jesus – not to hassle the Jewish people but to talk to Him. The Centurion asked the healer in Jesus to have mercy on his servant at home – not even go there because the Centurion felt Jesus was more worthy than he could host – but “just say the word, and he will be healed” – This Centurion knew to TRUST JESUS.

The “under authority” part of this encounter is what we often miss – the Centurion picked out the one thing that Jesus knew was NOT on the minds of the regular people around Him – that He was doing His Father’s Business – and we need to also be about Our Father’s Business – which was also parallel in the lesson in humbling one’s self to accept that Jesus is God and we need Him. Jesus said to the Centurion that He had not seen such faith in Israel and yet this Gentile will be one day found in the Kingdom of Heaven too. We as Gentiles or as Jews will be healed one day – completely – in the Kingdom of Heaven – healed from sin and wrongfulness and health as well. We (and the people in Jesus’s earth time) focus SO MUCH on physical health we neglect knowing that our emotional health and our TRUST will be re-established by Jesus too – Our Spirits are also to be better “under authority”…  

“Under Authority” would serve us well in dealing with day to day life on earth – here and now… Our “emotional quotient EQ” or maturity is studied by business and social colleagues alike. If we could only be “under authority” more in Faith – and trust – and believe what the Good Lord has been trying to tell us all along – like in Jeremiah 29:11 He KNOWS the Plans He has for us – to prosper us and give us a future…  If only we could BELIEVE this Plan – we would be able to follow it better.

Have Faith… The Centurion did – “But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I ALSO am a man under authority,” – Jesus HAS the authority of God over sin and darkness – and Jesus is UNDER authority to BE GOD – to do His Father’s business – and to LOVE and HEAL… And sacrifice until we all get there.

At work (and at VBS) yesterday, I tried really hard to watch the plan the Lord had that day – it was a busy day but a real opportunity to trust in Him – because things that would be obvious to Him – in how we should act and know – are not always obvious to us… We have to WATCH and WAIT for maneuvers (which is the wrong word – “man”euvers is best with “GOD”euvers – WATCH FOR GOD) – and I watched what the Lord display roads to take out in front of me at work about my future – and I appreciated His Show of Power and a Plan… (and for the science Imagination Station, we used mighty wires which when bent would bend back under hot water!)

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us we have God to trust – and what about the rest of Jeremiah 29? Verse 12 says we are to call on God – come to God – PRAY to God. SEEK…  Ah that is a big part of the plan – SEEKING HIM… TRUSTING HIM in Faith when we can’t see the results we want. and then Verse 14 – God says HE WILL BE FOUND… Jeremiah spoke both of the israelites captive in Babylon for the prescribed 70 years – but also us – captive in a broken world here on earth – captive to the sin and craze of the evil one influencing here and there and everywhere – captive to our “me me me” attitude too. Jeremiah as a prophet can tell us what we SHOULD KNOW – that Jesus will bring us back to Himself – to GOD…  

AMEN AMEN – Stick with God – He is UNDER AUTHORITY to LOVE – and will use HIS Power over our powerlessness.

Amen

—

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant (Matthew 8:5-13 NKJV)
Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I ALSO am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

—

Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Two Scriptures: In John 13:1-17 NKJV – Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet to demonstrate love in the Immediate and in the Forever and in John 15:9-17, Jesus talks about our LOVE and JOY being perfected in Him – that is both Immediate and Forever…

---

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

John 15:9-17 NKJV – Love and Joy Perfected “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. – These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

---

SERMON:

Recently I was on a trip. Settling down by the window of the 3^rd floor room, I cracked open my laptop to start working. I looked out just at the right time, apparently, saw that my car was right below 3 floors down – and I saw what I am sure the Lord wanted me to see just at that moment – three older people slowly going past the car – I could not hear the conversation but imagined what it was – I saw one woman stopped a foot from the back of my car – called out to the others and pointed directly and purposefully at my magnet on my hatch – in the middle – I could imagine their conversation – she was pointing out my bumper sticker type magnet: “Jesus is Coming, Everybody Look Busy.”

Yes, I like that magnet for the multiple reasons – it always makes me chuckle but the first best truth of having it is true, Jesus IS coming back. I am blessed to state that – which others may not know. The next reason is because it makes people laugh – humor in our lives helps – and yet that magnet statement makes us ponder: do we need to “look busy” as if the teacher is watching – or do we have to BE BUSY in God’s business? Or simply “be” because God already did His business of salvation – it is up to us to try to accept it. And the magnet saying most simply states that we need to be living our lives in SHOWING THE LOVE OF JESUS TO OTHERS. We need to both be aware of the time drawing short (number our days, Lord) and be busy showing the LOVE that Jesus taught us to show. We need to be working in this world even if we are short for this world. And the world’s days? Growing shorter and shorter by the moment. Jesus really IS coming back No One Knows the Day or Hour – Jesus said: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. …… Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. [This was from the book of Matthew – who is a gospel of identity, teaching about how to live as a new Christian then and now. And the scriptures we heard this morning about the feet-washing servant of Jesus and of Keeping Jesus in us to share and know the JOY of serving Him – those were passages from John – John is the gospel of Wisdom – [I highly recommend these 4 accounts of the gospel with the actual scripture then commentary by author Michael Card (the singer)] – John had the wisdom to impart from 90 plus years of living as a Christian and those 3 crucial years of living WITH CHRIST…]

Showing Love is SO important – it will point others to Jesus.  ALL LOVE from God to us is sent THROUGH us – from us to others – is to be kindled by knowing Jesus. Jesus said IN the book of Matthew: “the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved” –  know that even in the worst of times, we must endure, we must accept what our second scripture reading stated: but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit… We are called to listen to Jesus to catch as many fish on the side of the boat that Jesus is telling us to fish on – Jesus did not put us on autopilot – we pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit – still listen to His direction – and still be the fishers of men. There are people who are lost and we must help them know that they are found – found by the love of Jesus. This change shows.

THE LOVE OF JESUS AFFECTS US IMMEDIATELY AND FOR FOREVER – ACCEPTING HIM INTO OUR LIVES MAKES US BE CHANGED OURSELVES, NOT SURFACE BUT DEEP LOVE. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”  PEOPLE WILL WANT TO TAP INTO THAT SHOW OF LOVE! We have to take it out to them and show it.

—

We are to remember that we WILL be in troubled times and hear of troubled times. Jesus said: you will “hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are “the beginning of sorrows.”  ….  “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”

JESUS IS WARNING US – NOT (just) FOR THE TRAGEDY BUT WARNING US TO NOT GIVE UP ON LOVING – URGING US TO CONTINUE TO SHOW LOVE. Jesus is talking about TO head warnings about the end – but don’t grow cold in love – keep loving. both because Jesus commanded it – and because why wouldn’t we? We show love because Jesus showed us love first!

We heard the first read scriptures of Jesus SHOWING LOVE to Peter and to the disciples by the foot washing – it was needed and also symbolic: both Jesus SHOWING how He serves and how we are to serve each other even in the worst of jobs – to be the servant that people don’t expect – and to tap into that LOVE of JESUS in order to do these things. Most importantly Jesus wants to BE THAT LOVE INSIDE OF US – for us to accept it. Like Peter we MUST accept it – not just the washing but the whole humbling of ourselves to be low in our spirit and full of His.. Jesus tells us and enables us to be the LOVE that people don’t expect to get.  TO go against the grain – go against the world of ignorance and apathy – Live out the command to love – (like my previous sermon t-shirt – “go against the flow”) Jesus has great reason in telling us – because He commands that we accept His Love in order to be most fruitful: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

HOW? How can we keep going – how can we be effective in LOVE?

Be AWARE – BEAR and SHARE – that is a great rhyme – bear and share the fruit of the spirit that God gives us – remember back to my last sermon – we created a tree with a vine wrapping it – the Vine being Jesus – there is nothing we can do without Jesus – we don’t just learn from Him – we have to be His Hands and Feet for He is the true vine – and then remember the FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT coming off of the branches. Remember from Galatians 5 the fruit of the Spirit is  Love,  Joy,  Peace, Longsuffering (Also Called Patience), Kindness,  Goodness,  Faithfulness,  Gentleness,  Self-Control. 

Remember Jesus speaking in John 15 NKJV – “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. – HERE IS A PARALLEL TO THE VERSE WE HEARD TODAY: You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

WE MUST ACCEPT THAT JESUS IS THAT VINE GIVING US THE ABILITY TO BEAR FRUIT… AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS INSIDE FRUIT? SEEDS – THAT IF WE DO NOT USE THE FRUIT THAT GOD GAVE US – IT WILL ROT – AND NO SEEDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED – AND WE ALL KNOW THAT GOD WANTS US PLANTING SEEDS – SEEDS OF KINDNESS AND LOVE.

---

Ah – Vacation Bible School – I LOVE VBS – love it – I am in the middle of 3 BACK TO BACK weeks of VBS – it is not as much work as you could imagine – I used to run the whole thing for 120 kids for 7 years after being the preschool games leader for my then 3 year old and up – SO just helping in just one aspect or station at a time is much more simple – I LOVE JUST SHOWING UP AND SEEING HOW JESUS uses us – AND the VBS’s these days like what I have done this summer are usually 25 kids or less. Sad but true – but even a small crop of harvest is good in the eyes of the Lord.

[Show VBS slide of the scriptures and no-sew blanket creation as a mission project] Here in this slide is what blessing of scripture points that we got to share in the first VBS in the first week of July “God gives us HOPE”, “God gives us WISDOM”, “God gives us SPECIAL ABILITIES”, “God Gives us WISDOM”, “God gives us a FAMILY”.

We learned about the perseverance of Joseph and the LOVE and Forgiveness and showing of LOVE he had even when his brothers and many others did him wrong. Joseph persevered to keep worshiping the One True God – we appreciated these bible points – words to live by – and children as young as 3 were helping in mission work – we made a no-sew blanket to share with the many homeless of the area – and then the kids went to the food pantry and packed bags of food.

This story of Joseph and forgiveness was so moving and has parallels to Jesus everywhere – and if you remember that Joseph, son of Jacob Israel had the connection thru his mom to the youngest brother, Benjamin, and Benjamin was used as a test for the genuineness of his other older brothers – did they remain evil or had they matured in the many years – and yes they changed – they grew to have compassion and when Benjamin was “framed” for stealing – they laid down their lives to save his as a substitute – so that Jacob their dad would not suffer again – the scripture that we read this morning about Jesus: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” is an ultimate showing love – Jesus laying down His life – Jesus allows us and shows us THAT forever LOVE and He gives us Forever Life – if we accept it. He also gives US IMMEDIATE LIFE.

An IMMEDIATE LIFE to SHOW LOVE is ours thru Jesus when we ask for that filling of His Holy Spirit – less of us more of Him – that is us laying down our lives (meaning our plan or our wants and our selfishness attitudes) and picking up and adopting His – all because He wants to instill it in us. No matter who we are or what we have done or how fragile we think we might be or how thick skulled sometimes – Jesus wants to shine in us – and wants us to shine the LIGHT that He put in us.

—-

I have a great book “Fragile Stone” by Michael Card – which is my beach book for this summer – about Peter being the ROCK on which the church was started but Peter was SO human – so fragile – so rash – so NOT strong in the times of trouble until Jesus really thrived in HIM – it took a while and even took Jesus reinstituting Him three times – during that beach breakfast after Jesus’s Resurrection – telling Peter that He needed to “feed my sheep”.

Peter like us may have gone from “wash me here and wash me there” rash and “oh no, Lord, don’t leave me out!” – to returning to being rash in cutting off the ear of the soldier in defending Jesus – to becoming fragile again in denying Jesus “NO, I didn’t know Him” three times after Jesus was arrested and the rooster crowed

When Jesus said ““If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” – Jesus is also saying: If you don’t humbly accept me the master to be your servant then you can’t ever live.  Jesus asks for our repentance yes and crucially also asks us to be humble enough to take His Way over thinking we could do this ourselves (Jesus said He HAD to wash – HE HAD TO SHOW LOVE)… Peter HAD to accept it – and so do we… THIS IS A “SHOW LOVE” MOMENT for each of us – to humbly ACCEPT – AND KNOW WE ARE AS FRAGILE AS the fragile stone that Peter was – BUT IS NOW THE ROCK ON WHICH JESUS BUILT HIS CHURCH. In the days we read about Peter in Acts – Peter would be strengthened by Jesus – by the Holy Spirit in him.

IF WE DON’T ACCEPT JESUS THEN WE ARE IN A STICKY SITUATION – AND THIS SOUNDS LIKE A VBS EXPERIMENT TO ME – MAKING SLIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WON’T MAKE SLIME TODAY BUT WE COULD WITH BORAX – AND GET STICKY – INSTEAD LET ME SHARE A COOL EXPERIMENT OF JESUS SHOWING LOVE  – OF NAIL POLISH REMOVER (ACETONE) AND STRYOFOAM…

VBS experiment: THE ACETONE DISSOLVES THE STYROFOAM LIKE– Jesus wants to make us clean

DO Next VBS EXPERIMENT – water and cards that say “Others”, “ME”, and a heart with arrow – and without the water in the jar we see the arrow of love point to us – like we want the love from others to us. And then add LIVING WATER of Jesus – and the image of the heart and arrow reverses and we see our love towards others BECAUSE of JESUS.

Immediately before this experiment – I was helping out at crafts – wearing my “Be Kind” t-shirt and teaching of Jesus love – not judging – tell the story of the dog and the man – and the clean up – grumble grumble yet we are called to SHOW LOVE when no one is watching – only the Lord. (see the post previous)… Remember that sermon we talked about of MLK JR about dimming the headlights – someone has to have sense to reduce the hate…  SO YES, the pouring of Jesus into us and into a situation – SHOW LOVE.

My next VBS SLIDE: SHOW LOVE – yes we can show love by giving gifts and food and care – but wow imagine giving JESUS GIVING HIMSELF?  and I want to wrap up my sermon with this image from VBS – Jesus gave of HIMSELF by dying and rising – but LOOK AT THE MACRO VIEW OF THE ultimate giving of Jesus – HE SHARED HIS OWN SELF IN THE WORD – JESUS IS THE BIBLE – JESUS IS THE SCRIPTURE AND THE FULFILLMENT OF THAT  – WOW  – Imaging us now sharing HIS WORD and the GOOD NEWS. We share it by the love that we show ourselves – I always remember what my friend said to me – “you are the only bible most people will open up and read’ – because people read our actions… YES! Show to Love to point to Jesus.

This image is the first time little camper (maybe 7yrs?), opened the new dollar store bible from a treat bag at the end of VBS – on Monday he said he would ask at home if they had a bible – (and Grandma on Friday said he did ask) – that bible was at the home and not at this vacation home for the week. Well, on Friday, I saw His immense JOY – the JESUS JOY JUMPING INSIDE OF HIM – and asked my friend to quick grab the photo – imagine the gift of people getting to know Jesus immensely themselves – sharing the Good News with others…  a JOY of Jesus SHOWING HIS LOVE by helping us learn about HIM.

Jesus reminds us to keep working on showing the Love – and to attribute it to Him – maybe that bumper magnet should say: “Jesus is Coming – Everyone SHOW my LOVE”

—
LEAD CLOSING PRAYER – Lord, Keep Showing us the WAY – Help us to KEEP SHOWING THE LOVE by letting YOUR LOVE shine – and let us see a glimpse of the seeds we spread – but either way Lord, keep us SHOWING LOVE – Lord Help us to SHINE and live Your LIGHT by LOVING…  AMEN

PREPARE

.

Pause

Repair

Explain

Pray

Act

Reach-out

Enlist

.

PREPARE

.

Participate

Rescue

Elevate

Pull-in

Acknowledge

Rally the Troops

Engage

.

PREPARE

.

Praise

Raise

Every

Prayer

Acknowledge

Rescue

Every Time.

.

PREPARE for JESUS to RESCUE

AMEN

It’s good I have my photos and notes, reality of the present is creeping in and the past is the past quickly going by. My memories are strong, and so were Joseph’s on day 4 VBS (at the beach church on vacation), teaching from Genesis 40’s, when his family came down to Egypt, in the famine, to beg food. Joseph recognized his brothers who were once jealous of his favorite son status, the fancy coat from their dad Jacob, also named Israel by God, and jealous mad that he told them someday they would bow down to him.  Joseph’s brothers threw him (after that dream interpretation) into a pit and then sold him off as a slave to travelers, who eventually took him to Egypt. (The brothers told their dad an animal had killed him). When the brothers came down to Egypt, some 20 plus years later during the famine, they didn’t recognize grown-up Joseph who was now second in command only to Pharaoh.

VBS on day 4’s, usually and this time beautifully, we learned about FORGIVENESS. “God gives us forgiveness” was our scripture. For Joseph, it was tough, but he granted forgiveness to his brothers, after seeing a repentance in his brothers. There is a great story about a cup hidden to look like Benjamin stole it, being framed for the theft, and his brothers came to his defense and offered their lives for his – so Jesus like… And Joseph’s sacrifice of his easily understandable potential vengeance, to be forgiving of his brothers, that is also so Jesus-like. Likewise, especially when we look at the New Testament teachings, Jesus asks for our repentance, our sorrow and our soul, and also to be humble enough to take His Way over thinking we could do this ourselves (that’s a connection to Peter, Jesus said He HAD to wash Peter’s feet)… Peter HAD to accept it – and so do we… Jesus saves – Jesus gives forgiveness.

VBS friday day 5 – well well the family was all back together – Jacob came down and the israelites prospered for 400 years – fittingly I went into day 6 vbs for me (day 2 for my other friend’s church) to getting out of Egypt with Moses, and day 7 and day 8 (for me) in yet another friend’s church talking about God showing Moses a burning bush to get his attention to tell him to lead the people and later a story about Joshua leading the people forth into the Promised Land. Yes – full circle seemingly convoluted circle but full circle of the people being led into prosperity over famine (south to Egypt), strife, and being slaves – such a consistent story from the bible. And oh on day 5 vbs, we learned that this big big family of Joseph GREW – overtime – over 400 years before we get to Moses. Wow they expanded and the many tribes thrived and then, as I experienced in days 6 7 8 of my vbs at 2 other friend’s churches, God led them all OUT of Egypt to preserve this line that were His people. Talk about persevering!!!

(oh yeah on day 5 Egypt vbs we had an ICE CREAM PARTY for our big family!!!!!)

My favorite part of VBS week, I said jokingly, were the snacks, LOL, and they were good.. but of course my new family with these folks is a favorite memory, and yet that is not the whole truth – my FAVORITE part was/is God putting me where I was supposed to be – and my JOY jumped even more when I gave each child a bible story book (365 days stories from Genesis to Revelation) and a simple dollar store bible – this was the first bible most of these kids received. A sweet little one said he asked his grandma where their bible was (it was at there regular house not this vacation house), and immediately he opened up his new bible (dollar store KJV) and started reading – wow – that sight was the hydration for my soul that will stay with me – the children meeting Jesus in their own special way. I explained that the book of bible stories for children was an even more adapted version for them – that is where I bookmarked the Joseph stories.

For we are all children of God through our faith in Jesus Christ, the scripture for day 5, meant we should love our brothers and sisters. I felt the love – and we love the children for sure.

For vacation days 4 and 5, we went to climb that lighthouse I had seen days earlier. We ate lunch in all the quaint village houses of town – awesome place. and then I even bought my “vacation treat” – an artwork of a 45 record adapter, yellow, on a round canvas that states ADAPT!!! that is totally biblical! and personal! and not about adapting your truth but adapting to truth and adapting your approach to live adaptively (in all things) and ALSO using the tools, like an adapter for records, to make things work at their speed. Go with God’s Speed for you.

Well, I thank God for His placement and slow down speed for me that week of vacation. I finished day 5, all packed, but had to chat with the vet at the emergency room for my cat (who is now improving greatly) and took that call after getting my 3rd lobster roll of the week – yum. I was exhausted of course and pulled over at a rest stop on the expressway – 40 minute subaru-nap so needed – and then as I pulled out I saw the car accident aftermath – rolled over – airbags deployed and even the washer fluid was dangling out – and I am not sure anyone could have survived that – one car – I don’t know – but I know that the Lord reminded/reminds me to “number my days” – appreciate life – go at HIS Speed which is often SLOW DOWN – and also that listening to Him and to my body – and taking that extra 20 minutes of nap could have saved my life too…  I thank the Lord for His ways over mine – and I accept the forgiveness for which He worked so dearly for – and will keep going…  

I have VBS days 1-7 done – and days 8 thru 19 left – in my VBS in July month… 

BLESSED BLESSING BLESS.

AMEN

Well – the middle of VBS is usually and truly when people feel most tired before that boost of the end of the week kicks in – it was truly blessed to be in a great set of teachings during VBS Egypt at the shore – “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God”.  My wisdom told me that this was a GREAT way to spend the week and God was right!

And here is where I need to mention the teen helpers – wow amazing – and wisdom beyond their years with taking care of the little children. Three helpers total, two per day, and we got to meet Joseph again, like on monday, the 20-something sweetest young man dressd as an AMAZING Joseph – this time we met him in the palace and he was SO glad to see us – telling us that the one true God was giving him wisdom to help pharaoh – not just interpret the dream but then prep their supplies for the famine ahead – store away extra grain each year. Joseph helped us see what one-fifth of grain looked like by having the kids pretend to be bags of grain and then picking some to be set aside for the famine years. It was listening to God and saving the day. He gathered so much he didn’t even have to count it after a while. Joseph credited God and so should we – when He gives us the ideas and places us where we need to be.

For vacation day – we played it low key in the afternoon – first visiting the close by revival Camp Meeting grounds – where it was quiet but I felt the Spirit of old revival – so cool the gingerbread decorations – and I love the big late 1800s early 1900s revival tabernacle. “We will go into His Tabernacles. We will worship at His footstools… Come before His presence with singing. Come forth into singing o forest and every tree thereof.” (from Psalm 132)

From there we went to the fish market for fresh crab cakes and swam in the pool and then cooked them up for dinner – quick and easy – (AND MY NEW PHONE ARRIVED!) – and then we were off to the Bay and a whole group of special needs adults went on the rowing machines and then out onto the water with guide rowers in each boat. I rode the boat circling the bay over and I had to take a photo of this buoy that said “SLOW – NO WAKE” to tell the boats to be calm – which I appreciated because I forgot to leave my purse in the car and although I was not afraid of falling in – I was afraid to lose my stuff!. 

All good – and I told the kids the next day that I was thinking of the amazing stained glass that we had looked at that morning – of Jesus standing in the boat and telling the wind and waves to calm down. YES – I was asking Jesus to calm my wind and waves too. I was not just in a boat – but I was in a boatload of thought – with my new phone half charged and I was awaiting a report on the cat – chatting with the vet – and so I needed some calming of Jesus to know what to do and say and also to keep going on my way. And how to calm the kids and to be the thinker. (I am grateful for all the good care and advice and how the cat seems to be improving so much just in a day or two now)…

Well – If you need wisdom (or a calmer boat ride) – ask God…  I was grateful for the day – and especially for the Lord.

Amen…

At VBS we had a great time with our family kids – nine total – wow NINE – in my group this day – loved it – of course there were many helpers all the time – the new ones I was able to catch up early in 10 minutes time on the whole story of Joseph (which is also one boy’s name) and on the activities – and that is when you really feel sanctioned and blessed by God to be equipped -to have the skills and the stories – to teach the kids one on one – as well as a group listening. This older boy really really enjoyed the obstacle course. I loved the VBS snacks – honey on a date-fruity nutty textured cracker.  Everyone dug into the bible story time and marketplace activities. We learned that Joseph was using his skills to interpret the dreams of the Cupholder and the Baker in prison (and the bible does not sugar coat the words for what happened to the baker wow! And at our closing we also were surprised at the things God was doing – we had the most fun activity at closing by using the sponge animals in the small capsules that expanded in water – what a surprise – and I taught that Joseph must have prayed and prayed while in prison for God to rescue him – for Pharaoh to learn and let him go. When we pray, God hears, and God can and will intervene to help us with the situation and/or help us deal with the situation. God does surprise us with such good things. (and I was so happy to use the stickers that I brought as good gifts all week)

AND VACATION day 2 –  after VBS we had outside lunch at the bay from a new-to-me place – great lobster rolls again for lunch and not too crowded and then off to the beach to meet another sister of my friend – free beach – great temp and splurged (because this IS vacation) on close parking $5 (LOL so cheap) for the 4 hours we stayed. I think as a beach, it is one of my new favorites for easy enjoyment. It has the long stretch of gradual water no sudden drop off – so we could wade out past the breakers to the rolling waves part – so nice since the waves scare me! but this was good and we sat and chatted and rested – we watched a big castle and big whole get completely dissolved with the higher and higher tide that invaded our chairs too! (one of my favorite new things to do was to put my chair right in the water waves and let the waves come – so nice!  We then washed off with their new water spigot rinse stations on the boardwalk and went to the Farmers Market with live music – a small nice event – and it reminded me of the devotion that I pre-wrote about music – using music to get connected with people for spreading the messages of God – really we do connect with the music!!! 

After the farmers market, the storms started popping up! oh the clouds so cool… I think thunderstorms always remind us that God means business and is not afraid to put us thru tough things and we find His protection – either physically or spiritually. The storm passed and we saw the sunset.

When we are in a storm – we can pray for God to help us get past it – and He does… He does…

Amen – fun fun fun

I’m on vacation – doing VBS at the beach-close church and then beach in the afternoon. Using a 7 topic piece of advice from John Wesley for a week’s worth of devotions that I will pre-release on my blog page – free up my mornings for jumping right into VBS…  Have a great week!

Seven of John Wesley’s Practices Can Change Hearts Today – an article by Roger Ross: Tactics that John Wesley used to get the Word of God out… The author of this blog reminds us to use these tactics ourselves! Seven practices emerged as characteristic of the early Methodist movement.

NUMBER 7 – Use Mass Communication to Get the Word Out

“In Wesley’s day, the mass communication tool was the printing press. Wesley wrote numerous sermons, treatises, tracts, and books that were distributed to a wide audience to fuel the movement. Thousands of people who never heard him speak came to know Christ and grow in Christ through his writings. Of course, today the Internet and social media enable anyone with web access to have a personal platform previously unimaginable.”

 http://www.churchleadership.com/leadingideas/leaddocs/2016/160330_article.html

(AMEN – I am a media Christian – meaning that the media – social and spiritual were crucial to get me the data that my head needed to understand and be moved to change – to learn – to know how God was moving in my life – to reach me. And therefore the use of media today – like printing in John Wesley’s time – is SO crucial. GOD WANTS TO BE KNOW – WE ARE HIS HANDS AND FEET – showing love in action and dropping hints of His Love – like sharing books – like giving away the little cards that have bible verses on them – stickers  – encouraging words painted on rocks – etc. These can be priceless God-sightings to the viewer at the right time!!! The Word does not go out without doing some encouragement before returning… and to get people to come to the Word, just like any event, you’ve got to make it available to them, invite them, get the word and the Word out!!! AMEN – Keep sharing my friends!!!)

I’m on vacation – doing VBS at the beach-close church and then beach in the afternoon. Using a 7 topic piece of advice from John Wesley for a week’s worth of devotions that I will pre-release on my blog page – free up my mornings for jumping right into VBS…  Have a great week!

Seven of John Wesley’s Practices Can Change Hearts Today – an article by Roger Ross: Tactics that John Wesley used to get the Word of God out… The author of this blog reminds us to use these tactics ourselves! Seven practices emerged as characteristic of the early Methodist movement.

NUMBER 6 – Give the Ministry to the Laity

 “A team member who rides the bench and a Christian who sits in a pew share an eerie similarity — they both watch other people play. Christianity was never designed to be a spectator sport. As the early Methodist movement grew rapidly, Wesley soon took his mother’s advice and allowed laypersons, both men and women, to oversee classes (small groups) and preach in the society meetings (large groups). When he released the energies of the laity, the ministry multiplied even faster.”

 http://www.churchleadership.com/leadingideas/leaddocs/2016/160330_article.html

(AMEN – YES – We are the church!!! And we are all able to share the Word – and absorb it ourselves – go directly to the Word – the curtain is torn – nothing to keep us from Jesus directly. Then we can share – be educated in the Word – as Peter suggests in his letter. And SHARE SHARE SHARE – connect with others in your own experiences. Connect with them in theirs! AMEN)

I’m on vacation – doing VBS at the beach-close church and then beach in the afternoon. For a week’s worth of devotions that I will pre-release on my blog page – free up my mornings for jumping right into VBS…  Have a great week!

Seven of John Wesley’s Practices Can Change Hearts Today – an article by Roger Ross: Tactics that John Wesley used to get the Word of God out… The author of this blog reminds us to use these tactics ourselves! Seven practices emerged as characteristic of the early Methodist movement.

NUMBER 5 –  Everyone in a Small Group for Spiritual Growth

“As Wesley began outdoor preaching in various sites around England, he soon noticed a troubling pattern. Without intentional support and encouragement, people who had moving, even ecstatic experiences of God while he was preaching would soon fall away from their newly awakened state. To provide responsible spiritual care, Wesley would only preach in venues where spiritually awakened people could be placed in small groups or “classes.” His goal was not to see people have a single encounter with God but to have them experience real, lasting life change through faith in Christ. Such transformation of heart and life happens best when people do life together with a handful of others who become a spiritual family.” 

http://www.churchleadership.com/leadingideas/leaddocs/2016/160330_article.html

(AMEN – I know that my small groups are ever necessary to talk things thru – from me to you and the Lord to you to me – TRUE! AMEN!!!!)

I’m on vacation – doing VBS at the beach-close church and then beach in the afternoon. For a week’s worth of devotions that I will pre-release on my blog page – free up my mornings for jumping right into VBS…  Have a great week!

Seven of John Wesley’s Practices Can Change Hearts Today – an article by Roger Ross: Tactics that John Wesley used to get the Word of God out… The author of this blog reminds us to use these tactics ourselves! Seven practices emerged as characteristic of the early Methodist movement.

NUMBER 4 –  Use the Music of the Culture

“Gregorian chants in Latin and heavy German music were standard fare in church services in Wesley’s day. Although the words were meaningful, the music was a complete disconnect with the common people. It didn’t speak their heart language. In his travels, Wesley found that pre-Christian people connected most easily with the gospel when it came through their native culture. He encouraged his brother Charles to put gospel words to the popular tunes of the day, and it caught people’s hearts. Speaking in terms people could understand was part one of cracking the cultural code; music that touched the modern day soul was part two.”

(AMEN – OH HOW WE NEED TO SING A SONG THAT RINGS IN OUR HEARTS – AND IN OTHERS!)

(I have to chime in that the VBS music speaking to the kids is important – Hey Hey Hey – that is a phrase in the set of these videos for the VBS session Egypt. It connects and instead of a CD – there are youtube links. Other music connects with others. And the instruments and the mixing boards and the microphone checks and the whole genre and industry of music is something to tap into for faith. God will have us all sing with perfect pitch one day – but for now – we should just sing His praises in whatever voice we have – He hears – “He makes all beautiful in His time” Ecclesiastes 3:11)

https://youtu.be/zGsRzJxNES4?si=CPZCJbLbA4ItTh71

I’m going to be on vacation – doing VBS at the beach-close church and then beach in the afternoon. For a week’s worth of devotions that I will pre-release on my blog page – free up my mornings for jumping right into VBS…  Have a great week!

Seven of John Wesley’s Practices Can Change Hearts Today – an article by Roger Ross: Tactics that John Wesley used to get the Word of God out… The author of this blog reminds us to use these tactics ourselves! Seven practices emerged as characteristic of the early Methodist movement.

NUMBER 3 – SPEAK PLAIN TRUTH

“In Wesley’s day, the Church of England didn’t connect with the real lives of everyday people. Ironically, the ministry of Jesus was just the opposite. When Jesus spoke, “the common people heard him gladly.” Wesley longed to bridge the gap between real faith and real people. Although he was a highly educated Oxford fellow and deeply steeped in the Christian tradition, he refused to parade his scholarship. He chose to speak plain truth for plain people. He intentionally shaped his language so common people could gladly hear the gospel and respond.”

(AMEN – OH HOW WE NEED TO HEAR WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR WHEN WE NEED TO HEAR IT! And the Lord knows how to speak the right way at the right time – through His Word and through His people – and the messages delivered in new contexts will help reinforce the Word – it is not how the Word changes, it is how we hear the Word. The bible has SO MANY stories that relate to today – so if we read our scriptures we can apply them to real life – and if we want to share scriptures, let us make them accessible, not just in every language but in everyDAY language – letting the people see how they relate because they do. AMEN!)

I’m on vacation – doing VBS at the beach-close church and then beach in the afternoon. For a week’s worth of devotions that I will pre-release on my blog page – free up my mornings for jumping right into VBS…  Have a great week!

Seven of John Wesley’s Practices Can Change Hearts Today – an article by Roger Ross: Tactics that John Wesley used to get the Word of God out… The author of this blog reminds us to use these tactics ourselves! Seven practices emerged as characteristic of the early Methodist movement.

NUMBER 2 – Go Where the People Are

“When the love of Jesus Christ gripped Wesley’s heart, he knew he couldn’t keep it to himself. There had to be some way to reach the vast masses of people who would never darken a church door. Initially, Wesley was convinced the gospel could only be preached in the stained-glass setting of a church building. But with so few people attending church services, he was forced to consider other options. Reluctantly, Wesley began preaching in the open air. He would find a high spot on the edge of a city and speak to whoever would listen. Crowds of three, five, even ten thousand people would gather. Many of them were touched by the spirit of God and awakened to their spiritual state. A revival in England was born largely because Wesley was willing to take the gospel where the people were.”

 http://www.churchleadership.com/leadingideas/leaddocs/2016/160330_article.html

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AMEN – I can’t imagine this not to never be a choice we have to make – we should ALWAYS get out to the people because more and more our thoughts of revival are to be out with the people and not people at our door… I imagine the multitudes who need God and God wants them – and when I would go to church with 20 people and then later step into a busy store like Panera, and there would be double that in one store across this state this country this world – well, God can’t afford to have us JUST in a church – we HAVE to be out into the world. Fitting for VBS – I am a willing volunteer but there are fewer and fewer VBS events and kids – we have to make the convenience amenable to the people potentially who come – not just convenient to us… We have to make the welcoming open and not “hey they don’t go to our church” which is exactly what I heard 10-15 years ago. Well, no, but how would you welcome a new person to church if you didn’t welcome their kids. Well, God knows right well that the welcoming of HIS KID, Jesus, was not convenient nor expected to those who didn’t know Jesus was coming TO earth – and we similarly don’t remember that Jesus is coming back. We need to be out to meet the people like He did – that does not change our truth or His Way – but modifies our logistics and our tactics – modifies our sense of going with the world’s flow instead of His flow and glow. We need to follow Jesus – and Jesus is walking EVERYWHERE!!! 

AMEN

There is common sense, 

There is Scooby sense, 

There is Spider sense, 

And There is “Shut your trap, the Lord is doing something here!” sense…

YEAH!

And that’s what we need, to TRUST the Lord in enough to watch Him work, trust that He IS working, and follow HIS Plan, not ours.

Work the situation, Work the scene, Work the problems, work the solutions. But there is no “work the spirit” – because it is the Spirit to work us.

And the Lord will work from His whole OTHER set of logistics, not ours. Let me call them LORDistics, not just logistics. 

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

Last night at the Vacation Bible School meeting, the scripture on the notepad matched the scripture on my bracelet, which is one given out at my friend’s funeral last year: “I can do ALL things through CHRIST, Who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13. Scriptures like that, which show up ALL THE TIME, include scriptures like “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Rom 12:12. In other words, the LORD is working His LORDistics over your logistics.

A LOG-istic that my friend is dealing with is the repair to her house which had a tree LOG crush part of the roof – hey no big deal right? well it JUST went on the market – and well and well…  But the friend had just moved out – the room was empty – no one was hurt – there are insurance claims and adjusters doing their thing – there are logistics to the LOGistics – and there are MUCH bigger plans that the Lord has for the situation where she is now – helping with her grandkids and well and well and well –

Well, I will choose to see the LORD-istic in this all – and that is what we should be looking at all the time – the LORD-istic OVER the logistic – and the LOG-istic too. There is a Process, There must be prayer, patience, petition, persistence, and perseverance.

And I can’t help but think about the scriptures of Joseph and His dream coat, and the years of tough life and then in Egypt (a Vacation Bible School theme I am helping with next week), as Joseph is able to rescue his brothers, all of Jacob’s sons, and his father Jacob, and the Egyptians, well…. that was a LORDistic for sure. Joseph would say: what was meant for evil, the Lord meant for good!!! Genesis 50:20

May we wait on the “LORDistic”, accept the logistic, be the optimistic, and be Spiritualistic. THAT is the hope in the Abundant Life, the Lord promises, TRUST HIM!!!!!

AMEN

---

Isaiah 55 NKJV
An Invitation to Abundant Life
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.
Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,
A leader and commander for the people.
Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the Lord your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;
For He has glorified you.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

“For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

THE Lord will perfect that which concerns me.

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me.

The Lord WILL perfect that which concerns me.

The Lord will PERFECT that which concerns me.

The Lord will perfect THAT which concerns me.

The Lord will perfect that WHICH concerns me.

The Lord will perfect that which CONCERNS me.

The Lord will perfect that which concerns ME.

We (I) have a lot that concerns us – but the Lord – He is MORE than all that – MORE than a lot – MORE than us and MORE than our concerns.

We can take strengthening in His regard for us – Our hope is in that He knows us and pays attention to us and lifts us up. 

His Mercy is the amazing gift of giving grace to the imperfections, and He answers our concerns just as He catches all our tears.

If there is anything we are not good at, we can rely upon Him to find our answers, our helpers, our path.

If there are items we are concerned about, and people and things, He gives us unworldly advice not to ignore things around us but to look at them like He does, with grace and mercy and forgiveness.

If there is anything we don’t know, we can ask. If there is anything we need, we can ask. And when (not if) we fall short, He provides the ability for us to recover.

Lord, You give us of Your Glory – let us know that You will perfect THAT which concerns me – by either perfecting me, or perfecting THAT, or perfecting the concern and bringing that concern into place where it belongs in the universe.

Without You, Lord, we would be nothing. So, WITH YOU LORD? We have everything we need.

AMEN

---

Psalm 138 NKJV 

All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,

When they hear the words of Your mouth.

Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

For great is the glory of the Lord.

Though the Lord is on high,

Yet He regards the lowly;

But the proud He knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;

You will stretch out Your hand

Against the wrath of my enemies,

And Your right hand will save me.

The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;

Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;

Do not forsake the works of Your hands.