Scripture for Today

John 5:30-47 ~ the testimony that I have is greater than that of John

2013-05-22T20:48:00.003-07:00

John 5:30-47

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

A shining lamp, glory, hope - powerful images of goodness.

Look at all the times Jesus could have put Himself forth. He could have told every single soul that Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish council & ruling class was coming to Him for Religious discernment. Jesus could have told Peter to keep repeating the announcement when Peter announced Jesus is the Christ. Instead, most of the time, Jesus gave the opposite advice after someone was healed.

Jesus and John the Baptist have something in common. John said:

John 3:27-30
27 To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.

Jesus and John live for God. They are content with God's plan, God Himself will lift them up. The Book of Proverbs, John the Baptist, the Scriptures say all good things are from God. If we do not believe the words, what shall we hope in?

Father God, let the light of the Holy Spirit shine brightly, each day, in us, for Your glory. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

<><

Mark 1:14-20 ~ And followed Him

2013-05-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Maps of Israel through history.

Mark 1:14-20

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

The map of Israel expanding, decreasing, expanding in good times & bad, could also represent our lives. Jesus did not ask Simon (Peter, the rock), Andrew, James and John to be disciples or to join a new religion. Jesus did not spend time making them feel comfortable, asking about their lives. Jesus knew names and knew situations, Jesus already knew their heart and soul. He did not think the information significant enough to put in the scripture, just for us to know they were choosen. Jesus did not ask them to join a new religion. Jesus asked them to be in a relationship with him, the Son of God. Jesus promised them that the new relationship with Him, would change their lives.

The purpose of the daily liturgy is to read the Holy Scriptures. The Bible was written for you. Jesus invites you everyday to be in a relationship with Him.

Mark 12: 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.There is no commandment greater than these."

32 "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

A man risen in prominence in God’s Church was telling of his conversion to loving the Lord with his whole heart. In his later years, he was a well-connected businessman & found himself wandering in a foreign country near Israel on a business trip. The trip required many travel hours; to be fresh for his meeting, he landed very, very early on Sunday to cope with jet lag. Wandering through the quiet streets, he wondered why all of the success and aspects of success had not filled his life with contentment or fulfillment. He had never abandoned his faith, but neither had his Church attendance or biblical readings filled his life with contentment or fulfillment. He felt as he had felt many times in his life, alone. As he walked, his feeling of being alone increased.

He came to a Church, it was the first stirrings of real companionship he had seen on his walk. He entered the church and he understood the readings, they were in a language he knew. He realized that all over the world, Christians would be attending church and reading the gospels, just as he was in the foreign country. He realized he was not alone, God had been with him all along, he had not given His Father his top priority.

<><

My son Alexander is staying near the Sea of Galilee today. He said the hills are very beautiful and the afternoons are quite warm. It was, frankly, very thrilling to hear from him.

<><

My husband, Edward, was involved in a small fender bender yesterday and the FB quote went like this, "Got a story for you, Aggies. The cell phone rang. Unknown number, but I'll bite. Hello. It's Edward Gardere. He has been hit in the rental car. He's fine. The other guy, well. He is a Zombie Killer. He's 23 years young. And he has some problems with investors. He doesn't like to behead zombies. Causes insurance liabilities. Am I making this up? As if. So Edward and the Zombie Killer exchange business cards. And they are having a grand time by the side of the road. After all, there was a cop there when the Zombie Killer hit Edward. Unfortunately, our young friend had a few warrants and went away in handcuffs. Seems the investors want to own all his business. What business is our Zombie Killer? Dress up as zombies and get shot by paint balls. Sounds killer to me!!!

However, the more serious side isEdward quite enjoyed the young driver & was really more upset about the handcuffs than (actually a biblical name) and we will pray for him. Your prayers are appreciated as well.

<><

Joshua 7 ~ In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near

2013-05-20T22:49:00.002-07:00

Joshua 7

But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”

10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man. 15 And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.’”

16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise^[confession] to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,[c] then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the Lord. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.^[Trouble].

This is one of the Scriptures leaping upon me as a new part of Scripture. You can see why this portion is not taught much. Once more we see, with clarity, critics would say "A Hateful God." Vengeful Lord of the Old Testament. Well, if you look at the web examples below, at the end of the blog, we see - He actually knows a few things more than we do on the people,events and the soul of the events.

Instead of Judging the LORD, God, The Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, it's perhaps better to say verse 20 indicates the Lord does see all of our invisible and to Him - transparent flaws. HE had no desire to see the Children of Israel become looters and robbers with treasure. He was doing a greater work here.

We have so many layers to choose from let's work from the top and go forth.

- There is no need to justify Father God. He makes all of us transparent to Him. Heart.

- We live in gratitude we are in the New Covenant. God has done the work of salvation.

- We learn what the Old Testament meant when flaws are found.

- These flaws made the Children of God's Covenant merely look like power grabbers, opportunists and thieves. Stolen and lied and hoarded.

- The Exodus wasn't the Cecil B. Demille movie, this took time and sometimes faith was - Tested.

- Leadership - even Leaders of God, inspired leaders, feel discouraged.

- Fear is a dreaded emotion. Used here to examine motivations and a relationship to the LORD. This is successfully using our reason to search for a higher road. Dedication to using reason, prayer, emotion to personal growth.

Excellence. God uses Joshua's motivated Leadership and is helping us today. The Lord tells us what to do when our hearts melt and become water:

2 Timothy 1:7 ~ Discipline
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Psalm 112:1 ~ Dedication
Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God, Who cherish and relish his commandments

1 Peter 5:7 ~ Passion
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

We have now discovered the points readily apparent in Bible Study.

What of our own ministries as Children of God? Leadership in the World is an interesting thing. Use the skills given to us by our reasoning. Display them with assurance. Encourage. And then use a joke or a put down to make sure lines are drawn in totem pole placement. Is that what God demonstrates here?

Joshua falls on his face, actually flopping around in public. His followers are in terror. We don't learn if Joshua is crying out actually because of Trouble or leadership ego. And, fortunately, Joshua cries out to the One who is Good.

God tells Joshua to push on valiantly. Drive. The Lord is concerned His Children are representatives of Him.

Trouble comes to punish, the Lord comes to fulfill His Plan with His own Testimony.

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Galatians 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

1 Corinthians 8:9
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

1 Peter 2:16
Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves.

<><

John 21:1-14 ~ Simon Peter climbed aboard

2013-05-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

Reconstucted 1st Century fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee ( also Lake of Gennesaret, Lake Kinneret or Sea of Tiberias).

John 21:1-14

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"
"No," they answered.

6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."

11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

~ Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish.

Maybe you read the Newsweek cover article about the United States now living in a post-Christian era. The two areas of greatest unbelief, according to the article, are the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast. In these two areas in the country, 10% are now more agnostic compared to 10 years ago. The article says agnostics now number twice the number of people in the Episcopal church. It seems to be confined to specific areas, so it seems what one neighbor says to another is important.

It’s interesting to contrast the Christmas polls saying “89.5 of the United States believes in God, believes prayer is helpful and part of that faith belief.”

The Newsweek article caused all the nightly television news programs to call up famous evangelical preachers and grill them on worldly standards during Holy Week.

When Peter swam eagerly to the Lord Jesus Christ that morning bringing many, many fish; it was the dawn of the Christian Church. “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus invites.
Jesus could have said a lot of things to Peter. It could have been an altar and a heavenly chorus of all the angels. Jesus could have been sitting, beautifully and impressively arranged as God. Jesus, as God, had a lot of options for the meeting.

Jesus chose to sit beside Peter, in Peter’s life and at Peter’s side. For us, it could be an office, a den, or a car. He reminded Peter to love, to care for, to feed his neighbor. And Peter was eager to do this because Peter was far from perfect himself.

Why isn’t today’s church like the early church? Probably because Christians expect a different life than Christians of 100-300 AD. It was a harsh life with slavery, starvation, small wars, robbers and cruel government. Suddenly a light in the world shone: people saw miracles, people really changed, people expected God to care. Imagine being a low part of society, hungry and cold. Suddenly someone offers a warm coat, food and tells you of their changed life and because the love of God touched them. Lives touched other lives.

Today, the good news is still Good News. But sometimes sarcasm follows goodness and principles of sharing and love feel naïve. Christianity has been proclaimed as the crutch of the weak. Has the good news become old news? No. Don’t believe it. The world hasn’t become a warmer place when we all learn to only look out for number one – ourselves.

When Peter swam out to meet Jesus, it wasn’t the first pope offering to do all of the work himself. One of the best lay person responses when asked how we can BE the church of Jesus Christ, was this: “understanding that the caring, loving, patient reply we give, might be the only kind words the hearer hears all day.” The man giving this reply (he does live up to this ideal in a great Jesus manner) learned it from someone else he remembers with love.

Jesus reminded Peter to love, to care for, to feed his neighbor. And Peter was eager to do this because Peter was far from perfect himself.

<><

1 Timothy 5 ~ and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality

2013-05-18T21:41:00.002-07:00

1 Timothy 5

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

3 Honor widows who are truly widows. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. 5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, 6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. 8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, 10 and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. 11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry 12 and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith. 13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. 14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. 15 For some have already strayed after Satan. 16 If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.

17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

We can look to the Scriptures for abbreviations and see real meaning even today in our fast paced world.

- Encourage

- Honor

- Command

- Enroll

- Marry, Manage

- No Occasion For Slander

- Care

- Consider Worthy

- Preach, Teach

- Hospitality

- A Little Wine

- Good Works

- In Purity

Now cross check the list and fill in, in our own lives, what needs to be on our To Do List.

Hebrews 13:2
Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

Perhaps this is a national observance. We are not to become, as some cultures are, buttoned down and keep to themselves. Rarely entertaining and giving hospitality. Rarely sharing our homes and stories with others.

Deuteronomy 28:45-50
“All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you. 46 They shall be a sign and a wonder against you and your offspring forever. 47 Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. 49 The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, swooping down like the eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand, 50 a hard-faced nation who shall not respect the old or show mercy to the young.

Habakkuk 1:5
“Look among the nations, and see;
wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days
that you would not believe if told.

2 Corinthians 9:7
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully."

Psalm 64:10
Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult!

Psalm 21:6
For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

Nehemiah 8:10
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

<><!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Psalm 16 ~ You make known to me the path of life; in Your Presence

2013-05-17T20:16:00.003-07:00

Calvary Stone, showing the Earthquake Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Psalm 16

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those who run after [acquire] another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being [glory]rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption [the pit].

11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

James Tissot

I've been thinking about the overwhelming events the disciples and the "great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for Him" where going through. The people of Israel were waking to realize - they are the new lambs of God. Washed and cleaned by Him!

By now the soldiers who were bribed were all ready telling everyone His disciples had stolen His body at night. People were living the reality -

Matthew 27:
45 darkness over all the land until the ninth hour

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Luke 31:

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

43 And he [Jesus] said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

John 21:
21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

John 19:33-34
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.

- - - - - This was not your typical, blood-letting Roman governmental event of correction.

What else was being said in this week of growing Good News to these people who had stayed with Jesus following and lamenting?

Matthew 28:

2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

How would the people react to this Good News:

Matthew 28:
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted

Mark 16:
10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

(28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”)

Luke 24:

11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

When we look at the beginnings of the 500 people Jesus eventually revealed Himself to as alive, we see they doubted. Doubted. They did not drop to their knees each time and believe.

The Good News did not fail. It did not stay by fires at night, warm and comfortable. Idle talk to warm the hearts of life everlasting. Told to small children at night to cover over the 'scary -ness' of death. A little faint glow of nectar far, far away. A never, never land for us all to go to when we die and they throw dirt with a thud on the grave. No - these people invaded the Temple. Multitudes filled the 26 acres of the Temple grounds and miracles poured forth in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Families - married couples - gave up their comforts, their homes and traveled to new places, risking and incurring death to bring others the impossible Good News they were so unwilling to believe even when they saw it for themselves. Why would they do it? Why didn't they weep and moan that if they Saw This and Didn't Believe This, How Could they Be Asked to Share This?

This is the Fire of the Holy Spirit - taking joy in the Spirit and proclaiming God can do the impossible. Even giving Good News to people who did not witness it for themselves.

Luke 24:

36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

John 20

31 written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Mark 16:8 leads to this question :What would a risen King have to say to the people who had seen Him die?

8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

John 20:16
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Jesus is giving His 2nd adoption. John was His first adoption and Mary Magdalene is His 2nd. His new lamb. He gives her His Father and His God - to be her Father. Jesus adopts Peter next and charges Him to take care of His lambs.

Luke 24:

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

(Isn't it interesting Jesus Christ departed to let them process and discover and believe. He acted as salt - flavoring! A Savior and not like the teenagers like to declare these days - not zombie Jesus coming to inflict His will on them. The world is just gravely ... off kilter. The stories the evil one will use to inflict ridicule upon Him. And the young and timid use to proclaim their faith.)

We are not called, most of us, to travel to new lands to serve Him. We just put out our hands in faith and say, Lord, let me do Your work today. Admit to Him, you just don't see a way to do it. Yet when He gives You the way and the right to be heard, help someone Know the Love of God. Tell them of His mercy to the people who weren't there for Him at His death, but lived for Him after they had time to realize the Good News. Believers of Jesus Christ, today, have the fire of the Holy Spirit.

However, I have a prayer request, my youngest son travels to spent several weeks in Israel in an archaeological coin dig - please pray for safety and the positive encouragement of the Holy Spirit in this journey. Your prayers are appreciated.

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.

<><

John 5:1-24 ~ for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed

2013-05-16T20:48:00.002-07:00

John 5:1-24

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Jesus is going to a Feast. Stopping along the way at the pool outside of the Temple. He tells us He is still working. And His Father is too.

So during Jesus' day of walking our earth, grace upon grace, these things got solved. Well, if we look again at the passage, we see this is not one of the passages where "He healed them all."

This time, Jesus chose a specific individual who had been hoping, praying to be healed and had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. The Children of Israel saw amazing things and spent 40 years in the desert. God sometimes uses our difficulties to give us time to figure out what we can and can't do with them.

I frequently say life is to grow up, in HIM, and go Home. Solomon said the day of adversity and the day of blessing are from His Hand. A lot of people would be beyond bitter to have been an invalid for 38 years. Instead Jesus took a detour from a party and went to find this one individual to be healed. Jesus did not find him sin free. Jesus healed him purely on the mercy of God.

“See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

The man did not spent time sulking for the 38 years, he lived that day to give thanks and praise to GOD. This is a prime explanation of patient waiting, in honesty, instead of resignation. And the man did not sit thinking how deserving he was. Honestly waiting for help, not fake acceptance, and not anticipating deserving recognition of goodness. This man spoke to the Lord, and was heard. He knew he was waiting and relying upon Him.

Psalm 51:1-2
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

Matthew 15:27-28
But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
Then Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed at that moment."

Matthew 9:22
Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed at that moment.

Isaiah 40:31
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.

Luke 24:30-34
When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

What does the Gospel portion of Luke tell us about today - this very day?

Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

<><

Luke 10:17-24 ~ in Your Name

2013-05-16T00:02:00.001-07:00

Luke 10:17-24 ~ in Your Name

Luke 10:17-24

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. (or for so it pleased you well) 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

~ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Jesus isn't too concerned with the scary and the works of evil. He tells us we don't even have to spend much time here, because what is in front of us is much more glorious. He says in effect, 'Oh uh huh, yeah, that's right." The disciples have seen miracles and good triumph over evil. Jesus says the victory of His name is Salvation. He is the One to depend upon.

<><

Psalm 18:1-20 ~ I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies

2013-05-15T06:49:00.001-07:00

Psalm 18:1-20

1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

13 The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.

15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

This Psalm of David is rejoicing with an overflowing heart in the mercy of God. It remembers the deliverance of the children of Israel. Written 1,000 years before Jesus’ death, verses 8 to 14 describe the earthquake & events after Jesus forgave us and dismissed His Spirit. Because Jesus gave us His Holy Spirit, the psalm is about us, individually. In our day of trouble, we call out to Him and He saves us forever.

I've heard critics of Jesus Christ say He knew Scripture pretty well, using crowd hysteria to promote healings. This seems to me to dismiss the fact, if you stand in a public place looking just at mere t-shirts and you'll see people wearing messages proclaiming His Love. What an inspiring thing. On lone carpenter's son, learning his father's love and teaching us His Heavenly Father's love.Jesus, after all came from a blended family. And He is rejoiced in today. His goodness did not go unappreciated and loved. (Yay human race!)

Here is a passage of this love. Jonah quietly spoke in the Assyrian Empire and hearts were changed forever. One man merely speaking. God does powerful things in the lives of those who would just say - I am for HIM. Noah swung a hammer, ignoring 'the comment'. What more will God do for those who say - I am for Him. With a lot of actions, and words, even of Jesus - we miss the ripple even of our own actions and words. Build each day, for Him.

The ripple effect - rarely does God sent a heavenly choir to make an announcement. If fact I can only think of Jesus' birth and He chose men quietly watching over a flock - which was in fact these men caring for their own flock - of people, family - God had given them. Going to work. And just being that guy doing his job - God blessed these mere Shepherds.

Today - we have this passage, and we see with wonder and awe - God - a grieving Parent was arranging for His Child to leave a foot print of Scripture - we can not ignore. No human arranged events for 1,000 year old prophecy to be revealed. That grieving Parent thundered into the Temple - wrecking the place like He allowed Aaron to do. God was both caring for Jesus in His anger, splitting the Floor of His Temple and tearing the curtain - saying I have lived for you, my child, this hurtful existence and know the pain of rejection and of loss of life.

If this passage touches you, I challenge you to see the Israeli Church where Christ is said to have been crucified. The Church contains bedrock split by the earthquake today. A massive stone geology proclaims this to be an earthquake in Israel about 30 A.D.

Seems He likes His Scripture to be backed with evidence; we will always have to see in something He approves of - faith. Faith also involves the need to see our lives, words, and actions and Prayers are something He likes us to live out - our calling to be Children of the Most High God

<><

Exodus 40:16-38 ~ In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected.

2013-05-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

Exodus 40:16-38

This Moses did; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did. 17 In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected.

18 Moses erected the tabernacle. He laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars. 19 And he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

20 He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above on the ark. 21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 22 He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, 23 and arranged the bread on it before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 24 He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, 25 and set up the lamps before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 26 He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil, 27 and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 28 He put in place the screen for the door of the tabernacle. 29 And he set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, 31 with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. 32 When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, as the Lord commanded Moses. 33 And he erected the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

So Moses was busy visiting God on His Mountain. A year went by before a place was put together for worship - convenient to the Children of Israel. When you think of God, Himself, granting Moses the gift and the circumstance to behold Him, you would think a convenient place would mean the cloud would disappear. Business begins, repetition with stability. People take on jobs, worship, tasks and HE begins to rest.

Church Planters sometimes worry a building takes from the Spirit of God.

However, the Glory of God did not diminish upon finding a place to worship HIM.

2 Chronicles 5:13-14
and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,

“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever,”

the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

It is my opinion the cloud filling the Temple of God was probably the stars we see from the Hubble Telescope. God was using components of HIS Creation to explain His Glory.

1 Kings 8:11
And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

Genesis 28:15
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

In the Old Testament, God used clouds to manifest His Glory. A small tent, in a vast wilderness, could not contain the glory of God.

In the New Testament, God have us HIS Son - who is the Light of the World. His Spoken Word. John the Baptist called for repentance in the wilderness - leaving the Temple. A small stable, with a small baby, changed the world forever. Moses saw the Glory of God. Jesus gave us the Mercy of our Father and Jesus made us His Children. Saying the Glory of God dwells in us; never leaving us. Making us Love. We want want to glorify Him in our lives - our words, our actions, our thoughts. God, in Jesus, telling us to build His Church so the gates of Hell cannot prevail against us - also tells us His Glory dwells within us. He did not want to spill from a tent, but to dwell in our hearts making us Love.

Matthew 28:20
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

<><

Psalm 41 ~ But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up

2013-05-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

Psalm 41
A Psalm of David.

1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor ^[weak]!
In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health.

4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
heal me^{[my soul]}, for I have sinned against you!”
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
while his heart gathers iniquity;
when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
7 All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me.

8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;
he will not rise again from where he lies.”
9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them!

11 By this I know that you delight in me:
my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

Zechariah 8
~ Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities.

And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

9 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the Lord of hosts. 12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”

14 For thus says the Lord of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. 16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.”

18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, 19 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace.

20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’ 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord. 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Candles invoke in me delight - the light shining in all mankind reaches out to Father God - Light of the World.

Acts 16
~ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers [and sisters] at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” 18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Deliberation. Recently I was talking to a man about finding a new Church. In his generation, a lot of people like really laid back and yet he likes the liturgy. One of the best descriptions I've heard for the appreciation of liturgy was this:

The acknowledgement the liturgy has been read for millenniums. In sorrow, in triumph, in need, in growth. To read the liturgy is to remember great cathedrals being built to the glory of God. Millenniums of reaching up to Him.

The liturgy is still read all over the world. When we read the liturgy, you can picture the day beginning and ending again with the liturgy being proclaimed and God worshiped, the liturgy being read circles the globe daily. There is a tremendous continuation of joy. In His Love.

‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

I am never more far from stunned. Amazed - people do not realize this is God - treating life with His words.

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built."

In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land.

We love to hear of David - he dashes into the House of God to eat the shewbread. David grasps and thunders for the Bread of God. He is sustaining himself. David is quite wise.

set me in your presence forever

I have a family member, a loved one, who felt God passed him by. Not blessing him and not delighting in him. An important aspect of our personal relationship to God is examining these feelings. Usually when there is smoke - there is fire. However, God the Father, like Jesus, remember the Phonetician woman who said, "Yes, but even the dogs have scraps from the Master's table." God is God. He understands when we acknowledge to HIM, I'm so sorry I am unworthy - He does respond to us with Mercy, Grace and Goodness.

This is - The Good News!

Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

In the Ten Commandments - God tells us He comes first. When we feel we do not have a right relationship with Him - we generally hear what HE is telling us. Time to step up and tell the Lord - I'm so sorry. Father God tells us in His Word, He wants to strengthen us.

"And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”

outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer

An ideal spot to speak with the One who loves you best.

Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Why in the world would a jailer releasing his prisoners want his family involved? Those who taste and see the goodness of God want others to know of His LOVE.

And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

The Good News encourages us. This is another wise reason we reach out to HIM on His set aside day. The Good News is encouragement.

O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up

<><

3 John 1 ~ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

2013-05-11T22:12:00.000-07:00

3 John 1

1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers^[^{siblings in a family]} came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.

13 I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.

My adored father, actually I always called him Daddy, said Mother's Day & Father's Day were created by Hallmark Lobbyists and the United States Congress was probably forcibly bribed as well. He forcibly and frequently, remarked vehemently, "Forced appreciation is barely appreciation." And he kept a Dad's Trophy I furiously pen marked all over.

Mother's Day Gift - Why hope for roses or cut flowers? I hope my children tell me - "I found a place to worship HIM. And I am reading His Word. Learning how much He Loves me."

Parents stay more involved in their children's lives than the reverse.

Jesus knew, during His days walking among us as grace and truth, people are not good enough to parents:

Matthew 15
4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Why give a Hallmark card or something accumulating dust? Ask Family for the gift that gives eternity.

Matthew 13:32
"Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches."

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.

God works to preserve the durability of the child relationship to the parent. That's rather like HIM.

Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Proverbs 9
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Proverbs 3:1-8
My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.

3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. ...

God adores us. Adores us the way we have loved our own children.

Proverbs 4:3-9
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom; get insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.

Psalm 103:2-5
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

So we look up and we are glad for His many benefits. As all mothers love to be told this, allow me to close with a quote from Michelangelo, "Do you not know that chaste women stay fresh much more than those who are not chaste?"

Whoever does good is from God

Picture the Joy of Jesus Christ Triumphant when His mother and brothers no longer stood outside.

Acts 1

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The Lord sees even after seeing His resurrection, they are still concerned for mostly their own concerns - arranging Israel. He uses their confusion and temerity to build them into His Family.

God is good. All the time. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

<><

Colossians 2 ~ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—

2013-05-10T20:56:00.003-07:00

1 Corinthians 3:8

He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

Colossians 2

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Bible Study and digging into His Word keeps us replenished.

If you live in the Southern United States, you understand - especially today - the water mark can show drought. The River Jordan has no such water mark.

Where does our Bible Study begin - at the Source - with HIM. And we must appreciate this - I recently saw a Church marquee that said, "He appreciates effort, not wishes." I frankly do not agree. We are a soul wrapped by a perishable body. Our being is Spiritual. We sit with HIM and expectantly at our core - our soul - our prayers express to Father God who we really are. He does not wish us to hide from Him as HE created us to be transparent to Him.

With this in mind, we begin our Bible Study. Digging into His Word.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Paul struggled to present the Holy Spirit. We struggle each day saying, here are my open hands, my desires, my ministry, the people I love, like and care to pray for. Norman Vincent Peale had a great remark he frequently repeated "If you have trouble - rejoice - you are alive."

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread

I frequently shorten Jesus' prayer to Give Us the Day. My abbreviation for - this is the day the Lord has Made. Give Thanks. Who is our daily bread but Jesus? The Bread of Life.

What would God mostly say to us - be encouraged, knit others together in love. The full assurance - understanding - knowledge of God's mystery. He fully, completely and totally sees, understands and loves you. As His Child. His Beloved. And, let's be frank, we are frankly mystified that anyone who fully sees us - Loves us!!! I personally think the great mystery is Wow! He loves us!!!

4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

We read this is His Word:

1 Peter 4:12
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

We see all the time in our media with satellite imagery that the world has struggle, fiery ordeals and we drive in .... traffic.

We should daily be surprised and delighted instead with - awe, amazement, wonder - That God Believes we are part of HIS good order and He firmly has Faith His Son came for us for Very Good Reason. W

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

What can we give to the LORD, other than Thanksgiving? All of our gifts are from Him. Well, okay - transparency - complaining - struggling. Digging. And not being the whiny Children of Israel.

Not being the people secretly angry with Him.

Joel 3
“What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily. 5 For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples."

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

God has created us to be transparent. He sees our complaints. We sometimes get bored with our own complaints. That's, frankly, a miraculous blessing. And then other times we, as Christians, have the 'root of bitterness' rise up. God is not unaware of the word anger. Anger appears a lot in Scripture. God wants us to reach up. To Him. For the high road. He just isn't asking us to be fake or insincere. Be yourself. Then reach up to HIM. We do Not sustain Him. He Sustains us. We do not exist to serve others. We exist to be in relationship with HIM and then take that light to others. This is a struggle.

To repeat, as God does in Scripture a lot:

you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Recheck. HE sustains us. Notice with me this is first person. God, Almighty, Creator of the Universe. The Alpha. The Omega. Is concerned with one person here - you. God is telling us there is a powerful working here - you. And HIM. He is not fumbling around. God loves.... you.

This is the great TA DA - The Victory:

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

The Victory continues. This living Word is written to you. Singular. To you. His child.

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst

God tells us we should look to ourselves - esteem ourselves - in our words, actions, attitudes - He values us. God does not see us as slouches.

8 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

I, very personally, and with verve proclaim, - I'm against asceticism - suffering for goodness. And I believe we are the Body of Jesus Christ. We gently proclaim our virtues and do not insist our gifts be worshiped. While saying - I matter - I'm a Child of GOD. It's not all about me. But I matter to HIM.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

If life were up to me, I'd be a poor deity; we might only have donuts. And that is not the Bread of Life. We work to bring talents to the table and recognize He is the Bread of Life. We are supplements. You might be broccoli. You might be apples, but HE is the Bread of Life.

I fully realize this is a very weak analogy. I apologize. The full analogy is that we need to dig into God's Word. Bring our attitudes, heart, soul, mind, work, desires to HIS Table. To be who we are in gratitude. To admit freely to Him - I'm not the best I could be - but I surely - with my heart and soul and entire being desire to be Part of YOU. Dear Father God.

Peter and John looked bodily into the eyes of God's Only Son. And Peter said this. John recorded this.

John 6:68
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

Light of God. Jesus Christ the Lord. Dwell in me. Raised me, in faith, in the powerful working of God this day and always. Amen.

<><

Psalm 8 ~ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place

2013-05-09T21:52:00.004-07:00

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge Mount Pleasant and Charleston SC

Proverbs 38:16-20
“Have you entered into the springs of the sea,
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
    or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?
    Declare, if you know all this.

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light,
and where is the place of darkness,
that you may take it to its territory
and that you may discern the paths to its home?

Proverbs 38:12-13
Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
and caused the dawn to know its place,
that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

And all I ask is a tall ship
and a star to steer her by,
John Masefeild wrote.

There are days, aspects of life, when the wind lifts your hair. God is in His Heaven - all is right in the world. Seasons of joy. Far better are the days when our internal compass points much farther.

Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Job 11:7
Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?

Job 22:12
Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

Job 11:8
They are higher than the heavens above--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below--what can you know?

Job 35:5
Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you.

Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Job 40

And the Lord said to Job:

“Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

Job 40
32 Behind him he leaves a shining wake;

one would think the deep to be white-haired.

33 On earth there is not his like,

a creature without fear.

34 He sees everything that is high;

he is king over all the sons of pride.”

When a rock is thrown into water, rings of energy result. What does that wake Jesus gives us say?

Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Jesus is the One who is Good. Those who met Him left behind pleasant ways of life. Home. Hearth. And lives were made richer in meaningful thoughts.

What drew them to Jesus? One of the most astonishing aspects of Jesus is found in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. Jesus called and they knew Him to be God.

1 John 4:19
We love because he first loved us.

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

<><

Mark 9 ~ Jesus asked His Father

2013-05-08T19:37:00.001-07:00

Sea of Galilee, by Judy Shoemaker

Mark 9

1 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one [no cloth refiner] on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; [my beloved] listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out [with tears] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” [with fasting]

30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. Who Is the Greatest?

33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, [who does not follow us] and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, [to stumble] it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. [and every sacrifice will be salted with salt] 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Salt and Light. Sounds like a good potato chip. Kind of friendly.

When we think of someone being salty, we think of someone being larger than life. Loud, exuberant. Auntie Mame, Popeye.

Then again when we think of biblical salt, there is Lot's wife looking back and becoming a pillar of salt.... not a desirable state.

Salt and pop culture go hand and hand. Salt looses it's flavor when exposed to the air. It becomes stale, tasteless and isn't even good fertilizer or pesticide. What we become when we soak in pop culture without a discerning heart.

Salt wasn't unavailable at any time in Israel. Without salt, one could die in the desert of Judea without some travel planning and having some salt. Without salt, food is flavorless. No one would want to eat salt by itself. No one enjoys having religious talk, religious ideas crammed down their throat.

Let's look at Jesus asking the father of the boy ill with a demon, “How long has this been happening to him?” Recently, in another reading for Scripture for Today Blogspot, we talked about Jesus not being recorded as being a huge conversationalist. Yet Jesus is Love. Jesus is not looking for data. Jesus is not looking for a long debate with the father. Jesus is making contact with this man. Jesus is not browbeating him, He is opening up the conversation. Jesus is hip deep in an emotional experience Himself, returning to the grind of all too human disciples. Jesus is taking time with someone looking to Him. Jesus is opening up the man's choices in his thoughts of God. Jesus is being Himself, there aren't any basketball moves where the hips have to be watched to understand where He is going. Jesus is getting to the point. Jesus teaches us to live at peace with one another in this whole passage.

Read the passage once more, Jesus is teaching us salt and light - to live at peace with one another. Jesus did not live in a peaceful world and His words were not always soothing. It is like Psalm 23, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Jesus forgave everyone from the cross; goodness and mercy was not always given to Jesus, but goodness and mercy were the grace upon grace He gave us.

Blessed be the children of God, Jesus. Help us to be Your creation of salt and light. Protect us from the root of bitterness within us when goodness and mercy do not come our way in life. Let our words be seasoned with the salt of Your Healing and Your wisdom. We always ask for Your help. In the name of Jesus. The highest name of Jesus, Abba. Amen.

<><

Colossians 3:12-17 ~ as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive

2013-05-08T06:33:00.001-07:00

Colossians 3:12-17 ~ (New Revised Standard Version)

As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Have you had to forgive someone for causing the death of someone you love? We, as a family, forgave a nursing home caregiver for throwing open a steel exit door in anger, not knowing Grandmother was on the other side of the door and breaking our mother/grandmother’s shoulder. Grandmother died from the injury, she was 93. Grandmother had an amazing passing, full of the peace, going home with her beloved FatherGod. She was 93 and death is not unexpected. The caregiver wept and wept, meeting with us twice, to be forgiven. It wasn’t difficult to forgive an act of carelessness; without malice to Grandmother, the caregiver had really enjoyed Grandmother and was her friend. She wept harder hearing Grandmother forgave her and wasn’t angry. Grandmother dreamed many times of being reunited with family and her husband, gone for 50 years, Grandmother didn’t spend a minute being angry.

My father’s passing was a different matter. It’s complicated. His second wife knew a downward spiral was occuring and was, perhaps, tired of her marriage. The funeral photos looked like a christening or wedding photo, with the faces filled with joy of the step family. As I questioned family members, it became apparent with more help, his death might have been avoided. My grief turned into the most amazing rage. I never knew these violent emotions even could exist. No apology would ever come from the woman who now hailed my father, after his death, as the love of her life. She married again, for the 3rd time, within months of his death.

Years before my dad died, I had attended a Bible study on forgiveness. The Bible doesn’t record the sons of Israel asking forgiveness for telling Israel Joseph had died from being mauled and actually selling him into slavery. Israel grieved for his son for many, many years. Forgiveness needs to occur even when an apology is not ever going to arrive. As Israel died, after discovering the needless years of suffering and the deception of his sons, he blessed his sons, giving each the blessing appropriate to them. Israel died at peace and filled with hope. He wasn’t unrealistic in his forgiveness, but peace filled him.

I have found a willingness to forgive is the first step in forgiveness. Time helps to allow forgiveness to grow. I asked God in the name of Jesus to allow my rage not to conquer me. I pictured living water flowing over me as I prayed. I asked for forgiveness when my forgiveness didn’t grow and placed my heart in God’s hands. The pictured living water of God was my best defense. Today, I able to understand my dad’s responsibility and regret my dad’s wife’s choices. I am at peace. I have forgiven. Because the Lord helped me, and with His grace, I know I am forgiven. Thank God.

<><

Isaiah 65 ~ my Chosen shall long enjoy the work of His hands

2013-05-06T20:13:00.001-07:00

Jesus said the Kingdom of God belongs to the little children. Painted by Greg Olsen.

Isaiah 65

[1] I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;

I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, "Here am I, here am I,"
to a nation that did not call on my name.
I spread out my hands all the day
to a rebellious people,
who walk in a way that is not good,
following their own devices;
[3] a people who provoke me
to my face continually,
sacrificing in gardens
and burning incense upon bricks;
[4] who sit in tombs,
and spend the night in secret places;
who eat swine's flesh,
and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
[5] who say, "Keep to yourself,
do not come near me, for I am set apart from you."
These are a smoke in my nostrils,
a fire that burns all the day.
[6] Behold, it is written before me:
"I will not keep silent, but I will repay,
yea, I will repay into their bosom
[7] their iniquities and their fathers' iniquities together, says the
LORD;
because they burned incense upon the mountains
and reviled me upon the hills,
I will measure into their bosom
payment for their former doings."

[8] Thus says the LORD:
"As the wine is found in the cluster,
and they say, `Do not destroy it,
for there is a blessing in it,'
so I will do for my servants' sake,
and not destroy them all.
[9] I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
and from Judah inheritors of my mountains;
my chosen shall inherit it,
and my servants shall dwell there.
[10] Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks,
and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,
for my people who have sought me.
[11] But you who forsake the LORD,
who forget my holy mountain,
who set a table for Fortune
and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny;
[12] I will destine you to the sword,
and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter;
because, when I called, you did not answer,
when I spoke, you did not listen,
but you did what was evil in my eyes,
and chose what I did not delight in."

[13] Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
"Behold, my servants shall eat,
but you shall be hungry;
behold, my servants shall drink,
but you shall be thirsty;
behold, my servants shall rejoice,
but you shall be put to shame;
[14] behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart,
but you shall cry out for pain of heart,
and shall wail for anguish of spirit.
[15] You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse,
and the Lord GOD will slay you;
but his servants he will call by a different name.
[16] So that he who blesses himself in the land
shall bless himself by the God of truth,
and he who takes an oath in the land
shall swear by the God of truth;
because the former troubles are forgotten
and are hid from my eyes.

[17] "For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth;
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
[18] But be glad and rejoice for ever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing,
and her people a joy.
[19] I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping
and the cry of distress.
[20] No more shall there be in it
an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not fill out his days,
for the child shall die a hundred years old,
and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
[21] They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
[22] They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
[23] They shall not labor in vain,
or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD,
and their children with them.
[24] Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
[25] The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
and dust shall be the serpent's food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain, says the LORD."

~ my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands

Psalm 90:16-17
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

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

When Jesus dwelt among us, the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. Jesus knew the heart of man, yet He chose to willing open His arms, lay down His life and be our sacrifice, to atone for our sin. Many people do not see Jesus as fully human, but God's Son leaving Heaven, temporarily, willing to wade into our midst, like war, and endure it. What would Jesus have missed from His life on earth? For all of us, to die is frightening. Jesus did receive love & worship from a life worth leading:

John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Jesus had a happy childhood, as the adopted child of Joseph. In a small town, everyone's business is known, but Jesus' hometown saw that complete blended family and said:

Matthew 13:
53When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. 55"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?

Luke 2:
48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." 49"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Luke 3:
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Mark 1:14,15
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Mark 1:
17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18At once they left their nets and followed him.

27The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Luke 5:
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.

John 2:
1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.

5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

10and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now."

Matthew 11: 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."

Mark 1:
41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"

13Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.

Mark 2
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.

Mark 3:
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

Mark 4:
1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge.

Jesus must have recognized His own life in this parable:
30 Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.

Mark 5:
34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). 42Immediately the girl stood up and walked around.

31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

Mark 6:
4 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

46After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

50b Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

Luke 6:
7"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Luke 7:
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

22 And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.

Mark 7:
37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Mark 8:
29"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

Mark 9:
1 And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

Mark 10:
14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him.

Mark 11:
7When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
"Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
10"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!"
"Hosanna in the highest!"

11Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Mark 12:
29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."

34a When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

Mark 14:
6"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

9I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

22While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."

23Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.

24"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. 25"I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."

John 19:
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" 27Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!"

Luke 23:
42 And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

<><

Zechariah 12 ~ a spirit of grace and supplication

2013-05-05T16:33:00.006-07:00

Jerusalem, Damascus Gate. Rebuilt in 1542, presumably based upon archaeology, it is the 3rd Damascus Gate.

Zechariah 12 ~ (New International Version)

1 This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares: 2 "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness," declares the LORD. "I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. 5 Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.'

6 "On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.

7 "The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem's inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. 8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.

10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives.

An impossible miracle of God's. God is a fortress, a shield to .... an entire nation. Only God could bring about a miracle to a country so attacked.

Did you know the family of David have kept their lineage and they come together, from all over the world to have family reunions. According to God, David's line continues today.

In the middle of such a great victory, the people do not dance a dance of victory, instead they know only God can have done this and they are far from worthy. God knows how poorly we really listen and learn. So many things in the Scriptures repeat and repeat. The water parted in front of the Children of Israel several times. Jesus was called upon to heal and was met with small faith, many times.

Zechariah tells us about Jesus being killed, how multitudes came not to the rural areas, but to God's Temple to learn more about Jesus. It says so in Acts 5.

Because the Word of God is living and active, this is a story which will repeat when the world is facing the rebuilding of the Temple, when we are coming to the end days the Lord has told us about since the time of Daniel in 600 B.C.

This impossible story occurred to the people of God during the reign of Hezekiah when the Assyrian Empire didn't destroy Judah. The new country of Israel has almost been wiped from the face of the earth, surrounded by enemies in impossible odds. Israel exists today. The miracle will come again. Rejoice.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

<><

Mark 5:21-43 ~ “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.”

2013-05-04T19:37:00.002-07:00

Housing in Judea during the time Jesus lived

Capernaum, Jesus' adult hometown, today

Mark 5:21-43

And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. ²² Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet ²³and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” ²⁴And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. ²⁵And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, ²⁶and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. ²⁷She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. ²⁸For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” ²⁹ And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ³¹And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” ³²And he looked around to see who had done it. ³³But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. ³⁴And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

³⁵While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” ³⁶But overhearing^{[ignoring, hearing]} what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” ³⁷And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. ³⁸They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” ⁴⁰And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. ⁴¹ Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. ⁴³And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

This would have taken place in Capernaum. It is an interesting dilemma - one we can think about today. Should we acknowledge Jesus in our lives. Jairus has to decide. Is he a Jew running the synagogue. Is it worth it to let Jesus come to his house to see his dying daughter. She probably didn't just get sick that day. Events are pressing in on Jairus.

21 Times Jesus has healed with His Spoken Word
13 Times Jesus has reached out to touch
9 Times people were healed dfuring preaching and teaching, plus the 2 times the Scripture says "He healed them All."
8 Times Jesus drove out demons
7 Times ill people where healed because they had faith
4 Times Jesus was moved with compassion
1 reached out to touch Him.

And Jairus sees the woman reach out to Jesus. Jairus has done the same thing. He has put aside the pride of his position to reach out to Jesus. And the woman is healed. Jairus must have been so glad. And then crushed. Jairus' face must have been completely stricken.

Jesus immediately reacts to Jairus. Saying

"Do not fear, only believe.”

Mark 9:24
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Faith. Jesus saw it waver, in those around Him, all the time.

Matthew 14:30-31
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

If Jesus sees faithlessness so often, what set Jairus, the boy's father and Peter apart?

Romans 4:3
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

Romans 4:20-25
No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Both Jairus and the woman - reached out to Jesus. And in reaching out. Jesus had compassion on them. Lives were changed. Hearts renewed. This is what Jesus is about. Making people know how wide, how deep, how unfailing is God's love. For us.

John 20:29
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Blessed.

<><

Psalm 134 ~ may the Lord bless you from Zion

2013-05-03T19:34:00.004-07:00

Psalm 134

Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!

3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!

1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-16
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

<><

1 Timothy 3:14-16 ~ believed in throughout the world

2013-05-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

1 Timothy 3:14-16
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great:

He was revealed in flesh,
vindicated in spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory

~He was revealed in the flesh

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

~vindicated in the spirit

John 1:-17
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

~seen by angels

Luke 2:8-14
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men."

~proclaimed among Gentiles

Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

~believed in throughout the world

Revelation 21:22-27

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

~ taken up in glory

Revelation 21:1-4

Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

<><

Psalm 114 ~ His dominion

2013-05-01T20:36:00.001-07:00

Psalm 114

1 When Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.

3 The sea looked and fled;
Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs.

5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams?
O hills, like lambs?

7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turns the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of water.

Known as the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, a Russian Orthodox Cathedral, it is the geometric center of Moscow since the 14th century. Built by Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible), it contains eight side churches arranged around the ninth, the tenth church was erected in 1588 over the grave of venerated Basil - Fool for Christ. Basil lived:

Proverbs 16:7
When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

Basil was an apprentice shoemaker in Moscow, but became a shoplifter. He gave to the poor to shame the miserly and help those in need. He rebuked Ivan the Terrible for not paying attention in Church, and for his violent behavior towards the innocent. Most of the time, admonishing anyone with name "the Terrible" wasn’t such a good idea, but apparently Ivan had a soft spot for the holy fool (as Basil was also known) and ordered a magnificent Church to be built in his name after Basil died. When Basil died on August 2, 1557, Ivan the Terrible, himself, acted as pallbearer and carried Basil's coffin to the cemetery.

Basil must have met with timing only sent by the Lord, because the rest of Ivan the Terrible's reign was marked by a violent spiral downward. Basil's life was remembered as a servant of Jesus Christ and inspired many, including Ivan the Terrible's son. Basil's life, giving to the poor, may have inspired the legends of Robin Hood 100 to 200 years later. Ivan's son, Feodor, commissioned more towers to be built, 30 years later, around Basil's grave and the Cathedral became known as Basil's Cathedral.

<><

Genesis 16:1-2, 15,16 ~ the angel of the Lord found

2013-04-30T22:34:00.002-07:00

El Roi - God Sees

Philippians 4:13
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Genesis 16:1-12

1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."

Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."

6 "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"

"I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.

9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."

11 The angel of the LORD also said to her:
"You are now with child
and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael, [God hears]
for the LORD has heard of your misery.

12 He will be a wild donkey of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and everyone's hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward all his brothers."

Genesis 16:15-16
15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Everyone can identify being in a less than good situation, everyone can understand wanting to flee away from it. But Hagar comes back having felt and been found by the goodness of God, being understood and loved. Hagar returns knowing a promise from God and understanding the path will be difficult. God gives her the strength to fufill her purpose.

A lot of the people in the old Testament are kings, queens, judges and prophets. But Hagar is a maid. The Lord sees fit to promise Hagar, just as Abram was promised, her descendants will be too numerous to count. Abram might have wanted a legacy, a son, but Hagar must have felt very alone being a maid from another country. God hears her misery, he doesn't just judge between Sarai & Abram, but sees further and with more compassion. Hagar feels God is trustworthy and she can return without the hopelessness she left with.

Slavery isn't always about being put in shackles and locked up, it is being in a situation without the ability to change or go forward. With God all things are possible, and Hagar is told to stay in the same situation; this is what God wants for her. Glorious promises are made for Hagar and God asks her to just continue, but with hope and the new knowledge of the love and compassion in God for her.

Colossians 3: 10

put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

1 Corinthians 7:17-23

17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

<><

Judges 2 ~ I will never break my covenant with you

2013-04-29T21:11:00.003-07:00

The nature of mankind after experiencing the overwhelming gracious love of Father God is displayed again and again in Scripture; people meeting the messengers of Lord are frequently overcome. Mankind hasn’t changed much since the days of Moses and Joshua. How blessed we are to live in the time of Jesus’ blessings; we are like the words of the old hymn, “Prone to wander – Lord I know it.” But in Jesus Christ, we overcome.

Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 28:20
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Judges 2

Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” 4 As soon as the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 And they called the name of that place Bochim. [Weepers] And they sacrificed there to the Lord.

6 When Joshua dismissed the people, the people of Israel went each to his inheritance to take possession of the land. 7 And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel. 8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110 years. 9 And they buried him within the boundaries of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash. 10 And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.

11 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. 14 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. 15 Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them for harm, as the Lord had warned, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were in terrible distress.

16 Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. 19 But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. 20 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people has transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, 22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.” 23 So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

<><

1 Kings 3 ~ And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in

2013-04-28T22:07:00.002-07:00

National Geographic reports a 3,000-year-old defensive wall biblical might refer to the one built by King Solomon, has been unearthed, in Jerusalem, according to Professor Eilat Mazar, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Mazar believes it's natural for archaeologists excavating in the Holy Land to consult with biblical texts along with other ancient documents. "I don't believe there is an archaeologist who would excavate a site upon which texts have been written without being familiar with those texts," she said. The reference to the wall is also found in this passage and I Kings 9:15

Which is unusual art for this passage. How odd Solomon can be found for his wall. Perhaps that is because he walled himself up in himself.

1 Kings 3

Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

15 And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

16 Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. 18 Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house; only we two were in the house. 19 And this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him. 20 And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. 21 When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne.” 22 But the other woman said, “No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.” The first said, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.” Thus they spoke before the king.

23 Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’” 24 And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king. 25 And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” 26 Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.” 27 Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.” 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.

The "House of David" is inscribed on this victory stele excavated at Tel Dan, in the Galilee region of Israel. It is dated from the 9th Century BC. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. The Tel Dan Stele is important in the study of Biblical Archaeology.

We rarely picture the wisdom of Solomon being given to him as a child. And marrying into the House of Pharaoh as a child.

Although this marriage and Solomon's subsequent harem of 700 women seem to have carried him far from the Lord for a time. When you continue to read the words of Solomon, you see He comes back to the Lord.

Jesus loved to sit on Solomon's Porch. Solomon's Porch was still there for Jesus to enjoy, even in the Second Temple.

John 10:22-23
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.

Jesus did recall Solomon.

Matthew 6:28-30
And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Solomon was unusual, he had lived the parable Jesus told of the seeds.

Mark 4:16-20
16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

A King who made the remark -

Ecclesiastes 7:28
Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for. Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman!

1 Kings 11:3
He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.

Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

And of course, Jesus would find Solomon worth remarking upon -

1 Kings 9
When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him:

“I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there."

Many biblical writings think of Solomon as being "undone." And towards the end of his reign, he had political enemies outside of Israel and from within, however to read Solomon's writings is to know Solomon returned to the wisdom of the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 11
Cast your bread upon the waters,
for you will find it after many days

Teaches us to return the judgement of Solomon to his written words.

The Word today is living and active. Church today, if you have not tried one, is about looking in HIS WORD to see all different aspects of life.

Its difficult to imagine, yet easy to understand, Solomon felt overwhelmed. He says Lord, it's difficult to proceed into the throne, leave the throne, and walk about his own people. And he's married to Pharoah's daughter. We can reach out and touch the feeling he is expressing. We are that child trying to live a meaningful life.

Then we see, what we witness in life so much, so many times is the falderal 1. a showy but worthless trifle 2. foolish nonsense 3. (Music, other) a nonsensical refrain in old songs.
Life began to caress his ego.

As people age, they reach a point - not discussed - but very real. Did they lead a life worth leading. My older friends have said this is a very real place. Are we bitter or better. Solomon provides for us a very, very worthy example. He became so interested in his own hype. Solomon was spending his time up in the high places.

1 Kings 11:5, 7-8

5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the detestation of the Ammonites.

7 Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the detestation of Moab, in the mount that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestation of the children of Ammon. 8 And so did he for all his foreign wives, who offered and sacrificed unto their gods.

Solomon was searching for God to reach him where he wanted God to be. When you see where Jesus was, Jesus was sitting, lifting, spending time with the people looking to HIM. Solomon was working life his own way and asking Him to just speak to that. John the Baptist took his ministry off the beaten path because he understood the wisdom of Jesus saying the wide highway is not the narrow gate.

Ecclesiastes 2:1
I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless."

Solomon reigned for forty years. In the Iron Age, that is AMAZING. Solomon is our example - if we are not St. Paul - giving up all things for Him - we are Always Capable - until we are just like Solomon said.

Ecclesiastes 9:4
There is hope only for the living. As they say, "It's better to be a live dog than a dead lion!"

God chose to honor the Words Solomon wrote. Jesus cared to sit in Solomon's Porch and remember Solomon as an example of what God can surely do today with our own lives.

Ecclesiastes 12:10-14
The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Solomon repeats his message several times. The Scriptures of God try to reach us were our heart/soul lives.

Ecclesiastes 8:15
So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

Psalm 42:8
By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me-- a prayer to the God of my life.

Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.

<><

Scripture for Today

John 5:30-47 ~ the testimony that I have is greater than that of John

Mark 1:14-20 ~ And followed Him

Joshua 7 ~ In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near

John 21:1-14 ~ Simon Peter climbed aboard

1 Timothy 5 ~ and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality

Psalm 16 ~ You make known to me the path of life; in Your Presence

John 5:1-24 ~ for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed

Luke 10:17-24 ~ in Your Name

Psalm 18:1-20 ~ I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies

Exodus 40:16-38 ~ In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected.

Psalm 41 ~ But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up

3 John 1 ~ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Colossians 2 ~ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—

Psalm 8 ~ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place

Mark 9 ~ Jesus asked His Father

Colossians 3:12-17 ~ as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive

Isaiah 65 ~ my Chosen shall long enjoy the work of His hands

Luke 23: 42 And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." 34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Zechariah 12 ~ a spirit of grace and supplication

Mark 5:21-43 ~ “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.”

Mark 5:21-43

Psalm 134 ~ may the Lord bless you from Zion

Psalm 134

1 Timothy 3:14-16 ~ believed in throughout the world

Psalm 114 ~ His dominion

Genesis 16:1-2, 15,16 ~ the angel of the Lord found

Judges 2 ~ I will never break my covenant with you

1 Kings 3 ~ And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in

Luke 23:
42 And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."