I caught a glimpse of a stylish Santa. The Santa image looked so very knowledgeable about me, about being good or bad, naughty or nice, but I’m sure he couldn’t read my thoughts, or see my actions, or know how whimsy could overtake the most minor thing, turning it into a real faux pas… the oops that ache, the misjudgement moments, the apologetic and yet simple lapses of judgment. No. Santa looked solid and sturdy, and yet surely even Santa can’t lift enough coal for all of those faux pas we do… me too…

And besides this, in my sights this ain’t the real Santa, not even a photo with a “hushing finger to mouth” – this Santa is a plastic photo platter made to hold more cookies than the weight of sins. Santa may give gifts, and so do we, but Santa ain’t no savior. 

The Savior of us, is our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus knows us and so His Love flows out our forgiveness. And with His Spirit energizing our awareness, we remember that we need Him, I surely do.

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Our faith to accept Him and believe in Him, stems from our realization that WE NEED JESUS.  We need His forgiveness AND His guidance. We need to remember to depend on Him and keep moving in Grace. His guidance reminds that the world is crucified to us, and us to the world. There has to be a spiritually healthy separation of our vision away from the world, to not get caught up in worldly stuff nor steps. 

Lord knows that He knows our oops-es, scrambles, and slip ups, even bull in a china shop lives, and yet these actions are still salvageable by His desire to keep us close to God.  His desire is for us to know Him. We can’t waste time knowing we are saved then act flippant like we forgot that or that He couldn’t save us. Our actions, no matter how grave or light, can still be grace-applied into a save.

We need forgiveness and to remember that we need it.

We also need to pray us and others away from the worldliness that gets between us. 

A poem:

Jesus, FORGIVENESS BY THEE,

Merciful Forgiveness for FREE.

Grave Grace for us all, and for me.

May we all make a plea,

Forgiveness, Lord, please shower mercy on me.

And then, help me believe, help me see.

May we separate from worldliness forgivingly. 

May we only boast of Thee. 

Set our loving hopes free.

FORGIVENESS TO FREE

FORGIVENESS BY THEE

FORGIVENESS of others ALSO FROM ME

This is my plea.

Help me to see.

And be saved and still and simply be.

Oh how I live to love Thee. 

Amen 

—

Galatians 6 NIV, A letter from Paul, 

DOING GOOD TO ALL 

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person GENTLY. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Not Circumcision but the NEW CREATION 

See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.  

Matthew 21:23-32 The Authority of Jesus Questioned

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

——-

SERMON – WEARING MY PONCHO AND VOLUNTEER HAT…

A couple weekends ago – I loved working the water station at mile 24 of 26 for the marathon. One of my college alumni associations was going to work it together and I thought WHY NOT? I say that a lot – “Hey, why not?!!!”   

We worked the marathon by helping to hand cups out – of water or Gatorade – and of ENCOURAGEMENT – – I loved yelling WORDS OF ENCOURAGMENT:   “You’ve got this. – You’re almost there – just two more miles”                 so close to everyone walking that we could say “JUST WALK IT OUT – FINISH STRONG!”

And I loved seeing smiles. Was it necessary for me to see the reactions – no – I simply was there to help – But encouragement to encouragement? COOL! Fist bumps and thank you’s. But most importantly we got the people the water they needed. why anyone would want to run 26 or 13 plus miles or run any miles is beyond me – but I understand these folks have goals and hopes and the gumption to do it – they had a plan and preparation and did it.

At first I worked the station by raking cups – yeah – not leaves but cups! Clearing the path for runners to get to the cup holders, I raked empty cups towards the trash and out of the way – then halfway thru my shift, I SWITCHED – and served water with a hoop and holler, especially since we were mile 24, just 2 miles away from the finish. At mile 25 the music was blaring (I walked over there to check it out near the end) that water crew to do the macarena and electric slide in encouraging the runners who were still coming in – It was encouraging to see the young volunteers. It was a blessing to yell my heart out.

ESPECIALLY cool that most the runners had their names on their shirts!!! Fabulous.. I had no idea most would have names on their shirts. We could yell their actual names and if there was no name just cheer “you got this”. Catching a glimpse of faces, smiles, etc was really good. 5000 volunteers, 50000 runners.  WE CAN’T ALL RUN, BUT WE CAN BE CUP FILLERS! SPIRIT CUPS!

Yes the names and the words on the t-shirts, they spoke volumes in supporting causes, having those names was great, it became SO personal. And I thought – Thank God that God knows us by name, not just our names but in everything – remember Psalm 139:

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me… 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. …    

AND I also thought about the other great scripture: God knows both our earthly given name and a new name reserved for each person in Heaven.

Jesus said to John in Revelation 2:17 “And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” Jesus, calls our names!!! Jesus is already making a spot at the dinner table. and so I thought it was cool that we were calling names and sending messages, all while serving water – .

OH – the WATER team….

I love that we can share the word of God together = and take this knowledge with us – out there into the world.  I know that the Lord wants us, at this point in time of our lives, to be the encouragers.  You know life is a marathon not a sprint. And we all need to keep moving – no matter how slow – and we all need to refill with water – real water and wow Living Water…

Remember the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well – Jesus said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Isn’t it great to know, from learning about Jesus, that Jesus has got this? Everything we see in the world will fade away and our life with Jesus in eternity will be our focus. And not thirst again! Just like marathon race people, may we find that last energy burst to keep going !

At the marathon, about 90% were running 10% walking when I arrived for the second shift as the stages were staggered at the start. So a bit later that percentage noticeably changed to then two thirds running with one third walking, then half and half, then most walking as darkness fell. We were in Central Park under the street lights by the zoo and museums – we were fine. I would say you are safer in a city of millions than a field of a few. We would consolidate tables as we were winding down, helping clean up as we went.

They instructed us how to hold the cups and the first few were difficult for me, Because my arm wouldn’t give way to let the cup go fast enough. But later it was less water, and more about talking, more encouragement – like some people even stopped to rest and chat. I appreciated the encouragement of the station captain and mirrored her, saying “welcome to the park”. Even if not running it out, they surely could finish. SO CLOSE

SO CLOSE – isn’t that our message to each other and to the world of people now – that our finish with Jesus coming back is SO CLOSE – and of course to each other and others that we are not getting any younger and that we do want to finish strong – and keep our eyes focused on Jesus – Jesus is the prize – that He awarded Himself to us for forgiveness. And we can walk with each other – we must – we should…

There was one particular marathon father I saw supporting his daughter, wow she was distraught but he was determined to help. There were team co-encouragers there. Many times for stragglers, I saw a friend or the whole family come out of the crowd and walk the last two miles, holding up their runner. They pushed on because this was now THEIR marathon – a personal journey – and not just a finish for the books. I saw a man pushing himself in his wheelchair backwards – kicking with his feet – with a team of walkers cheering him on –  this was a slow journey but a real one, his team members weren’t pushing him, he was getting himself going on that road –  backwards sitting but forward movement. I am sure he got there!

And it was getting darker and yet the people were still coming – even after the sweeper truck came – runners who didn’t make it as official finishers – BUT THEY WERE STILL WALKING. people kept coming – walking it home – they kept coming and we kept encouraging them…

AH – walking it home –   

In our TWO part scripture today – there were many questions being asked – and in these times, Jesus found Himself in direct conflict with the rulers and elders of the churches – who not just questioned Jesus –  they also questioned the whole scene when John the Baptist was starting his ministry –  Jesus knew this – That question Jesus asked: – Do you believe that John’s baptism was from human or heaven authority?

To answer a question with a question is an art, as well as a skill, as well as common occurrence for the rabbi teacher in Jesus. Jesus asked back in the form of a question – to be thought provoking, to show thought of His actions, by saying it should be clear He did what He did by GOD’S AUTHORITY, and Jesus came to plant seeds of knowledge that would surely sprout LATER (even in these skeptical rulers), after hearing of Him raised up from dead.

Here the questioners got quizzed themselves!!!.  That perhaps we could think of as a midterm question – and a tricky one if you weren’t studying – studying the prophesies – studying the signs of the times – studying the scenes –JESUS WAS DIRECTLY TALKING ABOUT HOW John the Baptist would tell the people: “I, [JOHN], baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, [john was talking about Jesus], whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John (by Heaven’s Authority) was “Preparing the Way”, fulfilling scripture.

And Jesus Himself also came to be baptized by John, And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Yet these chief priests and elders were suspicious of Jesus…  and asked Him questions… they would ask: “by what authority do you do these things?’ – probably including healing and talking about God and everything – a question to be accusatory. They wanted to make sure Jesus was not disrupting the status quo – and also not from an evil source of power –    **THEY ASKED QUESTIONS BUT HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE ALREADY LOOKING AT THE ANSWER – they were looking at the answer… JESUS…

* But they said “I don’t know” so not be questioned MORE by the people.

Walking it Home, which we are doing now – Jesus also asks us essentially: “Do you believe in ME?” – “Do you believe I can get you home?” These are like the final exam question of “DO YOU BELIEVE IN ME AS LORD AND SAVIOR?” The Lord wants us to know and accept Him and see us fulfilled with joy.

In the parable of the 2 sons – that Jesus asked, is key:  “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which did what his father wanted?”  “The first,” they answered.

We can get LOTS out of this scripture –understanding God – Jesus brought all the concepts of God’s forgiveness and the basics to the forefront of the conversations. God is clearly as a Father here – and He wants us to come- even if we come late – or straggle in – barely cross that finish line but finish because we believe in Jesus who finished it all for us. that is such the crucial message that Jesus brought time and time again to the people – you hear a consistent theme of us being lost – being defiant – being in sin – but God the Father is loving anyway being forgiving.  He wants us to finish the race.

The Father seeing the son actually enter the vineyard is a basic question about compliance – about not brushing off the situation giving a flippant answer – it is thinking of one’s path – certainly about the doing over the talking – you know WALK THE WALK and not just talk the talk…

Yes, in this parable, the vineyard was a place to work – and also the vineyard was a place to be – and certainly we all could (I certainly should) walk closer with Him, let Him guide our steps – trust Him and worship Him more fully with mind, heart and soul.  “Less of me, more of Him.”

The question using the brothers was then an open book test – love OPEN BOOK TESTS – yet  we study everything to know where to look – we are to know of Jesus AND to know Jesus in us is the saving grace, answering a final exam answer: Jesus.   BECAUSE IN OUR FINAL EXAMINATION, IT IS NOT JUST AN OPEN BOOK TEST, IT’S AN OPEN HEART TEST.

We have a marathon of life, and I found myself at our own city fun run and half marathon – the Italian Stallion ROCKY RUN! – last Saturday –  right at the Art Museum famous steps – cool huh? And actually no traffic at that early hour to get there and it was like divine intervention that I got a great parking spot… SO I grabbed not water cups but my sign encouragement to fill spirits and yell –  “Run Rocky Run” I yelled out – like the Forest Gump movie. I thought with the fun of last week this was cool too with the Rocky music etc… but I decided to move further out – half mile out – where the people were more sparse – and the sign I made to hold? Let me show you – “God Loves You” – Yeah! – I held above my Rocky sign the “God loves you” – and even though I needed no acknowledgement of the sign or my work in the vineyard – I needed and got that Holy Spirit whisper of “yeah – this is a good place – the best place for you to stand – this is a good morning activity in beautiful brilliant sunshine.” And I was not yelling “GOD LOVES YOU” – but I stood as a silent witness this time…

For us doing the work of the Lord is truly a blessing and we certainly can understand why Jesus walked the earth to teach and to bring His sheep to Himself. Jesus also tells us that God wants us to tell others about this GOOD NEWS – the whole plan – of the forgiveness which allows us once again to commune with God – to be forever walking WITH GOD… 

SO yes – at the Rocky Run – there was the walking in of the stragglers once again – what a perfect place to cheer – like a reverse parade where the runners are looking at you. The runners had time to read the simple sign with a sigh – and “yeah” – smiles – a few hands to the sky – a few “YES HE DOES” – and sometimes I thought – well time to wrap this up – or need to sit down – so I did rest and then I got back up to work the side of the race again – and there were more smiles and thank yous and even a couple photos were taken – yeah – and these ladies behind me who ran up and said “The people love your sign – what is on it?” – then they said:  “OH!” when they read it – “God loves you” – classic and true and not hidden…  there is no better sign than that…

I mention this not as a boast of my situation or that great parking spot that morning – but to say we all can find a place at the sideline cheering each other on – and encouraging those who are not sure if they should even join the race…  We need to work this harvest. Yes!  There are so many who say: “I can’t turn to God – I have been so unworthy”  – but we are to say “YOU ARE WORTHY BECAUSE HE IS WORTHY – GOD LOVES YOU”

If we stray, God rakes us in – if we fall, God picks us up, if we are thirsty – Jesus says: LET ME BE YOUR LIVING WATER. Half mile from the finish – that is where we are now… 

How often we are not in the moment – to know there is a race going on in everyone’s lives – how often we should just bring this message to others and give them the boost up.  People need to know: GOD LOVES YOU!

SO – how does this relate to our Jesus Scripture and Parable lesson? Well –  let’s talk about working in that vineyard… and what we still have to do – it is fine and good that we now have entered – but what is left? The harvest…

I leave you with this amazing scripture scene, Jesus and the woman at the well, in John 4. And there’s a small scene where the disciples come back and like from the village comes the woman with the people she told – Jesus would have seen them coming when telling the disciples –  “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

As disciples, we can do these things, go out and work in the fields. Be saved and work together to share the Good News.  And keep running the race too –  AMEN…

Please pray with me – thank You Lord for our race and our mission – thank You Lord for our pace and our determination – thank You Lord for teaching and showing us the WAY – THANK YOU LORD FOR YOU.  Amen

It’s not hard to DISLIKE things that some people do. It’s the annoying things, the nitpicking of us or our situation, and vice versa the us to them. The anger takes up our time,  everyone’s time too. Sad. The urge to just be free of dealing with those people is so strong we invent ways to ignore them, get out of town, isolate ourselves. You name it. 

I’m not talking about bad people necessarily, or a certain type of person, but anyone who at that moment gets on our nerves (like a driver in traffic or whatever), or whom we can NOT imagine dealing with long-term (like anyone you name it…) or someone we might love but can’t stay in the room with at times. Yeah.

And then also apply this to really bad people too, those whom we can’t forgive it seems – well would not think to – without Divine Grace of course. And that’s where we see that the lack of being able to deal with people is BOTHof their brokenness AND OF OURS TOO. 

YES, WE ARE BROKE TOO. 

“cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye”

We may be BROKEN by our circumstances (we are broken by birth into an Adam and Eve broken world), and BROKEN by our sinful actions (Lord please forgive us), and BROKEN because we lack the love and grace to the level Jesus has given. Jesus came and suffered so that we COULD forgive and live with broken people around us. 

Who is more broken? The one who breaks or the one who can’t apply the fix? Well, hmmm… well, loving enemies and giving forgiveness is a DIVINE REQUIREMENT, so when we have the mind to forgive, we too can live, less broken. Being broke lacking money is nothing like being broke of love. Us being unable to apply love banked up is where we also run dry. So when you are broke of applying compassion, do ask Jesus to give more to give out to others. Dip into His stockhold of DIVINE POWER. And know LOVE is through us, not just too us.

It would seem impossible to love all our enemies or love everything people do. And so the parade of people who are going to heaven despite their shortcomings is not to rile us, but to inspire us. Jesus is THAT graceful, the Lord is THAT loving, and we are THAT broken to not see wholeness. 

One can not imagine Heaven without knowing Jesus came to save the lost, me too, us too, them too, all who would hear and believe. 

Let us believe we need Jesus for all this. His healing is the LOVE that the world lacks, let us acknowledge we are broken people too and need Jesus all the more. Hope in Him. 

Amen 

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Amen Amen 

—-

Luke 6:6-49

And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. 

And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

I was just about to start complaining about the sensationalized news headline: “drought threatening to ruin Christmas “, because honestly nothing can ruin Christmas and secular stuff ain’t got anything to do with Jesus and God’s Plan, yeah!… 

And then again, the lack of Living Water in one’s life in a droughtful moment of doubtful faith, is so sad. We all need Jesus, Living Water, and the sweetest Christmas gift is His Hope, Love, Presence, and Realness. 

I keep the beautiful card that was handed to me ten years ago now, at a Living Nativity at church, in an awakening time frame where Jesus became real to me. I was in drought and doubt until God’s Will got me to see, to figure it all out.

So, don’t be in droughtful doubt, be REFRESHED in Jesus’s flesh.

Thank you Lord for the reign…

(And please do send some rain too)

Amen

—

1st John 4

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We love him, because he first loved us.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

If life feels wobbly or really coming APART.

Maybe go old-school and live day to day – moment to moment – as an ART.

A Weeble WOBBLES but it won’t fall down, because it’s weighted at the bottom, oh so SMART.

Let us be weighted with, wait with, wait on, the LIFT of the Lord – and hold onto His anchor – remember His famous calming of the seas part.

Live out the wavy life times focusing on the Lord with the eyes of one’s heart. 

Are we wobbly or willfully smart!

Following Jesus is WILLFULLY SMART!

Live life that God carefully crafted FOR YOU – live close to Jesus as your art.

and SMART.

Amen

Today I have many plans in addition to voting. Plans. And things I should do but probably won’t get to. 

What should I know? That not everyone I meet up with will be in agreement with my politics, my religion, my lifestyle, my motivation, my urgency of the day, my point of view.  Not everything will go to plan. 

What should I do? LOVE THE PEOPLE, NOT ALWAYS THE SITUATION. LOVE THEM. Help them. Teach them. Learn them. Lead them. Reach them. LOVE THEM. 

Follow them? Following them is a whole different thing. I’ve been elected to FOLLOW JESUS. Following Jesus above all evil powers that are perverse and keep me from loving my neighbor as myself, keep me from loving my enemies. Following Jesus above all distractions that cloud my view of purpose. Following Jesus above all petty pet peeves too, anything that keeps me from serving His intentions. 

Follow Jesus in serving, in reaching, in knowing purpose of taking up one’s cross to minimize the “it’s all about me” – because it’s all about Jesus. Because Jesus is all about serving us.

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture… 

Elect to know that Jesus elected us first. Jesus selected us first before we had eyes of our hearts opened to know. Jesus chose to serve and He knows the Way. Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

We’ve been called. Follow Jesus always.  We’ve got direction, mission, Salvation and service. 

Jesus our Lord, with God Himself Almighty Father, with God’s Chosen Messenger in HolySpirit, are God’s Three in One.

God’s Three in One = God’s Almighty Sum.

Amen

John 10:1-30, Jesus speaking:

Jesus the True Shepherd

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Jesus the Good Shepherd

Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

The Shepherd Knows His Sheep

Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

I enjoyed finding the Halloween costumes I made when the kids were toddlers. Crafty creative, I enjoyed the opportunity to make something fun. Little kids are little for a short time. I pulled out the photo albums to see their photos. I have felt the specialness of the memories of traipsing up and down our neighborhood with them trick-r-treating. Those were short years gone by. So special in the moment now this year was being with my grown-up daughter handing out candy this year. We got some, maybe 25 kids only, but the quiet together was priceless. 

The festive feelings are something that I enjoyed in the moment, yes, and was glad to document, but longevity speaking, it’s not the most valuable thing I can show to and teach my children. 

The MOST precious thing is to share LOVE, God’s Love, and share WHERE to TURN, WHOM to REACH OUT to, and HOW to demonstrate FAITH. Knowing and teaching that the Lord saves.

Demonstrating FAITH is both in the failing times and in the fruitful ones. Sharing HOPE and sharing THANKFULNESS are responding to the love poured into us. Knowing that we serve a God Who Saves is key. SHARING that GOD SAVES is an amazing heritage. 

Keep on believing… Keep walking with Him and teaching others…

Amen

—

Joel 2:28-32

God’s Spirit Poured Out

“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” 1st Peter 2:9

I was so grateful to have the fire scanner available over the internet when I learned of a brush fire up home, hours away.  It seems it is now contained at 2am, no structures. I drifted in and out of sleep listening. Normally up home and other places are ‘out of sight out of mind’, but since I knew the close proximity of this fire to some of my family’s land I paid very close attention to social newsfeeds. I thought to myself if I didn’t have family there, I would be as concerned. Yes in prayer, but not riveted to the coverage like tonight. Yes, I prayed!

“I am the Lord your God and there is no other.”

Truly it has been a DRY year. And I’ve been in a grassfire in my youth and I know how quickly they do spread. My friend showed me video of a tree fire at her work from a tossed cigarette. WOW! Quickly fire tears thru. It’s the natural restorative force too for some regions and causes new growth. Also seemingly quick is how the ground recovers, the rain returns, life grows and moves forward. 

With this I connect to the hopeful praises of the Lord for when He has and does and still will be reconnecting and regrowing His people Israel, and for all of us. Joel the prophet says marvelous things for the time and certainly is also prophesy for a forevermore time… Jesus the Bridegroom will return for His Bride… HOLD ON TO THE HOPE. There will be trouble, but fear not, for the Lord has overcome. 

The Lord HAS been paying attention, because we are His family.

For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness.

Be glad and rejoice, For the Lord has done marvelous things!

And also in our lives we have seen correction and complete overhauling. We may have seen some of our things and plans burnt to the ground but surely we have seen RECOVERY 

Now, Lord, we are WAITING for the RAIN in right time! FOR US AND FOR YOUR PEOPLE AND FOR THE LAND. Please Lord!!! It is so dry, send Your Loving rain.

We will get there… He will provide…

And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you…

Good!!! Thank You Lord!!!

Amen

—

Joel 2:12-27

A Call to Repentance

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him— A grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?

Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ”

The Land Refreshed

Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. The Lord will answer and say to His people, “Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

“But I will remove far from you the northern army, And will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, With his face toward the eastern sea And his back toward the western sea; His stench will come up, And his foul odor will rise, Because he has done monstrous things.”

Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the Lord has done marvelous things! Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you – The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

The crawling locust,

The consuming locust,

And the chewing locust,

My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.

You know, there’s something to be said about working at work rather than working from home, and I am not even talking about work work, I’m talking about inspiration encouragement fun festive feelings for many hundred folks.

Remember everywhere we work, we work for the Lord. We are to use our skills to inspire and help. 

Yes, this was blessedly my encouragement (and paper posting and photo-ing and emailing) role on the Activities Committee this time for encouraging the week, a POSITIVITY week cumulative yesterday in Halloween… We had costumes we had candy. We had jocularity. We did purchase candy by work, but the JOY was FREE.

Monday was dress as a particular decade, Tuesday twins, Wednesday wacky Wednesday, Thursday Halloween, Friday (today) is sports day. Also folks sent in photos of pets dressed, decorations at home, etc.

Here is my wrap up poem for the week.

POSITIVITY IN COMMUNITY IS WE AND WHEEEEEE….

What an encouragement to beeeee.

An ENCOURAGER, you see.

I’m BLESSED to be close to my work family.

It’s how we help cheer those who help you and help me.

Encouragement in all aspects of life is also encouragement for Thee,

As we learn to count our blessings freely.

Lord, keep us going in joy and sure some frivolity.

We just can feel blessed to beeee!!!

Amen

I was so frustrated, upset, even irate.

It’s a human thing – there is no debate.

I lost my keys and wow it was a frustrate.

I found them in 10 minutes but it was not so great,

I doubted and questioned the Lord – and that is my humbling trait.

I know better – and yet I was SO irate.

.

I found my keys in step retracing that could have been more direct.

It took me a while, I was not in a mood to jest.

I am grateful that first I ate dinner – food and thought to digest.

I am grateful that I DO have 2 cars to juggle and rearrange, I should not object.

But to lose keys when I wanted to relax – Lord forgive my upset.

Lord, I found no solace but to ask you to intervene – and you DID interject.

.

My keys were found within 15 seconds of my request.

Surely I do know the Lord is listening and gave my keys almost like a bequest.

To Him I had to give up from my protest.

To Him I had to give up control and my mess.

I knew these are the moments that I will regress.

I know that Jesus forgives and saves – oh that is best.

.

Thank You Lord for answering my frustrated request.

Lord, You ARE the best.

Amen

It’s our first freeze, the growing season closes. I snapped up mini tomatoes and pulled in my poinsettia, a tropical plant, which thrived this summer outside. I didn’t take out the tomatoes or garden vines because the freezing will help make it obvious what won’t last the winter and I will strip back the garden then.

“For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them”

I learned that Hosea’s poetry collection, presented in 14 chapters, is completed with this statement above – essentially reiterating a Bible-long sentiment: the Way of the Lord is the righteousness for us to walk in. The light to see and grow in, over idols which don’t last and waste precious resources. And the fruit of His Spirit comes like the fruit on us. Jesus said “I am the vine, you are the branches” – we are asked to bear fruit given by the Lord. The long time realization to come back to a loving all powerful Lord is echoed in the sentiment in Hosea 14 about God sharing His Grace to His people – His branches shall spread – Your fruit is found in me…it’s now GROW TIME, from HIS Vine.

These days we wonder of the harvests, the resources for days ahead. God’s people are His blossom, maturing and working towards harvest. His righteousness, setting the long suffering and wandering wayward Israelites and Judah-ites back on track, is reminding us of our righteousness too – it comes from the Lord. And with the proper connection, we are to fruit as well. Turn away from life that sours and tap into the joy of living for Him. The seeds we leave behind will be needed by the future generations.

What is not lasting will freeze away like the tomato plants, or tropical plants in the northern climes – the green leaves delicate. What lasts will last. Harvesters know fruit is enjoyable to share, the seeds to save and plant. Yet what lasts the cold? The Vine of the Lord sustains and survives in the winter, to bloom and fruit again.

“All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:6-8 echoed in 1st Peter

A harvesting of the Lord’s people will come when Jesus comes again, meanwhile keep working the soil for souls, fish for men, share the love. 

Closing out Hosea’s old testament sentiment, God’s Love endures – and is faithful – He will restore – His faithful (us) will heal.

Amen 

Hosea 14

Israel Restored at Last
O Israel, return to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity; Take words with you, And return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity; Receive us graciously, For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’ For in You the fatherless finds mercy.”

“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him. I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon. His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon. Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

“Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’ I have heard and observed him. I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in Me.”

Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them.

Isaiah 40:6-8 NKJV “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”  

—

echoed in 1st Peter 1:13-25

Be Holy

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.

It’s poetry in motion, prophet Hosea speaking of what God did and what He will do. Our Lord God is POWER IN MOTION.

Ephraim is the name given for all Judah plus Jerusalem plus Israel together as Israelite descendants from Jacob (Israel). The Lord chose this people and yet they flip flopped between worshipping their/our REAL GOD and Baal and false gods. We speak of lowercase gods as if they are real, but they are not real, not God and either made up like Baal or elevated up like Ceasars and Pharoahs and kings they choose to support or who ruled harshly to keep in control, or were like Saul appointed by God as one placating placeholder of earthly kings. Kings rulers not known to be able to make changes in the world like our One True God.

Jesus, as Savior, came to save with mercy, grace, and holy spirit correction to keep folks from corruption.  Jesus came as the plan to save the Israelites AND Gentiles then AND those yet to come, those yet to hear about God. And those ALSO those  pulled into worship and idolization of false hope and quick fixes like drugs money, etc.

There is no quick fix but the one who was broken to repair us. Jesus is the Savior God written about: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.”… Power in motion, above all…

Let us plug into that power!

AMEN

—

HOSEA 13 NKJV 

When Ephraim spoke, trembling, He exalted himself in Israel; But when he offended through Baal worship, he died.

Now they sin more and more, And have made for themselves molded images, Idols of their silver, according to their skill; All of it is the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!” Therefore they shall be like the morning cloud And like the early dew that passes away, Like chaff blown off from a threshing floor And like smoke from a chimney.

“Yet I am the Lord your God Ever since the land of Egypt, And you shall know no God but Me; For there is no savior besides Me. I knew you in the wilderness, In the land of great drought. When they had pasture, they were filled; They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me.

“So I will be to them like a lion; Like a leopard by the road I will lurk; I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, And there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them.

“O Israel, you are destroyed, But your help is from Me. I will be your King;
Where is any other, That he may save you in all your cities? And your judges to whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’? I gave you a king in My anger, And took him away in My wrath.

“The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; His sin is stored up. The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, For he should not stay long where children are born.

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.”

Though he is fruitful among his brethren, An east wind shall come; The wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness. Then his spring shall become dry, And his fountain shall be dried up. He shall plunder the treasury of every desirable prize.

Samaria is held guilty, For she has rebelled against her God. They shall fall by the sword, Their infants shall be dashed in pieces, And their women with child ripped open.

WOOHOO! FIFTY-FIVE.

It’s a BIG day to be ALIVE. 

It’s another new year, I do hope to THRIVE. 

Ah… IGNORE these real aches and pains of FIFTY-FIVE.

I THANK YOU LORD, for in You, I do surely REVIVE. 

…

I was born at the AM.

Morning is my JAM.

Writing is daily, might seem like SPAM.

But hopefully not when I strive to appreciate our great ‘I AM’.

…

At first I thought I could have a great big PARTY.

But NAH, after decompression time, I decided for my birthday I would just be contented to BE.

Be Still, be blessed, and BE ME.

(Besides my house is still too dirty. 

Not YET party worthy…)

…

First, TODAY, I thank God for FRIDAY. 

Is FIFTY-FIVE is the new TWENTY?

Well, however many years it’s going to be BUSY.

Life goal is to live it all HEARTILY.

I pray for direction and am thankful for MERCY. 

Oh Lord, I appreciate GRACE and SANITY. 

…

Let me pray FIFTY-FIVE IS A TREASURE DELIGHT, 

A BLESSING THAT FEELS ALRIGHT. 

Jesus says take it ONE DAY AT A TIME, RIGHT!

Thank You Lord for being our LOVE LIGHT.

…

Amen 

Independence – That’s the name of the road I saw as I drove by this latest trip up north… And I thought how WONDERFUL to be able to be free to travel and to know “the kids are alright!”… However, they told me the cat misses me, LOL. I am going to be happy to be home, not just so the cat doesn’t miss me anymore, but home to know I got out, displaying and portraying my independence…

It was easy traveling, especially in the mild weather, because I knew where I was going and I have been there before. So my independence is in and on dependence of comfort, space, direction, and food of course and rest.

Shouldn’t that be us with the Lord? A dependence of comfort, space, direction, food for thought and rest for peace. The Lord, much more than the cat, misses us and wants us close.

We have to take clues on our behavior out in the world just like Smokie The Bear warns us about fire danger, which is moderate right now. Be careful.

Be careful in the world but don’t be afraid to live.

And like the farmers, we need to pay attention to the weather. The weather in our lives creates the whether in our lives. God will help.

We need to be IN dependence of the Lord for independence of living – ONE STEP AT A TIME.

Amen

Protection for Purpose 

Writing down what is personal can also be protective.

Our hearts lock away treasures of knowledge, 

Our lips find open and closed ears,

But our writing is a tool – a stockpile in a train car going somewhere,

In a space protectively shared, or not.

All known to You Lord, all for You..

.

Protection has a Purpose. 

.

Ignore, downplay, bark at, and laugh at the devil and he will cringe, 

Say the name of Jesus and the devil will flee,

The devil fell, remind him of that,

The Lord saved saves and will save, remind yourself of that just as much as you remind the devil “HANDS OFF!”. 

.

Protection has a Purpose.

Protection for Purpose.

All known to You Lord. All for You Lord.

.

Don’t get derailed, 

A Jesus train has tracks set down.

A fretful journey can shake your box car.

The train car can be a fridge and preserve or a platform and display. 

You might be wrapped in bubble wrap or bolted to steel. 

In whole, you are IN the Lord and on His Journey for you, with you, on the way to His Purpose. 

Keep steaming forward. He is IN you, God’s Got this.

.

Protection for Purpose. 

God’s Love moves us.

Let the Spirit guide us.

Jesus is the Way.

Amen

It’s not a pity party for Israel and Judah, it’s a PURITY plea God makes.

Hosea the prophet captures the harsh words, the people and the kingdom are self-destructive by not listening. And God desires mercy over sacrifice. Pleading to have them listen. “What can I do with you, Ephraim, What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist like the early dew that disappears. Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth – then my judgments go forth like the sun. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there.”

—

God said Israel was founded with knowledge of the possibilities: “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree” – Oh what JOY God has in His creations – very good – desiring them to understand.

We in modern times must see the times have continued, people’s attitudes returning to disobedient sour grapes – and yet new wine was made with a fresh restart of Jesus’s forgiveness becoming the needed grace for God’s mercy. Israel and Judah may have gone off the deep end, but there was a net waiting there – a Fisher of Men…

Amen

—

Hosea 6789 excerpts:

Israel cries out to me, ‘Our God, we acknowledge you!’ But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.

—

The days of punishment are coming, the days of reckoning are at hand. Let Israel know this. Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired person a maniac. The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God. They have sunk deep into corruption, as in the days of Gibeah. God will remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.

Thank YOU Lord it’s Friday, 

Yes, I really mean it this time. 

Yet I should praise each day,

I should really silence my whine.

.

Should be no complaints, no cringing today,

No hurricane, flood, freeze, I’m really just fine!

I’m tired, yes, and behind my agenda, sure,

Simply I just desire catch up time.

.

Yet, Friday is both freedom and busy.

A day of asking – “where did the week go?” – I never have enough time.

Fridays zooms by reminding us WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF TIME.

So beware, today, like life, we will run out of time.

.

Why Lord, Why?

Why can we NOT stop time?

Perhaps You desire us to instead feel the stop in Heaven,

Feel the true Heavenly unwind.

.

So for now, I’ll make hay while the sunshines,

I’ll pick up my tasks, I’ll work hard,  I’ll continue my rhyme. 

I’ll try to remember “these are the good ole days” for doing good,

And be wary of what pulls me away from feeding off YOUR Vine.

.

I THANK YOU LORD, for Friday, for devotion time, and especially for Your Vine.

Amen

When are weeds worth the wait?

And wilderness the wonder?

When do leaves and trees and colors please?

When they WOW the watchful one.

.

When is life’s weight lighter?

When we WORK the WOW.

Life, it’s not worth the worry,

But wow, worth the work…

.

In autumn, the weather wanes,

The workers work, prepping for winter.

Prayers for waning weariness.

Prayers for persistent praying.

.

The worst is sometimes the way,

The Way of remembering,

The Way forward for depending,

The Creator worked worry into WOW.

.

In times of worry,

Work the Way of Wonder.

God and His angels will wait upon you to wait upon Them.

God will keep us hopeful and whole.

Amen

I HEARD

.

I heard on earth about HEARING. 

Michael told Daniel there is a time of trouble. 

But in it, I heard LIFE.

Everlasting LIFE 

After the strife. 

A RESTORATION OF LIFE.

.

I HEARD

I heard on earth about TIMING.

The Riverbank man in linen said a time shall be for a time, times, and half a time.

And in it I heard “FINISHED”

Time for strife

Time for life

Time for everlasting to beginnings and ending to ends. 

.

I HEARD

I heard on earth about UNDERSTANDING. 

The Heavenly Word to Daniel talked about WAITING. 

For in it, I heard TRUSTING. 

I heard REFINEMENT. 

I heard RESTORATION. 

I heard REST. 

I heard INHERITANCE. 

.

I HEARD

I HEARD HOPE.

May we all be wise enough to wait and watch and wonder – and HEAR.

That in trust, is HOPE.

Trust in Hope. Hear it.

HOPE.

Amen

…

CHAPTER 12 – last chapter of Daniel 

“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.”

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

Full text:

Daniel 11 and 12 link

—

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

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:

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

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.”

—-

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.

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

————

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

—

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.

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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.

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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

—-

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

“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.

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…

—-

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.