Matthew 10:16 ~ Shrewd innocent

My own Daddy had this on his wall in poster form. There was a major word substitution. His art was camel colored poster with red letters. This was a gift from - a clerical wife to my father for Christmas!

October is great for avoiding horrid movies. So, let's go with Buhwaaaa True Tales of 38 Years of Bible Studies and see what went.

Minus Catholic, cities, clerical names, eras and laity names, Protestant affiliations, residents, shoe sizes, IQs are carefully omitted.

From ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties - GOOD LORD Deliver us.


We will wait upon the Guidance of the Lord God Almighty in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 10:16

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.

Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

Mercy is a very powerful Christian Witness.

Doctors in Emergency Rooms found encouraging patients to expect to live - creates a desire to live and a belief in wellness.







I knew a young woman who was caught red handed being a bad mother of one child. She had left a pre-school child alone in her room for months as she did her chores and even left the house to grocery stop and run small errands. The woman who caught her had five children. And for decades, the once poor mother was affirmed in improvement. And because of this friendship and affirmation - there was improvement, the woman Drastically improved. God has said He desires mercy over sacrifice.


During our Youth Group Years, we found a neighbor boy was abusing small animals. The young men had an intervention and a 5th grade boy learned animal consideration not taught to him at home. It was an intervention that happened over an hour. In fact, the leader of the intervention, went on to be Army - who gave his life for this Nation. And another one of his good works was to stop two teenagers who rather terrified their mother by continuing to burn down - in small increments - their wooden fence in the backyard, as their father left town to work. The young man told the teenagers, (his own age) if they would stop terrifying their mother, they could join them in evening summer Commandoes (hide and seek). The Fence remained intact. Commandoes ensued.


One day, we discovered one of our young charges was being driven home by a parent just about too drunk to stand up. And as we tried to determine what to do, other than call authorities and refuse to yield the child, CPS, became involved with a car crash - not from our home. We were extremely, extremely, extremely grateful. Later we had to deal with the step-father engaged in nudity at the computer and absolute trauma. We always were very frank and with frank talks and kindness - we did alright.











The Bible has times - the Disciples of Jesus Christ were not successful.
Our son has his face split open by one child jealous of my son going to camp. And as this (face splitter) child grew up to become one who rarely tells the truth - he would come over in a brand new Lexus and major earring gages telling of college campuses he joined - and had no clue that college was in semester. Offering severe, severe illegal substance. He is not welcome anymore.


Can we do this? Is this allowed? Isn't it bad news to do this? Aren't we biblically obligated?


Bad behavior doesn't stay with the teens and children. I had one woman tell me she has followed me to a lesson I was taking, told me where I parked and slashed my car with razors. I was so shocked, I said, "You wouldn't do that!" Her reply was to hold my wrists. And reply, "Wouldn't I?" The car was slashed. Several times. Where the dog's claws would not reach. And she sent me emails asking me why couldn't we be friends. I declined upon reading about these behaviors - to ever go with her anywhere again. Like having a face split - a car slashed - violence  is requiring professional help.


Can we do this? Is this allowed? Isn't it bad news to do this? Aren't we biblically obligated?









Now, before we continue let's have Clarity and put all this out.

- 38 years of having a Bible Study all the time.

- 35 years in one Church

- 17 years in another Church

- 10 years of leading Bible Studies.

- Seeing 75 kids through Youth Groups.

- Participating in Childhood Churches until now.

- Many, many, many, many, many joyous times.

- Participating still in Bible Study congruently for 17 years.









These are real events to think about.

One time a woman from a Bible Study I enjoyed - we went to a Christmas shopping event had a great time and went to lunch another day. The next time - she behaved as if we were on a date. I resolved to ignore this and not to lunch for a long time to sort this out during Bible Study. Suddenly another new arrival to the group seemed to be the same. Surely not. And then came the day we were left with just the three of us. As they laughed, I wondered. The next woman said - let's include her soon. They roared. I did my best impression of Homer Simpson's neighbor. They thought I was hilarious. We had an event at my house and the ladies were invited. One did not attend because she called drunk out of her brain. Politely saying we would miss her, she chunked the phone receiver down. The next woman arrived. My neighbor's daughter was very shocked and said this woman was known as a 50 year old to engage with teenage girls. So how did this resolve? The Homer Simpson neighbor approach worked fabulously. Eventually the woman who scandalized the neighbor's daughter brought attention to her behavior in public and fled. And all I did was to be polite and breezy.


We had one mother chew us out like tomorrow would not have sunrise for her son's behavior being corrected by us. We simply said the Bible was the guide and this was the place. Her child remained. She hushed.


Anther woman, decades later, invited me to dine publicly.
She arrived ... under the weather. I had no idea how to leave someone to drive home. She started with an hour long conversation we could call Vagina Monologues. We gathered a crowd as she described her period in great, lurid detail. Car keys came out and the conversation improved. When we got to tales about sex in cars and women named "Skankzilla"  the conversation was over for good. Tell the group? Na. Just unfriend on FB from 75 way back likes, in a week, and move, with a bounce, on.









Real Society involved with real people. In Church.

(Then there was the time  - - - my son decided in the middle of the night to have the flu - - -  in a tent during Youth Group. He fogged up one tent and was invited in the middle of the night to leave. He arrived at the younger boy tent, to stand in the middle of the tent and vomit - Little Smokie Weiners  -all over the tent  - as if he was a rotator sprinkle  - of valor. No part of the tent went unblemished. The entire tent of 12 boys began Shrieking from sleep at 3 A.M in the morning - Creating panic among the adults. Then the Waking up all the tents. And then the aroma. Then as I was having hysterical laugher at the picnic table because it was truly horrid - we all ended up rolling on the ground laughing. Swimming for all - sunrise. . And we still laugh to tears all over if we talk about THIS.)


Why Mercy? John Mark was uninvited. Then taken under the wing of love to become John Mark. Saul became Paul. There is a genuine journey going on.









Years ago we had a Church neighbor who was known as an Alcoholic. She would come to our house very inebriated. And she would stay for a few hours with tea, lots of hot tea. And in these times, a woman who was elderly who lived alone - was joyous and we were too. Not all things end badly, that seem to go far off. Those memories hold joy. Lots of joy.



How do we decide. If someone starts talking sorcery - we are Done. If you have the Vagina Monologues of flesh, flesh, flesh - we are Done. Violence is not encouraged - we are Done.


Flee from Sorcery.

Acts 19:16
And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house wounded, bleeding and naked.

Best to move along briskly.


I don't think those immersed in the flesh are going to really listen to the Way until they decide to.


1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality.
All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

Not to mention, when you draw a crowd hearing about bodily fluids - it's pretty embarrassing.














1 Corinthians 5:9-13
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”


Mercy trumps. All the time.


Emperor Domitian – Hauled St. John from Ephesus and exiled him to Patmos. Continued to be fearful of Christians. Conducted one of the fiercest battles against Christians. Under Domitan, the Church split in half. Half ran - and God used this to the Good of His Plan.

Domitan Heresy - the Church is only for saints. Domitan tortured until Christians surrendered every fragment of the Gospels and New Testament he could find. 81-96. Because of Domitan – we have the word traitor . Part of the Church wanted to forever exile anyone who lied to get out of torture or gave up Scripture. Forgiveness is the business of the Church and Jesus Christ. This is why we have a Bible today. In our casual usage. Amazing.



Be tender hearted. St. Augustine had victory because of his mother's continual mercy and belief in the Goodness of God.

All these stories - have a common denominator.

God was there to help.

Psalms 54:4:

“Behold, God is my helper"

Psalm 34:19

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

There is a conclusion.

Waiting upon the Lord - we have peace.

We give others a chance.

Beth Moore said it is ok to say, "No" to assignments within the Church.

Because someone called to the love event is going to do better.

There are real times to move back and away.

Recently I heard a Sermon about a woman seeing her son was drowning and she screamed for help for someone to save her son!!! He had gone out too far. A fisherman came to the shore with the mother who begged and pleaded the man to save her son. He would not. The mother begged and pleaded. Finally, the fisherman went in. He dragged the young man back to the shore and the young man was resuscitated. The mother asked the fisherman why the son was not revived sooner. The fisherman replied that as the man flailed around with despair - they both would have drowned. The fisherman was waiting to help in God's Timing.









Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

James 2:13
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Luke 6:36
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.


Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.










Abba,

Life can be pretty sterile. And that's boring. Opera and drama end. Wisdom. with the Help of Jesus Christ. will prevail.

The Joy of the Lord is indeed, indeed, indeed Strength. Jesus pray with us and increase our Holy Spirit.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect,

that you may be fighting the good fight and straining ahead to make the goal.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial,
for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

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.


Is any of this surprising to You - Father God?

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.


James 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Blessed be God who does not answer the why all the time. And we find out we do not need the why. We find we can just believe God and rely with Him on faith. The Joy of believing His Promises.

The Joy of the Lord is our strength. You do give us Your Peace.

With all of the Goodness You are - God of Love - we put our cares, anxieties, the ones we Love, their cares, the People Given By God to us. And we believe God is So Good - this is going to work out in His Plan, His Hand and His Timing. Trusting Him with our places of work, our jobs, the communities, our Churches, this state and the Nation. Wrapping Jesus' Love around the entire Planet He calls good yesterday, today and tomorrow and covers us hearing our prayers with all His Compassion.

Thanks be to You, Abba, for Your Son. Making Life possible again and again. Victory in Jesus always - Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †