I have a spiritual reading “to do list” and I’ve held onto some notes for 3 years now – and this packet always is BARELY kept from being completely buried. I wrote part 1 of my notes of going to Michael Card’s conference in 2019, never finished part 2. I will restart. But first, I have a story, I do remember the plain ole cold I had been getting over, the cough drop HESED *grace mercy* when Michael Card HIMSELF gave me a cough drop when I had a huge coughing fit and was stuck, no water, totally landlocked in my seat location by so many round tables and chairs and people staring… I was so embarrassed that I intensely cried outside the church for like half an hour… INTENSE embarrassment. I’m sure Michael and those people don’t remember, I do, the crawl under a rock feeling… Most importantly, I remember the forgiveness in the situation. I remember walking back in… I came back, back from outside and back, out of the field of fear.
Hesed is God’s forgiveness. In hindsight my coughing fit was just 6 months before covid hit, (and imagine the EXTRA stares I would’ve had then?!!!) Well, SO, my long-winded start here brings me to the thought and truth that THANK GOD, that GOD is in charge of Salvation by His actions and not ours. By His Love. Hesed. Loving kindness forgiveness. He’s got the power to forgive (and He does)!!!
This note paper (photo attached) is from that day, and it has the EXACT scripture that was read in my church yesterday. WOW! It’s a parable told by Jesus of a king paying day-laborers a wage whether they were short or long in the field, and his generosity allowed him to pay them all the same, regardless of time in the field. It’s a parable to demonstrate God’s forgiveness, His Hesed, IT’S GOD’S GENEROSITY, IT’S GOD’S MERCY HESED GRACE LOVING KINDNESS… God brings us into Heaven based on His ability. Jesus came to call the sinners…
The Vinyard in this parable can be a place to work, but what about the flip side? (Actually many flipside lessons from this but let me talk about just one angle): What of the “fields of life” that people wander in and around every day? I am going to take a cup of Holy Spirit contemplation within this story, and state that just like me coming back in from my “field of fear” after the coughing incident, we all need to come back out FROM the field to accept that offer, back to the King, back to the One who pays our way into forgiveness… Come back to Jesus, especially when we are feeling lost. Don’t stay out in embarrassment for sins or stupid stuff, or even perceived fear. Especially don’t stay away from fear of others.
Remember Jesus is looking too, looking for you. He’s leaving the 99 behind (whom He knows won’t stray at that moment) to come get you, His lost sheep. Come back from being out in the field of lostness.
(And we also need to extend forgiveness to others so we are also not stuck out in the field)…
God has HESED, loving kindness, grace and mercy to give you peace. Come get your Gift of Him, from Him, no matter how long you were gone. 30 seconds or 30 years, time is meaningless in the face of the Creator of all.
Let’s return to one of the the actual (non-flip sidebars) of the parable of the workers in the vinyard. God is saying “you all come” – and my notes from the conference state that Matthew was writing this story down FOR those former Jews who lost their Jewish identity by following Jesus. Matthew explains this love to those new believers, explaining “you are the salt of the earth, light of the world”… “[YOU ARE PART OF THE KINGDOM. Accept it, you do have an identity.]” We do too.
Remember God’s the One,
giving even His Son,
whose telling you your battle is won. Don’t stay out in the field when the day is done.
Amen
There’s many more sidebar learnings, from this parable… just like tilling the soil, we are only scratching the surface of Word, and it’s wealth of understanding… put your roots in deep… here’s the link:
always worth re-signing this song… there is a season…
Ecclesiastes 3 NIV
A Time for Everything
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 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. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 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.
15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.
16 And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”
18 I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
I have often wondered why we sleep, maybe we won’t sleep in Heaven, but I bet cat naps will still be available when needed, I mean who wouldn’t need that sleep time for processing Heaven’s Almighty Amazing views. But we will rest assured in Heaven if we don’t need to rest at all… Well, I will take whatever God gives me and say THANK YOU…. MEANWHILE, here on Earth, I appreciate sleep and I bet God does too, He needs it to happen in us (and we need it too) to REPAIR our broken thoughts, to give us FRESH perspective after rest, to RESOLVE muscle aches, to get us simply QUIETER in our world for a third of the day. I think our Guardian Angels must say ‘Whew, THANK YOU! I’ve got that person in just one place to not get into trouble for a while…’ Most of all, us resting restores some order to the System. Order is VERY Godly.
ORDER.
These are my views of sleeps’ benefits, but God’s view IS from His seat. He Knows. I just speculate. I bet He is SO SATISFIED to know that His children (us) are resting peacefully and in one place, just like I am thankful for my two children right now sleeping in my house.
ORDER.
Order is completing life laps around the sun. Following life’s course. Finishing the Race ‘one day at a time’.
ORDER.
Order IS Very Godly. Very Mom-appreciative. Especially teenagers, I get a 6 hour lead time of quiet work around the house on weekends, nowadays still getting woken at 5AM, get to write, sip some tea, then spring into action all while keeping quiet (including not waking up the cat.)
ORDER.
Revelation scriptures by John certainly show us an orderly Heaven. Order. Apostle Paul saw an orderly Heaven. Order. Acts reveals Peter seeing a portion of Heaven – whatever he saw to be there was supposed to be there – so why wouldn’t God have ordered it to be there…
ORDER.
A preacher once mentioned that in Heaven we will have perfect pitch singing, I mean why wouldn’t we?!!! Singing sounds so good to me for something in Heaven. I LOVE SINGING, ESPECIALLY HIS PRAISE! I am always singing (much to the chagrin of my kids). It’s the best calming thing… Singing restores order to my thoughts or at least replaces some of the worries with words of praise or positive vibes or processing pain in potent lyrics. Recently I was singing (humming) a praise song at the work copy machine not thinking anyone would notice, giving myself peace processing. A co-worker later said she loved how I was singing and it reminded her of her mom (who lives back home far away), almost made her cry thinking of her mom. Singing is universal in voices and hearts made by God. GOD MADE SINGING.
ORDER.
In John, Jesus says “in my Father’s House there are many rooms… I go to prepare a place for you…” Surely Jesus, Who can know the clean and unclean in people’s thinkings and cover them with His Blood, and Who can also wash physical dirt off of feet, can prepare rooms in an orderly fashion for us… Surely Jesus, Alpha and Omega, seeing and knowing the desired order can have ordered it organized. Surely God re-ordering the order by sending Jesus means that we are made into a new creation in Him. Surely the leaves of the tree in Heaven planned for “the healing the nations” will provide God His desired outcome then if we can’t make peace now. ORDER comes from the Lord’s Peace, we have to wait for that too..
…
ORDER.
…
We have to wait many times for God to reveal His Plan. We have to wait for HIS TIMING… and if there is no revelation yet of something like a medical diagnosis, or a financial situation, or even the dawn to come up, then just WAIT on GOD… He knows the order and DON’T RUSH HIM.
In other words, REST, REST in HIM, take the moment to praise first, pray second, and then continue waiting…
There is an ORDER to everything… Why wouldn’t there be? GOD’S IN CHARGE.
Amen
(PS it was dark when I started writing, the cat is now up watching me, the sun is now up welcoming me. The cat is back to cat napping. God gifts a new day – just wait for it… God ‘ordered’ this day, take full advantage of it from His Menu. Double Amen)
One day I was visiting my neighbor, who recently moved to a new place. She was in pain after broken hip surgery, had yet to take her ibuprofen, and so I suggested ice, simple ice… She remembered that she had a bag of frozen peas. She hates peas, but she had them, not for eating but for pain. Frozen peas are the perfect ice pack that contours easily. Yes peas also refreeze. A simple solution to pain. Remember that we have something to reach for. Keep it just in case. Basic pain relief. Ahhhhh…. My neighbor was visibly relieved. Didn’t need the hard medicine stuff quite yet, just frozen peas…
HOPE. Hope is a simple complex thought that we often have. Hope IS what we remember we should tap into and do actively reach for. Hope could be a specific prayer request we have or a general feeling that God will intervene. Hope comes in all sizes, we can keep it in the freezer, refresh it, use it again. Hope is the belief God will act and the witness that He has already, so many times.
We have rough times and we have good times. Before, after, in between all we have God who does not change and is listening. In our remembering of His existence, in our reaching out to Him and in towards Him, we need to remember not just Him but remember how POWERFUL He is. And remember God is the Temple as well as being Whom we praise in the Temple. He is the Owner of both the strong bird wing that we hide under and carries us as well as the still air giving the bird flight.
He is the Hope as well as Whom we hope into. God is All.
David in Psalm 16 remembers our Lord God is the portion AND the cup. God is the Joy AND the One Who fills us with JOY.
We ALWAYS need to remember He IS available. GOD IS. Reaching for God is kinda (well much much more) like remembering the frozen peas, reach for Him, and apply… God IS in the reach as well as the relief.
The application of HOPE is prayer. The result of prayer IS HOPE.
The existence of God is also His Power. The Power of God is He exists.
Amen
…
A bag of peas and a Psalm of “pleas” and “please”
Psalm 16 NIV of 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 trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.
The amazing thing (well there are many) about God is that God HAS prepared the Way for His Plan and for His people well before anyone roamed the earth or moaned in pain on the earth. He was preparing the Way for His people, even through a wicked minefield of mayhem. He saw the other side because He MADE the other side. If David could see it and put it to pen, David also must have seen the refuge, felt it, especially since he has so many writings in the Psalms. God is credited with being both ALMIGHTY (slaying the wicked) and being a God of refuge (protection for those seeking His Face). Psalms 10 through 14 are a walk through of both: ‘Why are the wicked so wicked?’ AND ‘You Lord are the Rescuer, Resource, Restorer.’ Yes, everything pales compared to God’s Glory.
For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.
We may know trouble here and there, but unless you are in much much more corrupt company, we ALREADY have and know a protective barrier of God’s protection. (That’s why we remind folks to count their blessings!) If you are even having a chance to read this text (and I had time to write it), then we will have already been afforded by God time, precious time, time to rest, time to work, time to reap benefits from working income or rescue financing, and we will likely have moments of remembering when wehave been rescued. Just us whom get to Friday and can say TGIF, Thank God it’s Friday, it is like the week fades away in the face of a weekend. Think especially then how the life wickedness and strife fades away in the Face of Almighty God.
The upright will SEE His Face…
Give LIGHT to my eyes…
So why do we read so much historical prayer in the Psalms about the enemies of God? And the rescue of the innocent? Why do we hear of those enemies whose minds are corrupt “in all his thoughts there is no room for God”? We are told because He has a way to destroy them. IN HIS TIME, not ours. AND, because we are to be aware there are pockets of real wickedness in the world and plain pastures of wicked ways that derail people. And because in the future, others who are oppressed need to hear that GOD WILL PREVAIL!
We are often sheltered from hearing as well as having to face the situations and the people suffering thru them. God hears them. God hears you if you are going through something terrible. God has already made a Way. Trust Him.
This is the month (January) where we recognize that human trafficking is real, is evil, is hidden from our ivory tower lifestyles. (Just do an information search on the big sports events and the increase in trafficking.) God DOES see this. God will bring all the enemies of God to His punishment and justice in due time. Our awareness of situation may make us able to help. If anything, we can pray against the wickedness and praise the protection of God’s shielding to those who escape.
You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.…. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.
If we have seen BOTH evil and good, then we can share our witnesses of God taking care of our situation and salvation again the ultimate evil of sin and death. Then we should share that David saw the Lord prevail, we see the Lord prevail, and our future brothers and sisters will ALSO see the Lord prevail. If David waited for salvation, we see salvation, others live in the shadows of death, we must share hope against enemies. God already won, keep hope. Let us hope to see. GIVE LIGHT TO MY EYES
TGIF?
Thank God it’s FRIDAY.
Thank God it’s FINE.
Thank God it’s FINISHED.
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Amen Amen
“GIVE LIGHT TO MY EYES“
Psalm 10 NIV
Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in allhis thoughts there is no room for God. His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret for his victims; like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. He says to himself, “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.”
Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”? But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.
The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
Psalm 11 NIV
For the director of music. Of David.
In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.
Psalm 12 NIV
For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.
Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue—those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.
You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.
Psalm 13 NIV
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, Lord my God.GIVE LIGHT TO MY EYES, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.
Psalm 14 NIV
For the director of music. Of David.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
You know, Christmas was over roughly just 2 weeks ago – crazy – seems forever ago and yet it’s not. I still have the tree up, still snacks too. It is nice to sit quiet on the couch now and appreciate the lights and the beauty – the quiet – and appreciate not having to clean up Christmas just yet. So much work – but worth it! I am SO HAPPY to be on THIS SIDE of Christmas – THANK GOD! It was like a jump over an arbitrary dateline. When my daughter goes back to campus, that’s probably when I will start to de-Christmas, but not yet. Enjoy what did happen.
Sounds funny to say but I am speculating that God also says ‘Thank God! Christmas is done’ – and ‘Easter is done’ – not the dates but the actions. Thankful His children (we) who hear are saved from sin and death… and I feel certain that Jesus must have felt that relief to “get the job DONE” – to get people back to God by cleansing them with His blood – however painful and however long it took – Thank God It is Finished! Scripture Fulfilled.
Thanks God for Your Plan.
But unlike Christmas where some get the urge to rid the decorations out of their sight quickly, to clockwork take that tree down at the appointed hour of moving on, GOD DIDN’T. GOD DOESN’T. GOD LINGERS (for now)… God knows everyone doesn’t know. LINGER. Jesus walked the earth for weeks after rising on Easter. He taught, He connected the dots for confused people whose eyes could only see once God unveiled the fog from their heads. Jesus even asked God to send the Holy Spirit (Who is also God) to come at the appointed time to help the disciples and us to be filled with His mission, His motivation, His movements. God wants us to want more Holy Spirit.
So, I am not rushing this post Christmas cleaning until the tree is too dry to keep safely. I’m not rushing the new season in, however I do notice that I don’t notice the old newness of Christmas, that’s because we move forward (we have valentines day next a 5 year old told me! A holiday of love, how fitting)… Each day brings God’s new steps… And each day brings us asking for a fresh filling of Holy Spirit. That’s God’s Walking Working Way.
Now we are waiting again – and creation is groaning waiting – for there will be a time that Jesus comes again. Will it be a surprise? Yes. Only God knows. We just have to be ready – and what does that mean? Endurance – Working – Sharing Peace – Spreading the Word. It means it’s NOT OVER, THANK GOD!
It is Finished, but it is not over, and we WAIT. Keep working. Keep walking. Keep watching. Keep loving!
I’m so happy to be on this side of Christmas. I’m so grateful to be on this side of the Cross. I’m grateful for the Holy Spirit to reveal our life IS with God. I’m so blessed we still get to live now. I’m also so grateful to live again…
(We also wait for the jump to over the grave, don’t rush it but hold His Hand before and after. Holy Spirit help us count our days not waste them away.)
Amen in Him
Amen
—-
Jesus speaking to the disciples and us before His death (John 14:25-27)
“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
—–
Jesus speaking to the disciples and us before His death: (John 16:5-15)
…”but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
“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.”
—
Jesus in Revelation 3:11-13
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
There’s historical artifacts looking through collections from a house lived in from the 1950s. Cool things to show your kids and teach them about the past (and be VERY grateful for modern conveniences). In my neighbor’s house (all our section was built in mid 1950’s), I discovered a nifty real Western Union Telegram. Saved and tucked away and still readable and understandable. It’s a congratulations note from friends – maybe for a wedding or baby’s birth. Nice note! “Congratulations and Best Wishes! Sorry we couldn’t be there.” The extra cool thing about the Telegram is that it’s single line text printed and glued to a paper backing. Vintage versions of “over the wires” text messages, sent to be “fast”… Maybe a novelty then but effective! And a hint at our modern message systems. Imagine every message now over the wires and even wireless. Amazing.
How is this like us? Single messages glued in our heads? Sent wireless?The Telegram paper backing is like a clean slate and God’s Word wants to be laid on our hearts. GOD Himself in Jesus as the Living Word. That’s the ORIGINAL Messaging System for sure! God’s Word spoken to us from others and especially by our own reading. Phrases and advice that we can pull up later. (Interesting enough I am placing this Telegram in a Bible now. The “WORD” is our Heavenly Telegram).
Here’s a one great “one-liner” from The Word: “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” That’s from David in Psalm 8. He wrote many songs of praise and many of prayer. One word prayers are also heavenly said, like THANKS!
How EXCELLENT God IS, He is WORTHY of our thanks, and PRAISE to Him is knowing there IS power in His Words, even just in saying His Name.
We can send messages to each other now in modern ways, but will the other person opens the message fully or pick up on the nuances or not?… God does. GOD KNOWS ALL. God not only hears, He KNOWS the PRAISE (or the PRAYER) or even our grunts BEFORE they even go out of our mouths!!!. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. That’s David’s realization, Psalm 139.
I also tell myself again and again: “DON’T FORGET TO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD!”, especially after I know He helped me, and even in waiting I say THANK YOU! It’s good to send that message instantly – pray it – say it – praise it. Our thankfulnesses. Those praises sustain us.
Imagine times when we are in such pain that we can’t get the words out, God already knows the ache in our hearts, God already sees. He knows tears, He knows to send friends to hug us, to listen and understand. He wants us to turn to Him. David in Psalm 9 says: “The Lord shall endure for ever….The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee…Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.”
Let’s keep singing. Let’s keep reading the Word, and incorporating it into our hearts and making it READABLE by our ACTIONS all the time.
If we Listen, we can better know.
If we hear Him, let us follow.
Let us truly be led,
by what the Lord has said!
Amen
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. David in Psalm 139
——
Here are the complete Psalms 8, 9, 139 by David. (Especially I love singing Psalm 139)
Psalm 8 KJV
O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
—-
Psalm 9 KJV
I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.
When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right. Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.
But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.
The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.
Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.
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Psalm 139 NIV
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.
I was thinking about the BACK STORY for 2 recent posts, about the PEACE that I got from me STOPPING OVERTHINKING about a situation and just TRUSTING GOD, to where my doubts changed to my witness of His deliverance. I’m always amazed when He delivers results BIG TIME. Yet He makes everything beautiful in its time.
God knows the know-how that we see as WOW.
Let me mention what we surely learn to know: God IS the Power behind ALL our good circumstances, our good strength, all our good hope. He IS the backing we need to do anything. No wonder King David sang songs/Psalms to God again and again. “The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.” David knew to wait on God, to wait for something good. We need to wait.
WAITING.
Waiting situations… I picked up a pizza, I had to wait a little extra, the owner (such a nice guy) said he did not like how the first pizza came out and was remaking it for me! WOW, weird but wow… Good thinking and his generosity and GOOD that a back up second pizza was already cooking so I wasn’t delayed more than 5 minutes.
Backups… it’s good to wait.
I wished there was back up support at the mini Starbucks too (in the grocery store), as they only had one worker. And a physical makeshift sign (an old receipt taped onto the screen) posted to say “be right back”. Well, hmmmm… I waited over 10 minutes, first world problem of course, but I didn’t have any other way to get the particular sandwich (for my daughter). Even though all of the kiosk was WIDE OPEN for me to walk into, I had no capability to find or make that sandwich anyway. I wouldn’t cross the arbitrary barrier of behind the kiosk. (And I wouldn’t steal anyway). So, I was stuck with no backup! Waiting… I needed them or their backup to make it happen. There’s stage actors have understudys who prep and wait and amazing the young woman working in the regular store saw me wait and stepped in using her previous Starbucks skills and made my sandwich and cashed me out. What’s the chance of that, a backup who intervened for my timelines and for the overworked kiosk worker too.
.
Backups… The Backing – The Back Story… Jesus, fully God on earth, had God send the Holy Spirit as an Advocate, a Holy backup on earth to help disciples and us after He arose. He told the disciples to WAIT for the Power, the Holy Back up. God is the Back Story (God is the Whole Story).
God IS needed to get stuff done! *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
What about money? Money usually is based upon GOLD backing, giving paper or tin copper zinc coins backup value. Well I found these old bills at my neighbor’s house, from the early 1940s, but they are practically worthless even though looking like collectibles. The “funny money” is real, but it lost its value as soon as it was issued by Japan to pay for items in the Philippines in 1941-1945. Such funny money had no GOLD backing so that they called it “Mickey Mouse money” and used it like paper. Worthless because it had no backing! It’s a souvenir sure, but according to ebay and money exchanges it’s worth less than a fraction of the price of that Starbucks sandwich. And the coins? The souvenir 5 Francs from 1945? With no metal available in WW2, 95 million of these coins were made from aluminum. So light and chipping at the edges that I thought someone ate the chocolate out of it (LOL!), but it WAS real money, just felt so fake, was not made of material worth its weight.
.
Jesus reminds us about treasures: 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.
The coins and bills are examples of things which could be valuable but are not always. Isn’t that common to “things” in life… Treasures are not always treasures and almost always less of a monetary treasure than the MEMORY treasure. My treasure is the memory of my friendship with my neighbor (who had those coins and bills) and not the money they are worth (or not worth). Blessings that are GOD-backed not gold-backed.
The treasures of life are in Heaven and bringing Heaven on earth, but it IS sometimes work to work out Heaven on Earth. But when you do the Lord’s work, there’s power and JOY and energy behind it all. God is the Back Story for our histories and our mysteries too. My amazement in God power to get things done is related to the recent posts I made: I doubted but He delivered. I doubted the ability and the smooth sailing and the timing – but God coordinated. God got it done over my doubts. Put it in God’s Hands and Vroooooom, He IS in the driver’s seat. Each the moment I doubted and I said ‘it’s up to You Lord’, that’s when I heard the Vroooooom of Him….
God IS the backstory to our motivation and energy. I dream flat tires, but He convinces me of His Power. We (I) should be in awe of God. Putting my knees to the floor. (Good thing the floor is the solid rock of the Lord too.) So that’s the backstory, understory, little story from BIG God.
Amen, I BELIEVE in You Lord!
Amen
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Here are the 2 recent blogs of my doubt and my witness:
This time of the year and always, let us try to complain less.
Job (see the book of Job) was in BAD STRAIGHTS, he didn’t know he was being sifted by the devil and watched by God. (We on the other hand SHOULD know this). Job’s friends consoled but that only seemed to extend the conversation, even made it worse. (Wow, they went on and on….) … I do wonder why the many many many chapters were given for these conversations (we would too) and its not just that “Job had to get it out of his system”, it’s just Job did not use his wisdom to apply to the system… and Job had LOTS of words seemingly more than almost everyone, except of course, THE WORD. Jesus (the Word) would know this feeling of suffering physically and feeling also… also seemingly separated from God to take our sins away, but never was He nor us nor Job separated from God Almighty. Never separated and always on the same page.
I know it is curious why we suffer, and yet we don’t know the half of it. So many suffer so much that our suffering should pale in comparison and yet we speak in distress, we are but human, it’s natural. Perhaps so much more that we are to reach to the Supreme Hope. We are instructed that we are to fear God, acknowledging both His Power and His compassion.
Reading through the book of Job, I saw a passage that I could discern an answer – Job said the following: “He [God] is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.”
Oh!!!!! I can read between these lines, into the Wisdom of God. He DID create a mediation path, a forgiveness, an advocate. We ARE in life now able to keep safe under God’s Wing because Jesus covers our sins with His blood. Let us apply wisdom and allow Jesus to be our Savior.
We MUST fear God, He really IS all that powerful, yet we must LOVE God, He really IS that compassionate. Love God. Understand that we are human and we are NOT God to understand it all…
God has the power and He uses it! So importantly God has the power to save. He gave us wisdom, unlike some creatures. And God’s wisdom protects His children.
After the trials, the Lord spoke to Job (remember all these Words are Jesus the Living Word that remind us God IS God): The Lord said to Job: “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” Then Job answered the Lord: “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his? – Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and bring them low, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.”
Who IS this RIGHT HAND? (Of God, not Job)
JESUS, that’s Who.
Let us start now with belief… and wisdom to know..
In the end we will all see all, like Job. And we will understand!!! Until then, let us just BELIEVE!!!
We MUST have the WISDOM to WAIT upon GOD.
Amen!
——
Here us how the earthly story ends:
Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.
“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Epilogue
After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.
After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.
The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.
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One more passage about wisdom:
“The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, though they cannot compare with the wings and feathers of the stork.She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand,unmindful that a foot may crush them, that some wild animal may trample them. She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain, for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense.”
…the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace…
Joni Mitchell sings “You dream flat tires” and honestly many of us do. I quite often realize that I OVERTHINK! I don’t even give God a chance before I’ve already declared a situation to be a disaster or a problem insurmountable. In other words, dreaming flat tires when things are actually rolling along OK.
“Don’t worry worry before worry worries you!” – “Don’t make a molehill back into a mountain “… Yeah well, good luck with that.
Trust me, don’t dream flat tires because it is like you are already saying to Almighty God that you don’t think He can prevent a disaster nor fix a situation. You’ve reduced God, at least I have, to the backseat if you even let Him in the car. Trust me and trust your own experiences that God IS in control. Let Him Drive.
Don’t dream flat tires (hey and I’ve had plenty of flat tires and the situation was always fixable! Plus there has ALWAYS been a spare. And aren’t we HAPPY when we actually see the nail as opposed to not know what made our tire flat?!)
My latest over-stress-ings have been over something that HASN’T EVEN HAPPENED YET (and actually NOT even an earthshattering situation, so I won’t waste the time explaining) and yet my stress has been real and yet my worry surely has been and will be matched and overcome by God telling me to TRUST His Guidance. No, He’s not pulling off a miracle (yet) both because the situation hasn’t even happened and because God IS saying: ‘Haven’t I told you to let tomorrow worry about itself? Focus on today!’ Yup. Plus God HAS given me tools and people skills and people helpers and perspective. Our perspective can be: what can I do, rather than later say: how have I failed to prepare. We do have options in life, God just wants us to talk them out with Him. Start talking and better yet, start listening!
And so I opened today’s devotion book and sure enough God’s repeated this advice to me (to us): “Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish.” Yes, that scripture is based upon Isaiah 40 and other passages. That Way of life is knowing: GOD is in control!
So, I will stop dreaming THIS flat tire of fear and actually put right thoughts first, both because I know God is in control, AND Jesus helps me walk (roll along) AND yes, God provided A SPARE TIRE in my trunk because the life helper IS the Holy Spirit – IS Whom Jesus had God send to us to move us along in His Work. A spare in the air… Holy Spirit gifts us air in our tires and breath in our lungs.
Today’s problem is not a problem (yet) if you let God give you the answer, which is: “Trust Him!” God is the Answer (and was the answer before anyone even had a question).
AMEN!
PS – today Jan 6th is Ephiphany – so those Kings traveling for so very long must have TRUSTED GOD to get them to where they were going – to get them to see the King – to survive along the way and not feel their travel was in vain… did they have flat tires? who knows – but even camels carry extra water with them!
The whole devotion for Jan 6th by Sarah Young’s book “Jesus Calling”:
“I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me. Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark. The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention. Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life.”
… the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6
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Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. (David in Psalm 3)
We all have enemies, maybe not always physical ones but mental enemies too, like fears, like dividing forces, like Satan himself. We all have various ways to deal or not deal, to ignore, to pray away too… There are certainties in life, death, taxes and yes the enemy of sinful ways which we simply cannot avoid because we are human. The last commandment against jealousy will be our downfall in the law. That’s why we needed and need Jesus. Forgiveness… We need God’s Shield.
(And what makes people war against us, even if only in their hearts?… Jealousy… yeah… that age old division of evil, we need to shun that in ourselves too.)
Enemies… Psalm 3 is written by King David trying to escape from a big enemy, his own son Absalom. Wow, going back to the books of Kings, Chronicles we learn that keeping enemies at bay (with God giving the victory) fills hundreds of years of history which the Chronicler (likely Ezra) wrote down to give courage to the current population fighting enemies. So that they would look to God. Written down for us too.
From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
God’s Word is written down so we pick IT up and pick UP on it. You will have enemies, but even better: YOU WILL HAVE GOD TO FIGHT YOUR BATTLES. AND God to comfort.
Psalms 3, 4, 5 of David (God’s annointed son and leader) help us know that even God’s most beloved were fighting enemies. David was, Jesus certainly was. And God Himself was fighting the enemy of sin in the people’s lives, and God won.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
… let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
God gives us the ability to chose right vs wrong. God looks for us to look to Him and shake off malice, malaise and mistakes. God will be our shield, but we must choose Him as our God. Jesus will be our Savior but we must recognize that we need saving. We must recognize enemies are around us, but God is around it all. And let God work in His Time frame, not yours.
Be at peace with a God who saves!
…for the Lord sustained me…
…I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety….
Amen!
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The 1st 3 verses of Psalm 5 are a song I would sing in my old band:
“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
—
FYI the Psalms are divided into 5 books – here’s some info: “Except for Psalms 10 and 33, the remaining psalms of Book 1 are psalms of David. Most of them are prayers of distress. Others are statements of confidence in the God who alone can save…” https://www.esv.org/resources /esv-global-study-bible/chart-19-03/
PSALMS 3, 4, 5 by David, in KJV
Psalm 3
Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Psalm 4
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Psalm 5
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
There is great comfort, consolation and direction by staying the course and living by God’s Word, mediating on it, reading it like the best advice you will ever get… Never separated from God, He knows the Way. Both not doing wrong but striving to do right. Listening to stay on course is watching (actually feeling) His Peace light the way.
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. Psalm 1:1-2
MEDITATION, not on mindlessness or mind emptying, but ON GOD’S WORD over worldliness. Not living with intent of sinning or mocking but MEDITATION on God’s Law, on Jesus’s fulfillment, and on His Holy Spirit Scripture Song in your heart. Moving forward WITH GOD is every day’s best game play.
We can stay on course in life by listening to God’s Way. Stay out of the rough, just like the willing golfer to pick up the clubs and walk through the game. The woods are not where you want your ball to land, and yet the wood club is the tool for getting your ball up into play and farthest down the course. More golf references: The Wood of the cross, by Jesus’s death gets us all farthest to Heaven. Irons are strong clubs to get the middle of the game going. The irons of scripture are sharp to help each other – helping us stay on course. And the puttering around on the green help us all finish the game. Life is no game, but know that God already won it for us.
It’s no wonder that the Psalms were written as songs… How comforting they must have been to face the world with the song of scripture. We too may sing our way into comfort with a hymn or pick me up song. King David wrote at least half, 75 of the 150 Psalms. And after reading his adventures, triumphs and failures, it’s a blessing to learn that keeping one’s heart towards God is the best course of life. God loved David for it. God kept David’s family line alive to deliver Jesus into it. God’s Son Jesus is the King to Whom all earthly kings will bow down to. God even told Samuel, the prophet who announced David as God’s anointed, that earthly kings will make slaves of the people and be fallable. God wanted the people to follow Him, keeping the Law. God knew to send His Son Jesus. His earthly son David was inspired to write: Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.Psalm 2
Yes, let’s take refuge today.
God knows the Way.
Iron sharpens, God’s Word cuts thru the course of the day and makes our steps work. God’s Will, Way, Word, don’t leave home without it!
Amen
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Psalm 2 of David
Why do the nations conspire land the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
A friend brought me a new juicy-looking orange for 2023 on New Year’s Day all while reminding me to hunt for that old one lost in my purse that I wrote about yesterday (https://debbieupper.blog/2023/01/02/happy-new-year-one-day-and-one-step-at-a-time/ ). I did find it, still tempted to eat it because it’s not TOO old. But now that I have a new orange, should it be “out with the old” everything? Well not too sure about that, and certainly not before I took a photo… Carrying over old into a new year is not necessarily bad… I can at least try the juicy old fruit that took so long to develop, if not I’ll compost it back to the soil.
Another example of good stuff from “old” last year is a “new to me” almost vintage mug gifted from my neighbor who is moving soon. She let me make a cup of tea in it from her keurig when I visited weekend mornings these last few weeks. How BLESSED to embrace some time together in person, steeped in love, and now take our memories of visits with us in our hearts. Old friends are super best to carry into the new year, even if they themselves move forward into their own new experiences. God wants us ALL to be fruitful in life.
BLESSED is the one 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
The best “old” thing (which is hard to call a “thing”) to bring in and ring in the new year with IS the best old thing there ever was and is: LOVE. Love is timeless. Love conquers all. Love fufills one ultimate request commandment of God, to love Him back.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
If we listen to Psalm 1, knowing Jesus fulfilled the Law (a sacrifice of all time) and He fulfilled the prophecy of the Prophets, and if we do know how GOD IS LOVE, then we really do know that “Blessed is the one who delights”… Delights in LOVE, shares LOVE, appreciates God’s LOVE, and performs acts in LOVE.
Love wins. And fruits of the Spirit become ripe for harvest.
Let us make a NEW resolution EVERY DAY this year to find how TIMELESS LOVE applies to EVERYTHING. Every resolution of peace, get that from God. Every step we wait upon God to take, let it be stepped and steeped with LOVE. Pray Holy Spirit, please fill us all up. Let us love comfortably like a beloved old cup, fill us up and serve fresh love each day. Let us love uncomfortably too and fulfill and delight in the law of the Lord.
Happy 2023 to you and me!
Delight in God and LOVE will set you free.
Amen
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PS, what a delight to step into the new year with reading and writing about a “new to me” book chapter of the Bible, I finished Job in 2022 now in Psalms for 2023… what a delight of meditation on God’s Word. It’s also the lyrics of one of my favorite songs to sing from my old band, which I have framed. “I will delight in the Law of the Lord. I will mediate day and night. And like a tree firmly planted I’ll be, grounded in the Word.” – “Blessed is the one who follows the Way of the Lord. Blessed is the one.”
So much new – new to you but known to God, so why not let Him direct our paths.
I woke up with gratefulness, a dream slipping away in my forgetful wakeness (was something about clear vintage glassware pink and clear, awesome vintage shapes), and a devotion to write: a message of the New Year is not yet walked so don’t race through it. Take each new step with the Lord’s Direction.
Yes, the new steps are so new to you that a new year is either scary or exciting. But honestly it’s not a different message of how to live because we ALWAYS should be looking for the Lord’s guidance. That’s our best resolution, to actually listen.
There are old memories and missions that we must finish up and even nagging feelings too of things we forgot in 2022 – like I woke up to remember that 31DEC devotion I fell asleep writing AND woke up to remember that I think I have an orange at the bottom of my purse from a week ago, yikes. I’ll have to look, but surely the Holy Spirit of watching out is helping me and intends me to clean up my act in so many ways… that’s the new year resolution, not the cleaning but the LISTENING.
And so, before I look for that orange, let me finish these thought – we must be willing to work for God – we really are in this together. One big thing we can do in 2023 (gee it rhymed better in 2022, “can do 2022” becomes “let’s see 2023”)… But seriously, one thing for me in 2023 (and maybe big thing to do for you too) is TEACH – teach the children because you also were taught – teach the children who grew up not getting taught because you have the wisdom and knowledge to share. TEACH, REACH, PREACH, embrace your walk… SHARE… and don’t dare to go anywhere on your own, go with God!
The scripture: “for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” MUST have extra meaning referring to my VERY dusty house (I’ve been deep cleaning dust I haven’t seen in years)… We have the sin of Adam therefore we always have to work for our food and till the soil (see Genesis 3 for the fall from grace), AND forever since then, we have lots of cleaning to do because since Adam, LOTS of dust has been created and recreated… Farming, cleaning and dusting is sweat of the brow work given to Adam that surely we WON’T have to do in Heaven, RIGHT?… And who knows but God where all this dust came from… So if I needed, if you need, yet another reminder that we AIN’T in Heaven, start dusting… DUST…
Seriously, since we are made by God’s Hand as our Potter, He would surely gently and firmly purposefully make us STRONG yet delicately weak unless filled with Him – His Spirit. In Jesus, our Grace from God is corrective action. Yet sometimes we are in the need of rework here and now, especially when we don’t listen. The slip of the clay is like dust plus water, therefore directed living dust (us) plus Jesus (directed Living Water) is the makings not of just MUD but MAN. Surely God is rendering us alive. And fresh filling of the Spirit restarts us every day.
In Heaven, we rise again in Spirit and in Jesus’s Power and Victory. His Spirit-indwelling within us gives LIFE. Our life will be risen from the dust here on earth.
“The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”
God knows how to organize His dust. Adam was dust, I have dusting (seemingly of dust gifted unto me), and IN Jesus we all have VICTORY.
Heaven is Dust-free Dust-freeing victory… Death (and dust) has beenswallowed up in victory.”
Amen [Thank God]
—-
1 Corinthians 15:35-58 NIV
The Resurrection Body
But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.
I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” – “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
It was a little interesting to see this scene in my yard: the baby Jesus Christmas light had figure fallen face forward between Mary and Joseph from the big winter storm. But it’s a reminder to think… Think about Jesus STILL SHINING, no matter what… and since Jesus NEVER changes. NEVER WOULD HIS LIGHT GO OUT. NEVER.
We could say Jesus especially GLOWS when IN us He GROWS.
He is the Sight of Light Upright.
…
It was a big windstorm with rain and I must have put the decoration on non-solid ground, simply collapse of the hinge, they are sturdy enough to survive. Would Jesus really do a Faceplant or even make an audible “ugh” from a misstep? Probably surely not. There is not something Jesus would be caught in by surprise. NEVER. Jesus KNOWS His Steps (and ours). Jesus IS the solid rock ground we stand on. Jesus is the One who holds us. He loves before we leap.
The interesting thing about this scene is that when the baby Jesus is glowing (upright or on the ground), He looks the SAME from the front or the back. You might say Jesus can SEE OUT THE BACK OF HIS HEAD. Yet we must realize Jesus KNOWS over seeing, like when the woman touched his robe hem secretly, He knows not only our coming and going, He knew us before we were born.
A FaceSmack hand to head in disbelief is something I envision Jesus doing in response to my often missteps – giving Him a grimace or a surprised face. But a FaceSmack from Jesus is highly unlikely since Jesus KNOWS our weaknesses already AND He uses BOTH hands to hold us in COMPASSION. Nope, Nothing surprises Jesus. Not ever. NEVER.
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Consider the plight of Job, Satan getting a chance to test Him, the chapters of conversations of “WHY?” between Job and his friends, in similarities to God letting and making the placement of His Son into the World (*a path of the Light determined from the beginning*). In the world, Jesus had to illuminate the darkness. Job says of God: “He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.” In His crucifixion suffering, Jesus never turned away from God even though He stated His questions: ‘My God, My God, Why have You forsaken me?’ AND “Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Thine be done.” God’s Will was fulfilled and Jesus carried all the weight of our sins upon Himself. God shunned the sin but loved the Son. God made the Light burn bright enough to know how to send Jesus on this mission to remove our sin, and bring Jesus back with us, never to leave again. The Light NEVER goes out.
Jesus is the Word made flesh, a Light, a hope…
Will Jesus change? Never. Not a chance. Nope.
Look for the Light.
Be the Light.
Upright.
Amen
—-
Job’s friend Zophar said of God: “if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.” Job 11:13-18
It was a special extra Christmas eve night and church message, a LOVELY real message of Christmas, of God’s Love in Jesus, a Son Given, that I and others absorbed from being at Christmas Eve services. There was also a funny site as we saw the teenage drummer decked out in fine Santa attire with Grinch pants and yes a Grinch mask too… (it’s a great “come as you are church – pajamas even allowed! Love it!)… don’t worry the Grinch mask did come off, must have been too hot… lots of enthusiastic great music!
Our Pastor spoke about the LOVE of God wrapped around us like cloth, like a surfers wet suit for protection and warmth, like the warm sheets at night, like a blanket which she received made by the Sunday school kids… And here I was dressed not so warmly but more “fancy” in a colorful christmas skirt with stockings on a bitter COLD night. I could have used a few more layers riding up and down our external elevator lift to unlock and lock it, brrrrr. I wished then I was wearing those Grinch fuzzy pants!
Well, I WAS (for years) a Grinch at Christmas, not because I stole anything but because I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND what Christmas really TRULY meant. Everyday a blinded Grinch not FULLY understanding past the glitz of the world to see humble Jesus. I WAS clueless that Jesus was INSIDE of me. INSIDE!!! Yes, I could see others expressing the love of Jesus, but I did not interpret the growth came from inside of them. I knew the stories of Jesus, but never watered those seeds, frozen in place. Then one Christmas season, few years back, over the course of weeks, God started filling in the data that my brain lacked – warmed my soil – made me like that expression on the Grinch’s face when he hears Whoville singing in the REAL spirit of Christmas, even though they had no “material” possessions of Christmas… BELIEF and understanding grew and my heart started to EXPAND with Jesus being born IN ME, OHHHHH….. Jesus as our (my!) Lord and Savior INSIDE US and like the Grinch: “GREW THREE SIZES THAT DAY”…
Christmas comes to us, we can open It, and we then can become “THE GRINCH WHO EXPLAINS CHRISTMAS”. That’s why God EQUIPS the CALLED, to demonstrate, to teach, to REACH!!!
Within my cute “little church with a BIG impact” the people ask for and tap into the HOLY SPIRIT. The Christmas present celebrated by each at Christmas is that Jesus, God incarnate, was big enough to humble Himself enough to come to Earth as a baby. God with us. Jesus came to connect and grow LOVE’S flow.
The cutest of sights and sounds that I felt “in the Spirit” this Christmas eve night was from the energy of those authentic Sunday School kids and I remembered our littlest Sunday schooler helping by handing out the candles for us to light during singing Silent Night. I handed the candles to her and she shared. She gave one to an elderly woman who was having trouble walking but was supported by her daughter. The littlest one shared with the oldest one there, and I saw both their Spirits smiling BIG at that moment, a transfer Gift of Light from the Holy Spirit into the Christmas scene, yes, Spirit to share.
So, now I pray us each who werea former “Grinch” who didn’t fully understand Christmas, to be one who loves to EXPLAIN Christmas, to look for OPPORTUNITIES… Opportunities abound (Like at work opportunities last week while wearing my Santa suit),let us take a few minutes to EXPLAIN the HOPE gift in Jesus to someone – SHINE and SHARE the LIGHT.
God, with these gifts of His Spirit, at somepoint WILL (Lord-willing) make it Christmas morning for those folks to open and KNOW and BELIEVE in the GIFT of JESUS.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Reflect for Christmas and New Years on our blessings over our burdens. Then walk that lighted path remembering God’s provisions. Remember we DO have God WITH us, Emmanuel.
Let us remember to count our blessings and live more in tune through applying the Word of God in our lives now and next year. Bless because we are blessed. Forgive because we are forgiven. Let us also turn to God for our troubles and reap His rewards for He is faithful to us.
If you are struggling this Christmas, I suggest this advice from those counseling Job, in the Book of Job chapters 4 and 5. Job was afflicted by the Devil like a demonstration sport during a time God was demonstrating His strength INSIDE Job. The disaster devil could do external damage, but God strengthed Job’s ability to look big picture. God gives strengthening to each of us from the inside too. Jesus, God with us, also brought God to bring us the Holy Spirit. We need insight of the inside Holy Spirit.
Job’s counselor friend, Eliphaz, reminded him of God’s strengthening even though Job was suffering such pain. He reminded that the innocent survive, that God wants to hear us, wants to bless us.
“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He provides rain for the earth; he sends water on the countryside. The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.”… “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.”
I pray us all this season and everyday to remember to align with God’s Way. Number our days and make the most of them.
I have learned these things too… God provides. Reflect on that…
Reflect on…
Amen
——
Job 4:4-9, 5:1-27
Eliphaz told Job (who was sitting troubled):“Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed. Should not your piety be your confidence and yourblameless ways your hope?
“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed? As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it. At the breath of God they perish; at the blast of his anger they are no more.
….
“Call if you will, but who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple. I myself have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed. His children are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender.
The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from among thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth. For hardship does not spring from the soil, nor does trouble sprout from the ground. Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He provides rain for the earth; he sends water on the countryside. The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
“He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away. Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night.
He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
“Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.
“From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will touch you.
In famine he will deliver you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword. You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the wild animals. For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you. You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing. You will know that your children will be many, and your descendants like the grass of the earth. You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season.
“We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to yourself.”
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Luke 2:8-14 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”
Matthew 2:10-12 When they [the wise men] saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
John 1:14 (NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Romans 10:9-13 (NIV) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!
Romans 15:13 (NIV) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I appreciate this special gift of this 3D printed night light with switch from a work friend, appreciate this gift for many reasons. It illuminates nicely and then you can see the details. It’s a cool use of 3D technology, decorative, even if not a glamorous world-changing use to print machine parts etc. The gift of work holiday parties was also awesome this week for getting me in the mood of being APPRECIATIVE this season. Other than that, I’ve got miles to go for Christmas. But I’ll get there. Lord willing. (At least the village is set.)There’s Christmas gifts, Christmas readiness, Christmas overload and never enough time. A working mom has to make the money, find time to spend the money (whew that hour on my phone Saturday shopping Amazingzon paid off), get sleep enough to wrap everything, and to create the desired ambiance and result Christmas morning – all with the stress of: will they like it? Will they have years from now complaining first world problems of not getting the best legos, the latest trends, and that classic girl complaint of “why did he get games and I got lotions shampoos frilly girl things (oh that’s MY 1st world complaint)…sorry… I’m just as human in my expectations at Christmas and always…. human in the need of DIVINE intervention… something needs to change in me…
Anyway….
The Christmas Gift we should personally ask for is a FRESH FILLING of the Holy Spirit. Accept this Gift, over and over. It’s like this 3D printed night light, someONE needs to turn on the Light switch in us so that we can be internally back-illuminated by Jesus’s Light. Be filled with His Purposes and Shine Him through!
And forever freshly we need Jesus again and again to illuminate our actions to detail the fruits of the Spirit brought to the surface… Fruit to help others in LIFE and Fruit of feeling blessed. The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.
Ah… SELF-CONTROL…
Now because SO many ask me “are you ready for Christmas?” I can mentally answer “that’s COMPLICATED”. But my best self-controlled non-whining response would be “I will be… Lord Willing…”.
I love Jesus lighting the Way from WITHIN. That’s the Light we need.
We NEED the Holy Spirit to follow a star to where we MENTALLY need to be. We NEED to come to see and celebrate Jesus as the Gift.
SHINE the Spirit within you. Lord, turn on Your Light! Jesus come quickly.
You see a lot of signs these days that say “Keep Christ in Christmas”…
I think I would prefer a sign that instead said: “Give Christ for Christmas“. Yeah, that’s the sentiment I like!
It is a Christmas GIVEAWAY!
When we GIVE Christ, it means we are giving to others the BEST of us…
When we share Christmas, and share Christ, this means we are not keeping Christ for ourselves for our own salvation but we want to share HIM to help God’s action plan…
When we GIVE CHRIST at Christmas, we are saying that we are believing God wants to be with ALL of us.
He does…
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SO spend less time griping about what is taken away
5 years ago I was adopted as the caregiver to Christmas the Crab… I don’t do much – but change water and food, occasionally a carrot and a new stick… Hermit crabs who live in the woods adapt to eating sticks… who knew?!
Here is the original story of finding Christmas…. We are lost and found – and we are ALWAYS CHERISHED!
Christmas is Waiting
How long was Christmas waiting, we don’t know… Maybe he wasn’t waiting at all, he just existed doing the best he could in a strange region and climate – cold October – and it was up to us to find him. Maybe our instinctual guidance directed us that way on our walk. We didn’t know it, but apparently God knew we needed to find Christmas. Maybe we just never figure out all the little nuances of life, maybe it’s just fun to listen and watch for God.
A friend and I really enjoyed the walking parts of the retreat – both in the spiritual walking and also in the chance to hit the trails of Camp. A few of us walkers took quiet time to enjoy this exercise which keeps us young physically and young in marvelous appreciation of being spiritually out in God’s great creation.
Camp is an old friend, a compact oasis of retreat facilities and woods in a sheltered setting. Up the hilly trails, a friend and I took off, a chance to talk. We climbed past the frisbee golf trail, up to where I’ve only traversed on a hay wagon ride during an open house… A fork in the road? Which way to go? She and I discussed and we listened to our instincts and we took a right… Grassy trail towards the road… of course we didn’t want to be late for dinner!
Christmas… What was a Christmas ornament doing out here? I looked and then it MOVED!!! WHAT? The Christmas ornament was no ornament, it was a hermit crab!. How in the world did this floral-painted shiny but muddy hermit crab get out here? In these woods? We could speculate all we want about the camp setting, and who might have thought this crab would be okay in the woods and apparently he was okay for the unknown amount of time…. We even put him back on the trail and let him be. We marveled that we saw this hermit crab but for some reason we didn’t take him with us. We kept walking…
We told the others, who were excited!!! But then we started to think maybe we should have taken him. It was starting to dip in temperatures at night to a seasonal cool, although it had been unusually warm this autumn. We thought he’s not going to survive the winter. We need to go back the next day. Could we find Christmas?
Beautiful Saturday – another spiritual gift of morning and we knew we had just a certain little amount of time before lunch, so we teamed up immediately and up the hill we went. Took a left into that grassy trail covered in gorgeous woods… could we find him? Did he run off? My companion immediately spotted him, like a good grandmother would. Christmas! We found Christmas! Oh YES still alive, still near the same chilly spot… Didn’t want to move? Hunkered down for the cold? Still there, yup, seemingly dropped from the sky.
The people back at camp we’re shocked – half cringed and half clamored to hold the crab – but we all agreed how unusual that the crab was there… how unusual we found the crab (twice)!!! We cherished him, fed him, loved him. Camp crab!
How NOT unusual was the JOY that this little crab brought in an already cherished retreat situation… How NOT unusual was that we, who had been focusing on God’s direction for our lives all weekend, knew it was more than just luck that we had been led to find Christmas the crab. There are no accidents… Why us? Why then? Why not??? It’s just normal for God to tweak the system… God provided us for this crab, and God provides all of creation, including crabs, for us to LOVE and nurture… Scripture tells us to nurture nature, watch over and protect.
In hindsight, it connects to the scripture “If we did not praise, the rocks would cry out”, and this little painted rock moved!
Scripture tells us to walk… And reminds us to always be aware of those around us, we are walking with Jesus even if we don’t know it. God could have walked us right over Christmas the crab too and we could have been distracted and wrapped up in our own problems but it was up to us to notice him. And he moved! Not exactly the same, but similar is how God has placed Jesus in the world for us!!! Jesus came and He is still here for us to notice him. Listening to the Holy Spirit guidance is another gift from God – for us to keep walking as we work for our Father – and are called by the Great Commission to spread the Good News. Jesus came for us – we must pick up on the clues that God puts right in front of us – it is up to each person to accept the gift of Jesus – the kingdom of God is the kingdom of the heart. We can do our gifted job to point Jesus out to others. We can share His LOVE. We pick up the tools that God has given us and we use them with our spiritual gifts for reaching His Children to know Him better in this world.
A Christmas ornament fell from the hook and I didn’t hear a crash but instead the branches of the tree caught it, just in time… I found it resting and nestled, safe but precarious and ready to fall. I grabbed it gently, and hooked it securely on the tree.
That’s Christianity right there.
How more plainly can I explain that God has a plan for each of us, but to fully embrace His plan, you have to be hooked in by Jesus. Jesus secures our safety salvation security sensibilities and souls. God wants us forever with Him.
The tree branches are like a net, the sturdy and weak branches must be studied before heavy or light ornaments are tested against their strength. Even the heaviest weight can be anchored by the strong enough hook – that’s Jesus for us – our heaviest burdens can still be lifted, our deepest sorrows embraced. Jesus rescues!
An ornament without a hook, resting in the tree, might be protected for a while, but it is not truly safe if the tree is shaken, if a storm of life brews, or simply if a brush of an innocent unknowing hand shakes it up… If the tree dries up and the needles fall then the ornament will fall crash and smash, no longer hidden or protected. The ornament could be fragile – itself delicately made and beautiful… Blessedly we pray the decorator’s hand to guide the hook to secure it. We and our loved ones are delicately made, beautiful in His eye. Can we reflect His light in our lives like the ornaments’ beautiful shine. We are called to recognize the beauty in all people, to pray for all people, pray for them to Be Still and let God’s Hand guide them.
Jesus – ask Him to hook you safely in God’s plans.
What is it going to happen to the ornaments when the needles fall off the tree? – it may look dry and sad – because the trunk got clogged, the transport of life-giving water no longer flows to the branches… will the ornament be OK? Yes if it they are hooked. At the end of our earthly lives, our souls hooked by Jesus will be removed and embraced by His love to be stored in Heaven. How many beautiful saints are resting in Heaven? Oh, can you imagine that glow!
We are not just ornaments for the Lord, we are even more intrinsic to Him – we are branches in His tree of life.
In God’s tree of life, some dead branches will be pruned, some cast off into the fire, but those branches asking Jesus to clean out the clogs, to clean our hearts, to help shed darkness and fill lives with light will bring us to be branches bearing fruit and make us alive with faith – we will be able to support even more life in support of His plan – we will look forward to living forever in HIS LOVE. But today we can be fruitful for Him!
If you are an ornament, be grateful for your hook – HOLD ON.
If you are a child of God, be grateful for the hand of Jesus – HOLD ON.
If you want to fully live as a branch of the Lord – filled with life – you must go to the vine of Jesus and drink in His Living Water – LIVE ON.
If you want to bear fruit for Him, share it and He will give you more.
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Merry Christmas – God is with us.
Rejoice.
Amen
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Jesus is the Word made flesh – we have Security in a Savior, therefore know your strength comes from Him. Be fruitful.
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Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
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Jesus said to his disciples: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. John 15:1
Protective Purification Parenting while Satan is on the Prowl. In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
The best parenting skill is PRAISING GOD.
The Book of Job has many deep stories to tell – especially about PARENTING. Job made provisions for his children, not just raising them but also in worshiping God by doing what he could as a servant for God and his fellow family by providing purification prayers and sacrifices for his family. He took the opportunity to praise God’s faithfulness and the prescribed way to forgiveness. Job took on the job. So can we.
‘Job would make arrangements for them [his children after celebration times] to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.’
My dear friend would and does always “Pray the Blood of Jesus” over each person we were praying for. She essentially was carrying out Job’s prayer of purification with acknowledging the now true process of Jesus’s Blood covering our sins. We don’t make purification rituals anymore as Jesus took on the ultimate substitute for atonement. But we must go to Him in asking forgiveness. There has to be a realization that we are human and He is Divine. His blood shed covers our sin-caused dread. We also do have this opportunity to pray this purification for anyone good or bad, everyone human, each child or family member we have. ASK for FORGIVENESS for them…
Why? Satan is on the prowl, not just to trip you up from acting right but from believing that God loves you and has forgiven you. (A preacher I know says it’s not big satan whose attacking you but his little “helpers” who you COULD pray against by calling upon God.) Yes. It’s like the little temptations which eat away slowly at the foundations of faith… Don’t crumble and stumble. Worship and thank God, even for trials. Seek God and Satan will flee (see James 4).
And let us provide this guidance and act for our children. God certainly did by providing His Action Plan of sending Jesus. We act by asking His forgiveness of others and doing this forgiveness ourselves. We must act by praising. We ourselves cannot be forgiven without us forgiving.
Much befell Job, yet specifically in the first chapter, losing his children, Job did not fail to praise God. Job did not BLAME God, as that would be a sin. Job praised God, as should also be the first words out of our mouths. We should not become so bitter as not to praise.
Job said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
Jesus taught his brothers and sisters, making them Word-filled and Worthy… Jesus’s brother James reminds us to: Submit Yourselves to God. Job did not curse God, nor shall should we.
Our Way is to be the Way of praise, petition, peace.
GOD “gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.
ThisIS the greatest job of parenting, praising God who gave us all LIFE.
Amen AMEN
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James 4
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
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Job 1. Prologe
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
One day the angels [sons of God in the Hebrew] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
1While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
Not a surprise but HOW GOOD this past week that my neighbor LOVED her visit to the nice assisted living facility where she “interviewed” for suitability for placement. So so GLAD that she is relieved that it is a good place! Her kids essentially said: Mom, we wouldn’t have picked anything less than a good place for you.!!!! THAT’S REASSURANCE!
Now it’s just less than a month until she moves in. My neighbor is excited because she now knows where she is going! NO SURPRISES!
The director was so nice and told her “All we do is eat!”, LOL … And said the staff is so nice and they wait on you, bring your medicine, take you on senior field trips, and have many pre-scheduled activities! BINGO! SOUNDS HEAVENLY!!!
My neighbor told her daughter: “make sure I get cash for the trips!” LOL.
My first favorite sight on the example menu was sweet potato fries! [Yummy spiritual-level food for me, VERY MUCH SO!] Then I also saw: “DIRT PUDDING WITH WORMS” – now that made me LAUGH OUT LOUD!!! It’s candy gummy worms in whipped cream and cream cheese pudding mix and crumbled Oreo cookies, layered and looks like dirt! All sugar but when I’ve made a version of it, people were laughingly confused! The worms are supposed to be a SURPRISE! How interesting that this menu gives away the Surprises… NO SURPRISES.
Is that part of what Heaven will be? A surprise or no surprise? Knowing our path to Heaven is through Jesus, we should not be surprised on HOW to get there (don’t need cash for that forever field trip). He Knows the Way (because He IS the Way). A surprise might come to some who haven’t heard, not knowing Jesus, yet for us who HAVE READ THE STORY, the BIBLE STORIES, it should not be a surprise.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened”. Matthew 7:7-8
BINGO! I am sure that Heaven will be filled with justified surprises, like when you get to meet your great great great grand-generations who went before… I mean what’s it like when you meet Moses? Mary and Joseph? And your own kin again.
Now, as for my neighbor, I pray her a great experience with moving. What’s maybe surprising to some is the willingness of someone whose lived 55 years in her house to go so easily, (isn’t better all around to live each day without whining) – but if you KNOW where you are going, and you TRUST the Way there, and you adjust your expectations and even plan your steps, won’t that make life MUCH easier all around? Pray and God will give you the strength to move forward. NO SURPRISES THERE!
Amen
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13
PS
I found today’s “Jesus Calling” entry so fitting to the no whining clause in scripture – based on a few passages including Isaiah 30:18-21. We do have good teachers who show us the Way and the Walk without the whine.. including especially JESUS… No Surprises there!
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
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2nd Corinthians 4: 3-18
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
It was not lost on me that waiting to enter and park for the Wreath laying at National Cemetery, that the radio “randomly” played the Snoopy and Red Baron Christmas song while I was next to a house’s Peanuts Display… That song is about a Christmas truce and PEACE, even between enemies.
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This beautiful wreath display, the solemn scene of gravestones and the hubbub of very active families all reminded me that the true meaning of Christmas is the REALIZATION of the Peace Prayer, the time for us to no longer treat enemies like enemies, and KNOW how ultimate PEACE comes from our Prince of Peace, Jesus.
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I was so happy to see so many families visiting their family stones… Soldiers and scouts were here too. We are all better for remembering these are the Christmas days when we count our blessings for freedom by other’s service. The valiant missions, the struggles in war, all are now at rest here…
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Sleep in Heavenly PEACE…
Amen
Snoopy’s Christmas lyrics
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum Do kannst mir sehr gefallen!
The news had come out in the First World War The bloody Red Baron was flying once more The Allied command ignored all of its men And called on Snoopy to do it again
Was the night before Christmas, 40 below When Snoopy went up in search of his foe He spied the Red Baron, fiercely they fought With ice on his wings Snoopy knew he was caught
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ring out from the land Asking peace of all the world And good will to man
The Baron had Snoopy dead in his sights He reached for the trigger to pull it up tight Why he didn’t shoot, well, we’ll never know Or was it the bells from the village below?
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ringing through the land Bringing peace to all the world And good will to man
The Baron made Snoopy fly to the Rhine And forced him to land behind the enemy lines Snoopy was certain that this was the end When the Baron cried out, “Merry Christmas, mein friend!”
The Baron then offered a holiday toast And Snoopy, our hero, saluted his host And then with a roar they were both on their way Each knowing they’d meet on some other day
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ringing through the land Bringing peace to all the world And good will to man
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ringing through the land Bringing peace to all the world And good will to man
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ringing through the land
Songwriters: George David Weiss / Hugo Peretti / Luigi Creatore
I’ve been talking to a neighbor who will be moving to an assisted living facility, I’ve really had those conversations of “you can’t take it with you!”… and sometimes people get to an age where their children take over, so you both can’t take it with you and you can’t give it all away either without some hurt feelings. It’s tough to be in a situation where hurt feelings cloud relationships. I was cautious when my neighbor said: “take whatever you want”. I didn’t, I don’t even know her kids, but I know it’s not good to hurt feelings of others who have more claim than I, if they don’t take it, I’ll see it in the trash anyway… I only took a lawn chair that I had actually lent her. I only asked for one bowl because she had lots and this one matched another bowl I had. And she gave me 2 knickknack statues because she thought I would like them. The knickknacks reminded her of her grandparents. I like that she gave me her memory …And I’m MOST thankful that she has given me her friendship all these years and her trust. I can sit at the kitchen table and we talk about life without fear or anything hindering frank conversations… it’s better to air our life issues privately with a friend and let them go than put them in heavy baggage that we DON’T want to take with us. Don’t make your misery into a museum.
I also don’t need anything from her because not only do I have a house filled with “treasures”, oh my how my own family’s houses are museum-level collections, from statues to butter churns, Elvis bubblegum cards to too many beanie babies. My mom’s friend gives stickynotes to people and says label what you want when I go… I am sure I best preserve my “collection” as memories over the many moths in our attics… I found perfectly preserved 1976 bicentennial napkins in one hidden closet. My one aunt (i have 9 aunts) collected those coupons off the peanut butter cups to mail in for more peanut butter cups… Oh hundreds of points she cataloged still in a box… I remember them, that was the 1970s her cutting them and us eating that free candy… fun… yet now surely both coupons and the candy company are expired. The memory remains.
And then there’s DISHES… oh so many dishes… My Aunt (other side of the family) gave me some treasures of hers because she said “my kids will just roll up a dumpster”… That’s tough that day when the treasures (with the boxes they came in) will not be saved… But isn’t it MORE valuable to have the ability to sit with someone for a cup of tea rather than dust fancy tea cups that never get used? My Aunt also gave me my grandmother’s dishes since I was “closer” physically and in timeframe visiting her. I love them but I appreciate my memories more. I would give away all the dishes just to have one more cup of tea with my aunt, one more conversation with my Grandmothers and Grandfathers, my aunts uncles, all my family and my friends who are gone.
In Queen Esther’s time, she was able to see the Jews survive and thrive and be granted VICTORY over their enemies, after exposing a plot to kill them, and as the king granted her everything she wanted. But an interesting part of this story is that THREE TIMES the scriptures state: “But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.” I don’t know if this was a custom, an edict, or just a frame of mind, be thankful for your lives and livelihood but don’t overdue your victory dance… perhaps leave these earthly treasures because others will need them and you as exiled people will be leaving this land anyway someday, not taking plunder with them… happy to escape and celebrate life…
That sounds like good advice for us. We WILL be leaving this land of our temporary stay. We WILL be granted the real Kings Kingdom some day. Don’t plan to take anything with us but our lives. Don’t plan on leaving too much behind except great memories. Best to smooth the way for our children to cherish us over having anguish in us. Teach them what really to value.
Since we do live in our own splendor, raised as Americans who started collecting stuff in post-war shortage surpluses, let us enjoy our lots in life but be ready to let them go… As one of my elderly friends used to say: “You don’t know what day Jesus puches our train ticket”… I am certain on that day, Jesus will pickup and LEAVE your baggage at the station, ALL of it… His Fare pays for ONLY what God’s Image is in us. He leaves our sin baggage behind… we will live free in Him.
In Heaven (and Heaven on earth):
Our PRAISE is required.
Our PRAYERS are desired.
Baggage becomes expired.
Let us look for Jesus and His “plunder” in Heaven. Jesus’s “plunder” is collecting all of us for God.
God’s Memories are of making us. Our souls He seeks. Let’s keep our treasures in Heaven.
Amen!!!
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Jesus said: “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.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Do Not Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:19-27
If you need a moment to realize that God IS in charge (lest we forget) and need a humbling shock that we DON’T know or see everything in this world let alone the Heavens – then take a Milky Way Moment – go out and see the stars. Not just any stars but ALL of them, if you can…
I took a moment driving up home to park my car (safely) on a very very dark road, open the moonroof, shut off my car headlights and then take a moment to adjust my eyes. I was in the “boonies” meaning the far far backwoods where NO light pollution can obscure the starlight that God put into our sights. I’ve been here before. God NEVER disappoints.
Of course you absolutely HAVE to ADJUST YOUR EYES to see better deeper and brighter.
Feeling the REAL cold is a wake-up gift from God too because you feel more alive. It was 19 degrees, snow on the ground, I stepped outside and my breath was taken away – but that was by the STARS not just due to the cold… That level of intricate light, placed just right, is SO AMAZING… And we miss it everyday, don’t we?… We miss it in the sunshine as well as in the light pollution. We miss A LOT of what God wants to show us.
It is an overwhelming AWE in seeing so many stars because there are MORE light spaces than dark spaces. And the depths are deep… I am also in awe that this view is much closer to the skies that Abraham saw, Jacob, Moses, John the Baptist saw… yes to what Jesus saw… A view to what God placed there to guide the Way of Wonder…
If you can appreciate your ability to have appreciation of everything and anything as a gift from God, you might appreciate the stars even more. But first you must adjust your attitude. That is MORE important than adjusting your eyes.
There’s a famous quote by Charles Stanley which says “The shortest distance between our problems and their answers is the distance between our knees and the floor.”
Yes, God delivers and is Deliverer. We must listen, act, trust. And He knows the solutions more that we know even what the problems really are.
Perhaps God wants to hear us praise Him before we even bring up problems.
It’s all in the ask. It’s “what” we ask, “when” we ask, it’s in “how” we ask, and it’s in “why” we ask… and in our follow up, it’s then in how we DO what is asked of us… Will we trust? Can we have faith? I HOPE SO!
Prayer… Petition… Putting ourselves out there…
Many warrior kings won the battles by fierce fighting. But Queen Esther won the lives of a whole generation of people by prayer, fasting, asking, and sticking her neck out to ask the King a question without the normal chain of events, to identify that she was Jewish, that her people were in death’s danger by decree, and to be in that dinner WITH the person who wanted her dead before even knowing who she was. Hmmm…. (that last part is so Jesus-like, having dinner with Haman then accusing him like Jesus accuses Judas. Haman and Judas wanting the death of someone before knowing their true identity. Esther and Jesus going up against governing rulers to set their people free, Esther to life and Jesus to death)…
Esther did an unusual thing, she asked the king Xerxes and Haman to come to dinner twice, she put a pause in the middle. Meanwhile king Xerxes couldn’t sleep and while reading his history found out or refreshed his memory that Mordecai previously had saved him. Meanwhile Haman, all puffed up and pompous saw Mordecai and wanted to kill him. But the tables were turned and Haman’s downfall started. And the Queen waiting until that 3rd opportunity to ask (original approach plus 2 dinner banquets) got to both save her people and see that Haman was incriminated. The TRUTH set them free with the king’s NEW decree.
Esther’s TIMING was key, the time was given for the king to process all that was going on. God knew how to bring down a bad man and save a people. God’s continued motivation to save the Jews was to keep David’s line, the root of Jesse, as a Light in the Darkness, from where Jesus earthly family paved the way to the Way.
Esther’s ask and save becomes celebrated in the Jewish feast of Purim, which usually lands in February or March. We all should celebrate joyfully the triumph of courage and how we all know God is a God who saves. A strong woman and brave, Esther reminds us to ask God and give God time to work on the situation. We must be willing to do what God needs. If He asks us? You know He has a plan! King Xerxes would have given Esther half the Persian kingdom. God’s son Jesus held onto the WHOLE of the HEAVENLY KINGDOM and DELIVERED.
Mordecai reminds Esther that if she doesn’t act, God would still get His Plan accomplished in another manner, but how awesome it is for her (and for us) to be a member, a doer, an instrument of God’s Peace.
God’s BIG ASK for us is to resist the devil and to be a part of His Peace.
As for me and my peace, I will ASK the Lord.
Amen!
Esther 5-6-7
Esther’s Request to the King
On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”
“If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”
“Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.”
So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”
Haman’s Rage Against Mordecai
Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.
Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. “And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.”
His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the banquet and enjoy yourself.” This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the pole set up.
Mordecai Honored
That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
“What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.
“Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.
The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”
“Bring him in,” the king ordered.
When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”
Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’”
“Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”
So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”
Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.
Haman Impaled
So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”
Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”
King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.
The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
The king said, “Impale him on it!” So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.
The king who decreed punishment to the Jewish people (king Xerxes) during “the Persian Period” did so by giving up his signet ring to another (Haman). Took it OFF and let another take some control. King Xerxes was letting someone else seal a deal without full knowledge of the people’s plight or character, including his own wife, Queen Esther. Esther was able to stop this plot of extermination, as it became her TIME to reveal her identity as a Jew, a daughter of God, one who hoped in a mighty King promised in David’s lineage to save generations and restore God’s Kingdom. Esther’s intervention unsealed the earthly kings seal. A new edict (after the plot was revealed) sealed the king’s order to save the Jews. God’s plan prevailed.
No one can unsealed God’s Holy Spirit Seal on your soul. “When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.” This is what was revealed to us by the Spirit Himself in the Word.
God who created us in His Image does mark us as His, and He makes this mark Himself. God brings us to Jesus. And remember this means Jesus is coming back to redeem us. Redemption is not like a small coupon to save money, but an unfair unforgettable exchange of Jesus’s Life for ours. He ransomed Himself to redeem the price for our freedom. He gave us the Holy Spirit to show that we are His. He moves us thru the Holy Spirit now to spread this Good News.
Haman would have paid in silver for killing a generation of Jewish people because one (Mordecai) failed to respect him. King Jesus paid in full for saving all, not just Jews, but ALL. And ALL will respect Jesus when He returns.
Esther approached king Xerxes and he said he would have given her upto half his kingdom if she asked. King Jesus redeems ALL of the Kingdom. Jesus asks us to remember that and share that news.
Esther revealed that plot by Haman. Mordecai was saved and so were all the Jewish people. King Xerxes took back his ring from Haman (who was impaled by the torture he had intended for Mordecai). King Xerxes gave the ring instead to Mordecai, whom had previously saved his life. We too will live, and have the marks of the Heavenly King Jesus’s seal. We too are saved…. Sealed by the Spirit.
We know the end of this story BECAUSE it IS the Holy Spirit who reveals it as TRUTH to us, to those who believe in Jesus. Let us pray for those who have yet to find their way and learn their identity too. We ask God to open their eyes to both the plots of the devil and to seeing the saving Grace of His mercy. We know that we are scattered in the Kingdom, but You know when to call us.
Let us step out in faith. Lord, we are blessed to know You in us.
Amen
—-
Esther 3:8-11
Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”
So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”
—-
Ephesians 1:13-14
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
—
Esther 8:1-11
The King’s Edict in Behalf of the Jews
That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.
Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.
“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”
King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”
At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king. The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves;…
You might think it’s unusual that a flat tire reminds me of how life is FILLED WITH GOD’S CALLING ON OUR LIVES, and especially to remember His timing and Ways are bigger than our ways, but every bump in the road is a moment to SHINE OUR FAITH. And if life is smooth sailing, we best credit God for that! Moments in time are all a gift, make the most of them. In all, we must reveal our identity: One who TRUSTS in God.
Queen Esther had to acknowledge her MOMENT IN TIME TO TRUST GOD. Yes, TRUST GOD, step out in faith and approach the king, Xerxes, and expose and stop a plot to kill all the Jews. She had to take a risk revealing her identity too. That king did not know Esther also was a Jew, because her cousin/counselor Mordecai requested that she keep it a secret the whole time due to the many dangers they faced as foreigners. The exiles from Jerusalem were taken by a plundering conquest and the prophesies said their people would return to Jerusalem and a mighty KING would rise from their ranks (the House of David) – of course we all know the prophesies were of Jesus.
Certainly nowadays our bumps in the road are nothing in comparison and how we handle them are not as dramatic as this, but we are ALSO called for MANY actions in our faith FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS. “You were called for just a TIME as this.”… and sometimes (often) ALWAYS we are to embrace GOD’S TIMING in how it all plays out. If we rant and rave in anger over small things – how do we demonstrate that we trust God? Well, it wasn’t just my flat tire’s “timing” but it was also when I knocked down the squash and salsa and cheese glass lunch container that next morning that I REMEMBERED a connection to patience and petition to God. I thought about Esther and TIMING. A sticky situation needing attention immediately. These delays in my life surely are when I KNOW I am being paced by God, slowing me down from multi-tasking, resetting “my agenda schedule” – maybe even preventing me from a car crash or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. God moves us to bless us AND to be with others in His timing for them too. You must realize that we ARE God’s Hands and Feet… See, this is why I consider the flat tire A BLESSING IN DISGUISE, that dealing with small things as well as big, are in God’s plans. We must TRUST HIM. We must change our attitude FASTER than it takes to change a tire.
I knew I had a slow leak, discovered just that day, so when I saw the actual flat I was forced to pause, well sort of, because God lined up the day in HIS Way…. There actually was a yellow truck actually idling right next to me, WHAT TIMING! Even if he “randomly” was there at my workplace for a broken down big rig, I chatted with the driver about my own tire, talked about getting to a holiday event with friends. He DID have an air pump and he DID fill me up with air without complaining or asking for anything AND also he filled me with cautiousness while we discussed how perhaps I should call roadside service AAA anyway. He cared. He was a counselor placed in God’s timing to me. I already pay for roadside service so I called them anyway just because I had a long trip, better to not get stuck on the turnpike itself then I would NEVER make it to my friends’ event on time. It was then I saw the nail, perfectly placed inside the treads making it plug-fixable in the future. Yup, not God’s nail but a reminder to NOT be mad, just be GLAD I had options AND had roadside service on the way and especially God to rely on.
My spare donut was on within record speed by a AAA driver grateful for my call (and for my tip since this was only his 4th call all day). Meanwhile I watched the yellow big rig tow driver on the ground hooking up that stranded truck, such hard work! I went back over to thank him for his help and advice, tell him I had a safe tire on now, and wish him Merry Christmas. He was grateful I said Christmas not holidays and I was grateful to give God praise in that moment WITH someone.
Yes, I made the get together with my friends, and we donned our festive lighted headbands and were grateful to SHINE. I ran into dozens of girl scout and church friends. Their love SHINED God’s Love to me and to all… I saw “God’s Miracles in Motion” (my friends who are medical miracles). And I met a new person whom helped put on that holiday event, we have mutual church friend connections, so AT THAT MOMENT I knew God must have wanted me to meet her, chat with her, make her feel more welcome to our community. All these interactions brought to me – connected by God’s TIMING. Whom am I not to LET HIS LIGHT SHINE. One flat tire becomes 10 opportunities for GRATITUDE. So imagine what we could PRAISE for every time we DON’T have a flat. Praise for every time we see friends.
It always helps our attitude by giving God gratitude. Got out on a limb like Esther for God’s mission. Go out with a LIGHT to share God’s Love.
I thank my friends for their friendship, for putting the shine into my smile – and I thank the Lord for putting HIS batteries in our LIGHT. He IS this SHINE of mine. I’m going to let HIMSHINE.
Amen
PS, I did not fix my tire yet, I am riding on my “spare”… going to see how that nail in the tire gives God’s opportunity to praise Him today! God Bless TODAY!
…
Esther 4:13-17
“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?”
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.
Happy Early Merry Christmas – a good time for reflection and hope.
I decided to revisit some of my original writings… This one was #8 Dec 24th 2014…
I speak of 4 miracles in this piece – and you probably know people like them – amazing miracle survivors – all around us every day. Which means that our prayers are often answered – so let us keep praying them for today’s people who need miracles.
Reflect on the past miracles, reflect on the hugs, reflect on the real meanings of Christmas including that HOPE that God gives. Then be ready to see some more good things – because God is good ALL YEAR…
Amen
Got Santa to pause to sit down for a cup of tea after the gifts were placed under the tree – I appreciate this year – I appreciate the time now to sit and have a cup of tea and bask in the glow from the lighted tree – an undecorated tree – but lighted – and so fragrant and soothing. It’s almost midnight now – all is still and quiet – I am going to work hard this next year to keep this Christmas spirit alive in me all year round.
I did the most important things at Christmas – but not all the things you normally want to do… the tree is up but barely ten ornaments? I did hang one this year – one of my kids together as babes in arms – really that is the only ornament I need to hang on my tree – they ARE my life – my tree is rooted in loving family and I never want my kids to forget how much their family loves them and how much I love them.
My God sightings for today are a selection of miracles – earthy miracles that I have witnessed with my own eyes:
1) I delivered a poinsettia to a woman who has been battling an incurable disease – on her second liver and no one is more of a fighter than her. Today when I brought the plant to her and her family, she was cleaning her oven… last time a similar situation, I visited her one week out of the hospital with doctors baffled at her recovery off her deathbed – after a moving prayer service for her – well, I visited her and when I recounted her condition later to friends, they gravely asked “how is she?” – I said: “she’s doing laundry!!!”… up and kicking… laundry, cleaning the oven – preparing Christmas dinner for a family who needs her so much…she is my hero…
2) I sat right behind another medical miracle in church today – a survivor of a rare heart surgery – only very few have had it done – his whole family was together for Christmas – pure, pure joy to see them all together!
3) I sat near another miracle near me in the church service – a young man who survived a life-threatening infection just months earlier – such a scary time for his family. Today, the joy of seeing him – a miracle.
4) Another miracle at the living nativity – I met a young man recovered from a terrible accident… a man on “Bonus time” as he puts it.
There were likely so many other miracles right around me that didn’t occur to me to notice today – miracles so commonplace that we forget they are miracles, but they are…
I so appreciate the miracle of laughter and love – the bonding in families and in our church families. we are truly blessed in how we feel so much a part of THE family – especially this time of year when we see so many friends. I even had real sit down conversations with some great friends over the last few days – that feels like a miracle – to pause and talk. I so appreciated the hugs – I must have had at least 25 tonight alone – plus the hugs from the whole week – I had hugs at work – hugs at church – hugs with friends – hugs at home. If a picture can speak a thousand words, then a hug – placed at the right time can speak a thousand pictures – that’s a million words. Hugs of hello – hugs of love – hugs of understanding – hugs of sorrow – hugs of good bye…
Thanks for allowing me to share my God sightings and I am sending a virtual hug to you all!
FAITH – and processing an awakening – This writing mirrors me starting to believe in Jesus – I didn’t think it was silly – but my heart was not yet believing until I was seeing… AND THANK GOD – He Himself opened my eyes to be seeing HIM. It is none other than Jesus Himself thru the Word thru the Holy Spirit who is trying to get you to see Him for REAL. God brings us to Jesus – drives us right to Him – open your eyes and be ready to see!
I was on the list of the lost in my faith – truly now I can see why Jesus is trying so hard to wake us. We are dead in our fatih so often – at least I was… Jesus knows when we are sleeping – He awakes us – God brings us right to Him – and when we are in Jesus’s Hand, He will NEVER let us go.
Why is this important? To be awake in your faith? because Jesus is the ONLY WAY to be covered in Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. John 3:35-36
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. John 5:20
Below is my devotion with the unbelieving becoming believing – just have to keep looking!
Miracle on 34th Street – “I Believe, I Believe, it’s Silly but I Believe”
My favorite movie – not just Christmas movie – but all time movie – is Miracle on 34th Street. Not the ’70’s version, not the colorized version but the original 1947 version – Edwin Gwynn as Kris Kringle – Maureen O’Hara, Natalie Wood as mom and daughter… and Fred Gailey the lawyer (John Payne) who was an early believer in Santa, in Christmas and all that Christmas stands for. Yes, my favorite movie of all time – ever since I was young…
Little Susie says “I believe, I believe, it’s silly but I believe”. She was talking about Santa Claus – but the movie goes much deeper than that – see Santa (Kris Kringle) was looking for belief in people – in everyone who didn’t believe – looking for hope to continue in his line of work – to continue hoping for the world. Fred was asking Doris (Maureen O’Hara) to believe – to believe in him – to believe in anything – she swore off fairy tales, swore off any belief in what she wasn’t in control of. she suffered from too much reality check – “should be realistic and completely truthful with our children and not have them growing up believing in a lot of legends and myths” … “And by filling them full of fairy tales they grow up considering life a fantasy instead of a reality.” Fred will work on Doris – Kris Kringle work on Susie too – together they can make this happen – it is a movie after all – together we will see how it all unfolds…
At the pinnacle of the movie – Doris is upset that Fred throws away his career by taking on the seemingly win-less case of proving that Kris Kringle is indeed Santa Claus – the one and only Santa Claus… Fred urges her “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to. It’s not just Kris that’s on trial. It’s everything he stands for. It’s kindness, joy, love, and all other intangibles.” “Someday, you’re going to find out that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn’t work. And when you do, don’t overlook those lovely intangibles. You’ll discover they’re the only things that are worthwhile.”
Fast forward to Doris trying to reassure Susie that Mr Kringle will be ok – Doris is not sure she yet believes what she is telling her daughter – but Doris tells little Susie that she has to have faith – Doris even adds to Susie’s letter that “I believe in you too” – win – Kris Kringle gets the letter and all the other dead letters at the post office and Fred wins the case – Kris is recognized by the federal government to be the “One and Only Santa Claus” – WIN!
Susie has asked Mr Kringle for something big – bigger than a normal present – she asks for a house – one of those Long Island cape cod’s – similar to the suburb house that I live in today quaint, quiet and family friendly… Susie expects Mr Kringle to deliver – big time – expects a miracle – expects that snap and she will have this house – puts it as a test to him… No – she doesn’t get it at the Christmas morning party – Doris has to say – “You must believe in Mr. Kringle and keep right on doing it. You must have faith in him.” … “you’ve still got to believe in people. I found that out.”
“I believe. I believe. It’s silly but I believe” – Kris has orchestrated a car ride home with Fred – down a quaint quiet street – in a family neighborhood. “I believe. I believe. It’s silly but I believe” – Susie repeats and repeats – and then – oh snap! there it is – the house – on a quaint and quiet street – the perfect house – it’s for sale – it’s unlocked – with a swing in the back – WIN.
Fred learns from Susie that Doris told her “Mommy said if things don’t turn out right at first, you’ve still got to believe. You were right Mommy!” – WIN – Doris to Fred “I never really doubted you. It was just my silly common sense.” WIN – BIG WIN. Kiss – realization that believing is seeing – believing came first – then seeing Kris Kringle’s cane in the house – hmmm….
Believe – it was and is that belief has to be there first – the rest follows – you have to believe – to have faith when common sense tells you not to… BELIEVE
Be open this Christmas to knowing and teaching the true deep down meaning of Christmas…
God opened my ears and eyes but most importantly opened my heart in a Christmas season… Allow the Lord to be born in You – and Lion and a Lamb – this Christmas and always. My prayer is for all to be open, be opened, be opening…
A Poinsettia Prayer
A beautiful showy poinsettia is often misunderstood… botanically-speaking. Its big flowers a beautiful splash of red. Christmas red with the evergreen brings cheer.
But, those big red flowers or white pink speckled – they are not flowers at all.
No, they are leaves (botanically speaking they are bracts). The flowers are barely noticed – if they are present at all – they are divided into yellow stamens and a nearly invisible pistil deep down below lip-shaped stigma – which is in the shape of a smile.
At the base of the invisible overlooked flower, nestled in the center of showy colorful bracts, is the place where the flower will bear even tinier seeds. The seeds will be enveloped, embraced and provided food to nurture the next generation of baby plants.
Christmas time is full of showy colorful splashes – but its real meaning is often misunderstood – it is really about a tiny baby – a hope for peace not brought on by a giant clashing war to end all wars – but instead by a non-showy tiny sweet baby – who will grow into our hearts and bring peace when enveloped, embraced and provided nourishment.
So look closely this Christmas – not at the showy leaf bracts, but at the tiny flowers – look for the tiny baby – and look for the true meaning of Christmas deep down in the middle of your heart.
We could read LOTS into the backdrop to the story of Esther and the King Xerxes. We could marvel at the opulence of his “royal treatment” for the nobles and officials, allowing them liberal activities in a 7 day party after a whole 180 days of showing off his treasures… The GARDEN party locale had hangings of white and blue linen, couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones, plus had wine served in goblets of GOLD… wow… WOW!
The Queen Vashti also gave a party but we know nothing about that. And it doesn’t say WHY the Queen didn’t attend her husband’s party when CALLED to bring her to Him, but the text DOES say he was inebriated and in a drunken state when demanding her to come with the crown to show off her beauty, such a surface living worldly want… WELL! (and she didn’t go – so eventually they banished her to set an example – and we never hear her side of the story).
Well, it’s TOO EASY to put our opinions into the Word, finish the story, to suppose… SO we NEED TO BE CAREFUL anytime we guess (and I am NO scholar). We should ask “WHY” God’s Word is mentioning certain details and it IS good to know the backdrop to the story. The king sending one queen away made room for another – becoming the open opportunity for Esther to step into the palace. And it IS good to know the personality of this king, and how their society exists (outside in an area where Jewish people were exiled), and how impressed he and everyone was that Esther wasn’t demanding, was smart in addition to having beauty, and the fact that she exposed a plot to kill the king… But let me give yet another couple big picture thoughts:
1) Queen Vashti didn’t choose to join the garden party of a drunken man with opulence and a show, even if he was a king… Wouldn’t this party be a big contrast to the REAL garden gathering with our REAL King, God in all HIS glory? People of faith are looking for the Real Deal . When God in his Good State CALLS, He is doing so to bless us. We will be willing to OBEY our King, we will know His voice as His sheep.
2) The earthly king and earthly followers thought that when the king’s edict was “proclaimed throughout all his vast realm” that all the women will “respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.” – because they would be motivated by punishment… Well, hmmmm…. Even if that was “customary” in a different era, it seems if the queen and king were in a BETTER position to BLESS each other, to RESPECT each other, and not fight by proxy, that the relationship may have MUCH BETTER chance… This is a good way to remember that Jesus as our GOOD King motivates us by His MERCY, His sacrifice and His elevation of us to the Kingdom, not using punishment. He is both our Lord AND our God as well as a Servant to Save.
3) The earthly king had to consult the law and counselors and then banished Queen Vashti. In contrast our real King Jesus came to FULFILL the law and save us. We need to consult Him. God did tell prophet and counselor Samuel (serving Saul and David) that the people were MUCH better off to serve God and NOT ask for an earthly king… well, they still asked to be controlled and that sent whole communities down wrong paths from then on. Let us Serve God.
4) Esther gained favor to this earthly king Xerxes, by being honest and also using sometimes clever ways that God gave her, for her mission was for her people, the Jews, and she was called by God to use her position for good, not for entertainment in a drunken state of worldly wants. She had to think about what God was CALLING her to do and work within her system, given thru advice by her cousin father-figure Mordecai. She willing OBEYED. She was prepared for THIS Heavenly King’s command.
Jesus came and is here now, and now through our Holy Spirit we are being made new, given the tools for work, we are to be a “bride prepared for her groom” as the church, not a surface clean but a deep desire in us must grow. To know our King is to love Him and know His Ways… To be prepared is to allow the fruits of the Spirit to develop in us.
Aren’t we ALL looking for God’s BETTER Garden? Let us appreciate Our King.
Amen
—-
Esther 1
Queen Vashti Deposed
This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.
For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.
Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
“According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”
Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.
“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”
The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes long SILENCES scream in processing and people’s SPIRITUAL thoughts… Who knew how silence is the stronghold of the Spirit. God does.
I was at a BEAUTIFUL precious memorial service, a celebration of life, a huddle of hungry spirits holding onto hope even more strongly than what we could and can hold onto on earth… a support sea of people… a place I HAD the privilege of being present even if none of us wanted it under those circumstances. The stories shared were tremendous, and so was the silence… yes the silence…
When the young man stood up to speak about his dad, he looked both broken and determined… He sighed… He stood silent… He cried… We sat watching and trust me the people absorbed the silence… We surely needed to see what we knew, the sudden death of a dad, of a loved one, is a horrible shock to the system – there is NO sugar coating. The REALNESS is in the RAWNESS and God KNOWS THAT. If the widow could give her last mites to the service of the Lord, surely we could sit for a moment in silence to let this young man let God work him thru his grief.
We waited in prayers and I watched the pastor pray across the room, physically pray without ceasing while still in his chair, his hands directed towards the young man and even though he was silent to us, his lips were moving mightly, he sent the Spirit SuperSpeed soaring across that room – in soul moving style. I saw it. The young man sighed again, he needed that. We prayed for him. We didn’t need to fret, and he DID make it thru, speaking softly and mostly saying he was grateful, thankful for the time with his Dad… Even later I saw the young man smiling at the luncheon later – he made it thru. But during that tearful tense time, I felt the awkward silence that I should have felt as a human, AND I felt the tearfulness of brokenness of the Spirit… I felt the tearful moment was a time when Jesus cries with us.
So for the silent time I felt to be transported to be standing on the hill across from Jesus’s crucifixion, WAITING. Then another wait – like with the women with anointing spices but unable to perform their duty because it was the Sabbath, they WAITED (Luke 23:49, 55-56). We were being made to WAIT upon the situation. God’s timing, not ours, not mine. WAIT in obedience for the processing. We did.
I was also transported to be in the post-crucifixion room, listening to the processing of the disciples, oh how that long-night and day-long Sabbath must have been! The set aside time to be with the Lord. The brother of Jesus DID later write “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” – I wonder how many people he told that to, over and over again, in his own immediate processing after his big brother passed… If James was in that secreted away room, scared and shaken about his brother’s death, surely we could let him process.
But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.…The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
We were watching and being witness. And later the sister DID get up and help coordinate the situation with ease, as any of the women coming with the spices would have found that courage to serve. That Spirit which processes while we are still walking…
Why did Jesus spend SO MUCH time in the absence of the earthly view of Him? Not for Himself but for His people to process, that’s what I’ve heard from a former pastor of mine, that the awkward silence of Jesus gone gives EXTRA appreciation for Jesus being present.
Jesus never goes anywhere in our times of silence, it just takes a moment of stillness to find where to look.
Silence is STILL STILLNESS in the Spirit.
Amen
Like those Jesus tears poured out at the tomb of Lazarus for his friends who felt so broken and not knowing death is a window to forever life. Jesus also needs us to know death is NOT final…
God bless that son, that daughter, that family… God bless that Pastor who KNEW to put God’s Power over the situation FIRST… and God bless my friend who lost her husband, when she saw me she gripped my hands so tight I KNEW that God needed me there to be witness to Him holding His people. We hold what He holds dear, each other, often in silent tears. I bet we will fall silent in the moment we meet our Maker in Heaven, in processing. And then not be able to stop Spiriting our JOY of HIM in our PRAISE.
I love love love this Bible teaching about Martha *the former complainer to Jesus about her sister Mary*…
I love the mention that Martha is serving again but NOT complaining (fast forward to the 27 minute mark of the link) – Pastor Joe mentions that if your brother was raised from the dead and was now sitting at the table, you would serve the group (including your brother) quite differently!!! If you think about your gratitude, you would live and work in a whole new attitude! AND Pastor Joe reminds us that we ALL have a brother who is raised from the dead, Jesus, and shouldn’t we be charged and serve in a new attitude?!
I love it when I learn a new angle of Martha, when she teaches us about us… and I appreciate the teaching about the color and smell of the oil that Mary pours on Jesus (red) must have stained and permeated his scent for days, likely even carrying with Him through that week… to the garden… to the cross… Mary knew and paid attention and understood unlike most others that Jesus WAS headed to death. That’s why she anointed Him “until His burial “…
It’s ok to be Mary and ok to be Martha, BOTH were LOVED by Jesus and were also His friends… Jesus was blessed by them too because they were really real with Him. Let’s also be real too.
Amen!
Here is the link: whole devotion is great, and starting at 27 minute mark starts discussion about Martha..
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.”
Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
TRUST – HAHA you actually have to LET God work things out in HIS WAY when you TRUST Him…. it’s NOT that in trusting Him that He will do YOUR things in YOUR way in YOUR plan. NOPE!
Let Him lead, and follow, ESPECIALLY if He is keeping you in the dark ON PURPOSE.
I have been KEPT in the DARK purposefully by Him a few times, well LOTS of times, especially now on ISSUES which are HEAVEN’S battle AND minor issues too, which are buffering my steps in each day… That’s why God is keeping my life cards especially close as secrets in HIS HANDS, especially because I am an OVERTHINKER.
Overthinker-er… You too? I am ever reminded that God thinks MUCH longerterm than I. God is all about His OWN business for us, day and night, not just when we remember to consult the Lord. He who wrote the Book knows what page He wants us to be on.
Two problem things I am see resolving these days, slowly, after me working on them while being led, are instances where Jesus says “Take My Yoke” – it is lighter and yet I need you still work plowing ahead… Jesus knows where we are going. I am reminded that this IS the better Way, because God works in HIS timing and in the right season… Yup, after me wondering the “HOW?”, being prayerfully vocal in the “WHY?”, I STILL have to let HIM choose the WHEN for then I can find my WAY aligns in His Way… I just have to TRUST God, and past experience tells me that He did, He does, He will.
I have seen new problems pop up for new challenges – and I am hoping I see how two negatives make a positive? Or maybe I won’t see this yet. Maybe I will see two negatives make lined edges of a path to follow again under His pull of “we are walking this way”… I once again have to TRUST. Either way, God told me these issues late in the day yesterday, so that I would shelve them for tomorrow (today) and just get rest. (I can tell you all my mishmash details, some SERIOUS some SILLY some $LIPPERY SLOPE$, but you’ve got enough of your own life mishmashes and hiccups and harrowing instances I’m sure (I pray you the best), SO better for me to mention that GETTING REST was the most important step I could take before the REST (of the steps). TAKE the REST (sleep), and let God handle ALL the rest (everything). He will involve you, DON’T YOU WORRY, so plow ahead WITH Him. ONE DAY AT A TIME.
In the time of John the Baptist, Jesus said John was THE Prophet, and Jesus was/IS the Prophecy fulfilled. The people should have known that He was here for fighting the battles in the realms of the Kingdom on earth, yet they didn’t. Do we? If we believe in Jesus, shouldn’t we also believe in His Way? I pray for doing that today. It’s not just the destination, it’s the journey.
KEEP MOVING.
For ALL of us, He says: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“
When you do something in God’s Name – pray in Jesus’s Name – it is because you believe in God’s Fame – DO THIS SO THAT others will know what you are doing and what you are talking about… We are called to educate – don’t assume others have heard anything of the bible except a movie reference here and there…. When other’s have heard some – then have a conversation with them about how it makes them feel… the key first is to TALK ABOUT IT… Yes, let other’s know where God has blessed you – how God has gotten you out of a jam – where you have found solace in God – how He is your ALL IN ALL…. and of course – explain what it means to say He is your Lord and Savior – perhaps others need to hear what that really means in your life… Perhaps others need to hear that you are devoted… Perhaps others need to see your life CHANGED by this devotion.
Explain “In God’s Name” – and that will “help” His Fame.
Now, God doesn’t REALLY need our help with anything – He is God for God’s Sake… but does He WANT our help? YES!!!!!!!!!! The Great Commission does tell us to go out and teach whole nations for Him – that always starts with one person – and it starts with you.
And our living good lives will also explain/show how He is someone we SHOULD listen to…
Let us WORK in God’s Name…
Let us recognize Him in our Frame…
Let us be grateful for God’s Fame…
Let us know that He takes away our Shame…
Thank you Lord how we can pray in Your Holy Name.
Amen
—-
Letter of Paul to the Colossians 3:1-2, 8-10, 12-17
Living as Those Made Alive in Christ
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
…
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
…
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
…
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
There’s much richness in the stories of Queen Esther including the keen eye of her “uncle-fatherlike” cousin Mordecai, who adopted her and took care of her. His EAGLE EYE saw both an opportunity to get her into the king’s favor and saw opportunity for her to serve her people (their ancestry being Jewish from exiled Judah) but for which she had NOT revealed to the king or his attendants that she was of the Jews. Mordecai knew best, keep it a secret for now… We must guard our hearts. (But be totally in conversation WITH God about everything, but guard our hearts.) They kept it a secret most likely because of the many people (outside the king) who were not favorable to the Jews as a captured people.
Mordecai kept an eye on Esther’s position and on God’s fruitfulness in her life. Mordecai also knew of God’s promises to their people, even in exile.
Esther not only was already beautiful, she gained favor to become Queen, especially since she didn’t OVER demand anything. Importantly she listened to Mordecai’s “instructions” and even got word of a plot to kill the king… you guessed it, because of Mordecai and his sharp eye (and ears). God put Mordecai in the right place at the right time.
Sometimes we get a glimpse of something that God intends to use for His purposes by just you seeing it – sometimes we are to act upon it, or just know to keep it quietly. Always we are to ask God “why?”.
When can we be a Mordecai? Looking out for kings and others foreign to us except that we live in this exiled land. When can we be satisfied with our status, even hide certain things when necessary for the GREATER good of God’s people and plan? When can we trust in His Plan when we only see one step ahead of us. What if our heritage as God’s children is to be HIS in a humble way – and watch what we say?
And who are the earthly Mordecai’s with discerning eyes in our lives? Who is looking out in front of us, keeping tabs on us, giving us advice? And when God gives us advice, looks out for us, goes before us, do we listen then act in Esther-like fashion? Can we be brave in a situation new to us? One we asked for or even didn’t… Can we also give credit where credit is due (to God) when it works out?
Perhaps Esther only knew piecemeal steps of God’s plan for her, and for her people. God only tells us bit by bit so that we rely upon Him more and more. Gratefully He knows the future for us and His Kingdom… Let us trust Him! One step at a time.
Trust the eye of Mordecai.
And for the benefit of all – trust the Lord most of all.
Amen
—
Esther 2
Esther Made Queen
Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered [former deposed Queen] Vashti and what she had done [not come when he called] and what he had decreed about her [to be banished].
Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.
Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.
Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.
When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy
When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.
During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.
—–
Psalm 34:17-20
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
It’s Monday morning and sometimes we just don’t want to get up and go. (Nothing bad but sometimes the gears back to the grind need oil – however we need to count our blessings and get over it)….
Sometimes, well always, God wants us to PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD to move thru our day, and a day like today our Monday morning mushy movement is MUCH more manageable because this Armor of God is ALSO an EXOSKELETON of EXCELLENT strength and mobility. LET’S MOVE! (we not until we get our marching orders)
And whether you actually feel mush-like or just perceive of the “Meh” yuck feelings, God IS going to be our MOTIVATION in His method of having us move forward. Making mountains into molehills. Mostly for knowing today is another great day to let Him lead and share how He is our Maker and Shaker… My my how we must count our blessings that He has a plan ALREADY… We may move when He says “move” in the Power of His Might. And throughout we can Be Still and Know that He is God.
He made us from dust, let Him mold and motivate us. We are to look beyond our mush towards His lush life everafter, then know we may make today a GOOD DAY for GOD.
Our Monday morning motivation is demonstrating we WILL trust God to bring us thru…
He will. He does. He wouldn’t want you running ahead anyway. Let Him make the moves on YOU.
Amen
“… my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the POWER OF HIS MIGHT.
Put on the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD OF GOD:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;: And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel…”
Paul’s letter of encouragement to the Ephesians 6:10-19
At the end of the book of Nehemiah, he writes in first person: “Remember me with favor, my God.”
God certainly remembered Nehemiah’s dedication and faithfulness, and we know this because we are still learning about Nehemiah today, and Jerusalem was restored enough for the next so many years. Nehemiah acted where God inspired him, for BOTH the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall and it’s gates to make it a city again around the temple, AND because he also brought about the peoples’ rededication of FAITH. Nehemiah knew God wanted to build faith, not just a wall.
With JOYFUL MUSIC, choirs and musical instruments as prescribed by David the man of God, they transversed the wall and entered the temple. “The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.”
Now, did everyone’s dedication/rededication last? Sadly no, and Nehemiah (chapter 13 when he left and came back) he heard about even the leaders going off-book again, not following God’s prescribed laws and desires for their people, especially not honoring the Sabbath or the distribution of harvest to the temple workers. And this eroding of their dedication caused others to stray.
Rededicate
Rejoice
Remember
Relapse, oops
Nehemiah cleared and purified temple rooms dedicated to God’s service. Once just building up the outside, he restored the inside again and again… sounds like Jesus to our souls! Reinvigorate us with the Holy Spirit, we pray.
We also now know that God still supported the people and lineage as promised to David, so that a remnant of the root of the tree of Jesse (David’s father), would survive and from Judah a Savior was born.
Remember
REMNANT
Reinvigorate
Rededicate
Rejoice
It was clear that Nehemiah cared, and also knew he was “on loan” to tend Jerusalem from working in Persia for the king there. He did not reject his obligations and others in Jerusalem would have had to continue on. We too must remember our earthly commitments all while knowing our true king. And we serve working hard as if for the Lord. Let us let God take care of our situations too…
Let us be rededicated and be THANKFUL. God remembers Nehemiah with favor. God knew to blesd us with Jesus and His Holy Spirit before we were even born. Jesus will come again with a New Jerusalem. Now that’s Restoration Really!!!
Amen
—
Nehemiah 12:27-47
Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.
The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.
The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets— and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
Nehemiah 13:17-18, when Nehemiah came back… I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them: “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”
…
Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.
You have no idea how good this cranberry relish is! Well maybe you do! Oh I really really hope you do!
Hey you can’t blame me in my past for when I said I didn’t appreciate cranberries, I mean as a child not many people could explain to me WHY they were good to try. I saw canned icky looking attempts, but every once in a while I saw recipes and real explanations for walking the road of trying it yourself. No one jammed it down my throat and of course we would NOT want to do that. If we want anyone to try, we simply best ask and most importantly demonstrate our joy in it. We must put our munching where our mouth is.
And funny thing, the cranberries to open need a little bit of water applied and a little bit of heating, not long but a miracle appears in that they come alive and open up and the fruit is ready to try… Sometimes in the relish you can have sweetness (orange juice and zest) and sometimes a sharpness (strong balsamic vinegar). Life is like that too. Always you have to taste it to believe it!
But you can’t blame me for not trying to understand this before I did – and I can’t blame myself, but THANK GOODNESS I was awakened to the goodness… an opportunity to grow…
If you think I’m talking just about cranberry relish, I’m not. When I speak of awakening and accepting, and all the above, I’m actually writing about FAITH IN JESUS. YES!
There may be people at your table today and over the holidays who simply haven’t TASTED AND SEEN OF THE SWEETEST OF LOVE. Don’t jam it down their throat, you wouldn’t do that with a “new to them” food, DON’T criticize or exclude… just be GENTLE and be ready to let the Holy Spirit act upon the scene.
It IS GOOD to be encouraging, and perhaps they might try a little on their plate after seeing your enthusiasm. Maybe they never had YOUR RECIPE and no one presented faith in such a way that opens it up to them. You know that many simply haven’t heard the stories or been exposed to comprehending the connections between head and heart. There’s an OPPORTUNITY to open conversations but don’t “wow them” with biblical factoids, instead “wow them” with your Spiritual TRUST.
I was exposed to faith stories and connective faith as a child and grownup, actually knew people who TRUSTED the Lord to see them thru…. yet, I realize that there’s a whole generation who got canned varieties of packaged and never tasted the fresh berries… offer this now, don’t overprepare your messages.
And there is no ONE recipe that works for everyone. Like each berry, the uniqueness is God-made. Faith is unlocked by the Holder of the key, God Himself.
There’s a whole generation of catholics that had masses in Latin as children, if they even got to mass, and if there was no translation or presentation nor physical Bible given, how could they learn? Like the cranberry, not much water or warming heat was applied by people. There are berries that fell out of the pan.
Let us be that gatherer and preparer today. Let us ask for Living Water and Warm Love to permeate the party. The harvest is many but the workers few…
Gratefully the Lord Himself brings the blessings of our thankfulness in Him. The Holy Spirit moves and awakens ready and willing souls in God’s Time… Let’s make time to gather and hear… Let’s open our tables, hearts, mouths to PRAISE Him… Let’s show our faith by showing THANKFULNESS… No one wants to hear or taste sour grapes… let’s add salty savory sweetness to our conversations today.
And try faith in every stressful situation too. Focus on servanthood over stalemates. They is pain often in those not gathering with others… bring them a plate prepared specially for them. God’s Word is STILL good tomorrow….
CranberryCraze – JesusJoy – ThankfulGiving…
Amen
May you have a blessed day.
PS
This cranberry recipe:
Boil one bag cranberries with half cup water and half cup maple syrup and zest of one orange. Boil until they open, about 5 minutes, few minutes more and use gentle persuasion with a fork to open the resistant ones… Toast a cup of pecans dry in a skillet. Add the pecans and juice of one orange. Enjoy! Serve warm or cold. Refrigerate extra. YUM!
A friend of mine said they thought reading the Old Testament was going to be daunting… I thought that too, but then I simply started to start through it. No time frame, but a hunger of needing to know what I didn’t know… God has given me the time to learn.
It’s the names that get tough, but the MESSAGE in it was clear ONCE I realized Who was telling this story… GOD!!! The Word… and the Messenger made sense to me because HE WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND.
This Messenger of the Word is a true-tales storyteller thru the experiences of His faithful servants, even if they also were flawed as people. If anything, they themselves could tell you when they drifted from God and what the consequences were… like David… No matter his messups, David kept humbly returning to God for help.
In the Old Testament’s Word, we see Jesus’s earthly roots that are laid bare for us to see. We can trace a root to the fruit or lack thereof. The Word is telling stories of full faithfulness, of sometimes fading faith, and sadly of fully flawed faith… This IS full Truth: Humans are fallable, GOD IS Divine. God forgives and gathers.
So importantly the Old and New Testaments are: of God by God for God, we hear the Promises directly from God and then learn how they got fulfilled. We learn that we can ALSO return when we go astray.
What a GIFT, every once in a while reading along, that there’s a WHOLE RECAP! The story from the beginning is condensed into a mini taproots into the truth version (ch 9-12)… Nehemiah explains to listeners and readers (both those of his time AND us now) the stretch from making the Heavens to present times… Nehemiah speaks of God’s covenant with Abraham then God’s help in Moses’s leadership of the people out of Egypt… the wandering and wondering… the stiff-necked people and His Forgiveness… Nehemiah speaks of God’s warning about turning one’s back to God’s law (which happens time after time)… and we see God’s warnings come true that choosing an earthly king over God will just be trouble – and whole kingdoms will be turned over to enemies… Nehemiah acknowledged that this generation of people were slaves in their own God-given land and potentially could drift again. God had been gracious to restore them again and again. (The ultimate restart comes when Jesus arrives and the ultimate restoration will be when Jesus comes again.)
Nehemiah witnessed this repromise of people to follow (Nehemiah was governor of the land and wall rebuilding for a time) and he recorded a re-pledge to the covenant with God. New dedication and re-centering their lives to God. They built the city back and brought people back in… They dedicated themselves to His service and sacrifices required to atone for human flaws against God’s Laws. Yes, Time after Time, God forgives and recollects His fold.
There’s a lot of names again here in this section of the Old Testament, but surely God wanted them included, He likes to hear them… just like He loves to hear praises.
Time after time, people will go astray again – but “on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy.”
Let us remember, Time after Time, GOD FORGIVES and GIVES US GREAT JOY.
We can approach God because He is already reaching to us. We can trace His fruit back to His roots in our past. We can bloom again.
A friend of mine was talking about her husband in the hospital, and her statement pertains to our every day to day situations as well… She said: “I know God is in control and nothing happens to us without His knowledge or consent. God loves us. He hasn’t lost control. And I can trust Him.“
Trust… and one step at a time…
This means if good things happen, He is giving them to us on purpose, and He wants to use them for greater good. ALL GOOD THINGS ARE FROM GOD. Perhaps the good things give us relief or joy or awareness of Him. Trust God.
This means if bad things happen, He knows that we will handle them and He asks us to trust Him even more and not lash out in sin. Perhaps the bad things make us realize how to better handle ourselves and our expectations or force us to REALLY TRUST HIM.
This means if we don’t know what to do, ASK Him. Take only one step at a time IF you can only see one step in front of you. If you can KNOW Jesus is telling you to TRUST HIM to get out of your comfort zone, like Peter from the boat, GO FURTHER- but DON’T LOSE THE FIXATION OF YOUR EYES ON JESUS.
TRUST.
I am THANKFUL for TRUST.
(And if Jesus is not beckoning you to go out on the water, don’t let someone bully you to go out there. Don’t let scare tactics move you in haste either. Put your “anchor behind the veil”. TRUST GOD because He gave Jesus to us to anchor us into God’s grace. He is the sacrifice required and the sacrificer all in One.
Yesterday, I finally had a particular piece of mail envelop in my hand from seeing my “informed delivery” email from the postoffice. I got the email Saturday, however the piece of mail didn’t come until Monday. I didn’t know what was inside, but saw the envelop’s outside and my mind started RACING a hundred miles an hour. Then I said to myself “STOP”, there is a reason why I don’t have it yet, tomorrow’s worry, God wants me to TRUST today and not get off track. God doesn’t want us to sink before we even swim. God does not want us to worry about TOMORROW’S worries. Focus on TODAY… Focus on Him!!! I opened it and the result was different than I had feared or conjured up in my head, and I was OK. No plans were derailed. No lesson was more learned than TRUST. God’s got this.
TRUST.
Amazing Grace lyrics:
“Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come.
This grace that brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home“
Have a TRUSTING THANKFUL DAY.
AMEN
—
Hebrews 6:17-20
Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.
“…yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed” says the Lord.It is often QUIET in my house, but I have little to complain about. It’s just different being quiet, it’s both a blessing and an awareness… NOT a problem. Trust me, I’m not complaining even in a slight sadness. Sometimes sorrow and longing lead us in roads of resting in His Presence and Promise. Accept awareness.
See, I am not alone, my son is upstairs and the cat is here, she is sitting next to me right now, patient and paying attention. The cat would like attention but seems to know half her job is just to be a companion. She is a watcher, she has an awareness. I have a soul to talk to, and she knows when I am talking to her. She knows also fear, loud noises, uneasiness. But also and of course joy, comfort, contentment. She has been sent as a blessing. (She will be most happy when her favorite cat mom comes home at Thanksgiving, she will feel her soul-worth in serving)…
See, in a bigger sense and in mini-minutia circumstances, we ALWAYS need to remember WE ARE NOT ALONE. And being completely alone is NOT something we really will ever find out. The Lord is here, ALWAYS.
You don’t have to find out the hard way, God IS Here, find out the easy Way. We can seek Him in truth and talk to Him in Spirit. Worship Him, He ia always working.
No, not like a cat companion but a constant conscious companion, captain coach, curious curtailer to concerns. The Lord is here, talk to Him. God draws us closer to calm us and remind us to depend upon Him.
Sometimes I can’t find the cat (she hides in thunderstorms and smoke detector alarms from kitchen overcooking, oops). But we can always find the Lord. Sometimes the presence of quiet peace, sometimes the blockage of knowing more than we should, and ALWAYS the time we can have in His Word… The Lord is never further than one minute part of a molecule away. Actually He is IN my dust holding me into a person, able to pull apart or rejoin any molecules as needed to heal me back to earth or to help me along to Heaven. God holds us ALWAYS.
God knows our days. We are to number them and make the most of them.
The cat wakes me up from daydreaming… The Lord? He IS my DAY – no dreaming – we are never alone. He is our Sword and Shield in this world. He was is and will be our LIGHT in the darkness – we will never be without Him.
Amazing Amen
—
Isaiah 54:7-11
“For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.
“To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
There is nothing like a crisp winter-ish morning in late fall, it reminds you that you are ALIVE. CRISP, but and CLEAR… Bless every cold blessedness.
COLD and CRISP.
CRISP and COLD!
It’s 20 degrees something, and you can smell AWARENESS, feel STILLNESS, and accept REALNESS… and know BLESSEDNESS!
I stepped out and it was like: I SMELLED the GOODNESS of GOD. Awareness awakened, I can KNOW how God blesses us, blessed me, and watches each step.
Of course it’s better walking with a real good winter coat! It’s better good with a place to be warm to go back to, and super good with realizing all the other thankfulnesses of a free morning. For me this day (a Saturday), it “hit me” in cold crispness stepping out in pitch black with super highlighted BRIGHTNESS of the stars and the moon, and remembering years ago in my awakening when the BRILLIANCE of the stars heightened my awareness of God directly… I know God was reminding me. It’s smelling God, because unlike “I smell a rat”, it’s like: “I smell a goodness, strength, and total control of the world AND the Heavens”. I smell God…
Nehemiah and Ezra were writing about their ancestors, Moses to David to Jehoshaphat and with advice up to “modern times”, around 400 years before Jesus, to INSPIRE the people to LISTEN and OBEY GOD. Isn’t it cool that the SAME moon, same stars, same crisp mornings welcomed Jesus, welcomed Moses, welcomed all God believers and non-believers alike. If you can smell God’s influence in your AWARENESS and HIS HAND in this AWESOMENESS, count your blessings that He put you in this day, this moment, these times. And since the multitudes of Heaven worship God, we should too.
“Blessed be your glorious NAME, and may it be EXALTED above all BLESSING and PRAISE. YOU ALONE are the LORD. You made the HEAVENS, even the highest HEAVENS, and all their STARY HOST, the EARTH and ALL that is on it, the SEAS and ALL that is in them. You give LIFE to EVERYTHING, and the MULTITUDES of HEAVEN WORSHIP YOU.“ Nehemiah 9:5-6
Don’t get pulled offsides, we know this in football, but real life we also need to see the schemers and detractors, the potholes of life… but instead we need to KEEP ON TRACK…
STRENGTHEN, pray the Lord to strengthen you against loosing your cool. Strengthen the hold on our tongues when we want to snap at someone. Keep our resolve to LISTEN and obey and look beyond the fray of today… Don’t get pulled offsides.
Nehemiah (rebuilder of the walls and gates of Jerusalem after the exile) had detractors who nipped at his toes, angered his foes, and made stinky lies right under his nose. Nehemiah resisted and kept on working. God told him to do the work to bring back the city of Jerusalem and God’s Hand was on them…. Why should he stop? Why should he let the bad guy get the best of him when God Himself had given him a job to do. These enemies wanted to lure him to where they could hurt him, but worse hurt his reputation and cause him to sin.
Nehemiah saw the smoke screen which IS the devil’s scheme… smoke but no fire… a blinding predicament, but we are to focus above…
We all need to remember to keep our cool and not retaliate for it causes us to sin. Turn the other cheek. Put yourself into your work. Nehemiah finished the wall in 52 days. Imagine what God can do with just one day of you listening and working thru issues…
Whether you are building a wall, reaching God’s people, or quiety winning a war of words, let God fight your battle. When it is “realized that this work had been done with the help of our God”, who can stand against God?!!!! No one.
Lord I pray, strengthen my resolve, hold onto my tongue, and strengthen my hands to complete my work FOR You.
Amen
Amen
—-
Nehemiah 6:1-16
When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.”
But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.
Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written:
“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”
I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”
They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”
But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”
One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”
But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24
Well…
What a beautiful plate, Potters Mark 1993, nice but that’s not just why I like it…
What a beautiful plate, fits PERFECT in my big kitchen hutch, but that’s not just why I like it…
What a beautiful plate from a beautiful friend… That’s what I like about it… What a beautiful plate with a beautiful message… That’s what I LOVE about it.
What will I do with this plate? Talk about it. Share and break bread for meals on it. Cherish it then pass it along… Pray it doesn’t break… but realize it’s just a temporary earth thing anyway… I appreciate someone cared enough to make it WITH that scripture. I appreciate people of faith who serve the Lord.
Because without this particular friend’s faith, mine may not have bloomed yet… I would not be at the table. Now I am. Jesus’s table. When I sit at Jesus’s Supper of the Lamb, the Heavenly Banquet – I bet the plate will look GREAT!
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
This is an active choice, every day a new day to serve.
This is a follow up post to this post…. As for Me and My Plate, We Will Serve the Lord.
Psalm 139 – a psalm 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.
Joshua 24:1-31
The Covenant Renewed at Shechem Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.
Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.
“‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.
“‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.
“‘Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”
Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”
But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”
“Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.
“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”
On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord. “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”
Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.
Buried in the Promised Land After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah[c] in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.
Listen, it’s LISTENING that God hears. It may seem convoluted but it’s not. God wants to hear His JOY from His Spirit inside of us returned to Him in JOY. If we praise, God hears praises and knows His people understand all He has done – on the big scale and little scale. If the people are weeping, there’s probably very good reason and God collects their tears, and there IS pain in the world, sorrow… And yet there is HOPE. Hope is in Him. The Spirit knows that not all people understand that God is in control. We can point to times He has guided us. We can teach the hope of forever. Imagine that day when we realize will be with Him forever – then realize that now – start living with that attitude and keep going day by day… Our HOPE is both seeing God work here and now and ultimately for forever… we know Jesus will be returning – a LIGHT out of the clouds… So we must teach to encourage and explain to keep HOPE.
When Nehemiah’s contemporaries rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem – day by day – brick by brick – they then welcomed back exiled Jewish families, to the city and Solomon restored Temple. They knew it ONLY was accomplished because God’s Hand was on them, therefore they ENCOURAGED the people !!! God waited and wanted them to listen. They had to teach and explain, so do we.
Walls completed, the people were assembled one Sabbath say and Ezra the priest was able to read Law from the book of Moses. And after reading, the knowledgable ones explained it to them, the people cried in repentance but their weeping was to be replaced by JOY. “…for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the JOY of the LORD is your STRENGTH.”
This is a lesson for them and for us: they made it that far with God’s Hand – THEY FINISHED THE WALL – over 40,000 Jews returned. The Lord surely wanted to hear REJOICING, especially on the day He set aside for His people to be with Him. Us too – we made it this far – and our Kingdom has been rebuilt in Heaven… Also our Sunday plus everydays are set aside for remembering His Hand in our lives – knowing it is the best “thing” He can give us. Our strength can be realized from the Hand of God on our lives, and this helps us believe even more. There are TOUGH days, but our Lord IS even STRONGER. The JOY of the LORD is our STRENGTH because we have opportunity to look beyond our broken world and PRAISE Him.
And not just praising His Hand on us, but His whole self-sacrifice FOR us. Jesus was/IS fulfillment of the law by His sacrifice – Jesus was/IS fulfillement of the prophecies of the prophets with His coming into the world and being sacrificed and being raised again. Our Hope continues into His return. Our TRUE JOY is in remembering that He conquered death not just for Himself but for us, and ALL for God our Father bringing His children Home.
Nehemiah survived such opposition to rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem, even last ditch attempts to probably kill or defame him…. As they were finishing (see chapter 6), wow real threats and blackmail – but gratefully the attempts looked SO OBVIOUS that Nehemiah knew they were traps. Nehemiah knew it was better to walk in the Light and keep working.
The walls of Jerusalem had gates to OPEN in the daylight, not traps to close. That’s how we are to approach our devotion to the Lord. He has OPEN gates not closing traps. We can walk freely, but each night in the dark, come back into His Light. Come to His security over our lives. Sheep to our Shepherd. Security in sin’s defeat. A gaze to hold us and Hand to rescue us, just like Peter on the water… keep watching Him!
The JOY of the LORD is our STRENGTH. Rejoice in the Rebuilding like Nehemiah. Praise in the possibilities of each day by walking in Jesus’s Way
Amen
—
Nehemiah 8:5-10
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
“But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. “
I wonder thoughtfully this Thanksgiving season about the many messages God has intended for us in chapter 5 of Nehemiah – a chapter written in first person by the cup-bearer of the foreign king and allowed to return to rebuild gates and walls of Jerusalem. Now for this temporary time he is the governor helping the people and doing God’s work as he oversees the rebuilding and keeps tabs on the detractors.
Nehemiah realizes that we should not be our own enemies. Nehemiah speaks to the fellow noblemen about taking care of the poor – he acknowledges the complaints that the poor have registered – he speaks about the wrong practices of the rich and how they are getting richer off their own people by selling them into slavery (but foolishly then buying them back to work their own fields)…
Nehemiah speaks of being generous and not taking a salary for himself – and he speaks of feeding all those under his care. Most importantly, Nehemiah speaks in a warning tone about WALKING IN THE FEAR OF GOD.
“…ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?“
God often uses enemies to sharpen our own resolve to LISTEN and obey His intentions MORE. God may sometimes allow us to be boxed into a corner so that the only way is thru GOD’S ABILITY to find a way where there was no way. If we are not listening, this is a good time to start listening. God does have answers. Praying is imperative. Listen and obey.
The people gone wrong in old testament scriptures (as well as modern day) often get carried away by greed. No wonder Jesus overturned the tables at the temple. The sellers were greedy for profit when they should have been offering a service to the poor of convenience for purchasing animals for sacrifice for atonement according to the Law of Moses. Greed is an all-consuming sin and overwhelms the world. Pray against us also being blinded by greed and not knowing how to deal with the money or blessings of richness of family connections either. Sad. God’s provisions are for His purposes. There are many without. Often our problems are good problems. Our issues would be blessings to other’s emptiness.
THANKFULLY, the people of this community listened and agreed with Nehemiah. And they continued building and living.
“But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.” Nehemiah was a role model and did not lord over the poor. Nehemiah spoke plainly to the rulers in a warning demonstration of shaking out the folds of his robe: “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
Let us this Thanksgiving realize that we are working on rebuilding not just a wall but also a gate TO OPEN and bring more in… We are helping God gathering more people to a KINGDOM. We must take heed to warnings against greed. We must share. We must be thankful. (It’s also a commandment too: Don’t be jealous!)
And the Restoration of the KINGDOM? God delivered on His Promises: in a few hundred years after Nehemiah, Jesus, God with us, was born out of Judah, from the remnant of the line of King David. PROMISE delivered. Savior, Christ, Messiah, King.
Be BLESSED this Thanksgiving and Christmas and EVERY DAY because Jesus DID come and will come again. We just need to use these days to help others on their Way.
Thankfulness….
Amen
—-
Nehemiah 5
Nehemiah Helps the Poor
Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.
God saw me, I really didn’t need to post my day on Facebook, but I’m human and sharing (and sometimes boasting) is both self-gratifying and a form of built-in brokenness and yet also a pouring out of my JOY of my counting of blessings and wanting to bring a Facebook full of CHEERFULNESS not whining. The boast however SHOULD be NOT in me but in God, in what God allows us to do, in what God forces us to do, in what we could have not achieved without Him. A boast means God did it Himself, and He did!
My boast this day? RAKING LEAVES, eating Butternut squash pizza for only $5, having freetime on a Saturday, talking, even taking a selfie with Santa. Later I posted about making a crepe, yum…SILLY BUT SOOTHING TO SHARE. Sure, this is all my BROKENNESS, me having to share, YEAH! That’s why we see both whines and wistfulness on Facebook. Yes, we rant rave cheer and jeer…. Often speak and squeal and process good times, especially when I have no one else as “captive an audience” to squeal too except the cat who really DOESN’T care, but is a good listener anyway. Now that’s a BOAST in God’s gifts, not mine, is that He gifted us this cat to love, to entertain, cajole us and be there, even wake me up and sit next to me as I write….
These brokenness bits are not all bad, for my social nature and the good weather got me outside all week and to craft fairs and events that were designed for social people like me who like to see things and support good causes. It WAS good to be there. And I saw friends from years ago, TWICE, once at one craft show then again at the outdoor event. TWICE after 15 years not seeing them, however we do see each other on Facebook, lol.
Here I will pause for the IMPORTANT boast in the Lord (that I must take minimal credit in) – it is LIVING !!! God gives us breath one more day, no matter what troubles come our way. My old friends at the event are a great couple, sweet people, however the wife has developed dementia, early dementia in her 60s… I somehow did not know but I could see it in her, she was like taking all of the scene in, processing slower, she knows what she sees, she remembers things, but she is NOT the super talkative person she used to be to verbally share it all back to people… God bless them both. I remember her rattling on about things – now she looks beyond.
When we can live “normally” or best we can under the circumstances, we must COUNT OUR BLESSINGS. All of us must “look beyond…”
Our HOPE in our brokenness that He fills us in with better bits than we can. My goal of using my forever brokenness is of wanting to connect with people for His sake… I want it purposeful for both me and God. Because a big hole in me HE FILLS. I have a hunger for Him, I also want to help serve “a helping of Him” to others who hunger – even if just me smiling is part of His appetizer to His Supper… I know only He satisfies my soul. ONLY HE GAVE US OUR SMILES…. So my next boast in Him was/IS: He makes me write and share – like smiles on paper – like tears on paper – like my brokeness down to start repairing. Now crossing over 1600 writings, I am blessed in posting them and printing them in paper format (2 copies for my kids) which will look like an obsessive pile of curated boxes in my house. I’m not proud of anything but keeping up! These writings and postings being something I just feel I need to do.
So what about this boasting of our earthly skills and situations? It can’t last forever, NOPE. We will all pass away. So if we boast in Jesus’s Sacrafice and Save, boast in Christ alone, then someday we will be present for when even all our heavenly-awarded crowns of earthly achievements “FOR GOD” will be something we throw down AT THE FEET of Jesus.
They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:10-11
God’s got dibs on the goodness in this world. Today it’s rainy and cold, but we are still here, INSIDE, LOL. (Glad I did those leaves yesterday with a repaired shoulder that worked perfectly fine 5 years later, thank You God)
Today we are still able to praise, still be the children of our God.
Our God is a Living God, our living HOPE.
Let us Boast only in Him. AND LET US SHARE THAT ON FACEBOOK….
The old testament is filled with stories of veterans defending, building, working for God’s TRUTH.
Nehemiah recognized the dangers of rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem. He defended against the detractors just as much as any protective army. He had real weapons, having the servant builders and noblemen and guards watch for the enemy. Men fully armed AND even the material carriers or builders had a weapon in one hand or by their side, and building materials in the other. REAL swords meaning real business! Real protection. A trumpeter stayed with Nehemiah for any sounding of the alarm. They even had their swords at their sides when they went for water. They kept building. We have an ability to keep building too, ourselves, our families, our communities, all under God’s direction.
Nehemiah was armed with a Sword of Truth himself, his ability to speak God’s Word was laid on his heart, just like we have THE Sword of Truth of scripture to speak into a situation. Nehemiah said: “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome…” We also in these days have ashield of faith, with which we can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Jesus is the Living Word, and Truth will defend and protect. Jesus came to rebuild God’s Kingdom. Nehemiah restated that the detractors said: “Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” Well. YES. God can! We work for the miracle maker, earth-shaker. As Jesus died and took all sin upon Himself to the end, He also ROSE, a stone, a ROCK back to LIFE.
We must keep working, sometimes we forget our journey is not supposed to be easy, but it’s worth it. When we enter a tough situation, we too must listen to our Foreman, take action where the building is threatened, be awake and aware of the situation. We can enter situations equipped WITH the Lord who readies us “and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace“
Nehemiah listed the groups of workers repairing each gate and wall section. His people. We have a God who saves. We are God’s people and we ARE fitted for His Work. We are co-laborors. We CAN work with the sword of truth in one hand and building materials in the other.... to be the people who worked with all their heart.
Thank God.
Amen
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The Word Himself reminds us: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”... “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.” Ephesians 6 excerpts
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Nehemiah 4: 1-2, 6-23
Opposition to the Rebuilding
When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
…
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.”
Hebrews 4:12 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.
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Ephesians 6:10-18
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.
“You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you.“
Fruits of His Spirit grow on you. Use what He gives and shine on through. Jesus is the Vine in you: Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control and LOVE too.
We are the branches and He is the Vine. Jesus said: “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”
IT’S JESUS FRUIT WE ARE TO SHINE!
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit.
Can we be JOYFUL FOR the Lord’s benefit? Bear fruit on our branch for nourishing His future harvest? Will you be JOYFUL for the benefit of His people?
Yes.
Peace is a fruit of the Spirit.
Can we share PEACE? Will you look for inner PEACE branching from that special place where the Lord indwells in you?
Yes.
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.
Can we be PATIENT as His branches grow in us? Taking their time each growing season to work and each winter season to rest? Will you demonstrate listening to the Lord before you act?
Yes.
Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit.
Can we branch off His Vine of being KIND? Will you be KIND even if others are not kind to you?
Yes.
Generosity is a fruit of the Spirit. Can we find an opportunity to share means that are truly is gifted by the Lord? Including His generous Spirit? Will you give from not just your excesses but willingly extend your branch so His Vine can bless others?
Yes.
Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit. Can we FAITHFULLY trust and then FAITHFULLY act? Will you let the Lord grow your branch stronger? Will you step out a little further in faith because He makes you strong?
Yes.
Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit.
Can we flow His gentle touch to those who need compassion and help? Will you prepare the fruit of your vine to bite-sized pieces? Make it more shareable with all?
Yes.
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.
Can we calmly show His strength without overbearance or flaunting? Will you take a step back to listen before charging forward blindly, even if “for Him”? Will you be an example of self-control?
Yes.
Love is a fruit of the Spirit.
Can we SHINE JESUS LOVE? Will you both LOVE until it hurts and LOVE until it helps? Will you Love because Jesus loves? Will we recognize Love even in correction by God?
Yes.
“Apart from me you can do nothing.”
In YOU Jesus, we can do ALL these things.
From YOU Jesus, we can achieve great things.
With YOU Jesus, we will branch out Your Vine.
Yes Jesus, we can and will polish our fruit with YOUR SHINE.
Amen
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Jesus says: You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:3-5
THE HAND OF GOD WAS ON NEHEMIAH. But he WAITED to tell people and did the legwork first to prepare.
Nehemiah wanted to go back to his ancestral homeland from his exiled location – he was granted “the king’s ear” and asked the king’s permission and help. He knew the Lord’s desire to bring back Jerusalem, His temple and city, for the purposes of HOPE… and Nehemiah knew it was in the prophecies for the remnant of King David’s people to return… but when he got to Jerusalem, Nehemiah decided to stay quiet for a bit until he really had a chance to evaluate the situation. He didn’t have to tell everyone all at once of his grand plans or of the plans that the Lord had for him and for them… NEITHER DO WE. First, Nehemiah had to INSPECT what was going on around him, he had to ERECT a plan and a wall, and he had to PROTECT the plan and the city. Restoration requires resurrection. Resurrection means we move forward in God’s Way.
There were detractors, there were skeptics and naysayers, and nearly saboteurs by wagging tongues. Imagine if you were going into battle, you wouldn’t broadcast it and wouldn’t disturb your focus. If God’s Hand is on you, He is close enough to listen to your whispers. So, Nehemiah went QUIETLY to inspect the walls of Jerusalem around the city of David’s remnants, then Nehemiah set out to repair the damage. Did he tell the local leaders? Not until he first told the servants.
We encounter detractors and people who aren’t even thinking about us but mostly their own life and gain. Most of the time when we think we are being scrutinized, even getting ourselves paranoid, we are likely just in the way of someone else’s inadequacy feelings. Let’s remember God wants us to lean on Him, take actions in a bigger sense of good. Be the servant to God’s Big Restoration.
Jesus came in quiety in Bethlehem but to the servants of the King, they knew what a big deal this was. The shepherds saw angels and wisemen a star. A remnant of David’s people, his family kept the Way set forth from Moses’s time for sacrifice and dedication. Jesus came to inspect, erect, protect God’s Kingdom and told the servants first. Jesus and God the Father knew of the detractors. An angel told the wisemen to not go back to scheming Herod. An angel told Joseph to get out of Herod’s fury, killing baby boys. Jesus Himself started His ministry only when the time was right.
Let us be like Nehemiah and do our legwork and calmly sometimes quietly do our work for God and because we have His protection, let us satisfy the Lord who needs us in the right time and the right place. We have the King’s ear, let’s make sure He has ours.
Amen
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Nehemiah 2:6-20
It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls
I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Nehemiah was an Israelite in the service of the king in the area where they (southern divided kingdom) had been swept away to another exile after Babylon conquered Judah. (God allowed this defeat because His people in Judah had turned away, the sins of the nation but the Grace of God to keep them as His People)… Many years passed, there were some faithful in the flock, Nehemiah was one. This remnant was allowed to return to their “homeland” because God made the heart of Cyrus, Persian King, gentle towards this people. And there was record of the promise to these people that was passed on to future kings who held these Israelites as servants. God knew how to place His servants in the right place at the right time.
Nehemiah heard of what had happened to Jerusalem, the walls crumbled and gates burned. He wept in tears and prayed in petition to the Lord, acknowledging all the many sins of his nation. It wasn’t a political blamegame left and right, but a clear cry: “God, we ALL drifted.” … “God, you said You would scatter your people and You did!”
Nehemiah recognized that the Israelites were God’s chosen people from Jacob their forefather, but that they were brought down by their own sinfulness and disobedience. He also knew that God promised to keep a remnant alive, and reassemble the people if they came back to Him. Nehemiah realized his opportunity as cupbearer to the king of his exiled home away from home, and he was prayerful to do his part in restoration of David’s city and Solomon’s temple for God’s mission.
It’s a constant theme of the Old Testament scriptures: Come back to God. Repent, Return, Restore, Resurrect. A temple for worship was brought back AFTER the WILL TO WORSHIP was reestablished.
Nehemiah’s prayer was for the Hand of God to be on him when he spoke openly to the king. After appearing so sad, he was asked about his sadness, then Nehemiah was able to realize this window of opportunity. Nehemiah asked for time to travel to Jerusalem, safe passage to and from with official documents, and the timber resources for restoration of the gates and walls of Jerusalem, the city of his ancestors. Nehemiah recognized that the Hand of God must have been on him, allowing this success. Nehemiah praised and KNEW.
God gave a focal point for His people, Jerusalem. Jesus was the answer for these people, even if they did not realize. God still has a New Jerusalem coming for His People who include us as repented people who want to return to Him. In this second coming of Jesus, Jesus once again comes for us. Repent Return Restore Resurrect.
Jesus’s forgiveness from God’s mercy. Jesus a remnant of Hope for the line of David and a King above all kings. Jesus is the King of Resurrection and not just a Temple for God’s name, but for being God Himself. Jesus, the Name above all names.
OUR BROKENNESS IS USED BY GOD FOR GOD. OUR SADNESS CAN BE IMPORTANT IN MAKING US ACT TO REBUILD.
Because Nehemiah realized this opportunity to speak out of his sadness, God used his tears for triumph. Let’s ask Him to use our tears as well. God’s Hand collects our tears. Let us all PRAY for the Nations and all God’s children. Let us be motivated and moved to act for God’s mission.
Jesus came and will come again. Restoration. Spread the Word.
Amen
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Nehemiah 1:3-9
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ …”
Nehemiah 2:1-8
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the Godof heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.
Oh!!!! I made it! I’m in one of the last chronological chapters of the Old Testament! I made it! Nehemiah! I’m excited where before I was daunted by the inches!!! But even being near the end, I am only 2/3 of the way in paper? How? and why? Well, for they “Why”, ask Jesus when you see Him, for all those whys, but I CAN tell you HOW I got here, and I can tell you that there’s a WEAVING of these stories in a repetitive deep way, in parallel books, by different authors at different times, written for different audiences! YEAH!
Wait! So, whoda thunk what is all true for the New Testament, parallel writings of different witnesses and writers for different audiences, us ALSO true for the Old Testament. Whoda set up the Word in this Way… Ah WEAVING waves of the Way into our day… Jesus…
The Old Testament is an alive Living Word. The New Testament too, of course. Perhaps the myriad of people in Heaven are currently merging what they did not know with what IS known now, about Jesus coming and having come… What if we too are to be looking and merging what we knew and learn to know? WHAT IF EXCHANGING KNOWLEDGE of the WORD is like blue non-oxygenated blood that gives up carbon dioxide then gets oxygen to make it red. And the cells themselves, at the living breathing lung exchange area, are chatting away to each other about what they’ve seen throughout the whole body… what if…
Breathing thru the Living Word. What amazing WEAVING has Jesus done of the Word in our brain waves.
Trust me, I’ve only scratched the surface of the Old Testament and have another third to assimilate into what I’ve barely learned. If you look at timelines as if they are like colorful Lego maps, one starts with the basic green underlaying foundation, then gets big big blocks down like Adam Noah Moses David Solomon. There are themes of exile, rebuilding, exiles, and always wars. Then add another layer of bricks of more stories in Joshua, Saul, Sampson, Elijah, Ezra. Then another layer of bricks – those stories (I have not yet read in page progression) of Jonah, Ester, Nehemiah and Malachi. Little embellishments too. Nothing too big or little, every detail with purpose.
Don’t try building this LEGO set without instructions! Getyourself Bible timelines and teachers!!! (and even the cat will wonder what you are doing, so get plastic-coated ones in case she walks all over them)…
There’s SO much to learn and yet remember start with God’s big points. Love, life, living… sending a Savior for salvation. The Old Testament is just that: a testament of obeying and worshiping God, a testament of God’s faithfulness and mercy, a testament of the beginning love, the middle love and the end love – but wait: the end is a new beginning! Life won’t end, ever! Love it!
What will eternity will be like in the new Jerusalem? I bet we will walk thru these old timelines WITH the people. I think each person can sit down with Noah and ask him the tough questions. Imagine singing WITH David. Pause for a moment to imagine Mary in front of you. And Jesus? WOW…
JESUS… Someday, to you and to me, I think Jesus will say: Remember studying those timelines? Now you are placed IN Mine…. Yes Jesus, You put us IN Your Line and Your Timeline,,,
“For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand— I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
I’m not a sports fanatic, but I am a fan of many. Mostly I like the teams my brother didn’t like, back in our pre-teen rivalry years.
Often we like local teams, but mostly everyone just wants to see a good game. I love to sit at a hockey game, right behind the boards, I love constant action.
Even if I’m a fair-weather fan of some adopted local teams, supporting my die-hard friends who are fanatics, I do feel their pain and joy… Ah, suffering servants of sports, they are LOYAL. They are True.
Football is a team sport – offense and defense and special teams are unique lines, but BASEBALL uses everyone on both “offense” and “defense” (pinch-hitters aside). Baseball is a team sport of individuals and requires coordination of single plays. The team, with different pitchers and lineups, even mid-season trades, could be a different team each game but they are aTEAM right in that moment.
A TEAM. We are individuals and we also fall under logistics collections of teams or countries or jurisdictions. Often we are free agents IF we have mobility, money, motivation, and freedom to choose. Family decisions make the decision easy or hard, because wewant to be with our crew.
FYI, God does too, His crew is me and you. We are on God’s Team!
Life games and life GAINS. God wants us on His Team. God wants to be with us. God already picked us for His team, but sadly some trade themselves away to be devoted to other games. God picked us to be called up for the life-forever-league and places us on these current teams to make a difference as workers in the field. With a priceless payment of Jesus’s blood, God paid our way to secure the best team too. He chose us before we chose Him! God only has us on the scoring side, on the offense, in the line that gains ground. God is ALREADY our best defense, we only need to hide under His wings.
Jesus was able to tell His disciples (72 sent out as workers) about the benefits of living under all Godly authority, and even having an opportunity in seeing evil demons submit. Jesus, having seen Satan fall from the sky, said the disciples (and we) should rejoice MORE that their/our names were WRITTEN IN HEAVEN (see Luke 10).
When we come to a saving faith in Jesus, we now have an “open door that no one can shut”. (See Revelation 3)
We are on earthly teams, and sometimes they win and sometimes they lose. But FOREVER we are on God’s Team – and He already won, so we just need to play through…
He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame.
He won us! He picked us!
We ARE God’s Team!!!
Amen
—-
Scriptures:
Jesus sent out 72 disciples in pairs to share the Word (Luke 10:16-21): “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”
—
Revelation 3:1-6
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
—-
Revelation 3:7-13
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
—
Revelation 17:14
“They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
—
Ephesians 1:3-7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;…
I’m knowing God has a plan, but that doesn’t mean I understand all parts of how we got from there to here. He reminds us we are on a “needs to know basis” – meaning we will learn and discern only more and more closely walking with Him.
I’m reading through the old testament and God clearly called individuals but also whole communities. One part that Ezra, priest and organizer for returning to Jerusalem, brought to everyone’s attention was how they disobeyed God. And he wept SO LOUD that the ones gathering around him wept too. They promised to work together to REPENT and REPAIR the disobedience. And they sat in the RAIN. And because of that rain, they asked to organize how their local officials and household heads, could take the time to do this sorting out in an organization fashion…
The crowd (in the rain) was urged COURAGE to do what was right in God’s eyes. God had asked Israelites to worship Him, and not marry into pagen, false idol worshiping families. There was not a bloodline issue as much as a drifting issue, if God’s people started to worship other gods, they couldn’t walk so close to God. And God wanted them (AND US) to walk CLOSE…
AMAZING, but not surprised that my little Bible devotion book (Jesus Calling) for today’s date states scriptures about WALKING WITH GOD.
“But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God…”
The people told Ezra what Ezra was telling them, that there was a HOPE, that God in His mercy (not leniency) would bring forth an answer to the unfaithfulness issue, a Savior, One from the line of David to restore the Kingdom. THE PEOPLE PRAYED TOGETHER about this and renewed their covenant and sacrifices. The people took the issue into their workload rather than Ezra having to do an impossible job so quickly. (We also need to pray together and support our leaders: priest and pastors, teachers and each other. Witnesses with workers. Hope in hopeful hearts).
The people had a tough time sticking with the old covenant and so do we (all those 10 commandments and more) thus God raised a NEW COVENANT for them and for us, a NEW Promise. Not leniency but grace and mercy.
The end of Ezra’s chapter says they are going to work on reorganizing and repenting. We don’t know yet in this part of the story how it turned out for each family but we do know for us, because we have read ahead and we have lived ahead into that Promise that Ezra hoped for… We know that the Promise did come, out of Judah from the line of King David… That Promise WAS and IS Jesus.
Ezra, Ezra, What’s to know ?
Jesus was coming. He came.
Walk with Him.
That’s a TRUTH we know.
Amen
—
Ezra 10
While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”
So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.
Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: “You are right! We must do as you say. But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.
So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.
Oh poor Ezra. He had such a great mission to bring back the remnant Israelites to Jerusalem – so they could worship and sacrifice to the Lord as He requested – AND so He could return a remnant of David’s line of kings into the coming of the Savior, Light of the world…. Oh Ezra, he such prayers in praise to the Lord (for His Hand was on them) and THEN, Ezra found out the unfortunate truth that some of the people returned to Jerusalem had drifted in unfortunate unfaithfulness… This was not new for these people whom were often led by unruly rulers. But Ezra in his/His mission for his/His people wanted to get them all back on track…
The leaders reported back to priest leader Ezra (himself a multi-great grandson of Aaron, Moses’s brother): “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices… …And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”
Ezra KNEW that the Lord had been MORE faithful to His people than they had been to Him. THAT IS TRUE TODAY TOO, for sll times the Lord is more faithful, more patient… Ezra said: Lord, You have been so faithful and granted us this gift to return to you. Ezra fell on his face in prayer and tried to understand it. He concluded: our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved“…
This both acknowledged guilt and acknowledged that the Lord is the ONLY way out of our brokenness. This is true for us today too – when we are sitting in a world of brokenness or a sea of selfishness, we must realize that God is the Way. When we think of salvation, know Jesus came as ultimate sacrifice, and because we are not able to come up to God’s standards as broken humans, therefore GOD CAME DOWN TO US.
Ezra wept but then ROSE to keep going, to help the people by asking the Lord said WHY He was Good… Ezra remembered the prophecy and taught that there was a REMNANT, a LIGHT, a HOPE, coming to the world.
Ezra knew and taught HISTORIC HOPE. That’s a benefit of being a chronicler, that’s why we too should record our experiences and tell others of God’s faithfulness.
Hope… a light in the darkness. Thanks Ezra for sharing what you knew!
Amen
—–
Ezra 9 excerpts
“When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice. Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today…But now,for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
*** ...our God, you have punished us LESS than our sins deserved…***
I saw today my neighbor with a repaired broken hip,
No one likes hospitals but seeing her BIG BIG smile was well worth my trip…
I Saw Today, I Was OK.
I put away my stressings, to count my blessings.
.
I felt cold today from frozen toes,
But the cat begged and then was SO con-tent outside, so you know how that goes…
I Saw Today, I Was OK.
I put away my stressings, to count my blessings.
.
I walked today slowly politely behind a man with a crutch.
He had just one leg, a loss I can’t even dream as having such.
I Saw Today, I Was OK.
I put away my stressings, to count my blessings.
.
I held today cash to pay some bills.
I can make plans. I can even plan some frills and thrills.
I Saw Today, I Was OK.
I put away my stressings, to count my blessings.
.
I heard today recorded 911 calls from a school shooting, a voice crying.
A brave 10 year old begging help for the dying.
I Saw Today, in vast comparison, I Was OK, my own children were OK.
I put away my stressings, to count my blessings.
.
I consulted the Lord today.
There is so much UGH in life’s fray.
There’s cruddy ads on the airways.
Friends turned foes these strifeful days.
To debate is an opportunity, to mudsling distracts, we are not countries that fall under dictator ways. We must rise above the crud TODAY. We must choose LOVE today.
.
I consulted the Lord today.
A broken world can not heal in any human way.
So there ARE prayers,
There ARE HOPEFUL prayers.
Why don’t we pray for others today.
Accept our own blessings and say: “I am OK.”
.
When I have called upon the Lord, He gave me peace, He showed me love.
He gave me action or inaction with pondering. He sheltered my day.
He responded to my past jams with His amazing plans. I must believe Him now, He told me He will resolve all my troubles, our troubles, in HIS WAY.
.
I Saw Today, I Was OK.
I put away my stressings, to count my blessings.
.
Let us wait on the Lord and pray.
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.
Too embarrassed to ask a king, but never too embarrassed to ask God.
Ezra was the chronicler of old testament kings and a leader of the exiled Israelites on their eventual journey back to Jerusalem, city of David and temple of Solomon to rebuild. Ezra was writing about God’s faithfulness and the people who honored God (and those who didn’t). This helped teach the people of his time all about their history and especially the importance of worshiping God, and LISTENING. This helps teach us too. And Ezra was there when the king of his time was told and shown that God’s Hand was on those blessed chosen traveling Israelites. So now, after being conquered and taken away to the Babylon area (which God allowed because of their disobedience), it was time to travel back and get back to worship. “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord”…
Ezra was afraid to be embarrassed to look like he didn’t trust God. Afraid a king may say “put your money where your mouth is”… I’ve been there, many times, afraid to be embarrassed. Yet, God needs us dependent upon Him, so that we DO take the right steps. Ezra told that king that God’s Hand was on them (and it was), so he was not going to go back to the king to ask for warriors to escort them in safety back to Jerusalem. How do you say “God’s got this” then not TRUST that He actually does? How wishy-washy would it look to human kings and non-believers? This is a lesson in trust and also an urging to ALWAYS go back to God, make prayers of courage and protection. Ask God to get you through. Ask God for help, trust that He will.
Ezra asked for a fast, a serious prayer of humbling oneself, Ezra was from a long line of Israelites descended from Aaron, Moses’s brother and first priest. Ezra asked and looked for some of the Levites to join them, set aside servants of God with skills, God gave them. He looked for provisions, God granted those too. He looked for all his group to depend upon God, he urged and he asked them. Then the ultimate ask: EZRA ASKED GOD FOR SAFE TRAVELS. We too need to humble ourselves – we will find God has a better plan than ones that are not working for us.
Too embarrassed to ask earthly kings, NEVER embarrassed to ask God. God would prefer that we would ASK!
We must ask God, in prayer and a humble spirit of praise: You ARE sovereign God. Our ask is not just for getting us out of something but for getting through something and getting us towards something. We must ASK – and often we will see that God already went ahead, we just needed to trust. “Ye though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
Ezra said and witnessed to the people: The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.
Think of ourselves as Peter walking upon the water, he trusted Jesus enough for Jesus called to him, he kept his eyes upon Jesus and walked. He shifted his view to the problem over the answer (Jesus is the answer) and Peter started to sink. Where was Jesus? RIGHT THERE, right close to grab Peter as he reached up. Peter physically saw the Hand of God, and God in Jesus said: “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?“
Let us today fix our sights on God, let’s ask and believe, let’s trust. Why does God pull us in different ways and sometimes difficult situations? Is it testing us or simply using us to show others that we do indeed trust God. Life is NO picnic without ants, roads DO have bandits, waters ARE choppy. SO, WE MUST DEPEND UPON GOD.
And walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk. Walk with the Lord.
Amen
—-
Ezra 8:15-32 excerpts
The Return to Jerusalem When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. So I summoned … men of learning, and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia… so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. …
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and HE ANSWERED OUR PRAYER.
Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics, and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.
I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.
On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.
Tonight it started raining 35 minutes into “my Halloween” – meaning that golden hour and a half or so that kids trick or treat in dusk to show up at your house. It’s a precious narrow window of time that parents get out with their little ones. And trust me it’s so unreal that my little kids are so grown up now. Oh how I would take a Halloween stroll with them again if I could… the evening used to last longer with double the numbers, but us “old-folks” now with grown kids take up more and more of the community. Still 35 minutes of greeting time was better than none. “I got an eyeball” I can hear one princess exclaim! Excited and sweet. Later a teenager was directed to go back to house 24 as the nice old lady gave out full-size KitKat. It was well worth the price of candy.
And it was warm out, and the cat enjoyed it in her tent, except then it started to rain. This cat doesn’t appreciate rain.
I was well dresses and a wig too, i didn’t feel the rain but thought well let me grab an umbrella, and so I sat 10 minutes in the rain and walked down to the sidewalk to get the last kids. This was too short a time not to reach out and enjoy. I survived the rain.
This is how I imagine God is, waiting with treats ready to give, better than what I was giving, better than house 24 KitKat better than anything on earth or in the sky. God’s giving out the best in life WITH Him, and going door to door, that’s ALL FULL SIZE GOD, in God. Jesus and the Holy Spirit. WAITING, WALKING, WOW-ING. In the rain, with JOY. In the wait with hope (yes worth it). In the wait with longing. In the wait with loss too. There are kids of God who won’t accept His gift. Sad. It is like raining on God’s treat. His treat to be with us.
Jesus understood the SHORT window of physical time – did question why – did realize sadly in tears riding into Jerusalem that the parade was of people not understanding a Heavenly King, on the sugar rise of the moment for another conquering king but not convinced of the Forever King. Jesus rode in anyway.
Jesus understands the price paid is worth it, worth us. The Holy Spirit extends the Window of gathering. God waits like the Father of the prodigal son, ready to lavish His returned children with His blessings.
Someday the candy and the day of God’s opportunities to be collected off the earth will stop. Let’s help give out our hope to others in the meantime, and appreciate umbrellas. Now IS the window of opportunity. Someday these kids (God’s kids) will not venture out, but God WILL still come to them. Someday the night will be broken with Jesus returning, and we will all be on our eternal way.
Because the Hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage… Ezra 7
.
Was Ezra, in chapter seven,
Walking into Heaven?
No, he had much to do,
He needed God to help him through.
.
The Hand of God
Is Light’s direction rod.
The path we talk,
We must also walk.
.
Ezra had the king’s blessings,
Gold, silver and all the dressings.
Ezra was Aaron’s 16th generation son,
Brother of Moses when priesthood had begun.
.
A teacher in the Law of Moses too,
Sacrifice was what Ezra really knew.
Leadership is courageous servant-hood,
To help the people who want to be good.
.
When we walk with God,
We must not plod or sleepily nod.
We like Ezra have work to do.
We ask God to get us through.
.
Pray the Hand of God to be on me and on you.
Pray courage that we walk true.
.
Amen
—-
Ezra Comes to Jerusalem
CHAPTER 7
After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,
Ezra son of Seraiah,
the son of Azariah,
the son of Hilkiah,
the son of Shallum,
the son of Zadok,
the son of Ahitub,
the son of Amariah,
the son of Azariah,
the son of Meraioth,
the son of Zerahiah,
the son of Uzzi,
the son of Bukki,
the son of Abishua,
the son of Phinehas,
the son of Eleazar,
the son of Aaron the chief priest—
this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.
King Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra
This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:
Artaxerxes, king of kings,
To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:
Greetings.
Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.
Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you— up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths[c] of wine, a hundred baths [that’s 600 gallons] of olive oil, and salt without limit. Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons? You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.
And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13 I am appreciative of this little book “Jesus Calling ” by Sarah Young. It is scripture written in the person view of Jesus speaking it. I am also very appreciative of a crew of 3 Bible study companions for this book that I’ve joined in my “little church with a big impact” and we take the verses day by day… That’s the Jesus Way, DAY BY DAY…
“It’s not fair”, this one reading struck me strongly… Jesus reminds us, that we are NOT to look at human opinion of us, but of Jesus’s Light guiding us, how we act, how we help. It’s not fair how we are treated sometimes in this life as we do His work, sacrificing for His sake, the sake of loving each other and the sake of giving up our own will. But then again, Jesus losing His life for our sins was also not seemingly fair. Well, that’s life. And yeah that’s LIFE because Jesus gives us LIFE forever.
Walking this week, I saw this verse in action, a writing in a visual WAY while I was walking. Under the canopy of an off-road, there was a fallen tree, deadwood in the making, and yet it had not fallen, it was caught leaning on wires. DANGEROUS, I thought, but low wires so they are probably not electricity which are usually higher. DANGEROUS for falling, I thought, but this is a road rarely traveled. INCONVENIENT I thought because it was going to be a LOT of work to remove it, requiring shutting down that wire’s feed anyway. And INCONVENIENT for an overworked workforce? Probably. What was the holdup? Time, manpower, resources, urgency.
What was holding up this tree from breaking those wires? I looked more. ANOTHER TREE! I looked further up and the two higher branches were being held by another set of limbs. Secured (for now), HELD! So, was it a strain on that other tree? Maybe. Somewhat. But it held its ground. A delicate STRONG hold.
A delicate strong HOLD. Was it fair? Not for the second tree, but it WAS helping and keeping order in the forest. It was keeping chaos from breaking out. It was HOLDING THE PEACE.
JESUS, holding up the people, keeping order in the kingdom and the hope to get people there. Jesus holding the peace. Not just dying for our sins, but LIVING for the opportunities that others could so LIVE. Not fair? Nope, but faithful devotion. Jesus Saves. Find peace in His Presence.
Have you ever been in a situation you did NOT want to be in? Maybe you are like that second tree, holding its ground and supporting structures, people, even seemingly deadweight? However we have to look to what Jesus wants us to be and do. I was stuck somewhere recently, I didn’t want to deal with the strife, and wondered really “WHY AM I HERE, LORD?“. Asking why I was positioned, questioning my struggles with “do I worry what people think of me for acting a certain way, or do I sacrifice to do the right thing in a bigger sense?”… I PRAYED… I’ve been in this situation before in different scenes, it’s like another act in God’s stage production but I’m not the star, never was, Jesus IS. Not my place to say “it’s not fair”, because it’s not, but we are on His mission. His helping is our crosses to bear. I PRAYED and asked for a sign. I had access to the web in front of me and could look up secretly a scripture. “LUKE” was laid into my brain. “15” was laid into my brain. Click, Click, Click: Luke 15, ahhhhh… the parable of the LOST SHEEP, the LOST COIN, the LOST son… SO CLEARLY GOD ANSWERED ME (especially since I asked into His Word)… Go after the one lost sheep… be the support… be that tree holding it’s ground supporting the whole scene… be HIS HANDS AND FEET, no matter the cost to you. FORGIVE because we ARE a broken people. Jesus is the only Way.
No matter what, we are to pay the price of time, energy, work because Jesus already paid for us… Let’s keep working for Him.
“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
I have to remember that I was once deadweight but He rebirthed me to LIFE, He put me to Work. I was and still am a sinner saved by HIS grace. I was (and am) one sheep of our Shepherd. I was lost, Jesus came for me…
NOT FAIR, but Jesus came to save us anyway. Our brokenness is nothing compared to His Healing. Hold us Lord, Help us Lord, Heaven-us Lord.
Ephesians 1:7-8 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,
PS…. 8 years now this upcoming winter is when I awoke from being dead in my faith, as if Jesus said “eh, she’s only sleeping”, like when He awoke Jarius’s daughter. It was also 10 years ago now that when I was teaching Sunday school (yes I was teaching Luke 15) that I out-loud said these parables were “Jesus’s great teaching stories” and “God sent Jesus to make the Word of God spread faster“, SNAP… yes, just like the fun hands-on foaming catalyst experiment I was demonstrating at the time, of hydrogen peroxide, dishsoap and yeast (Jesus being represented by living yeast as a catalyst), this was Jesus spreading the Word… Ah, this action is Jesus finding us… thus was JESUS finding me… I’m grateful to tears… amazed to awe… challenged to action… blessed to further bless… My job? Our job? Great Commission to go out and be the workers, FIND THE SHEEP and feed them the Word! AMEN!!!
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Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
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Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
I have been Positioned into a family of faith and a fulfilled future, therefore I CAN start this day. Start this day in God’s Way: Praise, Position, Proceed, Protect, Process, Praise. Jesus came and He will come again. I just need to get through today in God’s Way. New challenges and old issues, same God.
“…while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven GENUINENESS of your FAITH – ofgreater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined –may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
PREPARE
I have been given FAITH resources and scripture readings to prepare me for my day. I can BOTH put on the Armor of God for protection but most importantly pick up the Sword of Truth – Jesus’s Word – to bring into my day and cut to the chase, cut thru the day, and most importantly create an atmosphere of teaching thru living. I can demonstrate that I have a Living Hope.
PROCEED
Refueling often in the day IN FAITH is SO IMPORTANT. Proceeding when small things stand in the way may mean you have to reflect on the Way, the Word, the Wonder, to get you thru, around, out of, and back into the day. The reason why Jesus walked on earth was so that He could walkWITHyou, then, now, and forever. Guard your heart, walk in faith and Proceed. Proceed Protected
PROCESS
At the end of the day, reflect and see what went best in God’s Way. What went wrong in attitude or expectation? What went right in listening or learning? What is unresolved and what is unresolvable? Therefore what will be set down for God to handle in His Time. Time to rest.
PRAYER
God help me Process and then Rest. Lord, You have said: Tomorrow is another day. You have shown me that today was best proceeded in Your Way. You have shown me that LISTENING to the Word was Your Best Way encouragement for me to Prepare for the day. . .
PRAISE
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. “The word of the Lord endures forever.”
Prepare Proceed Process,
Praise Praise Praise
AMEN Amen and amen…
Praise to God for a Living Hope
1Peter 1:3-9, 13-16, 22-25
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
...
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
It’s not just scary stuff at Halloween, but there’s scary stuff all year round. Yet if we think nowadays is bad, I am pretty sure God’s seen worse, He has seen worse tragedies and strife, horror and human failings. I’m God-fearful to say He could even inflict harsh punishment if He chose to.
My friend made some photoshopped images as artwork – and gave as giveaways for a fundraiser. Couple video game character grim reaper types and illuminati-ish symbols were in some. They were “scary” if you allowed yourself to be scared, but fake. Really nice photoshop work, but not my cup of tea. I think however scary-like, God has seen worse. Actually I am certain God has seen worse. And future revelations show its just going to get worse too for masses of people who don’t know God and let Him lead.
From my friend’s artwork, I chose an image of lightning strikes, photoshopped to add extra strikes on a water scene. Real and not unnatural scary powerful stuff. Lightning is real in our interesting and intricate world. I thought, accepting that photo, if God can make things that are scary but God IS in control, then He MUST have infinitely more power than ANYTHING, over evil influences allowed to work in the world, over all. Our job is to believe God’s power not just of scary things, but that God’s power of love is MUCH stronger. God REALLY is in control and LOVE is MOST powerful. LOVE NEVER FAILS.
We must believe God’s power is supreme, surpassing all evil, already putting us on the winning side. In old testament histories, God gave real life prophets to help the people thru. We now have written prophecy and witness, we can be encouraged as well.
So….
If stuck in a rut, let’s ask God to move the ground around us. Love never fails.
If stuck in a bad scene, let God change the plot. Love never fails.
If stuck in being enslaved, kept down, or simply fighting bad paperwork, red tape, weird scenarios, remember God’s Sovereignty. Love never fails.
God’s lifetime is infinite, our memories are not. When we get through hard times, we are allowed to forget the level of pain, that’s how we can walk forward into victory as well as new battles. When we are battling pain now, may we also remember that God will get us through this.
Bible stories and demonstrations of God’s power are written for us to learn from. God has got this, He always did.
God’s love will never fail.
Amen
PS… I just read quickly thru Ezra 4-6, WOW, opposition to rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. If you think we have opposition now, or sticky scenes in conference rooms or wherever, BE PATIENT… Let’s let God stick it out with us... read ahead and I will tell this story soon: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra%204-6&version=NIV
I know it is the “boys of summer” in this October World Series time, and tickets are now at a premium. But I was at that SAME ballpark in the summertime and it was EMPTY… except ALL the employees and some vendors and some of the faithful were there (like 2 raincoat clad people behind home plate that never gave up)… and then others like us were actually there as “foodies”… yum crabfries… (This was NOT the house that Ruth built, but certainly the whole place was built really nice for the fans… fair-weather fans and all…)
So now there is EXCITEMENT, now eyes are FOCUSED and hearts are strung higher. The fair-weather fans now wear raincoats for a change and actually show up for thousands of dollars, whereas they could have seen the SAME team for a fraction of the price before they were winning it all. One nosebleed seat in summertime cost equal to a serving of crabfries, REALLY it did.
The sports radio commentators recently were mentioning the last World Series win, almost 15 years ago, and laughed again at the statement someone made back then, when a diehard fan said after the win: “now I can die in peace”… FUNNY… of course my ears picked up instantly on the scripture reminder of Simeon who was told by the Lord God that he would see the Savior, the Salvation of the nation and the world. Simeon WAS in the temple that day as God beckoned him to go and Simeon held baby Jesus in his arms, brought by Mary and Joseph for dedication, circumcision and prayer. “I can now die in peace.”
The Temple, that Simeon sought was not just the building but the Body, the Temple was Jesus in his arms and was Jesus the stone Rock under his feet and was Jesus born a perfect lamb as the sacrifice required of God. So much praise and tears were realized in that building – as the chosen people were building in anticipation – embracing building up FOCUS on Salvation – of Kingdom restoration. THIS WAS WHAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR. The tears were tears of realization, God DID deliver. God showed him, specifically him prophet Simeon and prophetess Anna, the PROMISE, for the RESTORATION of the Kingdom. Simeon said: “He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
In this physical temple, built and rebuilt, there was a history of crying and of sacrifice. Tears of joy and tears of sadness and tears of all emotions. This temple was built in the location where David made an altar sacrifice after he called for a census against God’s wishes and had to repent to stop a plague of an angel of death. Solomon built the actual temple, but we must see the pattern that the sacrifice came first, then the altar, then the foundation walls and roof. Worship first, woodwork after.
In the book of Ezra, that temple was described as being rebuilt after destruction. And the weeping of tears and shouts of joy were indistinguishable from each other and SO LOUD that all could hear. Those old souls saw restoration of HOPE. This rebuilding, re-laying of the foundation of the “second temple”, restored the first building by Solomon. The first temple was destroyed by Babylonians, sweeping Judah’s people of Jerusalem away to second exile (50-70 years). Cyrus of Persia defeated Babylon and allowed the exiled people to return, thousands trekked 4 months (see Ezra 2). The temple was rebuilt by the altar first, then the foundation poured underneath.
Praise then Prayers
We too must praise and worship first, our altar of sacrifice comes from acknowledging God’s Sovereignty and also His Goodness. First we must seek His Plan and not balk at its complexity or severity. David saw God’s Power, so can we. That existed first. We also must see God’s Sacrifice and realize it is so we can be with Him forever. Yes, He sacrificed FOR the benefit of us because He loves us.
Jesus as Alpha and Omega came to lay the bricks of Himself a Temple to be torn down and rebuilt. He is the Kingdom’s Prince of Peace, the Lamb Slain. May we all NOT be fair-weather fans of His flame, but blessed to stand (kneel) and cry weeping and restore SHOUTS OF JOY for our Temple HAS been rebuilt. WE HAVE SEEN THE SALVATION.
This IS the House that God Built.
There are no cheap seats but they all ARE paid for. He is good, for his mercy endureth forever! Jesus IS Alive.
We can now prepare for the Temple is coming again. Celebrate His Win, Praise His Name, then Worship and Work in sacrifice for more people need to come to Jesus still.He is still building His fan base, brick by brick. We are in the kingdom that God has built.
Amen
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Ezra 3:10-13
And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
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Luke 2:22-40
Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
The Prophecy of Simeon
At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
The Prophecy of Anna
Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
Did you ever wonder why you might be going thru a hardship? an illness? a slowdown? a missed event? a less lined pocket of change? a time where God blocks a door or something? Maybe this is a “pass-over”, maybe you are supposed to stay inside – maybe you are supposed to find a new thing to do – maybe (DEFINITELY) you are to find God’s opportunity to PRAISE HIM first (praise first, complain later)…
Maybe you will never know in this lifetime.
Maybe you won’t know the reason – but as long as you know that you are still going to be OK, that’s OK. God’s got this… God has you on other duties, especially on prayer duties.
When king Josiah (old testament divided kingdom, many years after Moses) realized that they had not been honoring God the way God had prescribed according to the Law of Moses, he also realized they were not celebrating/remembering the Passover… The Passover in Moses’s time was tremendous and a fear-filled night, it was when death came to the first born in the households except for those in the Israelites (held captive as slaves by Pharoh). Israelites then were slaves after traveling to Egypt, during the time of Joseph, and were to be led out of captivity by Moses.Slaves who listened to Moses were knowledgeable to “the word of mouth” instruction to place lamb’s blood on the door frame. Instead of death inside of the first born, the death of a lamb as a sacrifice was placed as an outward sign. Truly this foretold of the sacrifice and death of first born, alpha and omega, Jesus as the lamb who became the replacement for all our sinful deaths. The outward sign on our individual frames so that God accepts us as His people who are saved.
Saved. Spared. Shared. The passover meal in the times of king Josiah was shared – the priests and gatekeepers and musicians had no time to cook – so the rest of the people did extra sacrifices for them. The priests – the gatekeepers – the musicians – were all working on God’s scheduled tasks. The community shared and the good fraction were spared.
What about us – are we spared? We are now that Jesus came for our sins – He IS and was and will be our own passover Lamb, His blood shown up on our death’s door. He will take up our pleas, He took them so we could pass into Heaven free. All it takes on our end is belief from you and me. It takes a plea: “I’m guilty Lord of my sins, PLEASE set me FREE.”
Amen
2 Chronicles 35:10-18 The service was arranged and the priests stood in their places with the Levites in their divisions as the king had ordered. The Passover lambs were slaughtered, and the priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them, while the Levites skinned the animals. They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the subdivisions of the families of the people to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the Book of Moses. They did the same with the cattle. They roasted the Passover animals over the fire as prescribed, and boiled the holy offerings in pots, caldrons and pans and served them quickly to all the people. After this, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fat portions until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the Aaronic priests. The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king’s seer. The gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made the preparations for them. So at that time the entire service of the Lord was carried out for the celebration of the Passover and the offering of burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, as King Josiah had ordered. The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time and observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem.
“Ask Uncle Ezra” – was an advice column in online format at my university for years. The letters were reposted anonymously for people to both get information and advice. It obviously was a take-off from “Dear Abby”, but super focused on the college community. It was SO useful, especially for stressed college kids. Ezra founded the school in a time that was indicative of how the close knit community combined laborers and scholars. It still does. Ezra wanted a place where anyone could get an education on anything. These people thrive on the desire to educate and be educated.
Ezra in the Bible, from the old testament, ALSO participated in education, and was said to be author of the book of Chronicles as well as his own chapter “Ezra”… Ask “Chronicler Ezra” and he could tell you that the people were devoted because God made them that way. And having been reading methodically thru the old testament Chronicles, I can now see that in this chapter that we have entered a time where both regular ancient scholars and biblical scholars have info, and they are talking about great superpower rises and falls. This section of the Bible is about 500 years before Jesus came to earth. There are references for scholars and ruins for archeologists. They support God’s Word. There is real stuff we can touch and especially real Word we can understand. Jesus walked into a scene of people losing their way. Some found it in Him.
God, from Moses’s time was either ignored or praised – just like now – and this often depended upon the kings who led their people, urging them to give devotions of praise and sacrificial offerings. (Samuel the prophet warned that if people made kings rather than devote themselves to God, they would be treated badly. Yeah, they were). Unfortunately not enough people nor the kings of the divided kingdom “asked prophets” or listened to the prophecy, and got swept away to Babylon. They DID have the “reposts” records of the previous kings and prophets but did not head to what they heard. Then 400 years before Jesus, the prophets grew silent.
In Ezra’s writings, the remnants of King David’s line got taken away by the invading Babylon armies of King Nebuchadnezzar. When Cyrus, the Persian king, came to power, and conquered Babylon, the Lord placed it on his heart to help them return to Jerusalem. Not everyone did, but some went to re-set up the temple, Solomon’s temple. I am amazed that I will read more into these times again in the next chapters, I didn’t know the old testament were really testaments! Over and over we get the Word weaved into a deeper story, always about God’s Promises and provisions.
I was intrigued that the end of Chronicles 36 had the exact writing of the beginning of Ezra: ” In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’”
Why rebuild the temple? Because God placed His Name in it… Because the Light of the world was going to come from David’s descendants… Because God said so… (read back to Solomon’s time)
Ask “Chronicler Ezra” and he could tell you that the people who were devoted were: “everyone whose heart God had moved“... Can you imagine if WE ACTIVELY SEARCHED OUT GOD IN OUR HEARTS how much more advice we would get?!!! If we humbled ourselves in prayer and said “I don’t know Lord, I need help.” Or “Lord, open up the eyes of my heart to see Your Purpose over mine.”… Imagine…
As for HIGHER education, let us “Ask the Lord”… Let’s search Him where and when He can be found (and yes, His re-posts are all ONLINE too)
Amen
2nd Chronicles 7:12-20
And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
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Ezra 1
Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.
Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
This was the inventory:
gold dishes 30
silver dishes 1,000
silver pans 29
gold bowls 30
matching silver bowls 410
other articles 1,000
In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
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Matthew 7:7-20, Jesus said:
Ask, Seek, Knock
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow and Wide Gates
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and False Prophets
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Went to take this photo of the last of the tomatoes from a garden… then I saw this great scripture reminder on my bracelet: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
I am thankful for the reminder to NOT be anxious about the winter coming or the loss of summer (just mowed the grass yesterday too)… Soon we will have pumpkin soups and sweet potato pie… move over summer, fall is about to fall into play…
My fresh tomatoes are minimal compared to my cans of tomatoes, from who knows when, which are actually at their expiration date. Funny how we FORGET to praise stockpiles of yesterday, all those supplies we put into place for ourselves, our rainy days, and that we even had the extra money then to plan ahead… and we (dare I say it) FORGET that the Lord provided them in the first place… Yes we (I) do often forget to retro-praise the Lord – we get so busy and keep going…
But I want to praise the Lord for more that just these tomatoes – canned and fresh. I want to praise Him for NEARLY EXPIRED canned goods, because I got them in the beginning of the pandemic when I didn’t know what would happen – well He did, and I NEVER needed them – but today am making chili just to use them up…
I want to praise the Lord for all folks who DID get thru a turbulent time and have the abundant supplies of canned goods, TP, and everything now. I praise Him for thousands of sticky situations He won for us.
I want to praise the Lord for the whole house that kept us safe and sane – in pandemics to snowstorms to thunderstorms to stinky skunks… I praise the heat and the A/C. I praise the bed and the rest.
I want to praise Him for a quiet house because there were times where there was not as much peace here as there is now.
I want to praise Him for a cat companion even if she is sleeping – she just gives extra spirit to the house.
I want to praise Him for the fridge that almost died 3 times but didn’t, the dryer that I fixed twice, the razor blade to scrape the stove clean, the rug to sweep under in an attempt to clean, and the broom itself.
I want to praise Him for the seed packets for next spring and for the poinsettias I just pulled from the garden – they were last years proof that they can survive year after year and so can we. And a praise for mums, which ease us into poinsettia season once again.
I want to praise the Lord for telling us to take it one day at a time and to give Him our worries – He already knows how to sort the seasons, surely He can sort our schedules and our sillyness too…
Can tomatoes or fresh, I want to praise the Lord for being a CAN-DO God. Praise God whom we CAN give thanks to… and CAN He tackle tomorrow’s problems? You CAN bet He CAN and will and already went ahead.
Soon we will will be in Thanksgiving season – that is a season we can have everyday… I thank you Lord for You!
Amen
Isaiah 12:4-5
And on that day you will say, “Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted.” Praise the LORD in song, for He has done glorious things; let this be known throughout the earth.
I’ve reached the end of 2nd Chronicles – and I have taken a moment to sit outside in the chilly October night air. It’s not just exile from summer’s warmth but reconnecting and reconciling myself to accepting these changing seasons. The crisp will soon become cold and there will be days of staying inside. But there will ALSO be brilliant sunshine and HOPE, as we are longing for springtime and summer once again. Meanwhile, the soil rests.
So now in this season, we reflect and lament the last of the warm days. We stargaze and see the stars twinkle. They twinkle because their light beams bounce around and get distorted by the earth’s atmosphere. It’s a bumpy ride, even for Light. Our bumpy ride of life still has the Light, therefore we hold onto HOPE.
At the end of 2nd Chronicles, we learn of an end of an era, the divided kingdom of Israel and Judah has crumbled enough to be swept into a time of Exile. All that work and riches, all those kings (good and bad), all that time restoring the temple and the people’s worship, including Josiah’s Passover feast. Then this good king Josiah was killed, and all the people mourned him. Prophet Jeremiah wrote laments for them all to sing their heart sorrows. Josiah’s son ruled only a few months on the throne, then was overthrown and the whole southern divided kingdom of Judah saw a progression of bad foreign kings and multiple overthrows. This was a bumpy ride for sure, washing away everything as their lives had known, they were thrown into exile, God gave them another chance but they refused to listen and they became servants in exile.
Did the exiled remnant of the peoples of the divided kingdom of Judah have any hope? I hope so… God pre-told their destiny as the prophet Jeremiah spoke of it. God also told them (from the time of David) that He would raise up THE HOPE from their remnants. And their land went to rest, the many years was their winter of life. The people surely longed for their old way of life. The ride was bumpy, I hope they held onto hope.
I also have been thinking of the many people in our war-torn areas presently, where does their hope lie? They too have laments, and the light is seen so tumbled in their atmosphere of strife… Their lands have been torn apart and people displaced. They are in need of prayers as there is no quick fix and return to their homeland. These are times of lament, an atmosphere of lament, but pray they hold onto hope.
The Light of Hope is the coming of the Lord, and the shining of His Spirit throughout their and our lives. One person recently asked a few of us how we suffer – when Jesus gives such hope – and we lives such blessed lives. So I do believe these are the people from whom we are to learn what suffering means – and to see what joy they can muster in the midst of tragedy . These are the people who are lamenting and we should mourn with them as well as give them hope. For them we keep reminding ourselves and others that there is Light in the darkness, brighter than the stars that twinkle, the Hope of Jesus remains bright.
Let us keep praying for all to see the Light. Until Jesus comes again – there will be bumpy rides. When His Light lights the night, we will have no doubt that He Lives.
Amen
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2nd Chronicles 34:20-27
After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.”
Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.
Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, “Take me away; I am badly wounded.” So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.
Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.
The other events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion in accordance with what is written in the Law of the Lord— all the events, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
2 Chronicles 36:1-21
And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.
Jehoahaz King of Judah
Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. The king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. The king of Egypt made Eliakim, a brother of Jehoahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Necho took Eliakim’s brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt.
Jehoiakim King of Judah
Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked him and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the Lord and put them in his temple there.
The other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, the detestable things he did and all that was found against him, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king.
Jehoiachin King of Judah
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for him and brought him to Babylon, together with articles of value from the temple of the Lord, and he made Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah King of Judah
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
The Fall of Jerusalem
The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.
He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.
We rush the seasons, there’s Halloween candy in August, Christmas merchandise in October, and deep discounts to get rid of all of “it” from stores before we have even opened half the gifts we paid full price for (and probably don’t need anyway).
We need Jesus SHINE over a new bottle of wine.
There’s a good chance that we ALSO often rush in saying: “Merry Christmas” both without thinking fully WHY we are wishing it, and rushing our PRONUNCIATION so much that we say “Merry Chrissssmas”. We skip the T. Well, we don’t need to include the “t” from a pronunciation perspective just because, but because it is a lowercase letter “t” REPRESENTS the symbol of the CROSS. Say the t in Chris”t”mas. Christ-mas, a celebration of Christ.
With Jesus entering the world, He knew and predicting prophets fortold that there was one important Way to accomplish God’s Will: death on the cross, a Savior rising after being slaughtered as an innocent lamb.
* Say the “t” in Christmas.
* “Keep Christ in Christmas” can be reWORDed as an OPPORTUNITY rather than a scolding, to say: “SHARE Christ at Christmas”.
* Saying Christ reminds us to believe and teach the Way: that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed One. Fully God, Jesus came humbled as a baby, humbled as a human, to fulfill the prophecy and die for our sins and be RISEN for our forever eternal life with God on Heaven.
* “Keeping Good Friday in Christmas” completes the mission: Jesus said “it is finished”. The word “It” is an “I” and a cross “t”. Jesus knew: I must go to the cross. We also are to pick up our crosses and die to ourselves and our wishes to follow Him more and more closely. “I” cross.
* “Keeping Easter in your Christmas” remembers the Merry joyfullness, understanding that on the third day Jesus rose again. Jesus rose for God’s sake, because He loves us eternally longer and immensely more than we could ever realize.
Let’s keep this “t” in our Christmas this year, and SHINE Christ from our hearts EVERYDAY and FOREVER.
Not perfect… we are NOT perfect… So of course we should try to always improve ourselves. Yet we don’t want to fall under human force of “conforming to norms”, we want God Himself to guide us, mold us and remodeling us. We do need and want Him to help us. He will. Our Great Physician will hear and heal.
God is willing and able to teach us the book, not throw it at us. The book is now not just Moses’s book of laws, but THE BOOK, the Word Himself in pages. The whole Book, the Bible, is ALREADY telling us the War is won, Jesus came and will come again. He is Proof of Love. There’s nothing God can do but offer you an open book test because He covers you with the pages that are Living Word. So let us embrace Him who already holds us.
King Josiah of the divided southern kingdom of Judah was good, but he got even better… After a long line of bad kings (who didn’t listen to God) and a few good even great kings who listened but were sometimes led astray, king Josiah decided to restore the Temple (Solomon’s amazing Temple, where God said His Name would remain). He wanted to return to another level of authentic worship. In doing this cleaning up, his crew (including his priest) found the Book of Laws, written for Moses by God, recorded but lost under dusty years of neglect. Lost but found, just like us. We don’t have to clean up to come to the Lord, we just come “AS WE ARE” and He will take us in.
God said, through a prophet: “Because your heart was responsive… and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace.“
IN PEACE- that’s where we want to rest too.
This BOOK OF LAWS showed them that although they were good, and willing to try best they knew, they were NOT perfect and saw why God was punishing those who drifted, especially for what the previous BAD king Manasseh had done. Judah like Israel was headed to exile again. Josiah did tremendous clearing of idols, removing of the high places of worship, righting the wrongs to re-center his people’s worship AT THE TEMPLE. He read the book and tried to restore how to live by the book. He even restarted a Passover celebration like none they had ever seen.
We are to try our best, and yet we are NOT perfect either. We have a Shepard leader who knows He is our Temple and He is Book-ing our Best Way to lead us in paths of righteousness, because Jesus came to FULFILL the law given to Moses and the prophets. Jesus came AS a Temple, stuck down but Rebuilt in Resurrection. This is why He wants us to open the Book, teach the Book, live the Book. Help spread this Good News.
We too fall down the path of destruction, like the remnants of Moses’s people in Judah of those days. We too get swept away by idolatry, jealousy, and untruths. Yet when we worship the Lord as king Josiah did—with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength – we too will find rest – we will find peace. After earthly kings, Jesus, our King of kings, Name above all names, Alpha and Omega, will be our Prince of Peace.
Let’s open up this Book and let Him open up our wounds and heal them.
Let Us Let God.
Amen
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Jesus said: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”(Luke 5:31-32)
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols.
…
In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.
…
While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses.
…
When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”
Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophet Huldah,…
…
She said to them: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’”
So they took her [prophet Huldah’s] answer back to the king.
Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.
Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.
Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
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2nd Kings 23:24-27
Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord. Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
Nevertheless, the Lord did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to arouse his anger. So the Lord said, “I will remove Judah also from my presence as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, ‘My Name shall be there.’”
Last Saturday was a whole day of selling and purging stuff at the church’s yard sale, but also snapping up good deals. I got good stuff – but I still have lots of stuff that I still need to shed… (as in shed away not shed storage)…
We tend to teach about not being attached to material possessions but then again: we like our stuff !!! God says store up treasures in Heaven, not your house but His House. We will NOT be able to bring it with us!. Does God really need our plates and silverware anyway? Probably not in Heaven, we will be eating at HIS Table. But He does appreciate when we think of Him in giving others what they need… and plates and silverware lead to hospitality and welcoming others to eat with us.
Later that weekend I went to see a dear friend who is moving. He was boxing it all up in an orderly fashion but had an OOPS of placement of a particular ceramic plate with a scripture on it that he wanted to give to me. A weekend prior, it accidentally went into the donation pile. I said no worries! I am grateful he thought of me, whom am I to complain! I have no deed to the plate, no sense of rights… especially since it went as oops to a good cause, a donation at a good place. It is OK, it is the “thought that counts”…
This plate and this scripture says A LOT, he told me it was green and said: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
Truth in desire, hope, happiness and peace: I do want to Serve the Lord. I do want to have my family serve and understand. I actually already have this scripture on my bedroom wall as a dollar-store sticker. I have the essence of this scripture in my “to do” list… I pray to keep this scripture in my heart.
So, where is that ceramic plate with the scripture now? Well, after visiting that afternoon, I had just a few minutes to get over to that thrift shop to check. Who knows, maybe it would be a miracle waiting for me on a shelf… Well, sort of… Instead of the regular shelf, I found out that the plate and scripture is taking a couple weeks in PUBLIC display, yes PUBLIC DISPLAY! It actually got placed into the glass cabinet silent auction section of the thrift store, displayed beautifully and requiring a minimum of 2 weeks before the silent auction is decided… I could see it and understand it – but was not my plate. I took a photo – I can always put that on my wall, LOL… So I got myself a number registered and placed a silent auction bid inside the book, no one else had bid on it yet. I can call in or stop in for about a week or so to watch the bid.
As for my friend and his plate, they will serve the Lord. (and he does!)
Later this might become: “As for me and my plate, we will serve the Lord”, but for now, by appreciating that “mishap oops” has put scripture in a PUBLIC PLACE, this IS the Lord’s Word and His Word never returns to Him void. “… 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.” Isaiah 55:11
As for me and my bid, we will serve the Lord. This is a good thrift shop where the money goes to rebuilding healthy homes and healthy lives. If my friend wanted to give it to me, I WOULD treasure it – but if it doesn’t come to my house, I will understand. Whatever the price paid is minimal compared to the price paid by our Savior for us.
I will wait for the plate. I will wait for the Lord.
I was happy to see the scripture was hand written on the pledge sheet. The scripture written into our hearts… I am grateful that I did see the plate – and I am grateful that I and others know this scripture. I am hoping hundreds if not thousands of people to see it too… And I hope it helps them realize what a blessing it will be when we sit down at the Lord’s dinner table one day – and use HIS PLATES…
Amen
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Isaiah 55
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “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. 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.”
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Joshua 24:14-18
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”
Classic timing, the theme of the week is: Fear Not…. 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. David in Psalm 27.
So many times we preach and teach: Fear Not,GOD’S GOT THIS… but when something happens and scares us, we have to put our faith to the fire test, but better to put His fire into our faith. We have to believe God’s Word, and live it. You and I know that we aren’t always best at this faith test, but God’s winning of our faith test can give us rest. God’s precious hold on us is the best.
I was nervous about what faith test I would be stepping into when during the “wellness fair” at work, but it was filled with free toothbrushes and insurance tips, healthy food advice and I got my free flu shot. The enthusiastic organizer invited me into the mindfulness session by another sweet lovely lady who teaches breathing and meditation techniques, had a quiet place to chat. I motioned that my mindfulness is giving prayer up to God, but later I did go talk to the nice lady. I sat and asked for armor of God in the session to protect my heart and thus protect my mind, and we had a nice short faith conversation, including how beautiful the leaves were as God’s creation. Then she explained and shared breathing techniques (which reminded me of marching band lessons) and she shared two calming scents: clove oil and lavender… Yes, these ARE wonderful fragrances (designed by the Lord no doubt) and have been a blessing to me previously… So nice moment and then I left back into work and life…
The mindfulness or mixed-up-mind-emptying-ness all really should go back to filling up our heads with God’s assurances, be still, be living in His Living Word, put on His Armor, Fear Not.
Yes, stress and humanness are our “lot in life” and require us to walk gently through this world. The fact that we are but travellers is another reason Jesus says to give Him your burdens.
Covid and college and children are many reminders of “things” for sure in my life that I need rest in God’s Hands. Having those kits are helpful to test and rest assured when you “need to know”, I’ve sent my college kids many these past years, so far so good… I’ve sent grocery money and often my college kid has taken the train home just to rest. Having God’s rest is even better…
Focusing on today and a devotion book I read said to not be making “mushrooms grow” by worrying about tomorrow. Making mushrooms pop up all over. after a rainy stretch, was the phrase about not stressing over tomorrow but living in the present. Another friend and I shared the scripture: Do Not Worry from Jesus teaching in Matthew’s Gospel…
So, whatever term is used, we know that letting our minds race ahead of us is harmful and causes fear. God’s provisions should help us not fear. King David sang what is written down as Psalm 27 in God’s Word: 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?
I have friends who have much worse burdens than me, and just this week I’ve watched them in different stages of stress give them over to the Lord: a horrible motorcycle accident, a financial crisis, conflicts, family brokenness, a LOT of stressful scenes… makes my mushrooms of worrying about tomorrow mini in comparison to so many problems of today.
Maybe one additional aspect of our delving into old testament readings is to realize life was not perfect then and is not perfect now. Our perfect Savior is not a perfectionist of our human attributes but adding Himself into our lives as repair. Let Him Shine and help fade away our fear..
Like Solomon had to put in the work set before Him, building a temple, we also have to put in our work. Remember, God’s got this. Fear Not.
(I will make ONE prediction for tomorrow: I bet this theme of the week will continue!)
Amen
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David said to Solomon his son, 1 Chronicles 28:20 “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.”
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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.
—-
Jesus said (in Matthew 6:25-27, 34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? CAN ANY ONE OF YOU BY WORRYING ADD A SINGLE HOUR TO YOUR LIFE?
…
THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN.
It was a beautiful Saturday outside, a yardsale set of sellers, a collection of comraderie in customers, purchases and peace. And then OOPS. One car backing up hit a parked car on the edge of the street, SCRAPE… scraped the door. CRUNCH. We watched the crunch in real time, couldn’t stop it, then we saw the slow motion of emotions started churning and rolling. No one was injured but damage done. Big breath… whew…
Sadly and understandable the tears came, this was an elderly woman’s car, and she was distraught but totally together. I heard snippets of conversations and our emotions predicted that rest. I projected my issues onto the scene too, and this focused my prayers… This seemed to be a teen driver and she was so sorry. This was a mom passenger who took charge both of the accident and of the paperwork. The mom in the middle, she was then helping the hugging and in the healing. She hugged both the daughter and the woman. She was “sandwich generation” in substitute. She understood both sides and stood in the middle of the road being the bridge. Her car, her daughter, her handling of everything. Truly a SERVANT SCENE.
That’s how the LORD is handling us, BEING OUR BRIDGE. He is handling our world, our situation, our crunch scenes, our scrape ups and He already handled our salvation. A SERVANT SCENE. The Lord is standing in our roads, being our advocate, gathering the info and the flock. Showing that even in stress, God’s help shows His strength of healing. His love as a bridge. God the Father, God the Son Jesus, and God in His Holy Spirit. God takes charge of calming the accidents and always handling the heavy healing.
God has enough capacity to hold the world in His Hands, and so He does, bringing His people up close to His heart.
I don’t know the total stress that was caused or how each person dealt with it completely as it looked like they were handling it fine and us as viewers took on the burden of angst, amd we felt the weight of being emotional bridges. Most importantly we started praying with empathy.
YES PRAYER DOES HELP.
Having the “birds eye view”, it is easy to be “analytical” and to just see the paperwork and “easy” steps take care if repairs, but we all know there are slow motion hurdles in all the fixes and repairs to tackle. Since I was a watcher and not a participant, I had to participate in ACTIVE PRAYER above all, especially for safe travels in that scene the rest of the day.
God is with us totally in the moment and IS a watcher AND participant. God never leaves us.
Stressed scenes show us God’s LOVE seeping in. God IS in the mix because He is holding His World of people in His companionship and hope. God wants us to know He has us in His Hands, Heart, Healing.
Deep breath of belief.
Amen
A servant scene of prayer strengthens hearts…
Amen
Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. James 5:6-7
My favorite season has always been Fall, but I miss the Summer warmth. The Autumn reminds us to appreciate the warming sunshine before winter. My favorite holiday was always Halloween, and I understand that desire to deck out the decorations like crazy… But ever since I’ve drawn closer to the Lord, I’ve drawn away (or tried to) from ghouls and ghosts. I never liked the blood and gore, I’ve removed vampires and zombies in my celebrations. I’ve never been a fan of ghost tours, but they bring big bucks to struggling historic sites. I don’t believe in ghosts (even if Casper IS friendly). I DO BELIEVE in angels and the Heaven’s Spirit army here among us. I believe in “buffering angels” in near-accidents, those miracle misses, I believe in warriors fighting evil in the unseen realm. We surely have felt day to day life interventions by Good over evil. God IS fighting our battles and He has won the war.
I have no use for witchcraft, but maybe I still have a couple witch hats in the costume collection. We are not perfect and live in fun portrayals over going overboard, but we must be careful not to weaken our worship. I believe in good apples over eating tainted ones. Snow White agrees… I believe in spider webs and want to put a giant one over my house one year.
I believe we need to skip practicing divination over PRAYER. Prayer works. But who are we to petition without first humbling ourselves to say “You’ve got this Lord.” Praise of God must come first. Praise Prayers Petition. Provisions is what God always brings. Some of our problems are what others would praise to have. Count our blessings.
King Manasseh, son of Hezekiah (a mostly good king), practiced EVIL divination and witchcraft, worshiped false gods, worshiped the stars and moon falsely, and sought mediums. He angered the Lord.
I don’t think I need to understand divining rods but when I was a child I did watch a man, with one Y-shaped stick, try to find a best placement of a new house and perhaps a new well out in a farmers field. This was for a friend of a friend and I don’t know how much they paid him. And who knows how what he was thinking – the stick was Y shaped and the long end would lean towards the ground, like a needle on a mechanical gauge. I would like to think if one earnestly prayed for where do dig for water, the Lord would give you a sense without needing the stick. I know prayer works. I do believe that God gave me a hunch that day I lost my crab overnight in the house, I prayed, I was led to the exact corner of the laundry room where I found him, covered in dust. I believe in God’s power and mercy and grace.
I’m sure king Manasseh was shaken up well by God’s punishment, by “letting” him get overrun by foreign armies and taken away to Babylon (*they put a hook in his nose!*). The scriptures say Manasseh repented BIG TIME. SORRY LORD! Perhaps this is where the phrase “oh man!” could be applied, “oh MANasseh, you went too far”… and God watched you go there too…
“took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly…”
Manasseh repented and repaired and removed false and brought back worship of TRUTH. God intended His HOPE for the people to continue thru that line of David to when Jesus would arrive. Repentance and restoration, this is for us, for all, and all thru Jesus.
What about us? Can we drift and go down wrong paths? Yes. Can we repent and return to His Path, His Worship? Yes Yes. YES!!!!
Over and over again we are taught how others went astray and we have to be careful ourselves not to be whisked away from our Godly sense, an uncommon sense as well as our common sense of right and wrong. Just like we shouldn’t indulge in OVERDOING it with all the yummy but cheap glossy candy bars lining wide paths of destruction to our sensible eating, we must choose wisely (with wisdom) to FOLLOW THE LORD and not the glitzy lights of false gods or goo. Go for the BEST candy sweets in moderation, and the NARROW path of sweet salvation with FULL devotion.
I am not perfect, no one is, just Jesus IS perfection. Yet we can try fresh each day to sacrifice our own glitz to follow His True Light.
Manasseh made amends, we can make AMENS and believe in the forgiveness of God and repent.
Repent and be restored.
Amen
*and WHEW, Thank You God!
2 Chronicles 33
Manasseh King of Judah
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” In both courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.
The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.
Afterward he rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David, west of the Gihon spring in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate and encircling the hill of Ophel; he also made it much higher. He stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.
He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the Lord, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. Then he restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel. The people, however, continued to sacrifice at the high places, but only to the Lord their God.
The other events of Manasseh’s reign, including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel. His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself—all these are written in the records of the seers. Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.
The moon shows us that each dark night is dipped into the light of the next day… Night is just waiting patiently, silently, peacefully to be overtaken by morning… Morning WILL come.
Our sin and our whole selves are dipped in a cleansing LIGHT for the next LIFE, God’s Light. We are covered in Jesus’s blood and now we SHINE white-as-snow – no blemishes – no doubt. We are His because He loved us before we were even created. He was and is and will be.
Jesus WILL come again for us – He will meet us in the sky.
Keep watching for His Light.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Short and stern message over and over again in the old testament scriptures:
DON’T MOCK GOD!
DON’T TURN AWAY FROM GOD!
King Hezekiah was faithful and wow God blessed his people when they took the time to offer gratitude to God.
PRAISE GOD FIRST!
TRUST GOD!
Hezekiah had a kingdom of the people of Judah in the southern divided kingdom containing David’s city, now embedded in modern Jerusalem) … Well, the king of Assyria came after them and their riches and MOCKED God. So, the first thing Hezekiah did was block off the water supply outside the city (The city of David was flanked by the Central Valley and Kidron Valley). Then he repaired walls, kept up his defenses. (We too must channel the flow of living water in ourselves, also build up and repair the walls of toughness against ridicule, all while staying alive and staying faithful. )
There is a great book with photos of Hezekiah’s tunnel for the water, and recreated renditions of David’s city, available as a PDF WITH PHOTOS here: https://www.generationword.com/jerusalem101/19-city-of-david.html The walls and tunnels of Hezekiah’s time still exist, 2700 years later!
Well, Hezekiah blocked the water from the Assyrians and had to endure hearing all the mocking. Hezekiah and prophet Isaiah called out in prayer. God thru an angel destroyed the whole Assyrian army. The king Sennacherib was then killed by his own flesh and blood. Hezekiah was faithful and rescued and respected.
Mocking people and Mocking God, we should not do either. Even the evil people are made in God’s image, so surely this pertains to Jesus telling us to love our enemies. Put on our armor of God. We should let God handle the rest. God’s got angels and His own anger. We’ve got praise and prayer. We’ve also got forgiveness and so many reasons to love as we are loved. Forgiveness is MUCH stronger than the weapons waged against you. Forgiveness overcame even death.
After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.
He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there: “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it’?
“Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand? Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand? Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!”
Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. The king also wrote letters ridiculing the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.
King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.
So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side. Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.
Don’t worry: Jesus said: not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you…
A leaf that changes from green to the reds and oranges and yellows in the fall is absorbing back the vital magnesium (Mg) from the center of the chlorophyll molecule. Carbon, Hydrogen. Nitrogen, Oxygen and Magnesium held together “just so”. Leaves are modifying and producing pigments and allowing the leaves to go thru a “natural” process of aging, recovering Nitrogen from protein breakdown and recovering other nutrients (like the Mg) for next spring’s leafing out and fruit production. Absorbed is the light needed for photosynthesis production and life. Plants have multiple types of chlorophylls, anthocyanins and carotenoids which color the plant parts we see and eat. The color we see is from reflection of the light wavelengths not absorbed.
This is where I mention Jesus as the Light, not from the sun, not from a reflection of God, but from Himself being God, One with God. He IS the Light of the world, and we ARE blessed to both absorb Him and reflect Him and to let Him shine thru us.
Perhaps in our phase of life or year we are leafing out, ready to work all summer. Perhaps our lives are preparing for winter, slowing down some work like photosynthesis but still very active like accumulating vital nutrients for the whole tree to keep living. Perhaps it is time to let go of our tree life this year and venture out to the piles of groundcover to travel all around with the wind (Holy Spirit lead me). Perhaps we can join in with others to be a jumping pile for JOY, or be creature comfort cover for winter warmth (for both plants and animals or for people in need of our collective warmth). Perhaps and eventually we can be what breaks down and replenishes the ground with our nutrient gifts. Breaking down does not mean giving up, it is often for giving back. We replenish others with what we don’t need as we move forward.
MOVE TOWARDS THE LIGHT.
Amen
A poem:
Falling for Jesus
…
Jesus and we are to be living His Reflection, each of our days.
Jesus and we, like leaves, have temporary physical earthly stays.
Jesus and we can FOREVER live Spiritually our relationship together in all His Ways.
…
Falling for Jesus
…
Jesus and we are to be reflecting His Life’s Life for all to see.
Jesus and we only have minimal time on this tree.
Jesus and we must know our ultimate phase is so very Heavenly.
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
A favorite song lyric: “You have every failure, God, You have every victory…”
His juices flow in my dreams, I’m creative but not to that level. I just now woke up from being a fly on the wall for Queen Elizabeth’s personal life away from the cameras and then later talking to Sir Paul McCartney and transcribing down a new catchy song he was creatively assembling in his head and guitar fingers, spilling it out in rhyme. It was going to be a great song, I could tell, more of a Wings song than a Beatles song, LOL. I missed writing the 3rd verse in the dream, and of course didn’t write any of it down for real because I was dreaming. I can witness in wakefulness now that the real reels turning in my head were/are God’s creativity.
“You have every failure, God, You have every victory“
And somewhere after the jumbled untangling dreams with the Queen’s insights of avoiding being followed, (trying to find private time for herself) and later learning about heartache from Paul McCartney and later how his creativity juices just bubbled up to song, I was then INTERRUPTED from a strong dream that was starting to go bad, starting to be very harmful to my ego.I knew waking up it was rubbish.
Dreaming must be God combing our brain folds as He combs our hair. When He is taking time curating and straightening out thoughts being knit in our brain folds, it is as if He is separating the seeds from the chaff or picking the bad thought briers from our knit sweaters, those pesky seeds who come along like hitchhikers. He is getting us to a better state, pruning us.
God is always looking to bless us, teach us. He is much more elaborate and vast and minutely detailed than each of us could comprehend. In this goof turned bad dream, my emotions were threatened to being exposed instead of me quietly taking in criticism. I was being hard-pressed and perplexed in spirit but not crushed! NOT CRUSHED! God WOKE me up to show me the garbage He was throwing away. God was separating the harvest of thoughts like He separates the delicate good wheat from the weeds sub-planted by the evil one.
God’s creativity in me is His. God’s love in us is His.
In this dream I was being singled out and maybe legitimately, but the criticism was manufactuted by evil forces who did not place these into my head while being asleep, but placed the bad thorn seeds while I was awake, only to sprout later. That happens to all of us, perhaps as super sensitive folks we absorb the criticism too much. I hate being criticized, and in the dream I was being criticized or observed by an external unknowlegable person for something that was NOT previously stated as something being measured, a metric made up artificially for tracking. It doesn’t matter to explain this, just know that THIS IS WHERE GOD INTERVENED, halted the train of destructive thought, WOKE ME UP.
God’s combing every hair on our heads, both because He knows them and because He is picking out the gum that some evil influence tossed at us. God’s purification is complete when Jesus covers us with His blood. Blood over blemishes.
“The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity”
Let God complete the good work He started in us! (Ok back to bed, good dreams God please!)
Amen
—-
“Taking all I have, and now I’m laying it at Your feet
You have every failure, God, You have every victory”
I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low
Remind me once again just who I am because I need to know
Ooh-oh
…
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
And you say I am held when I am falling short
And when I don’t belong, oh You say I am Yours
And I believe (I) Oh, I believe (I)
What You say of me (I) I believe
…
The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity
Ooh-oh
…
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
And you say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say I am Yours
And I believe (I) Oh, I believe (I)
What You say of me (I) Oh, I believe
…
Taking all I have, and now I’m laying it at Your feet
You have every failure, God, You have every victory
Ooh-oh
…
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say I am Yours
And I believe (I), Oh, I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe
—-
Matthew 13:24-30, 34-43
The Parable of the Weeds
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
I’ve been reading and reading about good kings and bad kings in divided kingdoms in Chronicles, restoring the temple, robbing and ruining the temple, listening to God thru His prophets and ignoring them… Their loyalty or cruelty caused the people to follow or not, then the Israel’s and Judah’s people were whisked away to captivity…
So much history. The Word folds it’s to us, His listening people, in multiple sets of scriptures of the same important timeframe… and we can see this is all in preparation for Jesus to come as the Messiah. King Hezekiah had Prophet Isaiah to teach them, and us, both that God kept His Word and that the Word was fortelling Himself becoming flesh…
This preparation of the Word is both telling of the gathering of people from David’s bloodline and the needing of understanding WHY the bloodline is being preserved. Each turn of the good and bad kings is like folding a delicate batter over “in a fold” with a spatula. Each set of peoples another “fold” or flock of people Jesus came to save. These churnings and learnings are like KNEADING the earthly dough of the Bread of Life. Needing this Messiah, God’s leading was kneading and working His Word of Himself into the world.
Our reading and reading is like kneading and needing His Word in us.
Jesus Was and Is and Is to come, never changing as God, but humbling Himself to help us here get up there.
These “good” and “good turned bad” kings returned to listening for stretches of time, similarly God was stretching the dough. They listened to the prophets and this dough was proofing Itself (as Jesus is fully Gid) and gaining rise, until He allowed Himself knocked down for the Final Bake. Done. Knock on the Bread of Life and hear Him knocking back on your door, asking you to remember Him when He is broken…
God’s forever Temple restored in Heaven’s Kingdom with Jesus’s Sacrifice – never to crumble again. Now we are gathering the crumbles of the remnants of peoples. Now Jesus IS calling in ALL His Flocks back into His Folds. May we pray they hear with opened ears.
Hezekiah brought people back to celebrate the Passover. Jesus IS the lamb slaughtered for us, we are covered in His Blood. Hezekiah prayed for those who did not come clean and God forgave them. Jesus came to clean and God forgives us. “…and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.”
Jesus came. Jesus is the now-leavened RISEN Bread. He was and is proof of His bloodline foretold. Jesus took the Time to save us.
May we realize our need of His knead and Rise with Him!
Amen
—
2nd Chronicles 29:1-12
Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.
In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him. They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel. Therefore, the anger of the Lord has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes. This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity. Now I intend to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.”
Then these Levites set to work……
—
2nd Chronicles 30:1-9, 17-20, 26-27
Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover
Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written. At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read: “People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. If you return to the Lord, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”
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Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs[a] to the Lord. Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
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There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.
Over and over and over again, Second Chronicles talks about kings who follow the Lord for a little bit then their PRIDE gets the best of them. Let’s try to not be so prideful as Christians, as Americans, as anything. However we are human and flawed and we are going to be proud of many things. I know that I get personally prideful of LOTS of things, so I need to tell myself more often that it’s a blessing not a boast. Yes, we (especially me) must have more praises of thanks to God over any pride… As we seek the Lord, let us kneel humbly in awe over standing proud
King Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of [priest] Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.
Second Chronicles 26 recounts an episode of this king Uzziah (mostly good at the beginning) of getting carried away, then being afflicted by leprosy instantly. His plight reminds us that we best not get too big for our britches!
A friend posted a share from a Facebook page that used pride and Christian in the title. I’m not sure they posted anything skrtchy, but the title scared me… As Jesus did, surely we all should TRY to walk away from even getting close to straddling the line of prideful showboating or strutting, and instead hope to hold onto humble gratitude.
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. Psalm 13
Here is king Uzziah’s story, he and we are not perfect but God’s line thru the House of David was kept intact. It brought HOPE, brought us Jesus to take our sins away. We don’t deserve this but Jesus saved us anyway. Now, we won’t be blemish-looking to God when He sees Jesus’s sacrificial coverage over our skin. Jesus saved our skin.
Be humble AND happy. Amen
Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king [of Judah], and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years.
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His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”
Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.
King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house—leprous, and banned from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.
Thru my desert wandering in life, I never stopped talking to God. We discussed everything… We still do, but sometime (many times) I neglect to Listen. So, when I forget to check in with Him, as can happen often, I find that He has never left me – He leaves me not JUST a breadcrumb-of-life trail back to Him, but also the freedom to view the dust trail I left behind, walking away… However, Jesus says “Look Forward. Walk Forward.” And thru His love, He is washing that dusty trail away. Jesus Reigns and Rains.
Dust is from Him as we are human and made from His dust. Our paths can be quite varied but always better when we walk WITH Him. He will keep us safe, let us find that narrow passage back.
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
People who have sprouted in the thorny soils (see Luke 8) get choked away from their faith – people who are in rocky soil have no depth and will fade away… I myself was the dry soil – I did not know Christ until I knew Christ – I had blockages of “show me the data”. I believed that Jesus could have been a prophet with a publicist – and even though I trusted God 100% and believed in the Holy Spirit, I was not knowing in my heart how the mystery of Three in One was not something to solve but something to believe and be in AWE for. So it was God who brought me to Jesus using the Holy Spirit to direct our Way…
The Gospel is written for different audiences – we too can study soils, personality types, and with the Holy Spirit help, we can be gentle breezes of convincers or thunderous convincers. Often we find that the people don’t know what they don’t know, so who are we to judge…. We can be like paraclete Philip and explain things… We can add Jesus-like actions to hydrate dry dust with Living Water.
Dust is all scattered… but the rains of Living Water will seep down into every crevice and every holdout. We can not hide from God and our Spirit does not want to.
Let the King Reign and Rain onto our Dusty Trails. We are made in His Image of His Dust, Let Him hydrate us all to Glory.
I had to go back to my cheat sheet (pictured) for 2nd Chronicles 22 23 24… perfect reading for a rainy day of staying inside… the names are a puzzle of A’s and J’s, but the stories are all about the good saves…
Summarizing, the good kings get killed and the bad kings get killed. Yup… And often at the hands of each other. Importantly, the southern divided kingdom, Judah, was where David’s descendants were kept as a blood line from where Jesus’s earthly Light would be born into. “Does anything good come from Judah?” They would ask later on… Well, YEAH!
So after GOOD king Jehoshaphat, his son king Jehoram was BAD, grandson king Ahaziah was also BAD plus his mother Queen Athaliah was SUPER BAD, she even revenged king Ahaziah’s death by killing the whole rest of the family except one. (Her son Ahaziah was killed by the north bad king Jehu… remember all north was bad, and south kings had glimmers of good in a few, very few). (If you think your family or people you know have family drama, surely Jesus can say: I UNDERSTAND! Both men and women good and bad… but God is not stopped. )
Ok, so here was a GOOD SAVE. Queen Athaliah killed the whole family line in Judah EXCEPT a hidden away baby, Joash, hidden for 6 years. Joash became king at age 7, he was good for a while, known for rebuilding Solomon’s temple. The woman who saved king Joash, Jehosheba, was a daughter of a king, sister of a king, wife of a priest Jehoiada. It is SO important that we can see many women in The Bible who were so very responsible for God’s mission on earth coming to fruition. Women bear fruit! Physically and emotionally and strategically. SO IMPORTANT that these women were in the right place at the right time.
It is also SO important that good priests kept faith and were advisors to kings! Even now. You don’t have to be a king to make a big difference in the kingdom. There’s a quote: “We are not on Earth to see how important we can become, but to see how we can make a difference in people’s lives.”
And so king Joash was protected by strong brave woman Jehosheba and strong brave priest Jehoiada. Evil Queen Athaliah lashed out “Treason, Treason” and was captured and put to death. The kingdom people rejoiced and under priest Jehoiada’s inspiration went out and destroyed the false god Baal’s idol worship areas. Priest Jehoiada made good counsel for king Joash, and helped the kingdom people restore the temple, paid the builders, keep the line of David intact by finding wives for Joash for their children to be born into David’s line.
Sadly, later after priest Jehoiada dies. Joash abandoned the temple of the Lord and worshiped false idols again. God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem. Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen. Peopleforgot/forget God and all He’s done...
Joash even forgot about the good done by priest Jehoiada and when his son, priest Zechariah, was filled with the spirit of the Lord and warned them, they stoned him to death by order of king Joash.
So, these good kings were not perfect and the temple was built and torn down, robbed, repurposed for worship of false gods again. What a contrast to the final GOOD TEMPLE, GOOD KING of all kings, Jesus. When Jesus came He said this Temple (meaning Himself) would be knocked down but RAISED FOREVER. Jesus got both the kingdom and us into the best GOOD SAVE.
Kings will come and go. But Jesus rules over all. (And how refreshing to see the saving work of so many women AND men in the Bible. This is Jesus’s story of us, the good the bad and the saved…)
Yes, Jesus, the Light from Judah, was and is OUR GOOD SAVE.
Amen
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Exerpts from 2nd Chronicles 22-24
[North king Jehu] went in search of (South king] Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.” So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom. When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
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Ch23:18on Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the temple of the Lord in the hands of the Levitical priests, to whom David had made assignments in the temple, to present the burnt offerings of the Lord as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as David had ordered. He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Lord’s temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.
He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the temple of the Lord. They went into the palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword.
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Ch24:
Joash Repairs the Temple
Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest. Jehoiada chose two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.
Some time later Joash decided to restore the temple of the Lord. He called together the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go to the towns of Judah and collect the money due annually from all Israel, to repair the temple of your God. Do it now.” But the Levites did not act at once.
Therefore the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, “Why haven’t you required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the Lord and by the assembly of Israel for the tent of the covenant law?”
Now the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the temple of God and had used even its sacred objects for the Baals.
At the king’s command, a chest was made and placed outside, at the gate of the temple of the Lord. A proclamation was then issued in Judah and Jerusalem that they should bring to the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God had required of Israel in the wilderness. All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly, dropping them into the chest until it was full. Whenever the chest was brought in by the Levites to the king’s officials and they saw that there was a large amount of money, the royal secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and carry it back to its place. They did this regularly and collected a great amount of money. The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who carried out the work required for the temple of the Lord. They hired masons and carpenters to restore the Lord’s temple, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the temple.
The men in charge of the work were diligent, and the repairs progressed under them. They rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it. When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made articles for the Lord’s temple: articles for the service and for the burnt offerings, and also dishes and other objects of gold and silver. As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the Lord.
Now Jehoiada was old and full of years and he died at the age of a hundred and thirty. He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple.
The Wickedness of Joash: After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. They abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem. Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.
Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’”
But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.”
At the turn of the year, the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people. They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus. Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the Lord delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash. When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
Those who conspired against him were Zabad, son of Shimeath an Ammonite woman, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith a Moabite woman. The account of his sons, the many prophecies about him, and the record of the restoration of the temple of God are written in the annotations on the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.
I told coworkers, both junior and super senior to me about a work seminar, “Executive Motherhood”, which I took time to attend last week. It was about thinking STRATEGY vs EXECUTION to get stuff done. So I remembered and suggested to them this GREAT video as a GREAT reminder for “putting first things first” (which you know works even better when we put the Lord first and give Him our burdens). The four-minute video below is a Franklin Covey effective habit, putting big rocks into a jar first then the little ones. It doesn’t work otherwise. Please watch it or the many videos like it. Little pebbles or sand represent the many small things that clog the way of big important things to place in your life. Yet the small stuff also is important to get done. It’s all about what you do first.
Put the best and biggest rocks (and Rock) FIRST in life, that’s the recommendation for how we are to structure our days. Of course this concept really is about the Lord of our days, letting Him lead our ways, being our foundation. We also see over and over again in scripture how God blesses the praising, the preparation, the obedience, and the moments we let Him Work for us. Be Still and know He is Lord.
It’s not a surprise but an amazing wonder that when I rearranged my thinking these past few days, that God got me super organized and got me focused… and I finished many things work-wise with good gaps for enjoyment too, like an hour phone call with a friend inside an arboretum near work as my late lunch. One thing that got pushed on me as super urgent last week was, but I knew the other folders on my desk were so close to being finished and more pressing and more deadline looming And with any new projects, we can see more time being wasted in freak outs over work. But that all subsides when we all get down to business). How I responded first was in prayer then rearranged just so slightly those folders (physical and mental), then I worked on the urgent project enough to placate the worriers and the planners, and I was then gifted back the incentive to clear out those old things from my plate. Now I both have more time to work on this AND someone took something off my plate too. Now I have found that in serving, God found a short window of opportunity for me to travel up home too (early next week). FIRST THINGS FIRST. In life, in family, in work, in everything. Yeah, the Lord arranged and worked me to rework my head. That how He led.
Each day let us start with the Lord as a FIRM FOUNDATION. He can Plan like no other. REALLY!!!
Clearly the Lord is the BIGGEST Rock for us. PUT HIM FIRST. Put Him first ESPECIALLY because He WAS here first and He already knows our future (not in predetermined fate but in prepared walk with Him).
Each day can shake out in His Way.
Rock of Ages. (Don’t take Him for granite).
Amen
(PS that granite joke is accredited to a great preacher friend who is a reacher to people for God… thanks)
A dear friend just lost his pet, so many years a great companion… Truly the dog was a gift from God to my friend, just as many of our pets are to us. He was a good dog. They took care of each other. To each other they were a Godsend.
This friend was/is also a preacher and one day he was telling the special needs adult group at a church service about his dog and you could have heard a pin drop in the sanctuary, they intensely paid attention to him talking about his sweet dog. He was clearly conveying a message about the love of the dog.
Likewise, on the few weeks I visited, when my friend was preaching the gospel to these folks (and their caregivers), just about 5 or 10 minutes, it always seemed the special needs adults mostly calmed quietly. Less jittery. Less distractions. Less noise. It was mysteriously marvelous. They were clinically mentally challenged, but it seemed that when the Word of God was spoken, they were faithfully fulfilled by the Good Word in that good environment. That’s not just cool, that’s God. And how amazing that He IS a Good Good God. That’s the mystery of His Ways.
“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.” 1Cor2
I also listened intensely and intently whenever my friend would preach the Word. I was drawn to TRUTH and even now realize I was living as if the Lord was cracking open the unopened unwrapped newness in my gift of Spirit. And my Spirit still has yearn to learn. One day, a separate moment, our pastor was saying how amazed he was that the Word, that this first preaching friend said, had touched him so deeply, such perfect timing. My friend said: “Well you know that’s not me, right?” That’s truth for us to remember, the Spirit uses us to reach others.
God not only has control of our situations, He has something to teach us about ourselves, and always something to say thru His Word. He calls us to listen, but it is how “in tune” we are that helps us comprehend what He means. Inside us is where we can comprehends the Spirit spoken. The Spirit hidden there wants to be aware, because God Himself placed and holds Himself protected inside us. Jesus asked God the Father for this Advocate to be with us.
The Holy 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. 1Cor2
God’s servants serve the Spirit.
Another friend preacher, who listened to the Spirit within, made a move to an army training base as a chaplain. Great to follow him on Facebook. He’s been baptizing many many army recruits, as adults becoming aware of theircommitment to the LORD’S ARMY. So beautiful to see this movement of the Lord. Over the weekend this preacher moved up one soldier in the crowd watching the baptism line who was in full tears, knowing the movement of the Spirit. He was baptizing him in full uniform. All watching, by the Spirit, truly knew this was the life changing movement of the Lord’s Spirit FOR the Lord FOR that soul.
God knows us, so He sent Himself to help.
Each of us fully human are continually tapping more and more into our Spirit from Him, IF we listen and obey. Our Spirits get unwrapped from the protective wrapping inside, just in God’s Timing. This Spiritual awakening awareness can be heard as a continual crinkle inside our souls of the plastic wrap coming off, a need for our souls to ABSORB the Living Water of Jesus, hydrating and healing. We are a Spirit Sponge, actually we are spiritual mud made from dust which absorbs the water laid on us by our Potter, our Creator. Our vessels made stronger by the hard pressing of the world outside, but don’t crumble because of the building by the Spirit from within. God’s dust holds water.
He IS a Good Good God. God holds His Hope for us inside. Our GPS, our God Positioning System, TRUST HIM.
Amen
(Just now, my Godsend of a cat jumped up as I finish, she sits patiently as if an angel told her to chill.)
I believe in God the Father, Jesus His Only Son, and the Holy Spirit, God three in One.
With Him, our dust has just begun.
Amen Amen
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Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.
With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
I should make a poster of this song’s lyrics. “He Is“… I only first heard it just driving home from a blessed but BUSY weekend. Whew. We keep going with God’s grace and power. He IS always there. He is all that we are needing.
I played the song 4 times in a row. Powerful song. Powerful God. He is all these things, God just IS the GREAT I AM. He IS.
God in Three, all powerful Thee.
He IS!
Amen and please listen and read the scripture lyrics. He does get you thru good and bad and everything.
Amen
He is, by David Crowder.
Based upon many scriptures especially the names of God.
I am an observer for sure, a scribe of my own witness as some have called me… so especially I know that the Lord has everything that we see (and do not see) all under control! Even if we can not fathom the short term, the long view is a MUCH better perspective anyway… the Lord has a long view and a long reach…
Interesting retrospective of my own battles that the Lord won. I have been re-reading an email to a friend from 3 years ago – when I moved to a new praise band in a new church… with that band, I started preparation for a dramatic reading for a substitute preacher, the reading was about Jehosephat, letting the Lord fight your battles… I had never heard of Jehosaphat and now I love being reminded of him! I knew his story related then (wow it really did) and wow I see how it relates here too because He STILL is fighting our battles ahead of us! And I can 100% say that 3 years ago I was dealing with many situations that the Lord has now resolved now…
So, in my reading thru the old testament – this is the chapter I wish everyone could be reading right now… THE CRUCIAL MESSAGE IS THAT THE LORD HAD JEHOSAPHAT SEND OUT THE PRAISE TEAM FIRST. Yes, Praises first and then God takes care of the rest. The next cool message to learn is that the PRAISES to GOD were used by God to make noise that scared the warring factions. They thought that the praises were the battle starting… Well, that IS true, when we praise, God is already fighting our battles.
I always want to become more aware of how and why God wins. Plowing forward in His service, the take home message always is to keep moving and yet keep still, keep trusting the Lord, look for where He makes your paths straight….
As for three years and more, it floors me the ways the Lord has been working healing ways into my days in new ways. For the new band, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that I was transported like Philip out of one scene into the next, with enough of an overlap and a clear path that became an explanation to me. And because of taking a servant attitude as opposed to “fighting for my agenda”, the Lord made it very clear a path… When covid hit, my time with that band also shut down and I moved forward into the Lord’s service at home with my children until the Lord moved me into another situation… in all these things, He went ahead.
I was redirected, but God was not stopped.
He never will be.
Amen
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2 Chronicles 20
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
“But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing[d]and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
Well, this Facebook screenshot of a quote speaks volumes. It says “love difficult people, you are one of them.” Bob Goff.
Now, we are to know THE TRUTH: GOD is love, God IS love, God is LOVE. And as difficult as people can be, us included, He still loves them.
God can’t regret love.
So, we tend to add human emotion to God, but His essence IS love, He adds His Spirituality to us… God can’t regret love because He is Love. God demonstrates that ALL THE TIME. We know difficult people and we too are difficult and yet He loves us. He just loves.
There is a classic issue when you want someone punished but God still blesses, well tough, we are supposed to forgive… We have all been there, judging and doling our love out in an eyedropper whereas God’s love is a great flood. So, WOW, isn’t it better that our God is a forgiving God to ALL? Forgiveness for us when we look to Him and ask. Thank God! God remembers and thru forgiveness we appear to Him as cleansed. That’s what it means to be washed in Jesus’s blood. God set up the whole system of loving the sinner, not the sin. Was it difficult for Jesus in death? Well it wasn’t easy, but to Jesus it was worth it.
God takes no pleasure in punishment, but must still follow thru with dealing with people who turn away from Him.
There are many stories of people “not getting away with murder” in scripture – so God knows the good the bad and the ugly… And yet for us it’s ALWAYS true that we should forgive and let God get His due. Not us. We don’t revenge for God, He’s quite capable of His Own Way.
A tremendous story example of God punishing is about Jehoram, son of King Jehoshaphat. Jehoram was REALLY bad, not just difficult. He killed his family, led his people astray, and he certainly got his due from God’s punishment, which was foretold told thru Prophet Elijah. YIKES. (Read the story below, ICK!!!).
David’s line, however, was promised to remain IN TACT. INTACT. that’s why we need tact in dealing with difficult people. We need God armor and God Grace. “The Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever”. That’s Jesus !!!
One fabulous verse about evil bad Jehoram in the Bible: “He passed away, to no one’s regret”… yeah that’s real human emotion, and we should be aware that since God deals with each person individually, we can say “I left it up to God... ” – That’s easier when we FORGIVE and walk away… walking forward because that’s what God wants us to do. “I left it up to God with no regrets.. “
God gave us the HOPE of Jesus. God is LOVE. Don’t regret loving Jesus love if you find it tough to give your own. It may take a while, but it IS worth trying it God’s Way.
Always walk forward.
Amen
—
2nd Chronicles 21
Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king. Jehoram’s brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.
Jehoram King of Judah
When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless, because of the covenant the Lord had made with David, the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever.
In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king. So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night. To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah.
Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors. He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.
Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said:
“This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah. But you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better than you. So now the Lord is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.’”
The Lord aroused against Jehoram the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites. They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest.
After all this, the Lord afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. In the course of time, at the end of the second year, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain. His people made no funeral fire in his honor, as they had for his predecessors.
Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
here’s “yes men”, and then there’s “yes prophets” – often we want to hear what we want to hear, but not the truth. Sometimes you ALSO don’t want to be a “yes man” to someone, and many times you shouldn’t condone what you feel is wrong.
Silence is better than siding on the wrong side. Silence is even what Jesus held for the time He was already on His Way to die.
Yet before that silence, Jesus spoke His Peace. Jesus is the Message and the Messenger.
Sometimes we stand on principles, sometimes on pride. Pride will trip us up. Pride is sin when we should be humble. Stepping into an unknown situation is just like stepping into a dark unknown cave, duck rather than hit your head. Don’t let “our way” stand in His Way. We are human of course and God knows that, we get carried away. So, what do you think God wants us to stand on, the Truth, the Rock which will not sway… that makes our narrow path navigate-able. Wide is destruction, narrow is necessary. If we take a moment to reflect with just God, for our life situations, especially consulting the scriptures over the “yes men”, we will hear the still small voice. Be quiet enough to hear.
King Ahab, of the northern divided kingdom of Israel, met up with King Jehoshaphat of the South, in Judah of the divided kingdom (Old testament Chronicles), he called upon “yes men” prophets and wanted to ignore the one prophet Micaiah (whose voice he tried to “still” and eventually put in prison) who told him what he DIDN’T want to hear, that the king would die in battle. What’s worse, is that God allowed the “yes men” to lie, or only get out half the REAL story.
Only ONE out of 400 spoke the truth: Micaiah (having clear knowledge of God’s message, and having been kept apart from the others). One might think they too must have realized Micaiah had a truthful vision. But no. The 400 told King Ahab of a delusion that the king was buying into (like us hoping to get riches with a pyramid scheme of something too good to be true)…
The prophet Micaiah even got slapped across the face. He chided the mocker by saying that he would hear it from the Lord in the quiet time, inner room. Micaiah chose to speak the truth, was imprisoned, and yes, the king died in the war with the neighboring lands. Why did God make the message of truth deeply needing to be sought after? Because the Way is narrow, we have to seek the Lord ourselves to hear. We need to listen to the still small voice. We need our inner room.
Don’t let death or punishment deter you from speaking the truth. Micaiah spoke, Jesus spoke, the truth wants to be known.
Listen…
Amen
2nd Chronicles 18
Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.” But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord.”
So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Go,” they answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”
The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.
So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.” Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’” All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.”
When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for they will be given into your hand.”
The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’”
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”
Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’
“One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
“‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.
“‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.
“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
“So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”
Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.
Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”
The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son, and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”
Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him, for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.
But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. The king told the chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.
“Do not be afraid or discouraged….. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
There’s nothing more clear when reading the Bible than to know the TRUTH that God goes ahead. Even the world ends (read ahead to Revelation) and yet God has our future planned. God goes ahead.
This next section of scripture in Chronicles I knew was coming when I saw a distinctive name: King Jehoshaphat – and oh how amazingly God went ahead. It was not only next in my scripture readings, it was laid next in my heart, next in my walking the old testament with Jesus as if they are His home-away-from-Home movies. Jumping Jehoshaphat, it’s all about PRAISINGGOD.
Of course like popup popcorn storms, the same message in real life situations started showing up in lots of ways this week. Start praising God first was a message in one Bible story, Jesus as a Good Shepherd going first in one sermon, waiting upon God in another Bible study, and this next section of Jehoshaphat. Plus life itself, I’ve heard a lot this week: of “Wait, just let Me go first.” And trust me sometimes that is venturing inch by inch into some situations. Let God go first.
I’ve even been named Deborah, who in the Bible had said: God already went first. Praise Him first because He deserves it. Then listen to the plan. Be His. How many times has God gone first in your life? Defender is a great song to remind us He fights our battles so that we don’t.
Jehoshaphat’s story I first heard when asked to read and praise as a praise band member in a new church that I felt led to. The sermonist, a retired preacher, seemingly was lined up by God for me to hear. I was translocated there for a season. God went first. King Jehoshaphat was King Asa’s son, they were both good kings in Judah, the south of the divided kingdom. Both were reforming the church behavior in ways as God asked Moses’s time to behave. Not everything got done, but they themselves dedicated themselves to listening to God. (And when you are in a battle, you need to.) Jehoshaphat was instructed to PRAISE FIRST and vast huge armies waring against him canceled themselves out by fighting each other, leaving Jehoshaphat to simply take all the winning plunder. God went first. “Cancel culture” has nothing on this, God’s ability to win is TOTAL and for His Good. Even God put words in prophets mouths to stack the deck (see previous chapters) in Jehoshaphat’s favor.
How about us? Endless situations we all have can demonstrate God going first. If we hide under His Wing then surely before any fighting begins we can ride out of a situation with Him.
I know that we have faced many battles, but think of the ones we have NOT faced because God went ahead of us. Even death has lost its sting.
If I do anything today, I should start my day WITH PRAISING HIM!
Amen
—–
More:
Here’s a devotion I already wrote! And a song so perfect by Keith Green -it really is about praising first.
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said:
“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
“But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord,for his love endures forever.”
As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign
So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.
The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.
Isn’t it hard to go back to work after a vacation? Or any stretch of time? Or maybe I need to get back to structure from this non-structured day… (or maybe need more of these open days to chase my cloudy blue head away). In either case, it’s good that I had a vacation break day.
Unstructured enough to both be relaxing but also too relaxing to make it feel unproductive… but I wasn’t unproductive and yeah, it’s good to simply not labor so much on a break day… of course we could say it’s good to not work too much on a work day too. But my BIGGEST temptation for the start of the new week is to work work and labor labor and not consult God first. Love Love.
Temptation is going in thinking that I have to deal with work all alone. Or any day all alone. I don’t. I shouldn’t. I won’t.
Nothing will work anywhere without God’s love bringing us there and again back home.
Temptations cat treats are tasty but unfilling for a cat. The temptation of going it alone for a known or unknown, often leads to taking credit or blame… personal wins are temporarily tasty for your ego, but unfilling and unfulfilling… personal failures are prideful pitty parties.
DON’T go it alone. GO WITH GOD.
Amen
—
1 John 4: 2-6 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
I have passed into reading about Solomon again (again, because this section of the old testament goes over the same stories at least twice in King and Chronicles with a wisdom reminiscing in Psalms and Proverbs). So, I am now reading (again) about kings and battles in the Divided Kingdom… and with these names (again) it is TOUGH going… But I know WHERE we are going… These are all Jesus telling His-story history.
I’m grateful for these timeline pamphlets, which show the parallel stories between Kings and Chronicles. Most importantly for me I have visualized clues to understand that all the kings in the north essentially were bad and drove those kingdoms into the ground, got defeated and sent the whole population into exile. Grumble, crumble, collapse. I also absorbed a very important nugget of knowledge about the southern situation, that after Solomon, his son Rehoboam was the 1st of some BAD kings that caused the divided territory. Remember the finery of the temple just a few veres ago? Randsacked. Stolen. Solomon’s son Rehoboam HAD to move to the south for his safety. He moved to a region named for Judah, one of the 12 branches from Jacob.
So over half the kings in the south were “bad”. ALL the kings in the north were considered “bad”. It was because they didn’t listen to God… BAD!!!… and eventually everything crumbled in the north… exile by being run out of town, deportation, despair… not good… we should not be surprised that the old days weren’t so golden… our memories may want us to think life was more simple but clearly not.
Crumbled and yet from this collapse came Hope and rebirth for God’s sake, for our sake, God allowed and instilled into the scene some future Hope, spoken in prophecy, for Jesus’s earthly beginnings came from the areas in Judah. Hope of hope, a Light of the world foretold by prophets for the future. Hope held by David and known by Solomon. Hundreds of years, hope was passed on like a treasure much more valuable than Solomon’s riches. Hope was instilled even in Jesus’s disciples who asked if He came to restore the earthly kingdom of Israel then. Well, Jesus was on a mission to restore God’s Kingdom forever – Heaven and earth… Rebirth…
We all have a privilege and duty to listen to God. We have a Savior but we must be willing to be saved. We must understand both God has Power and Sovereignty, and thus fear the Lord’s rule. Fear enough to understand the love in it, the best interests for us is the best interest of Gid. We must see the beauty in the sunrises and in the sunsets, even if the days are evil. We must know we were made for days like these, times like these.
I think about times now when clearly the wishy-washy nature of the world gets us collectively in trouble. The divided kingdoms of the past become less of a surprise. The extent of brokenness of people is sadly nothing new. Like the Hope of Jesus rising from the crumbled ashes in Judah, we must recognize the rising of the Spirit within us. The grumbles of life intended to crumble our dependency upon earthly riches and rules.
We must be broken down to realize that our spirit rises best from shedding our selfish human skin, an exile to our human pride, a grumble then crumble of our groaning, to be reborn in the Spirit, humbly reborn in Jesus.
Each day be reborn into the day.
We live in this world, but are not of this world. And we best walk not with kings of earth but by the side of the King who carries us. We do continue even if we don’t conform. Live in the day, let tomorrow worry about itself.
Restore your Hope. You are rescued. Jesus is King.
Amen
—
Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord Godof their fathers. 2nd Chronicles 13:18
We are different from each other – we really are – and I was reminded of this recently by the similarities of two actors whom I thought were one person: Bernard Fox who appeared in Hogan’s Heros and Bewitched, and David Tomlinson who appeared in Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Well, they ARE different – both witty British comedic actors – both a delight to watch – but individual people. We are all individuals with real roles to play.
God makes us unique. God knows what makes us into us, and knows every hair on our head, so He must also know each fold in our brain and feature of our face. Of course He knows every feature of our faith too. He knows what role we try to play but He knows us in truth, intimately in every way. We can not hide from Him.
In the time of the apostles, after Jesus came and was ascended to Heaven, there are two sets of people mentioned in the writings by Paul to encourage togetherness: Gentiles and Jews – two roles in God’s Real Play of people. God intended spreading of the Gospel of Good News to both groups, who had real divisions and real uniqueness. Paul reminded that Jesus did not come to abolished any role or make one type of person into another, but to make all these people into His people thru the advocate of His Holy Spirit.
Paul in his letter to the Ephesians chapter 2:14-22 was describing what Jesus did and does: “For he [Jesus] Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups [Jews and Gentiles] one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
We are being built together to become a dwelling place for God’s Spirit!
One of the biggest memories I have for my faith awakening is that the Lord Himself was in charge of it and He let me know that! He made me acutely aware that He knew where my faith was and wasn’t. His Holy Spirit knows and flows, but we must not clog our system with diversions and delusions! We may simply be unaware what the depth of faith in us could be, but we are as deep as He dwell in us. We must keep diving divinely deeper. The Lord knows how He tucked the folds of our faith inside each of us for when He chooses to unfold each crevices to open. He challenges us to walk new faith roads that have unfolded.
Your faith – my faith – our faith – He alone orchestrates the non-coincidences of placement of challenges and joys. He sends His Word to work in our lives… We need to share what we discover as we are given the command to spread the Good News.
He alone is Whom we praise. We are not to elevate even His saints or fellow men over Him. We already have direct access Him… He knew us before He made us.
It is OK to ask for help in our faith journey, I sure did. No two folds or paths are the same – but the Path itself, being narrow and not wide, is laid down by the One who opens it to lead us to walk towards Him.
Jesus desired and desires to shine within each of us – let us realize we are all IN Christ as He indwells in us.
There’s the phrase and truth that squeezing a handful of sand won’t hold on to it, but it will be lost. If you hold your palm out and open, you will hold more sand. Don’t be evil, greedy, or you will lose it all.
That’s what happened with the split of the Kingdom of Israel. Rehoboam, son of Solomon, squeezed his fist, tightened the reign of hardships into further evil ways, and lost sands of people, they were scattered and split. North and South Kingdoms.
Solomon and his father David were blessed by the Lord, even if their paths were sometimes rocky in walking. On the flipside to the wisdom held by Solomon, the son of Solomon, Rehoboam, consulted others in a wishy washy way – rejecting good advice and taking bad – “My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
And because Rehoboam was gaining in more evil of influences, which actually was allowed by God to fulfill prophecy, Rehoboam was rejected by the people who were supposed to be his subjects. This began the split of the Kingdom for centuries. The Kingdom of the South, in Judah, was made from the remnants of Solomon and David’s lines. The North was ruled by many kings. It was considered a time of Exile.
Yes, there has been strife for the Israelites ever since. Yet God kept the Way clear for the people by rebuilding hope from a remnant of Judah, a Light in the darkness, and Heavenly Kingdom restoration by sending Jesus. Jesus opened His Hand for reaching us. If Abraham’s children became as numerous as grains of sands, then Jesus is our Sand Sculptor, refilling the Kingdom of God. Judah was in the prophecy from where God would rebuild His House. We are blessed to be sitting in the Palm of His Hand.
Jesus as the Word was/is the Way people would learn prophecy. Jesus as the Word made flesh was/is how people would understand that He came to fulfill prophecy. Jesus as Servant, Shepherd, Son, and Savior, serves us all. He takes on the yoke of the heavy weight on us all.
Rehoboam sent the people away for 3 days then punished them, making the yoke tighter. Jesus went away for 3 days to take our punishment away, making our yoke light. Jesus is our Save.
Squeeze the fist, lose the sand…
Open the Kingdom, save the people.
Amen
—-
2 Chronicles 10-12
Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam
Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people went away.
Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.
They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”
But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “The people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” The king answered them harshly. Rejecting the advice of the elders, he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
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Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
The Queen of England was long lived in human years, and reigned a long time in God’s blessings. I am certain her faith helped her (its what keeps me going!) and that her faith inspired all who knew her. The Queen of England lived many years through wars, peace and personal and public strife. There is praise for the service and devotion of the Queen to her people and her people to her. The lines stretched for miles for hundreds of thousands to get the 60 seconds “private” personal moment with the Queen as she lies in state. A memory of a moment in history.
The history books contain long forgotten queens and kings, of both opulent and modest means, and it is said the average American lives just as well, having food and creature comforts, as kings and queens did back throughout the centuries. No doubt we are blessed. We do need to praise. The scriptures from King David and King Solomon tell us of opulent levels of gems, supplies, skilled workers, soldiers, food. 2nd Chronicles covers the riches upon riches of the Queen of Sheba and of King Solomon. Wow.
The scriptures tell us of something MORE valuable than all this opulence, WISDOM. Possessing WISDOM is most blessed.
Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave him more wisdom than we can imagine. God also gave him riches, even though he did not ask.
The Word is more wise than the world. Thus when we wonder and worry, we should wait upon the Word. Read the Word willingly, and wonder in it’s WISDOM. The Word IS the Way to Walk Through the Wishy-Washy World.
Wisdom of the Lord gifted to some is purposeful to allow others to appreciate God. Queen Sheba saw that Solomon’s God, the God of Israel, LOVED them and kept them well. She said: “Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.” This Queen of Sheba knew what blessings were and wanted to see with her own eyes what God-given wisdom was, and she PRAISED, learning the God of Solomon was so praise worthy.
Modern day seems to fade even modern memories away let alone good ones. Strife of countries is seemingly forgotten in the good times. Good times are broken by greed and strife as would happen in the generations after Solomon. It is written that God keeps kings and queens in power: to maintain justice and righteousness. (Even evil rulers are purposeful for God, He writes prophecy and fulfills it). For us in the 21st century, we must remember this too. For modern monarchies may or may not have political power directly, but there is always “soft diplomacy” – for them and for us – there is WISDOM to be shared.
Our wisdom tells us that we can count our blessings and if God wakes us up in the morning. We best grab good shoes and work for Him. We work as an encourager to His people. We work for rulers and earthly bosses as hard as we work for Him. We give praise up to God too, so that others can see that we know that He is our source of strength.
This is something that I must do more! Praise Him! I can’t imagine any other reason for my joy and energy than that He gives us strength and direction and hope and a Way to walk through the wishy-washy world.
And one day, when we rest with our ancestors, rest with Solomon and David and Queen Elizabeth, we will rest in God’s peace and plan.
Shine the Light, the world of weary travelers is watching. Walk in WISDOM.
Give God the Glory.
Amen
—
2nd Chronicles 9:1-9, 30-31
The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon
When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving 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 she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes 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 what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; 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 his throne as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
……Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.
…
See chapters 10-12 for the kingdom divides after Solomon’s son Rehoboam rebels against God. The people learned hard lessons: “… so that they may learn the difference between serving me [God] and serving the kings of other lands.”
I nestled in to sleep by 830pm Sunday, yes was so tired, a good tired from a busy weekend and a reflective Sunday, but really because my alarm was set 5 AM Monday. Surprisingly I woke earlier, 4 AM. Yes I was and am up so early for the funeral for Queen Elizabeth.
Busy Eyes and Busy Ears for all at the moment, at the service, by the security staff, by all family. Imagine what the great grandchildren will see and remember.
It’s not morbid or ambulance chasing, on my part. No, it’s not obsessive although some surely think it is. But I am not embarrassed to have busy eyes and busy ears. Now I have 3 live video feeds, different camera angles, and maintain a click routine of NOT MISSING ANYTHING, even knowing I can watch it all on YouTube “tape-recorded” for years later. For me, to watch is respectful, it is healing, it is processing. If sovereign leaders of state can fly over to sit hours for the service, I’m privileged too to watch on “TV”, in my pajamas, with a cup of tea. The cat doesn’t understand, she’s not stepping onto THIS laptop!
Was I ALSO awake SO early 41 years ago in 1981 (41 years ago??? Inconceivable WOW) for the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana as well? OH YEAH!!! I was 11 years old, an old TV in my room. Surely we were in fairy tale land with them. We (me, especially as a young teen) LOVED the spectacular spectacle. Fairy Tale. But shattered of course with the scandals and pain. It was not a Fairy Tale after all – and we all in life have realized: life without pain is not real life.
In comparison however to most people in the world, not sitting in cushy comfort like us, WE are their Fairy Tale. WE ARE BLESSED by privilege and provision.
Today however, I feel to be not JUST witnessing and living in a Fairy Tale of media and provisions but in a Faith Tale, to tell others about.
“Come Holy Spirit”
Billions just now heard “We beseech Thee Lord to raise us.”, “All in Christ shall be made alive”… Billions are being told of the Queen’s faith. Billions are learning there are church services filled with singing.
For this corruptible shall put on incorruptible… oh grave, where is they victory?… Thanks be to God… victory thru Jesus Christ…
A commentator said all these leaders surely feel their equalness with common folks, all in awe of the Queen. And for sure, all will know our equalness at the moment of death, we all will be humbled and judged by the real and only Lord God.
Psalm 42:1-7 was read, scriptures and songs… the Lord’s Prayer… the hymns…
So beautiful and comforting…
And then… … I feel asleep. Powerful peace for sure. Just a power nap but good enough rest, awaking in daylight at 7AM. My tea still warm. The cat resting now awaiting my wake up…
The videos I pause now and will rewind, watch again… Not missing the moments!!! I will replay for a bit and then move on… Even the Queen has already “moved on”… She did not have to wait for a procession to arrive to Heaven, only take a pause of the closure of her eyelids. She awoke with Jesus in her sightline. Death and Rest are are just a pause. She was lowered into the vault under the church – powered down on an elevator – we all paused to watch.
The pause of life, maybe death to life everlasting comes in that power nap fashion. I believe there is a real peace-recovering moment after we ourselves pass away. “Death, where is that sting?” I do believe that IN CHRIST, we will awake from the “powering down” on earth to be “powered up” in His Presence and in His Light and in His Forever.
In Jesus we live. We are not to fear death but we can not help but fear the pain leading up to it. Jesus knew this pain, Jesus knew this phase, Jesus knows our rescue was worth His death. Jesus knows our resurrection in Him will be worth it all. Peace is Jesus’s pursuit.
Imagine Heaven, imagine our BUSY EYES and BUSY EARS then! Imagine God’s Peace – for us – for Him – for all.
God save us all.
God teach us to count our days…
God bless and rest the Queen. Her service and services, a life of dedication.
What’s SO very special about gemstones, about gold and silver? The crown jewels of the UK, of many nations, are beautifully displayed as Royal crowns, scepter, orbs, swords and crosses, as we are reminded during this transition of the royal family. One of many crowns adorns Queen Elizabeth’s casket laying in state. So many gems whether cut or polished raw are beautiful. The replicas of the Bohemian crown jewels were spectacular enough for me to see, and yet the real ones must be extra stunning and too precious to display all the time. They remain locked away. They are too precious to risk being stolen? Or too precious to invest the materials and staff needed to keep them safe? The preciousness is surely enhanced by their beauty. Their uniqueness created by God, but their commercial value created by man’s commerce. Such is the way of the world. Why did God make such jewel stones? Why are they beautiful? And why is a simple flower that fades away even more beautiful and delicately made just for one day?
King Solomon in all his splendor (and he had a lot of splendor, see 2nd Chronicles chapters 2 thru 5, could build only a place for sacrifices to be offered, he knew God was too big to contain. God had made a covenant with them, and God renewed His covenant with Jesus, which was foretold in the scriptures. Solomon placed the Ark in the temple, a precious container containing the stone tablets of the Law from Moses and God. And then God came in to the place as a cloud. Surely God never left but the cloud here and the cloud and fire appearing in the wandering desert were a visual for God’s precious presence, His leading and His blessings. How now we must realize that the splendor is but a shadow sliver of the beauty of the Lord.
The temple so beautiful, the scale so precise and vast… the Lord so much more than all that. The Lord is precious beyond precious, His forgiveness infinitely more precious than all the earthly riches.
Solomon built a temple for worship, but God built the TEMPLE of His own Hope by placing Himself God thru Jesus onto earth, Jesus in human flesh. Jesus was there at the beginning and humbled Himself to be the sacrifice poured into and over anything offered in human-built temples. Jesus still offers this coverage of His forgiveness today.
Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.
Chapter 6 of 2nd Chronicles continues with describing how Solomon is flabbergasted in awe and wonder. In the words spoken by Solomon, he speaks in praise and wonders out loud if God will really dwell on earth. In chapter 7, the Lord God speaks to Solomon, of what will happen representatively to the temple (both the stone one and Jesus’s body) in the crumbling crushing of both due to sin (sin of man crumbles both).
Reading Solomon’s prayer given in the format of worship in front of the temple, we can gain further meaning by instead replacing the spoken word “temple” locations with “Jesus”, in chapter 6 and 7, and see how truly fitting the prayer is for Jesus directly!!!
Jesus was and is the temple torn down and raised up. Read these precious Words and know preciousnessisin the Saving, the Savior, the Forever faithfulness.
Focus on the “temple” and “altar” words underlined and realize that Jesus as the Word, as the Lord, as the Name above all names, IS the forgiveness and forgiving One:
“But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! Yet, Lord my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would putyour Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.“
Yes, God did come to dwell on earth, in the form of Jesus. He already existed and came. He will come again. Solomon knew and asked on behalf of the people: “then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.”
Jesus as Lord IS the forgiving power. Jesus is now the temple Sacrifice inside us to bring us forever home, to be His “very good” beauty adorning Heaven, even more precious than any gemstone. We are shining Him, the Rock.
Precious Jesus.
Amen
And please continue reading sections of Solomon’s temple praise of God and Jesus.
“When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple, then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.“
….
“When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
“Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
SO much stuff is on the internet – and so much stuff is on live TV – but a serious chunk of people (like me) have been watching the Queen’s coffin’s final travels and stops in so many wonderful cathedrals. I have been able to watch on internet TV – in the evening- condensing full 5 hour or 12 hour or 1 hour increments – many are there without commentary – the best way to not have people talking over your watching of the real emotions.
Some small commentaries are helpful – and fast forwarding is helpful because you really don’t have time to watch 12 hours… So I find the “on demand” news that interests me so much better than the regular news – so much more processing than tears – so much more interesting than not.
This 20 minute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQNPKyLmvAc is perfect capsule of a beautiful service entering Westminster Hall – and the singing is so perfect in young voices – singing the Psalms. Below I have posted the text of the service – the prayers are wonderful teaching scriptures. Oh what a blessing to have the Word layering into the World of houses and computers of so many people. The website with the scriptures has other pages filled with advertisements etc but on THIS page it is the scriptures that Jesus knows are laying out – not “In State” like the Queen – and not “In Static” like dead words – but “In Anticipation” for live people to pick up hearing the living Word – for Jesus wants to be heard. Living Word
If we wonder at the age of 2000 years after Jesus – how amazed we are at the chapel building being constructed 1000 years ago – in 1097 – halfway to us from when Jesus walked the earth before crucifixion and ascension – then they too must havebeenin awe for a thousand years they knew people kept the Word sacred for sharing. We have to be amazed that the reverence is there – the dedication is there – the Word is there. And yet aren’t we all simply catching up with Jesus? Because Jesus is not “going places” but WAS THERE and is ALREADY THERE. Jesus the Alpha and the Omega came for us and is now waiting for us – for all of us.
Catching up with Jesus – in order to kneel – the Queen’s guards laid their flags down on the ground at her feet. the Beefeater and soldiers rested and leaned into their weapons to bow their whole bodies. They paid tribute. We too one day will pay tribute to King of Kings, alongside with all earthly “kings” of leaders – and bow our heads and knees – some in worship and some in defeat – to the Word.
Jesus is the One who laid down His Life to be raised again. He wants us to be raised with Him – He raises Kings and Queens to follow Him. We can too.
Amen
Here is the service:
As the coffin enters, the choir of Westminster Abbey and the choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace sang the following from Psalms:
LORD, thou hast searched me out, and known me:thou knowest my down-sitting, and mine up-rising; thou understandest my thoughts long before. Thou art about my path, and about my bed: and spiest out all my ways. For lo, there is not a word in my tongue: but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether. Thou hast fashioned me behind and before: and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me : I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit : or whither shall I go then from thy presence? If I climb up into heaven, thou art there : if I go down to hell, thou art there also. If I take the wings of the morning : and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there also shall thy hand lead me : and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me : then shall my night be turned to day. Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day : the darkness and light to thee are both alike. For my reins are thine : thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made : marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. My bones are not hid from thee : though I be made secretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect : and in thy book were all my members written; which day by day were fashioned : when as yet there was none of them. How dear are thy counsels unto me, O God : O how great is the sum of them! If I tell them, they are more in number than the sand : when I wake up I am present with thee. Try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart : prove me, and examine my thoughts. Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me : and lead me in the way everlasting. GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. James O’Donnell (b 1961) Psalm 139: 1-18, 23-end
Following the song, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby opened with this prayer: O GOD, the maker and redeemer of all mankind: grant us, with thy servant Queen Elizabeth, and all the faithful departed, the sure benefits of thy Son’s saving passion and glorious resurrection; that in the last day, when all things are gathered up in Christ, we may with them enjoy the fullness of thy promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Archbishop of Canterbury then read a Bible passage from John 14: 1–6 in which Jesus comforts his disciples: LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Dean of Westminster David Hoyle then offered the following prayers: O MERCIFUL God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth and believeth in him shall not die eternally; who also hath taught us (by his holy apostle Saint Paul) not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them that sleep in him: we meekly beseech thee, O Father, to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness; that, when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him, as our hope is this our sister doth; and that, at the general Resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable in thy sight, and receive that blessing, which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee, saying, Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world: grant this, we beseech thee, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, our mediator and redeemer. Amen.
As our Saviour Christ hath commanded and taught us, we are bold to say: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Next, the choir sang the following motet: JESU, the very thought of thee With sweetness fills my breast; But sweeter far thy face to see, And in thy presence rest. Edward Bairstow (1874-1946) Bernard of Clairvaux (c 1090-1153) translated by Edward Caswall (1814-78)
David Hoyle then offered this collect, which is a prayer meant to gather the intentions of the people and the focus of worship: O GOD, the protector of all who trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
Welby then pronounced this blessing from Numbers 6: 24-26: UNTO God’s gracious mercy and protection we commit you: the Lord bless you and keep you: the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you: the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace: and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
I found these coloring card packs, of the Psalms and of the Proverbs. I like the compact advice, especially this in Proverbs 4:18 “The path of righteousness is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full of the day. ”
I have started to understand righteousness by thinking of the mechanical process of being righted, and the spiritual process of being made more Jesus-like, that we will “look right” forgiven in God’s eyes. Being righted like a flag or anything that falls down, being made upright. Righteousness in the Lord BY the Lord. He burns brighter in us, we stand taller by His strength, we walk a more and more sure path. Not an easy path is promised but a sure one. Like the morning sun, the path becomes clearer within a cloudy foggy world. If anything, the ever increasing sunshine helps you know you are headed the right way in righteousness of Him who placed that Sun in perfect alignment for life.
There is a cute video of a baby giraffe who needed orthotic braces to walk until His legs healed – and then he was “righted”. The last video shot shows the giraffe ready to rejoin his family.
God gives us life BRACES to help start our walk, Jesus’s GRACES help us keep walking, and God’s Holy Spirit helps us complete our RACES.
Amen
“The path of righteousness is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full of the day. “
Imagine I saw a whole professional football game in a big stadium with a roaring interactive crowd, park food, OUTSIDE FUN (75 degrees, no bugs!). Yeah food (Old Bay fries and cheese sauce, sausage, ice cream, yeah!) Fun. Except for I was not in a football stadium, I was in a baseball park in a rain delay watching on a jumbotron, not the football stadium, LOL. The crowd mostly was very light because both of the rain and because they wanted to be home to watch the football away game. Even the stadium workers wanted to watch. Haha, they did. Every jumbotron and elevator TV was reset to watch an EXCITING game. So we waited with best attitudes as this was a rain delay of rain delays. And with life and death that’s what we do as well, WAIT with the BEST ATTITUDE.
Essentially the “take home” message here is that we have to WAIT in life on Earth, it is a rain delay for Heaven, let’s make the most of it while God is preparing as many of His people as possible to come Home. Life in Heaven is a wait for the faithful. Life forever is worth the wait.
I think it’s fitting that I got a rain delay for the ballpark, a free game I won in a fundraiser, so I was careful not to over-hype my excitement to myself. Because if it didn’t go as planned, I wouldn’t be crushed. It didn’t, I moved forward anyway. I was excited about a major league baseball game but did not know if it would become a rain delay, we wouldn’t know until we got there… really there’s no good online or radio source on whether they’re really holding the game or not, you simply had to go there to WAIT… THAT’S LIFE! We are in many rain delays of circumstances. It doesn’t go as planned, move forward anyway.
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Waiting. But complaining would not help this. Waiting in delays means making the most of the day. We were late, weren’t even settled in to watch the game before it got delayed. But our goal was eating our way thru the park anyway, being together, we achieved that.
In the preparation for a drive to the unknown delay, I was getting food for child number one (who came back from college special for the day) and in the drive thru there was a tremendous backlog of cars… Like no one wants to go out in the rain so they waited. And like no one wants to make expensive sugar drinks at home, so we all waited. And like even with 10 workers you were waiting 20 minutes. No one complained. I just kept praising the staff, it helped them.
Waiting. Complaining would not help. (The staff were working so hard too.) Waiting in this delay I found pause for the day.
I was not complaining for many reasons this day, especially for the fact it was September 11th, we count blessings on this day – that we pull our kids and loved ones more closely. That day, we cherished life, we waited. WAITED for news, hope, understanding.
Waiting. Many are still waiting. God bless them in their wait on You.
Waiting this day at the ballpark in the warm rain, I decided I would NOT complain (free game, sept 11th, with my daughter) because I ALSO knew this day was sandwiched between 2 funerals: one for a mom with kids and one for a kid of a heartbroken mom and dad and family. Really, I was not waiting on my most important role that day, since I was actively being a mom at the moment (both to the one present and the one at home). That’s where I was. THAT’S WHERE I AM. There is no delay in being a mom. No wait. Worries yes, but my willingness to hand all to God helps. Gratitude goes a long way.
God helped me the day before too, in a mournful waiting at the funeral calling hours for a fellow church mom, just 6 years older than me, a sudden terminal illness… As I had time waiting, fittingly to ponder life, so many were showing an outpouring of love and support, so many were processing the active process of grieving. I happily thought about the last time I saw her at her house. She made me a cup of tea. Mint tea. I remembered that it was mint, years later, wow. And that memory waited inside me to make me smile at her hospitality and warmth. That memory waited long enough to drop in just at the right time to discuss the memory with her adoring husband who waited to greet each person. His processing will be in the waiting to see her again. The memories make the moment – the wait made better.
At the ballpark, we waited to see how they rerolled the tarp and recreated the white lines. They swept water from the grass to hidden drains. They were excited the wait was over, and they worked double hard in excitement and know the game will go on…
Heaven awaits. You may think you are in a rain delay, because the truth is God already made the Heavens ready for us and yet He wants us here on earth for certain reasons known to Him. The Word, Jesus, was also made for the wait – He describes in His Words why we wait on God, what we are waiting for, and how we are to wait and know the game will go on…. The Word was made for the wait. And when we wait upon Him, we are in wonder-ful wait.
If life is a rain delay for Heaven, just wait and make the best. Heaven is a wait for loved ones too, they wait for us WITH the Best.
In life, life WILL go on… in Heaven, life IS on. There is no Reign delay during a rain delay.
5 years ago on Facebook today I wrote about God’s faithfulness in providing finances and also I wrote remembered the previous year when I was also worrying about money and saw coins all along my walk… Yeah God provided the reminder and the cash flow… He still does.
How quickly we forget that we have YEARS of God’s provisions… He got us thru or at least will get us into a plan to rework the oops-es and uh-ohs… In this 2017 post I worried about shoulders and Subarus… the success stories we forget about… God came thru!
Now sure I have different bills (well still Subaru bills but not brakes), but All in All, I saw that God doesn’t change, and provided while I was relying upon Him! He is Faithful!
Amen
2017 Facebook
“Was walking up the hill stressing about money and this dime was on the road…
Money… as my car is in the shop for brakes and inspection… I also was thinking about my next shoulder surgery and PT $$$ for October and thinking about the money for other stuff too – and then I came across this dime on the ground…
and it reminded me last year [2016] I was walking with my neighbor and worrying about money and all of a sudden on our walk there was a quarter and a dime and a nickel and I knew it was a sure sign from God that He will provide… Just keep looking towards Him and He will provide…
And so yeah was thinking all that when I came across this dime…
and the Subaru passed inspection with only brakes needed… Cool…
I just needed to get something to eat and there’s lots of choices but anything really would suffice around here but might not be perfect. I chose a farm market which is new to me and believably busy and full of choices, my choice of a pretzel roll not super satisfying, bland, but was sufficient.
However I grabbed my portable beach book in the car, even though I’m not on the beach, and in less than 2 minutes from One Page started thinking not about lunch but about Jesus and how He completes the Kingdom. Now Jesus IS Super SATISFYING… He is perfect. SUFFICIENT, YES. All we need is Jesus, yes. Jesus completes our connection with God Almighty.
First this chapter in “Name Above all Names” is about about Daniel’s vision and who Jesus is as the SON OF MAN. This page 112 of the book, attached as a photo, describes God’s relationship with Adam and how He wanted “shared experiences”- yet the brokenness broke all that. Jesus brought it back to the Father in the Prescribed Way, nothing of Himself given except what and how the Father wanted to share. Jesus says I can do nothing without the Father. Jesus is as 2nd Adam (the dream of God making a connection with man) completing the situation, satisfying the brokenness with His own sacrifice and completing the opportunity for our sharing of the Kingdom. God now can have satisfaction in our love and Him giving us His Love. He knows perfection, He wants to share. He wants to share what He made Very Good.
Jesus is the “Son of Man”, a description the book explains: “[Aiding God’s image, fulfilling the divine destiny that leads to world order, completing God’s garden extended to the ends of the Earth…]” This is the destiny for man (you and me), which is now completed by Jesus, to have: “[creation as God’s image, fellowship with him in life, experiencing his love, and affection being given a glorious destiny.]”
Jesus satisfies. He is God, man, Son of Man, All in All. Jesus is Name above all Names. Given all authority yet is God’s Way to complete the Way for all. Jesus just IS – I AM – bringing God to us for God’s Will: being with us. Fellowshiping with us. Immanuel God IS with us.
Satisfying… I’ve learned that taking time with God is what God wants… now, and forever.
God IS Satisfying.
Jesus is Lord Healer.
Holy Spirit is our Helper.
Hope is in our Heavenly Home.
Perfect.
Amen
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Chapter 7:13-14 Daniel sees God and Jesus and he ASKS what it all means!
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
I have certainly cried over the Queen. People loved her. God blessed her. God Saved her. And now, God rests her. Precious Lord.
God REST the Queen.
What a legend, legacy, longevity, LIFE. Beloved. Now that’s a lady who was LOVED!
A life of service for sure, the Queen kept her country, family and us in awe. Plus it’s just cool that she was the Queen, without the party-crashing lifestyle, without overloads of the personal scandals of herself when the rest of the family was embarrassing. She was witty and kind. Now that’s what a lady is, KIND.
I always wanted to meet the Queen, always. My college friend both met her and was friendly with her, even being made a member of the Royal Empire. Cool… Now that’s what a lady is, PERSONABLE.
I remember the story of the lady who hugged the Queen in 1991, in DC, wow huge news… no one did that… I remember how graceful the Queen was during it. Now that’s what a lady is, GRACEFUL
I teared up a few times, I did have a light bulb moment, when hearing of her passing, made me smile from the heart. I realized that I WILL get to meet the Queen! I WILL in HEAVEN! I know the Queen spoke often, especially in her Christmas messages, about Jesus. Her messages and ability to share always touched my heart. And because of Jesus, holding onto those who call Him Lord, I will get to meet the Queen in Heaven.
I AM going to meet her, thamks to “I AM”, and at that point, I am hoping to give her a hug!
Now that a follower of Jesus, SAVED. A rainbow showed at the palace. A promise kept.
Lord, we offer a prayer for Your Guidance, Your Hope and Your Stability. We know these days are often challenging for us, but also SO GOOD because we are SO BLESSED. As summer fades, we know for sure that these times and days are CHANGING. There are good times but there are painful changes in our lives also, yet we MUST remember that YOU DO NOT change. You, Lord, are the same yesterday, today and forever.
Just like us watching a beautiful Harvest Moon, ushering in a new season, we must remember You have a plan for us all, and we are to FOCUS ON THINGS ABOVE. You bless us in our short season here on earth because You want us to know Your faithfulness. You have sent Your Holy Spirit to guide us in our living.
This week alone we have seen such changes, from the death of a seemingly unmovable icon in the Queen, to losses of friends and family, to the anniversary of an unforgettable and unimaginable day, 21 years ago today, September 11th.
You reached for all those souls, Lord, simultaneously that day. GRACE and GLORY. May they have seen You as we ARE to see You, Good and Perfect. On that 9-11 day and today, You teach us PERSEVERANCE.
We must pray for our recognition of the REACH that You CONTINUE to have for EACH of us, including those who don’t know You, yet. Open their eyes Lord. Your sacrifice on the Cross means we can now TRULY LIVE. You model for us: Perfect LOVE.
Jesus, God with us, we are so grateful our sins are forgiven thru You and we will live eternally in Your Kingdom. You have righted our wrongs. Help us Holy Spirit to model our days as Jesus lives, and help us to keep Your commands. Strengthen us Lord. Bring us the Joy of the Morning.
Jesus You tell us to live WITHOUT FEAR of the world because You have overcome it. You tell us, Lord, that You have ALREADY done it ALL, defeating death and that You will come again. All evil will be defeated and every knee will bow. Help us holdfast until that day.
In the Word You shared thru Isaiah: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
Thank You Lord for Your Save. Thank You for Your Faithfulness.
Because of Jesus’s GRACE and GLORY, in His SAVING Name above all names, we pray.
Life sometimes seems so full of opportunities and yet people compete for stuff that really is in plenty supply to be shared. Perhaps they haven’t found their niche and get into stuff reserved for others.
Competition. Time is a big one and we know so much competes for our time. No wonder God set aside time to be with us and us with Him. He has created Time for reminding us to be with Him, otherwise He wouldn’t need time. Each day is sufficient, but we need structure. Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man, meaning for each ourselves to know that: being with God is better than anything. Every moment of knowing Him better, of loving Him more and more is worth our time. We could choose this pausing in prayer and active in praise more often than just on Sabbath days, we could choose seeking Him each moment, day by day, breath by breath if we can.
Compare living in our brokenness, a hectic life full of competition, with His complete care. God IS the One who has complete time for us yet we let other distractions take that time away. Remember we are not talking being idle in prayer, but active in service. Reading of Him, yes. Living in Him, definitely!
Reading and writing about the scriptures is a calling for me, even if I can not comprehend it all. There’s more stuff in the Bible than a thousand TV seasons, and certainly more info than we could ever absorb. But that’s not to make us unsatisfied in ourselves, that’s just so we can realize we are just scratching the surface of all things Godly and clearing the distracting debris.
God wants us loving Him and His people. YES, just like we say at work, it’s the people who make a difference. God says: these are MY people. Remind them.
I wonder of course “Why are there so many names in the Bible?” Thousands mentioned and wow those remembered and traced lineages are all laid out. God says these are My people. Imagine the scribes having to hand write this all for thousands of years! That’s dedication! We barely keep records of paper to trace family trees more than a few generations, and people didn’t have such resources to preserve everything. So how does Jesus, as the Word, remember all this? He has us all written on His Heart.
King David, when he was older, traces the Levite family lines for us to see who does what jobs in serving the Lord and His House, even down to who the musicians are. The Lord “gave rest” to those living in Jerusalem and those Levites carrying the load now were assigned services in the temple. “They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening and whenever burnt offerings were presented…”
The names, wow… Jesus is the Word and wants to explain how we as people got from here to there. Not just wandering thru the desert here to there, but in service to the Lord – here AND there praising Him along the Way.
The names (1Chronicles 23, 24, 25, 26, 27) are an exhibition to us. Exhibition not competition as God found jobs for them all. We don’t have to compete with the past or current servants, we just need to do our jobs, share the Good News along the way. Be ready to praise.
The Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. And He did.
The families were treated fairly and were re-assigned in restructuring in the restoration of David’s city, God’s city: Jerusalem. The names were so important to Jesus and that the people knew their history and heritage. Then and now, Jesus knows the names, as He is the Name above every name.
David prepped this re-order restoration when he was old and had already appointed God’s chosen, Solomon, to be king. He listened and those many times when He didn’t, and he got distracted, God corrected him and called him back. God preserved the line and lineage for the future predicted earthly entrance of the Name above all names, Jesus, from this line.
David even spelled out an appointment order of ministering from within the family lineage of Aaron, Moses’s brother, in who would be entering the temple of the Lord, according to the regulations previously prescribed for them, as the God of Israel, had commanded him…. In this, the Lord laid out a job, a place, a purpose. We know the Lord is Lord of all and we have a place, purpose.
Us too, even if we are more numerous than we can count, Jesus counts us, and counts on us. We have history that Jesus knows even if we don’t know everything about ourselves, let alone our heritage.
Most importantly we have a future. The restoration of the Kingdom is not by stones but by The Rock of Jesus. His service was not just in name but in LIFE, He wrote of God’s Plan alongside living it. Jesus, One with the Father, knew everything in His created Kingdom, name by name, moment by moment, and in Himself.
Your name, God knows you, Jesus calls you, the Holy Spirit moves you.
Be His, He already knew you before all was begun. He knows how you fit.
You were made for a time as this.
Give Him praise and let Him pull you away from competitions to help you be saved from those “distractions of life” into the ATTRACTION of LIFE IN HIM.
Amen
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When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon king over Israel. David also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand. David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges. Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.”
David separated the Levites into divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
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For David had said, “Since the Lord, the God of Israel, has granted rest to his people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever, the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles used in its service.” According to the last instructions of David, the Levites were counted from those twenty years old or more.
The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the Lord: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God. They were in charge of the bread set out on the table, the special flour for the grain offerings, the thin loaves made without yeast, the baking and the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size. They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals.They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.
And so the Levites carried out their responsibilities for the tent of meeting, for the Holy Place and, under their relatives the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the temple of the Lord.
I marvel every year how bendable strong our Jujube tree is – it gets so heavy-laden with lots and lots of little fruits. But it stretches feet lower instead of breaking. Normally you can walk under the branches, not in fruiting season.
Amazing.
I also marvel at how in a quick summer, a whole flowering to fruiting mission runs it’s course. With so little rain this year, spring and summer seasons still get the job done. Fall is fruit-fall for harvesting. Winter is perseverance and eating what preservation established. Sharing what you are saving. With this Jujube tree yearly excess in fruit, it may take a while!
Amazing.
These tree branches nearly touch the ground, but not in spring, they are inconspicuous overhead and you would never know the big job ahead. Now the fruits like shriveled apple dates will start falling and groundhogs and squirrels could sell the excess if they had the ability to cart this food around (imagine wheelbarrows instead of cheek pouches to transport). God gives in excess and what doesn’t get eaten melt back into compost naturally. God provides for all his creatures.
Amazing.
I’m too afraid to eat these jujube, but I probably should try.
Fruits of the Spirit are like that too, sometimes we are afraid to use them, but God makes them totally available. God hangs them on us after He makes us strong and flexible. We must bend so that we don’t break. The fruits may be few and huge or many and tiny.
In a good season, the bounty probably is enough to touch many lives. We must share the wealth otherwise the fruit will fall at our feet and rot. Or sometimes we can run around shedding fruit, and creatures unknown to us will pick up the fruits which are still good. Sometimes we can take charge of the wheelbarrow and spread the wealth. Sometimes the people come to us. Sometimes it feels lonely that we have so much to give and who even wants any… Well, people are hungry for what they don’t know. Share anyway and grab a wheelbarrow and go to them, instead of waiting for others to come to you.
We have an opportunity to share what it means to share. We can reach where we can stretch, so stay flexible. REACH.
Galatians 5:22-23 says: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
These sharings are huge difference makers in themselves, but perhaps fruit hung by God on you in small doses just like the jujube tree, so you don’t worry about delivering massive watermelons of blessings if you are simply asked to give small but meaningful doses of blessings. “No gift is too small.” And let the Holy Spirit be your guide. He knows how and where to share. He knows how you work in God’s Plan. Remember the tree does not make the fruit for its own consumption. God changes your season and will change your vision. Fruits of the Spirit are for blessing all.
Be open to the seasons of Spirit and seasons of life. Get ready to use each of them for God’s Glory. Springing flowers show up, Summering flowers get to work, Harvest Fruits make for a Free-for-all Fall, Persevere and Preserve in Winter to help you start again. Seasons of life. Build up your muscles for each. Always be willing to SHARE. If God gave it to you, it is God’s gift for you to share. All good things come from God.
This tree is but one tree. It has been provided by God. So have you. Fruit is not heavy to break you, just God being an opportunist thru you. Amen —
A Tree and Its Fruit
Jesus taught: “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:43-45
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Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. James 1:9-10
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25
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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.
Psalm 16 (of David)
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Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 2:2-6
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“Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Galatians 5:14-15
Doesn’t matter if you are an empty nester (full or partial), a mom and dad of fully grown adults, or newbies with a newborn, (or you have rebound kids), or (you fill in the circumstance)…, you have to remember the lyrics of THE WHO song: “The Kids are Alright!”
Yes. GOD-WILLING (and He IS) the kids will be ALRIGHT. Whew! Put everything in His capable Hands.
How can we instruct our kids to trust in the Lord, to do the best they can, and to pay attention to dangers etc etc? Or blessings? MODEL THAT GOD-TRUSTING BEHAVIOR OURSELVES. Give Him credit too when He pulls you out of something sketchy or puts you into something good.
God-fearing and God-trusting. God-providing.
We can be instructed by successes and failures of King David. He was on and off-track many times like us, but always returned to remembering God was in control. King David realized that his son King Solomon would have to pick up not just the family name but the commitment to SERVE GOD for GOD’S SAKE and the sake of the people. Us too.
We teach and correct our children (and sometimes our parents) and how often do we wonder: “Am I doing too much?” OR “Am I not doing enough?” “Will everything be alright?”… In ALL cases, we have to trust more than just our gut, or peer pressure, but TRUST GOD. There is no one more ABLE than God to provide. (And He DOES provide you to help your kids too). “You are not the blessing, He is” is what I heard once – don’t take credit – take advice from Him.
King David was willing to build God a really good temple for placement of the Ark of the Covenant, but God said no. David did the next best thing he felt he could do: 1) tell his son Solomon to listen to and trust in God and 2) supply tons of supplies!
David provided – maybe he couldn’t help himself just after seeing God’s MERCY in stopping an angel with a sword punishing David’s people – and David wanted to provide a temple because he wanted God to have the BEST. God said “have I ever asked anyone for a house or temple for the ark”… NO… But because David thought his son Solomon was inexperienced, he ordered the supplies and set Solomon off on the best foot. He advised him: “now begin the work, and the Lord be with you” – “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” – “May the Lord give you discretion and understanding.” We ask this for our children too. Set them up for success and then appreciate God’s gift of rest.
God blessed Solomon greatly, especially with wisdom. David did his best, God did the rest.
God has told us even better NEWS, thru His prophets, that God would build the KINGDOM HOUSE (not just a temorary temple), and provide the SON, a real and permanent King of Kings, Prince of Peace, Name above all names. Knowing this, how can we not appreciate God’s provisions. He say we will be alright too! We are His children.
God’s got this. God’s kids (us) will be alright.
Amen
1 Chronicles 22
Then David said, “The house of the Lord God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
Preparations for the Temple
So David gave orders to assemble the foreigners residing in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.
He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.
David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.”So David made extensive preparations before his death.
Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’
“Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
“I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the Lord a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. You have many workers: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as those skilled in every kind of work in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the Lord be with you.”
Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.”
A lot of tea bags are tasty, but this SALADA tea bag advice tag is clearly witty. It says something that should be life philosophy: “Free thinkers don’t charge for advice.”
True.
We have been given the ability to think and when we ponder freely, we can share freely, especially because what if God has a message for someone else thru us. Another reason to think more widely beyond ourselves is that we can make life decisions best for MORE than just us. We can set aside greed for GRACE and BLESS OTHERS FREELY.
We are forgiven when we forgive.
We are more blessed when we BLESS.
Of course we work for a wage, and share advice at work to perhaps clients, charging per the hour, but as a whole person floating thru day to day life, we should not hold back advice or warnings. Of course not everyone wants to hear us (namely teenagers, nor anyone really) but if God put it in your head, don’t withhold vital information for the world. And there might be just the right ears in earshot.
King David realized so many blessings from God. God even told Him about how He would establish His forever Kingdom under a lineage of David to be forever King *speaking of Jesus *…
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men. What more can David say to you for honoring your servant?….. There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” 1 Chronicles 17:16, 20
BUT DAVID could not keep away from an evil influence of pride and maybe greed but certainly foolishness. And David did NOT take advice of his counselors. David called for a census he didn’t need (Satan stirred up trouble). That’s like counting your money just to marvel at it). But this census request was repulsive to his advisors and to God. And they told him so. David realized too late and had to repent to God. His sin cost many lives in punishment. David was actually given a choice by God in 3 years slightly severe (dependent upon the Land) or 3 months mildly (dependent upon enemies) or 3 days most severe punishment under God’s heavy hand – and chose to be under God’s hand 3 days, knowing that God deals fairly and ALSO with Grace and Mercy.
God sent an angel to punished and then stopped shorter than 3 days. David saw this severe angel and begged and took upon the blame.(wow, sounds like Jesus huh?)
David took God’s advice then. God’s angel told David’s counselor Gad to tell David to build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David obeyed and PAID. David paid the price (of the place) to build an altar of praise and prayer (sounds like Jesus paying the price for the people – what praise we have).
David said in the purchase: “I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
David saw God accept his offer. David saw God’s mercy to His people. David wanted to set up praise.
We too see God’s mercy. We see Jesus gave His life. We know and have tasted His goodness. We must praise.
Of all the free advice David could give us, and all His counselors could too, is the advice of the angels: PRAISE GOD.
PRAISE HIM
FROM HIM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW…
AMEN!
1 Chronicles 21, 22:1
Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”
But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”
The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.
But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him. This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.
Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”
The Lord said to Gad, David’s seer, “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”
So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord—days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”
David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead. And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
David said to God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd, have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Lord my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people.”
David Builds an Altar
Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord.
While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.
David said to him, “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.”
Araunah said to David, “Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.”
But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”
So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold for the site. David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the Lord, and the Lord answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
Then the Lord spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. The tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon. But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.
Then David said, “The house of the Lord God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
A prayer on our Labor Day Holiday for a young child’s family, for their perseverance and hope in life eternal as their young son passed away after a long bout with cancer twice.
Prayers…
Labor No More…
It’s Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer. Unofficially, just the ending of a season…
Rest in peace, you are now in a NEW and FOREVER season of JOY. For as this season ends yet another life begins. Life in the Lord’s Love never ends, like summer, it just CHANGES VENUES: sweet Heaven.
It Labor-EndingDay, unofficially and officially. The ending of an earthly season… and sweetly the OPENING DAY FOR HEAVENLY PLAY.
Labor no More, dear one. You are loved. You were rescued into Jesus’s arms and you can now have Summer-Forever, Fall-Free-for-All, Winter-Wonders and Spring-in-Your-Step.
Spring now in your step. That’s because then and now you are always STRONG.
Today, won’t you ask Him for direction? Won’t you surely pray?
He knows everything, the future for us too, revealed and detailed in a very prescribed WAY.
Won’t you inquire of Him? Everything little thing, simply ask Him TODAY.
Today, do LIFE in God’s Way.
Amen
It was clearly fictitious in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when the Ark of the Covenant “box” was carried out and ghouls steamed out of it when opened. It was fictitious to think that the Ark carried all the power of God in it, when it was God watching the people watching it. One truth is that God made the people make it. He had a plan and we still talk about that today. He made the people a memory box for them of His Faithfulness when they (as wandering rabble-rousers) walked through the desert 40 years. He made them make a very detailed plan of how to take care of the Ark too. And when the Ark went off plan, so did the people.
We are that people fallen off of God’s original plan, by Adam’s derailment, but RIGHTED on the rails and CARRIED BY JESUS. We are those people given a FUTUREPRESCRIBED, detailed in the book of Revelation (an IMPORTANT read if you haven’t already). We are the people of His Plan to be loved and to love Him with all our hearts, souls, and minds.
God takes care of us.
For taking care of the Ark, David admitted and stated: “We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” David brought back the people who were given exact jobs based upon their skills from God, like singing and music making. The Levites were to do the heavy lifting too, poles on their shoulders as prescribed by Moses retelling God’s instructions. Doorkeepers and gatekeepers, musicians and singers. GOD HELPED THEM. They asked and He told them. He actually told them before they asked.
Us too. God tells us a plan before we ask. Just be His.
Why would we in our memory box lives not trust Him for the next life steps too? We carry Him directly, Jesus inside of us. We are Holy Spirit guided. Certainly, “He brought us SAFE thus far!!!”… So why wouldn’t we inquire of the next step and steps…
Today, let us do life in God’s Way.
Enemies? Oh yes. Michal, David’s wife, daughter of Saul, watched the whole thing, seeing finely dressed David dancing and leading the parade, and she DESPISED him. Hated. People will always be at odds with God’s plan for your life. Don’t let that deter you from carrying out God’s plan. Don’t let misery and jealousy and anger bleed into your life. Dance. Once you turn the corner, that person will be behind you anyway. Let them catch up with God.
Dance David, Dance. Us too. Dance.
Make a joyful sound!!
Follow God because God is GOOD.
He prescribed our Way with Him on HIS WAY.
Amen and Hooray!
1 Chronicles 15:1-4, 11-29
The Ark Brought to Jerusalem
After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before him forever.”
David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:….(many names)…
Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord.
David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals. So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah; and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth, and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith. Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.
Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.
So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams were sacrificed. Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod. So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.
As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.
As clear as day, God wants things done HIS WAY.
In Heaven and on Earth, it’s God’s Way or NO Way.
Today, won’t you ask Him for direction? Won’t you surely pray?
He knows everything, the future for us too, revealed and detailed in a very prescribed WAY.
Won’t you inquire of Him? Everything little thing, simply ask Him TODAY.
The sticker on the Dunkin drive thru window could not have been more PERFECTLY TIMED. Yes, a sign to tell God’s story of these days, this summer, right now.
The sign on this Dunkin window said: “Tell us about the window.” Hmmmm….
No, I’m not writing a review on this decent but not perfect Dunkin donuts locale, but we all need to understand the windows of time and circumstances that God puts into our lives. There are seasons in life. There are windows of opportunities that close fast.
“Life is short.” “Life is for living.” Life is for praising and pleasing God. Make the most of it. God will help you.
Just like with a break in the weather (cooled down or warmed up), there is usually an opportunity to get something done and an opportunity to appreciate the opportunity you are in. Right now have a break in the busy summer, now that my daughter is back at school, perhaps I get to get to lots of things done at my house, or spend time at my work, but most importantly refocus on my son. The day after she was nestled at school was his 18th birthday. All these things are set up to not dwell in earthly stuff but move thru it – with JOY – at God’s opportunity for you. It’s not an empty nest in any aspect, because there’s always mom feathers for a weekend respite for her, a visiting window God will line up for her (and the cat). College is more like a summer camp respite for mom (one week or month at a time)…
Windows. We wait for opportunity and then step thru them.
Windows. I had an unusual open 2 weeks that I went on vacation. My weekends are now packed. That vacation opening must have been orchestrated by God. I still had to prepare for it. But He’s the cruise director, we are the help.
Windows. Queen Ester got a window of opportunity and with advice from Mordecai, she realized that she was chosen for a big move for her people, saving them at the right and certain time: “and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Ester saved the Jews, her people.
Windows. We could just hope for a small window of relaxation, indulging in rest as a necessity. Gearing up for next adventures as an opportunity. Knowing that God will figure it all out is priceless. Don’t just pay attention to the wind, like Mary Poppins, pay attention to Him.
Windows. King David got one for the Ark. King Solomon got one for a temple. You get windows for Him too. Move if the window is open. He opens up them in His Time. He closes them too. After David set up the tent for the Ark, and organized the servants to watch it, God’s window allowed David to return home to bless his family.
We need to BE A GOD OPPORTUNIST. Watch for the windows and tell others where He is leading you. He’s always got the best plan.
Be His.
Amen
—
From 1 Chronicles 16:29-36 (from David who seized the opportunity and brought back the Ark, but the Lord said not to build a building for it, that would be son Solomon’s opportunity. Not all opportunities are ours… but praising Him is. )
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver 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.
It’s amazing to me that I made some decent progress over the summer when I physically measured the thickness of the Bible’s Old Testament that I have methodically read. One could say the “Old ” Testament is the “Foretold” Testament for-telling Jesus’s arrival. The Way thru the Bible is seeing the reinforcement of His Way. The Way is the Way of Wisdom. Jesus is the Way.
I never dreaded the inches but felt overwhelmed in my basic not knowing what was in it! I knew I needed/need to make a journey by myself first in wandering and wondering, no cliffnotes just cliffhangers. I wondered how dry the stories might be and how would I ever grasp so much history? Well I made progress, day by day, and I’ve certainly learned along the Way. And as for the dryness? I realize by adding Living Water to the stories, adding not-so-private-detective looks for prophecies of Jesus, I got HYDRATED in MY HEARING.
So my recent big revelation is this part is that there is a doubled back storyline, a huge section of reinforcement to the same stories! OH!!! Chronicles is retelling the stories again of Saul, David, etc… OH! I HEARD THIS BEFORE!!! These MUST be important. I love reinforcement and a really cool set of stories too! Once again of how people loyally followed David and how he took care of the Ark of the Covenant with memory items of God’s Faithfulness. And why? Jesus shows us that Way back to Him.
The Way thru the Bible is the reinforcement of His Way. And He reinforces and reinforces.
The Way, Jesus is the Way and part of His paving project Way, for His physical entry into our day, was to raise up His House of David. Even though the road wasn’t wide for David, it was SURE, a firm-foundation like for us. And ever-fallible David still loved the Lord seriously and solidly, always looking for solutions.
Jesus had to build the house on earth for Him to be born in. He wrote His Story, just as He writes ours. He has us in HIS House.
The Chronicles by the Chronicler are the details of loyalty. God LOVES loyalty in us too, believing, because He is LOVE and LOYAL.
The Way of the Lord is the Way of Wisdom.
Follow Jesus on your Way to His House.
Amen
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… Proverbs 9:10-12
1CHRONICLES 12:22-40
For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God. And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord.
The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.
Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.
Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.
And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;
And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father’s house twenty and two captains.
And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.
And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.
And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.
And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.
And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.
And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.
And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.
All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.
And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.
Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: FOR THERE WAS JOY IN ISRAEL.
Continue on this link to chapters 12-17 all about David and the Ark:
The other night cleaning up my own VBS messes at my friend’s church, I was especially thinking about Miss Bonnie, God rest her soul, our Sunday School nursery teacher and VBS craft lady extraordinaire. Glitter glitz going over the top in good ways FOR the sake of the children, for the sake of the Lord. (And I also remember her for teaching confirmation class and for the elderly she visited).
I remember the day after VBS, our former Pastor PJ took the leaf blower into fellowship hall to move glitter out!!!. Trust me the gas fumes were worse than the glitter!
Glitter may be shed so that people may be led.
How overabundant Miss Bonnie’s love was for the children. The lessons she taught were of Jesus’s Love. Lord knows both that I miss Miss Bonnie and yet I DO KNOW she is in such amazing Heaven, a MUCH better place especially for Jesus loves her immensely and has healed her. Bonnie was “unashamed of the Gospel” like Apostle Paul, because she knew Jesus was her amazing healer, helper, hold-her-together-er, hero and Savior. We all live lives where we all would attest it is “[better to be one day in Your court, Lord, than a thousand elsewhere]”. That’s because are saved in Jesus’s blood. Yes, we are seen as pure and clean from Jesus’s washing.
So, Miss Bonnie’s legend lives clearly on in every child project still decorating grownup kids’ homes. Miss Bonnie loved glitter glitter glitter and kids love glitter. She loved sharing different art and craft materials and was very particular about tacky glue over Elmer’s, so projects would dry faster and stick better. She made sure the parents understood the “work” their children made amazingly.
Children’s ministry is one of the glues of any church and Jesus’s Word says don’t hinder the little children. Trust me that children bring adults, Grandparents, friends to our churches. Miss Bonnie and dedicated teachers and preachers know God’s True Glue is His Word and the Working out of It. When a child asks Jesus to grow in them, the Kingdom grows, the God Glue flows. The Glitter of God shining in that child encourages the faith growth of members of that child’s family. Endless stickers of Jesus and pages of scripture coloring sheets may be cherished and saved.
His Spiritual Glue saves our lives.
I reached to clean up the floor at VBS that night at my friend’s church and picked up a child’s lost crafts, glued feathers and paper towel rolls. One solo Jesus foam piece? That WAS from a Miss Bonnie connection. I moved that bag of those unique foam pieces myself years ago. God found just the right timing of an unusual something that I knew was from Bonnie and our old Sunday School classes. This night, I was at one of these churches where we parsed out many of Miss Bonnie’s excess craft supplies. We gave out her materials when we were required to move VBS/Sunday School storage at the old church, to make space (Whew!). Multiple churches, scout troops, the children’s hospital, and even foreign missionaries were given supplies we sorted, divided and donated. (I can still see my friends cleaning and sorting with me in a 4 hour marathon one Saturday, wow). I remember to honor her by keeping teaching and helping.
Miss Bonnie still touches our lives with her love of sharing Jesus. All Sunday school and VBS teachers do make a difference, even if for the parents to say “Thank God” that their kids stay busy for an hour. There can still be praise in parts and in whole for the endless numbers of children benefitting from time that Miss Bonnie dedicated to them, to show them love, to tell them LOVE comes from God and LOVE IS God. GOD IS LOVE.
Jesus, the foam piece, I stuck that to my car window today in morning dew, and will keep it in my Subaru dash. Remembering it’s Jesus in our hearts who IS our Life Glue.
You heard of sins of omission and commission… BUT now you will hear about the sin of chocolate cake.
I titled this” SPOT CLEANER JESUS” but it also could be called “Why I should ONLY do vacation Bible school science experiment demos OUTSIDE”… LOL
So I THOUGHT it was a good idea, a chocolate cake to look like a rock and I DID have a tarp down but apparently it was not wide enough, and the kids climbed on it anyway. I will always see in my head the kid who grabbed a piece to try to eat!…. Here I was worried about the oobleck being messy, but NO it was the CHOCOLATE CAKE that went too wild…
I used cake layers for a demo of pretend solid foundations, like small tomatoes, jello, pudding, and oobleck (cornstarch and water as a non-newtonian solid) which my eager assistant awesomely tried by squeezing or punching these items to see if they are solid and would make a good foundation…. These were NOT solid foundation materials, building upon them would only give FRUSTRATION.
Yeah the kids laughed and of course oobleck was a hit! And as always the kids loved ALL of VBS. Big kids too! The most important moment is when they all prayed to let Jesus into their hearts. That’s the point of VBS, learning the LOVE of JESUS is always near.
Our lives, if not built upon faith, will only build our frustration. HAVE FAITH IN JESUS! He is heart-holding help.
VBS lesson #3 stuck with these children: “Jesus is my FIRM FOUNDATION!” Yes, the WISE builder, building upon SOLID ROCK, is our example of how we are to build our lives upon Jesus’s Word, His Truth,His Actions including LOVE, GRACE, and FORGIVENESS. We are to be wise life-rs and reduce our frustrations by following Him. (This is so true!)
On my apologetic knees after VBS, cleaning the chocolate cake from the nice red carpet, alongside our 2 AMAZING shepharding pastors (also on their knees cleaning), I used a spot cleaner and a vacuum, and I praised God for their dedication and their calm cool demeanor (thank you God, we learned that at VBS day #1, a Moses example, God helps us keep our cool). They had an action plan with vacuuming then water then spot cleaner. It worked. This reminds me of our own GREAT SHEPHARD JESUS with an action plan before time began. Jesus works! Jesus is I AM.
Then and now, I can only think that JESUS will have a list of our many sins and be always holding a well used bottle of “spot cleaner” for us, but in TRUTH, He will have ALREADY washed us clean by His blood. Yes, we can and should ask Him each time we know of a sin we commit, yet He ALREADY did “the dirty work” and He went to the far reaches of the depths of separation of sin from God. He took on God forsakeness for sake of our unity back to God, our Father, bridging the chasm of separation. He filled in the cracks with Himself.
With earthly oops we try remedies by making amends, which we should. Yet in all we do and don’t do, know and don’t know, it is ONLY in Jesus where all our sins are forgiven. You may want to stay in prideful “woe is me” – but you are ALREADY cleaned Heavenly. Jesus IS the One Who sets us free.
FORGIVENESS not from our AMENds but is by giving JESUS the great AMEN, saying I believe in You, Jesus. You are my Rock, my Savior, my Firm Foundation. I need Your Forgiveness and You tell me that You have given it just by my faith.
PSALM 103:8-12
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.
AMEN AMEN Thank God!
MAHALO GOD, YOU ARE AWESOME AND WORTHY OF PRAISE.
The Wise and Foolish Builders – Matthew 7:24-28
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
I could eat all through many bags of POPCORN before I figure out every kernel of information that God is assembling for me, trying to teach me, help me with. And I still wouldn’t grasp even a fraction. And there would be so many crumbs on the floor too…
Patience is what God has with us. Patience for us to learn – to LEARN our purpose to SHARE HIS LOVE.
Moses BLEW HIS TOP, we learned in our VBS lesson, day one, at my home away from home away from home church family. Love this church and their Pastors, and love hearing the Bible Story. We learned that Moses BLEW HIS TOP overreacting to angry people COMPLAINING and their whining made him SNAP. He was supposed to simply speak to the people (who were wandering the desert) assembled around a rock, he surely was simply supposed to thank God, and the Lord would provide water, and instead he chastised the people and hit it twice and didn’t give God glory for taking care of them. Yes, water still came out of the rock and the people and livestock drank and were saved, but that’s NOT how God wanted Moses to behave. Moses was punished in being prevented to physically cross into the Promised Land given by God to the Israelites. Moses messed up, like us, like me. Thank God for Jesus and GRACE. God took care of Moses, don’t worry, but like our overreacting, we have to sit in God’s timeout chair sometimes and WAIT.
VBS, I love Vacation Bible School, and that I was able to “pop in” again to my friends’ church to help. All day this direction filled me with joy and purpose and I felt a bubble of good protection driving thru unknown back roads, thick traffic and sketchy streets. I felt peace to what I could present even when I knew I should have taken more practice etc, but God purposes His PEACE over our plans, so “on with the show” we must go. His POP is not in our circumstance but in HIS FAITHFULNESS. I had lots of supplies yet it was the Holy Spirit who did all the work God needed.
And what a blessing of VBS energy. The BEST week of the year. And WOW, the welcoming hands and hearts of the children for Jesus to make entry into their lives. POP goes the Spirit. Give a big volcano WHOOSH cheer for GOD’S LOVE drawing near!
In my prep, I was especially intrigued by the ongoing theme of POPCORN. ALL DAY. Corny? Well yes, but no joke that God’s been cooking up something, and He simmers the lessons for us too and keeps us coming back for more. Popcorn I thought was a good *and tasty* overreaction of explosive power, so I put on my popcorn earrings and went to the store for supplies and saw popcorn and popcorn movie supplies, but everything was stuck together and I just had to pass on it. God said it’s not needed, just go with what you have… I bought what I thought was needed for the wrap up show, but it’s Him whom we call upon to show up.
God’s plan continues even in mini failures and of course in “our” victories. All Victories are His. God has true control. My 1st experiment did not live up to my expectations. The popping bags didn’t pop, my science demo was a dud in my opinion, fizzled out, blew it but not up. Rats… I stayed calm. Pop your Corn not your Fuse! Sure, at home it went great… and here I was afraid of an OVER explosion and never got it. However we got one good bag to pop, I had a fabulous volunteer scientist helper, and we had the fabulous drama therof. The show must go on. The kids LISTENED, which is amazing at VBS energy. The big volcano at the end was cool and worked… maybe I am just asking God for too much big excitement when I should just be one of His kernels of sharing.
Pop your Corn not your Fuse.
My joy was in speaking freely of the comfort of Jesus and how He teaches us thru His Word, including the amazing ways to calm down, I was blessed at the attention of the crowd when I mentioned a key time God kept me calm from a road rage incident. I used the Words I know come from Him: Forgiveness, Grace, Patience, Joy. God applied a bubble of His protection when approached. These emotional calming words are like scissors to cut open the bag and release the pressure. I still remember the display of the scripture: Proverbs 15:1 — “A soft word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
I wrapped up and Pastor wrapped up VBS day 1 and it was all good and we wrapped up the clean up and made it to our cars with a storm looming overhead. Safe. A bubble of protection.
God showed me a bigger storm that evening and reminded me how blessed I was and am! I never used that popcorn I bought, only to stress eat. But in the school parking lot to the side of the street were a homeless man. I got back out of my bubble car and give him the bag of popcorn, couple dollars, and my dollar store Bible I had for the demo. I just felt blessed to have a warm car, a home to go to. We are blessed with a warm Savior and a Home to go to.
Storm – the lightning storm was SO INTENSE and really cool… I drove towards it 30 minutes nonstop, realized that it was OVER my house, my kids kept calm, the cat not so much. I took food orders and thanked God to fund them (and not cook). I said to my daughter: these are “popcorn storms” – ahhhh God, here’s another popcorn analogy. Popcorn storms seem to come out of nowhere, just like in our lives. But God can handle them. Let us keep our wits about us. And yes, even a wrath of fierce proportions is no match for a God of protection.
When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:18-19
In life, we don’t need to constantly be inside the whole bucket of popcorn excitement, which is great for the first five minutes, then too much. We need a steady pace. We need to know how God keeps us going DAY by DAY and we need to not blow our tops in overreacting to everybody and everything. We need to stay the course, stay calm, keep going. Each day is a new day.
I Lava Lava Love VBS teaching me.
I love God’s FAITHFUL children and HIS FAITHFULNESS.
Thanks God, You ARE my Rock, my provisions from Your Living Water.
Amen
—
Numbers 20:2-13
Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.
I’m starting a new Bible study in the book of Romans, a letter to friends (and us) by apostle Paul, some say the greatest apostle because, among other reasons, his preaching reached Gentiles and Jews in the crucial corners of the early church (thru personal visits and many letters written while God moved him to and fro)… and from those places the Gospel (Good News about Jesus) spread to the rest of the world and back. You and I are likely knowing about Jesus due to the Holy Spirit working thru Paul’s preach-reach. His testimony always spelled out the FULFILLMENT of the scriptures about Jesus being the foretold Messiah. The Old Testament is the Foretold Testament.
Paul is an example of tremendous achievements and STILL falling really short of perfection. (Be Still and still be needing Jesus). Face it, we too fall short and it’s never going to be where the definition of perfection changes. Jesus is perfection and instead of changing Himself (which is impossible) (and why would He), He changes us – both in how we behave but in especially how we appear to God our Father. “Covered in the Blood”.
Atonement needed and granted. Sacrificial Substitutionary Atonement, in place from Adam’s time, is given once and for all by Jesus’s sacrifice. Perfection poured out on those falling short. God knows we need it. God knew to give it. God bless that we got it.
A crucial Bible-based message I heard multiple times is that we don’t get right then come to Jesus – we come to Jesus then get right. And what doesn’t get right gets Jesus because we will never achieve perfection, no one will. Not Paul who came as a murderer and not us who come as we are. All sin is equal and falls short. Jesus doesn’t move the bar, He is the bar, He just makes the bar into a bridge. He wants us to be with God forever.
Come as you are, let Jesus take care of the rest. To “get it” we have to “get” Jesus, understand that we can’t “make amends” but “get got” by Him, by His Sacrifice.
Get it?
Got it?
Good.
Amen
—–
Romans 1:1-6, 14-17
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
….
I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
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.” David in Psalm 16A new day. Trusting the Lord in every Way. He is our ROCK SOLID foundation!
Preparing for a friend’s VBS, I was reminded of the story of Moses and water from a rock. Another day’s story is remembering God is our rock upon which we are to build our lives. The VBS theme is about keeping your emotions in check! Listen to Him to find out.
I remember Sunday school, 15 plus years ago, teaching little kids about the water from a rock story, thought it was cool. Moses tapping a rock and water coming from it. I remember placing a milk jug with water inside a crumpled paper bag that resembled a rock and making it splash. I remember us reaching into the rock and pouring some water to drink, being grateful because the Israelites were so thirsty in the desert and God provided… cool story then and now… but what I NOW realize is that Moses was just supposed to speak to the crowd near the rock, NOT hit it. SPEAK and ACT to show God’s faithfulness, not chastise the people at that moment, even if you think they deserve your anger over God’s Grace. Accept a blessing and not over dramatize your hand in it.
Anger. Anger is one allowable emotion but vengeance and frustration and acting-out which goes over board – that was NOT on God’s agenda for Moses to display that day. Not usually what He wants from us too. God’s punishment to one of His favorite sons, Moses, was earthly harsh. Moses’s earthly future was severely affected and he was not allowed to cross into the Promised Land. (Don’t worry, God did not abandon Moses all together and blessed him.)
In contrast with struggling in the desert, David a shepherd of God’s sheep and His people, future King, would write (in Psalm 16) what we also should realize: God’s faithfulness. We should tap into His ability to hold us safe BEFORE we blow our top or hit an anger overflow or cave after an entitlement challenge. We should realize that with God, “I will NOT be shaken.” David had much personal experience of God providing and God rescuing. Perhaps we all need this reminder of God’s comfort. Perhaps we need to remember before we whine about the times that we are being displayed for others to see how we handle our lot in life. Others also notice when we don’t give thanks but they especially notice what shakes us up.
Moses (and that rock) were shaken up. The staff powerfully used in previous incidents was abused in channeling anger frustration in full view of the people whom Moses had been trying to convince to trust God. Frustration showed cracks in Moses’s faith, very visibly to the crowd. When we show our frustration, we show that we are not trusting God to deliver. Surely we are human and will need to vent, stumble, lash out. Thankfully we have Jesus, rescuing and recovering our sins.
Moses started a tough journey. David learned of Moses’s missteps and saw God’s faithfulness. We have all these examples, and the saving Grace of God thru Jesus. Let us rock our firm foundation rather than lash out to rock anger. Let us show that we honor Him as Holy. Let us hold onto our Lord as He is holding on to us. He IS our firm foundation.
Amen
—-
Psalm 16 of 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.
—-
Moses caving into anger and frustration: Numbers 29:2-13
Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. SPEAKto that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.
—-
Jesus teaching trust in God
The Wise and Foolish Builders
Matthew 7:24-29
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Although the cat will contest that she was the MOST neglected those two weeks that we were away on vacation, it was actually Christmas the crab who had the least attention. And while we were away, Christmas took on a new shell, a lighter weight one for sure, and maybe more roomy? Maybe not. At any rate, it’s a different style and a change of shell (even temporary) when you are not afforded a change of scenery except a short few minutes out of the aquarium once a month or so… (The cat actually gets a lot more attention, including her “net time” outside. No, it’s not as good as exploring outside but it will have to do. She escaped yesterday but all three of us surrounded her as she slows down so curious about outside.)
Christmas moved back to his regular shell a few days later, maybe just not the right fit, who knows. Christmas seemingly never gets a change of his limited living space. But we do! We often have an opportunity to step away from the norm, to take a vacation day, a weekend away…. at least hopefully we do and hopefully we take advantage of it. Change of scenery is what I appreciated during my recent vacation with all the sightseeing activities and new opportunities for learning, and just sitting outside with no mosquitoes, unlike here. I’ve now had dozens land on me in just a few days back home.
In our vacation destination there was a hum of life late until the evening. In the countryside there were birds chirping and the hum of quiet – yes quiet makes a noticeable buzz of a vacuum of removing stress, matched with brilliant sunsets. In the countryside I heard dogs yammering to each other. Dogs are allowed in parks and dining patios, castles and everywhere. A dog’s life is not having to be working except companionship… however we have to work, and what a blessing for vacation… what a blessing when we become companionship and others to us.
Plus vacation meant knowing happily that I took the journey. One week later now home, the vacation feeling slips away but remembering to sit and relax remains, and knowing that entering storms does too. God will always be with us in all situations. We have to hit the ground running quite often.
What most I noticed in me was reminding myself to NOT have to hussle (except for one airport connection, and when we had to get to that boat tour). I mentally had to say to myself, SIT HERE! Absorb the moment. Take advantage of the change of pace and to relax. I noticed that I didn’t need chewing gum at all this vacation to deal with stress!
Stress – we flee from it but sometimes the Lord sends us INTO the storms not just out. Sometimes He calms the child instead of the waves. My scripture connection is with Paul being moved around but with purpose.
Apostle Paul was one of those people God sent into situations, storms, changes of scenery. (Even many months, God said “Sit here” – and Paul took the time to write letters which are now crucially in the Word.)…
Paul, traveling with Luke (Dr. Luke who wrote down the book of Acts), got a major change of scenery when he being taken prisoner to Rome, was held up in bad seas and crash landed in Malta. A change of scenery came happily when he recognized the people who loved him in Rome. A change of scenery purposefully when he was speaking to the Jewish leaders in Rome. God told Paul that he would go to Rome because God wanted him there.
Today, where will God take us or command us to go? Where will we crash land? What prison will still be purposeful? What people will He drop in front of us? Hmmmm…
Yesterday I got an unusual call, I didn’t even blink, it was like automatic motion. I was listening to a prayer service on the radio and the preacher teacher Pastor Joe said pray with the people who had stood at the service because they just were feeling at the end of their rope, throwing in the towel, needing prayer. Immediately I was driving by 3 people abandoning their broken down car on the turnpike, parked safe, they decided to start on foot. I felt the frustration on their faces before I saw them, just kinda knew to pull over and said hop in. I believe God’s timing is perfect and I believe we are all called into action if we pick up on tiny clues and big ones. It was about 20 minutes out of my way (10 up 10 back) but I still got my kids’ food orders in, pizza picked up etc. Three at home fed, got home fine). And they did have a destination of a brother’s repair shop and a plan and although someone else surely would have helped, this seemed like it was presented as a window God made available to me to do this.
In the car we did have one of the best faith conversations that I think I have ever had, speaking of Jesus and Heaven, Revelation 22 and Rapture, mega churches and little ones, how we were raised, etc… (of course the music I had on and the cross dangling from my mirror probably cued the conversations). This was a bigger condensed conversation with strangers traveling than with close relatives nearby. I think this is how Paul felt his opportunities for preaching teaching conversations. Presented. God’s change of scenery brings opportunity. One of the three said he had just asked Him (the big Him) for a safe ride, and that’s when I pulled up. We ARE God’s taxi service aren’t we? as well as His passengers? Yes..
No, I don’t normally pick up strangers, but God just gave me the right feeling at the right time and action and ability, and a semi-empty Subaru too. It will be a distant memory soon, like my vacation memories fade, but the feeling of God calling me into service? So clear.
God’s change of scenery brings opportunity:
That’s a clear call.
God knows all.
Answer God’s call.
Amen
—-
Acts 28:23-end
They [the Jewish leaders in Rome] arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
“‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.
For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!
Reading Chronicles in the old testament is more than just a laundry list of names of fathers and sons, heritages and genealogies. Reading the section (chapters 11 and 12) about King David and his gifted warrior followers is as if Jesus is reading the descriptions of each of His bubblegum baseball warrior pack edition cards… Jesus wrote the cards, the HIStories, and kept His cards hidden protected and safe. Jesus knew how to stack the deck for David. This deal of His Plan was not from cards up His sleeve but of those held close to His heart.
David loved His Lord and was loved by his people as a shepherd. David, promised by the Lord to be made King of Israel, was also made into a House, a line of descendants promise including Jesus in flesh. No wonder Jesus held and never traded away any of these cards.
We too are held by the Lord and dealt into life scenarios. Our challenges overcome by God are recorded and we should give Him credit for His Victories. We should compare notes on our saves rather than our failures. Sometimes He shuffles the deck and reshuffles, and we need to trust His deal, even when we can’t understand why we are where we are. God knows how the cards fall, we should follow suit. He knows how to bring JOY to Himself in our gathering with Him.
Everyone loves a good leader, respects a coach, wants to trust the King. With David, the Lord set him up for success. If David drifted, the Lord took him back into His Hand. He drifted and we drift. The Lord kept His promise to keep His House, in and from the earthly house of David. What the Lord builds, stands. It’s not a house of cards, ready to fall, but solidly kept with the Lord, it’s a house of us all.
With Jesus our ultimate King, THE Lord, our Lord, we can be sure He DOES hold all our cards in His Hand.
Amen
—
1st Chronicles 11-12 (beginning and end bracketing of scriptures):
All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”
When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.
David Conquers Jerusalem
David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.
…..
All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them. Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.
When I started over abundantly explaining our trip to an AMAZING vacation place to a couple fellow church goers back home, one just abruptly stopped me and chuckled at my zeal… I get it, I am just still processing amazing times, but know the fleeting nature of memories. Another said “I hope you wrote this all down” – I have – but really of course it’s too much information for others unless you are me, with my eyes – and we are all our own eyes of the world. It’s too much info right now, but I have memories for later. I know that we all have vast memories that are all our own. Jesus too. And yet He DID write it down. Not everything and we will just “have to take His Word for it”…
My volumes of interesting memories that I could spew in words or with thousands of photos on Facebook are a tiny blip of eternal time, my family trees but minor representation of how Jesus’s Word spells out HIS family – not just trees but memories and knowledge and love. In 1st Chronicles, Jesus’s Word says: All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. They were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. Then Jesus’s Word spells out their resettlement: Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants…
God all hoped theywere all accepting to be led. Loved, lost, led. That’s life.
So good, bad, unfaithful, all of the above, were chronicled in the Word, all were loved, both the lost and found. Can you imagine if Jesus as a 12 year old in the temple started listing out all these names!??!! WOW. If Jesus was at the beginning (He was) then He knew all and loved all, just as He loves us all today. It’s mind blowing. Jesus’s Word lays down these tracks of genealogy for history sake but isn’t this just like knowing every artery and vein and hair and skin cell of Jesus’s genealogy includes knowledge of his brothers and sisters in intricate weavings of people and places… These are the recorded names that Jesus valued to have included in His memory banks, as He does for us now.
Aren’t you glad that thru Jesus, we are saved and presented to God as names cleared of sins rather than our laundry list of mis-steps? God has us on His lists.
Then continuing names after name, the Word in Chronicles condenses the tales of King Saul and King David. And we see dedication in the writings of direct lineages and why the people rose and fell. It was based on faith and faithfulness.
Our memories are enhanced by love and physical presence, so is our knowledge of Him. Our devotion and worship comes from the Holy Spirit.
We will lose our memories and mental health and our writings too – leaves do fall off our family trees – but we won’t lose our Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus will never lose us. We are written in Him.
Amen
—-
Here are small excerpts about Saul and David, a HUGE chapter in our own history of loving the Lord:
Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”
David gathered followers but it was the Holy Spirit of God who arranged the commitment:
Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.”
Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you.”
So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.
Yesterday I erased time – not really, I just switched timezones and flew from Europe to the US on an eight hour flight. Since I never was in darkness, even though my body clock said 2AM, I didn’t sleep on the plane. Actually watched 2 great classic movies: “Robin Hood” 1938 with Errol Flynn and “To Kill a Mockingbird” 1962, one of my favorites with Gregory Peck and Robert Duvall. The theme throughout the movie was it was a sin to kill or do harm to something or someone who helps you and does you no harm – like it is a sin to kill a Mockingbird. It’s important advice as we roll thru life to not be disgruntled complainers or troublemakers when people are just trying their best. Good to be good travelers. It’s important to be “keep the peace” people and just know everything at the end, plusses and minuses will even out. Go with the flow! And we flew with the flow! Time enough to trust God!
We ate REALLY well on the plane, 2AM body time was 8pm home time, so snack at the end of the flight was breakfast quiche and ice cream and more swiss chocolate, something for every time zone… It was a good traveling day, although long… Train bus plane train train car ride home. 12 hours travel in 6 hours clock time due to 6 hour difference of time. Cat napped on the train. Good travel. Good to be home.
My time yesterday (erased, perceived or real) was a GOOD time for TRUSTING GOD, as well as on this whole trip – every moment was/is an OPPORTUNITY TO TRUST GOD. I did and He never left us, as my travel pouch scripture card reminded me: “I Am Always With You”. It caught my eyes in multiple financial transactions, each passport check, etc. I trusted His presence, protection, planning and peace. Especially during plane takeoffs and landings, and realizing these people do this for a living and must trust the system for safety, so should I.
Relying on God also came in REALLY HANDY – most handy – when the check-in agent of the most courteous Swiss airline told us that our big tickets from Zurich to the US were standby only – we were set for the first leg, an hour flight – but would have to check at the gate there and certainly trust our luggage would continue OK. Wow – I never expected that – seems a computer would know better, but there we were with a choice: Trust God or not. Glad I chose to trust Him!
We DID make the connection WITH a seat. We made the connection even if only a short planned one hour layover, which already COULD have put us on edge as American news outlets have been HYPING delays, but we had NO DELAYS and in hindsight, we figured it was a minor glitch thing with the seat assignments (we meaning the dozen or so people on the same boat not assigned seats) and we saw MUCH efficiency and VERY courteous crews. (The only classic pushy airport agents were the active crowd control ones in the US, which is probably why they put those ladies in those necessary jobs, LOL). My scripture connection is here, 1 Chronicles 6:31-32: God assigns jobs to people, like us: caretakers, musicians, and yes especially flight attendants, customs officers, crowd control, AND CHOCOLATE MAKERS! We too have purpose and jobs to do, He gives us talents and skills.
And YES our luggage made it back safe, as verified by the smart “airtag” tracking devices that my smarter daughter installed… (and as verified by the travel chocolate I am about to eat right now. 6 hours of sleep, thank God!
I purposely chose Swiss airline and Zurich for the return trip. I decided the layover in Vienna, on our way over, was a safe choice because you could drive if needed, which we didn’t. We always arrived early for check-ins, hustled ourselves to step lively to the gates, be patient in security, and TRUSTGOD. Just because God is IN CONTROL doesn’t mean you don’t cooperate and comply and do your part, check the flight trackers and hustle!
My part was trusting God and staying calm. I said that to the agent, to the fellow in the line with us who was from the US and the perfect chatty line companion we both needed. I said it to my daughter, who was absorbed in protocols for traveling (and cautioning me for not talking to loud, or not doing all those things which would embarrass her). I said if we are stuck, we were still on vacation, and we would eat MORE chocolate in Switzerland! Trust God and trust my word on the chocolates, it’s good chocolate! And we had plenty of both connection time and chocolates. (And blessedly packed 49.5lb suitcases home, each at the limit! Thank God for escalators and wheels and helpful co-travelers.)
My Facebook scrolling on the trip home brought me the sad news of one of my US cousins, My cousin’s death (a tremendous supporter encourager, she would have loved these travelogues), who passed from reoccurring cancer, age 66. She trusted God, I know she did, and was filled with joy through and through. She was a champion for ovarian cancer awareness, and a contagious JOY-germ. And through Facebook I just saw news of a church friend my age (whose daughter is the same age as my daughter) who is now diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, I don’t know the whole story, but God does. This IS a clear time to TRUST GOD. My prayers for His Peace and plan.
There’s always plenty of time to Trust God and a need to trust Him. How many times do we realize that in hindsight. How many times does Jesus as the Word tell us to TRUST GOD! Endless times… and that’s the point, we ARE on an endless time continum WITH GOD, if we just take an opportunity to step on His conveyor belt, His escalators, and that eventual Heavenly Elevator.
We prayerfully has much more time on this planet to keep making this time for travel. But if we don’t, we will accept and change conveyor belts. Trust God and He will book the plans! “Book the Plans”, get it? Jesus is the Word in the Book! Book my plans Lord!
Lord, Thanks for taking us on Your Flight.
Amen
PS God never goes on vacation, but He is always with you on yours…
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2 Chronicles 6:31-32
These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the Lord after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.
I achieved something this vacation, sitting. Sitting without need to scurry to the next event. I sat at lunch in the Old Town’s square and in the outdoor and inner courtyards under tents, and I sat and enjoyed both the company and the setting – and I appreciated the sitting.
This old city feels both like an oasis of a hidden gem in a bubble and also the pulse of the most vibrant and easy city to visit. Huge but 100% manageable. It’s the city that doesn’t scare. Walking and trams and subways are easy. The people are amazing and history blends ingenuity with influences over a thousand years recorded and certainly longer into unknown times. The future? This city, it seems, could still run for a while if someone pulled the plug on the rest of the world.
I would return and return… How blessed on this trip to being a world traveler in an “easy” place with backup support as we are introduced to and revisit so much family, including some “world travelers” in my cousins, with whom we had dinner near a vast park stretched across the huge walking overlook (greens and flowers and skateboarding and young people hangouts) – which gave tremendous views accross the river. This is an area where people live, not just be touristy. And oh the views!!! There was even a local band concert setting up in that park overlooking the views.
The views of the city are from a different angle from each vantage point, we went north south east and west – and even UNDER things on this trip. Different angles and you notice different things, and I am meaning both the picturesque views and life point of views. We have different angles to see life. We often do need to sit in a café and ponder them, talk about them civilly and with experience.
No bugs… that’s a main reason I could really really enjoy outside this trip. No mosquitoes. Yes a fly found us a few times, usually just one, but I had a flyswatter and good skills from my childhood of swatting flies at my grandparents farm and house… SWAT. But outside? One fly on occasion, one yellow jacket here and there, some gnats at the woods, but no mosquitoes, none. We could sit. I could sit, I needed to sit!
This day needed to sit at the mall Starbucks WI-FI area because we walked and walked… 20,000 steps, 8 miles, 29 flights of stairs and we only did 2 towers! Good towers!!! A clock which is a marvel of longevity, even if the figures and mechanisms needed replacing time to time, especially when it was shelled by the Nazi’s at the closing moments of WW2. The protest/war/disgruntledness of sore losers, the last minute swipe of intending a mental attack on the nation’s spirits while on your way out. This clock walls and metal survived the fire, the sculptures were remade. The building (about half) was restored. One section was not.
We visited the art deco building next door to the mall (with the WI-FI) and the national museum a few blocks over, but those will have to wait for the next trip! We went to famous statue site of protests and victory gatherings when communism and the iron curtain fell. My cousin asked about the atmosphere in America with the changing presidential regimes, I said people are polarized and on opposite sides politically, separating us, but really people tried not to talk politics in mixed company to keep the peace. No bugging each other when you can keep the peace.
No bugs on the sitting in trip, but we did see spiders! I remember taking a peak in yet another root cellar from the 1700s, as a fortified mound in my cousin’s backyard, and there was a HUGE spider, size of a silver dollar. Spiders, however scary, are good for bug control. We too need to gobble up things that bug us to move our lives in peace. We need to set aside bugs and decompress on vacation. I’ve enjoyed this bubble of no bugging. Like walking the boardwalk one last time last night in perfect weather…
My scripture connection is to the attempt to dishearten the people by the Nazi’s (and yes there were concentration camps near here). War IS hell, but the people have survived and thrived… and the people who still worked the fields (farm fields, stone fields, trade fields) still stayed, and THRIVED.
It’s a beautiful city. God is good to let us be here.
See the world to see the uniqueness of each place. Enjoy the view!
Amen
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Scripture from in 2nd Kings, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it……
Later:
He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon. But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.
We had delicious plentiful hotel breakfast in the “winter garden” after watching the sunrise on the beautiful famous bridge in this heart of the “Old City”, a great way to start the day. Our hotel is just 3 minutes walk to the bridge, and only 20 minutes walk UP to the castle. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.
Our first stop after just a 10 minutes walk, past the hundreds of shops and touristy snack to Starbucks shacks, is the special gorgeous Baroque St. Nicholas Cathedral – oh the opulence of ornateness – Marble prettier than Gold, and trust me there’s a lot of Gold! And Silver!
Church visits here are a MUST see. Many/MOST people don’t go to regular church, but tourists flock to these scenic ones… This one amazing is decorated and created old Baroque to the max. Worth the minimal entrance fee. Priceless are the views that don’t cost an arm and a leg to see, plus the exchange rate is so good, that the four star hotel is “inexpensive” in American standards – and breakfast is included. And each castle/church entrance fee has been less than $10. WOW.
I absorbed the energy of the effort put into creating this cathedral but the spirit was not in the marble only in the marveling. And then UP the steep hill we climbed to main attraction of the day – the 14th century Castle – WOW! We and many many people visit the church chapels and cathedrals within the inner castle as well as the golden lane of inner village and the vast old royal residence (extraordinary coat of arms paintings on the ceilings). Although you feel like on top of the world already in views, we made it UP the 287 steps within the tower, whew… Breathtaking views and steps.
OH THE VIEWS! Made us extra hungry for dinner – stylish fancy good, yummy, BEST cheeseburger I think I ever had, and those sweet potato fries! I have a spiritual connection to sweet potato fries, LOL.
Spiritual connections???
I wondered on our way back and forth walking, while wandering across the bridge sunrise and at peak tourist volume: What exactly IS the attraction to just a bridge? It IS historic 1300’s and it IS a nightlife and daytime hotspot! Tourists tourists tourists! A must see and must be. And yes the sunset was as special as the sunrise. But what’s SO special? If there’s anything that the stealth and open Holy Spirit understands, it’s that these Holy Statues DO teach a story, a story of Jesus and of FAITH. Also the castles teach perseverance and preservation, the castles all seemed to have a Cathedral or Chapel. These ornate stained glass windows do tell stories, if we seek to know what is pictured, otherwise we just marvel at the colors. The gold leaf paint does cover leaves of Bible Truth if we look past just the shiny gloss. There’s a connection to opulence of course (and perhaps the money back then could have been spent on something else more fruitful), then again the preciousness of all these works keeps them preserved today. These treasures can’t be taken up to Heaven, but perhaps some Holy Spirit connection can be squeezed into the view of the people seeing them today. Who knows what this person or that will gather from the grains of gold. We do know that each person has a Holy Spirit connection and Jesus bought their ticket.
As for all the “uncoolness” of church these days or people’s “cold shoulder” approach after seeing church hypocrisy in their lifetimes – all I can say is my fellow visitors who number in the hundreds of thousands to millions are CHILDREN OF GOD, in various relationships with Him, AND that they took thousands and thousands of photos of Jesus today, of God’s devoted saints, of mother and child, of Jesus’s anguished face, and of His angels JOY. Even a photo of a bird on a saint tells a story of anguish in people not knowing, not understanding.
LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION – stained glass and these ornate story statutes ARE memory makers – maybe someday Jesus will appear to them and they will remember the smallest thread of faith from a facebook scroll or instagram instant. OLD BRIDGES are on which people can NEWLY WALK WITH the HOLY SPIRIT, when they realize that call of God as His Children. If anything, we know that it was important enough then that these medieval and Renaissance people both built and protected these earthly treasures of thoughts divine – and that we preserve and persevere in trying to understand how something so ornate is just a vision now rather than a worship place. These are just flat rocks and gems without the spirit. No, I DON’T feel Holy Spirit in inanimate objects or marble – or gold – but because God has made that gold, and we have knowledge of it, let us now use it and all these items as lessons for faith. Now, let us connect the dots of teachings and items, of love in action because of our faith that can reach back into time before time began.
Yes, St Nicholas (formed later into Santa Claus), there IS Faith and our Holy Spirit fosters Faith. Yes Virginia, there is a FAITH TO FOSTER.
It is said that the CROSS stands up and down to remind us that we connect to God in love, the CROSS left and right to remind us we connect to His PEOPLE in love. Let’s cross in our faith as a bridge.
There is no denying that I don’t look like my mom’s side of the family – as I don a bucket hat and slather sunblock on my freckles (from my dad’s side) for each day of sightseeing. But we all mix and express gene-pools differently anyway – but in love we fit in.
My relatives are HARD WORKING! And they are loving and my great joy is to cause opportunities for get togethers and reminiscing and fun. Sunday morning was a MUCH needed late sleep-in before we packed to leave. Then breakfast pie, lunch (a traditional meal, yum!), and after travel 20 minutes we arrived to see cousins in another branch, for second lunch – grandma and mom, with kids my kid’s age – english speaking These are connections for future trips (both to and fro).
I pulled out the old photo album scans and family trees (going back to the 1700s) in front of all these young and eager cousins and watched their eyes pop! I watched them all connect their Instagram accounts to each other (FYI -Facebook is for the older generation, LOL)…
So cousins in these distinct branches are not knowing each other but living only 20 minutes apart and now are realizing how close they really are. That is something the Grandma’s knew and something for us to rekindle. They thanked me for connecting, but I said: “that’s just my job!” – yes it is… See, I think that I am both appreciative of these connections here on earth (love the hugs) and I am getting a jump start for Heaven where I pray my great-grandparents will introduce themselves to me and me to their great great great grand-familes… we are all connected back to Noah if we know-a it or not…
It was now time to leave these country cousins – car to metro to hotel… My cousins sat in the back of the reception room but I both wanted to check in American style, but personally since that’s me, as well as explain I am local connected too! “I’m WITH the band!” a roadie or groupie might say at a backstage of a concert.
We all marveled at the closeness to the action, and beautiful CLEAN room. It was booked online and I mentioned that it was suggested by my cousin who really IS in the band, my cousin is the guitar player on the weekends for bringing patrons into the restaurant.
“I’m with the band” – but I am not saying I got better treatment because of it, because we all get great treatment here. My room however had only one set of stairs to climb, and a best view of the action, and view of the quiet mornings. And no worries, the double windows make it super insulated quiet or open to be part of the scene but home… fun!
I will miss my family, like I already do, on both sides of the pond. Gratefully we fly now rather than swim!!! Family creates the connecting bands of our heartstrings – I am thrilled to say both “I’m WITH the Band” – with Love – I’m IN the band!
We walked before bed to the town square attractions. The crowd CHEERS for the shows, not elaborate but it’s old and cool and a shared experience. We love connections! We sense connections!!!
My scripture connections… recounting family histories is from 1Chronicles, the Lord traces names from Noah forward – roots of the family tree that bore Jesus in the flesh into the world. There were MANY family branch lines of kings of Jerusalem and Judah before and after exile. It starts with names we recognize then not so much, but bits and pieces of stories are shared again and ! In this scripture is the line to David, from the lines of Judah (son of Jacob, Isreal), where Jesus traced His earthly birth, it’s the people not the place, as they moved and moved and moved. Jesus too with Joseph and Mary moved and moved, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Egypt, the Sea of Galilee – moved so much the uninformed people said: how can you be Messiah?… You didn’t follow the predicted lineage! But Jesus did! His birth IN the lineage and Jesus also IS the lineage as the Word. You can take God out from Heaven but you can’t take Heaven out from God.
We were on time for the Prague cruise boat, and even got there early to have a seat at the cafe, but when Grandma gave the signal, we skedaddled to catch our ride! We didn’t speak her language but knew exactly what she meant! Time to go!
Don’t miss the boat! Or the bus! Or anything!
Saturday found us with the second half of a branch of our loved family that I stayed with in my previous trip – but now with many grandkids running around, we just visited for the afternoon and lunch the next day – And took the Saturday sight-seeing boat ride! A town organized tour by the retired “pensioners” as my cousin translated on her phone… That’s how we communicated all morning, my cousin translated using the Google app – the bus to the boat and as needed on the cruise, 2 hours down the river, UNDER the famous bridges, and with unique views of the scenery – old and new. We were even channeled thru a lock to move up then back, it was perfect weather. The heat broken by needed rainfall.
Back on the bus, and we walked up the hill to the house with cousins to a barbecue party- wow it was a festival of enjoyment. Family is family.
My great-grandparents came on boat to America, never to see their family again – a few photos came in the mail – but no hugs – never to feel hugs from their family again. One great grandfather was escaping being forced into an army in the turn of the century. They felt the need to leave. Little money was something preventing their travel back home later – but more of an issue were the huge world wars. They couldn’t travel. They wrote letters. They hoped. They accepted the separation. They put their energy into the next generations.
I feel this connection to family on both my mother and father’s sides, yet these hugs after the big party are hugs not knowing when or IF we will see each other again. I pray we do. I hope to travel frequently (money well spent in my opinion)! It’s more than quite the blessing, it’s the full circle of the boat to the plane to the boatload of family. It’s putting your energy into the next generations, just like this trip, just like raising or lowering a ship in a lock, just like anything – pay it forward..
I’m so much enjoying this boatload of family love !!! Never want to miss THAT boat!
Amen
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PS my scripture match with this is the bad rulers over Judah Israel and Jerusalem, 2nd Kings 21, etc… divided kingdoms and wayward kings… my grandparents were escaping the bad ruler too… they hopped on the boat. Imagine my life would not exist if they didn’t. I am glad they didn’t miss the boat. God can use even the evil days for good.
Manasseh King of Judah, 2nd Kings 21:1-6 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my Name.” In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
Debbie Upper 