Daniel is not so much a puzzle as it is a placement of knowledge that is not open to us, yet. Scholars will say this chapter account of kings and war is this or that, and the end times math is confusing, even for people convinced of their interpretation. So our best non-scholarly knowledge is laid plain, GOD KNOWS, and we want to be: “the people who know their God”… The people who know their God will be OK at the end, according to the heavenly messenger to David, and will be refined for the beginning to the new times. Like Daniel is told, we also may rest (grave rest) until reawakened physically. Spiritually we can rest too in that we won’t know everything except to know the end is coming sooner than later. 

“Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Dan 12:8-10

We can try to have discussions of this with people who don’t get God history let alone understand human history (textbook ignorance or personal accounts). It’s hard to have complete conversations. The present forgets the past, which completely impacts the future.  We could try to be on this side or that side of human issues but we err humanly. So only God knows the wisdom for us to work for. And we are to live each day wisely preparing our hearts and sharing the good news of HOW to get to the end. Repentance, Restoration, Renewal, Reaching., Realizing.

Let us be thankful Jesus knows the Way. 

Let us be people who know their God.

Amen

“But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.” Daniel 12:13

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Full text:

Daniel 11 and 12 link

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%2011-12&version=NIV;NKJV

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Daniel 11-12

New King James Version

Warring Kings of North and South

“Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him.) And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these.

Warring Kings of North and South

“Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her authority, and neither he nor his authority shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times. But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princes and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the North.

“Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South, but shall return to his own land. However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return to his fortress and stir up strife.

“And the king of the South shall be moved with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall muster a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy. When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.

“Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, violent men of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall. So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist. But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power.

“He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, or be for him. After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him. Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

“There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle. And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time.

“He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land.

The Northern King’s Blasphemies

“At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage.

“So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.

“Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.

The Northern King’s Conquests

“At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.

Prophecy of the End Time

CHAPTER 12 – last chapter

“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”

Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”

And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

“But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”

A poem not funny,

But maybe right on the money. 

.

Didn’t feel great, 

Daniel’s envisionings in chapter 8.

A goat, a ram and horns, 

Oh life populated with thorns and scorns!!!

Visions not meant agricultural,

Visions END OF THE WORLD interpret-ful.

.

Daniel, was worn out,

Not pleased to what he found out.

He lay exhausted for several days,

How can we really comprehend God’s Ways?

But Daniel got up and WENT ABOUT THE KING’S BUSINESS.

Appalled by the vision; it’s symbolism and it’s GRIMNESS.

Surrender, Trampling, Fighting,

It was beyond understanding, but Daniel kept working, kept writing. 

That’s us too – KEEP MOVING.

Now is not the moment to be idling nor idol-ing.

.

Daniel knew now not ‘to sweat the small stuff’.

This was HEAVY, Heavens wars are infinitely more ROUGH!

The appointed end of time,

Has God’s rhythm, God’s rhyme. 

Rebellious master of evil gains,

But then is crushed by Whom TRULY REIGNS.

Destroying the Destroyer is no small task.

Us paying attention to this specific 2,300 days prophecy is God’s ASK.

Daniel was writing ahead for all to be ‘in God we focus’.

So let us be wary and aware of the devil’s hocus pocus. 

Trust God’s Plan and don’t waiver.

Hold tight to our Savior to savor.

Prepare our hearts for Jesus’s return is near.

Daniel, Jesus, and we must educate, help others STEER CLEAR.

Tell you loved ones about Jesus,

Tell the world, plant Good Seeds of Jesus. 

Tell all those you hold dear,

THE COMING BACK OF THE LORD IS NEAR.

Amen

—

Please read Daniel 8, NIV 

Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had already appeared to me. In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great.

As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at it in great rage. I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power. The goat became very great, but at the height of its power the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.

Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. It set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down. Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?”

He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.”

The Interpretation of the Vision

While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision.”

As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”

While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.

He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end. The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power.

“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

“The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”

I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

I got home to a fridge not working, still, freezer was fine, I had left the door open a jar the night before and it never recovered, thought it would, nope… I tossed too much food. But if it does recover, it’s a fresh start of condiments and whatnots… I even got to major scrubbing, vacuuming… good… elbow grease never felt so good…

That is like life with God, restarts, fresh starts, breakdowns and pick-me-ups… and at times, major scrubbing… (Can you imagine God’s Elbow Grease? Whew!)

Now we are so clearly cleared and clean, ready to RESTART.

Restart my heart for You, Lord.

Ready to RESTART,

Oh that’s God’s ART,

That’s God’s HEART.

.

I’m ready to be fresh and clean,

Clearing out what’s ugly and mean,

Ready to rejoice, rejoin God’s Team.

.

My life is human so humanful.

I’m not unusual nor dull.

Just normal stuff accumulates into grimey rag-fulls.

.

Clean me Lord, START.

Give me a new HEART.

Listening to You Lord is SMART.

.

Amen and thanks for then clean!

(And new fridge magnets too!)

I can do all things through Christ,
Including keeping my mouth shut.
.
I can pause to praise,
Instead of complaining issues to raise.
.
I can pause AND PRAISE, A LOT,
Praise first, ask God later, maybe know or NOT.
.
Sometimes to be in a certain place but sometimes to simply NOT.
.
God only knows ALL and A LOT,
and especially He knows we tend to stray into the NOT.
.
There are days however
We are to number, to measure.
.
Ones where we work into the spots,
Where God wants us for life’s “WhatNots”
.
But hush on the moment and the means,
God wants us WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES.
.
He reminds to just WORK whenever, wherever, and on whatever,
And let Him determine the treasure.

Watch Him open doors,
Best commit to walking through, onto open floors.

But praise not your PACE,
Praise God’s placement PLACE.
And His GRACE.
And Him allowing you to keep running the RACE.

Be where we are supposed to be.
Lord, taking care of WhatNots for Thee.

Amen

A poem for us missing our loved ones in Heaven. What brings me to tears in the passage of my cousin from the old country, speaking a language I don’t, is thinking: “Now when I get to Heaven too, I’m going to be able to understand what she says!” And yet what we already understood on earth was and is the LOVE shared between us.

We can look forward to an overflow of EXCITEMENT, DANCING, SINGING, and JOY in HEAVEN.

Here is my poem:

LOVE IN HEAVEN is:

Hope

Whole

Pure

Joyful

Fulfilled

Restful

Healed

Fabulous

and accompanied by songs and dancing,

Praise for God’s Grace and Mercy.

Love in Heaven speaks VOLUMES.

LOVE ON EARTH is:

Hopeful

Healthy

Purifying

Joy-giving

Fulfilling Rest

Healing

Wishful

and filled with reminders of sharing Grace and Mercy.

Love is God in Action

Love on Earth, no matter how temporary is for HEAVEN’S GAIN, FOREVER.

AMEN

I love the sentiment in the song from Neil Young, “Long May You Run”…

Yes, a belief that even when we don’t see each other, or everything doesn’t work out, we still wish them well – and a long good journey…

Daniel and his friends and fellow exiles had a rough time with King Nebuchadnezzar, but wow, not even  close to the roughest road reserved for the evil king. King Nebuchadnezzar filled with pride felt God’s Plan to put him in his place, then re-bring him back to sanity. AND WOW DID THE RESTORED KING GET THANKFUL THEN?!!!

Personally, I haven’t read the scholars. I don’t know if the king was truly repentant for everything or just in the moment, but he did “get it” that it’s so important to praise God.  Nebuchadnezzar even makes statements that sound like Solomon in that life is at God’s command… however we are to know most deeply that God gives great grace and mercy without it being a “whim”… Think of the ecclesiastes scripture in the bird song turn turn which says for every time there is a season and a time to every purpose unto Heaven. 

Now Nebuchadnezzar learned that those who walk in pride, God is able to humble. Jesus teaches us that to be a servant in humble circumstances IS the position we should assume. Pride, like the trees in this story, becomes corruption on display.

Maybe try to walk more humble always… May we live long, and wish that for our fellow exiles here on earth too – and give God His Glory due! (I know I praise my feeling SO MUCH better from the covid last week! To God be the Glory!)

Long May You Run too!!!

Amen

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=dVM8_jAL86w&si=lw7mhsOBxeAH7N04

Daniel 4

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Tree

[A letter from thankful restored] King Nebuchadnezzar,

To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth: May you prosper greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. These are the visions I saw while lying in bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.

“In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven. He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.

“‘Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.

“‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’

“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Daniel Interprets the Dream

Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.”

Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.

“Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’

“This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

The Dream Is Fulfilled

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”

Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”

Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”

At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

—-

Long May You Run, Neil Young 

We’ve been through some things together

With trunks of memories still to come

We found things to do in stormy weather

Long may you run

.

Long may you run, long may you run

Although these changes have come

With your chrome heart shining in the sun

Long may you run

.

Well, it was back in Blind River in 1962

When I last saw you alive

But we missed that shift on the long decline

Long may you run

.

Long may you run, long may you run

Although these changes have come

With your chrome heart shining in the sun

Long may you run

.

Maybe the Beach Boys have got you now

With those waves singing “Caroline”

(Oh “Caroline, No”)

Rolling down that empty ocean road

Getting to the surf on time

.

Long may you run, long may you run

Although these changes have come

With your chrome heart shining in the sun

Long may you run

—

Video:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=dVM8_jAL86w&si=lw7mhsOBxeAH7N04

I always am amazed at the depth of biblical stories! You sometimes get deep pre-stories and sometimes you are taught and can understand the human emotions and actions. In the scriptures there is more material than imaginable and yet “just enough” – so then you imagine how to fill in the gaps too…

I’m so glad to be reading and writing in the book of Daniel, and yes I’m educating myself for these new-to-me chapters with the video from Bible Project.  But, only tackling a few chapters at a time. I learned that part of Daniel was written in Hebrew and part in Aramaic (local language), interesting… It is all text captured while in captivity in Babylon, half the book is experiencing and half is prophecy… interesting…

Daniel has a reputation now in chapter 2, from just one chapter tale of his dedication to the Lord, where we learned he got his gained position from exile to student to king’s wise man. And yet he gets lumped into the crowd of “king’s magic men” – which upset the king – and this king Nebuchadnezzar is BRUTAL with punishment needlessly. The king asked the “magic men” to not only tell him about his dream meaning but the actual “reading of my mind” too – Even the wicked could appreciate that’s a God task… magicians can do tricks, but mind reading is beyond that scope. 

In the moment before punishment, Daniel asks a question of his captor with something we all should employ: TACT AND WISDOM! 

Daniel knew to praise the Lord, Daniel knew to wait upon the Lord. Daniel knew of his prior experience being protected by God and by using wisdom. “I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you…:

I bet you could fill in the blank of times God answering you, I know I could… Thus next time we are in a bind, let us try TACT AND WISDOM, and the power of prayer!

Amen

—

Daniel 2 part 1, v1-23

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”

Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”

The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”

This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Although I can’t make it to church for the covid bug I am chasing out of my system (no worries I am doing well resting, eating, inhaling vicks vapor rub, and of course relying on the Lord for HIS HEALING). So, I was able to send forward my sermon – the first of a “Back to School” series for Jesus teaching through Parables.

 The disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” Jesus replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. “ Matthew 13:10-13

Some of us still have “back to school” notions even though we may not have anyone actually of schooling age anymore in our houses – but we feel that change in the weather – the change in the school buses being out there and less family vacations.

Here is another major teaching moment – when we teach our kids how to drive – relying STRONGLY on His Strength – practicing in parking lots and then later the roads and highways – whew! Practicing driving is good – the more time to learn the better. Some learn on back roads, some in the farmer’s fields, some in parking lots.

In our scripture today, we are reminded of the blessed schooling of God’s teachings – God’s wisdom for us to tap into – Jesus came to save and first Jesus came to teach. Jesus always teaching about God our Father and how life in step with Him is where we will find the most fulfilment. remembering to use His strength. We heard of disciples questioning Jesus  – He was always teaching – so much that many called Him Rabbi – “Rabboni” – “Teacher”… And they were asking about his teaching style – perplexed even – “Why do you speak in parables?”

 There is both the obvious thing about parables – they are REMEMBERABLE – could be recounted to others who didn’t get to go to the Jesus event – something to talk about on the road home – something to ponder deeply,  – AND – as Jesus said: “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you…” oh, cool….

Jesus knew the reality – people “will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving”…  People weren’t getting it – same today – people maybe simply never got a chance to hear – or they sadly close their ears – and yet these parables are still so good for reaching – for teaching – they help people THINK…  Parables are different but better than like a pun or a joke that takes you a moment to decipher – better than a puzzle – these are analogies that one person says “AHA!” and then explains it to the rest of the people. It is not the telephone game of “send the message down the line” – this is from a DIVINE LINE! The Word to understand.

Learning (like teaching) is something so important – requires time – requires the right mind set – requires wisdom that unpacks a little at a time. There is a great work project these days all over the world to decorate encouraging messages onto rocks and place those rocks at schools, playgrounds, even colleges, parks, workplaces. These rocks like our ROCK of Jesus will serve as teaching tools to remind the folks that we are not alone. Surely you have been encouraged, imagine to come across a rock placed at work or a park that said something like “SMILE” – even place some message in your garden then months later stumbled upon it. It is not just the advice – it is the knowledge that God sent it – right time right place – the Holy Spirit will do that – He in almighty movements will move you to find Jesus and encouragement and life. “blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”

—————————————

And here is a very important parable that Jesus taught – He really was looking for the thought-provoked disciple to grasp this knowledge – and this one is a reminder for us in living in this world… 

Jesus told them a parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ – “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. – “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ – ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Matthew 13:24-30

HMMMMM…..   curious huh?  This parable was embedded into the parables of the sower and of the mustard seed and yeast and of the pearl – really a Smorgasbord of teachings they got that day!

And then the disciples were like – hmmm, what does that all mean? – pulling Jesus aside and saying – can you help us out here???  – and that is what we are to do too – ask Jesus when we don’t understand – ask for the deeper meaning or the simple explanation.

Jesus DID answer  – and this probably blew their minds!!!!!!!!  Jesus came to fulfil the past prophesies and teach the next – which essentially also confirmed old testament prophesies about the end of the evil in the world: “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:37-43

So – yes – Jesus was saying in this lesson that not only does God know what is going on, He also has a plan – and there is a process that we will be OK at the end of times by listening to Him – to God – and staying devoted to Him.

When the Lord says: “Wait until Heaven to even the score”, He means it. He means both: ‘Wait!’ and ‘LET ME DO IT, not you.’ 

Know that evil has always existed in the world and just live the best you can anyway.

We do call out the injustices in the world now – but we could/should WAIT until God’s judgement and know that evil will be taken care of. (And KNOWthe harvest of heaven might be soon, right around the corner!). Therefore devoted people, even if bereft by evil, taken down by evil, will be taken care of. Jesus SPECIFICALLY says “At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn”.

Jesus HIMSELF and God’s Angels will sort it all out. Jesus HIMSELF will divide the goats and sheep. 

It is always good advice to DO THE BEST YOU CAN, even in trying times. You can still BEAR FRUIT and BLOOM WELL – even if weeds and wackiness wrestle with you for water. 

—-

I remember a stained glass depiction in a church window and of course the scripture – “I am the Bread of Life” – yes – for this we hunger and we are nourished.  Like drinking in Jesus as Living Water – we will absorb His Wisdom and His courage and His ability to be humble and do what needs to be done – to serve means we take on a servant role and help where we can knowing God is with us.

I want to finish with a story from the book of Daniel – not a parable but a real occurrence – a story were the schooled people of Jesus’s time would have been reminded – that God is always with us – and we are to withstand evil things – and know that He will protect us.  We often have to go into the world bereft with evil – to work on things in the world that need attending to… BUT KNOW THAT GOD IS WITH US.

This story abbreviated: The Fourth Man in the Furnace – [the evil king asked his advisors, “Didn’t we throw three men into the fire, bound firmly with ropes?” In reply they told the king, “Yes, your majesty.” – “Look!” he told them, “I see four men walking untied and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the appearance of the fourth resembles a divine being.” Then the king approached the opening of the blazing fire furnace. He shouted out their names: servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!” – those men had no effect on their bodies—not a hair on their head was singed, their clothes were not burned, and they did not smell of fire. The king spoke up and announced: “Blessed be the God of these men! He sent his angel to deliver his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and were willing to risk their lives in order not to serve or worship any god except their own God.]

We  have the power of prayer to help navigate our lives in the midst of the weed planted by the evil one – and keep growing – we can stand in the fire to be devoted to the right things – and can pray for each other and especially for our children – especially as we pray over our encouragement to the world and our messages –  because others also have to navigate the tough parts of this world…

We can be good seed planters… like the rocks of encouragement… Just like another parable of a mustard seed which grows big – our small acts can and will grow into the richness of the Kingdom – the mustard seed is “the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Our actions speak louder than words and help bring Peace in the moment.

May we always take these parables, like going “back to school” – requiring us to think – to keep the Kingdom coming! Be the Salt and Light – Trust in the Lord – Bear Fruit!!!

Amen

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 NKJV

Well, out of the blue – covid – never had it before – no idea where I got it – no idea how bad it will be – no idea…

Some idea of God’s Plan for part of it – downtime I always want but don’t like getting the way I do – no one wants to be sick – but compared to the other things going on in health these days I can’t complain – the lack of taste and smell, except for sweet things (go figure) is intriguing – and the ibuprophen (Vitamin I, my old boss would call it) really does help. The cat is the true companion here and my daughter made me lunch and dinner – and did dishes – so cool…  Sorry her weekend plans got disrupted – and the prayers are for my kids to not get this – but for me, I will TRY to look on the bright side even if I feel a bit sad that I didn’t steer clear of covid my whole life – I thought hey 4 years no covid – maybe I will never get it?!? – well never say never – and just look on the brightside of life always… God’s Covert Covid Operation for me – right? I want to think of that…

The cat not so understanding of a saturday on a friday – I am sure she counts the days and knew that something was amiss… tomorrow is saturday not sunday – although in my head (like my smell), something structural is missing when you don’t think about what day it is – and that is OK – it is just about getting better…

What I DID appreciate was/is the downtime – after I got over the Mack Truck hit me feeling – which came back tonight when the ibuprofen wore off – I don’t like this decommissioning of me – but at the same time I have more time for the commissioning of me – to keep reading and learning – and this time I actually cracked open my “beach books” – not at the beach – the first book is “The Great Disappearance” by David Jeremiah – full of scriptures and easy reading of stories which i breezed over and kept focus on the main themes…  Jesus is going to come back for us – and whether we are already sleeping in death  – or alive and keeping an eye on the clouds (LOOK UP!), He is going to take us home… And there will be a great disappearance…  Now scholars may disagree but won’t we all just know when we know? and know that Jesus won’t abandon us? – HE WON’T!

And this is so interesting – agreed by scholars – that Jesus Himself is not knowing the time – God’s Covert Operation – just wait for the “GO”…  With the voice of the archangel Michael – the shout of the Lord – and the trumpet of God – the Covert Operation will commence.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.(Paul writing to the Thessalonians chapter 4:16-18)

Well, I didn’t take notes from the book but took scripture screenshots – so good these scriptures – so good the Lord to at least TRY to explain it to us – and so good that the Lord says – I WILL BE WITH YOU –  I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This IS the Good News – Jesus is and will always be with us…

(even through covid)

Amen

A Poem written for a friend who is starting cancer treatments and her family for their strength…

.

A BEAUTIFUL SOUL

A Beautiful Soul

Longs to be Whole

Regain PEACE that the unknowns stole.

.

Peace fallen to pieces by some type of troll,

Will be restored by the One Whom IS Whole,

God knows to re-piece the Peace in a Beautiful Soul.

.

Time does try to take its toll,

Yet time also heals and that IS God’s goal.

Fill your hole with His WHOLE.

.

God made each one of us Beautifully Soul’ed.

We are His family, a sheep in His Fold.

Feel God’s comfort and loving completion us – in His Forever Love Hold.

.

Be BOLD, Beautiful Soul.

.

Amen

Don’t think it’s odd,

That God prefers we wait for His Nod

To OK a day 

Or approve a move,

Ask, seek, petition, 

And especially LISTEN.

God’s Intricate Plans

Are always above our plans.

.

Not a stall,

Maybe a call.

Don’t riot,

Be still, sit quiet. 

Learn to adjust, 

God’s not making you rust.

God’s pause

Has a cause.

.

Wisely ponder eternity, 

Even over a cup of tea.

Don’t regret,

We get what we get.

Make a point

To ask Him to anoint. 

For where we trod,

Let’s get God’s Nod.

Amen 

It’s one of those summer things – sure say it is a summer fling – me and the shore and so much more – and I will say that it is a blessing of being in a place where I can be fed and led and take a nap on the beach too…  I love that I had this summer opportunity to go to Ocean Grove – no idea what summer will be like next year – but this year I felt the blessing of the moments to take care of my needs to just be – one hour away – and see.

Of course I wanted to finish my little beach book about the life of Fanny Crosby – it took me all summer – “Fanny loved her times of precious silence. She could open her heart to the Lord so deeply”. I only read this book (and only got to read it) when I had quiet moments on the beach. Quiet moments to absorb short sections for a long time. Here I thought this summer I would get through 2 big philosophical books on the Rapture – and we do want to study that – but I didn’t even get to crack them open hardly – this little book drew me in. And Yes, the rapture and revelation, thus my excitement as I step into the reading and writing about the book of Daniel for those prophecies of end times – but honestly God needed me – indulged me – led me – to read this little book to learn about 1800’s Fanny Crosby – her mission – her plight – and oh how she turned poetry (which someone originally persuaded her was childish) into hymns and books and speaking engagements – and most importantly leading people to Christ – the down and out – the rough – the children of God who didn’t know they were. Fanny’s work of 90 years touched millions of lives – and still will. 

We should all take a moment to say “where is God leading us?” I have a sticker on my wall which says “prepare your hearts, the coming of the Lord is near.” – and that is true – and just this morning I also thought, hmmm that relates to the people we don’t know and need saving – just like Fanny Crosby visited in the slums and poorest regions of the city.  These people – all made in the image of God – they are the poor in hope, and thirsting for something they may not have even tasted – the Lord’s Grace and Mercy. Matthew 25:35-36 apply all these conditions to the soul and you serve the Lord too: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Hungry for the Lord and His Word, thirsty for Living Water, strange to the opening embrace of acceptance and repentance, lacking the clothes of dignity and righteousness which Jesus gives. Sin-sick, and in prison for chains of sin and death – chains which are broken but someone has to tell you to stand up and shake them off.
Fanny Crosby drew these people in with her mission work – and her encouragement – and her presence. 

I attended the last regular sunday service of the season at Ocean Grove yesterday morning – my first – and it was “Salvation Army Sunday” – with a great big brass band – the New York chapter – and I was so happy to listen and appreciate. I recorded videos but you can listen to it online now but wow to be in the near front row. The person in charge of the camp meeting spoke of how the band draws people in – which allows them to hear the word of the Lord – a heart changing and life changing word. That is what we are to do – draw people unto the Lord.

It was a thought provoking Sunday, plus a short nap on the beach – not swimming this time but a few souls were – the water will cool but is still good. No lifeguards and what a difference a week makes with people back to school etc. It was a good day for walking – and of course church services. I stepped to see what it looked like in the tabernacle next to the auditorium and that same awesome wood construction of late 1800s. I also took a screenshot of the ocean cam – where I could see myself – I realized that the camera post is on a delay of at least 30 seconds. And of course I indulged in the big cone of Key Lime Pie ice cream and talked to the same gentlemen who were at the register from my conversation last sunday about key lime pie ice cream too – and I told them I came back 2 sundays in a row – which was good they say because now the summer and this season flavor is almost done…

I also stepped close to an empty tent in front of a locked packed up camp for the summer – it was bare bones and the spirit and people had left the tent in my sensing of this space – it was like we the people need to bring that energy and life into the space – we do.

Unlike ice cream and beach naps, the work of the Lord is not seasonal – but how we work might be – people come and go – like Fanny’s time which was before all this big construction at the height of the revival movement on the east coast. They enjoyed their time at the shore but had to get back to their individual towns and cities and keep working for the Lord there.  I know that we are to enjoy these days – but also know that we (I certainly am) are gathering strength for days to come – places to go – people to meet. Let us keep inspiring, keep working, keep being the Salt and Light for which God calls us to be.

And live a little too…  Enjoy the enjoyment of life. (beach, sun, summer, flowers, fall, and ice cream and all.)

Amen

I’m getting ready to crack open the Old Testament Book of Daniel, a prophet and I know some of the good meaty bits in it, and I am looking forward to digesting the WHOLE thing, one Word at a time…

One such scene I am looking forward to is when three men go bound in a fire yet their punisher looks into the fire and sees four men standing walking freely, then the three men come out unscathed. This makes their punisher (King Nebuchadnezzar who wanted the exiled Israelites to bow down and worship an idol) acknowledge instead that the Lord, this God of the Israelites, is Almighty and Strong and the faith was strong within these men. Not only are they OK, they weren’t all alone. Scholars say this figure of a man was Jesus Himself. (I BELIEVE THAT) And we DO know God in one form or another to be appearing to many in the Bible, old testament-style, including that earlier vision depicted of God’s Glory as a cloud rolling in… WOW, just saying that makes me feel it, Holy Spirit goosebumps.

I found a bottlecap recently with a great quote: “Use your fear… It can take you to the place where you store your courage.” Amelia Earhart

If there’s one thing we are taught over and over again in the bible (Old Testament and New Testament) is that God is with us. In the fire (and in the fun too), in the home, in the workplace too. Our teaching is simply living in the witnessing, and often in our willingness to walk into the fire.

Witnessing is in the SHINE of our smiles and the confidence of our hearts (even when we step into the fire) and the confidence with the work of our hands for His Glory.  Jesus is as the Light to shine through us:  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5 KJV

So now IS our time to SHINE OUT the LOVE of Jesus, SPEAK out the HOPE of Salvation, and to BEAM His Light for all to see… The blessed hope of Jesus beaming – to come from the place within us. Jesus motivates us to LIGHT up the world. He sends us! Let us SHINE. Go Be His Beam. Go with God.

Let us go out and SHINE His Light to overcome all darkness. Let us love boldly and humbly. The darkness won’t comprehend this light, but it won’t be able to deny it either, not when Jesus is standing in the fire with you.

Amen

—-

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 NIV

Amen Amen

—

Daniel preview: 

Daniel 3:24-28 The Fourth Man in the Furnace

Astonished, King Nebuchadnezzar stood up in terror, and asked his advisors, “Didn’t we throw three men into the fire, bound firmly with ropes?” In reply they told the king, “Yes, your majesty.”   – “Look!” he told them, “I see four men walking untied and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the appearance of the fourth resembles a divine being.” Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the blazing fire furnace. He shouted out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. The regional authorities, viceroys, governors, and royal advisors gazed at those men and saw that the fire had no effect on their bodies—not a hair on their head was singed, their clothes were not burned, and they did not smell of fire. Nebuchadnezzar spoke up and announced: “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! He sent his angel to deliver his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and were willing to risk their lives in order not to serve or worship any god except their own God.

In conviction not condemnation. 

In restrictions not resignation. 

In rescues not rejections. 

Like a friend not a foe.

. That’s how God loves…

.

A forgiveness not a failure. 

A hope not a hassle. 

A hand up not a hold out.

Like a blessing not a blame. 

. That’s how God loves…

---

Only by Love. 

Only for Life.

Only for us.

Only by Him.

---

God is Love and will Love Only.

God’s Love is never phony. 

Lord, may we worship You and You only. 

May we surrender our lives for faith to fill us fully.

Hear our cries for mercy, and our amazement at Your Grace.

Thank You, Lord God.

Let us together finish this race.

Amen

---

This is the weather we wait for,

The mosquitos we don’t.

I would pray God to get rid of them,

But He probably won’t.

.

But someday maybe just maybe, they won’t bite anymore, 

Maybe mosquitos will eat DIFFERENT food, and have it galore.

.

And one day skunks won’t stink, bees won’t bite, 

Everything then (when it gets better after getting worse), everything will be set right.

,

We would love to see healing on a God scale,

And with our tough times, see our increased mental tolerance to prevail.

.

I have no idea what God has in store.

But in the distant or soon future, it is going to be GOOD for sure.

.

Maybe summer won’t end,

But spring will keep springing around the bend.

.

And the pumpkins and the colorful leaves will have a place, 

Same with glistening snow, oh beauty we CAN embrace. 

.

Maybe God’s got even BETTER plans than this.

I bet the land and creation are ever yearning for this bliss.

.

I bet God’s got future plans that are even better than better in all this,

Let me not bet but BELIEVE. With God in charge, there is no way He could miss!

.

Amen 

Major tenets of Christianity: Loving your neighbors with forgiving your enemies – that’s a burden blessing to hang on one side of the cross we bare – AND another tenet of “burden blessing” is NUMBERING OUR DAYS, “ESTABLISH THE WORK OF OUR HANDS “, living life as FULFILLED COMPLETE however short, to make the most of the day and days, and ON this branch of our cross, actually on sides, slide on as much GLADNESS too, for the Lord Himself will carry these weights with us.

Make us Joyful in burden blessings. 

We are taught by Jesus to forgive others and forgive our own humanness too, best we can, along the way, and hand God the issues. God has won the war, overcome the world, let us live in appreciation all while still climbing our mountains. 

I know the saying goes: we must bear our own cross. Yet SURELY Jesus Himself and His angels and our friends help us carry – they are who are placed UNDER our cross, LIFTING our burdens – making our way through life more sure…  Just KEEP MOVING… We bear our friends’ situations too, helping carry their blessing burdens. 

Is this cross we bear a burden or a gift? A hook for more burdens or a tool for more lifting power. Well, yes, all, because our way in brokenness to unbrokenness is through Jesus’s sacrifice and God’s healing in us of this short journey’s end, Heaven…

Heaven, I can’t wait but I am in no rush!

Numbering our days was on Moses’s mind when he wrote Psalm 90, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

May we pray a morning prayer and praise: “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

And so let us live with wisdom to accept God’s support – for our acceptance support of this cross we bear, to live under all the burdens, but yet to rise in it all anyway, to rise in the GLORY of God’s Mercy and Grace. 

Yes, Lord, “Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.”

And keep WORKING and WALKING: “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.”

AMEN AMEN 

————

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death — they are like the new grass of the morning: In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.

We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.

When hearing about the anniversary of the “I Had a Dream” speech by MLK Jr, I was able to find a new link to the text – which I inserted into my sermon based on MLK Jr’s sermon about loving your enemies – and on Jesus’s speech on the matter – with a practical example of dimming your headlights on a busy highway – “someone has to have the sense to have sense” is essentially what MLK Jr is saying – and so is Jesus.

This text and re-listen became an opportunity to revisit this important teaching of Jesus – Love Your Enemies – because the redemption power of LOVE is infinite – and hate just perpetuates. It is good to remember MLK Jr was a pastor who preached “self control” and “non-retaliation” – and even if we aren’t in those waring times – it is good to take this simple advice: Love wins…  And so, WOW to the explanation about how President Lincoln worked with one of his mud-slinging enemies – Stanton – from when he was presidential candidate – then made him a cabinet member – wow – talked about redemption via LOVE that will win out over hate – WOW…  It puts the WOW into the HOW – Love Your Enemies – believe in the power of Love. Hate has no redemption qualities and distorts the personality of the person.

Surely Jesus had an impact upon MLK Jr. – and surely in his “secular” orations, he also brought in wisdom from His Word, into the mix. It was the anniversary last week of the “I had a dream” speech – surely this means that in Jesus’s day, Jesus could have called some of His orations: “I have a plan – and a dream – and a truth – and a knowledge of how it all will go down.” – and this brings me to writing a new sermon for a couple weeks from now – about the wheat and the weeds and how evil is planted alongside the good and we must let the Lord deal with it = for He does have a plan and a knowledge and IS in charge.:

https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/loving-your-enemies-sermon-delivered-dexter-avenue-baptist-church

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MLK Sermon Part about Lincoln:

Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, “Love your enemies.” It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. That’s why Jesus says, “Love your enemies.” Because if you hate your enemies, you have no way to redeem and to transform your enemies. But if you love your enemies, you will discover that at the very root of love is the power of redemption. You just keep loving people and keep loving them, even though they’re mistreating you. Here’s the person who is a neighbor, and this person is doing something wrong to you and all of that. Just keep being friendly to that person. Keep loving them. Don’t do anything to embarrass them. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with bitterness because they’re mad because you love them like that. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. “love your enemies.”

I think of one of the best examples of this. We all remember the great president of this United States, Abraham Lincoln—these United States rather. You remember when Abraham Lincoln was running for president of the United States, there was a man who ran all around the country talking about Lincoln. He said a lot of bad things about Lincoln, a lot of unkind things. And sometimes he would get to the point that he would even talk about his looks, saying, “You don’t want a tall, lanky, ignorant man like this as the president of the United States.” He went on and on and on and went around with that type of attitude and wrote about it. Finally, one day Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States. And if you read the great biography of Lincoln, if you read the great works about him, you will discover that as every president comes to the point, he came to the point of having to choose a Cabinet.10 And then came the time for him to choose a Secretary of War. He looked across the nation, and decided to choose a man by the name of Mr. Stanton. And when Abraham Lincoln stood around his advisors and mentioned this fact, they said to him: “Mr. Lincoln, are you a fool? Do you know what Mr. [Edwin M.] Stanton has been saying about you? Do you know what he has done, tried to do to you? Do you know that he has tried to defeat you on every hand? Do you know that, Mr. Lincoln? Did you read all of those derogatory statements that he made about you?” Abraham Lincoln stood before the advisors around him and said: “Oh yes, I know about it. I read about it. I’ve heard him myself. But after looking over the country, I find that he is the best man for the job.”

Mr. Stanton did become Secretary of War, and a few months later, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. And if you go to Washington, you will discover that one of the greatest words or statements ever made by, about Abraham Lincoln was made about this man Stanton. And as Abraham Lincoln came to the end of his life, Stanton stood up and said: “Now he belongs to the ages.” And he made a beautiful statement concerning the character and the stature of this man. If Abraham Lincoln had hated Stanton, if Abraham Lincoln had answered everything Stanton said, Abraham Lincoln would have not transformed and redeemed Stanton. Stanton would have gone to his grave hating Lincoln, and Lincoln would have gone to his grave hating Stanton. But through the power of love Abraham Lincoln was able to redeem Stanton.

That’s it. There is a power in love that our world has not discovered yet. Jesus discovered it centuries ago. Mahatma Gandhi of India discovered it a few years ago, but most men and most women never discover it. For they believe in hitting for hitting; they believe in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth; they believe in hating for hating; but Jesus comes to us and says, “This isn’t the way.”

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and here is the link to my previous sermon with the MLK Jr reference to dimming the headlights and the scriptures of the Jesus interactions to teach His people to wait upon the Lord.  New one is on it’s way in a couple weeks.

Dimming Your Headlights – a Sermon – MLK Jr and me

I love a beach destination where I can get filled with the sights and sounds of sweet surf and sand plus ice cream, spend some time with a swimming singing sister, AND then – with all of that – a sermon too, on the packed 9am boardwalk pavilion, Ocean Grove blessings. And yes, I loved the one song of praise I heard and got to sing which perked my ears: the refrain: “I want to follow Jesus” is “No turning back, no turning back”. I heard that nearly 10 years ago, a scripture in a different song, but the same meaning, no turning back when you chose to follow the Way of the Lord over the way of the world.

Complete journey for a Sunday for sure, and only 1 hour away. Oh the surf and smells of marigolds and sights of summer. What is something that one can’t get enough of? Key lime ice cream for me – human me – and the Word preached with truth… What a blessing to combine that here. A respite of refreshment. 

The Word, Jesus’s fleshed out fulfilment of God’s Plan and Love, is the Way of Wondrous Work.

The Word is more powerful than the world and above both the unfair and super duper good stuff we go through too.  All good things are from God, and God is above it all. His Ways are above our ways. 

We listened to our guest sermonist who spoke of trials and tribulations of life – of going through it and not stopping, keep going. He spoke of how easy faith is in the good times, but we need our faith, God has provided our faith, for the valleys, the down times. Amen to that and more on his sermon later.

We parked our chairs and umbrellas just near the edge of the tide, not far from where I saw the baptisms the previous Sunday and asked to be dunked myself. Immersion is the blessing of knowing that you will rise from being under water. These waves were more fierce this day, no problem for my swimming fish friend, but they scared me… I’m not from a beach understanding place – I’m getting better. The water was invitingly warm at 71 (hey that’s perfect here) – and clear with no critters or anything this day. There were a fraction of folks from just one week ago, people back to school and from being too busy, but I’m savoring summer and stretching it. I’m going to be going to the beach all September and October surely. 

We walked up to the sounds of the boardwalk pavilion church. We didn’t get to the auditorium church service but snuck in later at noon for a glimpse and photos of the pipe organ while they were cleaning up from the later service. It’s a marvelous place with history, hope, and how the Word revived the people and still does. The listener to the Word is where the work takes place, how you ingest it and how it helps and hopes you. The Word doesn’t return to God’s ear void, the Word Works. 

The sermon of the boardwalk included the agreement that life isn’t fair, but God is with you in the worst, so keep going anyway. “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 – and this is NOT just about the blessings of the world, like celebrating dinner or the leftovers now in the fridge or the fireworks amazing surprise when I stepped out of the restaurant, how ever amazing these SHORT-TERM blessings are, they are like melting ice cream that must be enjoyed and is gone – as like the end of this summer seasonal blessings – life is fleeting and short… The Word here is FOREVER- and EVER MORE powerful… Jeremiah hears from the Lord that IN WHOLE, the blessings will outweigh the angst.

The Old Testament story of Joseph was also shared in the boardwalk sermon, Joseph’s brothers mistreated him, he was left for dead in a well, he was rescued only to be a slave, he was imprisoned for false accusation, and forgotten even when the people said they would help… well, years later, oh, Joseph’s God-given gift of dream interpretation got him sprung from prison to the palace and most importantly to a position where he could both bless his brothers and countryfolk with grain (which he had Pharaoh stockpile) in a famine AND BLESS THEM BY FORGIVING THEM too. Joseph saves the situation and God’s 12 son’s of Jacob, tribes of Israel, are fortified. (see Genesis 37, 39-47)

God will take up our plight too and we surely can rise above what drags us down. Even able to forgive: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Joseph told his brothers. We must keep that long view too! (And our sermonist shared a riveting personal story too of this Joseph-like recovery from the Lord in his life. AMAZING)

The WORD is ABOVE the WAVES of the WORLD. The good and bad and even how we interpret it… Just one more thought about key lime pie ice cream (and I had toasted coconut with chocolate bits too) – one resting gentleman behind the counter said it wasn’t his favorite, the tartness, but oh in that moment it hit my taste buds just right. That’s a miniature version of how we humanly might hear the Word – We might not hear everything or it hit us right just then but there are certain times when it hits us perfect – we hear what we need to hear and it’s not just about our palate, in tune, but about God’s power to help us hear. May we all hear Him in the right season of our lives.

Thanks Lord for a tasty weekend and of a whetted appetite… Always, we want more of You.

Amen 

Having immersed in Ezekiel – all summer – well, the ending is the most pleasant of details of delight – The city and garden and vision of “THE LORD IS THERE”. Ezekiel’s Insight to our delight – we are told of a great river which refreshes the sea, the trees, and the land – and brings healing and goodness to the land and to the nations. It is a vision too good to understand – but God’s ways are above our ways.

The marshy swamps won’t get healed – they are too salty – perhaps we too must pray to give up our marshy bogged down selves and reach for the clean good water.

The scholars say that this is not the new Jerusalem, which has dimensions 1000 fold larger, and yet this is either symbolism of hope or a city of hope and healing. God’s ways are above our ways and we are reminded that even if God took these israelites this long and this wandering way – He always intended them to come back to Him. Us too – we are to remember that not only can we turn back to God when we wander – but HE WANTS US TO BE WITH HIM!

Because He goes there – He wants us there – Because we are called to be with God – we also must know to travel there – and see that God is there – and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.” 

May we also be.

Amen – and thank God to close on Ezekiel – a LONG chapter – in such a healing and whole way.

Amen Amen

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Ezekiel 47 and 48 NKJV

The Healing Waters and Trees
Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.

And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.

When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

Borders of the Land
Thus says the Lord God: “These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. You shall inherit it equally with one another; for I raised My hand in an oath to give it to your fathers, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.

“This shall be the border of the land on the north: from the Great Sea, by the road to Hethlon, as one goes to Zedad, Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazar Hatticon (which is on the border of Hauran). Thus the boundary shall be from the Sea to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus; and as for the north, northward, it is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

“On the east side you shall mark out the border from between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, along the Jordan, and along the eastern side of the sea. This is the east side.

“The south side, toward the South, shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea. This is the south side, toward the South.

“The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the southern boundary until one comes to a point opposite Hamath. This is the west side.

“Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord God.

Division of the Land
“Now these are the names of the tribes: From the northern border along the road to Hethlon at the entrance of Hamath, to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus northward, in the direction of Hamath, there shall be one section for Dan from its east to its west side; by the border of Dan, from the east side to the west, one section for Asher; by the border of Asher, from the east side to the west, one section for Naphtali; by the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, one section for Manasseh; by the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, one section for Ephraim; by the border of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, one section for Reuben; by the border of Reuben, from the east side to the west, one section for Judah; by the border of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the district which you shall set apart, twenty-five thousand cubits in width, and in length the same as one of the other portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the center.

“The district that you shall set apart for the Lord shall be twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width. To these—to the priests—the holy district shall belong: on the north twenty-five thousand cubits in length, on the west ten thousand in width, on the east ten thousand in width, and on the south twenty-five thousand in length. The sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the center. It shall be for the priests of the sons of Zadok, who are sanctified, who have kept My charge, who did not go astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray. And this district of land that is set apart shall be to them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.

“Opposite the border of the priests, the Levites shall have an area twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width; its entire length shall be twenty-five thousand and its width ten thousand. And they shall not sell or exchange any of it; they may not alienate this best part of the land, for it is holy to the Lord.

“The five thousand cubits in width that remain, along the edge of the twenty-five thousand, shall be for general use by the city, for dwellings and common-land; and the city shall be in the center. These shall be its measurements: the north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred. The common-land of the city shall be: to the north two hundred and fifty cubits, to the south two hundred and fifty, to the east two hundred and fifty, and to the west two hundred and fifty. The rest of the length, alongside the district of the holy section, shall be ten thousand cubits to the east and ten thousand to the west. It shall be adjacent to the district of the holy section, and its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. The workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it. The entire district shall be twenty-five thousand cubits by twenty-five thousand cubits, foursquare. You shall set apart the holy district with the property of the city.

“The rest shall belong to the prince, on one side and on the other of the holy district and of the city’s property, next to the twenty-five thousand cubits of the holy district as far as the eastern border, and westward next to the twenty-five thousand as far as the western border, adjacent to the tribal portions; it shall belong to the prince. It shall be the holy district, and the sanctuary of the temple shall be in the center. Moreover, apart from the possession of the Levites and the possession of the city which are in the midst of what belongs to the prince, the area between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin shall belong to the prince.

“As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side to the west, Benjamin shall have one section; by the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon shall have one section; by the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar shall have one section; by the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun shall have one section; by the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad shall have one section; by the border of Gad, on the south side, toward the South, the border shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea. This is the land which you shall divide by lot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions,” says the Lord God.

The Gates of the City and Its Name
“These are the exits of the city. On the north side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits (the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel), the three gates northward: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi; on the east side, four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan; on the south side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun; on the west side, four thousand five hundred cubits with their three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.”

It seems to me that the restoration of the connection between God and the Israelites (and all of us) described in the book of Ezekiel – is so descriptive in God’s numbers and terms and values and imagery – because God already knows the plan and prepares and prepares and prepares. God is God – and His revelations which are written down as descriptions to Ezekiel are so exacting down to the sacrifice, it is no wonder why the scholars scratch their heads in knowing what God is doing here.  The bible project video also says that scholars debate – restoring a temple bigger and better than Solomons – or making a new one – or ???  The video does state that it is clear that God never calls it Jerusalem – in other words God’s Word will be even bigger than that…  And yes, the future chapters explain the name of the garden that God is restoring – like restoration of Eden but bigger now to hold everyone in a city called: “And the name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there.”

WOW

And so it is AMAZING that God is finding a way for the israelites held up in Babylon in Ezekiel’s time – and it is AMAZING that God planned a Way through Jesus to be our restoration – and it is AMAZING for this new temple and city and garden – all measured and certain – to be containing an altar – of sacrifice…  God knows the people are separated from Him – He knows He wants repentance and restoration – and Ezekiel in symbols or in revelations is telling the countrymen (and us) that God wants the most lasting loving relationship with them (with us)…

Let us trust in this long drawn out story of Ezekiel and of life – and know that God is making a Way where there was no way – and remember – with Jesus – He IS the Way – and the Truth – and the Life…

Keep Measuring His Love for us.

Amen

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The Great Altar Restored – Ezekiel 43:13-27
“These are the measurements of the altar in long cubits, that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: From the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes around the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide. From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes around the altar it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide. Above that, the altar hearth is four cubits high, and four horns project upward from the hearth. The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide. The upper ledge also is square, fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit. The steps of the altar face east.”

Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and splashing blood against the altar when it is built: You are to give a young bull as a sin offering to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all around the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it. You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.

“On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

“For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. At the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

continue here with Chapters 44, 45 and 46: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2047&version=NIV

At the beginning of the summer I really felt sufferings from Scatterbrain –

I don’t think I am more organized or focused on the tasks but now focused on the getting thru…

and summer is a great time to “get thru” – and enjoy summer too…

no guilt for beach trips over box unpacking

no guilt for outside eating over kitchen duties

yes some guilt for piles that I couldn’t walk around – but I got around!

And the piles from my daughter coming back from college – it was a ripple effect she said – that she needed one item (like new shelves in her room) and under the bed storage bins that would help the whole process start… I get that – the ripple effect.

The Ripple Effect is also when one cleans one small corner – which I did last night – in an attempt at a cleaning 3-day weekend. By the dryer – moved and swept – and even cleaned out the embedded lint too with a brush. Then move three more feet and keep going – keep cleaning – and ripple it better. It helps that I feel blessed to give stuff away and not trash it – like I have seen way too many times in my trash-picking mornings – wow people toss good stuff that should have been donated!!! And since I get good free stuff – I don’t mind donating good stuff. Better a clear mind than a cluttered room.

OK – round 1 – the living room pile is removed of clothes – they were good investments the under the bed storage…. Round 2 will be kitchen stuff from 2 apartment years – consolidate, donate, alleviate.

The clarity here is a path to walk down – physically in this living room – and in this house – and then mentally and spiritually in life – Jesus IS our Path-maker and angst-taker – Let Him lead the way – and de-scatter the brain for the King Who does reign…

Thanks Lord for the Summer – I loved it….

Amen

—–

Original Poem:

Scatterbrained

I realized my problem, especially these past few weeks, I’m feeling totally SCATTERBRAINED!!!

Partially particularly feeling drained, 

But partially ALSO being ENERGIZED by random thoughts in my brain’s new terrain.

.

My “to-do” thoughts are MANY, feeling broken up yet they SHOULD shine like a rainbow through the rain.

The light once white is clearly colorly fractured, and yet also fogged up from beaming nicely in my scatterbrain.

It’s like I’ve taken many a bend in the tracks of my thinking train.

.

I’m fine though, don’t mistake me, I’m fine even as I complain.

I know how to retrieve what’s missing in my scatter brain. 

I have to remind myself to find that focused narrow lane.

.

It’s Jesus I need. JESUS, His Peace I RECLAIM. 

He as WHOLE LIGHT completes any missing colors lost down my mental rainbow’s drain. 

His blood recovers any missteps too, from which I should have known to refrain.

.

Jesus bring me back to less mental pain.

You Lord ARE the Promise to get us out of the rain.

There is nothing for which Jesus’s Forgiveness won’t pertain.

.

My loss is my gain if Jesus Hope I retain. 

Remembering Lord, YOU LEAD, YOU REIGN.

Help me see Your clarity, I request this for my scatterbrain. 

Amen 

Pray to pray.

Pray stuff not away, or to make opinion/judgement sway, or to get your own way.

Pray instead to make God’s Day, to reconfigure and quiet what we say, for us to listen to His Way.

Yes, pray to pray.

Not to explain away or justify and sway.

Not to escape today, not to justify yesterday. 

Pray for God to help you (us) to see life in His Way, to forgive a life stray, to kneel in a convicted way.

Pray for Glory restored, a Jesus-loving-corrective day.

Listen to angels, Hallelujah they say.

Pray for pause and pray for fulfillment in a knowing way.

Pray to pray. 

Amen 

 I had the pleasure of sitting in the giant Auditorium once again at Ocean Grove New Jersey, built in 1894, oh it is amazing… Full Orchestra and premiere soprano alto tenor bass singers… Mendelssohn found and brought forth many of Bach’s work that would have been lost to the ages…  He helped the revival of Bach’s music. And in both their music – it is so apparent seeing the lyrics that they had – that they were God loving, God fearing, God appreciative sacred compositions… Oh the sound is so beautiful in that auditorium. Oh the praise is so beautiful in a heavenly way. And oh the pipe organ! it wasn’t specifically a pipe organ concert – but there were some short pieces – and imagine the revival it could still bring…

Best for me was the fulfilling SITTING – which I rarely do – sitting with the Spirit and absorbing the glimpses and waves from a more than a century ago of the revival movement feeling… blessed to witness in memory… blessed to wade in the waters of love that is forever… blessed to be there after the afternoon of a surprise baptism, immersion style, which I wrote about previously – BLESSED ASSURANCE.

Speaking of BLESSED ASSURANCE, I mentioned previously that Fanny Crosby, the famous poet and lyricist, stayed here once or a few times – and the book I am reading said that she slept in a tent on the beach – just big enough for her – when she was the same age that I turn this year – I appreciated that Fanny Crosby keep working for the Lord until her death at age 95 – yes – whether we have 40 MORE years or just a short time left – we can “keep keepin’ on” for the Lord… 

Ah – the blessing of revival of spirit in me too – to soak in the sun, sand and Spirit – and sounds too…  sweet…. 

Oh – if I had just kept reading more of Ezekiel, I would have learned WHY God had the measurements told to Ezekiel – He was using the temple and it’s measurements to demonstrate perfection and God will live in perfection as well as bring perfection to us and to Himself. God will have God’s Glory to share with the ones He gives Grace to.

And I am remembering a most important tidbit BIG bit about God – and us – He is perfection and we will never be perfection and so it is not that we shouldn’t try to be better, we SHOULD like the Israelites should have in Ezekiel’s time, but remember that we simply most humbly must accept our flaws and reach for our perfector: Jesus. In Jesus there is no flaw and no shortcomings – and with Jesus as a gift to us – with redemptive righteousness, we will appear holy and blameless next to God in His Grace.

SO give yourself some grace to keep running the race. Stand next to Jesus and absorb that LOVE.

Ezekiel saw God’s Glory return – we will too – and He will live with us forever.

Amen

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Ezekiel 43:1-2
God’s Glory Returns to the Temple
Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. The glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The people of Israel will never again defile my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings at their death. When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.

“Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.

“This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple.

“look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you”

The ULTIMATE “Fix Your Sight and Mind on This” is in Ezekiel’s Temple Vision, chapters 40 to 48. I made it the end of the book, whew!!! (And it took me a while to get here!!!). And now I know it was worth getting here, for me and Ezekiel too. Ezekiel had a whole nation to explain about God to. We now, in these online Bible teaching offerings, have a whole world to share with. The key line for me in all these words about an amazing temple is “This is the table that is before the Lord.” Yes, There are great things and Ezekiel saw great things! And yet the best view is of sacrifice for the Lord, physically and spiritually. 

Why, I do wonder, was the bronze man measuring measuring measuring? 

Perhaps God is always ALSO measuring the numbers of faithful followers to fill it. God is weighing and monitoring and hoping and aching for His followers. He gives free will, oh but the weight of dedication is immeasurable to Him.

Oh, that we may all approach His altar with our sacrifice of our lived lived for Him.

Amen 

—

Ezekiel 40-42 New King James Version
A New City, a New Temple
In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was captured, on the very same day the hand of the Lord was upon me; and He took me there. In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city. He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.

And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.” Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple. In the man’s hand was a measuring rod six cubits long, each being a cubit and a handbreadth; and he measured the width of the wall structure, one rod; and the height, one rod.

The Eastern Gateway of the Temple
Then he went to the gateway which faced east; and he went up its stairs and measured the threshold of the gateway, which was one rod wide, and the other threshold was one rod wide. Each gate chamber was one rod long and one rod wide; between the gate chambers was a space of five cubits; and the threshold of the gateway by the vestibule of the inside gate was one rod. He also measured the vestibule of the inside gate, one rod. Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and the gateposts, two cubits. The vestibule of the gate was on the inside. In the eastern gateway were three gate chambers on one side and three on the other; the three were all the same size; also the gateposts were of the same size on this side and that side.

He measured the width of the entrance to the gateway, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. There was a space in front of the gate chambers, one cubit on this side and one cubit on that side; the gate chambers were six cubits on this side and six cubits on that side. Then he measured the gateway from the roof of one gate chamber to the roof of the other; the width was twenty-five cubits, as door faces door. He measured the gateposts, sixty cubits high, and the court all around the gateway extended to the gatepost. From the front of the entrance gate to the front of the vestibule of the inner gate was fifty cubits. There were beveled window frames in the gate chambers and in their intervening archways on the inside of the gateway all around, and likewise in the vestibules. There were windows all around on the inside. And on each gatepost were palm trees.

The Outer Court
Then he brought me into the outer court; and there were chambers and a pavement made all around the court; thirty chambers faced the pavement. The pavement was by the side of the gateways, corresponding to the length of the gateways; this was the lower pavement. Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gateway to the front of the inner court exterior, one hundred cubits toward the east and the north.

The Northern Gateway
On the outer court was also a gateway facing north, and he measured its length and its width. Its gate chambers, three on this side and three on that side, its gateposts and its archways, had the same measurements as the first gate; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. Its windows and those of its archways, and also its palm trees, had the same measurements as the gateway facing east; it was ascended by seven steps, and its archway was in front of it. A gate of the inner court was opposite the northern gateway, just as the eastern gateway; and he measured from gateway to gateway, one hundred cubits.

The Southern Gateway
After that he brought me toward the south, and there a gateway was facing south; and he measured its gateposts and archways according to these same measurements. There were windows in it and in its archways all around like those windows; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. Seven steps led up to it, and its archway was in front of them; and it had palm trees on its gateposts, one on this side and one on that side. There was also a gateway on the inner court, facing south; and he measured from gateway to gateway toward the south, one hundred cubits.

Gateways of the Inner Court
Then he brought me to the inner court through the southern gateway; he measured the southern gateway according to these same measurements. Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements; there were windows in it and in its archways all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. There were archways all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. Its archways faced the outer court, palm trees were on its gateposts, and going up to it were eight steps.

And he brought me into the inner court facing east; he measured the gateway according to these same measurements. Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements; and there were windows in it and in its archways all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. Its archways faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its gateposts on this side and on that side; and going up to it were eight steps.

Then he brought me to the north gateway and measured it according to these same measurements— also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways. It had windows all around; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. Its gateposts faced the outer court, palm trees were on its gateposts on this side and on that side, and going up to it were eight steps.

Where Sacrifices Were Prepared
There was a chamber and its entrance by the gateposts of the gateway, where they washed the burnt offering. In the vestibule of the gateway were two tables on this side and two tables on that side, on which to slay the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering. At the outer side of the vestibule, as one goes up to the entrance of the northern gateway, were two tables; and on the other side of the vestibule of the gateway were two tables. Four tables were on this side and four tables on that side, by the side of the gateway, eight tables on which they slaughtered the sacrifices. There were also four tables of hewn stone for the burnt offering, one cubit and a half long, one cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high; on these they laid the instruments with which they slaughtered the burnt offering and the sacrifice. Inside were hooks, a handbreadth wide, fastened all around; and the flesh of the sacrifices was on the tables.

Chambers for Singers and Priests
Outside the inner gate were the chambers for the singers in the inner court, one facing south at the side of the northern gateway, and the other facing north at the side of the southern gateway. Then he said to me, “This chamber which faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple. The chamber which faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar; these are the sons of Zadok, from the sons of Levi, who come near the Lord to minister to Him.”

Dimensions of the Inner Court and Vestibule
And he measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide, foursquare. The altar was in front of the temple. Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the doorposts of the vestibule, five cubits on this side and five cubits on that side; and the width of the gateway was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side. The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the width eleven cubits; and by the steps which led up to it there were pillars by the doorposts, one on this side and another on that side.

Dimensions of the Sanctuary
Then he brought me into the sanctuary and measured the doorposts, six cubits wide on one side and six cubits wide on the other side—the width of the tabernacle. The width of the entryway was ten cubits, and the side walls of the entrance were five cubits on this side and five cubits on the other side; and he measured its length, forty cubits, and its width, twenty cubits.

Also he went inside and measured the doorposts, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits high; and the width of the entrance, seven cubits. He measured the length, twenty cubits; and the width, twenty cubits, beyond the sanctuary; and he said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.”

The Side Chambers on the Wall
Next, he measured the wall of the temple, six cubits. The width of each side chamber all around the temple was four cubits on every side. The side chambers were in three stories, one above the other, thirty chambers in each story; they rested on ledges which were for the side chambers all around, that they might be supported, but not fastened to the wall of the temple. As one went up from story to story, the side chambers became wider all around, because their supporting ledges in the wall of the temple ascended like steps; therefore the width of the structure increased as one went up from the lowest story to the highest by way of the middle one. I also saw an elevation all around the temple; it was the foundation of the side chambers, a full rod, that is, six cubits high. The thickness of the outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits, and so also the remaining terrace by the place of the side chambers of the temple. And between it and the wall chambers was a width of twenty cubits all around the temple on every side. The doors of the side chambers opened on the terrace, one door toward the north and another toward the south; and the width of the terrace was five cubits all around.

The Building at the Western End
The building that faced the separating courtyard at its western end was seventy cubits wide; the wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length ninety cubits.

Dimensions and Design of the Temple Area
So he measured the temple, one hundred cubits long; and the separating courtyard with the building and its walls was one hundred cubits long; also the width of the eastern face of the temple, including the separating courtyard, was one hundred cubits. He measured the length of the building behind it, facing the separating courtyard, with its galleries on the one side and on the other side, one hundred cubits, as well as the inner temple and the porches of the court, their doorposts and the beveled window frames. And the galleries all around their three stories opposite the threshold were paneled with wood from the ground to the windows—the windows were covered— from the space above the door, even to the inner room, as well as outside, and on every wall all around, inside and outside, by measure.

And it was made with cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between cherub and cherub. Each cherub had two faces, so that the face of a man was toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a young lion toward a palm tree on the other side; thus it was made throughout the temple all around. From the floor to the space above the door, and on the wall of the sanctuary, cherubim and palm trees were carved.

The doorposts of the temple were square, as was the front of the sanctuary; their appearance was similar. The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and its length two cubits. Its corners, its length, and its sides were of wood; and he said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.”

The temple and the sanctuary had two doors. The doors had two panels apiece, two folding panels: two panels for one door and two panels for the other door. Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the doors of the temple just as they were carved on the walls. A wooden canopy was on the front of the vestibule outside. There were beveled window frames and palm trees on one side and on the other, on the sides of the vestibule—also on the side chambers of the temple and on the canopies.

The Chambers for the Priests
Then he brought me out into the outer court, by the way toward the north; and he brought me into the chamber which was opposite the separating courtyard, and which was opposite the building toward the north. Facing the length, which was one hundred cubits (the width was fifty cubits), was the north door. Opposite the inner court of twenty cubits, and opposite the pavement of the outer court, was gallery against gallery in three stories. In front of the chambers, toward the inside, was a walk ten cubits wide, at a distance of one cubit; and their doors faced north. Now the upper chambers were shorter, because the galleries took away space from them more than from the lower and middle stories of the building. For they were in three stories and did not have pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper level was shortened more than the lower and middle levels from the ground up. And a wall which was outside ran parallel to the chambers, at the front of the chambers, toward the outer court; its length was fifty cubits. The length of the chambers toward the outer court was fifty cubits, whereas that facing the temple was one hundred cubits. At the lower chambers was the entrance on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.

Also there were chambers in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, opposite the separating courtyard and opposite the building. There was a walk in front of them also, and their appearance was like the chambers which were toward the north; they were as long and as wide as the others, and all their exits and entrances were according to plan. And corresponding to the doors of the chambers that were facing south, as one enters them, there was a door in front of the walk, the way directly in front of the wall toward the east.

Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separating courtyard, are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall lay the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering—for the place is holy. When the priests enter them, they shall not go out of the holy chamber into the outer court; but there they shall leave their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they may approach that which is for the people.”

Outer Dimensions of the Temple
Now when he had finished measuring the inner temple, he brought me out through the gateway that faces toward the east, and measured it all around. He measured the east side with the measuring rod, five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around. He measured the north side, five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around. He measured the south side, five hundred rods by the measuring rod. He came around to the west side and measured five hundred rods by the measuring rod. He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred wide, to separate the holy areas from the common.

MADE NEW! What a great surprise to see on the beach here in Ocean Grove, NJ, God’s Square Mile.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2Cor5:17

I came upon youth being baptized in the ocean – a City Reach Church – maybe a hundred blue t-shirted beacons of hope – oh such a blessing to share in that praise! It was such a great sight – especially in those blue t-shirts that stated: “MADE NEW” – hundreds who had “O what a fore-taste of glory divine”. I pray those youth to have that feeling of LOVE wash over them just like those waves – over and over again – and for them to share that love over and over again with all folks they come in contact with – we are Jesus’s Hands and Feet – and LOVE.

And YES, after they were all done, seeing a few others from the crowd come forward, I decided to ask to be made new again too – as in REMADE RENEWED REASURRED in JESUS! A “bucket list” of mine – immersion baptism for that visual and feeling – ever since my awakening, nearly 10 years ago now. This was not just a bucket of baptism but a whole immersion – Naaman-style… I know my baptism by my parents is totally valid, but thought I (we) could use a refreshing refresher recommitment, every day, every moment really… Grace and Mercy – Immersion never felt so good! And in the Spirit AND in the Lord!!!

When I had originally walked down the beach, in this perfect late summer weather, I was thinking it was good to digest my lunch with a walk. And isn’t that but a taste to the forever digesting walk of Christian Faith – every step – every day. Nourishment is good for the body and the soul. Within a few steps, I found myself in the excitement of the IMMERSION BAPTISMS of a city-reaching, youth-loving church bringing maybe up to 100 young people to the beach for the day – WOW – and the blue t-shirts were the best – “MADE NEW”…  Oh what a blessed truth of living and walking with Jesus – we are MADE NEW in Christ Jesus.

I watched and watched – such joy – I thought “hmmm…  could I partake?” I knew that I had the joy – I knew that I had already been baptized and did not feel the need for that confirmation of faith – but I still had a slice of want in my humanness to have the immersion baptism… It was cool – not the water – just cool to be there. It was refreshing – yes the water and the baptism. It was Blessed Assurance – yes because, as Fanny Crosby wrote: “Jesus is Mine.”

“Coincidentally, I brought a great little book on the life of Fanny Crosby as my “beach book.” Fanny Crosby served the Lord – writing thousands of songs and poems – she lived until she was 95 – completely blind from birth. And she travelled extensively and wrote and wrote and wrote. If only we could get to serve the Lord so many years, wow… and in this “God’s Square Mile” – with the amazing “Camp Meeting” revival – she wrote “Blessed Assurance”, one of the most famous hymns to come out of Ocean Grove and of the whole revival movements of the late 1800’s sweeping the east coast of the US as well as the country.  Fanny Crosby and Ocean Grove friend Phoebe Knapp put the great soul-satisfying assurance to the page. “Jesus is Mine – oh what a foretaste of glory divine”

What I appreciated by the baptisms was the witness and encouragement – and there were hundreds watching including smiling lifeguards who sectioned off this small area for them. And on the beach there were thousands that might have seen. What I felt for them was the Spirit in knowing Joy. What I felt for myself – even after this immersion baptism was not a lightning strike or mountain moved – or earth shatter – it was first the hugs of the brother and sister in Christ who helped me – and simply and spiritually it was the same “Blessed Assurance” feeling – a refresh yes – a recommitment yes – but deep inside me – Jesus already HAS given me that “foretaste of glory divine” which gets me through each day. That blessed assurance is what raises me up from the water just like the helping hands after the immersion – just like the floating of my Spirit before and after living day to day. Jesus has already made the sacrifice and we are just to be renewed in the knowledge of it every day every moment – like waves coming to the beach – they break over us in glory.

I am approaching 10 years next turn of the calendar year to 2025 from my 2015 awakening – nothing will ever feel as earth shattering as giving my life to Jesus then. I was saved by being led directly by God Himself, led to Jesus’s Hand. My “Jairus’s daughter-like awakening” was Salvation in the savor of the Savior – who had to introduce Himself to my unknown lost soul. We are Saved by His Hands, I pray you all know and feel that feeling of being woken up by Jesus, that feeling of “nothing can snatch you out of My Hand.” 

Jesus said: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-31)

May we all be finding that peace in the piece of God’s Hand holding us. “This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.” Yes, thanks Lord for that Blessed Assurance. Thank You Lord – for extending Your Kingdom to all these new baptized souls – “Born of His Spirit – Washed in His Blood”.

And THANK YOU City Reach Church – from my soul too. We will all catch up in Heaven one day – and for now: “Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.”

Keep keeping on.

Amen

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“Blessed Assurance” Lyrics:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine; Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

 Chorus: This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight; Angels descending, bring from above. Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest; Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

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Here is the Wiki history of the song, by Fanny Crosby and Phoebe Knapp: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessed_Assurance

It’s the most bizarre TV show ever. It’s very riveting and you never know what time-line this is, what weirdo storyline, and what is the deal with everyone’s clothes and hair looking back to really normal clean in every scene after massive craziness… It IS a good show and even binge worthy but the problem is that this is the last season and I doubt all the storylines will all be resolved – except for those perfect hair do’s.

But pause the TV show and it’s just back to a normal night, right? It’s still summer, it is still time to water the flowers, and that cat still wants treats… but oh, three episodes went by quickly, so does life on a weekend. Saturday night IN, as I spent the whole day outside. 

Let me explain, I highly recommend this Netflix series, The Umbrella Academy, it’s the 4th and final wrap up season and you have to watch it from the first episode first season, to see if those storylines are resolved. We even have a duplication of one of the actors, in two rolls with the same name, but in alternate timelines. And even the mastermind who we think is the mastermind  might not be the mastermind, he lost his mind and can’t master it anymore. Or maybe he is being manipulative by being manipulated himself. At least that is the theory where I am pausing now, near the end of show three of a six-show season, this last season. I do want to finish it, but it’s very late and I would be best to get some rest. Episodes 4, 5 and 6 (including them saving the apocalypse the 4th time) can wait until another binge-worthy evening…

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Ok, I’m back to writing, having slept and snoozed. . . It is Sunday morning now – the quiet – ahhh… I’ll get back to that show, some other evening, not daytime, not today, because this weather is SO perfect… and today I’m going to take myself (Lord willing my plan aligns with His) to the alternate reality of the BEACH after going to the good reality of the house of the Lord, CHURCH. Sunday morning is good to reserve and reset one’s mental attitude and restart the week with fresh perspective. (the beach is good for that too – but the Lord’s Word is the Worthy time back into the real reality)

So it’s not just Saturday night, but do you often feel like you might be in an alternate timeline? Even one of the actors in that show “Five” can jump timelines to study them. A whole secret agency jumped timelines and altered them with a special suitcase, which stopped in the middle of last season. This show only works for me mentally as smart intellectual engagement if I can follow it without getting lost. And even if I think it “jumped the shark” a little, it was the best intellectual show. (Plus I’ll always appreciate actor Colm Feore because I met him.)

Ok, are you thinking there are lives living in alternative timelines in your reality or just one? TV is TV, but God’s got us in ONE – HIS TIMELINE. His Timeline – and it goes FAST! And in His timeline has a day like a thousand years, and something that we never could understand is that days are long but years are short – especially raising kids…  Time is funny, but the Lord has Purpose. Since the Lord is in charge, then why not let Him run your timeclock too: that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

So – bringing us back to reality in this musing for my Sunday morning – and because I have to get rolling to church – oh yeah do the dishes before the beach- get on with life – let us pause in scripture – a fitting scripture for the thoughts of ALL timelines and timeliness – even beach worthy thinking:  2nd Peter reminding us that the Lord IS coming back – like a thief in the night – and we must be watchful and be devoted and be His. “we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

Peter is trying to “stir up our minds by way of reminder” – don’t let the world and the scoffers of the world and the distraction of the world make us forget about the Lord being in control. Let us “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Peter says some teachings and scenarios in the world “are hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.” But Peter tells us to stay true. 

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

And that is where we should be looking – not at an apocalypse but a time of repentance and restoration – look over the worst and know that the best is coming – and stay true and stay giving grace and mercy because that is what the Lord does for us.

Grace and Mercy are timeless – share them today…

Amen

—-

2nd Peter 3 NKJV

God’s Promise Is Not Slack
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

The Day of the Lord
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Be Steadfast
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation — as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To Him be the glory both now and forever. 

Amen.

No, I didn’t get up for the cat at 5am nor the birds nor anything but when I DID get up – I knew it was still early enough for the sunrise – and I didn’t even get out of bed – I watched the webcam!!!! The BEACH webcam!

There are even people swimming at this hour – and a dozen watching from the pier – the water is 70. There is something so special about a sunrise – and the ocean – and remembering to enjoy wherever you are. Enjoy the moment because that Sun will be TOO HOT at some point. 

Just because you don’t wake up with the cat or take her cat naps doesn’t mean that we aren’t creatures of God who appreciate His Sovereignty and dominion over all. Why did God come up with this amazing system of the world and secondly make us appreciate it? WOW! Life is in beauty in the balance and in basic living. We couldn’t live without the sun – we also realize life moves even without us actually being there – but OH, GOD WANTS US INVOLVED ANYWAY!

And God wants us to REST – some days we can’t be here or there – and we do need to rest. And some days we can’t be on a trip – or even we can’t get back at home – but, remember, even if we can’t always be where we want to be – sometimes we see (and all times we should know), that God has a plan for us wherever we are. Appreciate it.

Billy Joel sings “Vienna” – “Slow down you crazy child – and in a synopsis, he speaks of appreciating wherever you are in the moment. (The lyrics are below.)

It is time for me to start my day – the cat IS calling me – I am grateful to the Lord that I do have a place to go and the motivation to get there. Where does motivation come from? Not the sun – not the water – not the bed – not the home – not the cat (well my cat works at motivating me too) – not the wanting – not the waiting…  Motivation comes from the will – the will of us to do something – our will to know something – hope something – help with something. Our will takes a want and makes it into an action. Our will also must be to give up our will to God’s WILL – God’s Will is for us to align our will with His.

God makes it OK to be where we are – right now – right when – right in place. God will find us a place today – even if we take a moment away from senses to just snooze…

Slow down to appreciate – but go at Godspeed to where He wants you.

Amen – and the lyrics to “Vienna”:

Slow down you crazy child
You’re so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you’re so smart tell me
Why are you still so afraid? (mmmmm)

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Where’s the fire, what’s the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only
So many hours in a day (Ay)

.
But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You’re gonna kick off before you even get halfway through (Oooh)
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

.
Slow down you’re doing fine
You can’t be everything you want to be before your time
Although it’s so romantic on the borderline tonight (tonight)
Too bad, but it’s the life you lead
You’re so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you’re wrong
You know you can’t always see when you’re right (you’re right)

.
You got your passion, you got your pride
But don’t you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don’t imagine they’ll all come true (Oooh)
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

.
Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It’s alright, you can afford to lose a day or two (oooh)
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

.
And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You’re gonna kick off before you even get halfway through (oooh)
Why don’t you realize, Vienna waits for you?
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

Don’t ignore that we are waging a war.

End times surely come, patience we must implore.

But don’t fret and hide behind your door.

God has won and God ALREADY evened the score.

AND MORE…

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It may seem like ‘end times’,

But remember only God holds the line.

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Did Dickens see the signs?

Yes, but he still published his stories and rhymes. 

Did Fanny Crosby know tragic cholera times?

Yes, but she helped in songs of praise and stanza to phrase for REVIVAL chimes.

Did John and Paul and contemporary Jesus-followers believe in Jesus’s immediate return time?

Yes, and especially because of this they lived boldy, shared the Good News, and Holy Spirit recorded the Word for ALL TIMES.

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Live one day at a time.

How do we approach ‘end times’?

The same way we approach any time, 

ONE DAY AT A TIME!

.

Live your rhythm and work God’s Rhyme.

Pray like the others down history’s line.

And make a difference, living one day at a time.

.

Amen 

In the written message of Ezekiel 39 (below), God speaks of lining up the creatures to partake in God’s sacrifice of mighty men gone wrong. And then, after keeping the Israelites in line, God plans to bring them back to relive promise times.

Remember, God keeps Israel “in line” because He wants Jesus to come to earth from that Messianic Line and He wants all the People to KNOW Him as Sovereign.

God pours out His Spirit so they will know He IS God… God promises a new Messianic King, and a New Covenant to resolve the broken one the people of Jacob’s descent couldn’t keep. Ezekiel speaks as a prophet and publicist of what really is going on. Israel has been kept to see God in God’s Time. 

We know Jesus DID come from this line in God’s TIme. We know this fulfilment, we know Jesus and we know He will come again. Let us live that way now, with Hope and devotion to God.

Amen 

—

Ezekiel 39:17-29“Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls—all of them fattened animals from Bashan. At the sacrifice I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood till you are drunk. At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,’ declares the Sovereign Lord.

“I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay on them. From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations.Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

—–

Listen to Ezekiel part 2 on the Bible Project – great and easy help to re-understand this exile time of Israel, watch the video for great summary:

Ok, back to Ezekiel and wow, deep…

If Gog and Magog mentions leave you all agog, or NOT agog, as they are roots/branches of evil/bad and whatnot – INSTEAD just think about GOD being SUPREME. 

With being referenced multiple times in the beginning (Genesis), in the middle of this Ezekiel, and at end times – there are multiple instances of references, but simply all bad and all that God has defeated and will defeat to finish the race for us all back to good. and Verses 17 to 23 at the end of chapter 38 and verses 1-16 of chapter 39 are so surely God winning… 

The Israelites and us in general face tough times to know that God allows Gog to fight and attack then as well as let evil reign on earth now – but rest in the Lord assured that God is sending a message that God Himself was showing and is showing and will be showing His Power so strongly that when He attacks back, He wins. God assures that every face and even the mountains will tremble, they will humble and crumble…

Don’t be Agog over Gog and Magog. So take heart in a heart-struggling world – God won, God wins, God IS Sovereign and Almighty.

Amen

—

“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You are the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord. In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

“Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the Lord.

“‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel. It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord. This is the day I have spoken of.

“‘Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up – the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel. They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign Lord.

“‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east of the Sea. It will block the way of travelers, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon Gog.

“‘For seven months the Israelites will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. All the people of the land will bury them, and the day I display my glory will be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign Lord. People will be continually employed in cleansing the land. They will spread out across the land and, along with others, they will bury any bodies that are lying on the ground.

“‘After the seven months they will carry out a more detailed search.  As they go through the land, anyone who sees a human bone will leave a marker beside it until the gravediggers bury it in the Valley of Hamon Gog, near a town called Hamonah. And so they will cleanse the land.’

From Ezekiel 38 and 39

I brought my friend in the hospital a couple little plastic frogs, she had me rest them on the flowers so beautiful. Today is her birthday!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY FRIEND!!! She’s out of the woods from her condition, but still trudging through the mud fields of recovery. You know who loves mud fields? FROGS!!! Yes, a F.R.O.G. is an acronym for “Faithfully Relying On God”. Amen to that!

Thank you everyone for prayers!!! This friend (and all of you faithful readers) were placed in my life by God I am so sure. It is my praise to have people of praise who understand my praise who praise in their own way too. And what a blessing to have a pocket of people who F.R.O.G… RIBBIT!

The plastic frog is a toy from winning skee-ball tickets, trading them in, at the arcade last month for go-kart racing. It was my joy to share in this fun with people who took me skee-ball and go-karting – they are a great bunch and the people I did my sabbatical with – they were a gift (are a gift) from God for me and my career and my joy in the science and knowing I am supposed to be partners with them. I know this and I feel it and it is not “my job” but “God’s job for me” to be an encourager there. God hired me to smile and be an encourager everywhere.

And my F.R.O.G. Ribbit-ing Praise there included how things all seem to come together when you need them to – or at least give direction to the next step…

And my new F.R.O.G. Praise was a 3am idea the Lord gave me last week – and I quickly made an acronym – R.I.B.B.I.T. – which includes the name of the experiment and the intention “Reduction In B. – B. -I. – Timeline”. This plan pieced together two unusual thoughts for 3AM – an experimental approach that surely didn’t come from me thinking about it but having it connect like God’s Lego pieces in my life – an idea which woke me up and so I wrote down. This showed me (again) that God gives me direction for work too – and it is right in my wheelhouse – this is a GIFT of an IDEA for sure. 

This could have a big impact – or simply it is just an good idea to tinker with and then know if we can run with it – but it depends upon the results – and that is up to God too – I will do the work and if it works or not, He will hear my RIBBIT praise either way. Life is like that – we can’t expect instant results –  that is why we need time for DATA – for the knowledge that where we are being led is going to be fruitful or not. DATA is DATA we say – it is what it is – we will learn either way!

ONE BIG PRAISE – the nurse who came in while I was visiting and heard my friend’s life medical history just in our conversation and pinpointed the direction she should take with getting the right doctor for a particular cause – and wow, this nurse said she was doing a dissertation on that direct issue – wow – this nurse has studied the DATA  – and we sat there in amazement – and we knew that God put her there. We knew that this angel of a nurse as a gift from God. A direction to go – a path to follow – a Lord to praise for it all!

My DATA for watching and knowing the Lord in my life and in so many people’s lives – is this: THE LORD PROVIDES!!!  We have seen this provision with stuff but really we have HIS PROVISION with direction of life, advice to listen to, hope to have, fun to enjoy, people to meet, life to live. Be the Lord’s because He does have this all figured out!!!

If we are in the MUDs of life (“Make-do Until Directions) then let us FROG (Faithfully Rely on God) – and “RIBBIT” in praise… praise praise praise…  and remember the muds of life – keep us looking TO Him…  Keep an eye on God’s plan.

Let us all FAITHFULLY RELY ON GOD today and every day and be F.R.O.G.s Ribbit-ing Praise.

Happy Birthday my friend – God’s got you right where He can keep an eye on you in the mud. Get better and better!!!

Amen

—

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord.

.

How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

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The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

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The Lord sustains the humble

but casts the wicked to the ground.

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Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;

make music to our God on the harp.

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He covers the sky with clouds;

he supplies the earth with rain

and makes grass grow on the hills.

He provides food for the cattle

and for the young ravens when they call.

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His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

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Extol the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your God, Zion. He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

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He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

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He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

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He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws.

.

Praise the Lord.

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Psalm 148

Praise the Lord.

.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

Praise him in the heights above.

Praise him, all his angels;

Praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

Praise him, sun and moon;

Praise him, all you shining stars.

Praise him, you highest heavens

and you waters above the skies.

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Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, and he established them for ever and ever – He issued a decree that will never pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children.

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Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart.

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Praise the Lord.

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Psalm 149

Praise the Lord

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Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

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Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.

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May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them— this is the glory of all his faithful people.

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Praise the Lord.

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Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;

Praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his acts of power;

Praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

Praise him with the harp and lyre,

Praise him with timbrel and dancing,

Praise him with the strings and pipe,

Praise him with the clash of cymbals,

praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath PRAISE the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

—–

AMEN!!!!!

It was not the stuff that some disciples wanted to hear – and they said “Good bye” to Jesus – reads not like a “Dear John” letter but simply “I don’t understand you – don’t get you – don’t want to hang out with this crowd anymore.” – speaking of the time when Jesus used the “metaphor” as our sermonist said yesterday about the need to eat the flesh of Jesus and drink the cup…  They didn’t get it. They maybe came back later we don’t know…  I hope they and we look deeper. Really, we do get the scriptures to “chew on” later – real sustenance to nourish us. It is SO CRUCIAL to know that Jesus is speaking to us and speaking through His disciples to explain what God had written in the Old Testament is being made into flesh in Jesus arriving – and the prophecies are fulfilled. See and absorb 1st John 5. Wisdom wisdom wisdom.

And may we always encourage looking at the pew bibles or the personal bible, so that one can go deeper into understanding by reading the context of the small passage.  Reading, my brain went to the NEXT passage – JESUS EXPLAINING….

OH – so we see again and again in our scriptures (and maybe our own hearts when we look and listen and feel deeply into God’s Plan) – that Jesus DOES explain Himself and the whole kit and kaboodle of the plans (not that human words could explain all that is Jesus Who is the Word Himself). 

This is some of the sustenance of the passage: “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” John 6:63-64

I LOVE THE TRUTH THAT I UNDERSTAND: PEOPLE WON’T UNDERSTAND UNTIL GOD HAS ENABLED THEM TO UNDERSTAND. And when they do understand – the hunger gets deeper and deeper and only Jesus can satisfy.  I myself don’t understand why God has enabled me – but He has – and I have such the hope in these messages to make it a bit more complex to understand – and to get your bible out and read it one’s self…

Here is the whole of the scripture and then another letter BY John – these letters are the wisdom we need for the cravings we hunger for – the Word of God is Jesus in the Spirit – and in our hearts – and in our minds – and in our souls – to intake and know.

Amen (in before and after the scriptures below)

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John 6:25-71

Jesus the Bread of Life
When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”  Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.  But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

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1st John 5:1-13

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

I went to pretend to crank an old tractor at the Agricultural Fair. I enjoy the fair – and it was a late 1930s tractor like my grandfather’s, although his was red, that I pretended to crank. I can visualize us kids trying to crank (wow vivid memories), but we needed Grandpa’s strength. I enjoyed riding on the tractor, but living as a farmer is tough, so my grandfather built houses instead. They kept the farmland and farm and tractor too…

That was 45-50 years ago when I was a child babysat at Grandpa and Grandma’s in the daytime – being babysat while my mom had a great job down the road. Farm days and summer living and even winter days were pivotal and meaningful to my well-rounded education. Even days of boredom, we looked at clouds and thought things through. Just last month I was looking at farm and house-building photos from the 40’s, in which you can see the hardworking house building that my grandfather and great grandfather did. Grandma too, hardworking by raising the many kids – my mom, Aunts and Uncle’s generation – there is even a photo of my Grandma shoveling in a dress, yes – she ran the farm and raised the kids while everyone helped build the houses. I love old photos, Grandpa laying pipes while wearing his classic hat, and of my other great grandfather with the goats (they called him Grandpa Goats). I can see the love in the living.

The photos are fun to see, the joy evident, the kids were always holding cats or stuffed animals. To get a camera was a rarity for my aunt to have – and isn’t it great she did!  I can easily tell even the youngest twins apart by the nuances of their faces, and my mom being taller. My uncle is clear to me, but wow he looks like his son, my cousin. My one aunt is taller and more lanky compared to the others. It’s in their faces of course which still look like them, some 75 years ago. 

Faces are made in God’s Image, even if we are all unique, we can make out a face in a child, in a cat, even on the moon. Faces connect with ours. And even not seeing, our hands can figure out the configuration. We are made in God’s Image. If we can see a Face and know a Face – then we will be able to know that Love of God – we are seeing God when we see people – we are knowing LOVE when we remember that God is Love. We can crank up our memories of Love every time we see a face we recognize, but when we don’t recognize a person, at least know that God knows them too. 

I heard a preacher state that it is the innocence in a lamb’s face where we see a resemblance to the innocence of Jesus – Jesus as the Lamb slaughtered, His blood sacrificed as a fitting sacrifice for our sins. His ransom for our freedom. And it is the faces that we can make out on creatures as well as ourselves which crank up our heartstrings of love – the love gifted by God of God – of us.

I can see these faces and know them – I can see them and feel the love of my experiences – perhaps that is why God gifted us the ability to know these facial features – so that we recognize Him too – and one day, when we are Face to Face, we will call out “hey, I recognize You” – and we will know Him by His Love.

Amen…

—

John 14:5-14

Thomas said to him [Jesus], “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”  Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

It’s not that hard to serve the Kingdom, TRUE.

As we love – we serve – we surely all do.

And remember, God makes sure your skill sets will find you.

.

We don’t serve for praise.

It’s not our ego we should raise.

To serve the Kingdom, it’s our hands which should raise.

.

To Serve is to be Still and Still BE.

To Serve the Kingdom is to be FREE.

To Serve is to THANK THEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.

Let us Serve the Kingdom and tell others we learned the clue,

let us be inviting everyone to JESUS, to help everyone through.

Let us be blessed in Him, me and you.

Amen

A sound that filled my soul, all our ears and spirits, were bagpipes at our friend’s funeral. At first I looked into the sanctuary for a bagpiper, but it was a recording. Ah, but then the real live bagpiper came, ‘OUR bagpiper’, a personal bagpiper for her, you could say. Our church family spreads wide beyond the sanctuary’s zipcode and this bagpiper is the son of a friend bagpiper too. We do travel home here for funerals these days – many good souls that the Lord is calling home. Even if many of us find ourselves in other earthly church homes, me too, this particular church family of God’s “be the church” extends far and wide, eternally-linked and into Forever.

Really, aren’t we living for Forever? That’s what Pastor spoke of, in a beautiful service, ‘death is not the worst thing to happen’. Forever awaits.  And it’s going to be HEAVENLY – WITH GOD. 

Our bagpiper (or someone up front) said: “One last time…” – meaning a gift for our deceased…  and yet I thought is it a last time or a “lasting time”… Yes, many years we enjoyed seeing her beam at the bagpipes being played, which I remember at her Grandson’s wedding. She was beaming and blessed. That was a “lasting time” – because it was and is filled with memories.  And the other items that people spoke about her enjoying included this last trip to Canada that her sons talked about…  It was a “last time” but a “lasting time” as it is filled with memories. 

Our friend lived a long-term long time, she was 97 and full of serving in Spirit, from like Forever ago… She served the Lord AND the logistics of the Lord’s work, and she served smiling. She had a “forward look” into mission work and moving the Word of God into the world. She now lives in a “Lasting Time”…  Forever. Forever starts now – let us remember that too..

Forever, I thought, sitting in the pews with Forever friends, that Forever in Heaven must include bagpipes, right? 

How earthly things could be just a “last time” for like final “Amazing Grace” bagpipes at a funeral, but then we must play and pray our lives for the longing of the music of a “Lasting time”… that’s what’s so AMAZING about GRACE – God’s blessing of forgiveness to bring us home.

We love music now, just imagine the music of Heaven awaiting… 

Amen and Amen…

To be more like Jesus is more than just to be kind.

It’s biting your lip when you really DO mind.

It’s finding purpose even in the daily grind. 

.

It’s listening and gifting your time, even if you’re spending your own dime.

.

To be more like Jesus is to be willing to serve.

To serve even if it gets on your last nerve.

.

It’s when you think it could be a perfect day

but things don’t go your way.

And you have to appreciate the circumstance anyway.

.

We struggle to find the good,

when we are bothered under the collar, hot under the hood.

.

From an ideal, humans DO stray,

And yet we are called to NOT “call it a day”…

.

But maybe the best thing you can be.

When there’s all this negativity, 

Is to be Jesus in a Jesus Way,

and put the GOOD back into the day.

.

It may be frustrating, but life is for forgiving.

. 

Adding Jesus, cloak over shirt, cheek over cheek, 2 miles for one.

Serving not only 99, but serving and saving just ONE.

.

That is the best and God-righteous way, 

The Only Way,

Making Jesus’s Way matter MOST today.

Be the Jesus in THIS day.

.

AMEN

I’m pretty sure we sleep to declutter our minds, repair our bodies, and give our guardian angels some down time from running around with us.

Every day is a new day – every day is a fresh day. Each moment even can be a fresh start if we choose. And yet even a particular day can be a day to snooze and sure, we will get back to the real world the following day – snow days with no snow are a thing…

No matter how busy, how crazy, how awesome or how rotten each day could be, each day resets you fresh, so TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FRESH  

SUNDAY I had “extra” time and prepared entries of cookies flowers and whatnot. Then MONDAY, I raced around for the timing of submitting these Ag Fair items that I rushed at work, not really rushing in traffic, then when we got there, it was an hour WAIT, WAIT WAIT WAIT over an hour at the late 6pm hour, wow… It was a new computer system, none of us could complain really because 1) nothing we could do about it, 2) none of us preregisted as we could have, 3) we were in the shade of a beautiful evening, and 4) waiting for computer system things is a first world problem- nothing earthshattering for our lives.

My biggest JOY, was that even an hour such in line, I was WITH MY DAUGHTER, who has entered items for a dozen years now. She loves the Grange Fair too, and it is best that she has grown up to learn when not to complain… that’s priceless… Later, we picked up dinner and I appreciate all those times I bit my tongue with her being a teenager, to keep the peace. People in my life, around me those teenage years said: “she’ll come back around”  Yes, after a phase of growing up and growing through teenager-ness,  she did. Yes. 

Yes, in life it is important to pick your battles, pick up your cross not of sub-servience but of a higher-calling, of service in the servant-way Jesus taught us by His actions and words.

When we try to be like Jesus, that means: Be a help and know the hope. Be patient and know there’s a process.  Be careful and speak confidently in love. Be human with God inside to shine light even through tarnished treasure.

That’s not always us, Jesus is perfect but we are not. We know we are complainers, fidgety, whiners as humans and even sometimes if it’s not something we have “right” to complain about, we still do. Now, we have “needs to vent” – we have human steam to blow off… Maybe that’s why it’s good to take a walk when one is upset, because then the wind blows away grief. Maybe that is why each day is FRESH. 

Fresh Days, today and tomorrow will be another one too.

Each day, shine Jesus just a little and it will mean a lot!!

Jesus is the best FRESH we got!

AMEN

Why are we so surprised?

Is it chaos or a common change?

Surprised when the driest summer becomes the wettest?

Surprised when calm becomes chaos and flips back again?

Surprised we can’t see the future, even when we ignore the signs of the times?

Surprised?

Surprised to be surprised?

Don’t be.

Life is chaos in construction – changing chaos one day to calm…

Calm yourself in Chaos. Will we rise again? As long as the Lord lives, and He does, then we will – we must – we can…  Ask them dry bones. Israel struggled and strayed – but the Lord is the One with Breath to Give.

And Ye Shall LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amen

Ezekiel – surprised for them dry bones? 

Ezekiel 37:1-14 KJV
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. 

Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.

Know it – Doesn’t matter if you can’t see it – I’m talking about God’s purpose for you – for this day – for this moment – for your life – for His Plan. 

God knows, even on the days that feel like a funk to us, God knows what is going to be in His Plan for us. Trust Him. . . Trust the down and the up. . .

Know it!

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Some days we blow it.

But:

Some times we don’t show it.

And:

We might never know it.

But:

God’s love will flow it.

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Know it.

Grow in it.

Answer to it.

Accept it.

Get it.

Live it. 

Love it.

Show it.

Flow it.

Amen 

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Psalm 138:8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

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Excerpts from Proverbs 14 and 16 NIV

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known.

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My wisdom says to listen to wisdom – and my ears remember that the Lord has MANY things for me to do – especially listen to HIM. Wisdom is wise. Listening is learned. Hope is heard. Real is real. We have to listen to the Lord. And we must be patient to listen and obey.

Here are proverbs from me – hopefully from wisdom – hopefully in hope.

There is not enough time in the day but there is eternity in our lives.

The world doesn’t know to tell you what it needs, but it is ready to show you when you put God-vision glasses on.

Our lives are not for safety but for salvation.

Our walk is for wondering and working.

Our “the buck stops here” comes after the buck is given to us to spend or lose or save. Invest or divest. Give it to the Glory of the Lord and find rest.

Our hope is in the Lord’s hope in us.

I work by the Lord’s work in me.

I live by the life the Lord gives me.

I love because He is Love.

I am because He is.

Amen

There are many more to write – but only time to live… keep living…

Amen Amen

It makes me amazed driving through the country land how beautiful, how preserved and how beckoning it is to be lived on and yet not defiled. To be gifted in usefulness – as God had intended it to be – to give forth without having to be worked hard – to be like Adam before the fall – to be partakers in the amazing life God would have us live.

There is still a lot of land as I discover joyfully when I drive up and down these beautiful states, oh the land in this summertime with sufficient rain certainly can give forth…  and I believe Jesus will return “premillennialism” and reign 1000 years on earth – I’m glad that there are still beautiful fields to be enjoyed. (This is my hope to travel and see great sights during this time – but honestly, the knowledge of what is to come is to give us HOPE HOPE HOPE in the Lord – and what is restored… We will be here (somewhere here or in heaven) to see The Lord’s Promises come to fruition.

The land will give forth… For His Sake…

Ezekiel wrote for the time that Israel would return to her land and God would see that the land itself would be able to prosper – and the people prosper – and to be set as an example that the Lord Himself was in charge and to be trusted and to be revered as Holy. He gave hope not just to the people, but to the mountains themselves. And He gives us all hope in the returning of Jesus. In the locking away of Satan and in His peace. We are not to gloat in this. We are not to party or shop until we drop. We are not to exploit the land. We are to worship the Lord in His coming in addition to knowledge of the Lord’s first coming. We will see things set right, so let us not say it is for OUR sake, but for the sake of His Holy Name.

Amen 

Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’

—–

Ezekiel 36

Hope for the Mountains of Israel
“Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The enemy said of you, “Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession.”’ Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they ravaged and crushed you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander, therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you— this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’ Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations. Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.

“‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I will cause people, my people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.

“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because some say to you, “You devour people and deprive your nation of its children,” therefore you will no longer devour people or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign Lord. No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

Israel’s Restoration Assured
Again the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight. So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.

“Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!

“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep, as numerous as the flocks for offerings at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

—-

1 Thessalonians 5 – The Day of the Lord
Paul wrote: Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

But when thou givest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, Matthew 6:3

I know you aren’t supposed to talk about your gifts to people and organizations. Scripture says just GIVE without giving a boast about it. Technically, hide your giving from yourself even… Yet the opportunity I had this weekend beget the biggest smile and joy – was just too awesome not to share – so I’m sharing. (But I didn’t tell my mom, lol)…

When you give, give from the heart and give from being smart and give to fill in a missing part.

I gave a person, yes a stranger, who was a vendor at a local festival, one of my well-used beach umbrellas – for her and her daughter to take to the jersey shore. We started chatting about stuff, which is always appreciated at low key events with time to spare. My mom had just gone in the store and even though she is even more chatty than I, she opted out of this conversation… My mom also probably felt this vibe of me being too chatty, but it was ok… Well, our conversation about summer turned into a conversation of birthdays and that the woman’s teenage daughter was a fan of the TV show “Jersey Shore” (she said “don’t judge, lol”, LOL). well – a “coincidence” – I had just been to the shore, just the day before. The woman said her daughter had never seen the ocean but longed to do so… to go experience and explore the shore… It is a little far away, 5-6 hrs or more for them, not just a day trip, from this area. (I understood that from growing up without a beach). And so she said when the daughter was presented with the choice between an adventure birthday family trip to the shore or a regular party, the daughter chose adventure… Cool… Shore is Cool…

I privately thought, well yeah I could get another umbrella much easier than this woman, me being so close to the shore now. Half the time I use my friend’s anyway. So I snuck back to the car (not really sneaking) to get it and bring it back, slightly stealth from my mom seeing the exchange, under stealth from telling her too for no good reason except I just didn’t want that conversation of “you got too involved in that”… well, mums the word..  that’s why I have to tell someone, it’s good to have a blog!!!

The JUMP FOR JOY from that teen daughter, whom happened to be there across the field, was IMMEASURABLE and a testimony to JOY in the experiences and anticipation of LIFE. It was worth it. An umbrella love. In the moment. She beamed and JUMPED for JOY when her mom called to her and held up the umbrella… Cool…

It’s not just that we chatted nicely like you would at these country down-home festivals (I was at 2 of them this weekend), and not just because of our chatting about Christian camp meetings, and not just because of the added expense of an umbrella to their trip already, it was simply a great small birthday present that I thought I could add into the mix of their adventure. Right place right time to make an impact. 

Yes, I had just been at the jersey shore the previous day under my friend’s bigger umbrella. I thought here of being in the moment that I could add a tiny bit into a mix of fun, even though I know they could have rented one or bought one… It is an umbrella love of life – and of all people who enjoy life. I love the beach and how close I am to it. I told them about the lighthouse to climb and the differences in the boardwalks with amusement parks and those without. I know the energy and even milestone of seeing the ocean, which we never grow tired of, and the JOY OF LIFE. . . Would you give an old $10 umbrella too? Umbrella love for a birthday? I think so… cool.  

Jesus was with His people who were listening intently when His mother was trying to pull Him out of the crazy congested scene. It’s probably less criticism and more concern of Jesus in DEEP: “But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” Mark 3:33-35

Isn’t that showing and tapping into an UMBRELLA LOVE, Jesus showed and has love that covers better than an umbrella – it covers like a rain soaked seeping in love… Strangers in the room to each other and Jesus’s family – but not to Jesus. Strangers for us are only strangers here as we will see them in heaven for shore… Jesus said “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” – YEAH… Yeah, Jesus knows them all: “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.“

Cool.  

Shore felt good to share some umbrella love too….

AMEN and thank you Jesus for leading the Way of Love

It’s not just the water, it’s the beach, the calm, the connected unconnectedness like phones available but not needed… Ahhh… the early morning holds warm weather coolness and the cool hot knowledge of the heat back inland building that made this feeling of salvation from a summer scorcher possible. Relief. Real… Right place right time… It was a short trip but blessed to be there…

Right place right time. Like driving somewhere just after the thunderstorms roll out. Cool 70s after 90s nonsense. It is best to just be – especially wherever you are…

Amen – and…

A poem…

Summer weather to explore… 

Hear God’s ROAR at the shore…

Trouble no more… 

Worries left back at the back door…

A respite of life to restore…

Beach time is blessed to be shore…

Forgive me Lord, the shucks of corn were for my convenience, only 2 of the 4 got shucked, but the motion and unknow of it must have aggressively aggravated the neighbor across the street from the public pull off… He couldn’t have understood what I was doing – composting – but maybe it was my aggressive looking toss… Maybe my loud music – I had no idea there even was a house across the street.  Technically this was loitering longer than he thought appropriate – my respite was not appreciated. He only saw the toss I guess, assuming garbage… It was the intention known vs unknown or known and disregarded or regarded… Well, I don’t like confused conflict so I drove away, actually drove opposite and then quickly turned around to drive my own way, more stealth. Calm after confusion. Escape from excitement.

Somewhere this matters but actually doesn’t.  Assuming garbage of holding onto guilt not needed, for I feel like the Lord knows my intention… pre-composting simple corn shucks… Awww shucks to the situation, and shucks to garbage grumbling… but awww thanks to the Lord weighing the heart… (the other guy’s too)… Assuming garbage is not good for anyone.

You look at the heart and Yours is purest – we hold out for Your grace…

For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

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A poem:

I’m sorry Lord for the throw unknown.

I’m sorry for his yelling made from his grown.

Assuming garbage but composting the good is Your known.

I’m asking forgiveness from mind preoccupation and now my moan.

I guess I understand a little more for what you felt when on earth you did roam.

Accusation of inaccurate assuming. Motions that mirrored in muddled mayhem. Simply nothing to simple moan..

You endured the pain and yet the gain is Your Throne.

Now I’m glad to be safe at home. 

I’ll be more cautious in my unknown.

I will be cautious to look twice before I have thrown.

Mentally in my “oops-s”  I have grown.

In You, Lord, my real mess ups are known.

In You Lord, we will continue to live to roam.

Your vision of forgiveness makes us feel safe and at home.

Amen

Lord, forgive my humanness 

I DID…

Lord, forgive my worldliness

I AM…

Lord, forgive my lack of focus

I WILL…

…

Lord, please provide 

I DID – REMEMBER?

Lord, please provide 

I AM – LOOK!

Lord, please provide 

I WILL – HOPE.

…

Lord, LEAD 

I DID – Reflect. 

Lord, LEAD 

I AM – Watch.

Lord, LEAD 

I WILL- Know.

…

LORD, I KNOW 

LORD, I GROW 

LORD, I PRAISE

…

AMEN 

“You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God,” says the Lord God.

Ezekiel 34 digs deep into God’s care – God’s knowledge of how we behave as humans – and God’s desire. God wants His people to know He is their Shepherd. God wants Israel to know they are His People. Ezekiel speaks for God who is telling His flock directly to have hope, hold on…

This is calling for those times in about 600 BC and also for now – so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land… “

Yes, God is speaking of Israel coming back to His Land for them and of their regathering – and of their hope – and ours.

God also sets forth the issues that the self-indulgent are bringing to the scene – God is against those who take advantage of the weak and who live for themselves. God will do the judging Himself. God will punish (and therefore we won’t have to do the punishment – LET GOD HANDLE IT!)

God’s servants serve God’s Flock – as God chose David, God would continue to serve His people by providing a Shepherd – yes David and then from the lineage of the house of David we know Jesus came to be Shepherd and servant to all – ready to bless all who would hear – all who would call Him Lord – ll who would be a sheep to His Shepherd.

Old Testament wisdom – brings this up again and again – God will protect and provide – He simply wants the people to know that He is Shepherding them! God as Shepherd will find His flock: For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day.”

May we continue to believe and know this Shepherding – may we learn from God’s requests of the people of Ezekiel’s time and not be those who trample others. May we then be the sheep of His flock.

Amen

Ezekiel 34 NKJV
Irresponsible Shepherds
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.”

‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: “As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock”— therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”

God, the True Shepherd
‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”

‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture—and to have drunk of the clear waters, that you must foul the residue with your feet? And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have fouled with your feet.”

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

“I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. Thus they shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people,” says the Lord God.’

“You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God,” says the Lord God.

“In the 12th year” – God told them there would be a captivity and fall – that it would be 70 years in all. It would take a while to accomplish the maneuvering of the peoples into place – the captives and the captors, the war-ravaged and the warriors… So – as prophesied, the cherished Jerusalem would fall, and as prophesied and urged, it was important to “Stay the Course”, wait it out, be ready for God’s next move. That is SO TRUE for us today too. We best continue to open our mouths FOR the Lord rather than drop our chins in astonishment of the times. 

Don’t Gawk, Walk. 

Ezekiel had to stay the course prophesying, even if God told Him that the people might ‘smile and nod’ at what he said but then NOT do the work God wanted.

The people would NOT be obedient but times would come when they realized a prophet had been there with them. Those are the people whose jaws would drop.

SO let us NOT drop our chins, mouth open but empty, let us praise God as we travel ourselves thru His predicted times, and still be working. If we get to the end of this set of times, then let us know that we knew that Jesus had come and will come again – and put our hope IN the Lord. Let us try to work at explaining where our hope is rather than where our complaints are.

In our “x” year, we don’t know the time – Let us remember these times when the bible was saying PAY ATTENTION…

Ezekiel’s call was to tell them all.

With Jerusalem’s fall and all, he stayed the course.

Amen

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Ezekiel 33:21-33

The Fall of Jerusalem

And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, that one who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has been captured!”

Now the hand of the Lord had been upon me the evening before the man came who had escaped. And He had opened my mouth; so when he came to me in the morning, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.

The Cause of Judah’s Ruin

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Son of man, they who inhabit those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many; the land has been given to us as a possession.’

“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “You eat meat with blood, you lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood. Should you then possess the land? You rely on your sword, you commit abominations, and you defile one another’s wives. Should you then possess the land?” ’

“Say thus to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “As I live, surely those who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword, and the one who is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will make the land most desolate, her arrogant strength shall cease, and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will pass through. Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.” ’

Hearing and Not Doing

“As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

Masks?!!! 

When I look overwhelmingly at the graduated college kid’s stuff PILED from coming home, now re-attacking it to sort and pare down, I stopped to MARVEL at the mom-made homemade COVID MASKS (and ones supplied by the college). Remember those? LOVE the fabrics… LOVE the playful or elegant ways to keep walking… 

Ancient history now in my life 4 years ago (4 yrs ago was prepping for a 2nd year return of a 5 year program, she got nearly all semesters on campus, thank God for her education and life experiences). ANCIENT HISTORY now in my mind, and maybe in hers and probably yours too. TIME FLIES!!!

It was a moment in time, WE GOT THROUGH IT, think Psalm 23 in miniature.  College survived and we survived college, now we move on (still got to deal with the pile, lol)… When I think of 5 years of college, the PILE(S) IS WORTH IT… When I think of the FUTURE, the past was powerful in saying KEEP GOING! Power through and THRIVE!!!

Now of the future, how can we think of anything but the blessings of KEEP MOVING… “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever”.

Amen!!!

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Psalm 23 KJV

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Ezekiel’s Call

Came because God knew Jerusalem would fall.

Ezekiel called upon Israel to worship ONE God not fake gods, not at all.

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Ezekiel’s Call

Spoke God’s Word after a muted squall.

No one but God’s specific special messenger was up to Ezekiel’s Call.

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Ezekiel’s Call

Was a warning to them all.

They said the way of the Lord is not fair – but don’t forget it is HIS righteousness which forgives sins big and small.

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It is all of our jobs to hear God’s Word – in our own Ezekiel call.

It is our blessing to have the Grace and Mercy God showers on one and all.

Thank you Ezekiel, for answering the call.

Amen

—

Ezekiel 33:1-20 NKJV

The Watchman and His Message

Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’

“So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

“Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?” ’ Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

The Fairness of God’s Judgment

“Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’ When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die. Again, when I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

“Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ But it is their way which is not fair! When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it. Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.”

“This is it!” And with that, the Titanic sank, Rose and Jack kicked hard and they rose to the surface of the cold Atlantic (which was so sound-studio calm I couldn’t believe it). This movie ship sink was the worst cinematography and graphics I ever saw in a movie from this era. Star Wars 20 plus years earlier was SO much better, I believed in those ships! The rest of the movie was beautiful, the stately ship was/is still superb, even under the sea. And the souls… sigh…

It was a late night youtube find, I watched the movie in fast forward in under an hour, having never saw it. It was sad, poignant and stark. It was beautifully written and I understand it was a hit. I thought so interesting at the end that Rose did not disclose her real name, choosing Jack’s name in defiance and in love. She turned her face away from the evil fiancé too, he never found her and we know she was free of his controlling grip. She turned away from the fall – to rise to a new life. No idea what the blue sapphire represented either as it was tossed into the sea except maybe she finally gave away the hurt of that sour relationship to gain the healing of the good relationship with Jack that never could continue. I liked the last scene of their kiss, Jack and Rose. Together forever. I appreciate that her name is ROSE.

I wouldn’t even write about this movie or goofing-off escapism, except for the SCRIPTURE, yes the scripture of Revelation 21, in a recitation by a tearful fearful clergy man with kneeling accepting petitioners who never got to a lifeboat (most of the passengers didn’t get a limited life boat). These scripture-saying, believing-believers did, however, get in the Life Boat of the Lord. “…and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”

Lord Almighty. 

“God Almighty”, is what the unsinkable Molly Brown, played by Kathy Bates, would say looking at the carnage in motion from her lifeboat. It was sad, it was sad too the perceived guilt of survival. I can’t even imagine the realness.

But I can appreciate the scripture, and the belief, and the hope despite despair and despair despite hope. What would we think, to sink or rise?

That’s why through life, sinking we must RISE – and know this scripture, perhaps commit it to memory – and say God Almighty, we are SAVED. 

In the movie – Rose but in real life we RISE and one day we will have ROSE because God Almighty had RISEN.

Sweet….

Amen

—

Revelation 21:1-4 (V2 not in the scene) 

V1 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

…V2 not in the scene: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

V3 “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

V4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

AMEN AMEN

I knew the storms were coming. I’m a weather radar junkie, but I also could see the cat’s expression – ten minutes before the front, she was already alarmed, ready for hiding in the back of the smallest space she could find – but rather stuck with me on the couch – looking at the windows…  cool…  summer… power and intensity. 

Now the storms have passed, the heatwave broken, and ‘regular’ summer back.

I wonder in the book of Ezekiel if the Egyptians and the Pharaoh understood the intensity and sincerity of God’s decree against them. I wonder if they were alarmed when hearing about the coming wrath of God. Hid or didn’t – I would guess they didn’t. And did Ezekiel’s fellow Israelites have ears perked knowing this big situation would go down and watch like the radar or hide or best, listen to God to what they should do. They were in exile and were told to wait it out. I know Ezekiel told them to know the storms would pass. God’s mercies fresh in the times to come. But they best keep their ears perked!

We always know that God means business – and we should also know that in preparation to His doing His business, He advertises what He will do – and He tells whom is going to do the work needed too…  There is no bigger sense of “You are going down” given that than to Egypt in this section of the book of Ezekiel – Egypt is being prophesied against. Egypt also will become the spoils for the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzer, hook, line and sinker. 

And when God is talking about Pharaoh with the fish of the river to stick to one’s scales (twice) – the Lord knows His punishment will be severe and purposeful – to let folks KNOW He is God. The river and all in it are God’s and Pharaoh making himself a god-like ruler doesn’t mean he was one.

God said so then showed so, with Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar ready to ruin Pharaoh. 

The chapters devoted to this crush (chapters 29, 30, 31, 32 link below) are a sense of many years of war. And reinforcement of the truth that God DID bring the Babylonians over Egypt. Now with ears perked, hearts petitioned to listen, may the Israelites (and we) know God is Sovereign. 

Amen 

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All 4 chapters 29 to 32:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+29-32&version=NIV;NKJV

Ezekiel 29 – Proclamation Against Egypt

In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt. Speak, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God:

“Behold, I am against you,
O Pharaoh king of Egypt,
O great monster who lies in the midst of his rivers,
Who has said, ‘My [Nile] River is my own;
I have made it for myself.’
But I will put hooks in your jaws,
And cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales;
I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers,
And all the fish in your rivers will stick to your scales.
I will leave you in the wilderness,
You and all the fish of your rivers;
You shall fall on the open field;
You shall not be picked up or gathered.
I have given you as food
To the beasts of the field
And to the birds of the heavens.

“Then all the inhabitants of Egypt
Shall know that I am the Lord,
Because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.
When they took hold of you with the hand,
You broke and tore all their shoulders;
When they leaned on you,
You broke and made all their backs quiver.”

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will bring a sword upon you and cut off from you man and beast. And the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste; then they will know that I am the Lord, because he said, ‘The River is mine, and I have made it.’ Indeed, therefore, I am against you and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Ethiopia. Neither foot of man shall pass through it nor foot of beast pass through it, and it shall be uninhabited forty years. I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and among the cities that are laid waste, her cities shall be desolate forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.”

‘Yet, thus says the Lord God: “At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered. I will bring back the captives of Egypt and cause them to return to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom. It shall be the lowliest of kingdoms; it shall never again exalt itself above the nations, for I will diminish them so that they will not rule over the nations anymore. No longer shall it be the confidence of the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity when they turned to follow them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord God.” ’ ”

Babylonia Will Plunder Egypt
And it came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre; every head was made bald, and every shoulder rubbed raw; yet neither he nor his army received wages from Tyre, for the labor which they expended on it. Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he shall take away her wealth, carry off her spoil, and remove her pillage; and that will be the wages for his army. I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor, because they worked for Me,’ says the Lord God.

‘In that day I will cause the horn of the house of Israel to spring forth, and I will open your mouth to speak in their midst. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”

Ezekiel continues to warn the waring neighbors of Israel (during the Babylonian times – circa 600 years before Jesus came as a baby to earth) – and Ezekiel reminds us and them that Israel will be gathered – the people come from all the nations to where they were scattered. They will be the saved ones – and they shall know that God is the Lord and the Lord is God.

Lest we forget too – God is the Lord and the Lord is God.

Amen

Ezekiel 28:25-26 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.’”

Here is the handout prepared for VBS about Peter – Jesus – and our red cabbage experiment – I always know that paper lives longer in people’s sight than emails… floats around the car – gets thought about before being discarded…  The Word is for sharing!

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Jesus IS our friend – Jesus IS God and He came to teach us about God. “Greater love has no man than this, then to lay down His Life for a friend.” This is a scripture from John 15:13. This same gospel of John in chapters 19-21 tells us the story of how Jesus came to earth to die on a cross – and Jesus came back to life – this act would cover us in God’s Grace which is forgiveness.  Jesus came to share forgiveness for sins which allows us to be with God forever. “Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” Romans 5:11.

Our Imagination Station experiment was of red cabbage (purple liquid after boiling in water) juice changing colors of a plant pigment by a change in pH (more or fewer Hydrogen and Hydroxide ions from treatment with acid (vinegar) or base (baking soda). This plant pigment is called ANTHOCYANIN and it is one of the protector molecules that helps protect plants from too much sunlight energy. The main molecule of chlorophyll causes the reaction of photosynthesis to occur (which makes energy-storage molecules (like glucose and starch) and oxygen from the sunlight and carbon dioxide). Anthocyanins and other pigments (like carotenoids and xanthophylls, etc) are part of the surrounding structures inside the plant cells and inside the chloroplasts. Anthocyanin is important to be around the chlorophyll. The red cabbage has a lot of these anthocyanins and it comes out when cabbage is boiled (you can do this at home – just be careful with the hot water!) To the cabbage juice, we added acid (vinegar) and base (baking soda) to change the color of purple to a variety of pinks and greens and blue… It was easy to change this color back and forth. The science is in the pH change. The acid or base addition makes the structure of the purple color pigment ANTHOCYANIN change. The structure reflects color to our eyes in a different way and it is a fast change.

Our friend Jesus had a very special friend, Peter, who was so sure he would not let Jesus down. But when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter followed and yet Peter did not admit that Jesus was his friend. Peter hid in plain sight – even lying about knowing Jesus while he was looking directly at him. Peter was scared and his courage changed so fast – fast like our experiment – that Peter denied Jesus even before he could think about it – three times. Our experiment with the purple cabbage anthocyanin is like Peter flip flopping, being wishy washy. Peter changed. Blessedly Jesus does not change and still loved Peter – just like He loves us.

Jesus died but then came back to life on the third day – a holiday we call Easter. Jesus showed Himself to Peter – called for Him by name – and brought Peter back to being His Friend – Jesus never left Peter and Jesus never leaves us.  Jesus will always Love us. Jesus is our friend.

We may sin or deny Jesus – but Jesus does not change, and HE WILL ALWAYS LOVE US.      Jesus is our friend!     Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” Romans 5:11.

Day 2 VBS so much fun!

A dance party, a lesson about Peter and Jesus being his friend and ours. Our Imagination Station experiment included changing anthocyanins from red cabbage from purple to red pink or blue green by adding vinegar acid or baking soda base. It reflects how easy Peter had changed from defending Jesus (in the garden) to how he got scared after Jesus’s arrest and hid in the crowd scenes. Peter changed with fear, but Jesus’s love never changes and still loved Peter, as He loves us.

Jesus reconciled Peter with Grace. He extends to us the same grace.

Jesus opens friendship with God!

That your, our, Joy may be Full, walk in the Light.

Let our fear leave – take flight.

Let the Lord’s Righteousness make us Right.

Walk in the light as He is in the light.

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If our trust is seen by day, what do we do at night?

Let our trust in Jesus set us right.

Be willing to understand life through a view of His Light.

Walk in the light as He is in the light.

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If life is a take-down, should we put up a fight.

We know the future – the hope – the forever – right?

Calm ourselves and hold on tight.

Walk in the light as He is in the light.

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The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin – Jesus understands our plight.

Our forever secured due to HIS MIGHT!

Walk by Faith and Not by Sight.

Walk in the light as He is in the light.

Amen

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1 John 1 – New King James Version
What Was Heard, Seen, and Touched
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.  And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

Fellowship with Him and One Another
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

My friend is in her last hours, we think. All we know is that it’s the Lord’s timing, not ours. Not ours, maybe partially hers, as we probably have hold-out power, from our experience knowing others when they were “ready” to pass. All throughout hospice and before it, we have known that she is a loving follower of Jesus, so especially now I’m sure she is taking her cues from Him.

God’s got a plan. God’s purpose has a timing. God loves us too much to not help us through life and death and life again. 

Perhaps that is what or why people holding on, in hospice, pass when they pass. Perhaps it is both at their time determined by God and also when (and especially so) someone here on earth has to ‘let go’ of the person and especially completely put their trust in Jesus. Waiting on a prayer – includes the Lord waiting to hear someone say: ‘I trust you Lord, that I will see her again in Heaven.’ Yes. Holding on, that a person is becoming more believing – that one soul already saved helps save another. Iron sharpens iron – so prayers help praying.  The saved witness all the Way.

Saving Grace is to be embraced.  “He who does the will of God abides forever.”

When I saw my hospice friend’s smile, one week ago now, it was a ‘happy to see you’ smile. When I think of how the Lord must help her/us in final days, I’ll say that I pray we have that inside smile to say: “Happy to see you Lord.” 

And when we say ‘I trust You Lord’, and let go, no matter when/what the day, I sense the smile of Jesus greeting His little children as friends, as souls, as saved. 

I believe in the Power of Prayer – the connection of closeness – and the embrace of Grace. God is waiting on a prayer… from us.

May the Lord rest our souls – in His Time – He knows the Way it all goes… May we all TRUST and KNOW.

Amen 

———-

1st John 2:5-8, 12-14, 15-17

… whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

—

I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.

—
Do Not Love the World
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

AMEN AMEN

It’s still a memory even if it is from a faded photo. So I took a few pics of the photos with my phone, these were the treasures of the day in my sorting and cleaning at the farmhouse. These late 1970s early 1980s photos were the first era of color photos, and color doesn’t last long from that era… it’s not just 70s style of browns and oranges, it’s that plus the yellow of fading. My childhood is fading, at least 50% of any documentation is in 35mm slides, so any real photos are appreciated, yellow or not.

These are not surprises – my family took MANY photos of me and my cousins, of my Grandma and Grandpa,  Aunts, Uncles, and parents. And we went EVERYWHERE – zoos and state fairs – farm markets and curiosity places. I know these photos show the people and the era of the times, yet these photos are of forgotten days – I don’t have specific memories of THESE events, maybe because I went to SO MANY – and honestly how can we remember even a fraction of our childhoods. I know that we celebrated MANY birthdays but these pics, even with me in them, are new to me, yet confirm what I already knew – my family was and is great and we had great childhoods.

One memory that popped back up was eating picnic lunches from the truck of the car – the sandwiches baloney or peanut butter and jelly, drinks, napkins, maybe chips – all in that styrofoam or red cooler – classic 50 years ago. We travelled inexpensively then – often starting early and sometimes brought pillows to rest. I remember fractions of these times but with these things vivid. So with delight I saw many travelling kids this past holiday weekend, even a similar scene last Sunday at a park with kids eating snacks, sitting in a hatchback. Plus the car next to me at the gas station had their hatchback open, a little boy enjoying a snack. These are the memories in the making. I smiled and he smiled back – the whole thing made me happy. Home is where the Joy is.

I can not understand how the Lord knows everything about us – when we don’t even remember a fraction. I know that the Lord IS God and we are not. I know that it is not faded in memories that He suffers when forgiving our sins – it is like a solid coat of His blood that washes us over – cleans us up – and restores us to pure. It is not faded memories but the KNOWLEDGE of whom we SHOULD be – CAN be – ARE – when viewed by the wholeness that He brings us.

I think that we are not judged by God for faded glory – but judged by God to restore us to WHOLE – to all colors of our beings by Jesus adding His restoration touch.

I also believe that He already knows what type of sandwich we like and He has that in that trunk of His in Heaven – the banquet table where we feast WITH Him – oh what an adventure THAT will be…

Amen

---

From Psalm 139 of David:

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

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

It was the fresh memory of my neighbor’s chimney fire the previous week which sparked my actions without second guessing to help my troop leader with the smoldering ashes from the fireplace, it wasn’t a big thing to do, but it had to be dealt with. We leave the place better than we came. Plus it was a great use of leftover lemonade anyway. A double plus was the best “cartoon character” of the weekend: the Smokey the Bear massive sign, which I passed 6 times during this camping trip. It was invaluable to remind me and teach new campers that you don’t leave things to chance. “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” !!! Yup!

And plus plus plus, the girls were watching, they learn by watching. So even though I thought we could go hiking one more time, I found myself digging through a trash bag of plastic spoons, uneaten French Fries, plates, and the occasional lump of blackened coal/wood, cooled down in a soup of lemonade. Yeah, the ashes thought to be cool were not. No, not a problem to dive in, cleanest trash I think I ever picked through (and you know I love trash picking). There was thinking time, since we were safely outside, so I had grabbed old reuse of reuse big aluminum trays from my car, the type from sterno use and we dumped the trash into those to douse with lemonade (the girls said ‘where did she get the tray?’, ‘she’s science debbie, that’s why she has them’… funny…well at least they didn’t call me trash picking debbie…  But there’s treasure in that trash! 

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

Realizing a teaching moment, I paused holding a carbon ash chunk at the end to explain that wood burns back to carbon chunks. In other situations, diamonds also come from carbon, carbon that is stressed, pressured, compressed and made of the same molecules just realigned. The scouts looked at me weird, but that’s normal, and I’m serious, there’s diamonds in the rough of every moment we have on earth. The teaching moments alone, me and our troop leader saying we aren’t worried about trash sifting, we aren’t worried about getting dirty (especially knowing that at home the shower, the washing machine is awaiting), and that we aren’t afraid to look at a situation for its advantages over disadvantages. (Just wash your hands later!)

That’s looking for DIAMOND DAYS, diamond moments, in the rough, awaiting to be dug into. Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust. Burnt charcoal-ed in life, even the worst days in our lives can be found looking for the support of the treasure of the Lord. Even completely taken down here on earth we are renewed in.Heaven to meet our Savior Jesus who covers us white as snow… 

Our Lord God realigns our dust into wonderfully made creations, then we become dust again. God makes us His Valentines. We celebrate and remember that He loves every piece of our dust, even if we are humanly crumbled on earth.

Time is short, on earth, at camp, in life, so let us make the best of every diamond moment. 

Smiling in the coal is life’s goal. Dig for those Diamond Day moments everyday!

Amen 

—

Psalm 139 Of David

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

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

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand when I awake, I am still with you.

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

—-

Genesis 3:17-19 (The fallout from the fall.)

To Adam God said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ – “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Find PEACE, Move Thru Your Mountain, #576, 04Aug2018

I’m in a more peaceful spot, I’m back to reading my Michael Card “Imagination series” on the gospels – Mark 11 – that classic scripture of “Have faith in God – I assure you if anyone says to this mountain: ‘be lifted up and thrown into the sea’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen it will be done for him… therefore I tell you all things you pray and ask for – BELIEVE that you have received them and you will have them… and whenever you stand praying if you have anything against anyone forgive him so that your father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing…. But if you don’t forgive neither will your father in heaven forgive your wrongdoing.”

Michael Card reminds us that it’s a lesson on believing in personal prayer and focusing on forgiveness… Jesus said forgive. We can’t go anywhere or get over any mountain if first we don’t forgive others.

It’s summer, its variable hot weather, I know it’s going to be cold again way too soon… so I need to enjoy today before it goes away… my prayer today includes some healing of my hustle and bustle life – ask the Lord to forgive my preoccupation with myself – my prayer is to pause in prayer…

I long for the feeling of camping… Yet what am I longing for that I don’t already have? The freedom of not worrying, of leaving it all behind? Don’t I have that in Christ, ALREADY? I do but I forget that ALL THE TIME!… I pray for the freedom of being back in a place of nature and harmony with the world, of sitting quietly. Don’t I have that now? I do if I actually stop blocking my own PEACE… So will I achieve it? Christ says that I can.

It is quiet in my house at 6am, and I can open windows,  I have a window of opportunity for knowing peace… I can be quiet and listen to the morning birds, I can “Be Still” and hear the rustling of life moving… it’s just started raining, now pouring, the birds even hush…  my house can be considered a big tent… If I think in peace, then can I find peace and harmony inside my own tent? Can I move my mountains blocking my own peace? 

Yes, I can move myself into PEACE.

Yes. I can Be Still and pray to not miss witnessing the peace that’s already here… I can pray to God to forgive my own mountain that blocks His peace… I have obstacles, yet I know they are nothing that God can’t handle… He already knows that He can handle them, and He is, so can I remember to rely on Him?

Christ assured us that we can move mountains, He was standing on a mountain when He said that, and then He moved – moved forward on foot – moved forward in the plan… So, in our prayers we are to believe that we have already obtained what we are praying for… then we have to move thru that plan too.

We can overcome obstacles by prayer, we can let God handle the obstacles for us.  We can believe in what God has ALREADY done… we can pray for God to forgive our doubtfulness in His plan… then get over ourselves, and move forward… we still have to walk over and thru the plan…

My Prayer:

Do I believe in God? I do.

I believe I ALREADY have seen His faithfulness in me.

Do I believe in Christ? I do. I can learn His ways and I do believe in His power…

Can I move a mountain? Not without Him. Has He already moved mountains for me? Oh yeah….

Will He move the next one? Believe in His power and watch what happens…

Will we be required to work thru our mountains? Of course.

Is there peace to be found? YES. I believe in His PEACE, do you?

I believe that you believe too. Thank you for believing too.

Amen

Sledgehammer, 24OCT

Beginning again… Beginning fresh each day… New or Renewing faith… Paying attention is key to the renewing of one’s calling from the Lord to follow Him… Oh, there are MANY doors wide open, quite a few cracked open… Perhaps too many doors it seems for us to choose from…
Perhaps we are perplexed at the array of opportunities to share our faith – which door to enter first? Step away from some as others also seem to pull on us? Select certain times in each? So many opportunities to share the Good News – so little time… So now what?
What if instead of dilemmas and separate directions, God chooses us to look for a plan – His plan – a plan that doesn’t exclude opportunities… Proceed with wisdom, look for God’s guidance, listen…
Perhaps there are tools already laid out in front of us, which we ourselves must take action with… Perhaps these tools include a sledgehammer and a chisel…

What if so many doors are open because it’s our job to knock some holes into the walls between those rooms – what if it’s our job to connect the rooms…

Sledgehammer?… well, maybe test the wall first and use a small chisel and a listening device and start digging, poking, aerating, and then decide whether the situation is ready for a sledgehammer… Perhaps others will join you on both sides and hand break away the barriers… Let God’s plan drive the process… He’s the one with the big picture plan.

I’m talking about combining different areas of your life callings and making less barriers and more common spaces between situations… Can you think of any rooms within in your life callings? Sharing faith at work, or in school situations, or in public – like the hallway of a medical building? With a crowd of scared kids on a camping trip – telling them angels are watching over them? Or ordering a bagel and chiming into the conversation behind you where this guy says to the hysterical women in the other end: “Give it to Jesus…” then when you agree and call out to him in line, he hands you the phone and you also try to calm the distraught woman….. “Give it to Jesus”… Opportunities… Sharing… It’s about being aware in the present…

Grab your sledgehammer, see how the light peaks thru the holes?.., these walls disappear and the global church connects where it didn’t before… Then hands are free to join across the barriers… The voices too…
Jesus gives you the tools, so that you can find the way… “It is in your power to act”. The way is sharing in new ways… The way of the Lord is the way of wisdom.

Open the walls… Let the barriers fall… Pray for wisdom…
Pray for the wholeness of God’s children.
Pray.
——–

Proverbs 4:5-7 Get wisdom, get understanding;  do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;  love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

Proverbs 9:10-11  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.

Proverbs 3:13-14, 19-22, 26-27  Blessed are those who find wisdom those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold… By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place… by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,  preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, …. for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.  Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.

---

Michael Card lyrics:

The Way of Wisdom starts out
With a step of holy fear
And it makes its way alone
By every good word that you hear
It has to do with passion
And it has to do with pain
It has to do with One
Who has both died and rose again

I have a backlog of writings in my head from being “off the grid”, this is the first stemming from retreating to an AMAZING event, the Walk to Emmaus, I would encourage you to think about joining a walk sometime, I was BLESSED to get to know yet another great faith family that wrapped their love around me! And yet another array of pairing of fellow disciples called to work out in the messy world.

This writing topic had to wait in my head, but God found the right opportunity to get it back out, while I was quiet, 6am camping…

—–

It’s a Messy World, 21OCT 2017, #494

Bear!!! I’ve not felt that level of fear in quite a while…

Bear!!! My friends and I saw him at the same time that he saw us, he was just wandering like a deer would, apparently accustomed to our voices, probably smelled the smores, actually going for the bread the neighbor left out for him (oh!)… We were close enough to see his face… And he saw ours…. My fear couldn’t have been more real. My whole brain focused on “how do I get to that porch?” – he watched us – I envisioned him charging at us – but no, he went the opposite way – he ran scared too… I got to the porch of the cabin – Thank the Lord! But, then I didn’t want to leave the porch – even though I really wanted to get back to the campfire – but oh the fear…. it was a big bear! A real bear!

None of us at my friend’s cabin for girls’ weekend had been that close to this bear before, but I’m told he’s a regular traveler to the yard… Yeah crazy… The balance of co-existence, always a trade off for being in bear territory but a rare opportunity to stand around a campfire with the girls, it was a blessed escape off the grid, making new memories and decompressing life…

It’s a messy world... There are many tradeoffs for living in the world that we endure while we move thru life, but this particular event was also a reminder of the balance of living in the natural world, a world which could get dangerous… Bears are native and repopulating this and many regions. They were part of the natural balance of the woods before we, as industrial Americans, starting taking over every postage stamp-sized parcel for “safer” living, and we as Americans have both over-gleaned the natural resources and “sanitized” the heck out of life…

It’s actually amazing that bears can return to our wooded areas, just like there also are gators in Florida backyards, we barely remember that our ancestors lived in respectful fear of the natural world – with many more of these beautiful creatures…. They also maintained knowledge of what plants to NOT eat, they had to think about survival too, we don’t really experience that level of survivorship…Essentially the world, the natural world, was a messy world…

A week ago, I had another treat of a camp scene… a blessed time away, as a pilgrim at the Walk to Emmaus retreat. A series of faith education talks over multiple days of being with God, focusing on His love, His plan for everyone, His plan for us. Three days I was blessed to be able to be phone free, time management free, and embraced by a new layer of supporting fellow travelers. We are called to be disciples – we are travelers on this journey of faith and sharing – where do we start? – what do we bring? – who will we meet? The retreat was blessed time but really a regrouping to re-enter the world as disciples… Yes pilgrims on continued voyages thru the world… a world that we are “in” but not “of”… (John 16:17)

It’s a messy world.

The first series of the presentations stuck with me all weekend, and probably forever, yes, reminding us that “it’s a messy world” but we are called to be disciples in this messy world.  Jesus came during a messiest of messy time – we should remember that ours is not necessarily messier, it is just different messy – killings, devastating poverty, human trafficking, serious afflictions from substance abuse to fatal diseases taking their toll…. Whew…. Jealousy, greed, hate and probably the most insidious of ancient and modern-day plagues: APATHY… Whew… Isn’t that also one of the hardest affronts to overcome? Yes, APATHY… It’s a messy world. Many choose to ignore as much as possible rather than work for better life for all…

We are pilgrims – we are disciples – we are called to serve – to spread the Good News… How will we enter this world everyday – what are we going to do about our own attitudes, our history, our baggage, our self-serving drives? How will we accept our commissions?

Jesus said: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

And Jesus knew that even He was not taken seriously in His hometown, they all had to hit the road:

Jesus said: “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home. He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” Mark 6:4-11

Did the disciples have fear? Do we? How will we keep continuing to step out into this messy world of ours? – how we will remember to not let it paralyze us? – how will we put all our life concerns into a global perspective? Surely we will pray and try to obey. One step at a time…

We cannot and should not sugar coat the world just to live above the fray. We are continually called to remember to pick up the phone…  Jesus is calling, He says “Follow me”. We are to step out in faith and bring a friend. What’s your plan?

Bear! I was frozen in fright, but I had a plan, I was focused on getting to the porch and instinctually (although foolishly) thought about out-running that bear, but I knew to go slow. The others simply waved their hands – oh and they tried to grab their phones LOL – and he ran off – whew – safe for now – they returned to the campfire quickly…. I wanted too as well, but it took me a bit longer to be brave – to get off the porch – but I did – and I became ever vigilant for the bears return… I learned new fear and courage, I faced a fear that didn’t disappear by sugar coating it. And then as a team we all watched each other’s backs… As we should – for bears while camping as well as for the pitfalls of life…

Jesus needs us to walk with Him, He’s forever here with us as He gave us the Holy Spirit to be another guide “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.” John 14:16

But we have to get off the porch…  It’s imperative that we grab for Him, pick up our tools (which are our God-given gifts of talents) and then use our skills and take our crosses to bear, and keep moving… We acknowledge the weight bearing we must take on for our mission, the directions known and unknown… And those bears of the world’s problems we are called to face… And we step out in faith…

Perspective – it’s crucial to remember the scale of our problems (and maybe they are or aren’t as horrible as we think when we put them into perspective)… We think of the scale of our more unfortunate neighbor’s problems, the world’s problems, and God’s problem… God’s problem is that not everyone knows Him or knows of HIS love… We are called to work on His solution, suspend our agendas and work on His… called as disciples to step out into the messy world with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit…

The fear understandable, the commission great, the world messy…

God does not call the equipped but He does equip the called…

Go with God. God bless you fellow disciples.

Amen

I may have the agility of a mid-80’s teen playing video games like I was in the arcades, but that built upon 70’s and 80’s pinball playing – gaining much agility and knowing timing with the much waiting for the right flip of the flipper. And so, let me mention those flyswatter battles growing up, wow – I learned timing and severe strikes. Splatttttt! Flies are annoying, sorry Lord as I know you made them too. Did you make them to annoying? We are just in a broken world.

The severity of Splatttt now has been traded in for a much more ‘efficient’ action with handheld vacuuming which leaves no residue – and this is the heroic effort of mine to calm these city kids of mine, who didn’t master the swatting techniques like I did. We were getting a new flyswatter every year at every agricultural or state fair. Of course it was entertaining as we swatted flies at the farm house, and oh yeah, sure, we got tired of swatting unsuccessfully – but we TIRED of the flies even more.

A clear ‘TIRING’ of a bigger situation was the TIRING that the Lord had for the TYRE situation – whose battle warriors were continually like flies drawn to the rotting of the situation of wayward Israelites wandering jusr as bad as in Moses’s time. Tyre said “AHA” when they saw the teardown of the Lord’s set aside special place of Jerusalem. And did the Lord get the small flyswatter out against Tyre? NO – he brought in the “big bazooka guns” (well swords) from King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, against Tyre. BOOM! 

“I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more. You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

“you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

The Lord once again showing that He knows all that goes on and goes down – and that He is Sovereign. 

There will be more takedowns and a vacuum to clean up the mess – but for now, Ezekiel is simply in this phase of proclamations against those against listening to Him.

Let us NEVER tire of listening to God.

Amen

—

Ezekiel 26-27 NKJV

In the eleventh month of the twelfth year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. Out in the sea she will become a place to spread fishnets, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder for the nations, and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with horsemen and a great army. He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works against you, build a ramp up to your walls and raise his shields against you. He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons. His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons and chariots when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. The hooves of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground. They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea. I will put an end to your noisy songs, and the music of your harps will be heard no more. I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands tremble at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan and the slaughter takes place in you? Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered garments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled at you. Then they will take up a lament concerning you and say to you:

“‘How you are destroyed, city of renown, peopled by men of the sea! You were a power on the seas, you and your citizens; you put your terror on all who lived there. Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall; the islands in the sea are terrified at your collapse.’

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths over you and its vast waters cover you, then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place in the land of the living. I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more. You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

A Lament Over Tyre
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning Tyre. Say to Tyre, situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘You say, Tyre, “I am perfect in beauty.” Your domain was on the high seas; your builders brought your beauty to perfection. They made all your timbers of juniper from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you. Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus they made your deck, adorned with ivory. Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail and served as your banner; your awnings were of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah. Men of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen; your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your ailors. Veteran craftsmen of Byblos were on board as shipwrights to caulk your seams. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside to trade for your wares.

“‘Men of Persia, Lydia and Put served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields and helmets on your walls, bringing you splendor. Men of Arvad and Helek guarded your walls on every side; men of Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls; they brought your beauty to perfection.

“‘Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.

“‘Greece, Tubal and Meshek did business with you; they traded human beings and articles of bronze for your wares.

“‘Men of Beth Togarmah exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.

“‘The men of Rhodes traded with you, and many coastlands were your customers; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

“‘Aram did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen, coral and rubies for your merchandise.

“‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith and confections, honey, olive oil and balm for your wares.

“‘Damascus did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods. They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar and casks of wine from Izal in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia and calamus.

“‘Dedan traded in saddle blankets with you.

“‘Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.

“‘The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices and precious stones, and gold.

“‘Harran, Kanneh and Eden and merchants of Sheba, Ashur and Kilmad traded with you. In your marketplace they traded with you beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicolored rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted.

“‘The ships of Tarshish serve as carriers for your wares. You are filled with heavy cargo as you sail the sea. Your oarsmen take you out to the high seas. But the east wind will break you to pieces far out at sea. Your wealth, merchandise and wares, your mariners, sailors and shipwrights, your merchants and all your soldiers, and everyone else on board will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your shipwreck.  The shorelands will quake when your sailors cry out. All who handle the oars will abandon their ships; the mariners and all the sailors will stand on the shore. They will raise their voice and cry bitterly over you; they will sprinkle dust on their heads and roll in ashes. They will shave their heads because of you and will put on sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and with bitter mourning. As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament concerning you: “Who was ever silenced like Tyre, surrounded by the sea?” When your merchandise went out on the seas, you satisfied many nations; with your great wealth and your wares you enriched the kings of the earth. Now you are shattered by the sea in the depths of the waters; your wares and all your company have gone down with you. All who live in the coastlands are appalled at you; their kings shudder with horror and their faces are distorted with fear. The merchants among the nations scoff at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

THINK

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T. Thirst

H. Hear

I. Inhale

N. Notice

K. Know

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J. Jesus

E. Exquisitely 

S. Saves

U. Us

S. Souls

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AMEN

Out with the old,

In with the new

A life filled with stuff breaks,

But maybe just the fuse blew.

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Don’t throw away what can be repaired. 

Don’t replace it if the fix is dared. 

Never judge anything or anyone for broken parts, 

Only what is doable and heal-able about their hearts.

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Time softens and yields,

Ignorance forever seals,

Life yearns and squeals,

And Savior Jesus heals.

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The ultimate price Jesus paid.

Not a soul now that can’t be saved.

Pouring healing blood, then rising from where He laid. 

FREEDOM from death, we WALK the road Jesus paved.

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Accept forgiveness, ask for it too.

Repair, restore, and be made ANEW.

Death no longer a compromise,

Walk through the shadows, run, and pray to see the Son Rise.

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Amen

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Paul to the Corinthians 2:17-21

Choose creativity, over cynicism.

Pick to walk, rather than to wallow.

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Share free time, instead of minding your dime.

Be late or be early, but be present-ful, not resentful. 

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Mine your gifts instead of minding my gifts.

Dare to share BOLD, rather than hoarding your share cold.

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Instead…

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Live life appreciative.

Live life thankful for the gifts from above. 

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Choose faces to lift.

Choose embracing your gift.

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Accepting a Gift to relieve. 

In Him we believe.

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Choose Gifts – ours and HIM.

Amen