As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5-6
TRUE!
My blue Subaru tail lights went out last night – I started seeing a guy in a jeep flash his lights at me from behind – you know I got nervous being 9pm at night – but also wondered if he was just warning me – but I didn’t think I had anything dragging out the back – or had a seltzer can on my roof like I did the day before (oops, I realized after 30 miles that I put it up there – slowed down and opened my sunroof and it slid back and into my car – haha – still an inch of water in it! no, I didn’t drink it). I wondered, last night, why he was warning me but just drove couple more blocks – and then got up my nerve to take my turning lane and he pulled next to me. He said my tail lights were out – OH! WOW! – I wasn’t scared anymore and I thanked this man for his kindness – and his warning and I thank the Lord that I had to get over my fear to hear it. Yeah. He commiserated with me – while waiting for the light to change – my headlights worked but my taillights didn’t. Maybe a fuse… WEIRD… Maybe God was pre-playing with my schedule for today… Maybe we just don’t know how God works. Ah, yeah!
See – I do need to stay home today both to keep focusing on writing a big work report – and how convenient that there are very very few meetings on my calendar – and how convenient that I get back 2 hours not commuting to both spend time with my cat outdoors (it’s beautiful 75 degrees now at 8AM) – AND I have my last night of VBS crafts tonight – whew – I am that VBS kind of tired but God worked in a nap for me yesterday too – I am SO GRATEFUL! God works it ALL in… Just keep riding His Wave.
So the tail lights? I see it as an opportunity to remove my guilt from choosing to do a WFH day, I HAVE to have tail lights fixed. As I took the heavy trunk contents out of my trunk and slammed the hatchback, one of the 2 tail lights came back on – Hmmm… good – and hmmmm… going to take it to a repair place today – locally – and the fear? none – I got that extended extended warranty… because with electronics like this, you never know… Especially when God can short circuit a fuse just to slow you down. That’s wisdom to realize God works in mysterious ways.
And now I will keep working – morning, day and night – it is a GREAT VBS week – I have been enjoying the crafts and the sweetest of kids – and even the Queen of Sheba came to visit her friend King Solomon, she wanted to gain HIS Wisdom!!! She said: “PRAISE BE TO THE LORD!” Thanks Lord… And VBS is doing GREAT! fun fun! (This is a friend’s church – we are pinch hitter people – ready to help. Yesterday making a Shield of Faith and Helmet of Salvation – which I told the kids it rhymes with Vacation – “S” for “JESUS’ SAVE” – so Salvation = Jesus saving us from our sins to go forever on vacation with Him eternally = Salvation). Keep sowing those seeds…
Amen
Solomon said (Ecclesiastes 11:6): “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”
1 Kings 10:10 The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.” And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
Just in time for Solomon day at VBS, here is a poem of rhyme:
‘Meaningless’ Was Solomon’s Favorite Line
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Solomon’s wisdom can sometimes be read as his life’s whine.
His days were filled with riches too, but he did not live feeling completely fine.
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Solomon learned the hard way, time after time.
‘Meaningless, it’s all meaningless’ was his favorite line.
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Writing long soliloquies, like Ecclesiastes chapter 7, verse 9 to 29,
Are truly warnings for us, given from a place DIVINE.
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Wise Solomon may have had wisdom, wealth, and excessive time,
But his life saw that it was God who made it all awful or fine.
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‘Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes‘ – that’s a great line.
We must heed these warnings of how to spend our time.
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Solomon continues speaking on and on, well beyond chapter nine.
I don’t need to retype and rehash it all, no one has that time.
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But if anything, remember this rhyme:
God’s Abilities are beyond yours and mine.
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Solomon concluded: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.
Solomon reminds us this: Live life best by enjoying the time.
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Life in God’s Grace? Divine!
Solomon, thanks for sharing your reasoning time.
Amen
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Excerpts of Ecclesiastes 7:
*Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
*Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.
*Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.
*Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten what he has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness. Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise – why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool -why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
*Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city. Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
*Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you – for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
*All this I tested by wisdom and I said, “I am determined to be wise” – but this was beyond me. Whatever exists is far off and most profound – who can discover it? So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.
*“Look,” says the Teacher, “this is what I have discovered: “Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things – while I was still searching but not finding – I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all. This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
I am prepping for Merry Christmas in July – especially for vacation bible school – where we are learning about King Josiah today – remember the unexpected find of the Book of the Law and his re-affirmation of the Covenant with God and his people – what a great Christmas gift!
I am remembered of one of my first awakened Christmases in July, 7 years ago, and place these writings below – what a great Christmas in the heart start that the Lord gave me:
writing #228 Merry Christmas in July, 25JUL
How could I miss this opportunity to wish you all Merry Christmas in July…. Is it silly? I KNOW silly, I work hard at silly, and NO, I assure you it’s NOT silly. It’s Christmas.
This time seven months ago I was in question, I was in flux… I was reaching to stabilize myself to only a few souls who wouldn’t betray my sinful secret that I wasn’t truly a believer in Jesus as the son of God… I prayed for discernment, and I got it… And I got Jesus big time… Actually He got me…
I still do pray for renewed discernment… New questions… Where do I go from here, God? How do I share your promised salvation? Who do I tell and when? How do I honor YOU without disobeying YOU? How will I stop asking so many questions? How will I “Be Still”?
I still reach to stabilize my new life, I never knew this path would take me where it has, I never knew I could find more joy than I had and I never knew I was to find true sorrow and true temptation too. Yeah light and dark.
So, a few days after Christmas, at our open house party, many brought me a candle as a gift… And my daughter made candles too, I made a couple myself… A couple days after Christmas I found myself with about 10 new candles… Yeah, why so many candles? I pondered… Why so many when I NEVER burn a candle, ever… Why so many people thought I needed the candles? That I needed the light…? Oh yeah, didn’t take me long to put it all together… God orchestrated this… and He said let there be LIGHT! And He found the people to bring it. He found the people who beam it!
Well yeah, I do boast my God sightings way too much, and I want to stop screaming how excited I am…. but I just try to tell the truth… God smiled… God said this sleeping child of mine needs CHRISTMAS, needs CHRIST. God said you the people, “Bring My Light”
Yeah, God gifted me Jesus, I got Christmas… I got Jesus… Thank you God! I got to share…
God’s timing shook me, but now I reflect… God picked the ways, God picked the people, God knows what HE is doing… comfort in His plan… I turn to God to see the light, I turn to Jesus to feel the light, I turn to the world to shine the light. I turn to God to focus His light, gifting my heart and my eyes to shine Him…
Yeah, I still reach to stabilize while I broadcast… Yeah, I am scared because I don’t know what sacrifices I must make now… I felt and have been told that the devil is out to get those who turn away from evil and ignorance… Yeah, God told me to look for Christmas everyday this year, lest I stop listening, lest I stop looking for the light. I was sent to deliver HIS message.
God assures me the LIGHT won’t go out, that I won’t burn out… I know that God knows I don’t take any chances… I reach out just wanting to stabilize myself until I stand unshakeable… I will stand for you God, I will beam Your light. God willing I can make a difference no matter what…
Merry Christmas God. Thank YOU for taking me, sinner that I am, imperfect in so many ways, for giving me your LIGHT, everyday. Thank YOU for YOU, everyway.
I give all of me to You.
Merry Christmas God.
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writing #229
Christmas again, 26 JUL
I knew it was Christmas everyday but it’s extra sweet when God shows me it in different ways… I was sitting in a random pew for Sunday services and opened the pew hymnal to find a Christmas program 1 ½ years old… from 2013… in July… How blessed to feel God’s love in every little detail in my life … I’m sure God saved this paper for me to find… “Come to the cradle”, come and find peace… Yeah, thanks God… That’s exactly what I found. Jesus is my peace everyday… Awesome! Blessed! Christmas! That’s the real ABC’s…
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
I am wise enough to know that vacation bible school is such a blessing and gift and it is not just for the kids. There I was face to face with 10 parents – none of whom I ever met since this is a friend’s church – arriving just a few minutes early to be there when their kids were done at 830pm. I knew God had put me into an opportune timeslot. I recounted about the day – the scriptures – the fun – the craft home project to make a family crest – and I talked about the powers of good and evil and that we need to put on the armor of God – and I even talked about the science project that was performed across the room from me. I was in crafts. No, I didn’t tell them I was a scientist because those folks are AWESOME at coming together and explaining the amazing things in science. FUN. I am thrilled in crafts. Who knew glue dots would be invented as a modern marvel.
Face to face with cute kids and face to face with appreciative parents – where else would you want to be? AWESOME – I liked how the 30 year old eyes lit up when I told them the projects and the scriptures. BOOM – vacation bible school IS for parents too – this VBS sent home excited (and well fed and well-tired out kids) with memories to blurt out in the car and bible messages to take them all home afar – to the Kingdom not of this world.
I am in crafts and we made catapults and cut out castles – and we made crowns. I always thought it was good match to my skill set and interest to do crafts if I ever wasn’t running a VBS. God opened up the window as a door closed.
God is good, I stood face to face with 30 yr olds and grandmothers last night who LOVE the wild and crazy things of VBS, appreciative of the time their kids spent with us. One grandmother said “mom and dad are on a date, they went to a concert.” God bless grandmas and grandpas and anyone who takes the kids for you and you get a break. Now my kids are older, and it’s my turn to be a grandma of the moment and craft lady. I had a GREAT role model in Miss B. My view of the children is that their hands need this crafting challenge, twisting rubber bands and manipulation of glue dots, and my my how we don’t get our kids into these activities like my cousins and I built model airplanes and such. Crafting is a lost art but a great use of time.
Well my facebook memory shows to me it was 5 years ago this month that we were “Shipwrecked”, then had a pandemic patch of dryness. We ARE ALL shipwrecked but not abandoned, this is not our home but Jesus IS here helping. And when life changes, God is good, that’s the ROAR theme I stepped into at a friend’s VBS soon after, learning that yes, we can keep helping where God needs us. Be the experienced crew that migrates church to church to help. I challenge my former co-shipmates to hop into friends churches. We now can be the people DISSOLVING LINES between the denominations because a catholic-raised attendee to Methodist, Presbyterian, non-denominational, Cavalry-movement, kitchen table, park pinch-hitting preacher, and forever writer IS MEANINGLESS to the face of a five year old who simply needs the confidence that he CAN twist a rubber band. Our reputation and resume is nil when you are face to face with a child hungry in the Spirit, because only the Spirit would quench that thirst. Face to face, speaking faith. Someday God in all His Glory will stand with us Face to face, we will cast our crowns down to Him too. Until then, keep keepin’ on.
God Himself crafts an armor for us, the armor of God. One grandmother (in charge of dinner) cheered as I read the scripture to the kids, and we will keep reminding them all week. The last line is key – keep on praying for all the people.
The Armor of God from Ephesians 6:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, …
… and with your FEET fitted with the READINESS that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the SHIELD of FAITH, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the HELMET of SALVATION and the SWORD of the SPIRIT, which is the WORD of GOD. And PRAY in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people…
Solomon said: “I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.”
Isn’t that a strange truth…
I was at a great 90th birthday party yesterday, so sweet – the birthday girl LOVED IT! Loved seeing her friends! And then I was savoring THAT CAKE, the icing even, because you know you shouldn’t eat too much icing and sugar, but I was feeling the treat-deserving treatment to myself at that moment. But my piece came as a middle piece, no extravagant icing. Hmmm… No, I didn’t need even it, the icing, let alone the cake, but just figured just this one time… Nope, but better a little cake with a little icing than none. Fringe benefit from wisdom is to be happy with your lot in life. (And don’t worry about me, I had a great lunch and ice cream later…)
Solomon said: “Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied.”
I then saw those picture perfect cupcakes, and more cake, but I wasn’t going to get up from my landlocked chair. The gentleman across the table did, he took one, I savored the icing as he peeled the wrapper and the look (however I would have picked a vanilla one not chocolate). Then he instantly did a surprising thing, put the WHOLE #%! thing in his mouth. Eww. Ummm. Munch munch MUNCH. A surprise totally and my brain went racing much crazier than my taste buds had. Kinda like your macho showing off (well I been there done that – over it!). Ewww, and yet he accomplished it well, cleanly in a smooth landing that would have rated 9’s and 10’s by the judges, but yeah it took him MANY munches, sort of embarrassingly, before he could swallow and speak… SILLY… I’m not sure if he was hungry, doubtful, or showing off, likely, or just playing it to be a surprise, yeah, or what?!!! I saw the squander of savoring. Yeah. Geez…
Solomon said: “What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
But if he wasn’t being foolish to be foolish, that’s wise, right? It’s all meaningless anyway. Maybe one is silly to get a laugh from someone, I do that with crazy hats and whatever, but how does one know what I or others would laugh at? We do like be a big kid in our furthering years, well me too, but I think I took the icing of my wisdom cake as a lesson to savor things over stuffing cupcakes or otherwise or squandering wealth… yeah, but whom am I to speak, I squander, squish, and waste plenty… We all do…
And whose to say what is right? We all go to the same place, as Solomon says: “For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?”
Well, thinking about such things is good. And saving some savoring for life to come is good too. Don’t eat up life all at once. You know that saying: “You can have everything in life, you just shouldn’t want it all at once.”
I think the fruits of tasty things in Heaven will be so good, that if we savor everything to come, we can live without things now, yeah. Take smaller bites of life more thankfully. That is at least what I hope to do: slow down and well, THINK. Savor thoughts… Savor God’s Wisdom. Have desire yes, but most importantly, ask God for the ability to simply enjoy life now, with GLADNESS of heart.
It is such a foreign concept to us that in the Garden of Eden, that nakedness was normal for Adam and Eve… but to also be walking WITH God? WOW, MIND-BLOWING… Isn’t that just seeming like a dream state?! Being Adam and Eve were born of God, nothing was needed to clothe them (yet), not even their thoughts (nor ours). It would be good to be THAT open with God, especially since He already sees us. No clothes, No nothing and No nonsense either… And you know what? NO pockets either – NO phones, NO wallets, NO money, NO needs, NO baggage, NO WORRIES.
Thankfully we return to this in Heaven – but it won’t be in nakedness – in Heaven we will be clothed with a cover of fine white Jesus-gifted purity. No stain remover is more powerful than Jesus Himself. Yes, covered. No tears and no need to look back either…
Dust to dust means no way to carry that baggage (or those riches) to Heaven. Even though there are pockets of dust in our lives, our lives return to dust and our dust has NO pockets. Wise Solomon said: ‘Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.‘
Ah… the future… But can we live with and walk with God now too? YES!!!! And His Word helps us each day – brings us time with him – precious time… ‘GLADNESS OF HEART’, that we CAN carry thru life and enjoy as a gift from God. We can find satisfaction in our labor. ‘This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot.‘
My laundry room roof, I am considering and experimenting and praying, but not obsess$$ing (I don’t think) about the leak. And I could continue to just live with it ‘as-is’, or fix it. I found a trustworthy person as a contractor, PRICELESS, who is also a new Dad, PRECIOUS baby just weeks old, and a PASTOR too, What’s the odds???, HAHA GOD! PROVISIONS PROVISIONS PROVISIONS!!! PERFECT PONDERING PARTNER for PATCHES and POSSIBILITIES, roof and otherwise.
Some decisions in life have to be made on the spot, some are ponderable for a while, like this roof, and some decisions in life seem tough to make, and some are just best given to and worked out WITH God, but all the while you yourself put in the work to weigh the options. That’s the Bible Study he (pastor patcher papa) just presented and told me about, from Acts, for casting lots… This is his teaching, so I give him credit: that these apostles (after Jesus arose in the Book of Acts, chapter 1, verse TWELVE on) discussion of whom to replace Judas with, and they had two really good choices. They vetted the requirements for a core replacement (like having been there from the beginning, walking with Jesus, etc)… They had good choices, and they got to the point where they put in. All the work and both would have been fine. So at that point, they said, “Okay God, we’re going to let you pick”. And they casted lots which is not random knowing God would pick. (See, that’s probably also why I’ve not won megamillions, that God didn’t will it and that I didn’t buy a ticket, haha!!!. not going to win it if you aren’t in it!) Ah, casting lots was after good choices had been presented, win win. Ah, like picking between 2 flavors of ice cream that are both good choices but you only get one. Ah, like fixing the roof now or fixing the roof later, both technically are fixing the roof, just when…
Let me add my extra pondering to this pastor’s discussion of ‘casting lots’… Why, at that point, was it important for God to choose the twelfth apostle, a replacement HE KNEW He would have to make? Because He planned TWELVE: there’s TWELVE everything, TWELVE apostles, TWELVE sons of Jacob/Israel and yeah, TWELVE gates in the walls of the NEW JERUSALEM (Book of Revelation), in the New City that comes out of God’s Provisions for eternity. Cool. People don’t know what eternity will be like, they say, but if we read and walk with God, we do get this glimpse! It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Rev20:12-14)
God picked a place to restore the 12th before it has even been built – like laying down the foundation of the world. Yes – like Jesus being with God and being God at the beginning and Jesus knowing He Himself would be the cornerstone to build us into a NEW Kingdom with Him, to be the replacement, to be ransom for us in sin and death, to BE a New Covenant, IN ADVANCE for Adam’s fall, then placing in a Good Foundation to build again. A Shepherd AND a Sheep.
Cool. God spent His most precious resource, His Son, to rebuild HIS GLADNESS OF HEART, being with us in eternity. Cool… let’s re-read Ecclesiastes 5, wise Solomon with all that money but lost gladness, let’s apply this in our lives – let us not hoard or squander wealth but put it to use for God’s good – and for our money – just enough – let us accept it as a laborer and not be burdened with mega millions. Let us keep giving away God’s Gladness.
Live happily – be Glad for God’s Goodness Wins. Let us be COVERED IN GLADNESS always.
Amen
Ecclesiastes 5:10-20 Riches Are Meaningless
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them?
The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.
Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands. This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.
This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.
Acts 1:12-26 NIV
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”
(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his place of leadership.’ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
I rationalize things, thoughts, actions – we all do that… it’s good to be a thinker, and even better it is good to be a pondered of God. What I DO understand is God wanting me to listen.
So much in life and how we live it totally falls into the MEANINGLESS category, like Solomon says in Ecclesiastes. It is also what David Byrne sang for the Talking Heads that makes sense here: “Stop Making Sense.”
Ecclesiastes 4 and 5 goes a bit more into about how to live, with friends and brothers. And then the best advice: Fear God. Plus something that I do understand, something Solomon says makes all the sense to me: “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it.” YEAH ! (and thus I spend my quiet time with His Word each morning, and write to fulfill my promise to the Lord to process this way. To proclaim, exclaim. To share Him. He would forgive me if I didn’t write, but I remember how my brain gets when I don’t, so I keep this promise, when I can. Rest in God’s Plan.)
Yesterday, I was laughingly blessed with my work brother, bursting into my office and in his EXPRESSIVE way, venting about stuff, a needed break not breakdown… The great business truth he stated in a drawing, is a triangle of words, you get to pick 2. Either “fast and good”, that’s an expensive project. “Fast and cheap” gives poor quality. “Good and cheap” means a long turn around time (TAT)… True in the world! Business savvy. Great example is my dripping ceiling experiment, especially this rainy morning, 2 years now but spent very little money – I’m going for good and cheap, but that takes a while. (Not bad just half cup dripping with solid rain this early morning). Another example is repairs to a local fallen overpass and major highway, a “temporary” repair: FAST and GOOD was like only 12 days but $25-30 MILLION dollars, wow! (!).
Let’s go back to Ecclesiastes, stop making sense of the world, but put trust in the God who made it and is keeping us in it, for some reason. Although I am loving the sound of this summer rain, we don’t really need it, but who are we to understand that? I know we are not in this world for our pleasure but God’s pleasure. He also wants and yearns for fellowship with us. Two is better than one, a cord of three not easily broken. Two are you and a friend. Three is God with us. (Love that two also can be: you and God yourselves – we are never alone. God can fill us with ‘gladness of heart.’)
Another great friend came over last night, been a best friend years now, wow. It’s the 3rd time this summer we’ve seen each other. Blessed. Just living in an open life, lived, living and to live with a brother and friend, and freedom to be me – to be open with each other – chats of open dreams and fears – of sorrow and pain – of hopes and dreams. Blessed. A friend is a brother, not with less family baggage but someone who helps you carry yours… You carry each other’s… Blessed.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
Well, let’s wrap up meaningless moments and pull out the scripture soothing truths – make the best of this world while you are in it... Fear God… Instead of walking alone, walk with the Lord, He knows the Way. He strengthens the cord. Listen to God, don’t talk over Him like a fool.
Absorb the sound of the earthly rain too – and know God’s reign – it’s never meaningless to listen to either of them and BE STILL…
Amen and Happy Friday.
—
Ecclesiastes 4:7-16, 5:1-7
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Fulfill Your Vow to God
Chapter 5: Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.
What an interesting day… and always make lemonade from lemons…
And the end story of the day is the same as the beginning story: Yes, God is more powerful and good then each of our days could be good (or bad or weird)…
I can’t really tell you why I consider this day (yesterday) more weird than others lately, but I still do. It’s not just because I had a conversation about implanting brain chips in our heads – which I did – which I brought God into the conversation – a natural conversation about evil in the world, with a skeptical not paranoid person, someone skeptical of man and knowing the good stuff is used for evil… well, yeah, I agree, and so my thoughts and therefore my comments redirected the conversation towards “God’s bigger than even that. ” YEAH!
Isn’t it great when God gives an apt reply!!!
Anyway, the whole day just kinda rolled weird – but sometimes you have to say keep rolling Lord, Keep Moving…
Here’s the rest of the day’s diatribe, because God and the cat were my listeners in the evening for typing, at least until my friend called me on the phone – a nice moment… and then God reminded me this morning to reinforce the writing with the actual scriptures which explain why we have these days. You don’t have to read the rest, but the end sentence is God Wins!!! (and my end scripture was gifted by God this morning – Isaiah 41-42 – God Wins…
—
Today I started with thankfulness that I had pre-written a devotion that released electronically in the morning and so I could leave close to the crack of dawn as I could for an early morning meeting- but of course, I’m always late – but then with a big traffic tie up on the highway, my lateness became a mute point. 1.5 hrs in the car is OK taking the scenic back roads; and having an hour Bible study podcast for pondering, which included the dream that Pontius Pilate’s wife had about Jesus, which reminded me of a sermon I am going to write about God and dreams; plus I had a phone call to a fellow late person stuck in traffic. Total 45 minutes late, but oh well I wasn’t the only one. It was not the most exciting section we have covered but I do like the trainers and I do like talking to the people. (and it got me out of another meeting)…
Where was God in this? When I am bored or not sure why I am somewhere, I ask God: “why am I here?” Sometimes I believe it is for me to wait and maybe sit there resting my legs and getting to the point to ASK – that’s the purpose: that we ask. Plus I start rolling through my brain of blessings, I’m sitting peacefully, I am in A/C, oh yeah I’m being paid to sit here and learn (hopefully).
My favorite part of the morning was that I got to take photos of everybody together, then share the photos, cool… And my other favorite part was being distracted in the middle by looking at an email that said how a new important thing was in our hands briefly, cool. And also I enjoyed meeting new people in the kitchen during break. Then meeting new people in an online meeting. I really had to take that noon meeting that actually didn’t pertain to me, oh well, it was enough for me to be a friendly face willing to take the meeting! (remember still getting paid to sit there). Anyway, I met these people for an important project and I heard it was for my favorite client, cool… I then sat in the beginning part 2 repeat of the training to catch up what I missed being late 45 minutes (then got to take that 2nd group’s photo)… then skedaddle home for a windshield replacement.
WINDSHIELD – that is God too – our WINDSHIELD to – protecting us… (And yeah I was thankful for that windshield when that rock bounced at 100mph at me!)… So yes, windshield replacement. Yes, I had all my electronic gear and settled in for the 2 hours – busy place. Nice people in a tough spot – either explaining to customers the issues – or people with issues that are not as bad as they think… Worth making lemonade out of the time… I did.
Where was God in this? He provides the sugar for the lemonade… I did get a safe trip home for me for sure in half the time of the morning, an interesting set of people to chat with… And oh yeah, I had the faith to look for Him in the moment. God is in your mix whether you hand Him the spoon or not.
1.5 hrs, that’s it for the windshield, not too bad, however the gentleman next to me had an early appointment, came back, they hadn’t even taken the car back yet, hmmm… and I finished before him, hmmm… and well what do you do but sit, delayed… His phone was dead, he asked if he could use my charger, SURE! 10 minutes later I was then done, I offered the charger, I had 2 including an old one, but he said thanks but no thanks… Sometimes it’s in the offering that God can give you the means to offer and that is enough… he had 6% battery and was happy enough. That’s gratefulness, when you had none but now some…
Ok, windshield, nice people, brain chip conversation… I gave just a little blurb to someone about what I do in science, which started us down the whole brain chips conversation. I could have stated: well good people do good things, like reattached artificial limbs that can move with new brain chips (cool!), I didn’t. I could have stated that no one had enough money to give EVERYONE a brain chip, we can’t even feed or find everyone – not everyone will get the brain chips, I didn’t. I could have changed the subject or ran away, I didn’t. But why Lord, was I in a brain chip conversation about good and evil? Ah, maybe and including to reinforce my belief that You, Lord, already said evil is in the world, that’s a true statement, reinforce me saying it, reinforce us commiserating it. But you have over come evil. (We are all driving cars with cracked windshields but God helps us see thru those cracks.)
Speaking of God in that chatty (weird) conversation then brought some agreement, I did read his eyes, it’s something that looking directly at a person while looking in compassion does, try to get a read on that person – and it is OK in a friendly space with others around… no fear – in 5 minutes… I’ve had lots of practice and yet am naive to do so too, but I could see the quieting of the conversation as we had no other place to go – my position was to speak about Revelation 20-22 without preaching it – just speak it in normal language and quiet the fear – just the end result: “God wins“. He said once they install brain chips it’s game over. I said God is still bigger than that too. “God wins, you know“… maybe that’s what I should make t-shirts of: “God wins“… no, that’s not Game Over… no that’s not “TILT”… THAT IS “GOD WINS over evil, over everything, over all”… “You realize? God Wins! (Revelation 20-22 and Isaiah 41-42)”
Yeah… I need that on my windshield and my car too.
Fear and Fear-raising is an idol. Fear is a false idol used by the enemy to make us not trust in God. I have no doubt that evil in this world will get worse and worse to our eyes – not to everyone’s eyes which is the prediction of corruption, but to so many of us who are warned against it… Well, nothing quiets a conversation (even about evil and fear) more than speaking about God. Nothing raises higher or more conversation either, even if it is within your own brain later… and remember – that WHOLE waiting room of people heard that conversation too… Ears are open that God knows – you probably won’t know – but God does… I got my windshield and a new view NOT cracked. I got to see God putting me in places where He said just be yourself and just be MINE. Cool… That is REALLY seeing clearly – even if still protected thru glass.
Clear view there… no brain chip needed, only rebirth in my head and a life to tread….
The other nails down the idol so it will not topple.
“But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,
I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
“All who rage against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing and perish.
Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all.
For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob,
little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
“See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.
You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up,
and a gale will blow them away.
But you will rejoice in the Lord
and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
“The poor and needy search for water,
but there is none;
their tongues are parched with thirst.
But I the Lord will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will make rivers flow on barren heights,
and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert into pools of water,
and the parched ground into springs.
I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set junipers in the wasteland,
the fir and the cypress together,
so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
“Present your case,” says the Lord.
“Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.
“Tell us, you idols,
what is going to happen.
Tell us what the former things were,
so that we may consider them
and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,
tell us what the future holds,
so we may know that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,
so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear.
But you are less than nothing
and your works are utterly worthless;
whoever chooses you is detestable.
“I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes—
one from the rising sun who calls on my name.
He treads on rulers as if they were mortar,
as if he were a potter treading the clay.
Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know,
or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’?
No one told of this, no one foretold it,
no one heard any words from you.
I was the first to tell Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’
I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.
I look but there is no one—
no one among the gods to give counsel,
no one to give answer when I ask them.
See, they are all false!
Their deeds amount to nothing;
their images are but wind and confusion.
—
The Servant of the Lord “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
This is what God the Lord says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”
Song of Praise to the Lord Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them. Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim his praise in the islands. The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.
“For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant. I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn rivers into islands and dry up the pools. I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame.
He un-hammers the nails in your hand, from within… – I quickly grabbed my phone to start writing…
I’ve been studying my recently patched roof for the tremendous amount of rain this past weekend. Nice steady rain for my garden. And no dripping into my laundry room after saturated boards fill, thank God, the boards stayed dry in the big storms. But then after one extended period yesterday, I felt one section to be damp. Hmmm…. So not a perfect patch, yet, but I can’t complain. And more goo can be glued in. The nail hole is still there but now filled with a waterproof patch goo, there must be another hole somewhere. I will work it out – more experimenting to do… Not worried but working it out…
As my early morning fresh start presented my brain to the Lord, my thoughts were in His Workshop before I started to fill it with my projects (then race out the door). The Lord patched a thought into my brain for my writing fingers to express: When we sin, people say: ‘you are hammering the nails into Jesus’. And well, yes, I’ve always heard that as a deterrent from sinning, especially to kids… but think of the many people sinning, the original sin too, and we are not alone. Our sins are not uncommon to mankind. The nails that pierced His Hands and Feet, Jesus took them on for all, fulfilling the prophecy, plus took on the sword piercing. He did take them on for our sins. Perhaps our own sins hammer more nail holes in us? Well we could die eternally from our sin (and original sin too) and yet we have an opportunity to be patched. There’s only one way to live again and be reborn clean – by asking forgiveness and believing in the power of Jesus – Lord of our Life – this is how we are to be cleansed by His blood. He does the work.
What work? He un-hammers the sin in us. He un-hammers the nails in your hand, from within. Jesus patches the holes from within. Jesus taps taps taps back everything and anything a new nail pierces. He IS a Carpenter, you know. Jesus has a workshop but also travels to each of us to hammer out “love between my sisters and my brothers” as they sing. Jesus makes house calls – inside you.
We may be minor strikes to Him, but the holes to us are unfathomable because they are deep. We may need a refill of blood – so He gushed it to us. We may need patches – He is the whole stretchable layer of white onto our appearances. God’s Heaven holds all the Living Water we need to be cleansed. Jesus remains the Lamb Slain, for us all.
So let us hammer out our feelings about forgiveness – let us let the Lord craft our lives in His thoughts and repair us and restore us to life. Let us be born again to be His Hands and Feet movable and working hard for “our brothers and our sisters”…
Let’s ask Jesus – Please find me in the darkness and tough times, please show me the light thru You, and Lord, thank You for patching me into Your Mercy and Grace. Please patch me both within your workshop and make my every day “work in progress” into Your Job Site. Thank You Lord.
Amen
—
John 20:24-29
Jesus Appears to Thomas Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
I wrote this a few days ago, but in the writing, it seemed like I needed to put it down, bored with it, that’s God’s real message for me to stop. Lost His track. But I feel best now to release this now on a rainy day of Sunday rest. I have rehashed it to release it, if only to put away my human frivolity now that I’ve heard about 7 lost souls, passed away, including 2 children, in flash flooding just 20 minutes north of me. It was like 6 inches of rain in like an hour… This brings the meaningless complaints of the weather into light, mine and others. This is real stuff and we can tolerate the little stuff, (can’t we?). And as ‘we weather the weather’ – a great poem – but do we also: weather the whether? Meaning do we get thru life’s unknowns intact? Well, with the Lord’s help, blessings, hope and promise, we can weather the whether… (and the weather)…
…everything God does will endure forever…
Lord, thank you for letting me process with words and in Your Word. Thank you for the beautiful times (and the difficult times) to remind us You are to be feared, loved, respected, known.
Here’s my post (about the weather and the whether):
Unsettled (and Settled)
I watch weather with interest, it is both predictable and unpredictable. Life is unsettled and unpredictable too, so be prepared and depend upon God always… Life is settled only WITH God. He solves the ‘whether?’ with a yes. He makes us able to weather the world.
So with the Lord’s mercy, I share a diatribe of weather (now edited), and a praise of His mercy. And I pray for those families who were swept away now with unbelievable tragedy…
In nature there is normal stuff: my possum visitor, a baby praying mantis, big clunky beetles, fireflies, mosquitoes and moths. And a cat who wants to be outside too.
And the weather…
I embrace the weather forecasts as interesting. Sometimes there are torrents of rain in pockets of “train-ing” – where the system just won’t stop and it floods overwhelmingly. I’m on a hill, I forget to worry sometimes. Flood plains used to be set apart, not so much anymore. Sometimes one area has a drought, sad. Sometimes less than an hour away maybe, it can be completely flooded, devastating… We tend to forget to make our own risk assessments in life WITH prayers, but a quick rise of the unknowns will catch anyone off guard. We even try to trick the weather by taking an umbrella so we won’t need it, good that they are small to carry. Other older times we, especially as children, we lived IN the weather, we would actually own raincoats (hand me downs back then) and ponchos and rain boots (and plastic bags for our feet)… Now we just sometimes wait inside until it’s done, WEIRD. Local – we live local but rarely prep local anymore – we don’t learn how to live in nature either, we have the lack of resiliency that we all slip into. We also don’t depend on the local weather for our food anymore, in a global economy/source way. The blueberries I picked yesterday could be considered a luxury to me, and they were SO good, but to the farmer this is their livelihood, the weather is at God’s mercy for them. Weather is not for our folly but God’s fields. I have many days this week being awoken by the thunder, or downpour and the cat being scared. We had a drought but are now in a typical high humidity summer pattern, yes I said typical, popcorn storms and more. People have been saying how weird the weather is, but I think that statement in itself is strange because it IS normal to have weather that’s different at different times of the year and weather that’s different in different years. YES!
(I think this has been quite a summer for a weather junkie – like me – like a couch tornado chaser, with awe of the variation and variability. But with prayers for those adversely affected.)
I sat outside in the start of a thunderstorm yesterday (the same one that north produced the flooding. Now, before you go tattling on me to my mom (I already told her) it WAS a DISTANT storm for quite a while, and even the cat was not nervous, cleaning herself and minding her own business. The other night, the possum didn’t scare her either. She’s pretty good at gaging situations. Possums, certain beetles and bugs are more cool than anything. The skunk smell however, this morning, clearly dissuaded her from begging for any outside time in her tent. Smart cat. (I have a big screen tent in the backyard to protect myself from mosquitos and my cat too, a small tent to protect AND keep her from escaping). WE LOVE to be outside. Well, yesterday I continually scanned the radar, checked the wind and clouds. Obviously when the rain started and wind, we came inside, the cat knew best too. Half an hour later with cooler temps, I went back out to weed a now softened garden. Yay flowers and eggplant, beans and breaths of fresh air.
People (and me too, even as a gardener) don’t always take in the forecast minute by minute, but CLEARLY the storms are noticeable. I love looking at radars and not guessing, but as always we simply should be ready for everything and have a plan. Do we absorb forecasts as an education? Sometimes. Hopefully we learn at the very minimum to shut our sunroof every time.
Now, the world gone worldly is the common thing and to be expected. That’s in the forecast, you know…
Unsettled is weather but settled is the why. The WHY is simply or untimely answered – we will see that God has done everything in His Kingdom for Our Good – anything worldly IS unsettled and subject to change. How will we weather this? Only by looking OUT of the world, even while in the world. And look at the world as if we were looking thru God’s eyes, with compassion. How then to weather this world? With Him, that’s how. We can settle our hearts with a God Who already settled the score (He won).
Let me wrap up a time of pondering with a pondering of time, by our Ecclesiastes author, chapter 3:1-15. There is a season for everything…
Let us weather the ‘whether?’ with: “YES, LORD”. He’s got the time to help us watch and weather our lives. Accept this as a gift AND a command.
Amen
Ecclesiastes 3 NIV 1-15
A Time for Everything
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
Whether the weather be fine, or whether the weather be not Poem by Anonymous Whether the weather be fine, or whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold, or whether the weather be hot, We’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather, Whether we like it or not.
What a needed Bible message, perfect for a rainy summer morning, this world is wacky but we need to live in it, people are people, God is ALL in ALL.
Wisdom is better than folly. Light is better than darkness.
King Solomon (one of our VBS stories this year) is said to be this author of Ecclesiastes (and also Proverbs), filled with wisdom but beset by human humanness, folly-failing, futility-faced. Solomon had been chasing the wind for years too, even while seeing the wisdom against it. Solomon had riches untold, then future generations lost touch with them. It’s a classic problem, called out by Solomon, that we will forget things and people and we too will be forgotten by people.
But God remains. Was, Is, Will Be. His Word unchangeable. His Wisdom unflappable.
There’s so much here (part 1 for chapters 1 and 2), please read Ecclesiastes and understand that in future chapters, the writer will essentially sum up in a saying of ‘just do your best, enjoy life, work hard, love well’.
I wonder, did Solomon get this great wisdom (gifted by God) for explaining how God must be patient with humans, He knew the frailty, He knows the frivolity, He rescues the people anyway because He loves us.
There is beauty in this world and ugliness of course, but for God this world is made for blessing us with Himself, seeing us forever as His children, He will never forget us. All that’s glitters is not gold, but all that GLORYs is GOD’S.
Thank You God for Your Word(s) of Wisdom.
Amen
—
Ecclesiasties Chapters 1-2
Everything Is Meaningless
The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
...
What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN.
Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.
Wisdom Is Meaningless
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.
I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
Pleasures Are Meaningless
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.
I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless
Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king’s successor do than what has already been done?
I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. The wise have eyes in their heads, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.
Then I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.” For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!
Toil Is Meaningless
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
There are some sections of the bible which are just a marvel. like the last bit of Proverbs 30… Wisdom spelled out for all to understand in simple but elegant fashion. Be Wise, learn to work, don’t strut in pride that stirs up anger, be quiet when you could say stuff – but just don’t. Be in awe of the creatures which live wisely and are blessed. Surely we must remember that wisdom comes from God. I appreciated the VBS coloring sheet that I found which shows a medieval knight bowing down to worship God. We all must take time to be appreciative of God’s Almighty Majesty… “Every knee will bow…”
Imagine these debates and discussions could be held about an ant or a lizard – and yet there are mighty creatures of God in all sizes. Imagine these debates and discussions about kings, tremendous teaching opportunities, and well there are fools among us all. We learn LOTS from a fall. Each of us should strive to kneel before we strut too tall. All in All, we can praise when wisdom is gifted to big and small. Don’t be churning butter y’all!
Read on for some true wisdom – thank you Agar in Proverbs 30:
“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:
*Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
*Hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;
*Locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;
*A Lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
“There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:
*A Lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;
*a strutting rooster,
*a he-goat,
*and a king secure against revolt.
“If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, sostirring up anger produces strife.”
I have various opportunities at work, not my core duties but broaden my portfolio of fun, including hosting webinars and presenting them too. Next week is about owning your courage and career. This week, a couple times, I was the moderator for a science fair webinar aimed at an audience of children of our staff. One was about using machine technology to study protein interactions with potential drug molecules, cool. Another was one on making kitchen volcanoes into an experiment testing variables – oh, I know about those! One of the questions I asked was: “what was the temperature of the material? did it turn more cold or hot (exothermic)? What happened to the potential energy from breaking a bond or did one have to put energy in to create a new bond – storing up more potential energy…???
Ah Potential… Potential energy stored up in molecules, in us, in everything… Potential pulls from what is already here, just a change of form. That’s us too. Life POTENTIAL can be our potential.
Our potential is to use our energy for the Lord. Potentially, the potential that the Lord puts into us involved His energy to break our chains. Potentially, our potential (once we shake off the broken chains) is to move forward freely… How much energy did the Lord put into us? Unlimited. How much energy does it take to start a wide path of destruction pitfalls? TOO LITTLE, too easy, too often.
What if we squander what little energy we have? Well, the Lord knows all about those situations and those people and us as people… HE FORGIVES. Still let us try to avoid them… We have potential to learn from these misdeeds too – let’s learn and live better.
Here is a list of “oh no’s” from Proverbs 30, Part 2, let’s live better within our own potential: “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind. – “The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. – “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
Ugh!!! I don’t want to fall into that potential – I want to live under and within love from my potential by listening to God. I want to be satisfied, unlike fire. I want to listen to Him like Mary at His feet, then use my potential for Him. Jesus did say: “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.“
Let’s try to live in love with showing love. God’s purpose puts a lot of potential in us! Let’s use it for Him!
Amen
Psalm 16 by David
Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
I am savoring this summer, yes it’s hot, not cold except inside. But with the window open, nice 70’s outside is sort of chilly in a good way, blanket to snuggle, the blessings of a new day to appreciate. So much so that the birds (God takes care of them too) have been up a couple hours already. Savor summer, it’s short.
I didn’t get to the beach yet, but I DID finish my beach book, started 2 summers ago, a savor of reading about our Savior – the slain lamb, the Lion, the exalted one – the ‘Name Above All Names”. This book by Begg and Ferguson is so meaty it only could be absorbed in small 2 page chunks anyway, perfect for the beach or airport or anywhere you will have such limited time to read but a lifetime to appreciate. I had been singing the praise song lyric when walking by the book sale… same title… WOW… And yes, timing is God’s timing and I got the REPEAT verse in an email this morning, after finishing the book: “Name above all names” Paul wrote to the Phillipians… WOW… Life is too short to wonder if God is sending messages, ah yeah, HE IS. Life is too short not to receive them.
God specifically makes for me – gives me – extra morning time for just us and my processing, so I accept this time, I savor scripture after sleep, I savor sleep after the long day and His Rest forever… In this morning, it’s quiet enough to hear the train in the distance seem nearby, and that’s our future too, NEARBY.
The summer is short, the year is short, life is short. I’m early 50’s, the mid 50’s seem forever from now. I imagine 20 years ago was so short ago yet filled with life all along, will the next 20 be filled for me too? That’s such an unknown, I would be in my 70’s if I make it. Maybe Jesus comes back sooner than later, I won’t worry either way because my rapture bag is packed. Oh yeah, there’s nothing to pack, only unpack to let Jesus carry it and leave it for me. I do and will have my life bags full because I am human, but I will and will have to let them go, leave them at the train station for heaven, let it all go… Best to stop accumulating anything but memories now. BUT I WILL LIVE TODAY LIKE I WILL LIVE FOREVER… I will live in the WONDER of God’s Will always.
We only get about 120 years max to live. How about Noah at 900? God limited living after that time to 120 years max. And Jesus? Jesus ONLY got and took 33 years, just 3 for ministry – on earth – some of that just for prayer alone with God in His wilderness of getting away from it all – to be strengthened to DO IT ALL. He could or would have wanted longer but really He wants us all to understand forever that God has been thinking of us.
Jesus, Name above all names, got that Name from God who exalted Him after Jesus humbled Himself. Jesus: “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” Jesus was humble as the most powerful, and lives within us to strengthen our weakness. Therefore, let us attempt life less brazen and more bondservant. Less reputation and more reputable. Less human and more Jesus in, under, and through our skin.
And my name? Under HIS. We need to PUT HIS ABOVE because it already IS. Our name should be “child of God” – “servant of Jesus” – “just me”,under His. For Jesus IS NAME above all names. Every knee shall bow.
SO, DON’T WORRY ABOUT TODAY, let alone tomorrow, God’s got this. Live like you are living forever and yet just today. Don’t worry about non-humbled people getting in your way either, because our knees should already be bowed and we should only be searching for His Face.
Thank You Lord for being You. This is how we live TODAY!
Amen
—2 Philippians 1-11 NJKV, a letter from Paul:
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Oh, what fitting sentiment and utterance: ‘God, I know You are God and I am NOT’… ‘God, I know You are amazing, how can I even grasp it?’… These are sentiments of Agur son of Jakeh—in an inspired utterance included as Proverbs 30. He barely feels like a man let alone able to grasp life with understanding of God… and yet he knows and mentions what he needs and wants from God – he wants just enough: “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
Give me just enough. Yes, we can appreciate that, not too much but not too little. Really, our daily bread, which is Jesus, the Word of God. Jesus in life, one day at a time, is all we need and all we can handle too. We need Jesus to handle it all, even and especially our brushes with evil, self-doubt, challenges, frustration, life.
“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” This sentiment is how we are to begin each day, shielded in God, how else will we survive? The next part of Proverbs 30 details pitfalls, but first think of God, how else will we prevail? Let us look to the Lord for protection first, put on the Armor of God and keep moving. God leads, we can follow Him.
The Armor of God represents both protection and one aspect of a weapon, that weapon is the Truth, Sword of Truth, which is the Word, which is Jesus. The Word breaks barriers and kills evil, can pierce through fronts of seeming armor but not of God, falseness fronts, those false flashy idols and ideals are no match to God. Darkness has not overcome the Light.
Imagine the armor forged by man: chain mail armor, forged by hand, every link building coverage with the next link. This personal coverage like feathers on a bird protects, is flexible, moves. Imagine then how good God’s armor is. God needs us to move. God’s Armor on us allows us freedom in Him and separation from the world, yet to stay in the world. God needs us in this world to do His Will. We were born for a time like this.
Armor also needs soft underlying material to be gentle on your skin. Our skin itself is great armor too. Protection and movable. Protection from internal damage and an ability to be thick, sometimes calloused, but intact. No chains of the enemy (chains of sin and death) will gain authority over the Armor of God for your life even if it cuts through the flesh. God already won the war, let Him lead the battle.
Keep moving my friends. One day at a time. Keep holding on to and within the power of God to keep Life. He has put eternity into your heart. Worship God.
Amen
—-
Proverbs 30:1-9 NIV
This man’s utterance to Ithiel: “I am weary, God, but I can prevail. Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
—-
Matthew 4:1-11 NIV – Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
—-
Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV
The Armor of God
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your FEET fitted with the READINESS that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the SHIELD of FAITH, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the HELMET of SALVATION and the SWORD of the SPIRIT, which is the WORD of GOD. And PRAY in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people…
Sunny this morning, nice, no hint of the storm last afternoon. What a terrific rainstorm! Wow, we needed it and I loved it and best yet, my ceiling in the laundry room didn’t leak! Woohoo!!! What great humidity this weekend, broken by the rain temporarily… You know, it IS SUMMER, both technically and functionally and repetitively… We best get used to it, lap up these dog days of summer… no snow!
My cat, participating in this rain storm, did NOT appreciate the thunder which was minimal compared to other times. She didn’t want to leave my side last night… in the quiet time of evening, she was here stretched out and OK – but still touching me with a paw and then against me completely. But not this morning, yes content but impatient and feisty. She doesn’t cuddle up much, but she does cower down, low to the ground in safer spaces in thunderstorms. It’s the touch of safety to just connect us. Resting while touching our security. Maybe it would be nice if cats could talk too, then again no.
In my quiet time, these storms gave me the opportunity to read in the safety of being inside, but I’m no scaredy cat, I chart the storms, evaluate the closeness of it, and screenshot radars. I would run in between the raindrops if I could but not in thunder and lightning. I’m no fool even if my ways are sometimes foolish. There’s lots of proverbs about fools, that’s a whole section chapters 26-29. Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool. Don’t risk thunderstorms, but don’t be a scaredy cat, but do reach out and find comfort. Look for rainbows, I sensed there would be one, but my cat kept me close. I saw messages of them from encouraging friends.
In my reading, most importantly I was studying scripture lessons about Jesus being the Lion and the Lamb. This book I have almost finished, so highly recommend “Name Above All Names”, so good. The chapter on Revelation suggests that we don’t get so caught up on the weirdness of descriptions to lose the MAJESTY, POWER, AWESOMENESS of Jesus explained, of Old Testament fulfilled, and especially being set right. Jesus as the Lion AND the Lamb, the author counts the couple dozen mentions of the Slain Lamb as the ultimate ability for our Lion of Judah to accept death as a Lamb sacrifice yet still be up and standing. AMAZING!
Yes we will see this all in Heaven, we will be in AWE. And all will be understood and tears absorbed. We can touch this time, like we are in a rainstorm, go from cowering to resting while touching our security, because we need to know Jesus is setting it all right.
Whether we are caught in storms or sitting well, Jesus will return and set all things Heavenly right – we need to be patient and patiently working. Let us think of good things of Him. And let us live wisely (not foolishly) in these times. WE BEST NOT BE FOOLS. LET’S CLING TO THE LORD. Jesus Is a Lion and a Lamb, and NO Scaredy Cat!
Thanks Lord for comfort in the storms. Thanks for the reach and touch. Thanks also for the RAINBOWS. AMEN AMEN AMEN
Proverbs 26-29 NKJV, select excerpts about being foolish and being WISE
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As snow in summer and rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool.
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A whip for the horse, A bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the fool’s back. Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.
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Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
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Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Like one who binds a stone in a sling is he who gives honor to a fool. Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
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The great God who formed everything gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
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Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
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He who hates, disguises it with his lips, and lays up deceit within himself; When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart; Though his hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
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Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
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My Son, Be Wise. Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
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Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
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A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
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A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
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As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man.
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Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
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For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.
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The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion. The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.
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Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all.
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Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
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Happy is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
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He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
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A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
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A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
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He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.
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He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
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If a wise man contends with a foolish man, whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
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A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.
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The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
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The king who judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forever.
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Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
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A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.
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The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
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Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice for man comes from the Lord.
His Spirit enables and enriches the Word IS enjoyed.
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Not all who hear, Listen.
No all who listen, understand.
But with the Spirit interpreting, understanding will expand.
So dig into the Word and let it leap to your eyes from your hand.
The Scriptures bring Him alive, Jesus, Son of Man.
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Amen
Listen, Hear, Live, Love, Share
Believe.
—
Proverbs 25:11-14
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear. Like the cold of snow in time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters. Whoever falsely boasts of giving is like clouds and wind without rain.
Not only does it seem summer can get carried away, fretted away, lost so quickly, the whole year is half gone. It’s like we just got started, but already planning back to school, fall festivities, Christmas. No, the reason for ‘Christmas in July’ is that it’s IN July, SUMMER. Enjoy summer because like Christmas it will come and go too too fast… !!!
My readings in the ‘Jesus Calling’ daily devotion book remind me not just that I’ve read through half of it, but that Jesus carried me through ALL of it. Just like the ribbon demarcation helps lift the pages to your place, let us remember Jesus and His Word carried us through all those done days. He carried us safe thus far, we’re still here aren’t we? Any peace we have now, Whom restored it? Jesus. Thank You Lord.
My second book I noticed that without a ribbon, I use the book flap to cover the completed pages, folded over and tucked away. Jesus again, folded me in, tucked my past away, and proclaims me His. Not only that, the cover claims “His Name above all names” – which is all we need. Can’t wait to finish these pages of life WITH Him.
Remember for us in Heaven, there is no personal fame, nor more shame, ONLY His NAME. Jesus will Reign. All Glory will Proclaim and Exclaim His Name above all names.
Amen and thank You Jesus for claiming, covering and continuing my life. Let’s open the book to the next chapter. Remember to dig deep under His cover, get carried away in His Plan. He completes us and we complete Him in LOVE.
For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Amen
—
Philippians 2:1-16 from Paul to the church (and us)
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and GAVE HIM THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.
THANK YOU, GOD, I’m relaxing (for now). Weird for wobbly starts. Thank You, God, I’ve got nothing pressing to do (yet). Thank You, God, You did it all (I just have to remember that). Thanks Lord for me being slightly bored. Weird but alone is OK too.
Last Tuesday afternoon (after filling up the day in the yard and gardens):
Thank You, God, I’ve got my daughter visiting EARLY (after I pick up her and her laundry, lol). Thank You God, I miss her and love her and wow the cat will be THRILLED. Thanks Lord for me being re-directed. (And thanks for the prodding all day to just keep working.)
Thursday morning:
Whew Lord, how am I going to fit everything in? How interesting how you redirected my Wednesday, what about today? Thank You Lord for ONLY You know the path, the pace, the priorities and the plan. Thank You Lord for the peace, the purpose, the particulars, the people, the praise, the possibilities, the problems too. Pursue Your Plan, Lord, You ALWAYS say that, You know best. And I’ll learn to put Your Power into my Praise.
Later this afternoon?:
Let’s see how God worked it today, for Him (and me too)… Let us follow His Lead. Let us see how God works out priorities, planning, pursuits!!!
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,…” Proverbs 25:2a
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day; For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.
I love the roadside church sign that I saw couple days ago: “READ THE BIBLE, IT WILL SCARE THE HELL OUT OF YOU.” … Hmmm… Well… YES! ! !
So I turned my car around and took a photo. And then I got myself back into the Bible reading/writing.
The Bible IS going to scare each of us, at times, but it’s BETTER and MORE than that, the Bible SCARES the Devil DOWN, like throwing LIVING WATER onto a fire fueled with fear. Jesus saves the day. Us listening to the Lord makes the Devil ‘steaming’ mad.
THANK YOU JESUS FOR KEEPING US OUT OF HELL AND HELL OUT OF US.
The Bible Scriptures, studied and absorbed, when ingrained in our thoughts and actions, will give us daily apt responses, give us timely advice (like put on the Armor of God), and convict us and convince us from going down a bad way… We are human but God applies Jesus-level purification to our sins. The Bible will bring Jesus to Life in us, and no Way in Hell will Jesus let us go any other which way once He has His Way. Give Jesus the Right of Way in your life, He paid the price for it.
Hell is NOT a party, don’t be enticed to the lies.Here are gems of Wisdom from Proverbs, over 30 Sayings of the Wise… straight from God’s mouth to our ears.
“Yes, my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak right things.”
I especially appreciated, this 4th of July freedom weekend, to remember to NOT take freedoms for granted, and we should not slip into lax, lazy, or loathsome ways… the Bible tells us so…
“I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.”
(Yeah, I finished mowing my lawn after that… wise… and today, back to work for me! what a nice 4 day weekend – freedom to praise God!)
Amen
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Proverbs 22:17 – 24 NKJV
Sayings of the Wise
Saying 1: Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; let them all be fixed upon your lips, So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you. Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, that I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, that you may answer words of truth to those who send to you?
Saying 2: Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; For the Lord will plead their cause, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
Saying 3: Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.
Saying 4: Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?
Saying 5: Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.
Saying 6: you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.
Saying 7: Listen to Your Father. When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.
Saying 8: Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.Saying 9: Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies; For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you. The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, and waste your pleasant words.
Saying 10: Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Saying 11: Do not remove the ancient landmark, nor enter the fields of the fatherless; for their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.
Saying 12: Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge.
Saying 13: Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell.
Saying 14: My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself; Yes, my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak right things.
Saying 15: Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day; For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 16: Hear, my son, and be wise;
And guide your heart in the way.
Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
Saying 17: Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice.
Saying 18: My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways. For a harlot is a deep pit, And a seductress is a narrow well. She also lies in wait as for a victim, and increases the unfaithful among men.
Who has woe?Who has sorrow?Who has contentions?Who has complaints?Who has wounds without cause?Who has redness of eyes?Those who linger long at the wine,Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Saying 20: Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them; For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.
Saying 21: Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Saying 22: A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, and in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
Saying 23: Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the gate.
Saying 24: He who plots to do evil Will be called a schemer. The devising of foolishness is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
Saying 25: If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
Saying 26: My son, eat honey because it is good, and the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste; So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, and your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 27: Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not plunder his resting place; For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
Saying 28: Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him,And He turn away His wrath from him.
Saying 29: Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked; For there will be no prospect for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
Saying 30: My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those given to change; For their calamity will arise suddenly, And who knows the ruin those two can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise:These things also belong to the wise:
*It is not good to show partiality in judgment. He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” him the people will curse; nations will abhor him. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them.
*He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
*Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house.
*Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips? Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”
* I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.
It’s a long 4-day weekend that I am taking, for the 4th of July. Loving summer and opportunities to travel (both kids are away) and because the cat home is surely alright! Freedom is freedom except when you don’t remember to feel and act free.
I’ve been visiting up home and yay we got to the fields for last chance for STRAWBERRY picking (crop was toughest in years to pick – but we got the last hour before the thunderstorms rolled in! but TOTALLY worth it)… Just enough time as the season closes out. Got shelling peas too, not the best season but still some is better than none. Fringe benefit: STRAWBERRIES on cheesecake. STRAWBERRY Rhubarb pie, excellently made crust too… STRAWBERRY anything… Even the end of strawberry season is sweet.
Summer is a season for enjoyment. Don’t let it slip by… enjoy!!! (our phrase: ‘it’s not snowing, might as well enjoy!’)
It is ‘coincidence’ on this visit that it is 2 years that my Dad’s been gone, but I imagine him up in Heaven doing OK, even playing cards with “the guys” including most of his brothers. As we drove back from the strawberry fields we passed a small cemetery where my mom just simply said: “So many of my classmates are there”… whew… yeah, take the time before the time takes you … Even the end of the season makes the sweetest memories.
Many of my passed family members and “the guys” from the heyday of my parents first years married, we saw in some 1960’s home movies over these past 2 days. My Dad transferred them to camcorder and vhs, then I had uploaded them online (privately) about 10 years ago as well as placed on DVD. It is just cool to see 1960’s everything, my family was of 50’s styles, 50’s cars and 50’s people who had freedom to be young in the 60’s. Good to see my grandparents in these movies, 30’s stress 40’s determination 50’s relief now in 60’s smiles….
Good to see everyone’s freedom to smile and live well (or well enough) by people who struggled previously. Trust me, the freedoms of stability was clearer than the fuzzy focusing of the film. In all, you could see the smiles.
This is 4th of July (and all days) for American appreciation with smiles of freedom brought by HARD WORK. American appreciation of holidays and vacations, traveling and camping and new houses and new children plus memories of old.
These movies represent my dad’s freedom to capture the moments in time on recordings, freedom to appreciate his family, both blood and relational-relatives. My dad cared to record them and share. My dad worked so hard, it’s good to see what he enjoyed, in family and friends, new house, weddings (and lots of vacation and zoo visits). Of course there are films of us kids too (and lots more vacations and zoos). They didn’t have riches but they did have a rich life!
Above all, our freedom to be free is to have freedom to be who we need to be, want to be, try to be, should be. Freedom to focus on freedom.
My freedom to focus this weekend was gifted by others who gave up their freedom. I’m in thanksgiving to those whom I don’t know, and in love of appreciation for those I do.
In this quiet time reserved by the Lord for me and Him, (He woke me up to find focus time, then refound me time taking a break from driving), I have to appreciate the Lord’s gifted Freedom to Focus back on Him… I appreciate this set of Proverbs 22, about good names, good people, good focus, like that of my family, plus warnings of folly too (in all of us).
I finish my writing today in front of a firepit – how randomly nice as I stopped driving to stretch my legs, stopped at the river whitewater base camp. In five minutes of sitting, two young men set up a campfire! Cool … warm… summer savoring… and chatting with people who just wanted to chat… Even the beginning of the summer season makes the sweetest memories.
All in all, THANK YOU Lord for this moment to appreciate it, all in all.
This summer, please take the time to appreciate TIME. Appreciate the FREEDOM TO FOCUS.
Amen
Proverbs 22:1-12 – NKJV
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all.
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, and the rod of his anger will fail.
He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.
Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.
The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.
Remembering my Dad, who passed 2 years ago now… This post is such a memory – the smell of his sweater…
It’s been a process in processing after my Dad passed away.
That process in processing seems quick because my Dad passed away just 3 weeks ago. Everyone is doing very well and it was a JOY traveling up home. Picking Blueberries, Thai food, walks, talks and meeting their new cat. The joy of trinkets of 40 year old toys of mine found in a hidden closet while emptying the attic. Weebles wobble but they STILL don’t fall down. An unexpected “treasure” were the black walnuts in the attic, crazy, just plain nuts! A hundred or more walnuts stowed into chewed empty cardboard boxes. Squirrels try to store up treasures too. A funny new memory for us.
Cleaning is a process to processing that is as therapeutic as it is necessary. As therapeutic as it is sad and yet we are VERY grateful for remembering all the good times. Sadness fades. Treasured memories remain.
As I moved items, on top was my father’s blue sweater that he seemed always dressed in, especially the last few years. My mom paused in tearful processing when she saw it. I paused to hug her. It is important that life and love does move us to move forward. My Dad doesn’t need that sweater anymore. We don’t either. We know to not store up treasures or sweaters which won’t last, the bible reminds us of this too (Matthew 6).
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
So someone else can use that sweater. We shall keep the memories of course. Blessed memories…
The lingered smell in the sweater surely reminded me of him. Cool little memory triggers seem to come like every day. I smelled it once again before I put it in the washing machine, his suit coat too. A smell in your memory bank can be priceless but not a treasure to save anywhere except within your smile and within your heart. A smell on a shirt can comfort your baby or puppy, so why not you too. A smell can bring memories unique to you.
I thought of this sweater today, sitting in church, when I was reading ahead, in the story of Mary, Martha’s sister, who took a tremendously valuable bottle of perfumed oil “nard” to pour onto Jesus’s feet and head. A WHOLE bottle worth a year’s wages. WOW expensive and WOW a strong smell too. The house was FILLED with the scent. The money-focused folks gasped, but the teacher in Jesus consoled her and appreciated the gesture and used her as an example of LOVE. She was and is valuably mentioned by us forever to represent His teaching moment to know real treasure: spending time with Him. Jesus explained to others that Mary was pre-anointing Him for death, and He knew His death was soon to come, within a week’s time. Although He taught and told of His death and deliverance, it is unknown how many people really processed what they heard Him say. We don’t know what we will do today or tomorrow but Jesus knew His time was near. So, with the strong scented oil now poured on Jesus’s feet, Mary used her hair to wipe them. I bet the WHOLE house smelled of the treasured nard oil. Everyone who came close to Jesus that night must have smelled the strong scent. Everyone who came close to Mary must have also smelled her perfumed hair. And no doubt that strong smell lingered for some time in the house. I think it is fitting of this sweet scent as the presence of God in Jesus FILLING the house. Like the scripture states, the smell of Christ is life to those being saved. That’s what reminded me of my Dad’s smell from his sweater.
Just a week or so after Mary poured that oil on Jesus, just outside of Jerusalem in Bethany, we now know what Jesus knew: Jesus was on His Way to death then resurrected LIFE. The scriptures don’t tell us what Mary and Martha did after His death, but can you imagine that the house may have still smelled of the perfume for some time – even past Jesus’s passing (well it was only a week later!!)… Perhaps Mary’s hair did too, the smell and the memory lingered in her hair or her clothes. Did it trigger thoughts of sorrowful loss or joyful memories for her? A smell of death or a smell of LIFE? Probably both. How about after Jesus arose? Did Mary once again catch the scent in the house and think back to that night in pain – or did it trigger JOY? It’s not my place to add anything to scripture, but my thought of their thoughts makes me sure that Mary held many a memory of Jesus treasured in her heart.
Jesus did rise after His death. He did crush the evils of death as foretold in Genesis (chapter 3). Mary became remembered as treasured by the Lord, her story specifically savored in His Word as well as in our retelling. Mary did put her treasure where her heart was, with Jesus. We can too. The smell of Christ is salvation. So, I put the smell of my Dad’s sweater in the category of reminding me that He is in Heaven with Jesus. The best JOY that Jesus gives us life eternally.
We each can remember many unique treasured thoughts of our loved ones. We can all make new unique memories now too, these become future memories that will give life and joy – then and now. When Jesus is remembered, there is JOY. When Jesus is remembered, their is sorrow for the pain He had to bear. When Jesus is remembered, His LOVE is remembered too. No doubt, Jesus treasured us all. He treasures me and He treasures you.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Live LIFE as TREASURED as a loved child of God. Live in the moment (as Mary did). Treasure Jesus (as Mary Did).
Love Life and love all (as Jesus does too).
Amen
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John 12: 1-8
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
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Mark 14:3-9
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.
“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
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Matthew 6:19-22
Treasures in Heaven
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
My Dad, who passed 2 years ago now, was always looking out for me – always and forever…
Looking back, I love that one of the last things that my Dad said to my Mom, including “I love you” was: “Move the car.”
My Dad was always looking out for me, and my kids. He knew what was going on up until the end. I was driving home that last day, he knew that and wanted my mom to move her car from blocking my car from reaching my recent normal parking spot, at the top of their second driveway. “MOVE THE CAR.” It is a new parking spot for me and I like it. Being able to get home, no matter that it is a long distance, has been important for me – and I am grateful I did and I can.
MOVE THE CAR.
What does that really mean? It meant my Dad wanted it easier for me, wanted me in a safe landing spot, that I was welcomed and he wanted to know that I would be alright. He also wanted me to be done driving and safe. I could say the same about him. I wanted him to land in heaven safe, sound, whole, helped. I could say to many people: move your car and get up to see your loved ones and help them and you find closure, or move the car and stop blocking someone else to get a place where they find peace.
My Dad wanted me to be able to get home. I did.
Move the car, and get to where you need to go. Get to the doctors, dermatologists, specialists, diagnostic experts, cardiologists, you name it, and get treatments if needed for longer life.
Move the car and get to church to hear the healing Word and learn about your own way inside God’s Way. Talk to the people, fellowship, and find your peace.
Move the car and free up the connections for others to make their peace with you. Your forgiveness of them and theirs of you are paramount to everyone’s peace.
Move the car and serve.
All in all you will find that God already “moved the car” and has no blockage for you from reaching home. Jesus serves, we land in safety with Him. Welcome home.
I was glad my Dad was home on earth in his house and in his comfort even thru his suffering. I wanted my Dad to get Home, Heavenly Home, where Jesus had prepared a place for him, he did. Jesus prepares a place for each of us – not JUST for our comfort, but for His, and for His and our Father who wants us Home in Love.
Our Father wants us Home in due time, not a rush, He wants us to move and inspire the people who need Him and help others who don’t know Him. We are to share His Peace and Love with them so that they know He has secured their way and parking spot. His vehicle to Home is catching a ride with Jesus, He knows the Way, He IS the Way.
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Jesus showing John what His Love will do for us in His Revelation, in the eventual rolling out of the new Home for us with Him.
Welcome Home.
Jesus said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:1-7
Love these memories of remembering my dad – on the 2 year anniversary of his passing.
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I remind myself that the Holy Spirit is real. ACTUALY REAL. The Holy Spirit HIMSELF, of course, reminds me that He is real. We are blessed because the Holy Spirit “IS”- as in ‘I AM” – on the MOVE…
A BLESSING after my Dad’s passing has been spending time in this sweet crush of LOVE’S outpouring of support.
Love IS showing to be real right now. Love IS real. Love IS.
In between raindrops on Saturday morning I went to the packed Farmers Market. Here if you wait long enough the weather changes. The last few days it has flip flopped sun and showers. That is also how we often are with grieving. We have memories and moments back and forth of sorrow and joy – all to be weathered like weather. On this day, this moment, the blue flowers caught my eye, and I had 4 bucks leftover clenched in my fist – enough change to splurge after my happy purchase splurges of shelling peas, maple syrup popcorn, and real blackcaps – a side of the road delicacy of a variety with white stems unique to this area, different than those only a few hours south. These fruits from the first to last bites gave me equally sweet memories of my childhood.
Four bucks cash? Blue flower? Wouldn’t you know that it was 4 bucks. SOLD. I carried it back to the car and looked down at the tag quickly and saw the name was BLUE BIRD. Haha Lord!!! That’s the name of my Dad’s favorite bird. Of course you knew that, Lord. CUTE! It could have stopped me in my tracks – those God-sightings tend to do that – but this time, this moment, I didn’t stop walking because it is hard to stop and count the number of God sightings that I have had today, yesterday and every day. One could wonder that what we see everyday are “simply serendipity situations” or coincidences or real Holy Spirit movements. I also didn’t stop walking as I would never get anywhere, AND I had to get out of the rain back to the car, but we (especially I – really I) should stop and BE STILL and absorb what the Spirit is showing me (or trying to show me). The Spirit today IS telling me that He Himself IS taking care of my Dad. I believe it. I believe Him. I won’t multiple choose guess about God, I will say IN TRUTH that these good memories are God sightings and they ARE from Him.
The bluebird is my father’s favorite bird. I have a bluebird pin that sat on my dresser and that I wore as I was driving up to see him that morning that he passed. The previous visit, 2 weeks ago, I don’t know what possessed me to ask him what his favorite bird was, because I KNOW what his favorite bird is. The grimace on his face of “you’ve got to be kidding, asking me” told me LOTS, reinforced my knowledge that he was very well aware of everything going on. It reminded me that I needed to trust the Lord working out all things. I need to remember that I DON’T know all the inner workings of the Lord thru the Holy Spirit, but if the Lord takes care of the birds, therefore He was and is taking care of my Dad. The Lord was telling that His Spirit within my Dad was moving and working this whole time. The conversations that my Dad had with the Lord in my Dad’s final days must have been tremendous.
Bluebirds require special houses, so how much more does the Lord prepare a room for each of us in His house because of His LOVE. My Dad’s last words that I heard on the phone the day before he passed were “Thank you.” when I told him that I loved him and everyone was praying for him. His answer: “Thank you”. It IS and WAS and WILL BE, YOUR PRAYERS which ARE the Holy Spirit moving. It was because of YOU and the Spirit in you that helped carry my father thru. It is You Lord, where credit is ALL due.
I love the idea of the fun good “coincidental” things that happen in life, like the BLUEBIRD name of the flower. I love the nifty “coincidence” of a neighbor needing a ramp for a visiting relative coinciding with the dismantling of our ramp that my Dad now did not need. We love saying how serendipitous things fall into place, don’t we. For example my father’s assigned cemetery plot number matches my parents’ house number where they have lived for nearly 60 years. So MANY of those fun things abound. Of course we need to be careful, as what we see every day can be said to be “in the flesh” and not reliable. We must and BEWARE the things of evil to trip us up – BUT I am NOT going to solve that answer of coincidence serendipity and Spirit in a simple blog, how dare I. BUT, I will tell you where I KNOW the Holy Spirit has been working – in my faith of God in helping my Dad with his faith.
Those flowers, the bluebirds, and even worldly things, ARE worldly things. We must be careful to not read tea leaves when God Himself made and gave us His cup to be known. We also must fear the Lord and read Him. But as human as I am, asking for discernment, I am knowing that the Holy Spirit works all things for the glory of God, I put my confidence not in the flesh but in these connections that the Holy Spirit makes as answers of our prayers. If it brings us closer to God, I best say: It AIN’T serendipity if it really IS the Holy Spirit. (And honestly I would never ever bet on it, I would just believe.)
I believe in God being Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, so when we pray and ask specifically, He sends the Holy Spirit. I don’t have to tell you all my God-sightings or God winks to convince you that God is paying attention to us. I pray you already know His Holy Spirit is active in your life, and want to know Him more. I do know that His ability to send the Holy Spirit makes me sigh and smile.
The weather, and our sorrows and joys in life change. If you wait long enough, your view will change and with discernment you MIGHT see what the Holy Spirit was trying to show you all along: HIM. You don’t know how God makes and stores snowflakes, right? So honestly most of the time we have no clue how many times in life the Holy Spirit holds the glue. We have no clue, but the Holy Spirit is TRUE.
AMEN and Lord, I believe You are there always.
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Jesus said (in John 16:12-15):
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
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1 Corinthians 2:7-16 Paul speaking to the church:
…we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
“We are passing through history…” “This IS history.” – a quote from the 1st Raiders of the Lost Ark movie.
Of course, in preparation for the newest and LAST “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with Indiana Jones, mmmm, love Harrison Ford of course, I watched the first, best, and ONLY good “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. 1981.
I couldn’t tell you anything else about the other Raiders movies in the series, except that they were awful in my memory, (jumped the shark!)… But the original? 1981? when I was eleven years old? WOW!!!! It was the finest action adventure era – a PREMIERE movie making time – for me as a pre-teen… I mean, I saw the first BEST “Star Wars” in the theater at age 7, just old enough, in the late 70’s. And this “Raiders of the Lost Ark” I was in the theater at age 11. WOW. Trust me it didn’t get any better than that. And trust me, all sequels tanked in my memory comparison but still probably raked in money. Case Closed. (But royalties are still rolling in because I just watched it on Disney Plus last night to refresh my memory.)
Case Closed in that movie: they CLOSED the storage box for the Ark of the Covenant and filed it away in top secret LOST-ness in the US government warehouse. Case Closed, they (our heros getting the Ark first so that the Nazi’s or their co-collaborators didn’t) had gained nothing but money from the government and gained no Ark for a museum piece as they had hoped. Government red tape and secrecy? Case Closed. AND all the villains died, MELTED in the movie scene of opening the Ark of the Covenant. Eww… No sequel for them! Case Closed. (maybe, depending on movie magic).
What about the big scenes of God’s intervention? *Trust me God is MUCH bigger than anything in the movies* Or of what they perceived as mystical other worldly powers inside the Ark? There are only a few scenes of lightning and thunder – and later the Nazi symbol was burned on the box in a mini scene showing its power to a mouse. Later when they actually went to open the ark, the lid blew up in an electrical explosion then BOOM it came right back down on the Ark, cool – and yet fitting. Casement Closed. (and Hey did you notice that the scene locale resembles a Star Wars canyon? Yes. Same place in Tunisia. Ah yes that’s all movie magic…
What about God Himself? Where did that Ark go? What did God do to it or in it after the Ark? What happened to the Law tablets captured in the Ark as broken tablet pieces? What even happened to the rituals and the Law? Let’s put the theoretical movie stuff aside. The Law continued and continues. Really, let’s snap to reality here, does God need the pieces to keep the Law? no. Does God need the pieces enough to keep the lid on them and lock them away? Hmm… Well, surely He had the people in Moses’s time make the Ark for their ability to find a travelling focal point of Sovereignty, to have the people understand that He was Sovereign ALL IN ALL. But God needs nothing but Himself to prove that point.
Sure, the ark could have gone to some secret location? Or in truth did God really reopen not the lid but the real case of FORGIVENESS-GIFTING with a NEW Covenant? Yes, God brought forth a New Covenant! A new creation? YES! A new that was old planned and that is still IN time to come! Yes! Yes, God gave Jesus. Jesus gave Himself as a New Covenant. The Law and Prophets fulfilled. Jesus saves. Case Closed. Even King Josiah putting Solomon’s Temple back in order was able to say ‘the burden of the Covenant is no longer on the shoulders’, physically, and we can say our burdens are placed on Jesus, not us, Thank You God.
“We are passing through history…” “This IS history.” – well the people of earth will pass through history and then be History if they don’t let history (His-Story) pass through them!
So of course, I’m going to see that new final movie in the series, at some point. But the best news I can give you for TODAY is the best rave review of TRUTH, better than any movie, better than any weekend anticipation… The GOOD NEWS is this: JESUS came to Save, and He did. Case Closed! (and he keeps our cases secured in His Hand.).
Amen – and go enjoy the weekend – maybe see the movie – and of course enjoy a freedom of the 4th of July – but always be carrying on (no burden needed) a life of serving the Lord, always.
2nd Chronicles 35:1-3 NKJV
Now Josiah kept a Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month. And he set the priests in their duties and encouraged them for the service of the house of the Lord. Then he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to the Lord: “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel.
(PS – how interesting/fitting that I will be prepping for a future VBS day that includes King Josiah – God’s timing is more amazing than movie magic! Amen Amen)
In an old blog, #638, I wrote about spitting out the apple, spitting out the knowledge gained by Eve and Adam, that God knew they didn’t need, and I ALSO really mean SPITTING OUT the desire to judge people and judge ourselves, like God judges. SPITTING OUT the desire to see our own faults flaws *and those in others*. SPITTING OUT the ability of feeling judged. Instead just FEEL LOVED. Instead just LOVE and be loved and let God handle the rest.
FEEL LOVED. Because you are.
To be the SPITTING IMAGE OF GOD – SPIT OUT THE APPLE !!!
Remember we became human dust crumbling when the apple was taken, and the bite was with teeth of human gain. We (humanity) didn’t need it, and we don’t need it now. We only did and do and will need God. God’s plan was and IS walking WITH us – us WITH Him. He receives this ability again by the trade, ransom, sacrifice of Jesus who came down to scoop us up.
Accept Jesus to scoop you up, strive for His Holy Spirit-gifted refillable Jesus Spirit in our hunger and thirst, in our words, in our deeds. Soothe in the Sacrifice. Spit out that apple, it became rotten. Spirit IN the LOVE. Soak in the Salvation, sweet and forever, gifted not stolen, Holy and true. Thank You, Jesus, for Your Redeeming LOVE.
Praise Him. Love instruction. Love God-correction. Accept Sacrifice too. Be His, He knows the Way.
“Whoever offers praise glorifies Me.“
Amen
—
Here’s a rewritten updated 638 post.
Our thirst for knowledge, of how we fit into life, is a default thirst – a result of Eve being tempted to bite that fruit. She was tempted to gain wisdom, to learn the difference between good and evil… Of course it seems that we want that too – but MORE IMPORTANTLY, we have to WANT TO SPIT OUT that desire of knowledge from our systems and simply trust that God will take care of us…
Let us drop our thirst for self-knowledge and drink in the thirst of how God’s plan works and how we fit… We only need to rely upon Him.
Let us spit out the forbidden fruit and instead drink in pure living water…
Pray that God is the apple in our eye… Long for Him… Smile…
God gave you a smile in His Image… Be Confident in God.
Amen
—
Psalm 50 NKJV – God the Righteous Judge – A Psalm of Asaph.
The Mighty One, God the Lord, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people: “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge. Selah
“Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you;
I am God, your God! I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices Or your burnt offerings, Which are continually before Me. I will not take a bull from your house, Nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine,and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
“If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
…
But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth, Seeing you hate instruction And cast My words behind you? When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have been a partaker with adulterers. You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.
“Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces,
And there be none to deliver:
Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”
‐—–
Thank You Jesus for Your redeeming sacrifice on our behalf. I believe in You.
I did wake up in the middle of that big thunderstorm last night, BOOM BOOM BOOM. I got up to check the dripping, DRIP DRIP DRIP, conveniently right into the washer, haha, from my ongoing overhead leak… I removed the plastic from the A/C so not unexpected, rainy hot weather… Maybe I should just put a complete hole in the ceiling to fill the washer, LOL, but municipal water is cheap enough for laundry, and cleaner than rainwater plus roof crud. Crud Crud Crud, but purified thru my drywall roof, hmmm…
I’ll explain more about the roof later, but this IS a devotion about Jesus as Living Water, not rain water or roof overflow (cruddy). LIVING WATER, not purified water for drinking, because Jesus never sinned. Living Water, not stagnant water, because Jesus flows. Living Water not dead water, because with Jesus in us, LIFE GROWS.
Yes back to my leaking roof, well today IS the day of set up for construction science experiment phase #1- plugging a small shingle roof hole right over my washer! Well I never saw that before, geez… could it be the source? Experiment part one is gooey sealant injected in by a new to me friend and construction guy who is ALSO a pastor and church-planter… WOW, EXCITING! He said folks are surprised by his dual occupation but on the job site they start chatting about life and the Lord much of the day. He says what we all must know, folks these days don’t have a church background, never went to much Sunday school, don’t own a Bible.
Well, I’m going to be scientifically skeptical about this nail hole as sole hole, but it is worth patching, then see if rainwater down the A/C siding gaps (maybe) is next experiment… so, worth the hole experiment and he is going to re-caulk my window too. I might get the garden hose up there to test it later.
Well, as happy as I am about potential no DRIP, I am super excited about a NEW project too, he will cut a hole in my gutter so I can install a RAIN BARREL, WOOHOO. I have been dreaming of one for years. YEARS YEARS YEARS! I will create the rain barrel, I have the parts, but needed the expert to cut the metal… Fun! FUN FUN FUN! Feed the flow to the flowers!
So today, under the overhang, out of the rain, on the proposed barrel, I left this Pastor Patcher – or Patcher Pastor – many extra Bibles, if he needed for handing out to anyone. I said to the Pastor Patcher to “Keep the Flow flowing”… FLOW FLOW FLOW. They are wrapped in plastic against any rain, and the plastic I used said “purified water” – ha, that’s how God works to trigger my writing, it’s not like I can help DRIP DRIP DRIP of an idea on my brain, but up to me, up to us to collect these thoughts of God in our Living Water Barrels and redirect the water as Spirit out to others. FEED FEED FEED. It’s OK in our leaking lives to feed while being fed.
Jesus is Living Water, Loves to move! And He will find the tiniest of holes in you (cracks) to wash through the soul!
And WHAT DOES JESUS DO, in us? PLUGS THE ESCAPE HOLES IN YOUR SOUL, so that water keeps flowing in then gets directed out thru our cracks, purposefully, just because. Jesus NEVER will let us run dry. Jesus wants to rehydrate often, continually, forever. FLOWING FLOWING FLOWING.
Cool…
Well, I’ve dripped long enough here, time to hit send and let you go flow…
You know what is best? Go with the flow. Go FOR the flowing. Drink in the Living Water of Jesus. Soak it all in. Forgiveness Forgiveness Forgiveness. Forever Forever Forever.
AMEN!!!
—
John 4:10-12, 13-14
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you LIVING WATER.” … Jesus said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a FOUNTAIN of WATER springing up into EVERLASTING LIFE.”
Although my recent dream seems to have fit that bill,it would be impossible for me to see or recreate any movie so elaborate, so I am not speaking about my dream. I am speaking about the BIBLE.
The most elaborate storyline…
The most interesting characters…
The most crucial message…
BRING EVERYTHING YOU DO BACK TO THE BIBLE.
Find it in the Bible.
A poem:
Process of the mind would really find
A storyline or equivalent time
That pertains not in rhythm and rhyme
But in action, in role models and in time.
The Bible, the Word of God is the message GOLDMINE.
.
If we don’t know the meaning of life,
and we all surely participate in the strife,
Reach not for the worldly interpretations to suffice,
But reach for the Book of Life.
.
In my travels yesterday, each day, surely today,
I find people have no idea that God made a Way.
People don’t have their Bible knowledge in play.
Let us do our jobs to help them fill in some of the gaps, today.
.
Let us teach the bible to fill in their personal narrative too.
Is any problem new?
Well take God’s view.
Problems are NOT new.
.
We have such a deep THIRST that only God could quench it.
Solutions practical and other worldly to dispatch it.
God’s Way will not just patch it.
God’s Peace could be our only match for it.
.
If God numbers the hairs on our head,
He knows our thought processes inside,
would all have a better ride,
If we studied Him and take His Way in stride.
.
So today I urge you,
Pick up a storyline that will nerve you,
Pick up a Bible message that will change you.
Be God’s LOVE AND let it rearrange you.
AMEN !!!
“Everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance, everybody thinks it’s true” was sung by Paul Simon. But the Bible messages are right here right close right now to be true. In my travels yesterday (without getting specific) I found myself once again in a sea of dedicated people attacking a problem, and realizing LOVE is the only answer. I found myself once again amongst dedicated people without direction, and realized God’s Word would steer their ship. I know for any people problem, only God knows how to solve it.
Let’s let God Work in our lives, He has already Won the war, so let’s always bring Him into the battle.
Double 4AM AMEN.
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.
Snippets from Proverbs 20 – New King James Version
*Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.
*The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both.
*Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
“It is good for nothing,” cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
*There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
*Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
*An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end.
*A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?
*It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, and afterward to reconsider his vows.
*The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.
*The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head.
(A poem inspired by a bird in the church sanctuary yesterday (not my normal sanctuary but one of a friend’s) – and I thought of that bird off and on yesterday, thru the evening. I guess it’s like us remembering that God remembers us ALL the time. Let us pray for that bird to have gotten out.)
As a Bird
You may think it’s absurd,
That a simple bird,
is mentioned so much IN the Word.
.
But a lowly simple sparrow bird,
You’ve surely heard,
Is God’s blessed creature SECURED.
.
A BIRD,
Sings for God’s Creation unheard.
A BIRD,
Collects seeds and fruits superb.
A BIRD
Reminds us to look at our destiny SECURED.
.
God values us (you and me) SO MUCH MORE than a simple bird.
God loves us, surely you’ve heard.
Remember that each time you see a bird.
Amen
—
Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Psalm 104:27-34
All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works – he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.
“The Lord is my Engineer” – I love Paul Simon and LOVE that he was/is pondering the Lord in his newest album “The Seven Psalms”… it’s a whole 33 minutes with one piece of continuous songs – and guess what? Paul Simon woke up between 3 and 5 AM each morning to write down the lyrics… I get that… Paul woke up and had to write the dream down – later he got chords – later he got words… and when he started to add his own lines – the pathway went blank… He knew that he was into something bigger than him and yet he is a self-confessed grappler with questions…
I didn’t analyze all Paul’s lyrics in such detail – I simply like that he is pondering the flow and letting it flow – in his own way – I do believe God loves to have us with open ears and hearts to hear it and then to sort it all out… It is a philosophical album for us thinkers – it is a hopeful album – and personally I am in the camp to urge others to jump into God’s arms with no abandon. (I do remember a lyricist (Michael Card) once say: “Stop your pondering and fall on your knees”…)… Personally I do hope all keep pondering until they see the Light.
Paul lost his hearing in his one ear in this time – had to deal with anger – and had to refocus and accept the hearing loss as a gift of an experience. He says that he can’t play live anymore. I am grateful I saw him on his last tour – saw/listened in Madison Square Garden – amazing.
I like “Dip your hands in Heaven’s Water… God’s Imagination…” And I like “In my professional opinion”… I just like to hear his fingers strum his guitar and I like to hear the strange chords – I like to hear that he is still creative and pensive and expressive – not that I wouldn’t expect that at age 81 – but still it is a good reminder that we all have the opportunity to grow old with the Lord or turn our backs on Him – I pray that we all don’t… Paul sings: “So all rise to the occasion – Or all sink into despair – In my professional opinion – We’re better off not going there”…
I am glad that Paul Simon is still thinking about God – and still thinking about Life – and still thinking about expressing life in life… He doesn’t end the album with a song about death but it is about “wait” – waiting – maybe we begin again… Paul says his songs often allow the listener to complete the interpretation – “the listener completes the song.”
Thanks Lord for our ability to ponder and pray – to have solace and stay – to know and know. That’s what makes me grateful, You Lord love for us to grow. I thank You Lord for Paul Simon – he has made my life more lyrical and he often provided a tune to my “tune-in” to life.
Amen
Pauls sings:
“The sacred harp – That David played to make his – Songs of praise – We long to hear those strings – That set his heart ablaze”
The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.
If you depend on God, you walk a little more surely through this world, NOT IN IT BUT THROUGH IT.
In times of nervousness, reliance on God gives peace. We best try drinking the cup God is pouring – one of peace.
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
To trust God, this peace of God permeates more than anything else, tells us not to worry about tomorrow. Peace in action and action for peace. We are to be about God’s Business FIRST – Love, Mercy, Forgiveness, Hope, Help, PRAISE and Prayer.
Best Practice is Prayer.
Best Prayer is PRAISE.
Best Praise is Peace.
Best Peace is Practiced.
.
PRAISE, Pause, Pray, Practice Peace
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Here are some of the Proverbs for helping TAKE PAUSE, tell PRAISE and feel PEACE:
Proverbs 19 – New King James Version
The Fear of the Lord Leads to Life
Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet.
The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the Lord.
Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend.
A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.
Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish.
Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes.
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.
A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.
Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers. But a prudent wife is from the Lord.
Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger.
He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.
He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, And He will pay back what he has given.
Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.
There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.
The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.
A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
Cease listening to instruction, my son, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.
* A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.“
Tis the season for things to be in season… I missed strawberry season but i’m planning to travel north soon and pick up strawberries there. Down here it started blueberry season and peach season and cherry season all at once… I think it’s early but I don’t mind – all these juicy treats yum yum yum! I love summer and summer treats and the heat and the sun and the fun.
The cherries are juicy yum and just after buying some myself, two friends independently gave me cherries they picked… It’s like God giving us advice again and again and again. God’s advice is juicy advice and we really should heed it. The juiciest of advice is that when we listen to God’s advice, we are less and less inclined to listen to foolish advice, less and less to desire gossip, less and less desiring to say more and more.
Here are a few more favorite proverbs from chapters seventeen and eighteen:
* Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
* Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
* Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
* A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
* A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
* Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
* Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.
* The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
* The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.
* The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
* The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
*The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.
* From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
* The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
You know when you hear a phrase twice in 2 days it is interesting – but three times? Then you know something is up with the Lord telling you something – but then four times? Well, pick up your keyboard and start writing – that is what I hear the Lord saying to me – then and now!!! Heard that phrase 4 times in 2 days, I am not kidding. I best write about it!
“A Slap in the Face” – which is adding insult to injury – you can feel pain both ways – now you can grumble or you can do what Jesus said: turn the other cheek – which of course also turns your eyes away from the one slapping you.
4th instance (today) I heard this phrase in the title of the sermon as a podcast – about Jesus receiving a slap in the face during questioning after His arrest. Jesus said “I have spoken openly to the world… I said nothing in secret.” And one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” (Jesus was an innocent man and He DID speak the truth, only others couldn’t always understand. )
3rd instance (today) – it was in the newspaper – printed in April or so – a local town newspaper that has been around my house waiting for me to read – the article on zoning changes – someone described them as a slap in the face. Hmmm… (That’s a personal decision to take things personally. )
2nd instance (yesterday) – someone at a work meeting described the extra work they had to do when people weren’t cleaning up after themselves – that was like a slap in the face … Hmmm… (I told him to not take it personally.)
1st instance (yesterday) I heard this phrase 1st as actually Jesus saying it Himself in “The Jesus Film” – from a 3 minute preview clip (JesusGiftCard.org) that a friend sent – it is a good snippet of the film and full of Jesus’s teachings. With Jesus teaching “turn the other cheek” – yes that is easier said than done – but for Jesus it was a Way of life – it requires us to stand in Jesus strength – and it means we CAN do this because He took the worst slap in the face for us – we can give our cheeks because He gave His Life.
What about slaps in the face (or perceived slaps in the face) being personal? Well we decide to accept that or not. We can’t prevent the slap but we can prevent the insult from sinking in. Jesus gave of His whole earthly body to absorb the blows, we can pull in His Heavenly Spirit and His indwelling Spirit to strengthen our jars of clay, to walk away, to live for another day.
What do I personally do that is a slap in the face to the Lord? And does He take it personally? Well, me not turning my face to offer the other cheek becomes resentment and therefore Jesus steps in to cleanse me and take the slap. Me not giving God credit where credit is due, that’s a slap in the face by my misguidedness – Jesus takes that silently but sometimes I hear the earth shaking and darkness falling from my failing.
Jesus does not resist taking the slap because He sees the war with evil, not with us. Jesus already Won the war, He’s still in all these battles for us now because we sometimes forget to let Him win our circumstances too.
Best to hear Jesus says this directly, Matthew 5:38-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Amen Jesus, You make us perfect. Amen Jesus,You give us strength. Amen Jesus, thank You for Your Love.
The Lord is multi-facetted fascinating – His Timing and His Word and His Intentions all add up to AMAZING. There is nothing better/interesting than appreciating that the Lord knows best. We must appreciate the Lord’s timing – which isn’t ours – and we must appreciate the Lord’s advice.
In the Proverbs – as written down by Solomon and others – the Lord doesn’t say “I told you so” – but instead it is like He says: ‘I told you ahead of time’ – or – ‘I’m telling you so you understand people are people’ – probably to get us to toughen up and to have needed understanding that we are all broken people and crucially advice to protect our hearts… Often these proverbs remind us to be happier with less than be upset with everything. We could always appreciate a little with joy than setting our hopes too high. Appreciate life with no expectations rather than be greedy with too many expectations.
My favorite when the tough gets going is: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” And how about these sayings when you want to get revenge – well don’t and just let the Lord handle it:The Lord works out everything to its proper end – even the wicked for a day of disaster. ANDThe Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Yes – let the Lord handle it.
Some Proverbs are like the Lord’s “one-liners” – some funny and some harsh – either way they are just as pertinent today as they were when the Lord knew we would need this advice – before we (and the universe) were even born. Yes – these sometimes zingers can be spicy – and sometimes simply good advice – the Lord’s advice – we should heed. Remember: Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. AND Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Read ’em and steep – meaning let them sink into your perspective on life. Below are only 2 sets of the 27 sets, all the Lord speaking!!! Remember: “The soothing tongue is a tree of life.” Yes, let the Lord’s tongue of knowledge soothe your ears or put fire under your feet!!!
Amen and please keep reading:
Proverbs 15
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.
The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin.
The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not upright.
The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness.
Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path; the one who hates correction will die.
Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord— how much more do human hearts!
Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise.
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.
The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.
Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.
Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.
A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
Folly brings joy to one who has no sense, but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!
The path of life leads upward for the prudent to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.
The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.
The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight.
The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.
Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.
Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.
Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 16
To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster.
The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth does not betray justice.
Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.
Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.
Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks what is right.
A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but the wise will appease it.
When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!
The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.
Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent, but folly brings punishment to fools.
The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction.
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.
A scoundrel plots evil, and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
A violent person entices their neighbor and leads them down a path that is not good.
Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity; whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.
Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.
The Wise Woman fears the Lord.
The Wise Woman builds.
The Wise Woman secures.
The Wise Woman waits.
The Wise Woman prays.
The Wise Woman listens.
The Wise Woman sighs.
The Wise Woman slows.
The Wise Woman knows.
The Wise Woman trusts.
The Wise Woman studies.
The Wise Woman witnesses.
The Wise Woman waits.
The Wise Woman secures.
The Wise Woman builds.
The Wise Woman fears the Lord.
Amen
and a wise woman writes and reads the Proverbs while waiting on a delayed train… and a wise woman trusts the Lord – especially with her children – more and more…
Proverbs 14
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways.
A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.
An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.
The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.
The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.
Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.
The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief.
The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs.
The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.
The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.
A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.
The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
Do not those who plot evil go astray But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.
A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.
A large population is a king’s glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined.
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.
Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known.
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.
A king delights in a wise servant, but a shameful servant arouses his fury.
—
Proverbs 13
A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.
Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.
A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
An unplowed field produces food for the poor, but injustice sweeps it away.
Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.
The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.
“Don’t eat clown fish, they taste funny”… That was a classic joke on a poster at the Coney Island “Mermaid Parade” by a guy in a hat with a group who dressed like Nemo from the movie. You could say that was a “dad joke” – the term for silly jokes these days…
I really really enjoyed my trip yesterday, a fabulous day in lower Manhattan, with a great friend. The day had GREAT weather, 70 in daytime, light jacket at night walking around World Trade Center. Yes, our mission: meet up with another friend and head to Coney Island for the “Mermaid Parade”, and to see the sights. Got to ride the giant Wonder Wheel Ferris Wheel, which was high priority on my bucket list, watched the 3 hour parade (crazy parade fun and full – 3 hours!), and had delicious ice cream Gelato, coconut cream plus cookie monster, on the boardwalk after, yum! I am OK with crowds when you don’t have to go anywhere and have all you need.
The people (and I) LOVED the parade, the atmosphere, the LOVE… People watching at its finest and fun-est. The crowd people cheered and NYC brave police officers were so friendly and kept calm with a mutual appreciation of a day of fun. The costumed people like me were having extra fun – I got in lots of pics even on the subway just because of my jellyfish hat and matching dress, which I already owned in my wardrobe, got that hat years ago. The lace tentacles were useful to tie it and keep it from blowing off in the wind – and CRUCIALLY it gave me shade for the parade.
What a parade! GOOFY!!! YES, a few seashell and conkshell wardrobe malfunctions (most purposefully planned – haha). Beach attire and costumes for all shapes and sizes, no need to hide your eyes, many wardrobes held no surprise! But yeah, FUN! FUN FUN FUN.
We took the subways up and down, crowded but expected, can’t beat the price and convienience. ONE of the best things my Dad (and Mom) taught me how to do in life, demonstrating this themselves, was how to talk to strangers – with open friendliness – with caring and help – with joy. You don’t have to give out your address or bank account numbers, but you can talk about the flavors of ice cream you love – or the types of dogs you enjoy – or the antics of your kids – or whatever… Yeah – pass the time in a fabulous way… We are all but traveling in this world, so make sure to pack and unpack JOY. My life has experienced helpfulness from others, especially directions on maps this weekend, so whom am I not to share, especially share JOY, share a SMILE and share a dime sometimes. My life has been blessed by God to keep going strong, so whom am I not to share His strength and fruit of the Spirit, even if sometimes it’s a polite smile and a shaking of the head “NO” to others, like those who wanted a signature to protest something, or some loose change after you gave it all out.
My Dad had a great saying about work and business: “be good to the people as you climb up in this world because you never know who you are going to meet if you fall back down” – and he always said: you can appreciate someone who knows how to sit down and have a cup of coffee with you and to just chat – someone who takes the time to chat.
I learned from my Dad to treat everyone nicely and with respect – I don’t care if someone said to me; “well, then you could get taken advantage of” – well sure, of course, you have to be careful not to get caught up in too much – not to overcommit – not to rob Peter to pay Paul in life. But in all circumstances you can mentally say and pray: “how can I help?” even if it is sometimes to just be quiet… Don’t be afraid to be burned – put on sunscreen and a hat for life – put on armor of God for your heart and get back out there in life. Best to wear and rock a funny hat when called upon! Better to smile and wave and walk away when you have to.
“Don’t eat clown fish, they taste funny”… yup! We are to taste the goodness of life and walk away from some of the fluff, from much of the strife. We can embrace life and make it just a little better – and HAVE FUN. But yes put on your funny hat, life is too short not to – it will scare a smile out of the most staunch grump. Yes, share a safe dime, or something extra you can live without. ESPECIALLY share a smile and open chatter – because friendliness does matter. People are People, you too.
My Father’s Day JOY is that I had Dad (and now have my Dad in Heaven) who taught me to care about others, which of course is sharing the Love shared by all our BIG Dad, Abba Father God, remembering His commandment to LOVE ALL.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there and dad-figures too.
Amen to fun and life and love.
Yes Talk to Strangers – they are all God’s Children. But Don’t eat the clown fish…
—-
PS: yes I made it back to sleep and get to church in the park this morning where I was able to share this prayer:
Lord, You are our Father, Creator, Maker, Savior, Mercy-giver, Life-Satisfier, Hope, Master, Freedom-giver, and Motivator. You have built Your Kingdom and House lovingly for You want to create forever time to spend with us. Thank You. You say the ‘house of the righteous contains great treasure’, ẅell Lord, living in Your righteousness we will not only survive, in Your kindness we THRIVE.
We witness Your sacrifice Jesus, redeeming us through Your Blood. Keep us tightly focused on watching You, living like You. You shared the most important Family value of FORGIVENESS to us and all – and You remind us to share it in this broken world. Your Redemptive Love is the most powerful force of all. Because we are Your sons and daughters, You sent the Spirit of Jesus into our hearts, and He IS the Spirit in us who calls out, “Abba, Father.” Thank You for Your safety zone.
We also PRAISE our earthly fathers, grandfathers, uncles and father figures for modeling YOUR love to us, giving us a start, holding us close to their hearts like You do Lord. Thank you Lord for their love and care, and faithfulness. Keep the fathers and father-figures of today strong for their own children and for themselves. We love them. We love You, Lord.
YES! Christmas the Crab has re-emerged from well over a month of hiding underneath the surface under his hut – seems like FOREVER, but he emerged today!!!
A Poem of Patience:
Let’s take a stab,
At being patient like this crab.
.
Let’s not get riled,
When “our way” seems defiled.
Let’s look only one day, one step ahead.
Do not consider life as a long journey to dread.
.
Life really is a GREAT BIG STROLL,
In a HUGE earthly bowl.
So you BEST start,
With guarding your heart.
.
Or like the crab,
Simply take a stab,
Live life one day at a time,
Don’t overthink reasons or rhyme.
.
“Live and let live” is fine.
But “Live and HELP Live” is DIVINE.
We all are traveling thru life,
Be kind and minimize all strife.
.
Shake off the small stuff,
Ignore time-wasting fluff.
Live life as if sour is sweet,
Live life with an servant attitude that won’t be beat.
.
Remember this little crab,
Life steps, he ALWAYS takes a stab.
Molted and rested, in safe space,
NEW LIFE he is NOW ready to EMBRACE.
.
So take a step out today,
Live life in a crab (but not crabby) way.
.
Patiently DON’T worry, just PRAY.
Walk with the Lord every step of the Way.
TODAY, like a crab, embrace TODAY.
Rest, emerge, and have a GOOD DAY.
.
Amen
—
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Paul to the Philippians 4:6-7
God said it! Not me! The Word ‘Stupid’! Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid. Well, I love God’s correction on me, even if painful. And I love how God reminds us to not worry about earthly things, trying to be with the ‘in crowd’ – or proclaim foolishness.
It’s like classic advice, don’t get pulled offside in football or in life. Don’t let a gossip pull you down that path to gossip too. Don’t envy (a commandment) because you end up envying the wrong stuff and the wrong people.
Proverbs 12 – read ’em and let them steep! A cup of tea and bread for life toast. God could give it a dark roast. Proverbs in all – God corrects and gives advice most. In God’s Wisdom ONLY, I boast..
Amen and please read:
Proverbs 12 New KJV – The House of the Righteous Shall Stand
Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.
.
A good man obtains favor from the Lord, But a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.
A man is not established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous cannot be moved.
.
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.
.
The thoughts of the righteous are right, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
.
The words of the wicked are, “Lie in wait for blood,” But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.
.
The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand.
.
A man will be commended according to his wisdom, But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised.
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Better is the one who is slighted but has a servant, Than he who honors himself but lacks bread.
.
A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
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He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding.
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The wicked covet the catch of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
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The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will come through trouble.
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A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.
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The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
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A fool’s wrath is known at once,But a prudent man covers shame.
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He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit.
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There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
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The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
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Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy.
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No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
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Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
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A prudent man conceals knowledge,But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.
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The hand of the diligent will rule,But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
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Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
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The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
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The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, But diligence is man’s precious possession.
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In the way of righteousness is life,And in its pathway there is no death.
Some people want to know what I have learned in life. Well, nothing is more valuable than what you learn yourself and some stuff you have to learn the hard way – you do. and some stuff you could learn the easy way because you have seen the hard way… … It is better to Listen than Spew, and Spew only to a few… We see some people who live in duplicity – watch out for them. We know some people who would put you down to raise themselves up – they only do themselves a disservice, so don’t stoop to their level. and sometimes you learn stuff in life which is downright UGH… UG puts the UGLY in UGLY. . Gratefully God keeps reminding us to look above and do Godly Things here on earth because He Would. He Did. He Does.
Proverbs 11 is good to spell out things I have learned in life – about people – about ugh-ness – about sometimes the best advice we can give others is to keep our mouths shut. If we are not happy about the people and their seemingly earthly ways getting them ahead – remember the last line about our treasures in Heaven not here: If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Minds Open. Mouths Shut. Let God get the Last Word.
Here is Proverbs 11 for good life lessons:
The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of[a] their power comes to nothing.
The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.
With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.
When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.
A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death.
The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.
Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.
If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
I’ve seen some interesting things in life – we all have – I certainly had to pick my battles – walking away is not defeat but putting off exacting human revenge to let things fade behind God’s Glory. How important to hand these struggles to the Lord, roll things off our backs. We may sometimes be seen as foolish but that is often being prudent. God has bigger fish for us to fry. Keep going to fight not another day but another Way. Let the Lord fight and win, for Eternity is better than band-aids on today’s world no matter how painful. That’s not payback, it’s forward fighting. We will get paid – wages from not even working – because we get LIFE. The righteous stand firm forever.
Yes, we do and will see fools in folly begin to fail. We will see punishment, like in Proverbs 10, go into motion – and we ALL will see this clearly at Judgment Day, God wiping away the wicked and righteousness standing firm… and yet let us not “gloat in the boat” of righteousness. God has no pleasure in losing souls, no pleasure in punishment. God’s loss is at greatest cost. We must have mercy as God has mercy. Let’s pray for those who miss the boat.
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
Proverbs 10 is real stuff, not just cup of coffee mug stickers, not bumper stickers, not t-shirt sayings. But these proverbs are about fools and should become our prayers against becoming one ourselves (us and others). And the praises of the righteous should be acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty and MAJESTY. From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom.
Proverbs 10 is lots of sayings about people – TO PRAY ON, TO LIVE IN, TO LOVE FROM. The Word is Wisdom for Life.
The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
We don’t get to pick some things in life. WE DON’T. Let’s make the best of it. Work around it. Work for the betterment of all. DON’T HARDEN YOUR HEARTS in crushing circumstances BUT GUARD THEM. The Armor of God is strong and we must be strong to don it. The Word of God is powerful and we must be strong to speak it. The Fear of God is worth it and we must be strong to accept it. Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
We need correction at times because we don’t have the whole story. We need quieting at times to watch the Lord work things out. Sometimes we take correction not just because we are wrong (yet sometimes we really ARE), but we take correction because others are watching to see what we do. Perhaps living the best in the moment means forgiveness, rolling it off your back. Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. If we live another day in a prudent Way, then we will see a new perspective when earthly life gets best-ed by Forever Life.
It IS a blessing to be “saints becoming, one and all” as a dear pastor friend says. It is a blessing to be counted and covered and constructed in Jesus’s Righteousness. Let us be thankful if/when we have SEEN THE LIGHT and gotten the LIFT, because not all will. Jesus is our sin Savior, and our Righteousness Giver, we can turn the other cheek and keep praying for all.
Pearls of wisdom are a blessing.
Amen
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PROVERBS 10 – The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.
The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.
Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.
The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
Whoever winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.
Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.
The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.
Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.
Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.
A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.
What the wicked dread will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be granted.
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so are sluggards to those who send them.
The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.
The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.
From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be silenced.
The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
Genesis 50:15-21 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father Jacob was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
I was chatting with one of my friends and I don’t remember the original topic – but it was something bad that happened – BUT something really good came out of the situation – and I said something like :”Wow – that is just like I was reading about Joseph and his brothers – you know Joseph and the dreamcoat – son of Jacob – and how the brothers abandoned him in a well and he got taken to Egypt and he ended up rescuing everyone from a famine – and forgave his brothers” – I got that blank stare…
But I continued – “you know Joseph – Donny Osmond and ‘The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ ” – well no – she knew Donny but didn’t know that role… I can even see Donny Osmond spinning in some video promo of the old show – surely one would remember Joseph from Donny Osmond??? No of course not, not everyone has the same experiences or captures the same snippets in their head – and that is OK – I don’t remember even a fraction of what I have learned recently – they say we only retain 10% if that – well it’s OK – let me try to recount this amazing story of Joseph which relates to us today!!!
People (of a certain generation) do remember Moses from the 1956 Charlton Heston portrayal – shown each year on TV (really long with lots of commercial breaks) – shown at Easter time – which has nothing to do with the Easter timeline when Jesus was crucified – well yes it really does relate to Easter A LOT – but is a totally different timeframe… ANYWAY – it does get confusing with all the names and times – – well I remember these people alphabetically as well – After Adam and Noah – then restart a few of the big names in alphabetical order: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph (and Judah), Moses etc…
Anyway – “No” – my friend smiled and said “the only Joseph I know is Mary and Joseph” – and I can’t blame her – people are not normally digging into biblical history – I actually didn’t know Joseph’s story either until a few years ago – except I can visualize both Donny Osmond spinning and also a production of my catholic church’s 1970’s version with a hippie theatrical priest and some colorful dreamcoat for Joseph.
Ah well some of us DO remember what color Donny Osmond’s socks were for his ‘80’s show – PURPLE – and even if we did remember the technicolor dreamcoat, turns out a pastor friend said the translations said it was an impressive coat but not necessarily technicolor – it probably simply had big sleeves – and it wasn’t even a big part of Joseph’s story except it is one more identifying feature to help us remember Joseph. SO let’s get more into the real story.
We do relate with stories of people – which is part of the way we remember – How about that great movie Moses (I mean scriptures about Moses?) Moses was doing what? He led people through the parted Red Sea – yes to help the Israelites who were slaves of Pharaoh – “Let my people go!” – Moses had to take the “Israelites” out of Egypt – remember the wandering in the dessert – that was like 2/3 thru the movie – but wait – how did they get to Egypt in the first place? – Ohhhh, they got to Egypt because of Joseph – son of Jacob… Joseph got there from his brothers – even if they did bad things to Joseph.
Yes, SO, who is Joseph and why the coat? Well, the fancy ornate coat was a gift from his father – Jacob – because Jacob loved his son so much… I started to teach my friend about Jacob too – some of the things I have learned over the years – “remember Jacob had tricked his brother Esau and even put fuzzy skins on his arm to trick his aged father Isaac into thinking he was first born and got the inheritance?” My friend said: “He put fuzzy stuff on his arm?” I can see my friend’s face – and isn’t that how we pick up on some things – learning bits and pieces that stick to our heads as unique… Yes – God’s people then were unique and we are unique with our own stories today – Jacob tried to trick his father (and Jacob later got tricked by his father in law – but that’s a whole other story!).
Jacob was whom directly wrestled with God (and heard from Him) – wow – now my friend started to really be interested in this story! wrestled with God!!! YES – did you know that there were LOTS of people who wrestled with God like us – people whom God put into our history – people like Jacob who both mentally wrestled and physically wrestled with a man – who got a little beat – and then Jacob called out for a blessing – a gift – even to state that he won – and God touched his hip – and also said: *** from now own you will be called Israel – which means ‘wrestled with God’ – and that the whole of Israel will come from you – and salvation to your people – the people of Abraham, and of Isaac, your fathers – will come from your line… WOW! What a blessing for this Jacob – and what a blessing to speak to God, let alone have God speak back.
I myself have wrestled with God – maybe you too – and just like God gave me grace for not knowing even Him fully – which I humbly accept that He awoke me to learn more and more – Jacob did not see God until he was fully revealed to him after that wrestling – and I bet each time he felt that pain in the hip He remembered God physically and talked to God to praise Him before the other hip went out…
Early on we learn that Joseph could interpret dreams – his own and his families and others – he realized that God was actually sending/interpreting these dreams and telling the future of what would happen. It is not a surprise that Joseph respected God because his father respected God – or learned to respect him – Well the fancy coat didn’t help him interpret dreams – even if it was a fancy coat – but it did stir up jealousy between his brothers – and later we learn these 12 sons of Jacob become the 12 tribes of Israel – oldest to youngest: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph (which was split between his 2 sons) and Benjamin. These youngest 2 sons were treasured as their mother was Rachael – Jacob’s true love after being force to marry her sister – Jacob was forced to wait to marry Rachael – and so the last 2 sons Joseph and Benjamin were very precious to Jacob – born to him in his old age.
Scripture says: When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than the rest, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? rule us?” And hated him all the more, because of his dream. THEY PLOTTED TO KILL HIM.
“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it. They sat down to eat a meal, looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites (a whole other line of descendants) – these were merchants – camels loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the [merchants] and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. So when the merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Well, Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers – Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, “We found this. – Jacob recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” Then Jacob wept for him.
Meanwhile, the [merchants] sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, captain of the guard. Joseph was now in Egypt.
But The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted everything he owned to his care. – the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph.
THEN — a disagreement occurred with Potiphar’s wife – which we won’t read today – but it even involves another cloak/coat of Joseph – and let’s just say Joseph was wrongly accused of a crime and put into prison – (It’s a whole other story…).
Scripture says: But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
And Joseph continued to have the gift from God to interpret dreams – a cupholder and another (who served the Egyptian Pharaoh of the time) were put in prison and had dreams – and Joseph interpreted them – the cupholder was to return to Pharaoh and so Joseph asked the cupholder to plead his case for his release but the cupholder forgot – for 2 years or more he forgot – then Pharaoh himself had a dream – and that is when the cupholder remembered Joseph and they brought him out of prison – cleaned him up – and then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said that you can.”
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” JOSEPH ALWAYS POINTED TO GOD !!!!
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. 20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up. “In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.”
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows and the seven worthless heads of grain: They are seven years of famine.
God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine will be so severe. So now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. – collect all the food of these good years – and store up the grain, to be kept in the cities This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”
The plan seemed so good to Pharaoh and to all his officials that Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
AMAZING – And guess what – Joseph as discerning as God made him – stockpiled seven years of abundance before seven years of drought – then Joseph opened the storehouses and sold the grain in Egypt. Word got out, way up north of egypt that egypt had grain – told to Jacob (Joseph’s father who thought he was dead) – and didn’t Jacob send some of those brothers of Joseph down to buy grain… (except not youngest brother Benjamin whom they wanted their father to not be separated from).
They had to bow down to Joseph as a powerful ruler over them in their famine – JUST LIKE JOSEPH’S EARLY DREAM HAD PREDICTED – except these brothers did not recognize Joseph and wow Joseph’s heart skipped more than one beat – wow Joseph could hardly contain himself but he did – and he devised an unique way to test and question these brothers – and to both give them grain to eat and to get to see his beloved brother Benjamin – and eventually to see his father Jacob…
WOW – Joseph went from hated to VERY needed – could Joseph have refused his brothers? does bitterness help any situation? No – forgiveness is powerful. Forgiveness is MORE powerful than evil.
What an interesting tale there is of how Joseph got the brothers to bring down Benjamin and then their father – Jacob did not want Benjamin to go – and Judah – another son of Jacob who originally hated Joseph and cast him away became in a redemptive position by offering now to give up his own life just so that his youngest brother Benjamin wouldn’t be separated from their father. Remember Judah – remember that Judah was the tribe that settled in the land called Judah – from which Jesus was placed to be born – remember “what good can come out of Judah?” well – a Savior – God’s plan… (what comes out our our brokenness, like Judah’s broken repentances? Jesus…)…
Remember the scripture read at the beginning: “what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” So they said: “please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. – Joseph wept and those tears were surely years of tears.
His brothers threw themselves down before him, saying: “We are your slaves,” But Joseph said, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph and his brothers and their families – the tribes of Israel – flourished and multiplied – things didn’t stay good in Egypt and just a few generations down they needed Moses to get them out of Egypt from a later Pharaoh who knew nothing about Joseph and of the strength of God…but that worked out too… (we saw the end of that movie!).
We don’t hardly ever know how God works things out for us – but He does – And He does it in HIS way- not our way – God’s Way is higher than our way.
Here is a “simple-clear” example: my friend – did some major damage to her arm – or was in an accident – I don’t remember all the details – but I remember her working thru physical therapy and strengthening – strengthen thru trials…. Well she, a good God-fearing woman, she strengthened… It wasn’t until she had a serious car crash a few months later and broke/damaged her legs/knees/you name it – that she realized how USEFUL these now strong arms were – to lift her body when her legs didn’t work – she had a long recovery but thanked God for the previous trial to bring her to the ability to help herself recover for this worst thing. She trusted God – it was not a fun thing to be injured – but she trusted God and lived her life in that way.
And remember – we may not see this recovery – this mercy and repair – until we get to Heaven – we may not realize this complete recovery until we get in the Lord’s House forever – not ours now. We need to look BIG PICTURE and see that our trials and our thorns are avenues to trust God. We must forgive to be forgiven – I keep reminding myself of that too.
How painful it was for Joseph to have to hide his identity from his brothers until the time it was best to reveal it – how relieved he was to both see his brothers again – and especially his father. Joseph was able to see big picture and FORGIVE his brothers – God brought so much good out of it – and isn’t that Jesus’s story too – Jesus actually incorporated that rebellious human nature into His story –takes misguided folks – broken people – healing souls – and God brings us into His Kingdom, as Jesus as our Lord of Lords – all while being the servant.
Just like Jacob told his sons about his encounters with God and Joseph told MANY how God wanted to help – How do we speak about God? Do we tell people how He calms us (He surely does) – do we speak about prayer and blessings (not just luck)? Do we speak of God’s faithfulness? Of our trust? Of knowing He intervenes, He heals, and He keeps us calm especially because we know the “Rest of the Story ” ?
Faithful God holds us even stronger than we can hold onto Him. He gives us strong faith. He made us His favorite sons and daughters. Jesus wrote down this “backstory” because the Word is Himself –The Word was with God and is God. We know Jesus wants us to know and tell all stories about forgiveness. It Is IN His Blood.
It’s in His Blood.
Let us pray: Lord, You tell us these real stories, so we learn how others had faith and tolerated the bad times, and how You Lord got them out of a jam, or how You Lord are Majestic. Following You is the best plan !!!! We know God, You are faithful to us, we give testimony to Your Greatness – not boasting about our achievements or sensationalize our failures, but simply state YOU LORD are faithful, You God forgive, You Lord gives us hope and a light to follow. Let us keep talking about faith, because of Joseph we learn to look into the blessings over the trials.
Amen
People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell. Proverbs 11
Wisdom tells me that I can not walk alone through this life. Wisdom tells me that God’s been trying to tell us that forever. Why wouldn’t we WANT to walk with a God Who WANTS to walk with us? That’s an AMAZING aspect of life: God WANTS not only to HELP but to HEAL.
Please accept God’s Healing, even if you know it won’t come completely until Heaven. Accept the invitation first, wait and walk with Him to that destination, speaking of it all the Way.
Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.
Insight is not that God will wipe away mockers, but that He can build you up BIGGER, as in STRONGER, than they can tear you down.
Instruct the wise – by being wise yourself, setting a good example of listening to God, loving to even pain, moving forward in mud. Wash Clean in Living Water Ways. Be above the fray and the wise and the mockers alike will see you better, but don’t get clean to mock others. Accept it humbly. Don’t mock back at the mockers because that’s stooping down to their level. God has taught us to take the High Road.
If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you – that’s not in putting down others but rising up to move ahead.
Know your audience! Watchers are waiting for wisdom, wisdom can bolster near missteps back onto the good road.
Don’t mock the mocker because it becomes unwise. The sideshow will distract. “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you”…
Show others Whom you follow, the Lord, by Grace, Forgiveness, Compassion, and Insight and it stuns others… If you see others going down folly’s road, rebuke them, bring them the reminder to focus above… rebuke the wise and they will love you.
God’s Love will always Win because it already Won.
Be Wise and remember He Won.
Amen
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Proverbs 9
Invitations of Wisdom and Folly
Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city, “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
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To those who have no sense she says, “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.”
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Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.
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Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
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Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way, “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.
You may have thought that sun was the strawberry moon, red and able to see without protection for your eyes, but that was the sun behind all the smog, smoke blanketing the east coast from Canadian wildfires. WOW! I’ve never seen it so SMOKY, I think we forgot the days will come again to be crystal clear. We are in an apocalypse-fearing mode, and yet the smoke kinda smells good! Well, it didn’t deter the ice cream seekers like me and my work, enjoying the free ice cream truck, first time this summer each month. This is a perk which melts hearts faster than the ice cream. People love the ice cream truck! I got a Twix bar! I saw a friend with a Snickers smile – it really satisfied – the ice cream candy bar and the smile!
I love my ability to be goofy and take photos – but I am genuinely HAPPY to see people HAPPY. Simultaneously this day, I had the tremendous opportunity and pleasure again to meet one of our big bosses at work. She moved up the ranks and was seated at our site previously, so I’ve known her quite a while. She’s big business, very serious, but I know everyone appreciates appreciation. It might be intimidating for others to have her visit, but I got a big hug! I also got to take the photos! and I swooped in after my work-brother’s presentation in front of a department “work in progress” board – to get a great photo of smiles and getting a birthday handshake.
I like God’s timing. I just look for “photos ops”.
Let’s think about that sunshine in the smoke and dust, that sun is still shining. We may be waiting for the dust to clear, but remember ABOVE the dust is an unchanged sun. Ah… yes, remember always that above the fray of earthly life is the unchanged God. Remember our circumstances change, the crazy hardships and joyous moments are earthly and temporary – and God’s got eternity set for us above the fray. We must believe and focus THERE while acting HERE. The manager makes the weather, well God is the Owner and He made the earth, we are the managers of the earth, from Adam on… So, will we hide from understanding God, or embrace what we know and still share His Love? Keep Smiling!
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:2-10
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
A friend mentioned about another mutual friend that they were a square peg like themselves. I understood that – a square peg is not someone who fit into the mold of our perception of society, there was even a TV show in the 80’s called ‘Square Pegs’, aptly set in a high school where we have our worst experiences of realizing we are not the norm, and not the cool kids, and not always the this or that – square pegs in round holes. (and we shouldn’t try to conform to the detriment of who God made us to be.)
I replied: Maybe we square pegs only see the round holes around us that don’t make a perfect fit because that is all we see when we look worldly – But God has made a hole exactly the shape He wants us to be and to fit in – and God even changes the holes (He certainly moves them) just like He changes us. But He changes us for His World, not ours. (I can’t claim ownership to my wit as God feeds me these lines,I hope in encouragement, but I can claim life experience as a square peg). Yes I appreciate the square peg situation – however I did find my crew in high school after an awful time in middle school. I did find now that my crew is people here and there and not a square hold to fit my square peg because God has put me sometimes in this situation and sometimes in that one. Besides, you can’t turn or be turned in a square hole – and you shouldn’t try to be round and thread down to non-moving – your peg must be shaped by God’s Hands and purpose – shaped for placement NOT permanence.
Of course – God has created us His – in His Image – not in our skin forever – so He wants our square pegs or round people or anything to fade away – return to the dust – and just BE.
Moses asked God to remind us to gain wisdom, an excerpt of Psalm 90:
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.”
…Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
In the Proverbs (except from chapter 9): The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
I have both resigned to embrace my God-peg-ness (Here I am, Lord) even if I don’t always understand the shape my life takes – I do know that God continually says: in all circumstances embrace me celebrate me praise me and SHINE THE LIGHT OF ME. Fittingly the daily devotion from the Jesus Calling book yesterday stated: “I chose to pour My Light into you so you can be a beacon to others.” – and that is just it – we can’t be human world imagined pegs – we have to be God-beacon pegs because He has to wire us from within with the capacity to shine. If we even try to get ourselves into holes (round or square) – how could anyone see the Light from down there? We are placed in the world to be His Light.
Be His Light – Crave His Wisdom – Live your life for HIM…
AMEN
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“I Saw the Light” – Song by Hank Williams
. I wandered so aimless, life filed with sin I wouldn’t let my dear Savior in Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night Praise the Lord, I saw the light
. I saw the light, I saw the light No more darkness, no more night Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight Praise the Lord, I saw the light
. Just like a blind man, I wandered along Worries and fears I claimed for my own Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight Praise the Lord, I saw the light
. I saw the light, I saw the light No more darkness, no more night Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight Praise the Lord, I saw the light
. I was a fool to wander and stray For straight is the gate and narrow is the way Now I have traded the wrong for the right Praise the Lord, I saw the light
. I saw the light, I saw the light No more darkness, no more night Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight Praise the Lord, I saw the light
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I saw the light, I saw the light No more darkness, no more night Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight Praise the Lord, I saw the light
Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.
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Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. Choose my INSTRUCTION instead of silver, KNOWLEDGE rather than choice gold, for WISDOM is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
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“I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power. By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just; by me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth. I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. With me are riches and honor,.enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
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“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.
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“Now then, my children, listen to me, blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.”
It’s no doubt that Hotel California, by the rock band Eagles, is a great but haunting song with a firm message of once you check in “you can never leave”. It sings of a major warning and it’s a reminiscent warning of a too easy welcoming place that’s too easy to go there… Remember the warning and DON’T even check in. That’s a take home message in the Bible too, wide is the path of destruction…
Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
Warning Warning Warning- of wide open gates of disaster is advice you should heed… That’s how Proverbs 5 and 6 read… WARNING WARNING WARNING INDEED… Of course the whole book of Proverbs speaks of gaining wisdom, but as the writer spoke in the previous Proverbs, these warnings might be considered retro-wisdom of “Don’t do what I did”, wisdom sometimes a great cost, so try to learn from my mistakes. This is applicable to any hole you dig yourself into. And if you get caught in this wideness of destruction, yes pray God to release you, but also work work work to get out. “Consider the ant” – a reminder that the ant works constantly – and doesn’t require a boss or king to motivate it – consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
Yes, the warnings in these proverbs (in addition to the ones for hanging out with the bad crowd, which will drain your money time energy), are clear in pertaining to ANYTHING that can pull you away from the straight and narrow life that GOD calls you to: “At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, ‘How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors. And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.'”
The Proverbs 5 and 6 also speak of a bad crowd which may not see fault in itself, led astray by their own folly. We may not be doing all the proverb 5 and 6 activities, but even we can see (or not) when our own pride blinds us, when our self-indulgence fails us, when our sleeping on the job robs us of life… A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a thief.
Surely we can head these warnings by the wise writer – we can embrace our wisdom and ask for apologies… Even Jesus said no sin has overtaken that is uncommon. Even Jesus said God will provide a way out of temptations…
Well, we can checkout but never leave? Like Hotel California? NOT TRUE, because God wants to be our WAY out – yes our bags of life baggage have been unpacked, then thrown away when in repentance we find our Savior’s Rest and ask Him for the keys of forgiveness… Then and now, the next stop on our travels is anywhere we can continue to depend upon His lead…
You can checkout anytime you like, if you take our Savior’s lead.
Thank You Jesus for un-skipping our brokenness record…
Amen
Proverbs 5 NIV
Warning Against Adultery
My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say. Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel, lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another. At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors. And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.”
Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer – may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love. Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.
The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.
Proverbs 6
Warnings Against Folly
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go – to the point of exhaustion – and give your neighbor no rest! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest -and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart – he always stirs up conflict. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Warning Against Adultery
My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life, keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman. Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away. For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.
Proverbs 7 also speaks of staying away from the wide path of destruction. AVOID IT!!!
I talked to somebody at work just going on parental leave for 6 weeks – so happy for them – and thought then how distant for me, it seems forever ago that I had my children, even if they and I am still “young”. I know my mom says that same thing. “Where does the time go?” !!!!
Looking at my daily devotion book, we are nearly halfway through the year, ALREADY! Unfathomable.
My Facebook feed showed me memories of 10 years ago, my parents 50th wedding anniversary and party… (and I still have leftover gold plastic silverware thinking I will use it someday, haha). What a BLESSING of our parents and grandparents to us!!! Love my mom and dad!
And what about those kids 10 years ago and now? Time flies!!! Cherish the days, even the long days, as the years are short!!! My son just drove to work, my daughter is doing her own thing… Blessed to be watching them grow.
Solomon, wise Solomon, once said to his son: “For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. Then he taught me … Get wisdom, get understanding …. though it cost you all you have, get understanding.“
What classic advice straight from the Proverbs:
*”Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.”
**”The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”
*** And the best advice ever: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.“
We must keep track of living, not time. We must mark progress, not mark time. We should use up our wealth getting wise. And I should use up those golden pieces of silverware, give them away, there’s no reason I should let my kids pick up after me.
The best thing to leave your kids is the memories of spending time with them IN LOVE.
(And that’s the memory God wants with us too. Spending time not saving it.)
Amen
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Proverbs 4
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
The people who meet my mom say: “Oh, that explains your energy and personality, Debbie, now that I’ve met your mom!” The leaf doesn’t fall far from the tree, nor does the seed, so the leaf and the seed can study the successful growth of the tree. They can also remember they came from THAT starting point, way up there.
The lots in life… well, I am thankful for my family. Yes, us “leaves” from the tree SHOULD be talking about how we learned to live our lives, from where we were dropped or placed by our trees. Yes, we can choose to look up to the tree, maybe catch the wind and fly around, or look down to the ground and become mud. Some seeds are carried far far away – some are sheltered too much if they stay. Us “seeds” from the tree should be thankful for the growth we gained and where we are going and what we can do as trees now. I am thankful I fell from THIS tree – I am thankful for the Lord’s growth in me. And thankful to notice how He planted my roots into His stream.
Best statement of the day – my mom saw a book on “writing you life story” at the used booksale for a quarter – a cute little book – and when I asked: ‘Are you going to write your life story?’ She said: “If anyone wants to know they can just ask me – I would say; ‘It’s been fun!’, end of story”… yup.
It’s been fun – always fun with my mom…. BLESSED!
Appreciate the trees of our lives and learn how they root their lives. One of the commandments of the Law is Honor your mother and father – love them – listen – respect. God knows!
Amen
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1_1-3
You know TGIF! “Thank God it’s Friday!” – That applies when you like your job as well as when you don’t, because it’s the feeling of Friday with anticipation of Saturday, that motivates and encourages you, an opportunity to have a day or off, an opportunity to do “different hard work” like in the garden or around the house. (and WOW what a feeling if it is a 3 day weekend!) – It can be like TGIF is anticipation of any day before a day off, of vacation, of mental health repair, of sleeping in – or getting up early for adventure. TGIF is TGFTO is Thanking God for the Opportunity.
Ah, what about TGFJ, Thank God for Jesus. Or TGFF, Thank God for Forever. Or simply TGFCm, Thank God for Covering me. TGFPS, Thank God for Paths Straight.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Cover, coverage, containment and courage, those all come from freedom within God’s control. It’s like we can venture out to the world but appreciate God’s going ahead into our situations (making our paths straight) and carving out a safe space of His guidance out there. It’s mentally knowing that we may hit life rough spots, but they only give us traction to climb back into His embrace, His peace. His plan is planning for our next step forward, or simply to sit tight for a while and let the world change around us. Wisdom is waiting for God’s Go.
By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place…
It’s like last night I was overheated in 90 degrees, but too tired to care, went to sleep 10pm with a light sheet just to feel that comfort of cover. Then, with the window open overnight, the room has cooled comfortably even maybe chilly as the outside changed to 56 degrees. I have the warm fuzzy blanket as warmth and cover and I don’t feel like budging yet. That’s like God’s embrace in miniature, that’s when you know He has enveloped you more and more with the THICKNESS of His Love and Comfort, comfort in your mindset, warmth around you for safe rest. I think we need sleep because we need it from exhaustion plus we need it for overnight body repairs and mental care, and because we need to learn to get ourselves into a mental peace allowing sleep, we need to trust God. Best yet we have that warm fuzzy blanket close nearby for the change in the world (drop in the temperature), for life changes around us – but God never changes. We just know to draw closer. Best feeling ever.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. … have no fear of sudden disasters…
Best feeling ever: know God, know His Love, and draw ever closer to Him. Thank You Lord for this warm blanketed love I can take out into the world.
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.
God is infinity more than a blanket, more than a good pair of shoes or overcoat to venture out into the world. God’s Hope is infinity more than an overnight rest, God’s Love is perfect and applied regardless of the state of the person. Rain falls on the just and the unjust, so today we have the opportunity to say to God “Thank You Lord for the warmth” – “Thanks for the umbrella of embrace” – “Thank You Lord for Your Love.” BEST FEELING EVER.
Best feeling ever.
Amen
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*And please read Proverbs 3
Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. [and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child]
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.
By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you. Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Do not accuse anyone for no reason – when they have done you no harm.
Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame.
It is an easier path through life that is wrought.
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Be God’s and fear Him, Awesomely,
Desire Understanding, Wholeheartedly.
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The Righteous walk with the Lord, not the human flatterer,
How God deals with them is a whole other matter.
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Hide commandments in your heart.
Quiet Discretion will make you appear SMART.
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Side step all evil ways,
Instead Lord, only YOU we Praise.
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Worthy IS Your Word,
Wisdom calls out to be heard.
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WISDOM CALLS OUT TO BE HEARD.
Amen
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Proverbs 2 KJV
My son, if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments within thee, so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasure, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity, yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, discretion shall preserve thee, and understanding shall keep thee, to deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from men that speaketh froward things, who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice to do evil and delight in the frowardness of the wicked, whose ways are crooked and who are froward in their paths.
Wisdom will deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger, who flattereth with her words, who forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God; for her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. Thus thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it; but the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
I fell into a habit of leaning on my ears and eyes to discern God’s instructions on/in my life. But God doesn’t give like humans give, like the world gives. God gives in Godly Ways – and more immense in majesty. We need NOT to rely on our own senses but RELY ON OUR FAITH. We need to make prayers for discernment and apply the wisdom within. God opens the eyes and the ears OF THE HEART and THE HEAD to savoring His WISDOM.
It’s fitting after the Psalms to have the book of Proverbs. It’s instruction in PRAISE and PRAYER in Psalms, then more of praise and prayer plus BASIC LIVING INSTRUCTIONS in Proverbs.
Praise, then put praise and patience into practice.
We are to be looking to God first, living wisely thereafter.
Father David in many Psalms then Son Solomon in many Proverbs: Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
Looking to God’s wisdom, not the world, still while living in the world, Proverbs give instruction for Faith over Folly, Wisdom over Worldliness, and Fear of God over Forgetting God.
Solomon asked for the most important thing he could really use, WISDOM, not riches or long life. God gave generously all these to Solomon. Was Solomon perfect, not at all. Not at all. And after Solomon came the fractured kingdom of Israel, yet God continued to secure a remnant of the family line through hard years. Prophets made notes of God’s Word until THE WORD in Jesus came. All told, the world still needs wisdom now.
Our wisdom should tell us that God has instilled instructions inside of us, a Holy Spirit center in us pointing to Jesus growing, if we simply follow Him over the human heartaches of this world.
Down Down Down are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it. … “but whoever listens to me [God’s Wisdom] will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
Keep walking my friends, God’s got this. Keep listening to God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. God is working in us to REUNITE our Heart (guarded in love) and Head ( filled with knowledge of the Word). Let us know God’s assembly of these is for us to glorify Him.
Amen and please read
Proverbs 1
Purpose and Theme
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple [gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil], knowledge and discretion to the young – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance – for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools [morally deficient] despise wisdom and instruction.
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; cast lots with us; we will all share the loot” – my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood. How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it! These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.
Wisdom’s Rebuke
Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you – when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
“Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
Sure we try to balance things of His wishes and ours. Just like we try to balance work and home. We try to balance vacation and work time, we try to balance our budgets, we try to balance our actions. We don’t balance ourselves well enough, in our diets, our health, our time. So why would we be even better at balancing us and God, than God is with us. We compromise. And that’s what God gets from us too often: us in compromising situations that He did not ask for. He receives us trying to balance our relationship with Him – But God says NO. God says NO compromise, “NO CO”, because compromise is co-promise and God says “NO GO” – “No Co”. We compromise. God Completes. What God builds will stand, NOT what we make by ourselves. God wants us to kneel anyway, and that’s part of our PRAISE, to watch Him Work.
There’s only one Promise, not co-promises, no compromises, not give and take on our terms. There is One Promise, that’s Jesus. Life is in Jesus Himself.
There’s only ONE Word. Not words but The Word, that’s Jesus. Truth is Jesus Himself.
Life with wordy and worldly ways has less substance – sub-stance – a sub lower stance than standing on the Word. No meditation other than mediation IN the Word. There are no ways, only The Way, that’s Jesus. The Way is the Way of Jesus.
God created the world and He will crumble it, no compromise.
God formed the people and He will preserve His Children who look to Him, fear Him in awe and knowledge, and cling to Him over the World.
The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
God made the Law for the people of Moses, then He fulfilled it by Jesus and Jesus alone as sufficient sacrifice. God listens, and in His Name He grants not wishes as much as simply and sacredly continued walking with Him.
“No Co” means NO: no co-incidence with His Intention, no co-operation with His Operation. Our co-operation is not required for Him to get the job done. We are NOT Co-dependant upon each other, we are dependent upon Him. Co-existence is not required either, we exist because of Him, not vice versa. NO CO.
In all this, God DOES want us to be His Children, His Flock, His Flicker of Hope in His Light within us. His Gift of a Son Jesus, within His Own Will, is a Covenant and Promise, remembering our fragility of our humanness. Making a Way. Grace and Mercy are given freely and with FAITH, our faith in Him. Our FAITH is our FAMILY TRAIT to trust Him COMPLETELY, because in His Hands, we COMPLETE His Love for us.
The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.
God is Love, Be His.
He already Won, Let us Praise His Victory.
Amen
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God closes the book of Psalms (147, 148, 149, 150) with reminders of His Power and Our Praise. Please read and Praise these songs of the Word of God with His Own Praise.
Amen
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Psalm 147
Praise the Lord.
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How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
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The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
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The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.
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Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.
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He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.
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His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
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Extol the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your God, Zion. He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.
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He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws.
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Praise the Lord.
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Psalm 148
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;
Praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon;
Praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
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Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, and he established them for ever and ever – He issued a decree that will never pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children.
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Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart.
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Praise the Lord.
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Psalm 149
Praise the Lord
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
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Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.
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May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them— this is the glory of all his faithful people.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them…
To look at the box or not?
Why make a puzzle harder than it is?
I always look at the picture on the puzzle box but my mom does not. I like to know where to go – but she goes with the flow – Yes, the little colorful sections she does well – and I can’t say I do any better by looking at the box – but I think I do!
But life? Who envisioned this puzzle? I never want to go it alone. I know that God knows the box, the pieces and the fix. God looks at the Box – because He made it.
I want to be led by God – Why make life’s puzzle harder than it is!
Puzzle the Box, NOT. Listen to God.
Amen
—
Psalm 146
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Weary enough, the rest is appreciatively endeavored,
Especially when our nest is feathered.
*
Life may make us understand that we are totally tethered,
Especially when we count our days as surely measured.
Our existence is from being lovingly Fathered.
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In God’s Love, we are safe-harbored.
In Holy Spirit fashion, we are compassionately covered.
Into Jesus’s folds, we are forever gathered.
*
Life should not be flouted.
That life is a gift never doubted.
Sanctioned days is how life is structured.
*
Give thanks for when our lives are tested.
Give thanks for when our fate is rested.
Give thanks for Jesus made our salvation vested.
*
Life vested.
Life is Vested.
Live it.
AMEN
—-
David was pursued and tested, but God had his life-line vested. Beloved David was preserved, his family line forever-ed. because He praised and trusted God.
***** Psalm 145: PRAISE by David:
I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.
The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Lord, we ARE You people, the sheep of Your Pen. Thank You Lord for sending Your Holy Spirit to both awaken us and to open the ears of many many peoples, even of other flocks.
Your faithfulness does endure for generations, and we carry on Your Work, sharing the Good News that You came to save.
By Your Word, We share of You, not just because we love to hear You, and we do, we share because Your Spirit is alive, is True in our Light from Your Fire. Your Spirit enables the lighting and re-lighting of a Holy Fire within us to shine You, be more like You in humble servitude.
Jesus, strengthen us as we carry out Our Father’s Command to make Your sacrifice known, known to us and all thru this advocate upon which we rely. He, the Holy Spirit always testifies to You, Jesus, as Truth. May the people trust in You, Jesus, by Faith.
And may we remember dear Lord, our fallen brothers and sisters of all the ages, in Memorial Day style this weekend, by celebrating life bought at a cost. Yes, may we also remember that You Yourself laid down Your life for all your friends, for us, for eternal Freedom. In Faith Lord, we humbly ask Your forgiveness and blessings.
God Bless us Lord and God Bless America and God bless our Work FOR You.
My daughter was very very young, 21 years ago now, when I stopped to visit at my aunt and uncle’s house. They were thrilled to see her and me and it was WONDERFUL to spend the afternoon with them. Of course when it was time for a feeding, I asked my aunt: “Do you mind if I nurse her in the living room?” (As opposed to leaving for a back room) My aunt said so freely: “Go ahead. It ain’t nothin’ nobody’s not never seen before.” I still laugh at that, I can still hear her tone, her reassurance and her approval that nursing was of course natural and needed and everybody will adjust… not nothin’ nobody’s not never seen before.
Truly we do see stuff, normal and not, ALL the time. Private, privileged, personal or whatever. We choose to be shocked or not. Nursing shouldn’t shock anyone.
Recently, I was driving around my hometown with my grown-up son. We were on the college campus and I mentioned this building area and that, like a tour guide… Went down one road by the grass quad, then I remembered a day, a COLD day maybe 30 years ago now, when I was walking and there came a running: a STREAKER !!! A running bare-naked streaker! Whew! SHOCKING and we observers laughed and laughed and laughed. And it WAS COLD. Disbelief but not unheard of, not something we hadn’t seen on TV, but in person? Shockingly funny. STREAKING should shock, that’s why they do it. Maybe not nothin’ nobody’s not never seen before, but still surprising!
Many of us do like to remain anonymous for our foibles and follies. It’s kinda like buying unmentionables at the local store, there’s just embarrassing stuff. Unmentionable and wouldn’t you know it is the one time that an attendant wanted to check my stuff out when I wanted to use self checkout… geez. Or how about those drivers stopping by the side of the road… Or someone at the beach changing out of their suit “inconspicuously”… Oh well, shouldn’t be too shocking, not nothin’ nobody’s not never seen before. For us or them.
Attached is a screenshot of an amusing story: “Passengers traveling 1st class on British airways Boeing 747 were worried about a redesign which means some lavatories have windows. A woman traveling to New York complained there were no blinds. She was told by the stewardess: “Madam, if some pervert is clinging to the side of the aircraft at thirty five thousand feet they deserve to see everything.”… ” HAHA…
Well Who Whom, at 35,000 feet or as close as the inside of your own brain waves can look in to all your private stuff? Who Whom DOES see. Well, Who folded those brain folds – to write your story in anyway? Who made you? There is One to Whom you CAN NOT HIDE, nor should you.
Whose the One who DOES see everything? GOD!
Whose the One who KNOWS everything? GOD!
Whose not shocked by anything? GOD!
Who knows the unmentionables, and could mention them, but maybe doesn’t? GOD!
To Whom should we tell everything, anything or even nothing, because He knows it all anyway? GOD!
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
We should be open and authentic to God. He cares. He knows. Psalm 139 of David is our prayer to share. The key “ask” is for Him to lead us ‘in the way everlasting’.
Precious to Him is each of us.
Precious to us are His thoughts, more than the number of grains of sand. That IS shockingly Share Worthy.
GOD’S SEEN IT ALL, AND LOVES US ANYWAY. God sees it all and loves us ESPECIALLY.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
AMEN and Thank You
…
Thank You Lord, for telling us that You care,
and can not be anything but aware.
Flee from You? We do not dare,
of Your Majesty we MUST SHARE!
Amen
…
(PLEASE read Psalm 139 and know His Love)
…
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me close.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
One frustrating thing about living in the world is the constant distraction from focusing on things above. Then again, FOCUSING ON ABOVE puts us INTO the world because Jesus needs us here, God needs us sharing giving loving and showing all HIS LOVE. God says let go of the steering wheel and get off the side of the road. Get back to staying in the lanes. And don’t be afraid if the new roads God is taking you on haven’t been paved. Hold tight.
Focus on things above and you will see those God tethered electricity wires, like what trolleys or converted street cars have. Focus on running things inside off those sources of His Power, knowing where the engine has been put: under the hood, our hood. Focus on the road ahead and let the past go. Let go. Actually just go.
Focus on things above and find that peace only Jesus gives, because the world, however wonderful in friends and also fraught in frustration, won’t give you peace. It won’t.
Why groan and gripe and grip to ungodly grief? Return to remembering Who’s Running the show, Who’s Ruling the Roost, Whose Recording the Rules, Who’s Rendering the Rulings. God is.
God’s Righteous is by blood not by boast. He gave His All, we can add only our praise.
David knew this – “when I called, You answered” – saw God answer his grief, griping, groaning. They say if it’s tough going, then at least you are going. God didn’t promise you an earthly rose garden, but He promises to stick with you thru the thorns.
Keep going.
God, keep us going.
Amen
Psalm 138 Of David.
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame. When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.
May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed. May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me.
The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
History is real and God is telling us HIS-STORY. Endless times the Old Testament, especially the Psalms, written as songs, remind us of History and HIS-story, because the topics return to David, Moses, Jacob, and always to God’s faithfulness, throughout time. The Psalms speak of Jesus so much that it’s understandable that the people were thinking ahead. They were sharing past faithfulness and sharing future faithfulness… God was actively talking to the people through prophets and angels, as well as burning bushes and quiet whispers. Jesus was prophesied by His Own Word. The people needed saving and so God made a Way, Jesus’s Way. The people needed praising, so God made songs, the Psalms Way.
His Love Endures Forever. Why Love HIS STORY? Because HOPE lies in Jesus. His Love Endures Forever.
HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!!
AMEN
Psalm 132
Lord, remember David and all his self-denial. He swore an oath to the Lord, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: “I will not enter my house or go to my bed, I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar: “Let us go to his dwelling place, let us worship at his footstool, saying, ‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests be clothed with your righteousness; may your faithful people sing for joy.’”
For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed one.
The Lord swore an oath to David, a sure oath he will not revoke: “One of your own descendants I will place on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit n your throne for ever and ever.”
For the Lord has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling, saying, “This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it. I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food. I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.
“Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”
Psalm 134 NIV
Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 135
Praise the Lord.
Praise the name of the Lord; praise him, you servants of the Lord, you who minister in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.
I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn of people and animals. He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants. He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings — Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan—and he gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his people Israel.
Your name, Lord, endures forever, your renown, Lord, through all generations. For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
All you Israelites, praise the Lord; house of Aaron, praise the Lord; house of Levi, praise the Lord; you who fear him, praise the Lord. Praise be to the Lord from Zion, to him who dwells in Jerusalem.
FORGIVENESS power – by the walk of Jesus. POWER IN FORGIVENESS
LIGHT power – by the Light of Jesus. POWER IN THE LIGHT
HEALING power – by the blood of Jesus. POWER IN THE HEALING
HOPE power – in the return of Jesus. POWER IN THE HOPE
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POWER IN THE WORD, POWER IN THE WORD
Great PROMISE power – for the Healing of the Nations. POWER IN THE PROMISE
Great MOTIVATION power – for Heaven’s Hope. POWER IN THE POWER
HEAVEN’S HOPE is HELD WHOLEHEARTEDLY. POWER IN HEAVEN
Nothing is withheld by Jesus – the curtain is torn – our lives are reborn. POWER IN JESUS
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POWER IN THE WALK, POWER IN THE WALK
WALK IN LOVE
WALK IN LOVE
WALK IN LOVE
WALK IN LOVE
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POWER IN THE LORD
Amen
Paul to the Ephesians 5:1-21
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor.
But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let them not once be named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not befitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know: that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them, for it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Therefore He saith: “Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, be ye not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Uncloggedness is my term today for the mental ability to see things CLEARLY, even if they haven’t happened yet, or at least realize “God’s got this!”… Maybe I can’t see the clarity, but feel it HAS to come from God.
GOD”S GOT THIS!!!!!! CLOG CLEARING!!!!!!
I had some dreams of processing events that haven’t happened yet, might not happen. I invented my own stress of something I saw and PROJECTED stress forward – well I shouldn’t have. Be prepared for the future but not pre-determine it. Like the strong drain cleaner bottle says – it unclogs. Well, my dreams pre-processed events and helped get the worry out of my system – helped unclog a clearer path of KNOWING peace from perceived pain, knowing that “professional strength” of God will handle it and will handle me. We all need to be weaned of our “I’ll figure it out myself” self-dependent mental states, step back of any unwarranted freaking out, and allow ourselves to be calmed, to be contemplative if not content. Weaned babies won’t run to mom as 5 year olds to nurse into comfort, we shouldn’t be dependent upon others to take care of our needs in that way, but let God Himself show us big picture power. We need to sit quietly humble. . .
God takes care of the clogs. David saw moments of harmony and prosperity, for himself and for Israel, even if things went wrong again for Israel. but the forevermore will be unclogged someday. We ourselves can see clarity and uncloggedness in at least small windows of our lives today, brought on by trusting God. We must be realizing God helps us and our futures. David reminds: the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
Well, let us unclog and weaned ourselves of self-worry. God’s got this, and as yesterday’s “Jesus Calling” book entry so perfectly described: ‘your part is to trust Me, refusing to worry about anything.’
Be contemplative
Be calmed
Be contented
Be cleared
Be unclogged
Hope in the Lord – FOREVER!.
Amen
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Psalm 131 of David KJV
Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever.
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Psalm 133 NIV of David.
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
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Jesus Callingbook May 21, Sarah Young – written as if Jesus is speaking:
I, the Creator of the universe, am with you and for you. What more could you need? When you feel some lack, it is because you are not connecting with Me at a deep level. I offer ABUNDANT LIFE; your part is to trust Me, refusing to worry about anything. It is not so much adverse events that make you anxious as it is your thoughts about these events. Your mind engages in efforts to take control of a situation, to bring about the result you desire. Your thoughts close in on the problem like ravenous wolves. Determined to make things go your way, you forget that I am in charge of your life. The only remedy is to switch your focus from the problem to My Presence. Stop all your striving, and watch to see what I will do. I am the Lord!
My Facebook page memory photos reminded me of visiting, few years ago, with a group of church ladies who formed a Forward Look class long long time ago, some vintage aged then, some now 90ish, were movers and shakers in the church for years and years and their work paid for important things like roof repairs and refrigerators, dishes for funeral luncheons, and (for my benefit preveniently) a CD burner system for recording church services and concerts. These Forward Look ladies studied the Bible and shared the scriptures and prayed the people into blessings. The CDs could be shared with the homebound. I found that they found me – I was able to get sermons I had missed while busy with sunday school – get the crucial older sermons from a now friend when my ears started to open up (by God’s actions) and when my appetite for Him went thru the roof, 8 years ago now. I was able to gather some guidance – PREVIENIENTLY PLACED – at my fingertips… I still have my cds – music, sermons, SPIRIT… subsequently I copied these for others too… even put them up on Facebook, YouTube, etc… SHARE THE SPIRIT…
Amazing Previenient Grace. How sweet the prerecorded sound…
I also have another connection, I think in a tiny way I helped those many years prior to purchase it, in just a small way, with discussions with the ones who worked with them. I remember email chains, and well, I held some of the electronics magazines in my hands in that time period. Cool… Previenient. AND EVEN MAYBE simply purchasing cookies at their rummage sales helped – yeah cookies!
People often tell me: “well, I don’t need to get into a church building – I’m fine worshipping out in nature or in my own readings”… well, how can you Previeniently help others (or yourself) if you don’t go to where the people are? How can you get AND GIVE congregational benefits at home? Even homebound recieved visitors with the CDs and made the visitors feel fulfilled and needed… (and how can you eat church cookies if you don’t go?!!!) If you don’t like one set of cookies, try another, try some pie, there’s got to be a slice for you somewhere.
Well, I know these Forward Look ladies, through cookies, pies, sandwiches, rummage sales etc, used vintage things and recipes for gathering new money for new things, like that CD burner and oh yeah the roof. What’s more vintage old than PREVIENIENT GRACE? NOTHING. God put Himself into our lives on purpose. He came first. PREVIENIENT Grace is God getting us golden even before He starts polishing us.
GOD BLESSES. Pick up His Help.
Thanks ladies of Forward Look.
Amen, thank you Lord and Amen
…
One of my favorites: Psalm 127
A song of ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
I wrote this last year, it pertains to theme song a friend sent: “wondering in my wandering”…, if we focus on God, then the devil can’t get a foothold. I was thinking about this as I looked at the dashed road dividing line on the highway… If we follow Jesus, walk on the line, narrow walking, then the devil will fall off the side and can’t get a foothold into our lives…
This is edited from August:
A BIBLE STUDY LESSON I APPRECIATE: JESUS SAID MAN CAN RESIST THE TEMPTATION, CAN RESIST THE DEVIL. MAN CAN RESIST.. IT DOESN’T TAKE ONLY A GOD TO RESIST, BUT IT TAKES MAN LISTENING TO GOD TO RESIST.
We are specifically told to learn from the schemes of the devil to know how to resist him, by LISTENING to the Lord, being filled by His Spirit, then crediting the Lord with direction and our prosperity. Time and time again the devil wants you to rely on your knowledge, not depend upon the Lord. If you depend upon yourself, you will NEVER be satisfied. If you depend upon the Lord, the devil gets no foothold, and eventually will even have a hard time bending your ear. The devil makes you question even God. Remember, The Lord provides everything, food and direction, as He provided them to the Israelites in Moses’s time and to us, and God gets the credit.
Jesus said to the Devil (and of course to us), that man should live “by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. This was a direct quote from what was spoken to Moses. And Jesus being the Word, those are His Words. Jesus quoted often from Deuteronomy, written by Moses, the fifth book, of God’s Word.
Moses wrote: He [God] humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, [so] that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
If we cast our fears to the Lord, even in the midst of stress, we will catch onto what the Lord gives us as His direction, which is His Word. The more we read the Word, the more resources we have in our arsenal to resist the temptations, the more knowledge we have of His TRUTH.
It will eventually come down to us choosing the Lord or relying on ourselves to see us thru troubles and triumphs. Someone once said to me: “I wouldn’t want to be a sheep.” I wish then I had thought of this witty reply: “With a Shephard like Jesus, I wouldn’t want to be anything but His sheep in His Flock.”
Live by His Word. Step by step. Bite by bite. Breath by breath.
Amen
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Jesus and the devil
Matthew 4:1-11 (also in Luke 4)
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
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God speaking to Moses
Deuteronomy 8 NKJV
“Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you.
“Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.
“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
“And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.
There’s another aspect of Hannah’s story that I want to explore, the childlessness was bad enough emotionally, because culturally having children was important, not just personally. And economically and practically it was important for an aging parent to have children to take care of them. There’s another woman in the beginning of this story, a woman who taunts Hannah for not having children, and this is a sinful GLOAT. That woman has many children, but the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb (for the time being). Hannah wept from the taunting – and did not eat. If we take another take home message from this story, it is not to GLOAT over any gift God has given you. We should not GLOAT over our gifts, we should be thankful. Like our salvation, we should remember that ALL good things are from the Lord – even sleep – even children – not from us – a gift… the other wife taunted even though she did have the gift of children… so sad…
Psalm 127 reminds us:
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
1 Samuel 1 – New King James Version The Family of Elkanah Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb. And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.
Hannah’s Vow Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.” Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Samuel Is Born and Dedicated Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”
Still Here, Still Protected, Still the Lord’s people…
“so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.”
After I have series of serious busyness and travel and whatever, it’s so good to rest, and especially return to the Word. This day’s Psalms 124, 125, 126. Whenever it speaks of Israel, we too can think of us ourselves as a remnant of Israel, a scattered flock, Gentiles and Jews alike, still being held by God’s Hands.
Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy,…
My friend gave me the identification of a new plant I bought just from the description, a plant which I’ve had before, maybe 30 years ago, succulent like but easy growing, purple and green, he reminded me that it was a “wandering jew” – oh yeah – and my latest greenhouse visit confirmed that, I had bought a plant that I was comfortable with from past experience – and the name wandering jew is fitting for we all wander and wander until we realize that we should WONDER and WONDER at God’s ability and eagerness and proven track record to bring us through our own wilderness ESCAPE. Wandering, like the plant, can be too easy to fall back into. WONDERING has to be our norm. Wandering jew plants need watering, WONDERING people ARE watered..
Ancient Jews/Israelites had attacks by external enemies and downtimes caused by their internal folly, the Psalms were songs to remind them that God got them thru, gets them thru, will get them thru. We have to read these Psalms in future tense too – past, current and future.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Springtime is a great reminder for Rebirth and rework and rewards. I often wonder how amazing I am still here, counting blessings in the present, that I got past the painful aspects of the past gratefully, and that I am thankfully looking forward to the future. In all God was both present and preparing me for my journeys, and keeping me STILL HERE. Wherever we are, let us remember we are ALWAYS in Your Love
THANKS LORD!
LESS WANDERING, MORE WONDERING!
AMEN
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Psalm 124
If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say— if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.
Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
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Psalm 125
A song of ascents.
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.
The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil.
Lord, do good to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart. But those who turn to crooked ways the Lord will banish with the evildoers.
Peace be on Israel.
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Psalm 126
A song of ascents.
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
After sending this to a friend, she sent me a link to a song (I had never heard) – so perfect for this devotion – “I Wonder as I Wander” – which her mom used to sing to her – it was a sweet memory for her – I am so glad the Lord does that -connect on many levels that are not of our doing – the Lord does that and He IS a wonder – a marvelous wonder…. here is the song link with lyrics: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=iJO6nH7fL2A
(Sermon brief: Hannah cried out to God – and Samuel was a gift from God whom Hannah gave back over TO God – and continued to visit him – love him… And other mothers and all of us can also know that reaching to God and praying to God and dedicating our desires to God is best – He is a loving God – Jesus also a loving God to Him Mom and to all of us.)
I had such a busy week and this sermon was flying around my head and even though I couldn’t write it down in entirety until recently, I felt God had me covered. Covered in topic and direction. Covered in peace and love. Covered in His scriptures for sharing – because His Word is Him. So Lord – please help me make these Your Words and not mine – open our ears and help us all see the love You have for us – and help us in our praise to love You for Your direction in our lives.
I praise God for my Mom – and my Dad of course – and I have to remember how my Mom always did (and still does) “cover me” – first in her womb – and she has covered me with love and dedication – covered for me when I needed extra cash – covered for me when I needed childcare – even driving 5 hours with my dad to see their new grandson for just an hour and later routinely for a couple nights of staying with her grandkids – and she always has Christmas “covered” by pre-wrapping gifts and sending them with me at thanksgiving time so that Christmas morning is “covered” in extra wow and extra love… covered…
My dad always and especially before He passed would say: “Take care of your mother.” And I am sure that the Lord has always said that to us too. And I want to give compassion today to those who have lost their mothers from the earth but not from their hearts – as their moms will always be with them with us – hugs also to those who have had static or non-existent relationships with their moms – and those moms separated from their children in any way – I pray them all and you all some peace this mother’s day. I pray God has double portioned up extra love for you with grandma’s and aunt’s, grandpa’s and uncles, and family friends and others who love on you (and for you to love).
We in God are covered under double portion (and more) of LOVE. Double portion was a term used in the story of Hannah – the mother of very crucially important Samuel, who grew up in the temple to go out to the world as a prophet and man of God. God covered Hannah with love even as she had to wait to experience motherhood. See, God knew how it would work out, He initially had “closed Hannah’s womb”, she was so sad and yet so beloved, that her husband would give her double portion of food. She was actually taunted for being childless, like when people pick on you for your one most lacking thing because they know it hurts you… not taunted by her husband, but by her husband’s other wife (yes, that was just how that family was) – taunted by this woman who had many children – and this made Hannah so sad that she refused to eat – she cried out to the Lord “in bitterness of soul”,(isn’t that a real feeling – of real pain that God allows us to feel and hopes that we turn to Him and not retaliation or worse) – and [Hannah] prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life,”
We too can ask the Lord for what we are lacking – and we too can find solace in our Lord’s love and peace, His faithfulness and forgiveness, His plan and purpose. Hannah’s motherhood WAS being saved for special timing and purpose in mothering a baby boy that she then promised and did give up – more like give over to God. So we learn in the scripture readings that Hannah prayed to God, went to the high temple, prayed in front of Eli the priest (who thought she was crazy drunk seeing her lips moving without sound), but we know she pledged to dedicate her son to God if she was able to bear him. Eli essentially said “I hope you get what honors God” – she did.
Hannah did get to be a mother and she did get to keep Samuel until he was weaned, which was probably until he was 5 years old or so. She dedicated him, brought him up to the temple where the priest Eli then was charged by God to raise young Samuel in the house of the Lord. Samuel was so very much chosen by God – to be the prophet child of God that told Eli of his family’s future – to tell of the Kingdom’s future – to later pick and unpick leaders in King Saul and King David – and to reconcile Saul, who had gone wrong, reconcile him to God after God “unpicked him” as the lineage for the Kingdom which was given over to King David – a lineage that led to Jesus as forever King. (I encourage you to look at the Old Testament scriptures that tell a great story of Abraham to Jacob to Moses to David to Jesus. Which were told to Samuel)
Let us listen to some of Hannah’s song prayer: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.”
Hannah was a mother and she had a mothering spirit – giving up of her own desires and walking with the Lord – keeping her promise. Acknowledging her mission, she didn’t walk away from the hardship of leaving her son – and NO, she did not abandon her son, no, she loved him so very much and she visited him each year when their family made the annual pilgrimage for sacrifice. Hannah made and brought Samuel a new robe to cover him. Oh, how I often wonder did Samuel remember his mom, her smell, her love, by touching the robe that his mom made – and how often did Samuel remember that he was a gift to the Lord. – His Mother had him covered both materially – and maternally – and majestically – and Samuel surely learned the love of God from his mother – that God was blessing them – that God Almighty covered them in purpose.
God Almighty also heard Priest Eli’s prayers about Hannah’s devotional act, on one of those many trips up to worship and to bring Samuel a new robe. Eli asked God to bless Hannah and her husband – and God provided more than a double portion with more children, actually 5 more! Eli said to Hannah’s husband: “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the Lord.” ,,, The Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
This statement struck me: The loan that was given to the Lord – but in truth aren’t all our children a loan FROM the Lord? Our blessing and privilege to raise them – or help raise – like my aunts and uncles did – our teachers – our neighbors – our friends – and we can do these loving acts for others – be mothering and fathering figures…. That is truly when you bless but do not expect something in return – you have to let that child be themselves and live their lives not yours. And don’t we also need to remember to turn our worries about our children over to the Lord? If there is something that I can cover my children with – better than warm jacket for my college kid or a safe Subaru for my new driver – better even than my hugs (or my money) – better than anything else: I can cover them withprayers – and ask for them to be covered with God’s grace and mercy and love.
This is a side story – but relevant – I remember one day I went to traffic court – to appeal a traffic ticket – (don’t judge me – and really the light was green to yellow as I went around that corner – NOT red but barely starting yellow) – well – even the police officer seemed to encourage me going to court to fight the ticket – to not get points and only pay money – (its only money right?) Well so at court the police officer weirdly bargained that bargain for me – and while I was waiting I was humbled to complain less, humbled for my placement because God had a plan for me that day – a small one but I totally saw God’s hand in it – totally – I was waiting for my turn with the judge and there was a whole family there – grandpa, mom and dad and other siblings – and there was a 4 year old and he and I struck up a conversation about all the superhero toys he had – old and new – like for 10 minutes or more – I was the substitute babysitter mom of the moment and I saw (and can still see) this family circling their wagons – pulling themselves into a deep conversation about their teenager driver who may have had an alcohol-related driving incident – I couldn’t really know – totally not my place to know – but I knew God for these few minutes had a plan for me as “a mom educated in superheroes “ – to be in the moment to simply play with these action figures and distract and interact with this little boy in a crowded stress-filled waiting room where no one wanted to be – me neither until that very moment. I wouldn’t have traded that ticket for freedom as I thought of Batman as my example of God’s tools given to us to work on a situation – Batman was not a super hero with powers but with tools and a mission – and that is how we should be – so I paid my fine and I had to be fine with that – it is not my intent to speak of “my good deed of the day” but of God’s provisions of my time – Yes, for Him to put me where He needed me. Really God is our superhero with no need for a cape but He covered that situation in supreme fashion. Really, our blessings of opportunities to interact and pray for God’s collective children. We are to carry a mothering or fathering spirit wherever and whenever God needs us – because each and every person (young and old) is God’s child.
Back to finishing the story of Hannah – for her dedication to God – this dedication must have been on the minds of 2 particular women whom we have often learned about – especially at Christmas – more examples for this Mother’s Day from scripture of dedicated moms – we have Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist and her cousin Mary – the teenager mother of our Lord Jesus. I love to hear of their dedication – knowing that God did not chose an easy path for them as moms but a certain one for all of us – and they knew their sons’ lives had to be dedicated to The Lord. Revealed especially because the Lord God had already chosen them to be in His Plan. Listen to this statement by Mary, a good life-verse to aspire to: “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” Mary sang – recorded later by Luke – and isn’t this so very similar to Hannah’s song:
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things,..”
How we appreciate mothers – Jesus did too – Jesus was first known to any human – revealed inside His Mom…. Mary felt Him grow in her as a baby and as her Lord – Mary learned about the Holy Spirit thru her carrying our Lord – she was greeted by her cousin Elizabeth and the second and third people to know Jesus in the flesh were Elizabeth and John as a babe inside her whom leaped in excitement. These mothers had to both rejoice and take the pre-told opportunity to devote themselves and their sons to the Lord.
Elizabeth spoke: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
We know Elizabeth and Mary as mothers who also had to endure hardship and loss – and so sad for mothers around us whom also do – we pray them God’s peace. We remember Mary and Jesus’s brothers also thought they lost Jesus to some crazy movement – thought Jesus was going rouge speaking about Himself and the kingdom and asking Him to leave a volatile environment. We remember Mary was there when Jesus was taken away – and when he was crucified – such unfathomable pain pre-told to Mary by Simeon in the temple when Jesus was only days old. Mary held that in her heart until it really happened.
Jesus as God – understood and understands – Jesus said of Jerusalem: how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings… yes Jesus came to earth for such a short time and had to leave all of His whole set of disciples, His brothers and sisters and His mother to the immediate future on earth without Him right there in the flesh – but He had them “covered” and instructed them to wait for the Holy Spirit…. They were covered as we could be and are covered with the Spirit.
and Jesus knew His biggest cloaking and covering forever was bigger than anything anyone could imagine – in that in His blood, His righteousness did and would cloak over our sins. Samuel grew and needed and received a new robe each year – made by His mother. Jesus by His love covers us anew and FOREVER – not just for each year but each day – each moment. Covered in Forgiveness and LOVE.
On the cross When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple standing by whom He loved, He said unto His mother, “Woman, behold thy son!” Then said He to the disciple, John, “Behold thy mother!” And from that hour, John took her unto his own home. Yes – Jesus gave His mother over to John and John to His mother – reassigned (temporarily reassigned since earth is temporary anyway) the physicalness of the earthly mothering and being a son to her mothering. Jesus made sure they were both covered – able to be physically reassuring each other. Jesus is the cover of LOVE that God intended for us too – and did God have to give up something too? – Well, yes – imagine that He could console Hannah giving over Samuel because God understood and MADE the plan – a plan to give OVER His own Son for all our sins – to allow Him and us to spend eternity together – God and all the rest of His children.
Let us pray: Lord – we are so aware that Mothers are so important in our own lives and in our scriptural history – God Almighty you chose to give Your children a survival mechanism by making us within our mothers and into a family’s love –
You God Almighty created our inmost beings – knit us together in our mother’s wombs – we praise you as we are fearfully and wonderfully made; as Psalm 139 reminds us – Your works are wonderful, all the days ordained for us were written in your book before one of them came to be
God You Are Love and You chose to surround all Your children in love – we praise Mothers and always we THANK YOU and praise Your Precious Love.
Amen
1 Samuel 1 – New King James Version
The Family of Elkanah
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although the Lord had closed her womb. And her rival also provoked her severely, to make her miserable, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it was, year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, that she provoked her; therefore she wept and did not eat.
Hannah’s Vow
Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
And it happened, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put your wine away from you!” But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.” Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.” And she said, “Let your maidservant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever.” So Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord establish His word.” Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there.
…
1 Samuel 2 excerpts New King James Version
Hannah’s Prayer
And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. “No one is holy like the Lord, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God. “Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.
“The bows of the mighty men are broken, And those who stumbled are girded with strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, And the hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble.
“The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory.
“For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He has set the world upon them. He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. “For by strength no man shall prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.” Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.
…
Samuel’s Childhood Ministry
But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home. And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
Psalm 123
—-
The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
My opportunity to take a trip allowed me to see new sights, but what caught my eye the most were the flowers, the people, the opportunity to simply “be”… There are many moments too that I was trying to fill my own agenda, but prayed: Oh Lord, let me follow Yours. It’s difficult to explain the level of pride we (I) experience living our lives… Really I am ranking myself as still having times of worst pride of my expectations of what I think I should know, of what I think I should be getting out of a situation, of what my take home message would be of myself, of what I should be able to see as my lemonade moments even if it wasn’t even given lemons or wasn’t given sugar.
Yes, often I do have a high expectation of the results that comes from MY direction of MY time, and that can get me in trouble feeling defeated without MY results, because I forgot my time is God’s time. It may not appear always that I struggle with my “pride stride”, or maybe it is super clear that I do, but either way, what I do know is that we all do. We don’t always visually experience or appreciate God’s purpose over ours but that’s nothing new, God knows people are people. (Imagine if we took His Stride, over ours, imagine the length of distance we would travel!!!!) Jesus wants to be our DIRECTOR – moment by moment in a sometimes slow churn – not with an instant quick result.
Really, here’s the question: how does ego/pride balance with humbleness and obeying? I don’t have a “pat” answer, but I know it is better to give God the Glory. How often do we keep letting pride get in the way, like “SHOW me, Lord” – demanding: “Show ME!” of my purpose and my results – “Show ME” because I DESERVE to understand my purpose – well, NO… We need to let God be God. He knows.
I saw some cool old butter churns, collected by my friend on her windowsill. How we often forget that it IS best to be part of a slow churn of God’s cream into His best butter – get into a deliberate churching and learning and being lead and often swirled by the paddles of His Churn. We (I especially) have to remember that sometimes God needs me (us) to slow down to a steady pace and let Him get His results out of our lives. Sometimes God whips our lives into fluffy whipped cream and sometimes into salty butter, whichever fits the moment. Yes, it is up to what God wants to serve at that moment. Remember God IS the bread of life, broken and shared with us.
God can let us see more of His purpose in each moment, or not. God “spreads us” in His Way. That’s my “pat” answer, be His butter on the bread of life, warm, salty, and sweet.
Let’s be churning in life with Him.
Amen
…
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. Psalm 127:1
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Psalm 128:1-2
I’m copiously reading a lot of scriptures about the Lord protecting us – there ARE a lot of scriptures reminding us how He will protect us… about all HIS ways to comfort us so that we can comfort others…
As ALWAYS, I’m ALWAYS singing… in the car, in the store, in the church, in the nursing home, and especially in my head – with or without the earbuds – music that comes out of your ears provides your mental tabernacle of sanctuary, an ever-expanding sanctuary to feel the PEACE of the Lord. After singing in band on Sunday my memory will resonate like a bell those very special catchy verses that the Lord has laid on my heart. These verses are for the past and surely they are for the present and they definitely are for the future when we will continue to walk with the Lord.
I think music is one of the biggest gifts ever – even when people are physically or emotionally in the deepest worst places, there still can be a song in our heads bursting or seeping out of our hearts… It doesn’t matter the depth of human intelligence or the languages that we speak, because music is universal… We have soothing songs in our dreams when we sleep, we have songs of heartache to keep us company in bad times, and we have songs of sheer JOY…
If God has taken care of the littlest birds with songs of joy, sorrow, and warning, then surely He will take care of us! (Matthew 6)
We have songs to sing about mercy, love and SALVATION…
With all the hardships thru the ages, thousands and thousands of years, music has continued to delight and direct us – and it must be because the Lord wants to hear us in a state of trying to find BLISS – to be in an active state of BEING STILL – and to be soothing ourselves (psalm 131) calming and quieting ourselves by trusting the Lord – knowing He is present – to be content in ourselves…
This state of looking for comfort is so that we are able to be comforting others (2 Corinthians 1)… and when we look at others we can be grateful for our blessings…
It all means we believe in HOPE…
There’s a TRUE JOY, that we have HOPE…
The JOY of music is the JOY of Hope…
“Put your hope in the Lord now and forever more”…
Amen
Psalm 131 My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.
Psalm 136:7-8
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you,Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
P.S. I Bow My Heart to Sing, 19JAN
Of the praise songs we sing in church, this is probably one of the best lines – from this Paul Baloche song Your Mercy: “I bow my heart to sing” – bow my heart – how could I not?
God gives us Mercy and He blesses us. We are called by God to know we have received God’s mercy. We are called by that and know that He loves us!
Two by Two the Lord sends us out to minister and to witness and to have someone who sees what happens when we work in Jesus’s name and love, we are sent together to have someone who confirms our story.
Thru YouTube, I met singer and dynamic spiritual-cajoler Keith Green. I knew a couple of his early 80s songs for praise band, I didn’t know his story. I learned. YouTube. Now that’s a blessing!!! Keith’s story is both very different and very similar – a gift of mental pairing for me. The story is different in his upbringing – the story is the same in God’s “SNAP” call.
Independently, the Lord calls on each of us to realize our status as children of God. Keith Green says God has children, not Grandchildren – meaning that young folks – each person – will have to hear their own call, understand for themselves, not ride in on coat-tails…
Yes, our jobs are to keep encouraging new children of God to find Jesus.
Keith and I have shared experiences of questioning, learning, knowing. Yes, Jesus is patiently waiting for us to follow Him. Receive Him AND Follow Him, two stages. Keith is a pair to my witness, Keith would understand me, understand that SNAP of when we knew and acknowledged Jesus as Savior AND Lord. Yes, in this interview Keith states that he knew Jesus but then later when he acknowledged JESUS AS LORD, OH SNAP, it all came together… God wants commitment…
Keith’s testimony (discussed in this 1st YouTube video) and mine are 40 years separated by time, but God crosses all distances and medias. I understand that testimony.
Keith talks about Jesus to the viewing audience kids in his 1982 appearance on the television boob tube (those are his words in the second video link) that he knows how 70’s crazy he looks to mainstream American people, that he knows what becoming a fool for Christ looks like. And so with Keith’s charismatic ways, naturally, God found a use for him and his style. God crosses all distances and media to reach people.
I’m blessed to know that when you know the Lord and WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH, the Lord will snap you in. Born again. I pray that you know Him too. To give up your life to the Lord is to gain His life for you.
Keith Green would understand me and I him, oh that conversation, oh that SNAP. Just before the 10 minute mark on the first video, Keith speaks of how it was 2 years of Him praying to Jesus before he actually worshiped and followed Jesus – you have to be led and accept Jesus’s lead in order to be saved… at the 12minute 45 sec mark, Keith said he knew Jesus was real because He was the one God changed – a mountain could have skipped into the sea – but if God changed him then wow, that is how he knew.
Love these 2 videos – it’s the unplugged speaking at the piano testimony which is more important than the music…. I’m thankful for YouTube history… I’m so thankful to the Lord for being true thru the ages. Calling His Children.
Amen
“Keith Green 1982 100 Huntley Street TV 01 Keith’s Testimony” on YouTube
What kind of music is God playing for your theme song at this moment?…
Perhaps He’s playing the Rocky theme and you need to get-up-and-get back in the game knowing He is giving you the strength.
Perhaps He’s playing that calliope instrument and life is bubbly and fun and filled with joy.
Perhaps it’s a great organ playing Count Dracula scary suspense music and Lord knows where the dark shadows lie in your life…
Perhaps He’s playing the Jeopardy theme song and is waiting for you to make a decision of the answer you’re going to give Him.
Perhaps it’s a Weird Al parody – and your life is seemingly filled with goofballs, but you still have to deal with it all…
Perhaps it’s a vast Broadway chorus and you are in the show-stopper biggest most intense moment of your life…
Perhaps it’s quiet – but you still hear the clock ticking… Perhaps God is telling you to stop marking time… perhaps God is telling you to start making time…
Perhaps God is singing you a lullaby, gently telling you to rest in Him…
Perhaps it’s time for you to be quiet and not hear music, just hear Peace…
In the plaques at a local 911 memorial, I noticed the AGES for the fallen firemen, police, and Port Authority officers… nearly all these ages were my age or younger… So many people not even in their prime… Wow this made me the most sad to know these lives were lost so young… I know they served so bravely and did so much in their short time on earth… God bless their souls…
And I pray that God took all 3000 up into heaven, no questions asked… I KNOW it doesn’t work that way but I prayed anyway that God found a loophole for the non-believers too, that He convinced them last minute, and let them in… Maybe, just maybe…
So this song is cool – I heard the lyrics about singing and since I was REALLY thinking about the people on 911 and I pray that each “found the savior” as the buildings collapsed, I appreciated these lyrics: “And as the chorus grew – A thousand hearts beat true – Then like a glowing beacon in the dark – Hope came shining through”
and l love the lyrics that touch my story too – “and choirs sung high – grant her new life – make me a vessel – of conquerous grace -music has shown her the way – she lived today”
cool cool cool – God is good in harmonizing my thoughts and times – and I praise that “I LIVED TODAY”
Hymn of A Thousand Voices Dream Theater
Out of the shadows One by one they came To shed their light upon his moment Of doubt and pain
A thousand voices Ring out through the night A symphony of mercy for their savior Too tired to fight
And as the chorus grew A thousand hearts beat true Then like a glowing beacon in the dark Hope came shining through Shining through Shining through
Amazingly The savior found his voice And all together they rejoiced
Glorious sound Guide her tonight Out of the darkness Into the light
Merciful song Set her soul free Unbind the chains Of endless sleep
Choirs sung high Grant her new life
Make me a vessel Of conquerous grace Music has shown her the way She lived today
I was driving listening to one of my favorite artists, Steven Wilson, an old band of his, Blackfield, and next up was “End of the World.” Love the song no matter the lyrics, half of which I don’t know. I listened and thought about the goal of my sharing God’s praises is to explain that we are going to the end of the world – and then continue… yeah, no one doesn’t continue, it is more about what we will do when we get there. Eternal with? Or Eternal without? Choose Jesus, my friends. Eternal with…
Next car license plate in traffic was eerie timing: “EOTW”… how could I not spell that out… “End of the World”. Freaky Freakish timing, while I sang End of the World… freaky except we ALWAYS have the option and opportunity to ask God: “What’s up with that???!!!”- sometimes the answer is “stop being distracted by the world, it’s going to end anyway!”
Maybe people use ‘the end of the world’ as a scare tactic, but God wouldn’t… Maybe God would use a ‘snare’ tactic instead of a scare tactic. God’s snare makes us aware, able to go over the “end” of the world and into what comes next… And (reading Revelation) won’t we get to watch 1000 years millennium of the world from the non-cheap seats? Yeah… We get to praise forever… Yeah, we are not to fear EOTW but hear: POTL Praise of the Lord, and know: TOTLEFE Truth of the Lord endureth for ever…
Psalm 117 is short and to the point: “O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.” Psalm 118 is longer. And Psalm 119 is the longest! But the long and short of our lives is we’ve got more days to praise ahead of us than we had behind… for EVER.
So don’t fear the end of the world, but do warn, teach, cajole, love and explore with people all their options, asking them to Go With Jesus. GWJ.
“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for His Mercy Endureth For Ever.”
HMEFE yes!
Amen
AMEN!
…
Psalm 118-119
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.”
5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. 6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. 10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.
15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! 16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” 17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. 18 The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. 19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.
25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. 27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 119
א Aleph
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart— 3 they do no wrong but follow his ways. 4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. 8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
ב Beth
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
ג Gimel
17 Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word. 18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. 19 I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. 20 My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. 21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from your commands. 22 Remove from me their scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. 23 Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. 24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
ד Daleth
25 I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. 26 I gave an account of my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. 27 Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. 28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. 29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law. 30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. 31 I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.
ה He
33 Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. 34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. 36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. 37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. 38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. 39 Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. 40 How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life.
ו Waw
41 May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise; 42 then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. 44 I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. 45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. 46 I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, 47 for I delight in your commands because I love them. 48 I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.
ז Zayin
49 Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. 50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. 51 The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law. 52 I remember, Lord, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them. 53 Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law. 54 Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge. 55 In the night, Lord, I remember your name, that I may keep your law. 56 This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.
ח Heth
57 You are my portion, Lord; I have promised to obey your words. 58 I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. 59 I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes. 60 I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands. 61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law. 62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws. 63 I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts. 64 The earth is filled with your love, Lord; teach me your decrees.
ט Teth
65 Do good to your servant according to your word, Lord. 66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. 68 You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. 69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. 70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. 71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. 72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
י Yodh
73 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. 74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word. 75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. 77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. 78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts. 79 May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes. 80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.
כ Kaph
81 My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word. 82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, “When will you comfort me?” 83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees. 84 How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors? 85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me, contrary to your law. 86 All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for I am being persecuted without cause. 87 They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. 88 In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth.
ל Lamedh
89 Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. 90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. 91 Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. 92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. 93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. 94 Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. 95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. 96 To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.
מ Mem
97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98 Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. 101 I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. 102 I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
נ Nun
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. 106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. 107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, Lord, according to your word. 108 Accept, Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. 109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. 110 The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. 111 Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.
ס Samekh
113 I hate double-minded people, but I love your law. 114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. 115 Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! 116 Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. 117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees. 118 You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their delusions come to nothing. 119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes. 120 My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.
ע Ayin
121 I have done what is righteous and just; do not leave me to my oppressors. 122 Ensure your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. 123 My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise. 124 Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. 125 I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. 126 It is time for you to act, Lord; your law is being broken. 127 Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, 128 and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.
פ Pe
129 Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. 130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 131 I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. 132 Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. 133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. 134 Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts. 135 Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. 136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.
צ Tsadhe
137 You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are right. 138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. 139 My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. 140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. 141 Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. 142 Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. 143 Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight. 144 Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.
ק Qoph
145 I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord, and I will obey your decrees. 146 I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statutes. 147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. 148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. 149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, Lord, according to your laws. 150 Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law. 151 Yet you are near, Lord, and all your commands are true. 152 Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.
ר Resh
153 Look on my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law. 154 Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise. 155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees. 156 Your compassion, Lord, is great; preserve my life according to your laws. 157 Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes. 158 I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word. 159 See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love. 160 All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.
ש Sin and Shin
161 Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word. 162 I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. 163 I hate and detest falsehood but I love your law. 164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. 165 Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. 166 I wait for your salvation, Lord, and I follow your commands. 167 I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. 168 I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you.
ת Taw
169 May my cry come before you, Lord; give me understanding according to your word. 170 May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. 171 May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. 172 May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. 173 May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. 174 I long for your salvation, Lord, and your law gives me delight. 175 Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me. 176 I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.
Last night was a decent rain storm, dark clouds but not too bad to be feared, I’ve seen those dark clouds, before in retrospect, and wow the most VIVID rainbow, full and doubled. WOW!!! Oh how BRIGHT especially against the dark cloud moving away… LIGHT overcame that dark, BRILLIANTLY and VIVIDLY noticed.
In our lives too… I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
How many times have we been in small anguish of annoyances and those BIG anguishes that squished us to sadness? On the flipside, how many times we actually don’t even know that we have been the verge of disaster (in human sense) but rescued? How many mini praises do we have – like thankful for another day… Let us be BRILLIANTLY thankful.
Often we have to get exhausted to appreciate being rested. We have to be broken to appreciate being repaired. We have to have something as real as a Monday to appreciate the Friday. We have to have enough of a memory to know we got from there to here… and then know Whom to praise in all, PRAISE OUR GOD WHO OUR SUSTAINER. OUR UN-SQUISHER.
…
Anguish will squish us.
The Lord’s Love will kiss us.
Rainbows will distract us. GOOD.
God will remember us.
Forgiveness will un-squish us.
The cup of salvation does save us.
The Lord has blessed us.
No one can praise enough.
Let’s PRAISE the One to Whom all praises are due. (I know I need to!)
Amen
—
Psalm 116
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears,.my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
I trusted in the Lord when I said: “I am greatly afflicted”; in my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.”
What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.
I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord – in your midst, Jerusalem.
I was blessed to see our CEO yesterday, it’s been a few years and I appreciate that he appreciates us. I appreciate that with SO MANY employees that he doesn’t need to remember my name, but I hope he remembers my smile. And it’s ok if he doesn’t because a smile is new each time it is given. He remembered my smile.
It’s being a fan that’s fun. And recognizing that encouragement is encouraging all around. Smiles are welcoming in the best of times, even in the worst of times. Smiles are more infectious than anything else.
Faith. Faith is not infectious but faithful witness. Wisdom helps in knowing the difference between an idol and fandom, and also not to put faith in humanity. Knowing God is God is a witness and commitment to looking for truth, finding the Rock in a sea of fluff, even trusting in the hard times in a ‘God and us’ relationship that maybe some others don’t understand. We know that our faith sustains. And we know that Sustainer. Faith is a smile given back and forth between our dust and God.
So, endless praise for God. One True God. Idols of the past (and the fake gods like the golden calf, like Baal, etc) and idols of our time (money, fame, people) are not going to sustaining, not going to be working out FOR us. Idolatry requires us to give everything to that relationship and nothing is given back. Idols, in other words are idle.
God is God and gives. He already gave until it hurt. And He is not idle, working every day in every way for our good.
We can praise! “It is we who extol the Lord, both now and forevermore.”
Psalm 115 is a pinnacle of praise. How awesome that the Lord Himself gave us words to praise. Wisdom knows God is working always, for LOVE.
In re-reading scripture about Samuel and how God spoke to him as a child and adult into old age, it’s no wonder that King David – already trusting and appreciative of the Lord – then anointed by Samuel – must have been in immense awe to write so many psalm songs about Israel’s past and future… see psalms 112, 113, 114. David knew both faithfulness and forgiveness from God. AND he knew God’s History and Future.
Samuel to David, like Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker? Well it’s not a fictional storyline that the Lord indeed made Himself known to David, Samuel, Moses, many. The Lord moved mountains, rescued enslaved people out of Egypt, shook up rulers and kept His Light shining in and from the land of Judah, Bethlehem, where Jesus was to be born. Not only did God make a Way, He IS the Way, and He has HIS Say.
How we approach the world and everything in it can be scary OR an OPPORTUNITY to watch God work. Sometimes we see frustrated people and we wonder if they only could praise more would they get more satisfaction in life, or at least be more stoic about themselves. I pray us all praising.
We wonder why wicked walk away from worship. Here’s HOPE healing hearts hear heaven helps our hurdles, helps our hunger. Frustrated folks we find fear forgetful. Praising people pick praise and prayers. God’s got us GOOD. Jump for Joy in Jesus. Smile in Spirit. Trust in Three in One.
Amen
Almighty Amen
—
-Psalm 114
When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs.
Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back? Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs?
Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.
.
Psalm 112
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Psalm 113
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord.
.
Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.
.
The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.
.
Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people.
.
He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children.
Ah… my Facebook memories of 2 years ago – I was remembering the HOPE with scoring appointments for those covid vaccinations and now I remember that the HOPE WAS DELIVERED! How many concerts, plane flights, inner city events, church singing, grocery stores, work gatherings, life things. If we realized that we took things for granted, like hugs, how can we now appreciate that we got them back… You don’t know until you don’t – so let us not forget what we learned.
These vaccinations against covid, 2 years ago now, wow we scrambled then to secure a shot spot, and wow free-er living now… Like how often do I praise my shoulder working after shoulder surgery – I went from able to unable to able again… Praise it!
It was best vaccination timing (if you think of it that way) for my kids and me visiting my Dad in the last couple months before he passed 2 years ago this July… we all got our shots just in time to visit for four days in the house. Yes, I spent a year on the porch – not even a fist bump – not even snuck a hug – I do remember bumping shoes with my mom and feeling the energy of connection just in that… Oh how I am appreciative.
They say better living thru chemistry… these vaccinations certainly helped… maybe no vaccination is 100% effective, but these shots reallly were a “shot in the arm” for me for us… Yes, reduced the cases, reduced the severity, reduced the hype, reduced the fear, and increased our HOPE.
Thank You Lord!
I am now thinking that perhaps we will look back from heaven (well, maybe we won’t because who needs to look back at all when you are looking AT Jesus’s face) – but theoretically if we consider now the separation moment and Heaven the re-together moment – how awesome we will appreciate that then… So, let us (pre-knowing) start praising now… Lest we forget to praise – even ahead of time…
Thank you Lord, then, now, and forever more…
–
Psalm 113
.
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord.
.
Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.
.
The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens.
.
Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people.
.
He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children.
How thankful for the SUNSHINE today, we had seems like endless RAIN, even if it were just a weekend. I still grinned and bore it getting outside, driving places, went outside to a township event and last night seeing no good parking spot walked those extra 20 feet into the store – I first grumbled about it – but I was OK! The big reason I stopped grumbling was that there were 2 identical cars to mine in close handicap spots, and I realized to be THANKFUL for my working legs, I COULD walk… No pain? Refrain from the complain!
That’s LIGHT in the darkness, when you don’t let circumstances, like rain, rain on your parade. You don’t let pain poison your day.
I was driving last afternoon thru the rain, appreciative of GREAT tires on my car. And remembering that we were in a drought not too long ago but no more, catching up with the rain we really needed was a blessing. And wow how LUSH the greens and purples, pink and white flowers, rolling hills of so many shades of green that feasted the eyes. This is Light in the darkness. Don’t let dark clouds prevent you from seeing the rainbow already on the ground.
Psalm 112 this morning we can read in the SUNSHINE. We WILL get through dark patches in life, in seasons, in daily grinds. We WILL be LIGHT ourselves by counting blessings and trusting in the Lord. We WILL be OK!
The reason I was driving this weekend was to see friends not seen since before covid. Now you have to admit that no matter the severity or need to huddle (or even overreacting in hunkering down), that we went through it and have recovered on the otherside from our fears, at least most I hope have. Yes there are pockets of precautions, but “normal” got closer to normal. Are we praising? Are we taking advantage of the opportunities that we didn’t do before? Have we thanked God from getting us from there to here? Or are we being darkness from not seeing LIGHT in the situation… I have retooled and reschooled – resolved and recommitted to new things after old things disappeared.
Scripture says LIGHT overtakes darkness, darkness never wins. That’s because LIGHT already won… Let us sing praise!
I found something lost – it must have flung a couple feet from being caught up in a towel or bedding, then stayed under tiny piles of clean laundry. I found it, having the time to clean BECAUSE of that rain, and I praised finding it (and stopped cleaning). Isn’t it true that thinking of how God rescued us, we need to praise our found-ness, praise God and yet keep cleaning now WITH HIm. Yes. Also keep praising, keep looking for the LIGHT and not complain when we get there.
I think attitude is everything… Today is a good day for a good day. How will we know that? Look for the Light!
Amen
—
Psalm 112
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Blessed to share the sermon about Saul to Paul – pancakes – and our 2 parts in life with Jesus – saving forgiveness and mission calling.
I love to start with Psalm 111 because it has so much encouragement in it – and I could imagine Paul, the focus of our story today – having read it and read it and read it….
Part of Psalm 111:
Praise the Lord.
I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever….
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
,…..
So – I pray we call upon the Holy Spirit in our midst to move us – I pray for anyone who is itching at the ears and heart to understand Jesus more, to let God open them – and let themselves hunger even more… God is willing to lead us and we can hear Jesus DIRECTLY thru His Word.
Paul, whom we learned about in our children’s message and by the two-part scripture reading was a man who became VERY HUNGRY for the Lord – hungrier than for pancakes! … This later apostle of Jesus was first just a man who persecuted Jesus’s followers – and then He saw the LIGHT… Paul is said to be the great writer of the book of Hebrews stating: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
——–
This a story of a man who changed from a DIRECT encounter with Jesus – DIRECT.
I call this sermon “Not done yet” – because we are all not done yet – and we can learn from Paul – and we are always maturing like those pancakes on the skillet… so yes, let us take that trip to Damascus and then see where it leads us…
Let me tell you a story about a man to whom God turned up the heat… This man’s name was Saul, that was his Aramaic name – the same local language that Jesus spoke to the Jews he was with – and this man Saul was around in Jerusalem just within a few years, scholars say, when Jesus was crucified, risen, and went up to Heaven. Saul was not a good man, he himself said that he persecuted the Christians “Beyond Measure”. The rulers back then were afraid of this new “The Way” – thought it was blaspheming God, but they did not understand the scriptures foretold of Jesus coming… They read them but they didn’t understand. Jesus would say of many that they could not read the sign of the times…
Saul witnessed Jesus’s followers teach, but he didn’t absorb it to believe it – it actually made him MORE mad to see this sect of Judaism go against what he thought was honoring God. When Jesus-follower Stephen was the first martyr killed for speaking about Jesus, was stoned to death, the people laid their cloaks at the feet of the young Saul – he gained a hunger for killing Jews. Scripture says: they were furious – Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears … While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. (sounds like Jesus too) –
Saul saw this all – didn’t change him then – but he remembered and retold the story later… How surprised he must have been, after killing all those new Christians, surprised that Jesus singled him out and came directly to him, as I told the children – there were at least 2 BIG reasons (and lots more) – to CHANGE Saul AND to give him a new MISSION. This made Paul MORE hungry for Jesus’s maturing in himself – a message for us too – 1st reason: change – a NEW CREATION in Jesus – Jesus forgave Him when Saul asked for forgiveness. Jesus spoke to him. God “turned up the heat” on Saul (like those pancakes) and made him blind for a while and made him completely dependent upon others. AND Jesus not only gave him an opportunity to be better, the flip side of Paul’s life in Jesus was Jesus commanded him to go teach as a missionary. Reflecting upon his new life and mission, Saul went by his Roman name Paul – It was so that he would reach the new audiences (like in Greece and Rome) for Jesus by relating to the Gentiles… And with this 2nd “FLIP-SIDE” reason, Jesus made sure Saul/Paul had this change of heart, to get him teaching both Jews like himself AND non-Jews, who are called Gentiles (and we fall into that category) – teach them all about “the Way”- the Way of Jesus. The people of Jerusalem as you heard in the scripture reading were NOT happy when Paul said God told him to go teach the Gentiles.
And how did Paul teach? He traveled, he went to see people, he started churches, in one place he taught for hours each day while still working full-time as a tentmaker, he even got arrested and taught in prison, he taught the guards, They witnessed Paul saving people – even while being escorted to Rome – to be held in trial before the Emperor – and especially important for us, he wrote letters back to all those people whom he met – YES, God gave him a job, God turned his life upside down and put him back onto the earth – to do more work -and God even moved him around – God’s pancake lifter… If you have not yet read the book of Acts, I encourage you – the stories are AMAZING of his travels – Paul even heard from God directly again, telling him that he was going to go to Rome to witness to crucially important people. Because God moved Paul around AND reinforced connections, this is how THE Word of ‘The Way’ spread further… we too benefit – we learn about Jesus here in America because God brought us the Word thru His missionaries like Paul… God brought Jesus to us.
What about us? Are we feeling Gooey inside?
In the middle of writing this sermon I was remembering I am still really gooey in the middle like the undone pancakes… My own pancake is not done but indeed the Lord did flip me – He did – He turned my life upside down and I was reborn – and put me back here on the earth for a while longer still… Yes the Lord has been cooking me, gently, with Steam and Spirit. He gives corrections to my thoughts, convictions of my mess ups… I could give you a laundry list of my faults but I’m not going to, we have to be careful not to “take pride in our sins” – especially knowing that Jesus has already forgiven them. Not to gossip about ourselves, but yes we DO need to witness how the Lord has changed us – so we do need to show how God got us from there to here… … and that gooey stuff in the middle? well there are trusted friends within whom we can and should confide… And of course we need to be willing to tell Jesus Himself, to confess to God who already knows our deeds, we need to be completely open – to show Him all our gooey middles – to ask Him to hold us tight to Him – to help us move closer to Himself and away from us being sticky and icky…
The point I really want to make here is that we all experience gooey middles – we are human!!! … Don’t let your humanness prevent Jesus from maturing you. God turns up the heat on us but for Love’s sake. In one of Paul’s letters he says: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
What can we do with our situations, those sins of omission (those you didn’t realize), sins of commission (those you did realize) and every oops in between? Give it to Jesus. Let us Let Jesus be the One who lifts us. Let Jesus cleanse us in forgiveness – in truth He never ever leaves our sides. None of this salvation is by our deeds – and we are never going to be worthy of it – but Jesus died for us because He said the whole situation was worth it –because God is worth it – all worth being with us, His children – THAT’S LOVE!
*Paul would write letter to the people in the church in Ephesians: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. … But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. – … it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do….
*Paul wrote to his friends in the church he planted in Colossians about teaching the Way to Jews and Gentiles: “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
*Paul would write to the Hebrews about Jesus’s perfection: He always lives to intercede… Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. . . He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself – the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
We are placed into Jesus’s story – many of us have roads to Damascus. Many of us have felt that thunder of God, some are still afraid to have Jesus turn up that heat… and yet many have felt the gentle touch of Jesus – warm but not burning.
I have felt the gentle touch of Jesus. God brought Jesus to me. I am someone who was almost dead in their faith, to put it succinctly, gooey on Both sides of my pancake – even while working for the Lord, I didn’t get Jesus 100%, I knew of Him but I didn’t know Him IN me – and I ran away from that opportunity to know Him more. I didn’t understand, I didn’t… This is not unusual to other’s stories. It was not until God drew me closer to Jesus that I started to change – and Jesus GRACEFULLY acted as if I were Jairus’s daughter, simply saying: “She’s not dead, she’s only sleeping.” I won’t tell you the long version of my road to Damascus but in my “short stack story” using the pancake analogy for myself, for all of us, a reminder that Jesus doesn’t wait for us to be all “perfectly done” before He calls us – No. We can’t decorate ourselves with chocolate chips on our pancakes – we can’t pretend to hide under our puffed up pride. We can not achieve what God would have us achieve, in us, without God. He flips our world upside down and puts us back on earth… we are to bloom where we are planted, mature and teach, live, and simply BE STILL and KNOW He is God. Let us keep watching Him be God in our lives and in the lives of others – let us appreciate the heat at times… And remember, here on earth: this is a non-stick surface. This is not our home.
This is not our home.
Won’t you please pray with me – Lord, we are not done yet, but that does not make You love us less – You ARE LOVE – we are LOVED. You are still working on us, in our trials we are to look towards You and You gives us direction. Take the scales off of the eyes of our hearts – like you did for Paul. Let us hear you and obey. Let us be lifted and re-lifted by Your Spirit. Using Paul’s prayer as [workers] for the Lord, help us live a life worthy of the calling we have received. Let us be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Lord Jesus of lifting, we thank you. We Praise You always in your precious and powerful name. Amen.
Acts 22 NIV 1-21
“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” When they [those accusing Paul] heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
“‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
“‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
“A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him. “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’
“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’
“‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
The Children’s Message as well was about pancakes Saul to Paul….
“Batter’s Up! – Children’s Message for Paul on the Road to Damascus (see Acts 22 etc)
Yum, let’s take a lunch break – yeah maybe we are going out to the park! Maybe let’s pretend to take a journey on a road trip to Damascus… let’s stop to eat! How about some pancakes!!
Yum…. hand out bags of batter…
Wait? Not Done? Oh!
What do we need? To cook them… how about this Electric Skillet?
Let’s pour some batter on it… yum.. pancakes! Wait, not done?
How about we add chocolate chips or blueberries or sprinkles? Yum! Pancakes! Wait, not done?
What needs to happen? Oh! Turn up the heat, the Pancakes are not done yet… OK cooked on one side… done. . Oh! Not Done yet???…
Let me tell you a story about a man who God turned up the heat on… his name was Saul, he was around when Jesus was crucified, risen, and went up to Heaven. He was not a good man, in fact he was so mean to those people who believed in Jesus, because they were afraid of this new “The Way” that Saul had people killed.
Well, Jesus came TO this man, Saul, He came FROM Heaven already ascended after Easter, and picked out this man specifically. For at least 2 BIG reasons for him (and lots more for us) – both to change him AND to give him a mission. 1st reason: change- and Jesus forgave Him when Saul asked for forgiveness. Jesus spoke to him. God “turned up the heat” on Saul and made him blind for a while and completely dependent upon others. Jesus came and spoke to him directly and made him realize how he had been wrong. But he gave him an opportunity to be better. And even to reflect his change in life, and his new mission, Saul went by his roman name Paul (yes they rhyme) … And the 2nd BIG reason Jesus made sure Saul/Paul had this change of heart, was to start teaching both Jews like himself AND non-Jews, who are called Gentiles (and we fall into that category) – teach them both about the Way of Jesus. And how did Paul teach? He traveled, he went to see people, he started churches in communities (like we are a community here)… He wrote letters back to those people and those letters are included in our bibles!
God not only saved him but raised him, like a pancake – done on one side but with more finishing to do. AND God gave him a job, turned his life upside down and put him back on earth – more work to do God put him back on earth. See it is like God slid the lifter – God’s lifter in Jesus – under Him – under his pancake and now flipped sided up, he can be facing God, looking for God’s reasons, Paul could watch Him work
And guess what – God brings Jesus to us too , God has a plan for us. Even after we are saved by Jesus, we are not done yet – we are maturing – striving to be more like Jesus and help lift others up too.
Let us pray: Jesus – You are our light and our lift – You can heal us and keep us in Your Hand with Your Lift. Thank You for helping change that bad man Saul and helping him become a good man Paul – who would write stories about you to all his friends and to us too. Thank You Jesus for teaching us that You are our Savior.
I love how God is in every where at all times… His is the One who is 1+1+1 = infinity – He does the math, not us…
Psalm 111 is key to remember – His Wisdom is what we look for – and we should all try to gain more – but all we really need to start with and know is that He has it! And believe in it.
Praise the Lord.
and AMEN!
…
Praise the Lord
I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness. He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever— holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
This is the Psalm 110 that makes the amazing revelation that David knew Jesus before He was born because God revealed to Him the fulfillment of the law and scriptures, of the prophets and petitions…. This Lord of earth knew the Lord of all. this servant was served by Jesus.
“Clear as the Jesus Way”
Plain as day,
God spoke to David in a Jesus Way.
King David knew the TRUE King as a servant each day.
And yet the Lord also served the servant in His Own Way.
The One Lord, was from the beginning, Moses would say,
Indeed Jesus, Holy Spirit, God Almighty, ONE GOD, created the earth and each day.
Jesus ruled, rules, and will rule, all enemies will be judged one day.
Crushed and underfoot, ruling in the midst of enemies, He does say.
“The Lord says to my lord”, oh how often David did pray,
And David (and we) could lift our heads up in the midst of his enemies, HOORAY!
Because Jesus rules in our hearts and shows us the Way.
Drink from the brook along the Way.
Clear Living Water IS the Jesus Way.
Clear as the Jesus Way.
Amen
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Psalm 110
Of David. A psalm.
The Lord says to my lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”
The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying,
So, my mom lost her watch at my house, set it on the bathroom sink before showering, not there afterwards. More weird than anything. More worrying than weird. Frustrating and upsetting. Hmmm…
I pray she finds it, it’s not expensive but a gift, sentimental and of course useful and upsetting to her. Upsetting for the retracing of steps has not found it. Unless it was lost previously, like in one particular trash bag in the car, it should really be in this house or her suitcase. It’s an added worry of memory over movement. Why this issue, except we are human and misplace things…
To whom shall we pray? Let us not misplace our trust in a situation like this. “God is in control” is the painting on the rock on the bathroom sink where she says she placed it, so we both trust that. I have to wonder, did God move it? I am positive that the cat did not take it. Would the cat be useful in pointing it out to us? Only if God intervenes with that cat’s motives. Well… Could I pray for a vision? We really should pray for clarity in thoughts just as much as for the watch. I know St Anthony is the patron saint of lost things in catholicism but isn’t that an added step we DON’T need when we are allowed and encouraged and commanded to DIRECTLY ask Jesus?
Jesus is in Whom we should ask. We need not intercession anymore when we have the intersection and interception of Jesus and us. Even the torn curtain (that used to block the parishioners from the priests), was torn as demonstration on the day and moment Jesus died is the repair of our rift from God. The intersection of old and new covenant bridging old and new testaments means Jesus IS the Way.
What about this watch? I would be fulfilled to find it, on my knees in prayer as much as reaching under things. I don’t have time yet to tear my house apart. It make more physical sense if it was lost outside the house, but it’s a double secured band. It’s a mystery of memory, and just weird. It’s only after we find it that we will solve the mystery, or not. But in contrast, Jesus solves our mystery as we find Him in faith. It is still mysterious the in-between, but the finding is real. He even looks for us everywhere, even when we don’t know that we are lost. His Intercept is His Intention. No intercession needed by anyone else from inception of God’s Plan.
Interception
Intention
Information
Intersection
In the asking…
Jesus, because we praise You, help my mom or me find peace first and the watch second. It’s a watch of You more than a wrist watch… and always our time is well spent praying to you.
Amen
…
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.… Mark 13:33
Great PROMISE power in the Healing of the Nations.
Great MOTIVATION power in Heaven’s Hope.
HEAVENS HOPE is HELD WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
Nothing is withheld by Jesus – the curtain is torn – our lives are reborn.
POWER IN THE BLOOD, POWER IN THE BLOOD…
Amen
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5
God can use upheavals to keep moving the kingdom forward, it’s like the gardener always tilling the soil to aerate it. We have upheaval in our lives at times, so I pray we work these emotions out in the Garden WITH the Gardener… Each day to God is Him looking at HIS Creation. Him planting seeds. Him growing us where He wants us.
God can use us all – within His Net – we may get stretched into far away places from each other, or kept close enough but kept separate on purpose – it’s like stretching the strengthening partners hold on each other firmer, and each person thinner as yet keeping the fabric of His catching net more agile and movable… like a trampoline, the stretch helps the strength. Like our bridging – we will catch more fish if we let God fish with us where HE feels fit.
Remember always that Jesus knows where to throw the net better than us.
Our Gardener will throw in the trowel on us not the towel.
Author Charles Stanley just passed away – His influence will live on – thru his books and TV teaching. He may have been a strong personality to some – but there is always a few that need that! And I appreciated a book he wrote – the only one I read – about Surviving in an Angry World – finding your way to personal peace. I read it cover to cover in one night – and the most thing I remember from that was the talk about forgiveness, You will not have peace without forgiveness. And that comes from us to others just like it comes from the Father to us, thru Jesus.
If you can not forgive then you can not be forgiven. Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
So we soldier on in this world – an angry world – we knew that and yet we forget the brokenness comes from the beginning – and the brokenness of Adam and Eve – and the brokenness of Cain – the farmer – who did not sacrifice the way God wanted Him – and resented it and killed his brother Abel – the shepherd. It took another son Seth and his generations from Enosh to once again give praise to God and atone for sins. “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” That is us in the present day with our brother Jesus – a Shepherd. Yes, it took another to be born – from a line of the shepherds – born to atone for our sins – all the people’s sins. if we extract ourselves from this angry world we must turn to it in forgiveness – and turn to God in praise…
Thanks God for fellow Praise-ers and fellow forgiver-ers… Thanks God for Charles Stanley’s work in Your Name. Thank You Lord, for Jesus is our brother and fellow Forgiver. Amen
Genesis 4
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, “Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?” And he said, “I know not. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be on the earth.” And Cain said unto the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Behold, Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from Thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth. And it shall come to pass that every one who findeth me shall slay me.” And the Lord said unto him, “Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod to the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents, and of those who have cattle. And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bore Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron; and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. And Lamech said unto his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech! For I have slain a man for my wounding, and a young man for my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son and called his name Seth. “For God,” said she, “hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.” And to Seth also there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.
God can use upheavals to keep moving the kingdom forward, it’s like the gardener always tilling the soil to aerate it. We have upheaval in our lives at times, so I pray we work these emotions out in the Garden WITH the Gardener… Earth Day to God is Him looking at HIS Creation. Him planting seeds. Him growing us where He wants us.
God can use us all – within His Net – we may get stretched into far away places from each other, or kept close enough but kept separate on purpose – it’s like stretching the strengthening partners hold on each other firmer, and each person thinner as yet keeping the fabric of His catching net more agile and movable… like a trampoline, the stretch helps the strength. Like our bridging – we will catch more fish if we let God fish with us where HE feels fit.
Remember always that Jesus knows where to throw the net better than us.
Our Gardener will throw in the trowel on us not the towel.
Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
Good and WOW. I woke up this morning (already a praise) and layered on top of my brain was an important thought – a needed, really simply overlooked until now, but needed thought – REALLY needed as advice for a work project that I am consulting on. Whew! I didn’t put the thought there, I DIDN’T, the Lord DID. HE DID THAT! He bridged a mental gap while I was resting my body and brain. He found the bandwidth when I had played all mine out. When people say “rest on it” – we should also say “Rest with the Lord taking over”… Gratefully, when we give back to the Lord what is His anyway (especially His Healing time with us even when we are sleeping), He will use it for the good of Him and the good of us. Even if the idea is not novel, Him putting it there IS, right time right place… PROVISIONS and PRAISE! SWEET!
Likewise, when thoughts in our brains “gel” where we had not been focused on them before, or we see the EXACT person we needed to see or the Lord needed us to resolve an issue with (and repair a fray in His Net), or when time appears out of nowhere for us to get something done (and make His Net deeper), or we get an opportunity to help someone or ourselves, we MUST PRAISE and say: God did that. He did that!!!
As for any of our work, it’s an important aspect of experience to be able to add some personal touch of project management from the ground floor. AH! That’s ALSO like the Lord coming to us, God with us, project management from the ground floor. Achieving the Plan. YES, let us praise, He came to us, then lifts us all up!
Psalm 107 speaks of the BIG saves, including our redemption, even if these words, a song, were written hundreds of years before Jesus came to redeem, the relate! Isn’t that fitting of the Word, it relates. The Lord’s people redeemed their sins by sacrifice and rejoiced in their fortune by praise. So should we so should we… We have the GIFT of Jesus’s sacrifice for us, “He sent out his word and healed them” – LET US keep up our PRAISE is powerful and needed. Remember, God did all this for us. HE DID THAT!
AMEN! HE DID THAT!
HE REDEEMED
HE GATHERED
HE DELIVERED
HE SAVED
HE RESCUED
HE BROUGHT
HE BLESSED
HE LIFTED
Give Thanks! HE is Good, His Love Endures Forever!
HE SATISFIES,
HE BREAKS CHAINS,
HE SENDS OUT HIS WORD.
HIS WONDERFUL DEEDS,
HIS WORKS,
HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.
AMEN!!!
—
Psalm 107 (PLEASE PONDER AND PRAISE)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story – those HE REDEEMED from the hand of the foe, those HE GATHERED from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and HE DELIVERED THEM from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for HE SATISFIES the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. So HE SUBJECTED them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and HE SAVED THEM from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.
Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and HE SAVED them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them; HE RESCUED THEM from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings andtell of his works with songs of joy.
Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and HE BROUGHT THEM out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.
He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into a salt waste because of the wickedness of those who lived there. He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; HE BLESSED THEM, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish. Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow; he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste. But HE LIFTED the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.
Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
It strikes me, in my REGULAR REGIMENT of methodical READING of the old testament, about how much is REPEATED and RETOLD. REALLY! Abraham to Moses detailed again and again, why? Well, because it’s a REMEMBRANCE story of God’s righteous faithfulness and His action. God RESTOCKED the RESOURCES and REBUKED the foes. It’s not just that was God blessing (and correcting and making an example of) a set of people like a streak of gold in mining, it is RETOLD so these stories RESONATE with us, stories of understanding people who REBEL (REALLY REBELLED over and over – remelted gold, re-mingled with real foreigners) and YET, they were and are still LOVED. And therefore from them a REMNANT of a people was RESTORED to REVIVE the Kingdom. We read that LOVE WON.
We can RELATE right? We are LOVED by the REDEEMER enough to be ransomed – His life for ours. “for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented...” We are the redeemed in rebirth. Rejoice.
RELATE
REPENT
REKINDLED
REDEEMED
REBIRTHED
REJOICE
REMEMBER
RETELL
So, with ears to REHEAR, let us listen to Psalms 105 and 106, they RELAY and RELATE REMINDERS of these REVIEW REPEATS – remembering our current REALITY, REALLY…
And let us RE-SEEK and RE-SEE God’s Face.
Amen
Psalm 105
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.” When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”
He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; and he sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true. The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.
Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham. The Lord made his people very fruitful; he made them too numerous for their foes, whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants. He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed his signs among them, his wonders in the land of Ham. He sent darkness and made the land dark — for had they not rebelled against his words? He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die. Their land teemed with frogs, which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers. He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. He turned their rain into hail, with lightning throughout their land; he struck down their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country. He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number; they ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil. Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their manhood. He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold, and from among their tribes no one faltered. Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel had fallen on them.
He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give light at night. They asked, and he brought them quail; he fed them well with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.
For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham. He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord.
—
Psalm 106
Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise? Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.
We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly. When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert. He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them. The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived. Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them. In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord. The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram. Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked. At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. So he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them. Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise. They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord. So he swore to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the wilderness, make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods; they aroused the Lord’s anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them. But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked. This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come. By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord, and trouble came to Moses because of them; for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses’ lips.
They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to false gods. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves. Therefore the Lord was angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance. He gave them into the hands of the nations, and their foes ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power. Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.
Yet he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; for their sake he rememberedhis covenant and out of his great love he relented. He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy.
Save us, Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Easter is SO important and goes so quickly away in our memories. I’ve been blessed these last couple years to celebrate it twice, once with my church family and once with my friend’s… Orthodox Easter is tomorrow and tonight is midnight services to get to see and celebrate an Easter feast just after. It was beautiful Good Friday service last night even if I didn’t understand most of the words sung, I certainly knew why we were reverent, it was Good Friday in this Orthodox church’s Holy Week remembrance and pilgrimage. We sang, walked around the church, and sang again, and I listened and tried to sing from the program – it was hard not knowing the words or what they meant. This was my mini “world of no words”. My friend explained some of it but I now have great difficulty hearing whispers in a room full of sound. It was OK to not understand and this directly caused me to pause for thoughts. Of course the music was beautiful and every page had one verse in English that we sang and was a glimpse of the other verses. One was: “As a lamp of light beneath a bushel is hid, so now also in the earth is God’s flesh concealed. And doth drive away the gloom of Hades’ realm.” YES, HOPE FROM THE GRAVE.
This WAS a sorrow-filled time for the disciples that Friday and the Sabbath day Saturday when they normally would have been WITH their Lord in flesh. For Jesus was crucified, the sunlight gone, the creation moaned, the people trembled. They had not understood there was good in any of this. Jesus was dead. We in the service kept our candles lit in remembrance, but even those wicks kept going out, drowning in wax. No words, no light. Jesus had died.
The world of no Word, the Living Word, Jesus, God with us, Name above all names, Light of the World stepped down into darkness, was silent in speaking, in the living, but Mighty in moving in the moment. The world of no Words made the disciples trembled into hiding.
Yet, there were some words, of ruling authorities who heard the prediction of the Savior rising in 3 days, wanted the disciples to NOT steal the body and falsely claim resurrection, so they sent guards to keep the tomb secured.
There were Words of the fullness of scripture just before Jesus gave up His Spirit, and so Heaven was satisfied before earth duties completed. There were Words between the brave Jewish leaders who became secret believers, Joseph of Arimathea and Pharisee Nicodemus, who took down the body of Jesus and wrapped it ceremoniously, after speaking to Pilate for approval of the retrieval of Him off the cross.
There were Words of Good Friday that we don’t know. But I imagine there were many who had no words to understand it all.
In the end of this 3 hour service, I was able to walk thru the church with my friend, all areas were accessible, and with a kid’s enthusiasm I was able to climb under the tall table to the Cross displayed with flowers around Jesus’s crown of thorns. It is symbolic of cleansing of sins to pass under the table and all evening people did as they came and went. We were given flowers and could take some more from the table. All evening the cross looked beautiful with flowers and a scarf blocking the view of Jesus’s face. How fitting. The face blocked until I got up real close inside the table area and I could see Him. How fitting for with Jesus’s act on the cross, we are forgiven and able to BE up and close with God ALWAYS. Thank You Jesus. Thank You for the curtain torn, the law fulfilled, the forgiveness and forever.
The people kissed His feet and I thought about the serpent crushed under those feet. Forever peace is in our heavenly future.
My favorite words of the evening were from the priest, spoken to me in English, as I kissed the scripture book after walking around the building and stepping under the cloth tent carried on the pilgrimage. The priest said: “Bless you.” Now those are WORDS I heard loud and clear with my Spirit, and not just my ears…
“Bless you.”
Good Friday and Everyday… blessed…
Amen
—
John 2:18-22 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
—
The Death of Jesus, John 19:28-42 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
The Burial of Jesus
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
John 16:15-33
All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
It’s not that I couldn’t or won’t ever write management books or other advice stories, but for now I would rather stick with writing about the Lord. But if I were to write about working, I would write about with a mixture of work advice and scripture advice: because God DOES give working advice, like in Ecclesiastes 5 life advice: ‘This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with GLADNESS OF HEART.’
So much I want to remind folks, work wise, that YOU can make a DIFFERENCE at work with the Lord’s Work, that you can listen to the Lord to decide where your energies should be spent. If we follow God’s plan for our work, God keeps us occupied with GLADNESS OF HEART.
There are people and life creatures and moments of work and relaxation (like with that cat on the couch AND outside). As always, Heavenly Hopes are found and caught in earthly places. We find working order on earth because there is order in Heaven. We see disorder on earth because we are not in Heaven, yet. We have a choice to make earth work better or just let it all slide… I chose to not let it slide….
There’s much busy activity this springtime, and warm weather feels good for flowers and creatures. Work on a house across from me proceeded all winter, really took shape and now with longer daylight there are different someones there 7am to 7pm. The cat likes to watch the birds working while inside and out – and we love these great temperatures. Life Springs alive in Springtime. Life is remembered as renewed thru Easter and hope.
What a great time to thank and appreciate God. We look up to God, like we are looking up from earth, Psalm 104 says God sends His spirit and makes creatures from dust and renews the face of the ground. In this springtime of renewal, the face of this earth grows flowers and leaves, baby creatures too. If we get out there, we can see it open before our eyes. The hard work of the day and a week in our lives are but a milli-fraction of the Work God had shown around us. The dead-looking branches bud and life renews in intricate ways. Flowers seem to unfold from nothing – even if I do understand the science of it all – it is still always AMAZING, and on plan.
Yes, it is a good season for us praising the Lord and working hard and resting well. Gladness of Heart and purpose of season.
In the song of Psalm 104: let us sing Gladness for God.
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.
Amen! Amen!! AMEN !!!
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Psalm 104
Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.
He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers. The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then people go out to their work, to their labor until evening.
How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works— he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more.
This is one of my favorite devotions – one that God connected in my head – it is number 434 of the nearly 1500 but a true favorite… The pouring of pancakes onto the skillet is like us growing and maturing – looking for that lift from God… I am going to plan to use it for teaching kids soon… Batters up!
I am adding a new line to this – the aspect of the griddle being non-stick – or at least God adding some good grease… Because we are not OF this world – we shouldn’t stick – God will take us home one day and all gooeyness will be gone. In the meantime, don’t mind God sticking His spatula under you and seeing how you are cooking!!! Butters up!
Pancakes, 20Sep God pours us like pancakes when we are born onto the skillet of life on earth… it takes some time for us to cook, but not too long, for we are but brief travelers in this world…
Before we were born, we were already part of the mix, part of God’s batter. He already knew the plans for each of us before we were poured onto this skillet we call earth.
When we pancakes started to cook, we were filled with bubbles rising to the surface, we were and are always called to be maturing and learning. We are not yet complete… we do need a lift for achieving completion… God’s spatula comes to lift us… Sometimes it comes as a gentle slide, sometimes an abrupt push… God slips securely under us to catch, scoop, and then “ahhhh”…. LIFT…. can you feel that awesome lift? Just imagine that feeling of being lifted by the Lord up off the earth, the lightness in your heart, the forgiveness of your sins, the JOY of being chosen by God…
LIFT…
Wait… Guess what? We’re not done…
FLIP…
God flips our worlds upside down… back onto the skillet… We must return to the heat which started our maturing ways… It’s OK!!! It’s OK because this time we can look up, we can watch God while He works! This time our SPIRIT-filled bubbles are now inside our undone gooeyness, lifting us up, changing us from the inside… We are cooking, fine-tuning and maturing our ways – as we live out our time on the skillet of earth… The good works started in us will be brought to completion…
With focus on GOD’S WILL, we need to work on those gooey parts of our lives, taking action to be SPIRIT- filled to doneness, asking God to keep an eye on us as He guides us thru the narrow but sure path…
God ever-watching our progress, He knows when He eventually plans to lift us off the skillet of earth… to take us back with HIM eternally… Our Gooeyness replaced by His Glory. His Glory bringing us home. To the big chorus of Amens.
HOME
We are but short timers here. We are IN the world but not OF the world.
ENJOY today ENJOY the lifting SPIRIT Appreciate the FLIP Work towards completion
SMILE
We are going HOME
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. Psalm 14:2
Ecclesiastes 7: 11-18
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.
Consider what God has done:
Who can straighten what he has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.
In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:
the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness. Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise— why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool— why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
Easter is a pinnacle of feelings, where do we go from here? Well… Go on singing!
David wrote so many Psalms as songs, and I am sure he returned to singing them over and over again. David’s psalms/songs are said to include: 2—9; 11—32; 34—41; 51—65; 68—70; 86; 95; 101; 103; 108—110; 122; 124; 131; 133; and 138—145. Yes, 75 of the 150, the scholars note.
Psalm 101, David will try to lead a blameless life. Isn’t that like us, after Easter, enrolling in our Spring semester of “Life 101”, trying to live a blameless life after a glorious Easter Day, and yet see pitfalls everywhere. We are just human, we know. Psalm Life 101 has many challenges of “life-happens”. But in all this, God does not change. He does not waiver from His ultimate grade of LOVE. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. Psalm 102:27 (unknown as David or other appreciative writer)…
God, schooling us in “Life 101”, does NOT release the grades of your homework assignments or exams over the course of the semester of life, He forgives and is slow to anger, removing transgressions (Psalm 103)
Psalm 103 surely is a favorite: Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
Where would we be without God? Not even a question because God made us, we wouldn’t even be. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Praise the Lord, my soul. Let us keep reading and SINGING Psalm 101, 102 103 and on… Keep living “Life 101”. Stay in School where God rules!.
God keeps being God, and so we must keep SINGING….
Amen
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Psalm 101:1-2 of David.
I will sing of your love and justice, to you, Lord, I will sing praise. I will be careful to lead a blameless life – when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. I will not look with approval on anything that is vile.
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Psalm 102:11-28
My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass. But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity. The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. For the Lord will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.
Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord: “The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.” So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord. In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days. So I said: “Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations. In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end. The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”
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Psalm 103. Of David.
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children – with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
I almost missed the egg hunt Sunday, but that’s OK, God had me chatting with new visitors to church. I’m glad they walked in to fulfill their Easter day. And grateful I was there to be welcoming. (And no worries, I was handed a BIG egg with candy by one of the egg hunting children afterwards, so sweet!). I stepped afterwards into the inside of the church basement to wash my hands and I felt the empty, the Spirit had stepped OUTSIDE, to where the people were. All day I felt the people were the connections that held Easter. Many years ago, I got to share in one particular egg hunt, when my kids were maybe 8 to 10ish, and I remember a young man my son’s age scoping out his bountiful harvest of candy at the table. I remember his face in a real puzzlement when an egg he opened was empty. No candy, and a real momentary pouting sad face…
Me with my “quick thinking”, which I hope was inspired by the Holy Spirit, said: “Ohhhh that empty one has a story in it…” Not candy but a crucifixion and empty cave story… See when Jesus was crucified and died, they put him in the tomb and rolled a big stone across it. 3 days later He was gone, stone rolled away, tomb empty. I told Joey that He had an “empty tomb egg”. SPECIAL. Celebrating Jesus is Risen. He smiled. I will always remember that smile. Empty in this case was and is fine. Empty tombs are fulfilled prophecy. Empty is Full-Filled.
Eggs are made to be cracked – for food or for baby chick’s to emerge or plastic ones for candy… Empty tombs pour out too. Think of Easter morning, Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb, Jesus met her alone and her with an empty feeling, and He “filled her in” – filled her in with the news and with the Spirit – that INDEED He was ALIVE, just as He said would happen.
Jesus filled her emptiness – we all know that “our empty” needs Spirit filling. At times we need to purposely empty our schedules some to make room for spiritual fillings. We need to declutter our lives and make a good empty space for Him to sit quietly with us. We need an “empty” to get “full”. Mary herself has been emptied of demons, now she had room for compassion, care, and her Christ. Empty brokenness is how God sees us – as fixable and fillable.
An empty Full Easter is like an egg already cracked. You can’t re-piece together the original, but you can make something different out of the contents. We too, must make a new start from a new creation cracked and hatched out of our brokenness. Let God lead…
Amen and Happy Easter again.
John 20:1, 11-18 KJV
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. … But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
I wander back to my old work site at times, it’s got great trees, a great spring breeze, and great memories. But the office I lived in for 20 years I had to move out – passed it on to someone else and I moved to the new building. I can’t complain but sometimes I still do. However I do get to squat “hotel station” in pretty much any empty office or conference room or window of course any picnic table (wifi works!). I need to take these opportunities more to not work from home but work from “other work”… I can’t do it all the time, but sometimes.
My old building has charm, but really my new building is where my people are, my group and all those who need me to answer questions. I had to move forward, people and the new space I helped design and get online were waiting for me. You can visit old places but “you can’t walk backwards into the future”.
My old office doesn’t carry the spirit of me in it anymore, not even the sight of the door, even though I was there 20 years. It was given new paint, new furniture, and the once great window is covered by plastic for construction, eww… So, the picnic table does keep its functionality, and I thought I would sit under these old trees and reminisce and work, but I had no laptop battery power left – I need a new charge.
So I can’t even claim these were the same trees, “good ole days”, old stomping grounds or not. These trees had NEW FLOWERS and NEW bees and they moved on from spring to fall to NEW spring again. These trees will bear NEW fruits… GEEZ, NEW, NEW, NEW… I guess we ALSO must move FORWARD with the Spirit breeze. NEW charge of our batteries, NEW surroundings, NEW lives, NEW memories… New Callings… New trees and NEW Me’s….
God told Israel: And I will put my Spirit in you and move you… New… Even Jesus didn’t have a place to lay His head… NEW… Hand to the plow, don’t look back.
We aren’t supposed to return to our old ways, old days, or see life with the old gaze. We are made NEW each season to bloom, to fruit, to share, to even shed. Shed the leaves in the fall. Wait out the winters in our lives. Spring again… We are a NEW creation of God everyday. God never changes, but He earthly died to fill us spiritually afresh with Him.
Remember that old view.
But EMBRACE the NEW.
God knows it suits you.
True.
Amen
Luke 9:57-62 The Cost of Following Jesus
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
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Ezekiel 36:23-32
I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you [Israel] have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes. “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!
Lord, we made it to Easter because You have made it possible.
Lord, we are forever praising You, as we NOW see that You have rolled away our own grave stones as well, by Your Power.
Now as You are calling us to step out of our graves too, let us shake off our chains of sin that You broke, and let us let You peel off our wrappings and look to Heaven’s Healing. We are Your Easter People and by the cleansing Power of Your Blood we share in triumph over forever death by Your Victory. May we always remember that we are reborn in Easter’s Rebirth.
Today, Lord, through Your Spirit help us SHINE, SHINE YOUR JOY, YOUR HOPE. May we also humble ourselves and appreciate YOUR MERCY, YOUR FORGIVENESS and YOUR GRACE and extend it to all those we meet today. May we be your Easter People tomorrow just as much as today.
We Praise You for You are WORTHY. We are singing the song of the saved – savoring the sweetness of salvation – and seeking the soothing of our souls. Thank You Lord for calling us Your Children. We give PRAISE in Your powerful and Mighty Name: Jesus, Name above all names.
Amen
…
John 20:1-23
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose so ever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose so ever sins ye retain, they are retained.
It seems to me that Jesus would have had to have SO MUCH TRUST in Our Father. Not only did He trust in the plan, He was in on the plan, and He had to trust being placed in a broken human world completely dependent upon Mary and Joseph, (and of course the angels). Then, in His last days, His trust in the Father and in the Plan led Him to have to ALSO trust in the ones who would kill Him. He knew how obvious the devil would think and even use evil for the good of the Kingdom. Yeah, trust the journey of sacrifice to succeed – use sacrifice for supporting Salvation. Suffering in submission. Walking the Walk.
If Jesus was said to be the fourth man in the furnace, seen by King Nebuchadnezzar, when only 3 were sent in (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Old Testament book of Daniel 3) but who all were not burned, then Jesus was and is protected and protective. So, imagine the “dropping of the guard” that Jesus would have had to endure both at the beginning and the end of earth walking to be human and be perishable in flesh. Perish in flesh but never Spirit.
Jesus had to have TRUST in death as he did in gaining human life. He had to accept suffering. For Jesus to show us the Way, He first had to follow the Plan. We can turn to Him because He has been there.
His mercy includes knowing our short lives, the broken frailty of us, and yet He knows how to make us strong WITH The same Spirit He has. Fill the jar of clay of us, Lord.
We DO have the power to walk out from death, but only by Him. Not only do we desire the strength (His Strength in us) to walk in His shoes (sandals) meaning we have chosen a life of sacrifice for the good of the Kingdom, we must walk using the power of the Spirit inside us. Holy Spirit is a personal placement of God INSIDE us, not a wind that blows us haphazardly. The steps we take are motorized with LOVE.
Walk peacefully and purposefully today. Endure. Love endures all things…
Jesus, we love You for Your Walk. And TRUST. Lord, hold us close to continue to walk with You.
AMEN
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Proverbs 16:3-4 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
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Matthew 16:24-27
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
Passover was last night and last year and last century and last millennium too. Many millennia ago and all throughout the ages from Moses’s time. It’s the worst sign to the Egyptians, death to first born sons, even Pharaoh’s, that appeared more real than a trick or coincidence. God sent a STRONG message in commanding release and in saving His people from foreign bondage. God sent a strong message to His people too: I have saved you. Because of the Blood of the Lamb on your doors, you have been passed over from this tragic death.
Won’t we remember that we are HIS Passed-over people? Won’t we also know our houses are stained with His Blood, the Blood of the Lamb. As He led these Israelites thru the desert with a pillar of cloud and fire, won’t we recognize that He already HAS been leading us and He also will lead us into our future.
Forgiving and yet firm in punishment, God reveals to us the Lamb. God did not spare His own son, Jesus, but did spare all His children by choosing this path to our salvation by the blood of Jesus, by forgiveness. Grace and Mercy for us. We have a God Who loves us enough to have sent His Son for our sin.
We are guided, let us not grumble. As Moses led, the people grumbled. As God leads, the people tremble. As Jesus leads, the people (us) now should remember to Resemble Him, stay on path and minimize our own delays… Grumble, Tremble, Resemble – that is how we got here. Let us keep resembling Jesus a servant.
The world is in a delay pattern, distracted and deluded by Evil, but we can ask: Holy Spirit, please break away our fog and help us walk righteously with You. Burn Your Fire in our cloudy view – bring us closer and closer to You.
You Lord, for Moses and Man, have given us Your Passover Plan. Amen and Thank you Lord.
We remember our Passover in celebrating your Passover feast too: Your Last Supper until all who are called are in Paradise for the Supper of the Lamb. God, You serve us in so many ways.
Thank You.
Amen
Amen
Amen
Psalm 99
The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name— he is holy.
The King is mighty, he loves justice – you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.
Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the Lord and he answered them. He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
Lord our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.
Revelation 19:6-9
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
Twelve Heavenly fruits will please us, with good reason.
Sitting under the Tree of Life will surely feel pleasin’.
It’s Heaven’s bounty that awaits us, and I am not teasin’.
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His Water flows thru Heaven in a river
And He Forever IS our Light Giver.
Jesus and God and Spirit in One,
Shining so brightly – there is no need for the sun.
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See His Face
We are given our new place.
Servants we will be,
Serving God while under that Tree.
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Leaves for the Healing of the Nations,
Wars cease as we take our serving stations.
We will see Him Face to Face.
We will have all Finished the Race.
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No more curse and no more sin stain.
No more tears and no more pain.
New names we will each gain
and He will always Reign.
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He will ALWAYS Reign.
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Amen
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………
Revelation 22:1-5 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Psalm 100 – For giving grateful praise. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his[a]; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. . Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
I’m no April fool, I took God’s peace when He offered it – this time for writing and delivering a sermon for Palm Sunday… Peace and priorities and persistence, Psalms and Palms.
I wrote and wrote and wrote when God gave me a theme for a sermon, which I volunteered to give with such enthusiasm that essentially I was like character Horseshack on the TV show ‘Welcome Back Kotter’, saying: “Ooh Ooh Ooh”!!! Hand up before I knew the answer… I didn’t worry, I took God’s peace, and path, and I WROTE.
And God did not and does not disappoint, God provides ABUNDANTLY, and so I wrote and wrote and wrote over the course of 2 weeks, new sections, appropriate scriptures, and included these wow chapters of prophecy from God that for some reason no one seems to preach about – Revelation….
And then I TRIMMED and trimmed and trimmed… I originally wrote about Mary and Martha, but scratched that… Yes I wrote a section about my own faith journey, but I lined that out because that might take years to explain. I decided what I already knew: God’s journey is more than sufficient for this sermon for any sermon. And the expounding about your own journey is best to just a few, with a tea cup in your hand and at a kitchen table… or a porch… or in a blog… or anytime you are asked specifically about your journey…
My startling moment for when God reinforced the theme of this particular writing was well after I wrote Paul Harvey’s tagline: “The Rest of the Story” into my pages of notes. Well, about a week later, my mom, OUT OF THE BLUE, quotes Paul Harvey. WEIRD!!!! I mean how often do we mention Paul Harvey, from such a long long time ago… Apparently God knows how to trigger our memories, as well as knowing how to lay the groundwork to let us know that He is in charge. Cool…
We must take His Peace and USE IT, in the middle of the really strong thunderstorms, I was editing and focused, not really giving much of myself over to stress. I watched the radar, stayed inside obviously, checked on friends. Trees didn’t fall or power fail in my neighborhood, neither did God in holding onto my focus.
And so after the regular sermon, I actually had a chance to give the sermon in miniature TWICE again in the afternoon… cool… Once on the phone in decompression and once sitting on a friend’s porch… I was helping my friend clean out her family house and she was sad to not make church, and yet with mere hours to her financial close, she had to do what she had to do… Clean Sort Toss Keep Move On… She asked for church palms and of course I brought her some extra… I also brought the children’s message experiment to do on the porch while resting my legs too. We talked about this broken world, about Jesus’s journey, about us not grumbling because we know that REST OF THE STORY…
I came across many items her dad owned in her house related to Pope John Paul the second, and he was the pope of my youth… He had that warm fuzzy huggable pope demeanor, he was an inspiration of the time. What I remember from a documentary about him is that he was different and unusual for the priests of the time, he would take a canoeing trip with a youth group and then while camping would use an upside-down canoe as a worship altar… He took services and sermons “on the road”…. No need to keep church only in the building… Likewise, so I also brought the message outside this day, meet the people where they are – even in the car… And we have great company, as Jesus took sermons and serving on the road too… out to meet the people… even on the cross, Jesus was still all powerful in giving PEACE. In the middle of pain, Jesus knew paradise was awaiting for all who believed. Peace – don’t give it up – don’t give it back – don’t forget to grab onto it.
A sermon I was blessed to share on Psalm Sunday. And scriptures below. A sermon on how prophesy was given and still is given to us today – we can get to know “The Rest of the Story”…
I love to start with Psalm 95 because it has so much JOY in it –I have so much JOY share God’s Word – what an opportunity – THANK YOU!!!!! JOY because it IS God’s Word – Who is Jesus – the Living Word – who changes Hearts…
from Psalm 95: For the Lord is the Great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.Today, if only you would hear HIS voice…
AH – that is where I stop to be reminded – it is NOT my voice that I hope you hear – but the LORD’s Voice in His Word – because HIS WORD changes hearts.
And why do WE SHARE HIS WORD? Why? Because there are SO MANY who haven’t heard – whose ears are not YET opened by the Lord – they don’t know Jesus – or at least (like until Jesus awoke me), they don’t His Spirit WITHIN them… So – I pray we call upon the Holy Spirit in our midst to move us – and to make us ponder – ponder Jesus – ESPECIALLY this pre-Easter Holy Week ahead. And I pray for anyone who is itching at the ears to understand Jesus more, to let God open them – and they will hunger even more… The great writer of Hebrews reminds us: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
AND SO – this is Easter week coming up – we must take the opportunity to walk thru it – not by ourselves but with Jesus – we can think of it as the tough and humbling week – it IS a reminder that we MUST ALSO pick up our crosses like Jesus did and have less of us and more of Jesus. Yes, Jesus knew He was walking into death – a PAINFUL death – and yet worse, look at all those tears shed for seeing people then and now who did not know Him.
Jesus knew loss in advance – He only had 3 years in His ministry on earth with His disciples and Jesus knew He would have to leave His friends behind who needed Him – He felt that loss as He feels our losses and He has compassion… YES Jesus willing chose this path, He knew the WHOLE story – He knew that He had to fulfil Prophesy – then He had leave earth so that the Holy Spirit could come – Jesus walked the walked and talked the talk – Oh can you even imagine His tears… Even more can you imagine His DETERMINATION.
Palm Sunday today – the excited people did NOT know how prophesy would come to fullness – they thought an earthly King sanctioned by God had come to restore their local Kingdom of the Jews – after King David their history had endured bad kings, a split into divided kingdoms and EXILE – they saw Jesus for the restoration but they could not yet see the whole mission – the whole prophesy – the whole Kingdom of FOREVER – and even by the end of the week they couldn’t even see Him as Heaven sent – Hosanna traded for Crucify Him. They didn’t know – Jesus said they didn’t know, forgive them…
For them and for us HE GAVE and GIVES Prophesy… There was prophesy of how He was born – of his works – of His death on the Cross – and of His raising up . Ah, IF ONLY THE EARS and the EYES of the PEOPLE WOULD OPEN to see that He came as Jesus – God with us – King and Lord of ALL.
We best not forget that God is mysterious, but He is also an OPEN BOOK – Jesus IS the LIVING WORD – and wants us to share in this GOOD NEWS of HIM. We DO have what the disciples did not (yet) – a knowing in our hearts because of the Holy Spirit. In Hindsight, can you imagine that time of healing and the learning in hyperspeed that those disciples had, that Easter morning when the risen Jesus came to walk the earth – remember the disciples didn’t fully understand Jesus until after Jesus came back… and they still had more to learn – they needed the Holy Spirit like we do.
The disciples surely knew in part but did not know in full this prophesy until they had their mental gaps filled in with eyes opened and ears opened – they learned “THE REST OF THE STORY – just like old time radio journalist Paul Harvey always said…
Imagine the days Jesus was in the tomb, imagine old friends Mary and Martha had lost their brother Lazarus – regained him but then lost their Lord – puzzling – look at the disciples – life was going so good – and then wow Jesus is arrested and crucified – and betrayed by someone they thought they knew as a brother. Shock disbelief unknown – what would they do now? and were they next for being arrested? Perhaps we need this model of uncertainty to make us really think – are we feeling separate from Jesus? is He really there… HE IS…
In our uncertainties – the unknowns of how life takes turns – surely we have experienced them – maybe we even know of people suffering worse: you lose your home to an invasion of war, maybe a school shooter catches all of you off guard, maybe a tornado comes, maybe your perceived future disappears in front of your eyes… we experience unknowns… and yet – we can we and must we have JOY even if we don’t have understanding everything of what is going on around us… We need to take a long view of life here on earth and in Heaven – these trials today are nothing compared of the JOY of eternal life.
Why JOY??? WE KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY – we know PAST Good Friday – we know Easter already and we even know past present day (and trust me we know how Broken this world is – but what does Jesus ask of us? WALK WITH HIM… We know at least a fraction of the LONGVIEW – THE REST OF THE STORY – Jesus has not kept it hidden from us – there are chapters of the Living Word – STILL prophesy yet to come… He has written in the gospels and has written to us (thru beloved apostle John’s recording) a whole section called: REVELATION… Not only is Jesus risen from the dead on Easter – we learn in all these prophesies that Jesus IS coming again – He states to His disciples and to all of us from the book of Mark: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come… KEEP WATCH…
James the brother of Jesus reminds new believers of the time and us: You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.!”
Endless times I have been reminded to not to get too comfortable in life that I start to grumble, we need to shine JESUS JOY and let that be our jumping pads from which we go out and share the love of God – to the broken people out there – that famous saying that for some people, our actions are the only Bible that they will ever read…
With the Holy Spirit’s help we can understand these prophesies – I love this quote from a book I am reading: “An important perspective to have on the book of Revelation is that it is not a game of theological Rubik’s Cube. It was not written as an intellectual puzzle for a group of people who enjoyed solving mathematical problems. Not for a moment. Its first readers were in too much of a life-and-death situation to enjoy that kind of relaxation.” (from Name above all names)
To understand more, we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us learn. God is willing to lead us. Three examples:
* Take Simeon called by the Holy Spirit to the temple at the time of Jesus’s dedication at a week old – Simeon studied prophesy – Simeon knew The Messiah was coming: AND was praying and praying to see Him before he died – and guess what? the spirit of God was there to help Simeon know that THIS baby was His savior – the Light of the World to both Jews and Gentiles…, Jesus did not speak as an 8 day old infant, yet Simeon knew He was the One. The Spirit made Him known.
* Take John the Baptist who lept for joy in his mother’s womb as pregnant Mary came to them, Jesus was known by Spirit – NOT known by sight. Older Jesus was said to be not remarkable compared to the rest of the population – He essentially showed up as a normal looking guy. Even John the Baptist later in life had to ask Jesus, his own cousin, are You He? Well that Spirit of God coming out of the sky was a pretty awesome sign to see I believe – God even saying how pleased He was in Jesus – whom to that point had not even performed a miracle… The Spirit made Him known.
* Take the faith of that last one man, a criminal, to ask Jesus for entering the kingdom, Jesus was unrecognizable, beard pulled out, beaten, bloody, hung… but out of this taunting, this fellow cross hanging man, a thief, knew that even He, dead man hanging, was Lord… He saw Jesus for who He really was… and asked Jesus so importantly: Remember me… Jesus said: today you will be with me in paradise.
We have the Holy Spirit to walk in faith not sight, like these people did. Knowing “the Rest of the Story” – not the “END of the story” BECAUSE THE STORY DOES NOT END, but knowing the Spirit – How blessed we get to learn the future and how Mighty God is – listen to these amazing sights we WILL see – our future:
Revelation 19 excerpts Jesus defeating the prince of darkness: I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. – He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God… On his robe and on his thigh, He has this Name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.
How about the Millennium? Anyone up for a thousand years of peace??, ONLY by Jesus the Prince of Peace – Revelation 20 *And I saw anangel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up….
And a new city… to forever be WITH GOD…!! Revelation 21 * Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” … “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. – ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Revelation 22 NIV Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. – . The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.
I hope we are JOY FILLED to know at least SOME of the new FOREVER story – a CLEAN PAGE every day.
We are broken people, but Jesus has given us each MANY forever new pages of life.
Jesus NOW and in our future says: Now you know, the Rest of the Story…
Won’t you please pray with me:
Lord, we are blessed that not only have you shared your story with us but you also include us, one by one into your story. Jesus you bring us salvation and we experience your mercy and grace. We know God that you call us your children, please help us spread this great Good news, especially this Lenten season as Your Easter people, we know Lord so many out there need to be introduced to you and hear the rest of the story, Your continuing story has new blank pages for each of us. Let us worship you in joy. Lord, let us praise you forever because you are worthy… Hosanna, Halleluiah and Amen
Selected scriptures for Palm Sunday and “The Rest of the Story”:
Psalm 95: 1-7 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.Today, if only you would hear HIS voice…
Luke 19:37-42 NIVWhen Jesus came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” – “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” – Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” – “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.
James 5:7-11 NIV “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”
Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
John 11: 21-27 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Luke 2:22-38 Jesus Presented in the Temple When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Luke 23:32-43 The criminal on the Cross is Saved by asking JesusTwo others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus is coming again Matthew 24:30-39 Jesus said: “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Mark 13:32-37“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
Revelation 4:1-11 to John After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 19:11-16 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God…”
Revelation 20:1-6 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (And that’s when Jesus destroys His influence forever).
Revelation 21:1-5 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Revelation 22:1-5 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 22:12-13“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Snow? No… Relooking at last months photos the pool was perfect, people perfect, pretty penny cost levels were COVERED instead by FREE POINTS to provide patio-like shade in a cabana…. ahhhhh…. not a day at the spa, but yes at the pool with my friend hosting us… We had easy breakfast, delivered lunch, and late dinner with our family… LOVE… You could say this was a Sunny day filled with PROVISIONS..
How much MORE our God will continue to provide for us… . Oh yes, God’s provisions are not any less than us getting to spend the whole rest of our lives Heavenly on HIS POINTS, under HIS CABANA.
“PROVISIONS”… that’s the name on the placard of the little store in the resort. Earthly provisions were granted for us to be there, warm 85 degrees sunny, was this Heaven? Hmmmmm…. Heavenly yes, but Heaven no. This is earth, and yet I wondered what would make Heaven Heaven… How to fill in the missing parts of earth… Look for GOD first and GOD’S PROVISIONS…
I read an important book page, my beach book of “Name above all Names“, and it reminded me to think how we shouldn’t preach for people believe in God because God gives financial security or perfection in human terms, lucky strikes or good looks, no… But that we should be preaching that God does give purpose to life, help to the lost, saving to the sinners… yes… His perfection to give us is HIMSELF.
On earth we count our blessings AND here is what we ALSO get in Heaven: fulfilled love; knowledge of God’s closeness and worship of His Sovereignty over us; and a witness of His immense Love for giving His Son, a Lamb slain…
I had a WELL DONE burger at the restaurant one night out at a tourist opportunity for appreciating wildlife seen in captivity: gators, parrots and more. A Well Done burger for food safety, and yet how even more SAFE we are in Heaven because there we will say: “Well done, Lord!” Driving through rain and traffic back from dinner, I was appreciative of the safe landing at our home away from home… Even now I am grateful for a safe plane landing back home… And in between (the trip and home as well as earth and Home in Heaven) let me be grateful for everything…
Forever let us be worshipful grateful for God’s Provisions… WELL DONE LORD!!!
Funny the signs the Lord sends me – actually the actual TRAFFIC SIGNS… Yes, we get earthly signs and we get heavenly signs – some are in the eyes of the beholder only and some (ALL) are in the eyes of the Sender. This particular traffic sign said: “END ONE WAY”.! BOOM – I physically FELT that sign. An instant answer to a one way thought conversation from me was turning into a no doubt answer from Him: One Way, His Way. Turning into His answer was me just driving straight and staying the course.
I saw this traffic sign and mental sign at the same time I was thinking about people’s deaths – in general about what they believe for life after death – or not – and the choice to believe or not. I worry especially for my friends who are not believers and yet Jesus tells us not to worry but to witness.
I was thinking about Jesus, when I saw “ONE WAY”, knowing that IS the truth. Only thru Jesus will we be saved and approach the Father. And I thought about those who do not believe in Jesus – how are they ever going to get to believe in Him? They can – and even at the last minute… The sign said: “END ONE WAY” – yeah, we all do end ONE way. No turns we can take. No alternative routes. One Way thru Jesus.
And yet this traffic sign on earth really meant that the one way street was ending and now you have to deal with 2 way traffic so don’t veer out of your lane. It is just a courtesy sign and a traffic calming device… End “one way” – now it is a two-way street – OH, that is our relationship with the Lord too – in life and in death – a two-way street to conversation and relationship… a two-way opportunity to chat and listen. There is only ONE WAY – but there is a two-way interlude of conversation to get there – and when we do “Be Still” – we find that Jesus does do ALL the talking. By Grace alone we are SAVED.
ONE WAY = JESUS
TWO WAY = CONVERSATION
HIS WAY IS the HIGH-way to forgiveness day
All we have to do is bow down and look up.
Amen
Psalm 97
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.
All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols – worship him, all you gods! Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, Lord. For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.
Isaiah 43:1-2
But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Ephesians 2:1-10
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
OF ALL THE COMMANDS IN THE SCRIPTURES, THIS ONE IS FABULOUS: SING !!!
In the car driving, I have a goldmine of music on my phone and CD and the radio and the ability to sing as loud as I want or need. I came across all my old practice band music for Easter- what JOYFUL chapters in my life… no matter how long or short, the song stays with me – and it IS best that the praise never fades – God’s got all this. Cling to the Cross. But someday exchange it for a crown!!!.
If the Lord gave the birds a song, the ocean a roar, even thunder it’s clap, imagine what His Voice sounds like!!! And His voice written is Jesus lifting off the page as the Living Word.
Reading Psalm 96 then 98, you might take a double take. In both it is singing that the Lord’s Word says: Don’t Forsake! Yes, both Psalms are singing the Lord’s praises. Both are in a whole chapter of music. O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Bless His Name. Declare His Glory. Yes!
I have many times had a song populate my brain in tough times and in good times… God does that. He heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds.
Life reminds us that we can’t take anything on earth for granted – or with us to Heaven – don’t store up treasures on earth,,, We are but a vapor, so take one day (one steam breath) at a time. But into Heaven we CAN and WILL take our PRAISES! Actually we will have perfect pitch in heaven, one of my former band leaders said. Cool, why wouldn’t we. It is God’s desire to have us SING His Praises as that means we are recognizing the best gift He gives us – Himself.
Blessedly, songs remind us to call upon the Lord, to get our strength from Him. We DO need to give Him praise and honor. We DO need to lower our knees and raise our voices…
Of everything God gives us, He especially gives Himself. I could sing about that all day!
Amen
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Psalm 96
O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.
Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into hiscourts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood REJOICE BEFORE THE LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
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Psalm 98
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be JOYFUL TOGETHER BEFORE THE LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
Psalm 97
The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord. For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
I am pretty sure that Jesus would and does call out to dead people and to alive people in the same way – with His same voice to them – because He sees them as in soul rather than in flesh – and it is the soul in us that listens and therefore doesn’t become deaf in death… just relocated. I was just reading in Hebrews 5:13-14, 15-16): Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
And it is totally true that we have an ability to be real with God – the good and the bad and the everything – we have both an opportunity and a weakness to be ourselves in front of Him. It is said that His Strength can show thru our weakness. One of the hardest things I found out about doing a new polar plunge was that I had nobody to jump in with. In another I have fellow silly sisters as well as thousands of people. In this new one I walked in to the event alone. Cold water was fine, but the loneliness of alone is not. And so – by the grace of God there are others there who become your instant friends and comrades in taking on the challenge – talking about the situation – people come alongside even if it is for a five minute timeframe and you come alongside others… Although some (many) just go up to their knees or waist – there were others that went ALL IN… We decide how deep we go.
AND isn’t that life, isn’t that how we also decide to go all in for a conversation or just stay up to our ankles and jump out… Admitting weakness is one thing but finding opportunities to open and work thru weaknesses and stress could be difficult to find. And sometimes the “random” person on the train with you – or the gas station attendant – or in the grocery store line – or someone who notices us looking lost in a sea of people – those are the folks Jesus sends to connect with us – and we decide the level of our honestly and commitment to conversation – if we feel human compassion thru them, then they are whom we connect with – all ears and no judgements – humans who understand our humanness.
Ultimately for the healing, however, we need Jesus and we do need to come clean with Him – this is where He can help the most – when you are honest with Him. His mercy and grace takes into account our brokenness before we are even born.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Even in our death He calls out to us – like Lazarus who walks out of the grave – like Jarius’s daughter who comes back for the sake of her family – isn’t that what Jesus does? Brings us back the souls of the people if not the whole bodies… If we can call on the Lord, then we can call on people. Jesus can fill a room with someone’s spirit – or simply tell us they are not there. And that DOES happen when you don’t have anyone to talk to. In substitution Jesus shows up because He wasn’t ever gone. He can soothe and comfort.
Jesus is never gone – yes for those days after his death and before He resurrected, He was GONE in presence from those who had not yet gotten reconnected with His Spirit. How truly we are told that Jesus came to His friends and others back then and surely now. How truly Jesus comes with compassion and mercy and coverage for our loneliness with His calling our names from Heaven to earth. We may think that our souls live here on earth – but surely you might know that the place in heaven is mapped out for you – many rooms Jesus said – many rooms.
Jesus calls us in life and in death because surely our soul is from His spirit – and something our dust is wrapped around… We are not deaf in death, therefore let us try to listen and speak to God in our life. God knows our dust trails and therefore our hearts and minds. Let us call out to the Lord in our aloneness, even in a crowd. Let us let God comfort us. And, yes, let us let God settle our accounts on earth just as He settles our dust.
Amen
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Psalm 37: 23-24 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
SO MANY people went to the water today – for a polar plunge – and soon after they were quickly scattered and gone… WHEW! never saw so many clear out so fast…
Some people were scared and some were dared – and some of course were like “it’s not that hard” because they were PREPARED.
Isn’t that what we are supposed to be? PREPARED! If we step into the world, we are expected to get sometimes a cold shoulder to our warmth, get a slap of cold water onto our warm heart, get interrupted BY someone in the middle of a prayer FOR that someone… Well? keep praying… keep walking… keep splashing… keep hearing the call – though you may stumble you will not fall. The Lord upholds with His Hand and His Plan… The steps are firm even if they go squish thru the mud. Mud, you know, is how they make bricks, and buildings, and walkways…
Keep splashing the Spirit… Keep the faith… Keep stepping thru the mud!
It is readily reading from my Word that you should ply, apply, and reapply.
I don’t know Life’s whys but I know His Word is WHY.
It’s WHY, it’s What, it’s How, It’s When, Where and Why.
When? Now. Now, Then, Forever and in every When.
God’s Word is Him. Sufficient to be in. Good time is spent within.
Amen
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
The Name Above All Names CHOSE this Cross, HIS Cross.
.
Our Savior fulfilled only Gains. Our Lord Savior Saves. Proclaim His Name.
Amen
Isaiah 12
In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
Psalm 96
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.
In looking for “Closure to Open” 29MAR – #541 – a favorite blog over half a blog life ago, I found/find comfort in where the Lord had my head, and where He needs it now. I am thankful for thankfulness… I read in my little devotion book this morning about thankfulness. About it’s being a shift in your life and 100% percent I say YES.
So with thankfulness (and a busy schedule) I rerelease a few of my favorites at that link below – including this one:
Closure to Open
a Holy Thursday Reflection…
A counselor once told me: “You need closure, so that you can open up fully…”
I thought that was an interesting juxtaposition of terms – of closing to be open…
I’ve been praying on that irony… and I understand. To close wounds allows us to redirect our energy, our purpose, our hope. God heals and we help by allowing Him to do His work.
The Living Water of Jesus was purposefully directed to us, His flow allows us to LIVE.
A rose waiting to bloom is ready to open, but not until directed cues cause the water to enter the petals, the cells to expand, and a bloom form for the eye to behold…. see, feel, smell the sweet aroma of life.
Can you see your heart like a rose ready to bloom? God holds your heart petals together. Can you see how the closures of leaks would not remove the water that may have leaked thru the tears but redirects the water into hydrating flow that will grow you? He will bloom you. He makes all things beautiful…
“You need closure, to open fully…”
Jesus thru His death and resurrection brings back the sweet aroma of life, today, everyday, evermore. Back to the Garden… Easter is the opening, the redirection of His Spirit for our future to be realized in the present – God wants to be known. He blooms new life into us because of closure of Jesus’s short earthly form. The flow of Living Water now available for all.
“You need closure, to open fully…”
Closure is a process none of us takes lightly, nor can we try to force it… Any time we need closure, remember that it’s because Loving God wants redirecting of His Life in and thru you… to open you… to bloom… to bear fruit…. to LIVE… to LIVE now… to LIVE again…
Death and the thought of it (especially in Easter time) brings us closer to life. Closing one Act and opening another…
I watched the school musical, Addams Family, so well performed, watched it twice, 2 sets of actors in lead roles, each brought the characters to their own interpretation still while staying true to the established expectations of us TV generation – and that’s not easy because this TV generation kid knows even the expected smiles of the beloved characters, – so even if the wardrobe was perfect, it’s the smiles or lack there of that sells the story as “authentic” Granted this musical is based more on the movie than the TV show….
What makes me now smile internally is seeing the Christian references pop out in “secular” stories… Talking about the dead, how could it not? Looking at graveyard scenes, it was filled with crosses. The display case too had a vintage era looking weathered cross. Interesting that in secular places, one lead actress in her alternate non-lead character on the 2nd night, was portraying a deceased nun as a backup player. A nun with a cross around her neck, naturally… She held up the cross as defensive offensive work in some of the scenes where all the craziness was coming out in the characters… Yeah – this was not presented as a faith play but I got a smile because God found His “in”…
God finds His “in” – or simply we scratch the surface of where He already IS in… Yes, in death we just reflect on the need for the Lord – and even those who don’t necessarily worship the Lord can often be seen to appreciate those who do – and take it as “a norm” to turn to faith… Of course, this is not true in each country – we can both demonstrate our faith and even demonstrate a ho-hum attitude to it in the US – but in many countries they have to keep their faith underwraps but open to the Lord’s needs. And in some they become martyrs for their faith.
Good Lord – I do ponder our ability to both believe and not believe… And I do appreciate opportunities to give you credit where credit is due…
The Addams Family is funny – and as a hat trick to this past weekend where the sermon at church and songs played all seemed to point (naturally) to the truly Easter theme – “death brings life”… Death of the Lord brings Him and us new Life. Our own death will bring new life in Him. In the meantime, death of our earthly wants and cruxes, brings new Life in freedom from shackling chains that we get to drop. And death to the wickedness of evil in a broken world (after the Rapture and 1000 years Millennium) will be SO JOYFUL after such pain. Even if we will see not necessarily in our lifetime, surely as Heavenly observers, we will witness these stages of death to new life time…
At intermission of the Addams Family musical I ate cookies while waiting for the final act – and took some home for later… At this Lenten time of reflection, let us also be joyful in waiting for the final act – hold onto Joy and take some home for later… We already have been admitted to the “theatre of life” – the ticket was paid for and punched – and the curtain has not closed yet, so keep living it out. Keep living LIFE before Death to prep for LIFE after Death. Even best, we are now “behind the curtain” – so we get to see Jesus bringing for His new Acts to Life…
Amen
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Psalm 97
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.
All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols— worship him, all you gods! Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, Lord. For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.
There’s projects that will go unfinished in life, and some we finish some just to finish. Some things left half done or 90% done but we need to push to wrap up, some we don’t even start because we are afraid we can’t finish.
My sewing pile, that letter to a friend, half thoughts not shared, work stuff. And sometimes we wish stuff would go away, like icky projects. Sometimes they do. Sometimes we can just walk away. Sometimes we just need time to walk back.
If there are piles of unfolded laundry, we just move those baskets around, need motivation to put them away, but a fresh dryerfull, still warm? mmmm, I could dispense with that in no time. Hmmm… A house cluttered for weeks, but if company is coming? In 10 minutes it’s marvelous. Hmmm… Solution? Rewash the laundry and invite people over for visits and keep up with the motivation. Or don’t sweat the small stuff and have people over anyway – wear stuff from the laundry baskets too…
Many a devotional thought is half finished when I stop to think about it rather than just live it, maybe it is to rest on my brain longer, in my heart too. Maybe we are to hold thoughts of pondering Him and see then how He tackles the day, is the Way, and suffers too the lost projects. Oh, I see where this devotional writing it going: we are God’s unfolded laundry… oh… We collectively have members of the world who are unfolded, not in Jesus’s sheep fold-collective yet because they still have the wool over their eyes, and He is out there working on finding them, ready to give them a clean shave to see. Even us who stray and fray and gray are sometimes too long out in the field, due for a rewash, a fresh start, a breezy clean smell of Holy Spirit. If the motivation is what we need, only one spark can re-light our fire, the Lord.
One thing that we do know, is that unfinished stuff will always remain on earth. Like breaking up a house, either we do it or someone else will. Like the sewing pile, someone knowledgeable will salvage it, or someone overwhelmed will toss it. But God? He knows where and what to do with HIS STUFF: US. He did finish the work He established by sending Jesus to take away the burden of sin and have us walk as sheep into His fold, and better yet He lifted us in because no matter how high you can jump out of your skin, you can not jump our of your sin – Jesus needs to lift you to His Arms and lift your stains from your way, His Way. And if we get stale or soiled, we can be rewashed on the spot. Jesus, His motivation never waivers… He finishes. He recollects, He rewashes. He re-folds.
Jesus finished the wash but He is still folding…
Keep the faith that Jesus will be there for everyone who wants to be clean.
Amen
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11
THE LORD -Reigns -IS Robed -IS Majestic -HAS Strength
THE LORD -IS Established -IS Firm -IS Secure -IS Throned -For Eternity
THE LORD – IS Lifted -IS Vocal -IS Mighty -IS Mightier -Stands Firm
THE LORD -IS Holiness –IS High on the Mighty -IS IN HIS House
FOR Endless Days
…
Psalm 93 – One small Psalm – One God LARGER than all.
The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. our throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. The seas have lifted up, Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea – the Lord on high is mighty. Your statutes, Lord, stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days.
Oh the fun of scratch offs – which you know are rip offs – but fun anyway to play to dream to puzzle and oh to win… even if it is only a dollar to get another ticket…
I don’t over indulge and too many do in a “get rich quick” dream obsession, but a scratch off sitting in the trash can next to the ATM really caught my eye – it was not scratched off. It had the QR code scratched only – what weird waste of the fun part of the scratch off games…. what a waste of not money but the “not time” devoted to fun… hmmm…. i grabbed it and took a photo and yeah i scratched it – only 4 8’s where 5 were needed to win… yeah i confirmed that scratch offs are likely to not pay off… but what is the point of buying and not scratching… Hmmmm…
That got me thinking – what is the point of faith without works – and works without faith…. IT IS FAITH that helps put us with the works that God asks us to do – like give a hug, a helpful hand, a haul of stuff, a holding of a hand of hurt, and a huffah of a laugh whole heartedly… Don’t grab your salvation without scratching the surface of servanthood – or even some of the suffering… Don’t scratch minimally and run…. Savor the Scratch of the Surface of the Savior’s Style… Be Present.
I gave my mom scratch off tickets for her birthday – she is a leprechaun – even if not irish – she celebrates the irish… she IS lucky and she IS blessed… she does win thing – but these scratch offs that I gave her for her birthday are just for fun – i collected via my friends from 11 different states – cool huh? just for unique fun… does it matter if she makes cash? not really – because we already won fun.
Does it matter if we scratch the surface of our faith more deeply – OH YEAH!!!! It Matters!
Be the blessed of the lucky today – and take God’s advice – BE HIS…
Amen
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Proverbs 11
The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of[a] their power comes to nothing.
The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.
With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.
When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.
A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death.
The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.
Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.
Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.
If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
Have you ever known someone who wastes energy in fighting a fight that won’t be won? Or someone carrying a grudge which prevents them from experiencing the benefits of that relationship? well – yeah – and so sad but so common… and who are the people around them that suffer that tiptoe-ing ripple effect… yeah, wasted energy.
And how much more beneficial when we don’t put ourselves into that defensive mode and just either move on or move away from situations that drag us down rabbit holes of resentments? Stay away from gossips and fear mongers and all those other wasters of time. Notice how people come in and disrupt things and then they disappear when the money is gone or the challenge to build their fame is no longer interesting. Best to keep a lower profile and keep working – be the tortoise instead of the hare – keep tilling the soil – be in it (life) for the long haul and the plentiful harvest. Desire the Farm over the Fame. The Righteous for God are in good company: “for the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.”
Scripture says: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree…” , well I just saw LOTS of palm trees in Florida and some were flourishing in natural areas without people trimming and removing the leaves – or they were maintained to perfection high and mighty. The important thing to know about palm trees is their roots are very shallow but they stand so tall and seemingly sturdy – but like us, it is the grip of roots firmly into the soil which keep them from teetering over. Trees have to withstand the strong storms, but we do have the ability to take refuge in God’s Hands: “But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.”
So how do WE keep from teetering over? realize who is Righting-us, Whose Righteousness is keeping us going. Not ours – and not our “I’m Right” fightedness. It is the Lord for the Lord’s purposes Who is shining His benefits our way. And not just the wicked will perish but the unimportant things of the day – the squabbles – the misunderstandings – the people who disrupt our world and then walk away. Don’t let them steal your roots from His Soil. All is temporary anyway, except God. All changes, except God. All earthly things won’t make us any better in Heavenly terms, so get right with accepting and wanting His Righteousness over our own. Stay Green not in naivety but in child-like faith
And not all palm trees are coconut palms, just a few… So, what is the productive thing about coconut palm trees (in addition to looking so nice like the other palms)? Bearing fruit… The coconut is desired for it gives a highly nutritious power-packed fruit to eat. Many Many more coconuts (like 150 a year) will be produced than the trees that will sprout and grow from them… Like acorns from an oak tree, averaging over 25 pounds per year of shared fruit, possibly 2000 acorns for a 100 year old tree in a good year, we too must be like these trees and bear good and plentiful fruit to have excess to give away as food and food for thought. “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, witness and experiencing: “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock…” The people who experience and respect His Righteousness are too busy producing good fruit than spending time showing off their leaves, because what are leaves for? Gathering the sun and nutrients and producing sugars to grow into fruits… God knows what you are doing for Him – keep doing it… Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see?
In other words – don’t worry about showy people or fly by night and disappear people or whim-like people, and keep producing fruit, HIS fruit… Hold your roots onto His Rock and not in the unstable soil of distractors. Be productive for Our Lord Gardener, Vinedresser, Father… How Great are HIS Works!! Great enough to let you bear some of His fruit on you!
Fruit over Folly. Forever. Stay Green my friends.
Amen
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Psalm 92 – A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts! Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.
But you, Lord, are forever exalted. For surely your enemies, Lord, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured on me. My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
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Psalm 94
The Lord is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant? They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. They crush your people, Lord; they oppress your inheritance. They slay the widow and the foreigner; they murder the fatherless. They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.”
Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does he who fashioned the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge? The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile. Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law; you grant them relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.
Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Can a corrupt throne be allied with you – a throne that brings on misery by its decrees? The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the Lord our God will destroy them.
Yesterday I was complaining about not being in Florida warmth anymore. I wonder, if I hadn’t experienced it, would I have been complaining so much about the cold? Hmmm… I AM glad I appreciated it then either way – but yeah, we have expectations once we have privileges.
I watched a CNN story of a NY Canada border crossing for immigrants as asylum seekers (video link at the bottom), I was touched by the politeness of the situation, the compassion of guards, the local community woman giving out free warm clothes and we heard “God bless” on national TV-video, and I sensed the gratefulness in the hug of the Russian man who just physically reacted in love… there is no greater expression of thank you than one that comes from the heart.
Regardless of legal circumstances, the compassion here was freely given, and I don’t think it was just because the cameras were rolling. We all have to be compassionate to others who have less. I am sure these people will get much scorn later because of an illegal status, but that did not deter a lady giving away mittens – she probably is these people’s statue of liberty in disguise. Lady Liberty off the clock after the boom of “manageable” welcomed huddled masses has been long gone. Yes, so not a legit entry method, but imagine if we had a fraction of compassion as if we watched the Sound of Music’s triumphant mountain climax of asylum seekers.
COMPASSION pours out of us, regardless of our political views of asylum seekers. If you see these faces, it’s hard to stay so cold in spirit. It is a broken world out there – it really is. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. Jesus knew it was a broken world, and if we start to look at the world in those terms then it is easier to put aside the anger and start the compassion.
When I have crossed the Canadian border, which I’ve done at least a dozen or 2 dozen times for vacation, I have always had just a little bit of nervous fear that they wouldn’t believe me – not that I was who I was- because they probably scan the license plate anyway – but because I was worried they wouldn’t believe my intentions or that I wasn’t carrying more than chocolate souvenirs. Yes, people do smuggle stuff across the border, maybe like home improvements construction supplies, people just tend to stretch the rules sometimes. People just are people. In the 50’s and 60’s, my dad’s car was stripped apart at border crossings in an attempt to find any smuggled cigarettes or anything, it was with good trade fairness intentions, hopefully, by the guards, even if it probably also was to demonstrate their authority. And no, my Dad never got in trouble, but I always will remember his stories.
I’m not making a political statement about the process of nationalism or illegal immigration, but wanted to WITNESS to the COMPASSION of people, or least the routine-ness of it even on a very cold road. The guards were mostly not wearing hats, very adapted to the temperatures, but the immigrants wore hats and mittens, they were walking COLD on a cold road into cold Canada but had some true warmth of insulation: mittens, well-wishes and HOPE. They had real suitcases, paid real money from NYC onto a bus, then money to the taxi driver 28 miles up to the crossing, were walking a cold road but with the best plan they could muster for the future. Again, not to be political but to observe that so often the road of unknown is traversed with hope even through heartache.
Not surprising, this crossing is getting busier, they walk into being arrested with all the implications and yet someone (who knows the brokenness of the whole situation) helps them with their bags, their paperwork, their hopes. Hmmm… Jesus walked in to being arrested too… The scriptures state the shock of the guards, falling down. Jesus stood up to say TAKE ME. How interesting that He walked into a broken world WILLINGLY to get us eventually to One that won’t be broken anymore. How interesting that Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was greeted by a warm welcome, but in tears for the people mistook His intentions, thinking He was to make THEIR earthly kingdom restored in the immediate sense, but unaware that He came to make God’s Kingdom restored in a forever sense. How interesting that Jesus took on the known cold road in fulfilment of the scriptures.
It’s that awareness on the journey we also must walk, we are aware only in part of the healing hope ahead… and we WILL experience this broken world along the way of the Way. We WILL sometimes be the crossing people and sometimes feel like the crossing guard, but must realize JESUS is our crossing guard who helps us with our bags AND our paperwork.
Thank you Jesus for Your Compassion of us – the immigrants you are bringing in from the cold.
Amen
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John 18:1-9
When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”
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Here is the video:
Roxham road: Why the US northern border is experiencing record migration | CNN
My vacation long weekend quick trip included many choices: discussions of which rental car, which pool, which beach, which restaurant, which bulk candy to scoop, which skeeball machine to play and which toy prize (I got a donut with sprinkles keychain)… ALL GOOD choices to choose from. Our trip to the Atlantic Ocean beach (so beautiful) found us with so many seashells to choose from – collecting all shapes from spirals to oyster shells to cement-like Coquina made from fossils even, broken shells formed into sedimentary rocks, brought in by the waves. We took some, but never could you deplete all the good choices – it is sort of, well totally, unbelievable how many good choices there are. What if we looked upon our life choices that way? Building upon God choices that He brings in like a wave. Pick up on some – and leave some for others.
My friend, local to that beach, discussed her own new life choices, like where to move. My other friend from our earlier days of vacation time had also been contemplating life change: which career path to take now as all kids are of school age… SO many good choices – maybe hard decisions, maybe easy ones – but always many MORE good choices than bad…
Perhaps these life choices for all of us are so numerous that almost like the seashells, there could be no wrong choices or at least time to study the opportunities. Perhaps bad choices could be tossed back to the sea. Granted for both shells, and small and large life choices, some decisions are heavier to carry or harder to carry out, some are temporary like that rental car, or short-lived like that candy, or made into a stepping stone for job choices, like Coquina shell rock, using the past to build the future.
In all, we must learn to trust the Lord to lead our decisions and forgive our mistakes. We need to build upon God choices.
A friend recently described the benefits of the Holy Spirit going THRU US rather than just to us – and this is as how you channel the whole ocean through your hands, by leaving them open and available to move in God’s Work. Maybe that’s why we have SO many choices because the Holy Spirit wants so many to be OK. We don’t collect the whole ocean but let it flow thru our lives. We use that power of the Holy Spirit to move well. Earthly decisions are TEMPORARY, going out with the next tide, but Heavenly choices? They flow us forward to the Lord. Let us follow God’s Heart as best we can.
Don’t worry about tomorrow, God will give fresh God choices then. Live in today’s wave…
Amen
— Psalm 93 The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. The seas have lifted up, Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea — the Lord on high is mighty. Your statutes, Lord, stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days.
Psalm 91 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
I appreciate that many people write self-help books, they DO want to help – and do want to give you what THEY THINK is great advice – and reach out to enrich our philosophical souls… However, often this is earthly advice, with a greater purpose in mind… So truthfully, after all my readings of scripture, I can say that Jesus knows the Way, is the Way, sends us on His Way without us having to go it alone. God-given advice looks beyond the boundaries of our mirky view… Don’t try to read the bumper sticker, hop in the car with Jesus.
Any advice one should ALWAYS check against scripture. So, although this book “Advanced Soul” seems to have some scriptural inspirations, I find it is mostly not… and the most red of red flags for me was the instructions to randomly flip through the pages, point your finger and get your answer. Hmmmm… God can help pull lots in His favor, but don’t try to read tea leaves if God says don’t drink from that cup. (My apologies to the author and my friend who passed it to me from giving someone else who was done with it, I will stick with the Word).
We are instructed that if it is not from the Word, or contradictory to the Word, it is missing the mark. So I have learned to try to steer clear of the artificial advice, misconstrued mumble, and things seemingly insincere. This book did come via a beloved friend – and maybe for her it was ok for a season, (like Ecclesiastes 3:1 states) “to every thing there is a season and a time under the heaven.” But maybe it just didn’t satisfy. Maybe it ran dry. . . Maybe I know why, it mostly wasn’t living water to satisfy.
So for me, I will stick to the Word, I will go for SIMPLE TRUTH in a saved soul over having an “advanced soul”. I will try to be childlike rather than jaded. I will stop fishing for answers and let the Fisherman who caught me just feed me ‘His Line’… Faith is not a trap but an open path out of the valley of the shadow of death…
Remember always:
God’s got this
God’s got this
God’s got this…
Amen
Love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
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Psalm 89:1-29 – A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’”
The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies. The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it. You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name. Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.
For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn. Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have raised up a young man from among the people. I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him. My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him. The enemy will not get the better of him; the wicked will not oppress him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries. My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted. I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers. He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’ And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail. I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.
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Psalm 87 Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song. He has founded his city on the holy mountain. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are said of you, city of God: “I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me— Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush— and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’” Indeed, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her.” The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.” As they make music they will sing, “All my fountains are in you.”
Well – an hour less of sleep tonight – but that also means an hour less of worry tomorrow.
An hour less of mess, an hour less of complaining, an hour less of stumbling, an hour less of waiting… an hour less until Jesus comes again… (hey I like my sleep too – but wow, Jesus is coming an hour quicker now? cool…..)
And Christmas came to me today – and DIDN”T pinch me – wow! I mean Christmas the crab AND Christmas the shopping! Yes – I had a Walk to Emmaus Gathering today and brought Christmas with me – the crab – he (yes I studied and determined him as a he) went for a ride and was the basis for my talking about my journey in the spiritual weekend – I didn’t know that I was going to be in charge of one of God’s creatures – 5 years now – he is very low maintenance – and yet Christmas was lost on the ground that october day – a walk directed for me and my walking partner as we listened to our hunch of which path to take (thanks God!). SO, how could we not pick him up – except we didn’t and had to go back again the next day – he was still there…
In my talk today I spoke about how Christmas has changed shells – and often we do as well – but of course we are strongest in the Armor of God. I also spoke how important it was for me to “come out of my shell” to my co-walking ladies at that weekend – and same now – to have companions of Christ – to have brothers and sisters of each other – we understand each other – and we are NOT to judge… NOPE! I also spoke of how Christmas molted and how I had to wait (just like we all have to wait) – and how we are new creations in Christ…
In my Christmas shopping today (I know it is March, but a HUGE sale was brewing at the craft store), I got craft kits for little trees – less than 50 cents each – and christmas wreaths for 1.25… wow!
And here is the biggest Christmas gift I got to participate in today – the gift of the Holy Spirit timing… I hope that my words are not taken as my timing or bragging but that the Lord gave me charge of Christmas the crab for many reasons I don’t see coming until they do, I got to show Christmas to 20 young children today… WOW! I was walking down the stairs after the Emmaus event – and since I had parked in the back – and grumbled about walking all the way around earlier – I had to leave thru those downstairs doors – and wow!!! 100 children were there for “saturday schoool” – a local eastern european ethnic community raising their children in a church closeness… feeding them lunch and everything… cool… I stopped at the bottom of the stairs for a crying child – he must have fallen – was inconsolable. He did not want to look at Christmas when I pulled him out – but the other 20 children gathered around and I explained how God must have sent me (and my friend) to find him – he was lost… cool…
We are lost until we are found – and so many children need to hear about God – hear about Jesus – hear about HOPE. We need to let them come and be children and curious and called. I had many smiles today that God gave me – I had many opportunities to praise… Who needs grumpling anyway when each day we can PRAISE…
So, one less hour tonight for sleep – but wow – one more hour closer to Jesus coming again – keep an eye out – just like Christmas – and WHAT A SURPRISE that will be!!!!
An hour less is an hour more.
Amen
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Psalm 85 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
You, Lord, showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger.
Restore us again, God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us. Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation.
I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants – but let them not turn to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.
I often pray so hard for a sudden event but follow up with praise afterwards so much more minimally than I should. I have LOTS of praise, and God has even MORE goodness than we could ever praise.
Praise and prayers for my travelling – classic pray a lot – but how much better for me to start with praise for the last time God delivered answered prayers… in other words praise praise praise. My vacation time was great, started last Saturday after SLEEPING: 9 to 4! Wanted 5am, but God got me up even earlier, seeing how He thought I was well rested enough to spend the extra hour with Him.. I did write some part of this devotion then, then wrote alot of others on vacation like I was clearing my mental backlog by remembering to praise! I finished up a fun song below, from what I didn’t finish that first morning before the plane flight.
It’s back to work now and “regular” life, but praising? We (I) should be praising even more!
Here is the song! Sing it with me! (Inspired by Dolly Parton’s genius)
Love opening a Bible as an OPEN BOOK that I know I have become very blessed to understand and desire… blessed to not back down from a faith conversation either… I loved the opportunity to “flip to a page” from the bible in the hotel room… it was the “set your face as flint” passage from Isaiah
The travel was awesome and so was the sticker that had Jesus on it – that I used as my bookmark… I love that statue from Rio – and it is cool that people will think of Jesus when they travel… and when they live…
Get your strength from Heaven – there is no better place!
Amen
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Psalm 84 New King James Version
The Blessedness of Dwelling in the House of God. To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
How lovely is Your tabernacle,O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord;My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young— Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring;The rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah O God, behold our shield, And look upon the face of Your anointed.
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
I had a WELL DONE burger at the restaurant last night, which was a tourist opportunity for appreciating wildlife in captivity (gators, parrots) and in the wild. Well done burger for food safety, and yet how even more safe we are in Heaven, and there we can say: “Well done, Lord!”
Driving through rain and traffic back from dinner, I was appreciative of the safe landing at our home away from home on vacation… I bet a couple days from now I will be grateful for a safe plane landing back home… so in between I will be grateful for everything… and forever I will be worshipful grateful for God’s Provisions… WELL DONE LORD!!!
He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return. Psalm 78
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God gave us a brain, let us use it.
God gave us Grace, let us accept it.
God gave us life, let us live it.
We are a vapor, He is eternal.
But He still blew life into you anyway, so your vapor could be IN His Breeze.
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David became a shepherd to the sheep,
a king to the kingdom,
an ancestor to the Lord.
David came from a people who drifted and strayed,
but God kept the Kingdom coming anyway.
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God chose to take the vapor and cook up something good…
God chose you to be with Him.
Amen
Psalm 78, a History of His Faithfulness
Psalm 78 A maskil of Asaph.
1 My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3 things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. 5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, 6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. 7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 8 They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.
9 The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; 10 they did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by his law. 11 They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them. 12 He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. 13 He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand up like a wall. 14 He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. 15 He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; 16 he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers.
17 But they continued to sin against him, rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. 18 They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. 19 They spoke against God; they said, “Can God really spread a table in the wilderness? 20 True, he struck the rock, and water gushed out, streams flowed abundantly, but can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?” 21 When the Lord heard them, he was furious; his fire broke out against Jacob, and his wrath rose against Israel, 22 for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance. 23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; 24 he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. 25 Human beings ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat. 26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens and by his power made the south wind blow. 27 He rained meat down on them like dust, birds like sand on the seashore. 28 He made them come down inside their camp, all around their tents. 29 They ate till they were gorged— he had given them what they craved. 30 But before they turned from what they craved, even while the food was still in their mouths, 31 God’s anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. 33 So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror. 34 Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. 35 They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. 36 But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; 37 their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant. 38 Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. 39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the wasteland! 41 Again and again they put God to the test; they vexed the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember his power— the day he redeemed them from the oppressor, 43 the day he displayed his signs in Egypt, his wonders in the region of Zoan. 44 He turned their river into blood; they could not drink from their streams. 45 He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them. 46 He gave their crops to the grasshopper, their produce to the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore-figs with sleet. 48 He gave over their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning. 49 He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility— a band of destroying angels. 50 He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague. 51 He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham. 52 But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the wilderness. 53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies. 54 And so he brought them to the border of his holy land, to the hill country his right hand had taken. 55 He drove out nations before them and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance; he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.
56 But they put God to the test and rebelled against the Most High; they did not keep his statutes. 57 Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless, as unreliable as a faulty bow. 58 They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols. 59 When God heard them, he was furious; he rejected Israel completely. 60 He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among humans. 61 He sent the ark of his might into captivity, his splendor into the hands of the enemy. 62 He gave his people over to the sword; he was furious with his inheritance. 63 Fire consumed their young men, and their young women had no wedding songs; 64 their priests were put to the sword, and their widows could not weep.
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, as a warrior wakes from the stupor of wine. 66 He beat back his enemies; he put them to everlasting shame. 67 Then he rejected the tents of Joseph, he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim; 68 but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved. 69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that he established forever. 70 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; 71 from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. 72 And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.
The flip side of Jesus going after the one sheep lost, is that he leaves 99 behind… But I know shepherds surely don’t usually work alone; they have other shepherds to help… So, those other 99, they probably will be perfectly fine. They (we) like sheep can stick together closely, right? Jesus is sure they will – otherwise He wouldn’t charge them with taking care of each other… We do know best to stay together and we must be willing to be OK. Yes.
We do know how to stick together, right? Yes, we do. We do know how to huddle and ask Jesus to come find us, right? We hopefully do. We do know how to follow and keep on the path, right? We prayerfully do.
Jesus would go after just the one, and we must also sometimes put our needs aside and be Jesus to go after that one or this one or any one. (Sometimes simply most powerfully in prayer we can reach them by God if we can’t reach them by hand).
So often we need to take some time with Jesus. Jesus would understand that, Jesus Himself went 40 days out into the wilderness just to be with God and God alone. In ourselves we can find that special hidden place where we discuss everything with God.
The Lord knows so much that He waits out where you are going, He knows. Jesus is there, Jesus is aware. We are children of His flock.
Amen
Psalm 77 (said Jesus from Heaven)
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.
I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted.
I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak.
I thought about the former days, the years of long ago;I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked:
“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?You are the God who performs miracles;you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed. The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.
Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.
You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Ephesians 5:8-10
I heard a “new to me” term – “LAZARUS SATURDAY”… What? Oh! That makes sense. Those days/weeks before Palm Sunday (and a few times before that) are when Jesus was with Lazarus, Mary and Martha in Bethany… OH!!!!! So cool to appreciate this term… I Googled and Wikipedia-ed it and it IS a real feast observance day for some near the end of Lent. “Lazarus Friday” and “Lazarus Saturday”… There’s even a tasty feast bread “Lazarakia” made to look like a wrapped Lazarus bodies. Cool… (Imagine tearing off some bread strips like his wrappings – and remembering Jesus in breaking the bread is like Him by taking the rap and allowing us to take some of the wraps of death – the grave cloths – off of ourselves.)
When my son was little, in Sunday school, the class did the classic toilet paper wrapping of each other to pretend like being Lazarus – adorable- but also I said to myself, “someday I hope my son will remember this” – our experiences in making Bible characters come alive for children (and us) puts motions to concepts, gives understanding at a basic level, and gets seeds planted deeply, protected and ready to sprout dozens of years later.
Lazarus. Jesus knew that plan. Jesus walked that plan. Jesus lived that plan: to let death enter into the equation of how life will become forever. Jesus came to Lazarus but only after a few days, He knew God needed the people to see a HUGE sign, Jesus knew that He had to let his friend Lazarus pass away, and the hearts break in Mary and Martha. Jesus knew His Own Walk would mirror this time, take His Own close friends and family and followers from triumphant Palm Sunday into DESPAIR, just a short time later. This job, was a job only Jesus could do. Only Jesus could know, act, wait, weep, and bring it all to be worshipful. Only Jesus. That was a Jesus Job.
What was something only Jesus knew? That He had to WAIT. Jesus was walking towards His death and deliverance, He even pre-wrote in His Word all thru the prophets in the old testament. We wait all the time for little things, IMAGINE the LONG TIME Jesus had to wait. (Imagine the long wait even now for Jesus to return)… Jesus had even to endure knowing that Lazarus was so so close and yet the action plan was not timed yet to go, Jesus had to WAIT. When it really was time, His disciples were then wondering IF they should travel or not over to Lazarus, said to be a short trip but perhaps dangerous, but Jesus knew He had a “Jesus Job” to do.
He came. Martha said, He’s dead, Mary also said: if only you could have come at our request. They all were in total despair, and their teacher also seemed to have been distant. Jesus wept. Jesus wept for and with them. Jesus was made to wait for the longterm solution and NOT the quick fix. No bandaid approach. Just REAL HEALING. Jesus then had to remind her this was not the end. Jesus had to say: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
Was it human agony to wait out the pause? To wait and watch God-sized ducks get in a row? For Jesus to NOT call down an angel, or simply walk to Lazarus before he was dead. Who could endure such agony in WAITING? WHO? JESUS. Who could face their own death as part of the plan, then keep walking and working up until that last moment? JESUS.
OH LAZARUS SATURDAY, LAZARUS FRIDAY… What distraction it must have been to focus on one person’s death and life (and the teaching of hundreds, thousands, billions in addition to 2 sisters) all while walking into your own death. Not just death but complete distance from God to remove all our sins. Only Jesus could take that job.
Waiting.. only Jesus… Actually? Only Jesus? Knowing what we know now, can we do some of Jesus’s waiting? Could we pick up some of these other “Jesus jobs” too? Hmmm… I bet we can, with the help of the Holy Spirit, Jesus knows we can.
If you are waiting on a friend, to realize something, to wake up, to calm down, to come back? You have a Jesus job.
If you have to forgive a grievance, right a wrong that you did not cause, you have a Jesus job.
If you see someone lost and have to hand them a map, you have a Jesus job.
If you are facing suffering and death yourself but have to keep faith, have to encourage, you have a Jesus job.
If you believe when others waiver, and you can speak in truth, that IS a Jesus Job.
If you ever had to wait on anything in your life, Jesus has been there (Jesus is here) waiting with you.
Jesus was made for the Job, the Job was made for Jesus. Let us be Lazarus-like and renewed, be Jesus-love-like and be believing in FOREVER.. how ever long the wait is to get there… Let us believe in Jesus and be one less tear He needs to shed.
Let’s pick up some “Jesus jobs” while we are waiting.
Amen
—
John 11:25-44
Jesus said to her [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Ahhh, from dust we came, and to dust we shall return. Lord, please settle my dust before I return.
Lord, our dust is damaged and in disarray from earthly pain and perturbations of Your Spirit flow. Lord, please soothe and rearrange us to Your standards and make us joyful instead of anxious. Lord, settle our dust.
My dust Lord is missing a few pieces, but You know where they went. It is ok if You gave them away to help others, it is even better that Jesus gave me some new dust from His dust to make me whole. My dust Lord is sometimes clumped clumsily in me, my toil incomplete and often ineffective, please iron me out, bring me into Your usefulness again. My dust, Lord, is sometimes dormant. I wish to reassert my ways for Your work. Give up my knowledge in exchange for Your masterful plan. Lord, light our way and unclog our vision, settle down the dust we blind ourselves with, help us to clearly see You. Our dust collectively will return to the earth, so Lord, please use it to replant Your Garden.
Help us make the most of our dust and leave behind dust trails that glorify You. I want to know what I have done with my dust has pleased You.
Until the day we return back our dust, keep us Lord, in Your Fortress, magnetize us to see You, know You, follow You.
You are our refuge. In You, Lord, we trust.
Amen
Psalm 91
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
I am so blessed to have heard a sermon on Ash Wednesday from a friend who spoke of ashes as dust – dark and light, black and white and to be reminded that we are “made from ashes – and to ashes we will become”…
This morning in my mediation in the Word, I had like a beam of light that shined thru some of that dust inside my head and as I connected my thoughts there was a mini explosion of a dust storm…. whoosh…
We are a Dust Storm! We are a Dust Storm in the process of settling down. And when we shine the LIGHT of Jesus – that GLOW from our face – that is when our dust settles down and stops blocking out His light from beaming thru us…
YES! He SHINES when our dust settles down.
Our reflection of His light is better thru our selflessness than morphed as refractions thru our selfishness.
When dust storms settle, the light will shine thru better and brighter… when dust storms kick up, you can still see the light illuminate each and every particle of dust – you still see light and know that you are a part of a bigger event… Then, when dust settles, we can look out past our dust storm to the horizon…
When we look past our own selves, and our own cluster of dust, we can see the future God is trying to move us to.
When I am confused and stressed and life is full of a jumble of thoughts – I need to talk it out of my system to settle the dust storm in my head… I don’t lose the dust, I just settle it and build upon it.
When I am so overloaded with joy and energy and exuberance – I need to work it out of my system to settle the dust storm in my head. I don’t lose the dust, I just settle it and build upon it.
And as Jesus is the living water, when I dampen down the dust in my head with His mist, and look for His Light, then Jesus can shine thru…
When we pass our fingers thru dust settled on a table, we reveal the clear surface underneath. This is a microcosm of times when God pulls His Son, in His right hand, thru our minds, clearing the picture, seeing the clear path to follow… We need Jesus to settle us and light our way.
God wants to settle us into a proper place. Jesus is the light that shines thru… AND Jesus is the living water to hydrate the situation.
Settle your dust and see a chance to move towards peace.
God is LOVE and love does not boast. (1st Corinthians 13). I have a friend who says (and actively works at) this process: “Breathe in Jesus and breathe out me”… It is an active exchange: removing ego of self – and instead taking in the desire for more serving – more sensitivity – more selflessness. Be Jesus – Breathe Jesus… Be renewed and renewing. Less Me, More YOU, Lord. How else will we be of clean hearts?
Love is not a force of arrogance nor is boastful. God is not arrogant, He is all powerful as a fact. We might want to boast about God and His power – but it is not like He is doing it as a show. God really is ALL POWERFUL to the point that He can and did give up His Son in sacrifice, and Jesus gave up His life in sacrifice, to bring us closer to Him forever. God is powerful enough to take the hard road to victory. LOVE wins.
But LOVE does not boast. We put human attributes on God when we shouldn’t. He is not boasting in love but being in love. He is also not “out to get us” – but “in to keep us”… In my case I can often see that God is grabbing me by my head and moving me place to place, to work for Him and to tell of Him. God is trying to keep me Holy so I should try to keep Holy. Sometimes I start to say something probably I shouldn’t and an interruption causes me to realize that maybe I should rethink what I am about to say or boast about. Sometimes reading someone’s face is most important – how are they looking at Jesus if I am trying to shine out OVER His image. I can say that I am a “Psalm 139 type person” – God sees me wherever I am and comes to get me. You too? Psalm 139 is all about God – He is the LOVE that protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres (1 Corinthians 13) – AND WANTS US TO REALIZE HIS LOVE – AND WANTS US TO SHOW HIS LOVE – Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Ps139)
The scriptures state that sometimes we see others who have so much and we become jealous and that is when we falter – see Psalm 73. And isn’t it better to have little and peace than a lot and a lot of problems?… Sometimes we encounter the wicked or at least the boastful and we want to be like them. DON’T. We SHOULD know that being boastful and arrogant often might cause us to be discrediting God. That is probably the worst thing we can do is discredit God – not only not be thankful but be boastful of our own doings – to turn our back on Him and not credit Him with His work in Salvation let alone us simply breathing… Really God could strike us down instantly, or like the wicked, wait until that day when they have to stand up in God’s presence, in judgement. Better to clear the air, clean the heart, return to faithful worship. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. Better to realize that God is the One allowing us to live – providing all these times for prosperity – and providing moments even to have peace. God the father is not the Godfather profiting from us but the Father God providing for us.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory… (ps73) And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1Cor13)
Amen and thank You God for being in charge – You know the Way to go – LEAD ME. Breathe in Jesus, breathe out me… THANKS.
Amen
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Psalm 73 of Asaph. NIV. (Asaph was a skilled singer and poet in king David’s time – whom was part of the choir and led others in these skills too.)
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?”
This is what the wicked are like – always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
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Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.
All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.
If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
.
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
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Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.
—–
Here is more info about Asaph himself from “gotquestions .org”
There were a number of Levites that King David assigned as worship leaders in the tabernacle choir, according to 1 Chronicles 6:31–32. Asaph was one of these men (1 Chronicles 6:39). Asaph’s duties are described in detail in 1 Chronicles 16. According to 2 Chronicles 29:30, both Asaph and David were skilled singers and poets. Asaph is also mentioned as a “seer” or prophet. The “sons of Asaph” are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 25:1, 2 Chronicles 20:14, and Ezra 2:41. The sons of Asaph were likely a guild of skilled poets and singers, modeling themselves musically after Asaph, their master. The church musicians of our day can be considered spiritual “children of Asaph.” Psalms 50 and 73—83 are called the “Psalms of Asaph” because his name appears in the superscription at the head of those psalms. Regarding Asaph’s role as a prophet, of particular interest is the imprecatory Psalm 83, which deals with God’s judgment of Israel’s enemies: Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moab, the Hagarites, Gebal, Ammon, the Amalekites, Philistia, Tyre, and Assyria. If we examine the psalms written by Asaph, we can see that all of them have to do with the judgment of God, and many involve the prayers of the people at the prospect or moment of a particular event. Asaph was a gifted individual. He understood where the gift came from, and he used his music to praise the Lord and communicate His Word to a needy world.
1st Corinthians 13 – New King James Version The Greatest Gift
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Psalm 139 NIV – of David
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Imagine what an attitude of: “Thank You God” brings.
THANKFULNESS could prevent OVERthinking or jealous overtaking.
THANKFULNESS means “I can move forward with FORWARD thinking”.
THANKFULNESS could prevent sinful pride, or being snide.
THANKFULNESS could put both your grief and your anger aside.
Thankfulness might even prevent overwhelmedness,
unless you are overwhelmed with thankfulness.
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God appreciative, Humble thankfulness is best.
“I am Thankful for _________”, I bet you could fill in the rest.
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We can be thankful for the past, surviving many a test.
But imagine how THANKFUL we should be for the future for HIS gracious REST.
Thanks for listening, I think you are all the best.
Thank you God for those who understand my zest.
Amen
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Psalm 72: Imagine David’s thankfulness for the past – but here David writes, in Psalm 72, his THANKFULNESS for the FUTURE, He both writes about his son Solomon, immediate future king, AND David writes about Jesus, of course he does, Jesus is the writing Himself.. David writes in THANKFULNESS of God for the past and future, Jesus IS the Alpha and Omega. We see how He came – and we will see Him come again.
THANKFULNESS!!!
Psalm 72
Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. . May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor. May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. . May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust. May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. . For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. . Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. May grain abound throughout the land;on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. . Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.
Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
. Amen and Amen. . This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
My college kid daughter did not travel home as planned yesterday because she locked herself out of her apartment doing laundry, oops, so today I drove up to bring her her passport (and some treats of course like girl scout cookies), and to give her hugs. She is headed to Italy in 2 weeks… what great thankfulness I have for that blessing for her. She gets education, she gets adventures… she gets a future.
I just watched a CBS 60 Minutes pair of stories: Ukraine regions still under fire and old sad news of girls in Afghnstn who don’t get education, except some refugees in Africa… wow… Count your blessings, in Ukraine they turn the heat off to survive. We’ve best to not complain about our situation of freedom and opportunities. Italy, huh? Didn’t we just have a pandemic recently? Italy especially? Let’s not complain and THANK GOD for calming our catastrophic situations.
SO, driving the way back home I stopped by Liberty State Park. I love seeing the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the train station. It is not crowded here, easy parking as no ferries stop here in winter… My son is working, so mom has FREEDOM, and a Subaru, and a decently half-full tank of gas. Love freedom on a Sunday… I prayerfully touched the 911 I-beams, looked at the Empty Sky Memorial and the new Freedom Tower for a little while, took a needed walk, and I enjoyed the purple crocuses which tell us spring is coming.
Yesterday, also in Jersey (don’t worry, I got a good rest at home in between AND washed all my stuff). I was south of here for the annual Polar Plunge, actually 100,000 spectators they calculated for 7500 plungers, WOW. NEARLY 3 MILLION DOLLARS RAISED, for Special Olympics by jumping into an ocean that is practically ignored 23 hours of this winter day…
After the plunge, while I was munching happily on snacks back at the rental, wearing nice dry warm clothes, sitting by the fire, someone new came and marveled at our energy. He asked if doing the polar plunge was spiritual for me, I blurted out, not even thinking too much, “It’s ALL Spiritual”... I’m not being flippant, but in retrospect I meant that I was THANKFUL to plunge, to be anywhere especially here, and to be THANKFUL because I know Whom to thank. I am thankful for God delivering on my prayers for fun. SO, reflecting upon our life opportunities, my life opportunities everyday, I am sooooo THANKFUL… It IS spiritual to be thankful. I enjoy being thankful simply in that fact that we are able to BE THANKFUL… Yup, that’s the core of a spiritual thing for me… God allows Freedom yes, free to forget to be thankful or freedom to have THANKFULNESS… yeah… choose the latter.
So today was writing this sitting in Jersey again, Jersey City – looking at the back of Lady Liberty , still inspiring because she is looking FOREVER FORWARD. And at this location and viewpoint, the huddled masses would have already made it to the Central Jersey trains and the promised land USA. Looking back or looking forward, count blessings. I think that God reminds us that EMBRACING the FUTURE is best looked upon by FACING FORWARD. “No one who puts their hands to the plow and looks back is fit for service“.
I saw thankful families taking photos today on a Sunday stroll, and seemingly a mix of all nationalities. These probably are families who came more recently to US America, so their trips here are closer in the rear view mirror than my family’s trips. I am thankful my family trusted the opportunity to move forward. Remember, those boat rides must have been pretty scary. If our ancestors could see us now… let’s remember: You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
God wants to take us all to the place where we WANT to trust Him as well as NEED to TRUST HIM. Then He wants to see us embrace life. Facing forward, we can walk… Then how will we see what is hidden just beyond the horizon? FAITH. Keep the Faith… let God go ahead. That’s a favorite reason for spiritual thankfulness, GOD gives us FAITH to know He is working.
God is in control, BE SPIRITUAL and PLUNGE INTO LIFE!
Amen
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Psalm 71 New King James Version
God the Rock of Salvation
In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. For You are my hope, O Lord God;
You are my trust from my youth. By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You.
I have become as a wonder to many, But You are my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your glory all the day.
Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails. For my enemies speak against me; And those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together, Saying, “God has forsaken him; Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.”
O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! Let them be confounded and consumed
Who are adversaries of my life; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor who seek my hurt.
But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.
Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Also with the lute I will praise You – And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed. My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long; for they are confounded, for they are brought to shame who seek my hurt.
No doubt, God calms… before storms, before wars, before old age, before adventures and adverse times. God’s got it all under control. Psalm 71 says so much, especially about already having taken refuge and already praise and prayer for the times the Lord DID save the day in the past, and now looking towards the future…
If you are a worry-type person, give it to God.
If you are looking for refuge, go to God.
If you are “safe thus far”, give PRAISE to God.
“Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?“
If you need calm before a storm, read Psalm 71.
If you’re surely grateful for being delivered in the past, sing Psalm 71.
If you are a child of God, LIVE Psalm 71.
Amen and read ahead…
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Psalm 71 NIV
In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel. For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.
Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together. They say, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.” Do not be far from me, my God; come quickly, God, to help me.May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.
As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.
Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.
I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you — I whom you have delivered.
My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.
Psalm 68:7-10 When you, God, went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
God gives the rain and sometimes God withholds the rain to make a point!
I just re-read about the widow who was kept OK in supplies, in flour and oil, so she could continue to make bread, life-sustaining bread during a long drought that God used to reach the people who didn’t believe in Him. The widow could make bread from near empty but never really empty jars. Bread for herself, her son, and prophet Elijah, who told her to “just do it”. It seems in this part of the story that she may have believed her good fortune was from God, but not believed, until the end when Elijah also resuscitated her son who suddenly took ill and passed away. Did she believe prophet Elijah was sent from God? Well, he was but maybe for her, the unending jars of flour and oil was seemingly not enough to convince her it was Elijah working for God. God resuscitated resurrected her son, and it was through Elijah’s prayers – then Elijah presented her son back alive. Then she said: Now by this Iknow that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.” …
This sounds so much like Jesus with Lazarus – to rise him from the dead (a many days dead that Jesus knew about) – and rose him from the dead so that the people watching would believe. This sounds so much like Jesus Himself being rose from the dead – Jesus had to fulfil the prophecies – but as the added bonus – he was able to be the demonstration to actual people, one by one, that He was fulfilling the prophesies and that God sent Him – so that they would believe.
Elijah begged mercy, God delivered. Elijah said to God: ‘do You hear me now?’ And God says to all of us: “listen to the one I sent, and asks us: “Do you HEED ME now?”. Jesus begged God’s mercy to the ones who wouldn’t believe. Jesus could and can intercede with the Father – and we are the beneficiaries – now and forever.
We too must realize our jars are never really empty. And if we do run low, aren’t we best to dip into God’s reserves? If God brought us this far, He CAN take us Home.
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Elijah stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this Iknow that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth. 1st Kings 17:21-24
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What is the number one wish, well one of the wishes, of Jesus as He walked the Earth? That all would BELIEVE – that it all would click in the beliefs and God would open their eyes – that the scriptures plus the situation plus the scenes of miracles would clue them in that there was now salvation security. Jesus simply asked for them and us to believe in and love the Father, and believe in the One He sent, Jesus.
Years later, Jesus allowed John to see Heaven’s Revelation and to write down much, with the intention of letting us all know that Heaven is not just a stopping place, but a time when we will see how Jesus will rend all evil to be put down completely. A long process and a longing process. Then we will be blessed to walk in and out of God’s City, New Jerusalem, and partake in the Tree of Life, and live Heavenly ever after. Never will God’s resources run dry.
Jesus says what Elijah also came to demonstrate: that you’ve got to believe in God and the One He sent. We are still being sent signs, we get to rise each day. We get to enjoy God’s gifts of food and shelter. We get to enjoy extra things in life too. And we get to see a cycle of life that doesn’t end with the grave, but continue in Heaven. Most importantly, by Jesus and the Spirit of Truth, we get the opportunity to believe and heed Him, without that we will be stuck outside His gates.
‘Will you heed Me now?’
One more thing: we are to believe Jesus is coming back too – SOON…
“All will heed Me then”
Amen
Revelation 22:7-17
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
Epilogue: Invitation and Warning: “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Psalm 69: 13-18
But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters. Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.
Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes.
For some reason, during Ash Wednesday service, I kept thinking and thinking (you know those times your brain gets on a track or maybe a dust trail)… thinking not just about “from Dust you came and to Dust ye shall return”, but I kept thinking about Dust Bunnies – yup, Dust Bunnies are something the Lord puts together…
Dust Bunnies in our houses just seem to appear out of thin air… mine get chunky bits to anchor them down. My Dust Bunnies become a little bit thicker because I have the love of a sheddy cat… even my work gets hallway dust bunnies from the carpeted desk spaces… they do appear out of thin air…
What about us, not from air but mud, clay, God’s Hands working our new day. We are dust but not supposed to be hidden in a corner.
We ARE dust in processing, dust in pre- and post- earthly existence and VERY GOOD dust in between. Then surely in this season of Lent, as we are eagerly awaiting new birth, we are groaning and growing towards Easter, then we SHOULD be DUST BUNNIES in the making. We should be a collective people of God. We should congregate together.
Dust Bunnies. YOU AND ME AND JESUS ARE WE. A collection of Christians in motion is a Dust Bunny. A collection of children of God whom God puts together in His own way, in His own unique clumping together, that is a Dust Bunny. A Sunday school class is a great Dust Bunny. (Imagine the joy of Easter for the little ones). Imagine also a set of very tired week-weary souls who find God’s strength to sing His praises – they are a Dust Bunny of His making. Also, times of a huddled grieving family who prays, they are a Dust Bunny dampened with tears, God holds them special to collect their tears, then God has the Holy Spirit take them back out into the world.
Dust Bunnies must let God realign their dust.
This week we had Ash Wednesday service, with a soup supper just before, and I could only marvel at these blessed brothers and sisters whom God brought into my life for this season, a family whom God brought together for good reason, grateful a DUST BUNNY ready to serve, appreciate each other, and ready to give Lent its due by keeping walking with Jesus in humble joy. We know we have a Savior. We know we need saving. We know that we could not live forever or even just in this world one day without our DUST SWEEPER KEEPER.
Maybe we are here for just a moment, a vapor, a mist… but our dust trails? Those Lord, let others notice. Let others see our clumps scattered about and let them start to wonder, and let’s attract their dust to collect too. Above all, Lord, we pray others to see our dust trails leading DIRECTLY to You.
Lord bless our DUST BUNNIES through and through.
Amen
Psalm 63:1-8 NIV A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.
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Psalm 65 NIV for the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. You who answer prayer, to you all people will come. When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple.
You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.
You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.
What’s that Ash Wednesday joke?? “From dust you came and dust you will return. I don’t dust because it could be some of my friends…”
Haha, I do dust, it’s good to be God’s dust and be detailed away, like from a car, cleaned and put in proper order, washed away and free. There is no freedom like God’s freedom.
Yeah, DUST. My friends, we are made from DUST turned into MUD turned into MARVELOUS. Marvelous because God calls us beautiful and very good from the very beginning, so much so because we are made in His Image and He calls us His own children. That’s why our inside stuff also is so marvelous: order in organs and sensational systemic systems… and WOW, our circulatory complexity catches and culls critters, and our lungs leverage us into life… Unreal but totally real and we are ready to live because God holds all the parts together… our parts… dust from the rust, grow old gracefully.
“Wow… that’s some delightful detailed dust you got there!”
What then is the Spirit inside of us? It is, of course, more than simply icing on the cake, it is divine delivered and destined. We hold His Holy Breath in our being. To dust we shall return, but our spirit will be called out to speak, better is one day in His Court than a thousand elsewhere. Our dust will be cleaned in the cloaking cover of the Savior. Jesus Saves and the advocate of His Spirit which indwells us will be freed. Our Judgment Day will be better understood if ahead of time we read THE BOOK (that is not thrown at us), read it now and live it. In the Good Book, we have the opportunity to see where God keeps all the dusty souls like us: UNDER HIS WING. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
The GOOD NEWS for us reads like today’s headlines should: Jesus Saves.
… a poem:
Ash Wednesday, are we in disarray?
Let us get our dust ‘DETAILED’ today.
Let Lent lead us prayerfully to His Glorious Easter Day.
Let us broken people go on living best we can, cleaned up in His Way.
Let God say: My house is filled from dusty people because I always loved them anyway.
Love IS the Order of the Day…
Amen
Psalm 84 NIV
For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—
a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob. Look on our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.
“Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”
Endless endless times I am reminded of what we all forget: that we are not in a broken system but surely in a broken world, a place of blessing, yes, but also a place to look further FROM, especially in hard times, and always we are to look with eyes and hearts towards HEALING, if not from our efforts, then from the Lord. Yes, the Lord who already conquered fear and death.
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Often we have tongues to waggle about our woes… and fears of our foes… Yet our protection is closer than our nose… We should reach to the One Who KNOWS.
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I ponder at so many writings included in the Bible from David, about being chased by enemies and being protected by the Lord. I agree with the protection but why so MANY included that are inclined to lament, have sorrow near despair? And the eventual truth: God IS in control. Perhaps so MANY are included as we are continually reminded of NOT looking to the world for our Joy, not to the broken world for answers, not even to this rambling writing for comfort. Our God binds up and heals the brokenhearted, sometimes not in place, but in our placement.
If we look ABOVE the fray of the world, famine war fear, enemies who don’t even know our name, we realize even evil can’t match THE LORD OUR GOD WHO SAVES.
Perhaps the Psalmist(s) are expressing what we know, Jesus was taken down, willingly, to the showdown with the enemy but God’s Plan was/is SO MUCH BIGGER. So big the world can’t understand, but we can, one by one as we are called, we are not of this world.
Psalms 52,53,54,55,56,57,58… so much about real danger, real fear… and yet have BLESSED PRAISE for letting God have the First and Last Word.
Calling out to the Lord, in Psalms 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68… are reminders for us often calling out in praise for the God Who Saves.
Just wait on the Lord. and while you are waiting? SING PRAISES…
Really…
Amen
The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.” Psalm 58:10-11
One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.” Psalm 62:11-12
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:2-8
Psalm 57
New King James Version
Prayer for Safety from Enemies
To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah
God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men Who are set on fire, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, And Your truth unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth.
Psalm 68
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 2 May you blow them away like smoke — as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
When you, God, went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng: “Kings and armies flee in haste; the women at home divide the plunder. Even while you sleep among the sheep pens, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.” When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.
Mount Bashan, majestic mountain, Mount Bashan, rugged mountain, why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself will dwell forever? The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, Lord God, might dwell there.
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins. The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan; I will bring them from the depths of the sea, that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share.”
Your procession, God, has come into view, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary. In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the young women playing the timbrels. Praise God in the great congregation; praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel. There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, there the great throng of Judah’s princes, and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
Summon your power, God; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before. Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts. Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war. Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God.
Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice. Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens. You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:1-3
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I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. from Psalm 27
It has been 3 years since COVID came to the US – really we have come a long way since then – so long that we have mostly returned to normal – but not everyone… what is normal anyway?…
In other words, whoda thunk we would get a pandemic and whoda thunk we would get out of it… surely anyone in King Tut’s time up until George Washington’s time would not have envisioned getting out of smallpox “so easily” or so many of those other diseases… and sometimes we forget that major calamities that we have conquered (mostly) are still raging in parts of the world (for example Rabies caused about 17,400 human deaths worldwide in 2015. More than 95% of human deaths from rabies occur in Africa and Asia.)
I bet if we look at the Psalms and to David was writing about being pursued by his enemies who eventually God took care of, and see how David escaped, we should ALSO be singing HIS praises that we got here from there… We got back to “normal” – well at least a new normal…. In other words: We are blessed in no matter what circumstances…
Here are some UNFINISHED blogs from early 2020 – just found them in my “drafts” folder. I am not going to finish them now but with realization that “we have come a long way baby” from 3 years ago, they are worth sharing… TIME FLIES… To loosen our memories is an opportunity worth food for thought to sing praises today.
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TP, Spring 2020
I saw a wonderful toilet paper moment today at the grocery store where one woman asked a couple where they had found the pack of toilet paper in their cart and they tried to give it to her… sweet…
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Hope Not Hush, Spring 2020
I am not too fond of the phrases that “the virus stole Easter” because if you asked Jesus, He also was cut short in this life and He had to get His work done anyway… So do we…
Easter is a life, not a basket of flowers…
I love the festivities, you know I do…
Let’s this year know and tell of HOPE,
The disciples on Silent Saturday were mourning…
But WE have no less days to sing His Praises than when we first begun!
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Right on Red, 31MAY2020
This is not intended to be political, but I have to make an observation of how people are living in our “red zone”… People are making “right on red”, just like in the car… and many people are being careful too… the VOLUME of people out and about is amazing and has increased tremendously …
But that’s not stopping many people, the stores are packed – the garden centers packed – I even saw a funeral home yesterday with tons of folks outside, packed together, 90% no masks… people make their own choices, people take their rights, even in red…
People take risks, me too, I think because many of the cases are in nursing homes, not perceived to be from outdoor living or contact on surfaces that people do take risks. They are moving on with their lives… Rights on red, right in red.
Me too, I hope we and I turn the corner cautiously, some are taking the “California stop”, rolling thru without a complete stop. Some people simply pretend they never saw the red light.
Some are driving life while impaired too.
I have a great life and am a risk taker too when compared to some. I am not a risk taker compared to other people…
The data will eventually show us where the crashes were…
Problem is, by the time we know. we will wish we knew back when…
Think about how we are going to get out of this intersection then drive carefully!!!
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Lots of Nursing Homes APR2020
I feel so sorry for the families of the nursing home residents who have survived so many years, but are now being felled by this COVID19 virus… pneumonia, no time to get to the hospital even, no room at the hospital either… not every place is well cared for, it’s hard work at a nursing home… It’s hard living…
I wonder, and Lord forgive me for speculating, how or if the Lord deflected this disease from the young to the old who surely had many years to prepare for coming home. Every time to say “Goodbye” to family, wonder if this is goodbye…
The Lots of Nursing Homes…. Proverbs 16: The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
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OK, Going to wrap up this post-covid crisis set of half blogs with Pslam 27… (covid is still around but like a regular flu fear now). Psalm 27 – I hope many listened to these words of hope and reduction of anxiety back then – and now – it is like God had these things written down on purpose to help us – gee, hmmmmm, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Psalm 27 Of David.
The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked advance against me to devour me,it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.
One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
There is a bottle of water by my bed, but I don’t usually open it, I really don’t drink enough water at all… I should NOT just save this bottle for only emergencies. I should DRINK it ALL IN. Replenish myself, and go back for more.
There is a devotion book, by my bed, and a Bible too, but I really don’t drink in enough Living Water at all… I sip when I should savor the Savior. I should not just save our Jesus for only emergencies. I should drink Him IN all the time. Replenish myself, and go back for more.
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Salvation
Hydration
Education
Remediation
Personalization
In Every Jesus Situation
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Open the Book which will open you.
Read the Bible and it will read you.
Realize, always, Jesus is WITH YOU.
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Amen
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Psalm 73:22-26
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Johnny Appleseed sings and so do we! Our singing grace at girl scout camp, before spaghetti dinner with super sauce and meatballs, was: “The Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the Appleseed, the Lord is good to me.”
Then I got home to BUSY!!! Including Big Game craziness and lots of laundry… And this week had a few other hiccups… but let’s close this week with: The Lord is good to me. God has a proven track record. Nothing that happened God couldn’t handle for me (us)…
We don’t always know the level of God’s interplay in our lives. Things that start and stop we can’t see God-level BIG PICTURE… I was speaking at camp of a fire-burnt forest, spoke about it to the hiking scouts in the woods, looking at Mighty Oaks and Pines, telling them that after a BIG fire, often (always) from the ashes spring NEW LIFE, that now thrives HAVING the sunshine and warmth and water. The seeds and seedlings can now NOT be overshadowed by the trees with which they could NOT compete. Isn’t it true about us too? We can see the truth after the fluff flies away… the rumble of the thunder yes scary, but remember that a rainbow comes after a storm. And a rainbow is because of the Sun.
This week and our times had/have storms, for many including the earthquake folks, tornado folks, health crisis folks, and those who lost loved ones. God bless them all. Our times in crisis make us cling to the Lord more tightly and surviving through those storms, we are given opportunity to learn that our TRUST IN GOD was warranted. When we realize God’s sovereignty, and His Mercy, AND His comfort, our praise starts: “Lord God, Thank You!!!”
Not always in the pain and suffering can we physically speak. We best surround ourselves with prayerful people, sometimes we desire alone time. The Lord God is always patient with those who are hurt… He doesn’t give you JUST the quick fix pick-me-up, He gives real peace. And He loves His children more than we could ever imagine.
Psalm 50 was a powerful read to me this morning. Our God means business, His business. Gathering His people. All are able to see His Strength and Sovereignty. Our Wisdom to respect the Lord and His Plans will open our eyes to His insight. “God will shine forth. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people: “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
Think of God’s Hand in our lives, then we must conclude that God IS in charge. EVERYTHING is under God’s control…
So… Think of the Lord BIG PICTURE and BIG TIMELINE! He owns the fields and the cattle on the fields, and my BIG TIMELINE too. Lord, THANK YOU!
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He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear Him. Ecclesiastes 3:11-14
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Psalm 50 – New King James Version
God the Righteous Judge, A Psalm of Asaph.
The Mighty One, God the Lord, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people: “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge. Selah
“Hear, O My people, and I will speak,O Israel, and I will testify against you;I am God, your God! I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, Which are continually before Me. I will not take a bull from your house, nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
“If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you? When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have been a partaker with adulterers. You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes.
“Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver: Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”
Not my method. Not my way. No way to understand on THAT day.
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I will take the life challenges He’s Given.
I will trade doubt for belief in unbelievable Wisdom.
I will TRUST even in unexpected life schisms.
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I will puzzle how but He does work everything out,
every which WAY and around.
I MUST SING, LOVING HIM FOREVER,
Knowing His Renown.
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AMEN
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“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
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“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
. SO IS MY WORD that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
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Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”
Have you ever thought about the sheer fact that we are fearfully made, and so delicate yet so able to make it through life? If we are struck down by illness or injury, hardship or pain, we usually recover. If not in this world, surely in the next. Just HOLD ON.
Well we do live well enough to sometimes forget that we live by the Grace of God. We know those who don’t know the Lord, but He surrounds them too. We recognize the Goodness of God. We feel the Grip and Push of His ability in us. We should tell of the Glory of Him through His Victories. I doubt that I praise enough, but every step I take is His Victory lap of Him grabbing me into the “Saved” category. Every praise I give is of His Spirit pouring through me. And trust me, we should praise ALL DAY for Him. He’s got us. Oh Lord, how can we beg enough for You to open the eyes of the hearts for all in this world? Save Lord my unsaved friends and even foes…
I love this song: Surrounded (Fight my Battles) – “It may look Like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by YOU.”
The singer mentions scripture by Isaiah, pretelling the coming of Jesus, old testament gems that we must realize speak of Jesus to “bestow on them [us] a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”
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Last weekend, how I loved girl scout camping and using my blessings of skills and time and patience (and a Subaru full of good reusable junk before recycling it). In some states I could have made a mini-fortune in returning bottles for redemption. REDEMPTION, AH! God has stamped us like bottles for redemption! How much return on His investment does He get? How much use does He get out of us and our praise before He recycles us back to dust. I hope we all recognize His Reward, and make best us of our praise until His Return.
I loved especially when being at camp that I felt the peace of God, I felt Him telling me in my heart and head: ‘This IS where you are supposed to be, right now.‘… and WOW, seeing the faces of the girls wanting to soak up the info, or noticing them learning by playing with the projects. One girl so sweetly holding the mighty oak seeds sprouting… Trust me that I’ve never seen oak acorns sprouting like I do here at camp… it’s the sand, rain, sun, surely… it’s the right atmosphere for sure… They get to sprout, but just need a new place to flourish and grow. Us too. If we sprout, flourish, grow, we MUST praise God for His Righteousness righting us upright. We must recreate His atmosphere for growth too. We got nothing but we Got God, actually He’s got us. “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor…
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… For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.”
This righteousness in us that springs up and restores us is Jesus, is what was foretold, is what He is: a Savior.
We are walking in His Glory and should remember we are made for a time like this… no hardship will withstand His Joy… no death will withstand His Life… no one can sprout us plant us grow us love us like the Lord. We are redeemed and returnable.
Our lives are but a mist, a vapor, and yet it’s God who gains us into His Powerful Steam. . . Let’s keep chugging along…
Let’s realize God’s sovereignty and save. Let’s stop self-pity and start realizing our blessings. Let’s fulfill a recognition of scripture and salvation by praising God. If others see us as blessed, we should rejoice and praise too… We can’t take this for granted because how else will others know faith moves mountains. We should be a billboard of praise, a Bible people read by just seeing our smile or our walk. Any boast should be a boast in the Lord. Praise God and return the joy of REDEMPTION He has given you. Return His investment by first using yourself for His purpose.
“All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”
Let us see that in us too!
Amen
(and Lord, let my praise help others feel Your raise.)
(Maybe these acorns, pictured, will be food for the forest creatures since there are so many. Maybe not every seed is for a tree, but seeds still nourish. Seeds are for nourishment AND sprouting… plant some of faith today… Double Amen)
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Psalm 49 NIV
Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world, both low and high, rich and poor alike: My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle: Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers SURROUND me – those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
NO ONE can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them – the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough – so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.
People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them. Though while they live they count themselves blessed – and people praise you when you prosper – they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
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Isaiah 61
New International Version
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
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They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.
Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
, still inspiring because she is looking FOREVER FORWARD. And at this location and viewpoint, the huddled masses would have already made it to the Central Jersey trains and the promised land USA. Looking back or looking forward, count blessings. I think that God reminds us that EMBRACING the FUTURE is best looked upon by FACING FORWARD. “No one who puts their hands to the plow and looks back is fit for service“.
Debbie Upper 