It’s not that I have read this book yet – Joshua by Stephen Lennox – but I have listened to bible teachings he gave and have zoned in on the main titles – and this one is something we might forget about: “God Fights for His People” – and I am not just talking about old testament israel – I mean and God means and this author means that every day and in every way, God has fought and will fight for His people – including and especially from us being overwhelmed by the evil in the world – and over-focused on ourselves. We best know God by knowing life is not “all about me” – but knowing that we are part of a bigger picture.

God will fight through the clouds to shine the Light. God will fight the darkness to illuminate the way. God already did the victory and now He is not doing a victory dance but instead God is doing a street sweeper approach to pick up all the pieces of our lives that block our path back to Him. God in Jesus lays down His life and picks up our lives to save them.

God as street sweeper – bet that isn’t a chapter title anywhere… 

God as street sweeper sounds to me as God as a power that makes it happen AND will stick around for the clean up work after – well, God does – God did, God does, God WILL.

I know that we often could think of the phrase “God Fights for His People” in a personal nature – me – God is for ME. And He is – but collectively God is for God’s people – special and special – meaning there is no one that He doesn’t fight for – that His Spirit Street Sweeper turns slow enough to hope for everyone to repentance. Everyone ON the bandwagon and everyone UNDER the wagon too.

If there is something so important to say about us and God (God and us) during a tough time in our lives, it is that we have to raise our heads enough to WATCH for God. Joshua is amazing in His obedience and His progress for God’s people – now our next Joshua – Jesus *same root name as Joshua* did the biggest save – won the biggest fight – and stay tuned and stay tight – Jesus is not yet DONE with THIS fight..

God fights for His People – in Joshua – and by Jesus -and in our lives – this is true… Just keep a watch on God…

Just keep a watch on God…

Amen

… immediately the boat was at the land where they were going…

If there’s one thing to be said about TRUST, it’s that TRUST IN JESUS is the beginning and end of getting through life. If we trust in Jesus, and in Jesus alone,  OVER the things of the world, over the anxiety of the day, then we will get to where we are going more quickly. We will find that peace in Jesus more assuredly, and more assuring, more efficiently and more efficiently than to deal alone ourselves with our strife and fear over the messes and missteps (ours and others). TRUST JESUS.

When Jesus’s disciples took Him into their boat struggling in the storm, they IMMEDIATELY got to where they were going. Now that’s a miracle I can sing about,,, stake my hope into,,, and know. We are to see the SAVE over the sink.

There’s an amazing chorus of the modern day praise song “Hard Fought Hallelujah”, by Brandon Lake, which acknowledges that we (I) will (and should) bring a BIG Hallelujah for Jesus helping us – from our fighting hard to have faith – and for seeing Jesus fighting hard to secure our faith. If there’s one thing about struggles, it’s that you HAVE to put your trust in something somewhere someONE – let that ONE be Jesus. TRUST JESUS. 

An important lyric: “And I’ll bring my storm-tossed, torn-sail, story-to-tell hallelujah, oh oh oh oh.. “

Can you (we/I) imagine that praise when our storms subside? When the rocky storm comes with a Jesus image walking on and over the water? Can we see Jesus now? Look for the LIGHT? Trust?

Another eye-opening lyric: “Yeah, the struggle keeps me honest – And it breaks down the walls of my pride” 

The lyrics speak to me – of struggles – any struggles – keeping us honest – well yes, honest that we should not be prideful and think or act like we are going it alone in life or we can handle it alone. Yes the sink that makes one think… We need Jesus and the hard-fought battles include accepting His Help over anything else. Hope in only Him. 

I hope we TRUST in the ONE and ONLY trustworthy save.  BELIEVE IN THE ONLY TRUTH. I hope we have a great story to tell from His guidance, support, and save. (I know I will, again and again)… And so YES, imagine the saving stories we can tell today, then imagine they are nothing like what we WILL tell someday, when we see our SAVIOR face to FACE.

Keep TRUSTING my friends. 

Keep moving. 

Keep singing praises!

Amen 

—

John 6:16-24 NKJV 

Jesus Walks on the Sea

…He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

—

Video – Brandon Lake – “Hard Fought Hallelujah”

“Hard Fought Hallelujah” Lyrics 

Yeah, I don’t always feel it

Yeah, but that’s when I need it the most

So, I’ma keep on singing

‘Til my soul catches up with my song

.

There’s times when my hands go up freely

And times that it costs, oh-oh

There’s days when a praise comes out easy

Days when it takes all the strength I got

.

I’ll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt

Been-through-hell hallelujah (ooh, ooh)

And I’ll bring my storm-tossed, torn-sail

Story-to-tell hallelujah, oh

.

‘Cause God, You’ve been patient

God, You’ve been gracious

Faithful, whatever I’m feeling or facing

.

So I’ll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt, it-is-well hallelujah, whoa-oh

Hallelujah (ooh, ooh), hallelujah

.

I’ve wrestled with the darkness

But I’m tryin’ to reach for the light

Yeah, the struggle keeps me honest

And it breaks down the walls of my pride

‘Cause faith isn’t proven like gold

‘Til it’s been through the fire, eh-eh

My head, heart, and hands are feeling heavy

But that’s when I lift them just a little higher

.

I’ll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt

Been-through-hell hallelujah (ooh, ooh)

I’ll bring my storm-tossed, torn-sail

Story-to-tell hallelujah, whoa-oh

God, You’ve been patient

God, You’ve been gracious

Faithful, whatever I’m feeling or facing

I’ll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt, it-is-well hallelujah, oh

Hallelujah, hallelujah (ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)

I’m an EXPRESSIVE.

Some might say I’m word obsessive.

In other words, I MUST share,

Whether or whether NOT others care.

.

If you are ALSO an expressive and you share a lot,

Don’t be offended if we (me/us) don’t read or listen to all, because time we AIN’T got. 

We are not being rude, not being crude.

It’s just I myself (we expressives) have to EXUDE…

.

An expressive cannot be upended.

So we ALSO have to NOT be offended.

And know “it’s life” if you simply hit delete.

My time and your time cannot compete.

.

‘God made me this way’,

That is all I can say.

Holy Spirit, help my words, I ask you to help regulate.

My life to You, Lord, I must relegate.

. 

An expressive must listen too.

And hold our tongues from saying: “you know what you should do?!”

An expressive excessive should not be advice possessive,

and especially to the Lord, be less dominant, more recessive.

.

And please know that even though I often write like life is all grand,

There are many times, like you, when the devil severely sifts me like sand.

But I really try not to throw about my own mud.

I don’t really want it to fall on your life like a thud.

.

So whatever is going on in your day,

Know it’s going to be ok.

Let us live well humbly and like God, give of our lives.

And worship, love and fear God, witness without compromise. 

.

So let me wrap up this word dump.

Give advice gently or you can hear with a THUMP.

God made each of us UNIQUE.

Our life is NOT bleak. 

.

I thank you for this time and space (and grace) 

To share my own (sometimes rhyming) word chase pace.

So in life, fill in your own blank word spaces,

Fill in your own dreams, desires, and places.

.

Thank the Lord, give a shout. 

Praise God and LOVE HIM, LOVE OTHERS, that is what life is all about.

.

And let God have the last word.

The Word, HIS WORD, is what we best pray to be heard.

.

Amen

I got a window of opportunity so I took it – went to the beach – took myself as I had promised myself – to ONLY take myself and my mind – and I took the extra 20 minutes to pick up and bring garlic crabs too – yum…

Yes, I went to the beach last weekend for a little bit – I went where I go to be alone – with the moderate number of people (and yes still life guards) but this time I, most people, didn’t go in the water (which was wonderfully warm) because of the storms pulling out…  But no matter – I didn’t go to swim – I went to not sink but to think…. and I brought my crabbing (mentality) for processing and crabs (garlic, $10 from the local crab company) for palate pleasing – and I crabbed it out for a whole hour of slow slow eating – breaking apart shell by shell, claw by claw, making a mess but that was OK – I was outside – and my mental mess was breaking apart too – dwelling and sifted like the sand I was looking at – because our taste is our waste in a worldly embrace – and yet with each bite (mental and mouth of crabbing), I heard the waves wash my head clearer and clearer – and I tried to refocus and release and re-peace. I re-peaced – again…

I talked to a local when I saw what looked like a barge stuck and so close to the shore – never saw that before. He said it was a sand digger and then the pipe was re-sanding the shore – what? Well that makes sense – why not drill the ocean for all the sand that is already there – and cover up the decay and make it new for a new year and a new day…

This time I was too focused on my crabbing (food and mentally) and didn’t read a book – until later – wish I had sooner but the crabs were calling – and the book I read – about Peter and Jesus – spoke about the THINK when you sink – of when Peter sunk after walking on water – losing focus – consumes by real fear – and Jesus seemed to let him sink because He needed Peter to THINK – and REALIZE that Jesus is the only Way to ultimately save the day. We ARE amazing but Jesus IS GOD, and we need God. Jesus re-pulled Peter out (again and again) and restocked his sifted sand with fresh. Us too…

And as the sun drew short in the sky, I packed up and travelled to my other church beach – this time just to the ice cream place and then wandered over to where I saw people – that is what I have to do sometimes is find the people whom the Lord puts in front of me without knowing WHY not to necessarily talk to but to be part of His people. HE DOES – and I am knowing He will again. These people were songwriters sharing at the picnic area for “the Hub” which I have frequented so much. I sat on the side chapel steps and listened without seeing – ate my ice cream – and I sat – and thought – and appreciated – my sand being replenished. I heard the one songwriter say that he tears up singing the particular song he wrote because it first reminded him of a tough time – and now it tears him up because it reminds him of the SAVE – how the Lord saved him from a bad scene – and from being stuck in that scene. I understand this – the Lord had saved me multiple times from my self and from sinking. Jesus saves us and wants us to remember that SAVE did and will repeat. 

Remember the save not the sink…

Remember when God got you through… !!!

Remember the replacement sand…

Remember to wash your crabbing away…

Remember to ice cream again at another (or the only ‘Days’)

Remember the save and repeat the re-remembering.

And say He, Jesus Lord God, will win my day.

Again – thank You Lord for the day – today – and in advance in Your way – tomorrow.

Tomorrow is another day… SO let us just focus on TODAY.

Amen

(and if we begin again any days where the crabbing threatens to mentally re-overtake, Iet us sing this new song to my soul – “Fear is not my Future” – Brandon Lake – give it a listen… Beautiful Lord – YOU ARE my future…  Amen  https://youtu.be/Bj_9ikvCx6o?si=ZG8EjjUyiiDiKk03)

Have you ever been sifted like sand?

The devil laughing at your fear, he dwells and he digs, laughing oh so grand.

Then Jesus tells you to TAKE A STAND, actually to take HIS HAND.

It’s a situation (forgiveness or fortitude) that only Jesus and you can understand.

.

And THAT’S when you GET UP.

Because Jesus refills your REFILLABLE cup.

And Jesus would have you stand up,

Because none of us live without His backup.

It ain’t no fluke, ain’t even luck.

It’s Jesus who comes alongside when we feel stuck, even like hit by a mack truck.

Jesus gives FAITH, LOVE and LIFE, He gives enough, even when the going gets tough.

Jesus calls on us to FACE FEAR and yes, LOOK UP. Jesus IS enough.

.

And at that moment then the sand will shift,

Waves will wash it smooth, the past will sink and drift

After high tide comes low tide, 

And after the scare, soon falls our sifted false pride. 

.

Jesus knows our sink.

Jesus appreciates when it makes us think.

REACH TO JESUS TO FIND PLACE.

REACH AND FEEL GOD’S GRACE EMBRACE.

.

Then, Jesus restores our knowledge of place,

To keep living under His unchanging GRACE. 

So if it is fear or pain or whatever that you do face,

Put it aside, pause and feel God’s embrace.

.

Know God’s Grace Embrace

Amen 

—

Micah 4:1-5 NKJV

The Lord’s Reign in Zion
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And peoples shall flow to it.
Many nations shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion the law shall go forth,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between many peoples,
And rebuke strong nations afar off;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.

But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree,
And no one shall make them afraid;
For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
For all people walk each in the name of his god,
But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
Forever and ever.

He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?

Of all things that God IS – including God being BIGGER than anything – God being LOVE is the biggest hardest thing to wrap our heads around. I mean how does God know all these things about life and the universe and brokenness and God remains LOVE and LOVING to enemies too – How does Jesus’s Blood stretch that far and not get thin – or dried up from unuse by those who turn their hearts away from God – HOW???  BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE AND JUST IS.

GOD IS.

GOD KNOWS AND GOD LOVES ANYWAY.

We say in life, “it is what it is” but with God it just stops at the word and action and existence of “IS” = GOD IS. IS.

So for us to deny God does not make Him go away. For us to cling to Him does not make Him closer to us than to anyone else. He IS and therefore God IS omnipotent and ever-present and WITH us and LOVE to all. This is the tough thing to wrap our heads around. 

We say in faith, “God is running towards us when we turn towards Him.” Yet the truth is that He is here always – here/there always – not here never and not there never. He IS. God knows. We grow in knowing Him more.

The Psalmist states: “He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile. Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, And teach out of Your law, That You may give him rest from the days of adversity…”

And what of our “enemies”? I think that we have to learn from the Old Testament to know true enemies to God are those who should have known Him and His ways and yet they ignore these truths, are ignorant of humility.

And what about people who “bug us”, I think some people are more likely to just be more greedy than evil, broken than evil, hopeless than evil, and stuck in a deep pit of sometimes their own doing, and that is because the bible says that THEY are not evil but the evil afflicts them. Yes, there are real evil forces that exist and in our day to day life, paranoia may inflicts us often more over the real physical harm or emotional harm. We can say that we are seeing the negativity but that doesn’t mean we have to “FEEL” the negativity or dwell on it – just keep walking forward. And say “Satan get behind me”. Say “Jesus, wash this whole situation clean.” and “Jesus, rescue me.”

My favorite image in my head of Jesus which I sketched is surely is of Him rescuing me from sinking in the depths of despair. And yet you probably would think it funny that my other image of Him – which I have seen nowhere (and should have an artist commissioned to paint) is a thought of Jesus with a piece of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of His Foot, and that toilet paper represents the evil that is TRYING to capture, embarrass, hassle, soil, and sting. And yet – when Jesus walks on water – what happens to the toilet paper – it is washed away.  Why does Jesus pull us out onto the water with Him – to show that HE IS IN CONTROL – and that He can carry us – and that He can be our focus and not the world behind us or under us or even in front of us – FOCUS ON JESUS – get YOUR STRENGTH AND PLAN AND PATH FROM HIM.

Evil exists – but Let God do the talking – and let God do the walking – and God do the Loving too. And thank the Lord for His Graces of when he has forgiven us too. Our pride is ignorance, sifted sand evil that He also has and will overcome in us by mercy love and grace.

Amen 

But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. – Especially how God Knows and God Loves (Anyway)… AMEN AMEN

———-

Psalm 94 NKJV
God the Refuge of the Righteous

O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
Render punishment to the proud.
Lord, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?

They utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.
Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?
He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?
The Lord knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.

Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord,
And teach out of Your law,
That You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.
For the Lord will not cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
Unless the Lord had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.
If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.
In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.

Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law,
Have fellowship with You?
They gather together against the life of the righteous,
And condemn innocent blood.
But the Lord has been my defense,
And my God the rock of my refuge.
He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall cut them off in their own wickedness;
The Lord our God shall cut them off.

———

Psalm 34 NKJV
The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God
A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

I love my new artwork (which I bought the yellow “ADAPT” logo this past summer) because it is a constant reminder to adapt and bring your own adapters to life – like to play your 45 record on a turntable for other records – but play on still…. just change the speed… It was also an answer to a clue this summer on a crossword on that same vacation…

I have tried to ADAPT – and sometimes “DUCK” during life…  Mostly I have remembered to KEEP GOING!!!

I am not ready to let summer go – and will get back to the beach again – but these cooler temperatures surely make us long for the fall. Even now I am gearing IN – like cleaning the house with the coolness of the day – THINKING ABOUT but not yet cleaning the yard with the coolness too. (Really it is the mosquitos that are so annoying in this season.)

AND THEN in the Fall, there is the exciting build up of the new season(s) of Survivor – yeah CBS’s Survivor – my junk TV viewing is also life affirming – that is a game but the emotions are real – mostly – because in life we DON’T outwit outplay outlast – we  OUT-ADAPT – we adapt and keep going even if we change the speed. Actually, we look for God to morph the view of the scene from the front row to being on stage to being from above. Always look ABOVE to see how God sees. God sees the world – to LOVE it…

AND after this season 49 is season 50 of Survivor – I remember 25 years ago – the season ONE – yeah that was a wild ride. Yeah, Survivor – because we are all studying how to get through life. We are survivors – and yes we traipse through tough days – and yes we have to get through life arrays… ALWAYS…

ADAPT!!!

We are to look to the Lord for the different seasons of life – and honestly, to quote the Lord through Solomon’s processing – there are different seasons of life – and probably that is the next song to play on your vinyl 45, or 33 and a third, not the 78, or on an 8-track or in film, or on a cassette car or walkman or boombox or CD or DVD or ipod nano or to stream on your computer, laptop, phone, watch, bluetooth earbuds: “Turn Turn Turn” by the Byrds: https://youtu.be/W4ga_M5Zdn4?si=m7pDECS837rh31Bn

(Yes if you imagine how playing music back RECORDED has changed in the past 50 years, imagine how LIVE life has changes too.)

ADAPT – whatever season you are in, God is already there.

ADAPT to finding Him – Watch for God.

Amen

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NKJV Everything Has Its Time

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

What now? A poem – Watch for God!

.

See your future.

Do creative work. 

Continue to help people.

Go on adventures, study topics that interest you. 

 .

Celebrate.

Buy it and try it.

Teach. 

Breathe more easily. 

 .

Thank the Lord. 

Remember to PRAISE Him first.

Remember to tell somebody about a situation before it becomes a situation.

FEAR NOT – God is always with you.

.

Keep your spiritual ears open!

Keep your eyes looking ABOVE!

Keep your heart guarded. But still love.

Work mind, body, and soul for the Lord, serve His people (that’s everyone), preserve sanity and soul.

.

Pause and Pray.

Cry but Try.

Stay and Be Still

Watch for God.

.

WATCH FOR GOD !!!

I’m going to turn trials into triumphs. (Because HE turns trials into triumphs)

I’m going to be humble enough to know God takes care of me. (He always did and will)

I’m going to boast IN the Lord, not in myself. (ALL good things are from God)

I’m going to reach to teach that He goes before us. (He always did and will)

---

Lord God, “You go before I know that You’ve even gone to win my war.”

---

Lord, I’m going to flow IN what I best know. 

Lord, I’m going to GROW.

Lord, I’m going to flow OUT what it’s all about: God is our GOD, this we SHOUT!

This is what my faith WANTS to be about..

---

FEAR NOT. 

GOD’S GIVING YOU ALL HE’S GOT.

YOU IN A TOUGH SPOT?

KEEP YOUR HEAD LOOSE (AND YOUR TONGUE NOT.)

Watch for God and FEAR NOT!!!

---

KNOW THAT THE LORD HEARS.

KNOW THAT THE LORD STEERS.

KNOW when HE SHIFTS your GEARS and HOLDS ONTO your TEARS.

FACE YOUR FEARS BY BEING HELD NEAR.

---

THANK THE LORD.

THANK THE LORD.

THANK THE LORD.

---

What now? WATCH FOR GOD.

AMEN 

---

More encouraging music: “Surrounded” Michael W Smith, “Rescue” and “I Remember” by Lauren Daigle:

“It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by YOU!” https://youtu.be/YBl84oZxnJ4?si=H5UrbA075mCC7kmK

“I will send out an army… I will rescue you” https://youtu.be/3U4Q2R7ZZAE?si=GE5jLpj-TnSNFkml

“I remember” https://youtu.be/nThnLyjQgbA?si=0fXSKGwihdPzgKqD

The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me – A prayer to the God of my life.

Yes, recently I took a picture of this sign while walking, “Use the Crosswalk” because it struck me in a new way.  So, it’s a long story of why we can’t go up those stairs without a crosswalk on the side, but we have to continue in the parking lot to get to the stairs with the crosswalk to safely cross the road… But on this day (and I took the photo) the words struck me differently: we have to walk the way of the cross. YES! CROSS – WALK. Sacrificial… Using our Cross way of a Walk, means we have to just be as close to Jesus as we can be… A Cross walk becomes His Cross Way…  Yes, our walk with our crosses is to bear the sacrifice and the strife of unknown and trade it for known closeness with the Lord.

FEAR NOT! I need a bracelet of that…

When I walked into a situation recently, which is now revolving and RESOLVING by God’s Hand surely, I knew that the Lord was my resource and my help. I knew I had to ask for help from God and was just about to ask help from people, it was an unusual spot that I was in. Only the Lord could unjam the jam as uniquely as He did.. He has gone before us. He has helped us out of jams in the past, and He will now and He will in the future.

When I walked out of the situation later, and past that sign behind me, I knew that the Lord had solved this from a whole other angle that I never saw coming. “Peace beyond understanding”… When the Lord puts together a plan, it’s not a house of cards that’s ready to fall. His plan is stronger and higher level complexity more than we could ever comprehend, but dealt to us one card at a time as He wants us to play in – HE WANTS US IN – even when WE can’t see all the cards. He wants us to keep playing without irrational fear and He wants us to get our courage in gear. Courage that HE is working on our problems and goes before us.

Psalm 42 sums up the situation and solution:

HOPE IN THE LORD… YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amen

Yearning for God in the Midst of Distresses
To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”

When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.

I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

Situations…

Situations become opportunities for you to focus on the Lord’s maneuvering you out of a situation or at least showing you (hopefully) what the silver linings are. Simple to say, tough to be in.

Situations mean you have to not blow your top, but STEAM ahead, channeling the energy like a locomotive engine AND PULL a whole load too, not just the little engine that could, but the engine that DID, and trusted in God the whole way. Yes, there’s lots of venting and lost heat, because we are human and inefficient as are certain engines. Let us pray that we don’t warp witness and reduce our trust in how the Lord will get us where we need to be. He will…

A sermon recently reminded me of this too – more on that below. It reminded me to remember that our witness is faith in God’s plan. FAITH “Forwarding All Issues To Heaven” is an appropriate acrostic, which I found on a friend’s garden plaque. 

Other people learn from our patience. Others will want to know why we put our trust in the Lord and HOW. Hope is an action verb. Keep Hope. Walk by faith and not by sight. Demonstrate Jesus Grace and remember to ask God to re-apply it to yourself too, like sunscreen sunblock sin-screen after a burst of bubbling over. Turn the other cheek.

Let us pray for knowledge of maybe knowing who is watching our actions and at least that people, especially children, and potential children of God, are learning from us. Our bad steam can either make it sopping wet waste or our good steam might cook up their faith more. 

Our own faith is tested by the evil one who asks to sift us like sand, like with Peter. Perhaps a way to get Satan behind us is to build our tracks where Jesus has created for us a narrow gate and sure path. We pray to stay on track. Then full face and full faith steam ahead.

Our situations, it might cause us to warp our witness. So let us stay cool and collected and even sit in one of those little push cars on the track and let Jesus pump the energy into our momentum. Hot and bothered is normal, redirect it to NEW witness that if God got me through before, He will again. 

He will.

Let us find inspiration and information in the Lord, and even if our understanding is not yet possible, know God’s got this.

I am inspired to know and to connect situational processing to this gifted Holy Spirit scripture section of Jacob in Genesis 31 as a Bible lesson from a recent sermon about old testament Jacob having to wait out years and years of working for someone, Laban, who kept setting up new hoops to jump, new demands. Jacob asked for Rachel as his wife, it was 20 years before he could get back home. Pastor Joe in the online sermon link talked about NOT blowing your top, so that non-believers might have an opportunity to see faith and believe. Because Jacob had to jump through hoops for father-in-law Laban to get wife Rachel, and it rook over 20 years to leave that area to go back home. Jacob eventually blew off steam at Laban, and perhaps then Laban perceived Jacob not trusting God. Seeing our trust may help people like Laban who are lost worshipping false idols. 

So that’s so fitting here. In situations, we like Jacob might have to accept the need to put in time, even jumping hoops of others expectations, to show we trust that God’s got a plan, for sure, in all this…

It’s our witness and our way to follow His Way.

Amen. 

Online Sermon Link : SAM1397 https://share.google/0ThhpnVhs7NvkfUG4

You got troubles? And say: oh man ‘s?

God’s got STRENGTHENING PLANS.

You’ve Got to Give All God’s GOT.

.

Is there strife?

We often say, ‘well that’s life!’.

YOU’VE Got to Give All God’s Got.

.

Even colorful bugs that fly,

Well, they too will die.

And trees that rot,

Fungus will make a colorful spot.

So, witness that life is fragile and short but beautiful, is it not?

You’ve Got to Give ALL God’s Got.

.

There’s times to watch and times to run,

There’s many days under this sun.

So go out and LIVE!

Head warnings yet from your depths of being, yet STILL GIVE.

You’ve GOT to Give All God’s Got.

.

See, we have a life mission everyday, let’s pray to play.

God wants us to serve, and NOT swerve.

Put your hand to the plow, Get back on the field now.

Don’t look back, keep looking ahead and don’t worry about evil’s attack.

Work the soil where you stand, Jesus is calling us to be grand.

Play nice, don’t lash out. Our witness of HIS STRENGTH in our struggle is what it’s about. 

You’ve Got to Give All God’s Got.

.

And why not??? !!!!

Find silver linings in God’s strengthening spot.

You’ve Got to Give All GOD’S Got.

And TRUST the TRUTH that GOD’S GOT A LOT!!!

AMEN

JAMES 1 NKJV

Greeting to the Twelve Tribes 
James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:
Greetings.

Profiting from Trials
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The Perspective of Rich and Poor
Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

Loving God Under Trials
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Qualities Needed in Trials
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Doers—Not Hearers Only
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

We had a wonderful sharing event at work – about funerals and traditions of faith – yes – work – because we have a faith group who connect and talk and learn and we love doing that… it’s a bold move by work to step into the one truly rarely public but surely spoken about – FAITH!

I don’t run the group but I am in charge of setting up these coffee chats = fresh faith fridays …  This one was blessed – with about a dozen people – from all over the country – from fresh perspectives – with fresh ears to hear…

I shared about a family’s celebration of life (outside) and how we had cake half way thru it! Her favorites lemon, orange… plus apple pie… others shared about the sadness of the finality of death. Some of us shared the sadness of our pets passing. One woman shared that she could not go to funerals normally but for her mother’s, she did get up the courage, energy, ability, to go. The crucial conversation was that we are not to judge other’s perceived obligations or abilities to attend loved one’s funerals, or even that when they don’t attend, it might represent even strongest of love and therefore sadness. Others shared the notion that “to dust we return”, understanding and that if you are involved in putting a shovel of soil onto the casket, which I did for a friend’s child’s service, you acknowledge that part of your grief process is also this acceptance… Gone is gone – but never forgotten.

These balloons pictured contain great sentiment about LOVE – that we will always love and miss our loved ones and cherish our memories.  These balloons also contained ashes and well, the balloons labored a bit from the weight but then took off – way way way up high…  I am sure to dust they would return at some point to the earth, even out to sea, but for that moment they were UP.

Then perhaps we would or should think of the dust of our start – and yet getting UP to the Heavens and the future of our lives in the non-flesh…  the blessings of knowing Jesus is an UPtick of life, UPside of death, and UP that won’t come down. 

To dust we may return – but we return UP = UP to the Lord – UP to Him to UP-end the battle of sin and death and we are to gratefully give UP to His Will to help us gracefully. God UPstarts the UPset by saving our souls…

Perhaps we are to use the dust around us best, and ask the Lord to direct our dust, then let it go…. UP…

(And DON’T be dissuaded folks when we draw closer to end times = look UP…)

Look UP!

JESUS IS OUR RISE…

Amen

A poem…

.

Lord, I have so MUCH to do,

I know my best start is to follow You

I will get through because YOU will get me through!

.

I need to START.

I need to find heart.

I need to be needing less, well that’s an art.

.

If there’s something I need MOST,

It is You, a fresh filling of Holy Ghost.

You are a Holy Spirit, Who will NEVER ghost.

.

Direct us (me) to follow, ah we will TRY!

Whether it is noticeable or on the sly,

We can listen from the inside, we can TRY… 

.

Push Holy Spirit, PULL !

Give me a Holy Earful !

Show me Your Way Lord, fill my cup, fill me FULL !

.

I pray my faith to increase. 

Each day, each night, each stress release.

Let me work and then rest in Your Peace.

.

Holy Ghost, Your Spirit please SPARK.

God You are constantly Loving ALWAYS, never on a lark.

Jesus, HELP US know and follow YOUR heart as a start.

.

So Holy Spirit, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SPARK. 

SPARK my hopes and my heart, I want to do my part.

Apart from YOU LORD, we can do nothing, we need to want to have YOUR Heart.

.

Lord, Your Heart LOVED us from before life’s start.

I accept my little to Your BIG part.

Today I will love and do my part.

.

I will at least START.

Amen 

A poem for my agricultural fair entry of flowers arranged in a shoe…

This poem is for my fancy crocs, with a hole even in the undersole… under soul… blessed…

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Footloose and fancy free?

Well, that’s NOT quite the description of me.

.

I DO WANDER, AND I JUST CAN’T SEEM TO “JUST BE”…

I DO THANK YOU, LORD, FOR HELPING ME.

.

I travel with SUPPORTIVE SHOES,

AND THESE WELL-WORN CROCS, ARE WHAT I CHOOSE.

 .

So pick up your feet and go.

See what the world would show.

.

But come home to roost.

A good night’s sleep will give a boost.

.

As for me? New shoes, WHEEEEEEE !!!

So much MORE of the world to see…

A Friday Night decompression… well a whole week decompression.

..

It was quite the week and then again it was OK – it was a variety of emotions and actions, it was construction and decompression and everything in between – but it was mostly blessed – in direction and in thoughtfulness – and the down parts, well I don’t have to dwell in them – I just keep moving – like we all should. It was blessed more than it was stressed. And the theme that kept me going was “Fear Not” from Joshua scripture – and the thought-gifting and thought-pulling movie that I watch in bits and pieces all week was so worth the pensiveness – “Forrest Gump” – really an excellent multitude of moments to distract and to digest – and this rewatch after years, well it is full of fun funnies and full of thoughtful tragedies and full of God – this moving movie is full of ” ’cause right then, God showed up”…  and it is included on Disney Plus right now…  a good way to start and stop movies and fast forward and rewind..  

This week I wanted and needed the unwind more that then rewind…

“God showed up” is a line that Forrest (Tom Hanks in amazing character) uses in his narrative of his life when describing the emotional rollercoaster of Lieutenant Dan’s life and situation, who was crippled losing both legs during Vietnam and then found himself confronting God, again and again – in snarky-ness and anger – in disbelief and sorrow – well, Lt. Dan finally makes his peace with God – as Forrest realizes without any conversation – and they go from empty nets on the shrimping boat to the fullest of lives. This life – this unbelievable story (it IS a movie after all) – is carried with fascinating narration all throughout (really you have to see this movie if you haven’t)… (and the references of the 60s and 70s and 80s are so precious to me in my generational understanding… MCMXCIV is 1994 – that is thirty years ago? Wow, feels like less and feels like more…)

“God showed up” is what Forrest uses to describe the scene when a Hurricane comes in to Alabama and destroys all the shrimping boats except for theirs, because they were not docked but out INSIDE the punishing storm… “God showed up” – and they held on for dear life – well Forrest did – but Lieutenant Dan up in the crows nest challenged the situation, challenged the storm and the universe and his fate and challenged over coming to grips with awaiting his destiny which he was sure was supposed to end in Vietnam being killed and had to live out his life in a wheelchair… “God showed up” and now living IS the challenge by God again to see how HE got him (them) (us) thru… 

“God showed up” – Forrest believed that Lt Dan made his peace with God, and that is where we should take note too. How do we make peace with God and all the storms and everything that is thrown at us… How do we know ‘God never was absent’ in our lives. How do we accept challenges to build our dependence upon Him. Oh how I love the scene with Lt Dan walking on titanium steel legs, from the space shuttle materials he states. Lt Dan walked again (earthly) and so will we in Heaven no matter what our lives infirmities will throw at us.

“God showed up” – and the movie story continued – with more characters and with the same return to Forrest’s first love – Jenny. And all future direction for Forrest.

I won’t spoil the rest of the movie but you probably already saw it. It is worth a rewatch and rewatch – yes fun product placements and jokes you have to be of a certain age to understand – like that bumper sticker and the tshirt design interactions – and everything…  

And the scenes singing of Gospel music – and of Jesus are precious – “I’ve Got a New Home” – we going to sing of the Victory – “Jesus on the Mainline”!!! Glory Hallelujah singers –  and then the whole soundtrack of 30 plus songs is DIVINE listening of secular music of the time – well, I am off track now but I decided to buy a CD used for $4…

But really – as a decompression or as a mental break that makes you think too – I highly highly recommend the movie Forrest Gump… I recommend remembering and restarting and reverence of real life.

Sometimes we have to have those moments of pause and at the same time accept that life is “like a box of chocolates” – “you never know what you’re going to get” – but TRUST ME – you can be certain – GOD SHOWS UP IN EACH BITE…

Amen…

Sight unseen is not a “now you see it, now you don’t” scheme, there is no magic trick.

“Sight unseen” covers what is known so that you don’t see it. It was in your sight, but actually unseen and with amazement. We, like Jehoshaphat, can keep moving, knowing God already knows what is around the corner…

What I’m talking about in BIG picture is sin, what I’m writing about is Jesus’s covering of our sin with His blood. Not disappeared except for the consequences. What I am knowing we praise is God’s Wins in our earthly battles too.

“This is how we fight our battles” is a song about God surrounding us with His Power, His resolution to our battles, earthly and spiritually. Favorite lyrics: “It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You.” And all our human battles are small scale to God’s vast mercy. So if He covers us in mercy, He covers us then in Grace as well. We are covered and Sight Unseen accepted even before we sin. Psalm 139 tells us Gid knows everything about us. We can never say that we have never been accepted for being ourselves when we repent and listen. The Lord goes before us. “You will not need to fight in this battle.”

The Lord truly forgave not by forgetting, but by cloaking and covering with His blood. A pouring out of LOVE. Like a cleansing from view, not accepting what was done, but doing something to accept the doer.

Our SALVATION is to celebrate about, is to salivate about, WITH THIRST. His Grace and Mercy to Hunger for, Hope in, Accept and Appreciate.

If the Lord already won the ultimate battle, then today’s battles in our lives can ALSO be given TO the Lord. He already knows them. Let us see His Victory over our stress.

Surrounded. 

Sight UNseen. 

Simply Saved UNSIMPLY. 

Amen

—

“Surrounded” by Michael W Smith 

—

“Defender” – Francesca Battistelli and Steffany Gretzinger

—

2nd Chronicles 20 NKJV

Jehoshaphat Victory by God’s Win – “You will not need to fight in this battle.“

Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir Defeated

It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi). And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said: “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them— here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the Lord.

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high.

So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.”

Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped.

When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much. And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the Lord; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of the Lord. And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

So Jehoshaphat was king over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. Nevertheless the [h]high places were not taken away, for as yet the people had not directed their hearts to the God of their fathers.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly. And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber. But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

A weekend NOT so busy – and that is super blessed to have the time to find the time…  Saturday, I had hoped it would work out for me to go to my favorite summer local it seems, and it did!!!!  I got to Ocean Grove for the evening… ahhhh…. last minute I brought a friend who has never been, my goal is to let everyone know about Ocean Grove… so many activities so many blessings!!! We even chatted with a resident of one of the tents – who was really enjoying the atmosphere. We too loved the atmosphere – it is an oasis from reality into real-nicety…

And “cultured” – we felt cultured, with an amazing concert of Handel’s Messiah – from the 1700s just as pertinent today – the scriptures amazing and I had to google the lyrics to follow along – and the singing superb – both professional and community – and we also were both in awe and in relaxed state – even a dog was next to me – stretching and enjoying himself…  The concert melted into our minds like we melted into the comfy seats like the ice cream melted in our mouths. It was good to take the time to know that we took the time…

And the praise! Yeah – and I always am amazed that people also remember that we stand during the Hallelujah Chorus – just like the King of England stood in the 1700s, we stand now…  And the text reminds us that we are blessed because Jesus stood in our place to be a ransom for our sins… Hallelujah!!!

Hallelujah Jesus! and thank you!

Amen

Handel-Messiah-Texts.pdf https://share.google/ARZa2JIHbpHHGnGs9

HANDEL MESSIAH
Text taken from the Scriptures by Charles Jennens (1700–1773)
PART 1
Sinfony (orchestra)
Accompagnato (tenor)
Comfort ye, comfort ye,
my people, saith your God:
Speak ye comfortably to
Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that
her warfare is accomplish’d, that
her iniquity is pardoned.
The voice of Him that crieth in the
wilderness: Prepare ye the way
of the Lord, make straight in the
desert a highway for our God.
(Isaiah 40:1–3)
Aria (tenor)
Ev’ry valley shall be exalted, and
ev’ry mountain and hill made low,
the crooked straight and the rough
places plain. (Isaiah 40:4)
Chorus
And the glory of the Lord shall be
revealed. And all flesh shall see
it together, for the mouth of the
Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:5)
Accompagnato (bass-baritone)
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts:
Yet once a little while, and I
will shake the heav’ns and the
earth, the sea, and the dry land,
all nations I’ll shake; and the desire
of all nations shall come.
The Lord, whom ye seek, shall
suddenly come to His temple; even
the messenger of the Covenant
whom ye delight in, behold,
He shall come, saith the
Lord of Hosts.
(Haggai 2:6–7, Malachi 3:1)
Aria (countertenor)
But who may abide the day of
His coming, and who shall stand
when He appeareth? For He is like
a refiner’s fire. (Malachi 3:2)
Chorus
And He shall purify the sons of
Levi, that they may offer unto the
Lord an offering in righteousness.
(Malachi 3:3)
Recitative (countertenor)
Behold, a virgin shall conceive,
and bear a son, and shall call His
name Emmanuel, “God with us.”
(Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23)
Aria (countertenor)
and Chorus
O thou that tellest good tidings
to Zion get Thee up into the high
mountain; O thou that tellest good
tidings to Jerusalem lift up thy
voice with strength, lift it up, be
not afraid; say unto the cities of
Judah: Behold your God!
Arise, shine, for thy light is come,
and the glory of the Lord is risen
upon thee. (Isaiah 40:9, 40:1)
Accompagnato (bass-baritone)
For behold, darkness shall cover
the earth, and gross darkness the
people: but the Lord shall arise
upon thee, and His glory shall be
seen upon thee. And the Gentiles
shall come to thy light, and kings
to the brightness of thy rising.
(Isaiah 60:2–3)
Aria (bass-baritone)
The people that walked in
darkness have seen a great light.
And they that dwell in the land of
the shadow of death, upon them
hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)
Chorus
For unto us a Child is born, unto us
a Son is given and the government
shall be upon His shoulder, and His
name shall be called:
Wonderful Counsellor, The Mighty
God, The Everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6)
Pifa (orchestra)
Recitative (soprano)
There were shepherds abiding in
the field, keeping watch over their
flock by night. (Luke 2:8)
Accompagnato (soprano)
And lo, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them, and they
were sore afraid. (Luke 2:9)
Recitative (soprano)
And the angel said unto them:
Fear not; for behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people. For unto
you is born this day, in the city of
David, a Saviour, which is Christ
the Lord. (Luke 2:10–11)
Accompagnato (soprano)
And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heav’nly
host, praising God, and saying:
(Luke 2:13)
Chorus
“Glory to God in the highest,
and peace on earth, good will
toward men.” (Luke 2:14)
Aria (soprano)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter
of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, thy King com’th unto thee.
He is the righteous Saviour, and
He shall speak peace unto the
heathen. (Zechariah 9:9–10)
Recitative (countertenor)
Then shall the eyes of the blind
be open’d, and the ears of the
deaf unstopped; then shall the
lame man leap as an hart, and the
tongue of the dumb shall sing.
(Isaiah 35:5–6)
Aria (countertenor and soprano)
He shall feed His flock like a
shepherd: and He shall gather
the lambs with His arm, and carry
them in His bosom, and gently
lead those that are with young.
Come unto Him, all ye that labour,
come unto Him all ye that are
heavy laden, and He will give you
rest. Take His yoke upon you, and
learn of Him; for He is meek and
lowly of heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls.
(Isaiah 40:11, Matthew 11:28–9)
Chorus
His yoke is easy,
and His burden is light.
(Matthew 11:30)
INTERMISSION
PART 2
Chorus
Behold the Lamb of God, that
taketh away the sin of the world.
(John 1:29)
Aria (countertenor)
He was despised and rejected
of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief. He gave
His back to the smiters, and His
cheeks to them that plucked off
the hair: He hid not His face from
shame and spitting.
(Isaiah 53:3, John 1:6)
Chorus
Surely He hath borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows; He was
wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
the chastisement of our peace was
upon Him. (Isaiah 53:4–5)
Chorus
And with His stripes we are healed.
(Isaiah 53:5)
Chorus
All we, like sheep, have gone
astray, we have turned ev’ry one
to his own way; and the Lord hath
laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:6)
Accompagnato (tenor)
All they that see Him laugh Him
to scorn; they shoot out their lips,
and shake their heads, saying:
(Psalm 22:7)
Chorus
He trusted in God that He would
deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if
He delight in Him. (Psalm 22:8)
Accompagnato (tenor)
Thy rebuke hath broken His heart;
He is full of heaviness; He looked for
some to have pity on him, but there
was no man, neither found He any
to comfort Him. (Psalm 69:20)
Aria (tenor)
Behold, and see if there be any
sorrow like unto His sorrow.
(Lamentations 1:12)
Accompagnato (soprano)
He was cut off out of the land of
the living: for the transgression
of Thy people was He stricken.
(Isaiah 53:8)
Aria (soprano)
But Thou didst not leave His
soul in hell; nor didst Thou suffer
thy Holy One to see corruption.
(Psalm 16:10)
Chorus
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and
be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors;
and the King of Glory shall come
in. Who is this King of Glory? The
Lord of Hosts: He is the King of
Glory. (Psalm 24:7–10)
Recitative (tenor)
Unto which of the angels said He
at any time: “Thou art My Son,
this day have I begotten Thee?”
(Hebrews 1:5)
Chorus
Let all the angels of God worship
Him. (Hebrews 1:6)
Aria (countertenor)
Thou art gone up on high; Thou
hast led captivity captive, and
received gifts for men; yea, even
from Thine enemies, that the Lord
God might dwell among them.
(Psalm 68:18)
Chorus
The Lord gave the word; great was
the company of the preachers.
(Psalm 68:11)
Aria (soprano)
How beautiful are the feet of them
that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good
things. (Romans 10:15)
Chorus
Their sound is gone out into all
lands, and their words unto the ends
of the world. (Romans 10:18)
Aria (bass-baritone)
Why do the nations so furiously
rage together, and why do the
people imagine a vain thing? The
kings of the earth rise up, and
the rulers take counsel together
against the Lord and His anointed.
(Psalm 2:1–2)
Chorus
Let us break their bonds asunder,
and cast away their yokes from us.
(Psalm 2:3)
Recitative (tenor)
He that dwelleth in heaven shall
laugh them to scorn, the Lord shall
have them in derision. (Psalm 2:4)
Aria (tenor)
Thou shalt break them with a rod
of iron; Thou shalt dash them in
pieces like a potter’s vessel.
(Psalm 2:9)
Chorus
Hallelujah, for the Lord God
Omnipotent reigneth. The
Kingdom of this world is become
the Kingdom of our Lord and
of His Christ; and He shall reign
forever and ever. King of Kings,
and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!
(Revelation 19:6, 11:5, 19:16)
PART 3
Aria (soprano)
I know that my Redeemer liveth,
and that He shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth: And tho’
worms destroy this body, yet in my
flesh shall I see God. For now is
Christ risen from the dead, the first
fruits of them that sleep.
(Job 19, 25–26, I Corinthians 15:20)
Chorus
Since by man came death, by man
came also the resurrection of the
dead. For as in Adam all die, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive.
(I Corinthians 15:21–22)
Accompagnato (bass-baritone)
Behold, I tell you a mystery:
we shall not all sleep, but we shall
all be chang’d, in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trumpet. (I Corinthians 15:51–52)
Aria (bass-baritone)
The trumpet shall sound and the
dead shall be rais’d incorruptible,
and we shall be chang’d. For
this corruptible must put on
incorruption and this mortal must
put on immortality.
(I Corinthians 15:52–54)
Recitative (countertenor)
Then shall be brought to pass the
saying that is written;
Death is swallow’d up in victory.
(I Corinthians 15:54)
Duet (countertenor and tenor)
O Death, where is thy sting?
O Grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin and the
strength of sin is the law.
(I Corinthians 15:55–56)
Chorus
But thanks be to God, who giveth
us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
(I Corinthians 15:57)
Aria (soprano)
If God be for us, who can be
against us? Who shall lay anything
to the charge of God’s elect? It is
God that justifieth: Who is he that
condemneth? It is Christ that died,
yea rather, that is risen again, who
is at the right hand of God, who
makes intercession for us.
(Romans 8:31, 8:33–34)
Chorus
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,
and hath redeemed us to God
by His blood, to receive power,
and riches, and wisdom, and
strength, and honour, and glory,
and blessing. Blessing, and honour,
glory, and pow’r be unto Him that
sitteth upon the throne and unto
the Lamb for ever and ever.
(Revelation 5:9, 12–13)
Chorus
Amen.

I highly recommend this Facebook post encouragement, suggested by a friend pastor, of how to deal with TOUGH PEOPLE. UGH…. 

I do not know the author Graham Cooke, but I do trust my friend’s suggestion. And I find the post fiercely spiritually spot on: “Tough people aren’t your enemy – they’re your classroom where God develops His character in you and teaches you how to love like He does.”

Oh yeah, the best way to bring mental peace into your life is to find and express JESUS PEACEMAKER out FROM your life. Our GROWING is Jesus’s GLOWING.

A friend once told me that if we haven’t learned how to deal with a certain type of person in our life, we are doomed to repeat that person over and over in different people. I have found this to be true. The toughest people to deal with are the toughest people who tick you off and yet you are forced to deal with them. Or you could simply say there are a lot of tough people out there who tick you off!!! But God has a purpose in us to try to see how He sees. If you ever think you want God’s status, don’t, remember how tough that must be!!! God loves everyone, including those who hate Him, hate people, and breed hate.

God IS rather than God reacts. God IS LOVE!!!

Lord, “Help me respond from love, not react from hurt.” – Let me resonate with Your LOVE!

Okay, here’s the post that really resonates!

FROM GRAHAM COOKE, AUTHOR, “Tough people aren’t your enemy – they’re your classroom where God develops His character in you and teaches you how to love like He does.

“The Father doesn’t remove difficult people from your life to make things easier. He uses them to reveal what’s already inside you and develop what He wants to build in you – patience, grace, wisdom, and supernatural love.

“You can’t control how people treat you, but you get to choose who you become in response to them. Every challenging interaction is an opportunity to practice responding from your new nature instead of reacting from old patterns.

“The beautiful reality: When you respond to difficult people with God’s heart instead of human defensiveness, you discover strength, peace, and love that you didn’t know you had access to. Their behavior becomes the very thing that reveals God’s power in you.

“Tough people often expose areas where God wants to do deeper work. Instead of avoiding them or trying to change them, ask God what He wants to develop in you through the relationship.

“Kingdom Routine for today: Before engaging with a challenging person, pray: “God, how do You see this person? What aspect of Your character do You want to develop in me through this interaction? Help me respond from love, not react from hurt.” 

“Difficult people don’t disqualify you from God’s purposes – they qualify you to demonstrate His love in ways others can’t.”