Scripture for Today

Numbers 22:22-28 ~ you have struck me these three times

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Numbers 22:22-28

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

²² But God's anger was kindled because he ^{[the prophet Balaam went to curse the Children of Israel against God's desire to bless]} went , and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary.

Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. ²⁴ Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. ²⁵ And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again. ²⁶ Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. ²⁸ Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

Scripture for Today Blogspot would love to show you, at this point, an archaeological tombstone, or pottery shard with the story of the wonderful donkey. We will have to take it on faith. God's glory unseen. Unfortunately, all archaeology only confirms Balaam was not a child of Israel, & did worship other gods and was a prophet intent on other gods.

In 1967, at Deir Alla, Jordan, archaeologists found 119 pieces of inked plaster containing an unknown prophecy by Balaam written in a previously unattested dialect with Aramaic and South Canaanite characteristics and employing an idiosyncratic script. The inscription is datable to circa 840–760 B.C. . Painted in red and black inks, apparently to emphasize the text, on fragments of a plastered wall.

Agreeing with the Balaam testimony is John, Jesus' beloved disciple, Balaam as not part of the Children of Israel, instead working against them.

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

Balaam held the interest of Jude, brother of Jesus:

Jude 1:11
What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

Peter was also interested in Balaam.

2 Peter 2:15
Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

What is remarkable of Balaam.... his defiance, bold resistance to opposing God or an angel of the Lord's authority.... to continue to do the wrong thing.

Numbers 22
²⁹ And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” ³⁰ And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” ³¹ Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. ³² And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. ³³ The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”

³⁴ Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” ³⁵ And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.”

Numbers 24

When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. ² And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, ³ and he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
⁴ the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:
⁵ How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
⁶ Like palm groves that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the LORD has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
⁷ Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be in many waters;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted.
⁸ God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall break their bones in pieces
and pierce them through with his arrows.
⁹ He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”

¹⁰ And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹ Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” ¹² And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ¹³ ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? ¹⁴ And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

It is up to each of us not turn from what we know is right. With the grace of God. God speaks to us in our hearts, we believe & He tells us this in the New Testament. God is good in the way He records Balaam in the Book of Numbers; the New Testament says Balaam continued to work against God's anointed people.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

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Matthew 20:1-16 ~ So the last will be first, and the first last

2012-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Shine - Collective Soul

Matthew 20:1-16

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

¹ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius^{[a day's wages for a laborer}} a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, ⁴ and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ ⁵ So they went.

Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ ⁷ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

⁸ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ ⁹ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. ¹⁰ Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. ¹¹ And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, ¹² saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ ¹³ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. ¹⁵ Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ ¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

So the last will be first, and the first last.

Jesus told us the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He didn't mean just for that moment. Jesus was telling us when we confess with our mouths and believe with our hearts - we have eternal life. Beginning ..... stop watch click...... at believing. All of God's promises are for us - now.

I had the pleasure and sadness to spend time with family I dearly love this weekend - someone when the joy of Jesus Christ and His love opened in my soul - he was the first person I thought of. Today he has it all - the wife he loves - the children he adores - the departed architect's own designed home - and the career he has & was never going to have because he has/had a learning disability. The only reason this dear one has this career after 2 major Universities & a very established High School wished him well and not to let the back door knock him down too hard - he has some real skill. With problem solving and humor.

Life is really hard. It is tough to get out there each day and bust a gut. My loved one was saying that he plans to leave this life of old age in his 60s. Not really our genetic pattern, when the ticket-to-ride departure date seems to be age 94. His young eyes looked weary.

Yesterday we looked at Jacob having the full weight of God's blessings behind him - yet a lot of Jacob's life looked pretty similar to Job. It was within Jacob's soul that God's blessings lived, multiplied and were given out. Jacob lived His promises.

Who else would be first and last in God's blessings? Jesus' own brothers. Jesus knew they would shine. Just as God knew Gideon would shine as well. It is fairly, understatement, important to treat people like they have it within them to Shine. Pray hard - with hope. God is still at work today. An uncle of mine found the Lord at age 78. Dancing in Heaven for my grandmother.

John 7:1-5, Jesus' brothers want Him to see some trouble.
After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

Matthew 12:46-50, after Jesus declared the ruling people of the temple to be vile and evil, His brothers want the trouble to die down.
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Mark 6:3, Jesus records how his brothers think of Him; Jesus' family is seen by others as a very loving, all of a kind, family.
"Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

This is Jesus loving His brother in clear light. He understands the situation, not whitewashing it. So 1 Corinthians 13 tells us love conquers all.

1 Corinthians 9:5, Paul tells us of Jesus' brothers.

Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas [Peter]?

The Books of the Bible, James and Jude are Jesus' brothers that their Nazareth home town saw them as a seamless family. In the time of the early Church:

Acts 1:14
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Hebrews 2:10-12, Jesus speaks of us as His brothers, but also His own brothers.
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says,
"I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises."

I pray the Psalms. I'm not spending time fretting. I am placing the one I love in His hands.

Psalm 87

¹ On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

² the LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
³ Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God.
Selah

⁴ Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—
“This one was born there,” they say.
⁵ And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her”;
for the Most High himself will establish her.
⁶ The LORD records as he registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.”
Selah

⁷ Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs are in you.”

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

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Hebrews 11:8-16 ~ people who speak thus

2012-01-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 11:8-16

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. ¹¹ By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Body of Jacob Returning to Israel for Burial. Painted by James Tissot

Jacob left a land in famine. A land where his grandfather, grandmother, mother, father and his beloved wife Rachel were buried. The place where he had long mourned the death of a favorite child. Land purchased for him. For an old man who had once fled his comfortable home after stealing a paternal blessing, how could this have seemed like a blessing?

Yet Jacob did not die in the journey. Did not die rounding up all of his children and grandchildren to leave. Jacob made the journey. One step in front of the next. This incredible man still believed in the blessing of God and made sure all of his children and even 2 grandchildren were all rounded up and blessed. Jacob was not going to leave this life giving only one paternal blessing. Jacob was going to leave his life with more giving than what had been given to him.

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.

Goodness and mercy were the blossoms of Jacob's life.

In plain view, Jacob was not living a blessed life. Rather more like Job. But most importantly Jacob lived with joy in his heart of Faith, Hope and Love. With the greatest of these being Love. Jacob's children hardly deserved a blessing, yet Jacob made sure all of them were blessed. Scriptures never record his children asking for forgiveness for letting Jacob believe for years Joseph had died.

The road was bumpy, sometimes harsh. Famine, theft, blessing and curses. Yet Jacob is Israel and the blessing - is - his.

Father God, help us each day in our comfortable lives to have our gratitude renewed and our cups overflow to bring goodness and mercy. That we may always be people who give You thanks. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Ezekiel 26:1-14 ~ your walls will shake

2012-01-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Bible promised Tyre would not be rebuilt.

Tyre - important Phoenician settlement on the coast of Lebanon. It was an offshore island and had a double harbor linked by a canal which allowed sheltered anchorage and a safe outlet whatever the wind direction. It wasn't until Alexander the Great that Tyre ceased to be an island. In ancient documents it was powerful and important,a famous trading center for purple dye made from murex shells, known as Tyrian Purple. Carthage inherited the leadership of the western Phoenician cities after Tyre fell to Nebuchadnezzar in 572 BC. On this occasion the city withstood a 13 year siege before it fell. The island was heavily fortified with defensive walls 150 feet(46m)high. In 332 BC there was another remarkable siege by Alexander the Great who finally succeeded by building a causeway permanently linking the island to the mainland.

Ezekiel 26 announces the destruction of Tyre (Ezekiel was the prophet who announced a head of time what Nebuchadnezzar would do) , Ezekiel 27 asks for a prayer for the beautiful Tyre. Combine the two chapters, you have a wonderful example of God's mercy.

Ezekiel 27:1-4

1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2 Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
3 And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. 4 Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.

Tyre, Lebanon today - the coast and southern half are devoid of population and are in ruins.

Ezekiel 26:1-14 ~ (Revised Standard Version)

In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:

"Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, `Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken, it has swung open to me; I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,' therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They shall destroy the walls of Tyre, and break down her towers; and I will scrape her soil from her, and make her a bare rock.
She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets; for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD; and she shall become a spoil to the nations;
and her daughters on the mainland shall be slain by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

"For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers.

He will slay with the sword your daughters on the mainland; he will set up a siege wall against you, and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you. He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots, when he enters your gates as one enters a city which has been breached. With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets; he will slay your people with the sword; and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground.
They will make a spoil of your riches and a prey of your merchandise; they will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses; your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters.

And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more.

I will make you a bare rock; you shall be a place for the spreading of nets; you shall never be rebuilt; for I the LORD have spoken, says the Lord GOD.

There are several cities in the Bible that were never to be rebuilt according to the Lord's Word like Sodom, Gomorrah, Nineveh and Ai. Some have suggested the Hittite Empire, Nineveh, Sodom, Gomorrah never even existed, in my lifetime, until archaeology dug them back up. Portions of Tyre are desolate ruins today. We looked at Ezekiel 20, this week, where the promises of the Lord to protect Israel came to an end because they had been practicing child sacrifice for financial gain to the false god Baal. The Lord swore in Ezekiel 20 He would scatter the children of Israel.

So many claim the "god of the Old Testament" was filled with wrath. This is uninformed. Judgment when God gives it is deserved. Jesus visited Tyre:

Matthew 15:21-28
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Then we read Zechariah 7 telling us the thoughts of our heart matter. Tyre provided David with trade, Solomon built God's Temple with Phoenician wood. They were probably more frenemy than enemy to Israel.

Lamentations 1:21
People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my distress; they rejoice at what you have done. May you bring the day you have announced so they may become like me.

Proverbs 24:17
Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice

Job 31:29
"If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him--

Why would the Lord have changed His plans for Tyre?

Isaiah 38:1-6
¹ In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”

² Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, ³ “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: ⁵ “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. ⁶ And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

Jesus had something to say about prayer and hope:

Luke 18:1-8
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly

Jesus was known to be open to appeal:

John 2:3-7
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

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

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

God loves us.

Luke 18:1
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Reprint Scripture for Today Blogspot - November 3, 2010

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Psalm 107 ~ The upright see it and are glad

2012-01-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Where The River Flows - Collective Soul

Psalm 107

¹ Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
² Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble^{[from the hand of the foe]}
³ and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.

⁴ Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
⁵ hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
⁶ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
⁷ He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
⁸ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
⁹ For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
¹¹ for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
¹² So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
¹³ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
¹⁵ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
¹⁶ For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
¹⁸ they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
²⁰ He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
²¹ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
²² And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

²³ Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
²⁴ they saw the deeds of the LORD,
his wondrous works in the deep.
²⁵ For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
²⁶ They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
²⁷ they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits' end.
²⁸ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
²⁹ He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
³⁰ Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
³¹ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
³² Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

³³ He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
³⁴ a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the evil of its inhabitants.
³⁵ He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
³⁶ And there he lets the hungry dwell,
and they establish a city to live in;
³⁷ they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
³⁸ By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their livestock diminish.

³⁹ When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
⁴⁰ he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
⁴¹ but he raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.
⁴² The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

⁴³ Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Past events + life experiences + current day-to-day events = the snap shot of where we exist today.

So what's new? Spotify. Arranging the music we listen and like the most into our own collection. Thinking about being in the world and not of the world.

And. Edward & I started a new 6 Friday nights Bible/Book Study taught by our Pastor Clark Lowenfield on the book "The Meaning of Marriage" written by Timothey Keller with Kathy Keller. Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God.

John 17:11 In the world, but not of the world
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one.

The Lord created the world and when we look we see Him in our every day life. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.

God's world is orderly. Jesus is Prince of Peace.
God designed the world to turn and created ecological systems to renew, nourish and replenish us. Marriage is one of the systems God gave us. God says to seek Him first and His Kingdom.

And God has always told us - there is a profound bond between marriage and the Body of Christ. - His Church and His Bride.

My great-uncle was the Reverend Tate Young. In the early 1970s, Tate told us the Church would begin to see tremendous problems. He wasn't talking about the homosexual agenda. He was talking about the beginning of trouble. He was seeing the Bible being discarded with man's wisdom. Tate said that when the denominations begin to discard the vows, - of say for example -, a marriage that took place in the Methodist Church and now the Episcopal Church doesn't recognize the relevance of the Methodist Church vows because a divorce took place and the Episcopal Church offers a re-marriage without due prayer and contemplation - then the Church would have it's bedrock shaken.

We live in a country where just few years ago, almost 90% of all newborns were born in wedlock. Today 60% are. Without the bedrock commitment - how is the pendulum going to swing in ways the world sees up building, trust and hope? The Church, as the Body of Christ, should provide for marriage and nourishment. Our foundation should be Jesus. The river should flow to the Lord.

We bought our book on Amazon and the 2 day shipping was free. Our Pastor says this book is very worthwhile. Join us if you feel led by the Holy Spirit.

Mark 1:17
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Ezekiel 47:9
Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.

Revelation 22:1
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

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John 5:30-47 ~ the love of God within you

2012-01-26T21:21:00.000-08:00

John 5:30-47

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

³⁰ “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 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?”

Jesus Meek and Mild. I once heard a Bishop in full Bishop regalia describe Jesus thusly as he stepped to the altar to say this greeting. I immediately wondered if he was a fop - this when I was an unbelieving, but raised in parochial school, teenager. But he wasn't. This Pennsylvania Bishop went on to say, we love Jesus for loving us. Yet Jesus is a parent. A shining and burning lamp, we may rejoice in His Light.

Worldly glory is fleeting. Everyone loves you one day and ... not so much the next. Jesus love tells us to get over ourselves with a loving caress, a hug and a pat.

All we have is a gift of God. Knowledge is fleeting. Jesus could quote Scripture, He is the Word of God. A favorite saying of Jesus' was, "It is written." Jesus was never so concerned with the immediate details of added chapter and verse. Jesus was interested in His Father's ideals. Much more important than the words themselves - the Light of God and His Love - the Glory of God.

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Acts 9:1-20 ~ And for three days

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Acts 9:1-20

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

4 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

The passage of Saul/Paul's conversion is of a godly man, upwardly mobile in his top drawer Temple career discovering Jesus. Saul was godly and became a follower of God's Son. But godly and Christ follower are two different situations.

Recently, we looked at John the Baptist – in the 3rd and first chapters of John’s Gospel – it reveals John the Baptist did not know Jesus as Lord for years. John the Baptist spent considerable time looking, observing the workings of God and the lack of response from man.

Yet the Spirit of God, breathing out truth, has the same salvation, miracle of God component:

John 3:34-35
34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

With both men, their lives were transformed. The disciples were amazed, astonished, afraid, watchful, bickering over their places, but still able to run away and hide. God wasn't brain washing them. After Thomas had declared he would go with Jesus to see what He would do for Lazarus, Thomas said he would die with Jesus - yet push comes to shove and fear did reign.

Did Jesus condemn the disciples. No.

I recently saw a Facebook photo someone published - it was of a mournful woman looking over a beautiful pink sunset. The quote said, "Every day I disappoint Him. Yet I know His overwhelming love forgives and carries me. I will focus on His mercy." Come on. That sounds like an abusive relationship. Sorrow is not about Christianity. Jesus Christ is a Gift. He gives the Spirit without measure.

These Scripture passages are about SEEKING Him. Not perfect people - how many times have you been in such spiritual distress you fasted for 3 days. Not me. I've fasted, certainly. But thank God Almighty, my spiritual dilemmas come away much better. I know I am not worthy, but I know - I AM God's child.

To me to be God's child means - I am covered. Not the most deserving person in this life, but by the grace of God - I can strive for the compassion God gives to me to give to others. I know God loves me and I know everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required. I am bought with a price. I will honor God. When I fail, and I will, I know I am saved and loved and go forward to try again. The steadfast love of God, higher than the clouds, the overwhelming love of God is for me.

Being God's child is comfort. Being God's child is resting after giving Him my concerns.

Jesus didn't leave people in fear. Jesus doesn't let them stay in fasting. Jesus asks for us to seek Him first, pray continually. And be grateful. Love your neighbor.

Jesus gave them more of what they needed for Salvation. The gift of the Holy Spirit. After Jesus was gone, they were marched through the Temple, right up to the people who they had been raised to respect as the God authority on earth, the people who had condemned Jesus and still preach and praise for Jesus.

Salvation comes at all different times for people. Salvation is a gift of God and occurs in God’s time. Consider the 10 lepers Jesus healed. Only one returned to give thanks and praise.

Father God, when You healed, You told mankind to get up and get going. Help the people who are already called as Children of God to be empowered to be Your Light, each day. Help the people like Peter, who are falling down and feeling fearful, to remember You lifted Peter and did not let Peter go. When we feel uncertain or afraid, help us to remember You are the Son of God. And we will cast our cares, upon You. You Love us. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

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Exodus 11 ~ I will

2012-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Moses carved by Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1513-1515, was to be part of the tomb of Pope Julius II. Michelangelo wants to convey the posture is of a prophet, posed on a marble chair, between two decorated marble columns. His long beard descends to his lap and is set aside by his right hand, which also leans on the plates of the 10 Commandments. This posture of the seated prophet also appears in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescoes from a year earlier. It is a rare example of Michelangelo as the painter of the Sistine Chapel.

Exodus 11

David Cochran, English Standard

¹ The LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. ² Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” ³ And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

⁴ So Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, ⁵ and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. ⁶ There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again.

⁷ But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ ⁸ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. ⁹ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

¹⁰ Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

Moses was different than your average Child of Israel. He had not suffered slavery. Moses had not even momentarily sought to disregard the tremendous acts of God. He was a murderer. An old man who knew Pharaoh. And lived the power surrounding Pharaoh.

If you've lived long enough, you will experience the death of one you'd just rather not experience. Knowing what is about to occur isn't wanting the next step. This would be a passage causing people to really feel strongly and negatively about the Old Testament. Even arguing the God of the Old Testament cannot be the God of the New Covenant.

God tells us about Himself.

Mark 12:26-27
Now about the dead rising--have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living."

David was quite angry with the LORD about Uzzah, 2 Samuel 6, reaching out to steady the Ark. Uzzah died instantly for touching the Ark. Yet... Uzzah surely met the LORD and I doubt God, known for His steadfast love and mercy, would remain angry with Uzzah, trying to do a service for Him. God does not see the issues of life and death as death.

Jesus was never a King who stayed within the boundaries of Judaism. Jesus provided for all of God's children. Wouldn't Moses want provision made even for the Egyptians?

Exodus 12:43-49
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, ⁴⁴ but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. ⁴⁵ No foreigner or hired worker may eat of it. ⁴⁶ It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. ⁴⁷ All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. ⁴⁸ If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. ⁴⁹ There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

1 Chronicles 4:17,18 What happened to Moses' adopted Mother, daughter of Pharoah? She is listed in the descendants of Jesus' tribe, Judah.

The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. These are the sons of Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married; and she conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa.

The real conflict isn't if God is cruel, it is God being God. God who does make provision for all of us. It is repeat and repeat of the human condition, today, since Adam and Eve. We want to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil - and be God . Do away with His holiness.

God's provisions, plan and way forward is always within the boundaries of His holiness. God making a way forward for all who call upon His name.

Romans 10:9
if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved

Archaeology and Articles from Scripture for Today Blogspot on the Exodus:

Psalm 105:23-45 ~ Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it.

Psalm 78: 1- 39 ~ Things from of old

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Psalm 90 ~ teach us to number our days

2012-01-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Psalm 90 ~ A Prayer of Moses

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ Lord, you have been our dwelling place^{[our refuge]}
in all generations.
² Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³ You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”
⁴ For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.

⁵ You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
⁶ in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.

⁷ For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
⁸ You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.

⁹ For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
¹⁰ The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span ^[pride] is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
¹¹ Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?

¹² So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.

¹³ Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor ^[beauty] of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!

Psalm 90 - failure and success, work with, without blessing and the passage of time. - Sometimes success can be empty. When we sit down to do a job, a career, do we picture ourselves leaving decades later - wondering if this is all there is.

Ebenezer Scrooge is an unusual name. Ebenezer is a Hebrew male given name meaning "Stone of the Help." Meaning Helper, another name of the Holy Spirit.

The tone of Psalm 90 would fit "A Christmas Carol" very well. Yet it is a prayer of Moses. Moses who saw Great Worldly Success and had it swept away in spiritual questioning of his own identity. Moses saw World Class Miracles and saw the entire nation of Israel witness all of these amazing acts of God - and saw them disregarded in the day-to-day ingratitude and selfish concerns.

The highs of life - don't remain good without gratitude. The Midas touch, where all turned to gold, was actually a burden - a curse. The people surrounding Midas were all about the gold.

If Charles Dickens had written "Christmas Carol" from the Bob Cratchit viewpoint, it might make another movie. Mrs. Cratchit would have angst for giving up her career to look after a special needs child. Bob Cratchit would have angst being the TV dad of his family - like Homer Simpson. Tiny Tim would have bullying. The Siblings - the angst of not being at the top of the heap financially. The answer is the same.

Lows of life overpower us without the gratitude for the promises of God. Without the faith to believe our lives have meaning. The hope God's promises are for this life. The Love we have to draw from ourselves instead of sinking into the "winning' mentality of taking, taking, taking.

Father God, renew us each day - let us, in hope, see the blessings you give us each day. Let us be mindful of the blessings you provide. Like My Aunt Eloise's Old English Prayer - Lord - I will be veree busy this day. Do not forget me. As I am likely to forget thee.

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Help us not to be the Children of Israel - disregarding the blessings of our lives for profit, for idle boredom, with small results instead of the glories You've given us each day. In the Highest Name of all. Jesus. Amen.

"Many laughed to see this alteration in him, but he let them laugh and little heeded them, for he knew that no good thing in this world ever happened, at which some did not have their fill of laughter. His own heart laughed and that was quite enough for him. And it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well if any man alive possessed the knowledge."

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Mark 1:14-20 ~ the Kingdom of God is at hand

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Mark 1:14-20

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Circa 1960 photos of Peter's House in Capernaum, then the Synagogue and Sea of Galilee

Peter, Andrew, James and John did not have lives of poverty and misery. They had reasons to stay where they were. Peter's house is the largest by far in Capernaum. He was well provided for. James and John, Sons of Zebedee are shown in archaeology to have given a pillar in the Synagogue. It is recorded in 1 Samuel, the followers of David, during his pre-kingdom years were the malcontents. Jesus did Not draw the malcontents.

1 Samuel 22:1-2
David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

Capernaum was so prosperous, so removed from Jerusalem - it was to remain intact for another 13 centuries. An amazing blessing for the town Jesus chose as an adult hometown. The Three Jewish Revolts and the destruction of Jerusalem did not touch Capernaum.

Matthew 4:19
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Jesus wasn't promising them something like exotic travel or better ... anything. Jesus was acknowledging they Liked their lives, it would be rewarding work, for eternal rewards. Rewards the disciples were already understanding - soul deep.

Peter, Andrew, James and John left a virtual paradise for Jesus. Without much or any... persuasion. Why? They felt something more important in Jesus.

Matthew 13
"The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³² It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

Peter, Andrew, James, John and the 72 disciples wanted to rest in the shade of Jesus and nestle in His branches.

33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

Peter, Andrew, James, John, the 72 disciples, and the thousands who followed Jesus, even unto the cross (not the disciples) saw and experienced Jesus' ministry of healing, love grow and become leavened. They recognized the Bread of Heaven.

44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, ⁴⁶ who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

We see in these photos, these men already had worldly treasure of temperate climate, beautiful blue skies, soft breezes and prosperous life style, yet they saw in Jesus as an abiding treasure and went with Jesus the LORD.

Isaiah 32:18
My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

John 15:7-8
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

John 15:10
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

1 John 2:17
And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Each day, we invite the LORD to live in our hearts, souls, lives - for reasons of peace and reasons of trouble. In times of peace, give thanks. The disciples lived peaceful lives and still chose, upon meeting Jesus that He is above all else.

John 1:4-5
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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Isaiah 46 ~ I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me

2012-01-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 46

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
their idols are on beasts and livestock;
these things you carry are borne
as burdens on weary beasts.
² They stoop; they bow down together;
they cannot save the burden,
but themselves go into captivity.

³ “Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been borne by me from before your birth,
carried from the womb;
⁴ even to your old age I am he,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.

⁵ “To whom will you liken me and make me equal,
and compare me, that we may be alike?
⁶ Those who lavish gold from the purse,
and weigh out silver in the scales,
hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god;
then they fall down and worship!
⁷ They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,
they set it in its place, and it stands there;
it cannot move from its place.
If one cries to it, it does not answer
or save him from his trouble.

⁸ “Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
⁹ remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
¹⁰ declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
¹¹ calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.

¹² “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,
you who are far from righteousness:
¹³ I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off,
and my salvation will not delay;
I will put salvation in Zion,
for Israel my glory.”

An amazing Scripture passage. In Jesus Christ, this is your passage.

You were borne by Me from before your birth,
carried from the womb;
⁴ even to your old age I am He,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.

Call it to mind
⁹ remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
¹⁰ declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all My purpose,’
¹¹ calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.

Of course, now would be an obvious time to talk about idols we make of things we own and how they come to own us. And it is true. But more important are the depths of those burdens. My dad was born in Greenville, Mississippi. In the early 1930s, he was in a parade because on his father's side - he was 6th generation Mississippian.

He often told in incident happening to him as a child - a 40 something African American man plowing a field when the voodoo priest came along, took the plow from him and placed the man in a 12 foot diameter circle. The voodoo priest told the man, he had a choice - he could stay in the circle and die at sundown, or he could cross the circle line and die immediately. Apparently there was an unpaid debt. My dad, a boy at the time, saw many people visiting the man during that day, lots of loud and whaling voices were heard - but he never knew if it was vendetta or a money debt. The man was very vocal during the day, but as the sun set, the man grew quiet and died. True story. It was said the attending doctor, there that day, said his heart had failed.

Bird Type Idols from the Israel Museum. These date back to 1000 B.C. - the time of King David.

If you aren't from the Southern United States, you might not know voodoo believes God is God Almighty. But He gets busy and ignores our prayers. A Deist Theory. Then voodoo acknowledges lesser gods and goddesses and they somehow are more interested and intervene in prayer. Whereas God is not interested in our negative prayers to get someone in evil intention prayer, the lesser gods help out in that area. Unfortunately, there is payback. And sadly, people resort to voodoo because they feel like sinners or second rate. Things like astrology and psychic readings, go along with this.

So the man in the story was killed by his burdens. It is Interesting ... all the idols are usually ugly. Bone deep ugly. And yes, the Israel Museum is filled with ugly idols archaeology has found in Israel. Lessing Photo Archives. There is still a higher point to this story.

This man died in the ugliness of idol worship. Yet, that day, so many years ago, God is still God of that day. And His purposes prevail. The man was a child of God and falls into God's hand.

Three things to keep in mind. 1. Idol worship is ugly and it goes deeper than we are aware on a daily basis. 2. Negative thought can kill you. 3. God is God. No point in fear over the spiritual battle - it is already won.

There is a spiritual battle. However the Good News in Jesus Christ is better still. We have a God who is never too busy. God's purposes will prevail. Jesus Christ did not remain in the grave after an entire government and the Temple government sought to kill Him. The disciples did not stay, locked in fear, and in doubt. These men were in the Temple, itself, within a very small amount of time, proclaiming Jesus as God, with the government and Temple unable to get them to stop. God was willing to meet them in their sins, in their doubt, in their fear. They knew it and they ran to the Possibility of their Jesus. The Goodness of the Lord is beyond compare. It is still up to us to know all prayer Is answered, in our faith. We just don't always get the yes answer. God is Love.

The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulcher on the Morning of the Resurrection, painted by Eugene Burnand in 1898

You were borne by Me from before your birth,
carried from the womb;
⁴ even to your old age I am He,
and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
I will carry and will save.

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John 21:6-14 ~ it is the Lord

2012-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Painting of Jesus Christ adapted from the Shroud of Turin. The Shroud should only cast a two dimensional image, but a 3 dimensional image is created, giving depth to the images and the painting was created from the shades and elevations in the 3rd dimension.
Painting of Jesus adapted from the Shroud
Negative photographic image from the Shroud of Turin. Scientists are completely divided on the tests for age on the Shroud. There is unexplained radioactivity from the cloth and edges were sewn on the Middle ages repairs.
Volto Santo or Holy Face. The image is made of byssus, which is linen woven from a fine, yellowish flax referred to as sea silk; a silky filament by which certain mollusks attach themselves to hard surfaces. It is impossible to paint on the material, it may only be dyed one shade as it is woven. No one understands how this image came to be. The image is transparent, with an image on the reverse.

I've seen this with the Vatican treasures displayed in the Houston Museum of Science, the Dead Sea Scroll tour. It was explained as being the Cloth of Veronica; the image appeared when a woman gave Jesus a cloth to wipe his face, during Jesus' carrying His cross.

John 21:6-14

6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

People have interesting reactions. Put Morgan Freeman, or George Burns, in a movie as God in a white suit, people generally love it. "The Shack" had a parable of God as a black woman and there was controversy.

John 7:24
Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.

Having a visual image is something people like to have. We live in this world by making decisions based upon our own judgment. Time Magazine ran a cover of an image of Jesus far from our usual image. The story of Adam & Eve was confirmed with evidence of Mitochondrial Eve DNA, the Human MRCA. All humans alive today share a surprisingly recent common ancestor, perhaps even within the last 5000 years, even for people born on different continents. This man was made in the image of God. No mention is made of color.

Moses asked God for the ability to be able to see Him. Moses was rewarded with a glimpse of God.

Exodus 33:20-23
20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."

21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

What are we told about Jesus' appearance?

Isaiah 53:2
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

and

Isaiah 52:14
Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness—

Luke 9:28-29
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning

The Romans had taken over Judea at the time of Jesus. Time Magazine's image of Christ was of a similar to today haircut. Why is Jesus different, with "Jesus hair"? Jesus was from Nazareth and may have considered His appearance to be that of a Nazirite, one set apart in holiness from sin, no razor would have touched His hair. Numbers 6:1-27 Yet Jesus, did not follow the rules of the Nazirite in His life.

When we picture Father God in our minds in Love, we can do no wrong. Whatever we picture, we picture a parable. We have never been given the ability to see the vast attributes of God.

We know Jesus told us He did not have a possessions like a home, but He did have one fine garment, not the flowing Sheik robes we are shown all the time. And that garment was woven from top to bottom. I like to think it was made by someone loving Jesus.

We do not see Jesus' physical face, but we do know how people felt looking at Jesus.

Matthew 9:20-29
20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.”

Matthew 14:35-36
35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

And how did Jesus react to the people who sought Him?

Matthew 9:22
22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

Even if we do not have Jesus' face or Father God's face perfectly know to us, more importantly, Jesus, God, knows us.

Luke 19:1-6
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.

Father God, we know and love You by Your actions of mercy. Help us each day to see You more clearly and for You to see Yourself in our love. In Jesus' mercy. Amen.

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Reprint Scripture for Today Blogspot July 15, 2010

Psalm 26 ~ in the great assembly I will bless the LORD

2012-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Psalm 26 ~ of David

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
² Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.
³ For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.

⁴ I do not sit with men of falsehood,
nor do I consort with hypocrites.
⁵ I hate the assembly of evildoers,
and I will not sit with the wicked.

⁶ I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O LORD,
⁷ proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.

⁸ O LORD, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
⁹ Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
¹⁰ in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.

¹¹ But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
¹² My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.

The 30 Churches, different denominations, praying and fasting for 21 days met at our HopePointe Anglican Church on Wednesday. Last year we had 700 people for our final 21st day, this year we had 300 for Wednesday night leading up to the event. No spiffy slogan, no cool agenda. Like the first Pastor said, who spoke and didn't really introduce himself, when 30 Pastors meet - you'd think there would be at least a cool slogan. And it was pretty nice he didn't jump up and identify himself. Just praise and honor for Jesus.

Psalm 115:9-18
⁹ O Israel, trust in the LORD!
He is their help and their shield.
¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!
He is their help and their shield.
¹¹ You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!
He is their help and their shield.

¹² The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
¹³ he will bless those who fear the LORD,
both the small and the great.

¹⁴ May the LORD give you increase,
you and your children!
¹⁵ May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!

¹⁶ The heavens are the LORD's heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
¹⁷ The dead do not praise the LORD,
nor do any who go down into silence.
¹⁸ But we will bless the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the LORD!

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Genesis 46 ~ Israel took his journey with all that he had

2012-01-19T00:01:00.001-08:00

Genesis 46

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. ² And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” ³ Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. ⁴ I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.”

⁵ Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. ⁶ They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, ⁷ his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters. All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

⁸ Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, ⁹ and the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ¹⁰ The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. ¹¹ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹² The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. ¹³ The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Yob, and Shimron. ¹⁴ The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. ¹⁵ These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; altogether his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three.

¹⁶ The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. ¹⁷ The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, with Serah their sister. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. ¹⁸ These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons.

¹⁹ The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁰ And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On, bore to him. ²¹ And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. ²² These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all.

²³ The son of Dan: Hushim. ²⁴ The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. ²⁵ These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all.

²⁶ All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six persons in all. ²⁷ And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two. All the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.

Painted by James Tissot

²⁸ He had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen. ²⁹ Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. ³⁰ Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”

³¹ Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father's household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. ³² And the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ ³³ When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ ³⁴ you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

Egyptian Topographical Lists of Cities and Records

Names	Tuthmosis III (1481 BC)	Amenhotep II (1440)	Amenhotep III (1386)	Seti I (1291)	Ramses II (1275)
Jacob-El	yes				yes
Joseph-El	yes		yes
Asher			yes	yes	yes
Yahweh			yes		yes
Shasu		yes	yes	yes	yes
Hapiru		yes		yes

See ANET, 242-3.

In Ramses II's topographical list (ca.1275 BC) the place-name "Jacob-El" (#9) appears again (ANET 1969, 242; Simons 1937). The first appearance was in Thutmose III's list. This means that this city of Jacob has been around for two hundred years. Another interesting name that was found is yhw which is "Yahweh" in Hebrew (Horn 1953, 201; Giveon 1964, 244).
It seems abundantly clear from all these topographical lists concerning Canaan that the Hebrews were in Canaan at this time, but they did not use the name "Israel" until there league of tribes was well formed by the time of Merneptah.

On a statue-base of Amenhotep III at Kom el Hetan which is the funerary temple of Amenhotep III there is a topographical list with the place-name Yspir (Series a:1; Kitchen 1965, 2). This is the same name translated "Joseph-El" in Thutmose III's Topographical list (ANET 1969, 242). After Yspir in both lists the place-name Rkd appears (Series a:2 in Amenhotep III's list, and #79 in Thutmose III's list; Simons 1937, 112). Rkd is the same place-name as Ruhizzi in the El Amarna letters (EA 53:36, 56; EA 5426; EA 56:26; EA 191:2; Rainey 1982, 354). The ruler of Ruhizzi is Arsawuya who seems to be located in northern Palestine or southern Syria (EA 53:36, 56; Moran, 125)

Jacob knew he'd inherited the blessings of Abraham, they were not given a foot of Israel, but had purchased what they lived upon. Jacob was being called to leave the land of promise. Like Paul. Going forth to accomplish the work of God. In faith. Israel took his journey with all that he had -

2 Timothy 4:6-8
⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Paul continues in his race and says:

¹⁷ But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

²² The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

Jacob is determined to be a shepherd to his people - to bring everyone to the land of peace and comfort away from famine. Paul is shepherding Timothy, even as he knows it is the end of his time on earth. It is the work God has given them.

Isaiah 40:11
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

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Hebrews 6:1-12 ~ tasted the heavenly gift

2012-01-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 6:1-12

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, ² and of instruction about washings,^[baptisms] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

***

⁷ For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

⁹ Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. ¹¹ And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

In life, we all want love, appreciation, and all the blessings. In spirituality, we want all of the hope and the promises. The holiness of God has always been an issue, yet mature faith does examine and long for all the aspects of God's nature.

We've thought about the joy and expectation of believing God's promises. It is part of the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Self-control in our words, actions and consumption does NOT ever occur without some discernment of the effect of our words, the effort we put into action, overcoming of sluggishness and love of pleasure in consumption. It is not a stretch to say self-control is also thought - thinking - awareness. Awareness comes from wisdom & observation.

For instance, a friend sat many days with her father, a cancer patient, who'd been out of her life for many years - who had divorced her mother and left her and her sisters to pursue his career and 2nd marriage. She wondered, as a Christian, what her dad's beliefs were and where they would lead him. She was pleased to discover her dad had a faith that had grown like the Prodigal Son. He knew His Father was running to meet him, an undeserving child of God.

At one point, my friend talked to the Hospice nurse about the joy - for the peace - her dad was experiencing. Her Hospice nurse said she had been at her job for a long time and there is a very definite end to all life. It is either peaceful or there is a fear of fire and hell. I've known two people who did die speaking of fire and pain and fear.

How to tie this passage to these thoughts and bring in verses - we know of the fallen angels.

2 Peter 2:4
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment

Jude 1:6
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day.

Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Revelation 20:2-5
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years

yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the Love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises!!!!

*** 1 Corinthians 6:20
for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

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Psalm 145 ~ They shall speak of the might of Your awesome deeds, and I will declare Your greatness.

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

My mom with our dog, Merit. Merit is smiling. And Merit is gonna live.

Psalm 145

A Song of Praise. Of David.
David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶ They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
⁷ They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

⁸ The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ The LORD is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.

¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your saints shall bless you!
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
¹² to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

[The LORD is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.]
¹⁴ The LORD upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The LORD preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

After two months seeing our regular Vet, she became concerned and sent our dog to a Veterinarian School Specialist.

The very kind Dermatologist Vet specialist was skeptical when she asked us how many steroid tablets we wanted for our dog, Springer Spaniel, Merit. I told her a 100 tablets. She had just done skin samples of Merit and the results showed Cutaneous Lymphoma. The Vet told us Merit had between 3 weeks and a few months. She didn't think with the biting and terrible, terrible itching that Merit would live for the 100 tablets. She reminded us again he could only have 6 tablets a day and he'd let us know when he was so uncomfortable, we should bring him in to mercifully put him to sleep. I asked if we could have days were Merit would only need 1 capsule or 1/2 capsule and she said she doubted it.

That was in October. Now Merit's steroid canister is more than half full. The tumors she told us would happen - did. They shrunk and are gone. The biting has stopped. She told us the lymph node armpit area would be one of the worst and wouldn't heal. There wouldn't be any healing - it was cancer. And I asked everyone to pray.

Saturday I groomed Merit and he does not have any more scabs, tumors, open wounds from his tearing his own flesh from the intense itching (some were 12" x 4"). His strength has returned. He hasn't had medication since early, early November. One of his shoulders was the worst spot - there is no wound.

13 year old Springer Spaniel Merit has experienced a healing. He spent Christmas keeping up with our "grand-dog" an active 5 year old Siberian Husky. Why? Many prayed to Lord. Prayers to the Lord, in the name of Jesus, Who has been merciful. I am so very grateful.

Yesterday we read that the Lord proclaims He is God. Today David tells us about God's nature -

His greatness is unsearchable.
God's mighty acts.
Awesome deeds.
Abundant goodness.
Righteousness, graciousness, mercy.
Good to all.
His mercy is over all that He has made.
The Lord is faithful and kind.
The LORD is near to all who call on Him.
My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and let all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever.

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Isaiah 44:6-8, 21-23 ~ I appointed

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 44:6-8, 21-23

⁶ Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel
and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
“I am the first and I am the last;
besides me there is no god.
⁷ Who is like me? Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and set it before me,
since I appointed an ancient people.
Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.
⁸ Fear not, nor be afraid;
have I not told you from of old and declared it?
And you are my witnesses!
Is there a God besides me?
There is no Rock; I know not any.”

²¹ Remember these things, O Jacob,
and Israel, for you are my servant;
I formed you; you are my servant;
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
²² I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud
and your sins like mist;
return to me, for I have redeemed you.

²³ Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it;
shout, O depths of the earth;
break forth into singing, O mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,
and will be glorified^{[will display his beauty]}in Israel.

Sunday's Sermon was visiting Anglican Priest- Rev'd Dr. Jon Shuler. Jon is 66 years old, looks 40, and is leaving his prosperous fledgling Church to do as Peter Drucker once said IS the work of Jesus - to save the lost. Jon said he'd been in Church for many years, each Sunday, as a pagan. Eager to be in Church, but not praying, not believing, doing what the world said was good for him and relying upon that advice.

Jon believed Jesus, came to love Jesus. And his sermon today was about the Jews. God's chosen people. God using people with a different viewpoint from everyone else - to do His work.

God takes us just as we are, today, warts and all and Loves us. Servants whom He raised up to be His Children, His Beloved. His Friends. God saw weak Gideon and saw him as able - to do God's work. God saw Peter begging Him to depart and God saw diligence and love - a man willing to walk on water or jump in and swim when needed. Isaiah was blessed to see hope, we see fulfillment of the law - Love.

John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

John 19:26-27
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” ²⁷ Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

John 20:17
Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

Mark 3:33-35
³³ And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Psalm 95:7
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts

1 Corinthians 13:13
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

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Isaiah 43:1-13 ~ I have redeemed you

2012-01-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Mississippi River

Isaiah 43:1-13

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
⁴ Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
⁵ Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
⁶ I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
⁷ everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

⁸ Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
who are deaf, yet have ears!
⁹ All the nations gather together,
and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
and let them hear and say, It is true.
¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me.
¹¹ I, I am the LORD,
and besides me there is no savior.
¹² I declared and saved and proclaimed,
when there was no strange god among you;
and you are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and I am God.
¹³ Also henceforth I am he;
there is none who can deliver from my hand;
I work, and who can turn it back?”

Amazing Mercy of the LORD Most High. Life swirls us in so many eddies. Yet God is like the Mississippi River. His purposes push us Up, water flowing to the original source. The Bible gives witness to powers and principalities. Tempests in a tea cup. The purposes of God are for us. With God for us, who can be against us .

How can we live the joy of God's promises. There is only one way. Expectation. Hope. Faith. Love.

Psalm 81 is a twin for Isaiah. It puts faith forward and hope ahead. Yet without faith, it leaves us without wind in our sails.

Psalm 81

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
² Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
³ Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.

⁴ For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule of the God of Jacob.
⁵ He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
⁶ “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
⁷ In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Selah

⁸ Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
⁹ There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
¹⁰ I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

¹¹ “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
¹³ Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
¹⁵ Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
¹⁶ But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

2 Corinthians 2:14
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

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John 14:27-31 ~ Peace

2012-01-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

John 14:27-31

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

If you Google peace images, wow, so many of the symbols look like violence is going to happen next; sort of a militant peace. Like my dad used to say on car vacations, " Oh, Yes, You are Having A Good Time." Worldly images of peace, look a little bit like half-time between events.

When we think about Jesus before His death, we remember He really prayed for the cup to pass from Him. This sacrifice was terribly difficult for Him. What Jesus said at the Last Supper, before His death, was John 14 to chapter 18, & Jesus had a lot to say. When Jesus tells us about peace, He isn't speaking from a peaceful place in His own life, the night before his betrayal & death. Jesus is telling us God's peace isn't temporary and it doesn't have to do with happy events. Jesus is telling us, regardless of events, He has a place for us. Regardless of events, we are loved. Regardless of events, God has not forgotten, His will is being accomplished.

I think God's peace can present the Christian with guilt. No.... Guilt. If we aren't in our happy place, then we aren't letting God's Holy Spirit work in us. That isn't it. Jesus was in relationship with His Father; He didn't pretend to grit his teeth, look supreme & aloof, and march to His death. Jesus was able to live His life with Joy. Jesus could have dinner with the people Jesus declared were his mother, brother & sisters doing God's will and let the New Covenant be a celebration. Sure, the disciples were confused, but Jesus knew exactly what He was saying about Peace, then telling Peter about desertion and the rooster crowing 3 times.

Imagine the joyful celebration of the new covenant. Jesus is telling them a supreme message of hope. He tells them... He will never leave them orphaned. Jesus would cry out to God in just hours that He felt forsaken. Peace isn't about the stiff upper lip, peace is being rescued by God even when it is faith - the substance of the unseen.

My maternal grandmother lived a hard life with a lot of gratitude. She had God's Peace. She used to say," You have to rise above it." Not the grit your teeth, look supreme and aloof, and march forward type. The Rise, let us go from here variety Jesus lived.

May God bless and comfort the people looking careworn. Let the Peace of God give them times of rest and assurance. To find a blessing in each day, to be assured of God's love. That the Helper might lift them and guide them. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Reposted Scripture for Today Blogspot
May 4, 2010

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Mark 1:40-45 ~ stretched out His hand and touched him

2012-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Mark 1:40-45

⁴⁰ And a leper ^{[a term for several skin diseases]} came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” ⁴² And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

⁴³ And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

Moses. Son of Pharaoh. Shepherd for God's people. Miracle Maker.
The First Plague (Exodus 7:14-24) water turned to blood.

The Second Plague (Exodus 8:1-15) Frogs infestation.

The Third Plague (Exodus 8:16-19) Infestation of swarms of gnats

The Fourth Plague (Exodus 8:20-32) Flies and disease.

The Fifth Plague (Exodus 9:1-7) Disease of Egyptian horses, donkeys, camels, livestock. Children of Israel are untouched in the plagues.

The Sixth Plague (Exodus 9:8-12) Boils on people and animals.

The Seventh Plague (Exodus 9:13-35) Hail destroying the crops, people, animals killed.

The Eighth Plague (Exodus 10:1-20) Locusts complete starvation pattern ahead.

The Ninth Plague (Exodus 10:21-29) Darkness for Egyptians.

The Tenth Plague (Exodus 11:1-10, 12:1-42) Death passes over Children of Israel. Death of firstborn Egyptians.

Miracles of Cloud by Day and Pillar of Fire by night. Parting the Red Sea.

How many people would have approached a leper, much less healed by stretching out a hand and touched? Not even Moses. When Moses met the LORD, he was given a sign to use - to throw down his staff and it would become a snake.

Exodus 4:1-9
¹ Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” ² The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” ³ And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. ⁴ But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— ⁵ “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” ⁶ Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. ⁷ Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. ⁸ “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. ⁹ If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”

Moses never did perform the second sign. It must have shaken him up a bit. Even more than meeting the Lord God Almighty.

Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers and sister, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, ² who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. ³ For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. ⁴ (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, ⁶ but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

When has God so stretched out his hands for us? When He willingly became our atonement. Our Advocate. Each time we speak to Him in prayer.

1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

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Matthew 8:18-27 ~ follow Me

2012-01-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

Wind Mitigation

Matthew 8:18-27

David Cochran, English Standard Version

The Cost of Following Jesus

¹⁸ Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. ¹⁹ And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” ²⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” ²¹ Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” ²² And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms a Storm

²³ And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. ²⁵ And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

In the Christian life, coincidence collides as God's planning causing both wonder and consternation. Our last priest, Allen Hughes, left a message for his good friend Dusty Bryant to come and be our Worship Leader. Dusty returned Allen's message and said he didn't want to move to Houston and he told Allen, "No." Allen started to wonder where he would find a Worship Leader and his co-pastor Mike told him to call Mike Breen, who is sometimes referred to as the U.K. version of Billy Graham. Mike Breen said he had an American interning with him and he'd get him to take the job. Mike Breen had a staff conference and told his staff they'd be traveling to The Woodlands and the Worship Leader position would be filled by the American intern because the visit idea came from the Worship Leader position phone call. The American intern said he had a friend who'd offered him a job, but he'd turned him down. A few questions later, Mike Breen was putting his feet up and telling Dusty with the LORD, there are no coincidences, just marching orders.

Neither Dusty, Allen, Mike McDonald or Mike Breen knew at the beginning of the phone calls they were all connected by the Holy Spirit leading the way. Allen never knew Dusty was in the UK, he thought he was returning a phone call left in SC. Dusty was our awesome Worship Leader for over 4 years.

In serving the Lord, there is a cost. We serve a Living God. Who has opinions and makes His way known.

We had a great time with the Brits. The discussion that stays with me - the beginning of the end of the Church of England. It seems during the bombing in WWII, people attended Church the way they always had. But they were angry. Under the fear. And they asked as the regular liturgy was read Sunday after Sunday, why didn't the Church address the fear, the need, instead they continued to read the liturgy and people felt their needs were not met. And being people, they probably felt it more than they communicated it.

So when the war was over, the people began to stay home.

An important aspect of God was ignored.

1 John 1: 6-10- 1 John 2:1
⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 2

¹ My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

The aspect is this - Jesus lived his life in the center of the storm. Jesus did not live His life in comfort like King Solomon, the life God chose was to really live in the middle of the storms created by people.

So much so that Peter.....

Luke 5:8
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

So many times when the famous quote of Jesus' not having His own place - we think Jesus was talking about a physical place and Jesus' poverty by choice. But there is a deeper aspect here.

Mark 2:1
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.

Jesus is saying He is an Advocate for others and their storms; And Jesus is saying He Knows what it is to feel Tossed About. Unsettled. All of Jesus' ministry is all about Mercy. For others. At great cost to Himself.

We always say to ourselves after not-the-best-events occur - it could have been worse. And we are right. No one ever asked us to be their personal sacrifice. It is amazing to remember what Jesus' ministry was ..... and to be grateful. There are larger storms out there. And a free gift of salvation offered by One who only came for Good.

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Titus 2 ~ all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

2012-01-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day Lunch group in Melbourne

Titus 2

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. ² Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. ³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴ and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ⁶ Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.

⁷ Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, ⁸ and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. ⁹ Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³ waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

¹⁵ Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Pierre Auguste Renoir's Luncheon on the Boating Party, in 1861

One of the interesting points of reading the Scripture is - the people around you are constantly teaching you something. Applying the Scripture, "Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened" means..... fruit from the tree identifies the tree. Or to go non-biblical - birds of a feather wing together.

My son is experiencing his 5th (ugh) year of college, came home for the Christmas break & was doing what he does best - meeting and greeting - and he met two new females. After a date with the first one, he became interested in finding out about the other one and several opinions of her were easily found. The word 'hipster' appeared causing every one to leave the subject of "that girl" to have a different opinion of the word hipster. ( Try explaining to the younger generation who Marlo Thomas is and ... it becomes a glum deal.) Some people use it casually and some people are offended by it. My husband said it meant with it and fun to be with. My oldest son said it is defined musically to personality and hipster people are offended by it. My younger son said some people enjoy being hipster. Trevor said hipster describes itself.

Being the seeker sort, I looked it up in the Urban Dictionary - and voila - what is old is new again. Anti-establishment isn't always a bad thing - it is forging a new path. And ha, ha - this is found in each generation. My grandmother's generation would have said "hep cat" and people would have been offended by that sometimes. My childhood generation would have them wearing earth shoes and work shirts. And maybe a VW bus would be involved.

I enjoyed hearing the Scripture today and I encourage you to listen to it. With the listen button.

Of course it applies today. And the bottom line isn't 'fuddy-duddy'. Or dry and staid. But, but, but, but.... it can be. It really depends on what we are looking for in people. People have so many facets, like a diamond. It is up to us to Want to See the Best in Them - With Truth and it's inseparable component - Mercy. My son decided 'hipster' was great to be with if time and opportunity allow. My son is growing up. He had a prior romance where the heart lead first and the brain followed later. None of the common sense guidelines were followed and we still discuss "the last one" in tones of wistfulness and anger.

There is a principle to Titus 2 - Hipsters can be Titus 2.

Kind, Love, Self-controlled, Good Works, Integrity, Dignity, Not Argumentative - you understand the list and it explains - doctrine of God our Savior

You have to love the media... sometimes. Several recent movies have Christians actually cast as the "good guy" relief. I enjoyed the last Pirates of the Caribbean Movie - recently Christians are getting good press and why? We saved the Roman Empire to give it another, extra 200 years. Christians are worth the effort to cultivate and know. You know what you are getting. Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated. Titus 2 is good for us. Prayer is great for those unmarried children.

God knows.

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

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Psalm 132:6-10 ~ we found it in the fields of Jaar

2012-01-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Psalm 132:6-10

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”

8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one

Bethlehem "house of bread" is a town, near which Jacob buried Rachel, then known as Ephrath (Gen 35:19; 48:7). It is also called Bethlehem, Ephrathah (Micah 5:2)

Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days

Daniel 7:22
until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.

When my oldest son was in preschool, we sent him to a very expensive parochial school. They sent home letters saying children learn, not just from musical lessons, language lessons & sports, but from free time.

The Psalms are unique. It isn't just the history of the Scriptures, but David expressing how close he became to the Father. David spent his 'free' time looking out for his flocks in the fields of Bethlehem and Jaar. Plenty of time to think. He became anointed of God. In our culture, we need to remember to have time when the TV, computer, phone are shut down. We need time to think, pray and cultivate our own 'people' flock.

1 Samuel 16: 7
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

When we compare the First and Second Temple - we see important similarities, but vast differences. There isn't a lot of archaeology left of the First Temple, but we have the descriptions of Solomon's Temple from the Bible. No description of a Temple mound.

Amazingly, the Temple Tools were the same built at the time of Moses. 3 different kings reigned over Babylon during the Babylonian captivity, but the Temple Tools returned with the now free slaves back to rebuild the Second Temple, for about 600 years.

Notice the walls around the First Temple are built on the level ground.

The Temple was always beautiful. Below - Court of Priests with Sacrificial Altar.
Look at the size of the Menorah. Built by the Temple Institute waiting for the 3rd Temple.

The Second Temple was almost always, for 600 years, in a state of improvement. See how the walls are now a complex mount.

Alec Gerrard, a 78 year old retired farmer, from the United Kingdom, spent 3 years researching his 1:100 scale model of the Bais Hamikdash, 33,000 hours to date and measures 20' x 12'. Mr Gerrard hand painted every clay brick and tile and sculpted all of the 4,000 half inch, correctly dressed figures to populate his creation.

'It's now recognised as the most authentic version of the temple in the world." His version is so impressive that some of the world's top archaeologists and experts from the British Museum have come to view it.

The Second Temple with 600 years of building, re-building, becomes a more impressive architectural building. The Second Temple always was missing the Ark of the Covenant. Probably because God's sorrow over people who'd lost their genealogy were excluded and the Samaritans, the remnant keeping the services worshiping God, were excluded. DNA studies later proved the Samaritans were 3 of the 12 tribes of Israel. The Ark of the Covenant was hidden by Jeremiah, recorded in 2 Maccabees 2:4-9.

Yet God's Son only visits the Temple during His lifetime to worship and teach. God could have chosen His child to be born anywhere, He chose the tiny town of Bethlehem.
We can see Jesus' point that we are God's Temple.

Israel had the same formidable enemies during the reign of David as the problems ending the 1st Temple and the 2nd Temple. The same problems facing Israel today with the revolt in Egypt. God deals with all of mankind in Jesus. Not just the building, the politics, the majesty of the Temple. It is far more important to God -the grass roots of existence.

Isn't it interesting to our faith - God chose the Shepherd boy with faith. Over the Temple. The boy who grew in the Lord. Same problems with different variations for each generation; with faith there was - and is - a different result.

Isaiah 7:9
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.

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Psalm 113 ~ Who is like the LORD our God, Who is seated on high

2012-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Psalm 113

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ Praise the LORD! Praise,
O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD!

² Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore!
³ From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the LORD is to be praised!

4 The LORD is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the LORD!

The year is still New. Ball drop in Time Square... wouldn't it make more sense if the ball went up to the New Year. It makes sense to me. Still .... we should have Expectation for this Year.

If you have a good party, you want to have another one. We are starting again. It was wonderful. With unexpected memories.

Our Church Family started the New Year off this time last year with gathering with 28- 30 Jesus Christ honoring, Bible believing, different denomination Churches in our area for a get together. One of the Pastors said he hoped about 40 people would show up. We thought it would last about two hours & we all stayed past 3 hours with 600 chairs filled and the room overflowing to standing room. More than 700 people in our 220 + Church home. It was one of the most memorable evenings in my Christian faith journey since I was 16 years old.

There was a repeat saying - One of the phrases drawing laughter was the phrase, "All is not right behind the trees." Living in The Woodlands, referred to as 'the bubble', there is a certain pressure to appear to always have our perfection on. To strive, to achieve, to be perfect. Not to be lonely, or worried, or afraid. Church should be the place your real self reaches out to the Living God. Come as you actually are.

Father God has a unique way of using words for His beloved ones. We all could empathize with the emotional needs of an upwardly mobile community - we live here. But we had no way of knowing we would experience amazing sunsets from the worst drought, forest fires seen in recorded history for our area of Texas.

Three of our area, bordering counties - here in Texas - drew fire fighters from all over the USA. The wind can be like tornadoes and a spark can float for many, many feet and start another fire.

One of the most amazing things were the number of homes saved. Sure the walls were marked and scorched. But God Almighty, how the wind didn't carry away so many of the homes. I, personally, attribute this to prayer and the January effort of 30 Churches praying for our community in January of 2011.

So... with that much love in one place and so many hearts touched - we are beginning this celebration again. 21 days of fasting and prayer. Fun huh? Fasting can be lots of different aspects. Clark, our priest, is giving up two of his favorite television shows. Fasting can be missing a meal. Or giving up a food item. Adding exercise into life. Prayer is for the Christian Community or any other thing that moves you.

We, as the Bride of Christ, the Christian Community - did not show up unprepared. Last year we fasted and prayed for 21 days. Let me tell you, after our praying group prayed for all of the Pastors by name and the Churches and the parents and the children - I think that our Deacon Lisa and Karen and I were just about like the ink blot tests, because finally prayer just becomes a mind wandering to pray. Not a bad prayer conversation - I know it blessed me.

This year - the party is bigger. Each Wednesday will be a different Church gathering together to pick up momentum for the Big Sunday Night 21 days from now. And a Thursday night covered dish. And like last year, this will not be any newspaper or television show. I asked Clark why and he said the media draws too much negative attention. This is purely for the joy of honoring Jesus.

Why tell you this? This isn't a secret event, if you went to these 30 Churches you'd hear of it. This is your New Year. Expectation. Hope. Faith. Love. Join us. Wherever you are. Believers are the Body of Jesus Christ. Look up to Him.

Revelation 19:6

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns."

MIDWEEK WEDNESDAY WORSHIP SERVICES

for the next three weeks

ONE MISSION

is worshiping together

7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at these locations:

January 11th

at The Church at Alden Bridge

January 18th

at HopePointe

January 25th

at Faith Bible Church

ONE MISSION

21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING

January 09 - 29th

Join Christ-honoring congregations in the greater Woodlands area

in 21 Days of prayer and fasting for a "consecration process" in our region.

The prayer and fasting is for "committing ourselves to His purposes"

and "walking in the fullness of His Spirit" in three areas:

Our Personal Lives

The One Church in Our Area

Reaching Our Community for Christ

A guide and devotional available at One-Mission.net

COMMUNITY-WIDE WORSHIP SERVICE

January 29th at 6:00 p.m.

at WoodsEdge Community Church

Hallelujah - Alleluia - Michael W. Smith. So beautiful, quiet and sincere.

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2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Prayer Request - my son Alexander & I are having a lot of dental work today. We both had our front teeth repaired over Christmas twice. And we both were twins, missing part of our front teeth for the Christmas holidays. So today is the beginning of the big fix. 6 caps and veneers for me and one for Alexander. I've had 6 years of orthodontia work & I know I'd really appreciate your prayers for healing, lack of soreness, appearance for the temp teeth and lasting endurance, beauty of the new teeth. Blessings for the Christian dentist and his staff. General bravery. Well, you get the idea. Prayer would be appreciated. Thank you.

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