Genesis 24:1-27 ~ choice gifts from his master

Today’s historical search for Isaac’s bride is symbolically the church becoming the bride of Christ. Symbolically: Abraham is God the Father. Isaac is Jesus, the Christ, Son of God. The trusted servant is the Holy Spirit. Rebekah is the willing bride of Christ, the church. We know from the Scriptures that Rebekah and Isaac will have troubles in life the Scriptures tell us are part of life. In the midst of signs, births, prosperity, betrayal, all trouble and stages of life; we learn from Isaac’s life, forgiveness allows the Holy Spirit to help Isaac to end well. We can almost hear Father God say to Isaac, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Is this a love story? Yes, we know it. We all root for Rebekah to complete the sign and become Isaac’s wife. We all want the signs of God’s approval in our life. We know Rebekah will place her son’s prosperity over her husband’s peaceful illness and anticipated death. We know Isaac will still have Rebekah as his wife when a life-time of years pass before the family is reunited in forgiveness. We know this miracle only can come from God.

Just as we know what Rebekah’s human nature will cause and allow, God knew what was in Rebekah’s heart and chose her to be part of His plan in fulfilling His promise to Abraham. In Jesus, we are heirs of Abraham, we are grafted into God’s tree of life. God chose Rebekah and God chooses us, asks us, wants us to be part of His plan in this life and heirs to His eternal kingdom.

Genesis 24:1-27

24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia [1] to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this [2] I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden [3] whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, [4] and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen.”

Footnotes
[1] 24:10 Hebrew Aram-naharaim
[2] 24:14 Or By her
[3] 24:16 Or a woman of marriageable age
[4] 24:22 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

Luke 15:11-32 ~ he divided

Because the Word of God is living and active, we grow along with the parable of Jesus.

If you did not grow up knowing the Prodigal Son parable, read it as if you were the younger son. Or remember when you were the young child of your parents – we all had times in our youth of misspent youth and parental “involvement”. Read the story a 2nd time, as if you are the overlooked, unrewarded brother with a light coming out of the darkness.



Luke 15:11-32
Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version


11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to [joined himself to] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son [some manuscripts add treat me as one of your hired servants].’ 22 But the father said to his servants, [bondservants] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”


Have we all behaved well always? Have we all had children who please us or the Lord everyday? And would we want our children to accept all of the law and all of the prophets without a day they could point to - a day of spiritual rebirth - where we put away the old and we become a new creature in Jesus Christ. We all know of the very public fall of Jimmy Swaggart - who was raised in belief & said there never was a time he didn't believe - it's probably more that he was swept along than made a personal choice to answer the personal call of Jesus Christ. I say that with compassion and not from the soap box.

It's amazing to read that Eli and Samuel, who loved the LORD so dearly, accepted so easily their children didn't please God or the people of Israel. I far and away prefer the parable of God's lost child - and the message of hope -

Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

God Runs to us. We should do no less than the people who came to Jesus and asked His favor for the centurian. No less than the people who carried their paralyzed friend through the roof to get Jesus' attention and healing.

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.


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Psalm 95 ~ a people

On Thursday, we read in Scripture for Today, about Exodus 17:7, Massah means testing,
Exodus 17:7, Meribah means quarreling. Perhaps when Father God remembers the Exodus, He remembers that He forgave a lot. On Wednesday, we read in Scripture for Today that Baruch was blessed by God and that is blessed indeed. The Lord promises us in the bible that Israel is blessed by God. In testing and quarrelsome times, the Lord promises that a remnant will always be kept by Him.

After almost 2000 years, on the night of May 14, 1948, when Israel was declared a state, the Jews of Rome had a triumphant parade and marched under the Arch of Titus (celebrates the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple). Their message: "The Empire of Rome is gone, we're still around. Victory is ours." The promises and blessing of God continues, His steadfast love prevails. To see photos of the Arch of Titus and the explanation of the carved frescos of the temple tools removed from the Second Temple, please see Scripture for Today, February 27, 2007.

To see the blessings in Israel today, please see Cool Facts about Israel on Youtube.com :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV6K08RFRQs&NR=1

Psalm 95 (Revised Standard Version)

[1] O come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
[2] Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
[3] For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
[4] In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
[5] The sea is his, for he made it;
for his hands formed the dry land.

[6] O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
[7] For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would hearken to his voice!

[8] Harden not your hearts, as at Mer'ibah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
[9] when your fathers tested me,
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
[10] For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, "They are a people who err in heart,
and they do not regard my ways."
[11] Therefore I swore in my anger
that they should not enter my rest.

The Brazen Serpent combines the Bronze Serpent held up by Moses to heal sinners and is combined with the cross of Jesus Christ held up to redeem sinners. It is located on top of Mount Nebo, Jordan where Moses saw the Holy Land.

Matthew 16:13-19 ~ He asked His disciples

Matthew 16:13-19

Matthew 16:13-19 click on the Listen to hear

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

John 3:14-17 ~ For God so loved the world

Photo of Mount Hor, Jebel Nebi Harun ("Mountain of the Prophet Aaron" in Arabic), where God wanted to save Aaron, even if he was the high priest/prophet of the golden calf.

John 3:14-17

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

If the Bible were simply a book of improving stories or a moral tract, Numbers 21:4 -9, a history of God, the snakes & the children of Israel would be an embarrassing tale. In this story God is angry and disappointed, snakes are sent to make clear God’s wrath.

The Bible is answering our question and need to know the human condition and how to cure it. It points out our human foolishness, our frailties and our sin. As well as our need and God's willingness to give us a Savior.

The people had great reason to trust God and Moses. God had led them out of Egypt, showing many mighty acts and wonders. Thirsty in the desert? God provided water from a rock (Exodus 17: 1-7). Yet again, the people whined and moaned, like sulky teenagers. No wonder God was exasperated and provoked beyond endurance. Still, God, Yahweh, I am, Lord of Lords, God of Gods wants to save us. Emmanuel.

God told Moses put up a poisonous serpent of bronze. According to John’s Gospel, Jesus used this story showing God’s desire to heal and save his people (John 3:14-17). The lifting up of the bronze serpent points to his own lifting up upon the cross.

To Ponder
Jesus’ interpretation of Scripture, even difficult passages like today’s, usually emphasises God’s loving kindness for people. Is this what we seek to find and stress when we read the Bible?

What do we do with our own impatience and ingratitude?

Also written by Reverend Martin Forward, The Methodist Church of Great Britain

Jeremiah 48 ~ they acquired

Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah is mentioned in Jeremiah in the 32, 36, 43 and 45th chapters of Jeremiah and in at least 44 of the verses. Baruch was someone Jeremiah could count in all circumstances. Baruch, his name in Hebrew: בָּרוּךְ ’s means blessed.

When one is blessed of God, one is blessed. Baruch is remembered as well as the most historical figures in history.

Line Transliteration Translation of the bulla, located in the Israel Museum:
1 lbrkyhw (belonging) to Berechiah
2 bn nryhw son of Neriah
3 hspr the scribe

This bulla, or seal, also was imprinted with a fingerprint, Hershel Shanks, among others, has speculated the fingerprint might be that of Baruch himself.

Nebo - the town was situated in the vicinity of Mount Nebo, but the precise location cannot be determined. It belonged to the rich pasture lands which the tribes of Ruben and Gad asked of Moses in the distribution of the territory (Numbers 32). The town had reverted to the Moabites (Moab - child of Lot) at the time when Isaiah prophesied against it (Isaiah 15:2; cf. Jeremiah 48:1, 22).

Jeremiah 48

1 Concerning Moab:
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:
"Woe to Nebo, for it will be ruined.
Kiriathaim will be disgraced and captured;
the stronghold [a] will be disgraced and shattered.
2 Moab will be praised no more;
in Heshbon [b] men will plot her downfall:
'Come, let us put an end to that nation.'
You too, O Madmen, [c] will be silenced;
the sword will pursue you.

3 Listen to the cries from Horonaim,
cries of great havoc and destruction.

4 Moab will be broken;
her little ones will cry out. [d]

5 They go up the way to Luhith,
weeping bitterly as they go;
on the road down to Horonaim
anguished cries over the destruction are heard.

6 Flee! Run for your lives;
become like a bush [e] in the desert.

7 Since you trust in your deeds and riches,
you too will be taken captive,
and Chemosh will go into exile,
together with his priests and officials.

8 The destroyer will come against every town,
and not a town will escape.
The valley will be ruined
and the plateau destroyed,
because the LORD has spoken.

9 Put salt on Moab,
for she will be laid waste [f] ;
her towns will become desolate,
with no one to live in them.

10 "A curse on him who is lax in doing the LORD's work!
A curse on him who keeps his sword from bloodshed!

11 "Moab has been at rest from youth,
like wine left on its dregs,
not poured from one jar to another—
she has not gone into exile.
So she tastes as she did,
and her aroma is unchanged.

12 But days are coming,"
declares the LORD,
"when I will send men who pour from jars,
and they will pour her out;
they will empty her jars
and smash her jugs.

13 Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh,
as the house of Israel was ashamed
when they trusted in Bethel.

14 "How can you say, 'We are warriors,
men valiant in battle'?

15 Moab will be destroyed and her towns invaded;
her finest young men will go down in the slaughter,"
declares the King, whose name is the LORD Almighty.

16 "The fall of Moab is at hand;
her calamity will come quickly.

17 Mourn for her, all who live around her,
all who know her fame;
say, 'How broken is the mighty scepter,
how broken the glorious staff!'

18 "Come down from your glory
and sit on the parched ground,
O inhabitants of the Daughter of Dibon,
for he who destroys Moab
will come up against you
and ruin your fortified cities.

19 Stand by the road and watch,
you who live in Aroer.
Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping,
ask them, 'What has happened?'

20 Moab is disgraced, for she is shattered.
Wail and cry out!
Announce by the Arnon
that Moab is destroyed.

21 Judgment has come to the plateau—
to Holon, Jahzah and Mephaath,

22 to Dibon, Nebo and Beth Diblathaim,

23 to Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,

24 to Kerioth and Bozrah—
to all the towns of Moab, far and near.

25 Moab's horn [g] is cut off;
her arm is broken,"
declares the LORD.

26 "Make her drunk,
for she has defied the LORD.
Let Moab wallow in her vomit;
let her be an object of ridicule.

27 Was not Israel the object of your ridicule?
Was she caught among thieves,
that you shake your head in scorn
whenever you speak of her?

28 Abandon your towns and dwell among the rocks,
you who live in Moab.
Be like a dove that makes its nest
at the mouth of a cave.

29 "We have heard of Moab's pride—
her overweening pride and conceit,
her pride and arrogance
and the haughtiness of her heart.

30 I know her insolence but it is futile,"
declares the LORD,
"and her boasts accomplish nothing.

31 Therefore I wail over Moab,
for all Moab I cry out,
I moan for the men of Kir Hareseth.

32 I weep for you, as Jazer weeps,
O vines of Sibmah.
Your branches spread as far as the sea;
they reached as far as the sea of Jazer.
The destroyer has fallen
on your ripened fruit and grapes.

33 Joy and gladness are gone
from the orchards and fields of Moab.
I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses;
no one treads them with shouts of joy.
Although there are shouts,
they are not shouts of joy.

34 "The sound of their cry rises
from Heshbon to Elealeh and Jahaz,
from Zoar as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah,
for even the waters of Nimrim are dried up.

35 In Moab I will put an end
to those who make offerings on the high places
and burn incense to their gods,"
declares the LORD.

36 "So my heart laments for Moab like a flute;
it laments like a flute for the men of Kir Hareseth.
The wealth they acquired is gone.

37 Every head is shaved
and every beard cut off;
every hand is slashed
and every waist is covered with sackcloth.

38 On all the roofs in Moab
and in the public squares
there is nothing but mourning,
for I have broken Moab
like a jar that no one wants,"
declares the LORD.

39 "How shattered she is! How they wail!
How Moab turns her back in shame!
Moab has become an object of ridicule,
an object of horror to all those around her."

40 This is what the LORD says:
"Look! An eagle is swooping down,
spreading its wings over Moab.

41 Kerioth [h] will be captured
and the strongholds taken.
In that day the hearts of Moab's warriors
will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

42 Moab will be destroyed as a nation
because she defied the LORD.

43 Terror and pit and snare await you,
O people of Moab,"
declares the LORD.

44 "Whoever flees from the terror
will fall into a pit,
whoever climbs out of the pit
will be caught in a snare;
for I will bring upon Moab
the year of her punishment,"
declares the LORD.

45 "In the shadow of Heshbon
the fugitives stand helpless,
for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,
a blaze from the midst of Sihon;
it burns the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of the noisy boasters.

46 Woe to you, O Moab!
The people of Chemosh are destroyed;
your sons are taken into exile
and your daughters into captivity.

47 "Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
in days to come,"
declares the LORD.
Here ends the judgment on Moab.

Footnotes:

Jeremiah 48:1 Or / Misgab
Jeremiah 48:2 The Hebrew for Heshbon sounds like the Hebrew for plot .
Jeremiah 48:2 The name of the Moabite town Madmen sounds like the Hebrew for be silenced .
Jeremiah 48:4 Hebrew; Septuagint / proclaim it to Zoar
Jeremiah 48:6 Or like Aroer
Jeremiah 48:9 Or Give wings to Moab, / for she will fly away
Jeremiah 48:25 Horn here symbolizes strength.
Jeremiah 48:41 Or The cities

Dibon, or Dhiban, is a modern town in Jordan, 70 kilometers south of Amman. The modern community settled the town in the 1950s. Today, Dhiban is approximately 15,000 people. The ancient settlement lies adjacent to the modern town, in the front of the photo. Excavations have revealed the site was occupied intermittently over 5,000 years. During the Exodus, the Bible mentions "Divon" (Hebrew: דִּיבֹן), or "Divon Gad" (דִּיבֹן גָּד) because the city was said by Gad. The name in Hebrew means wasting or pining.

Verse 18b, 19a: Dibon,
for he who destroys Moab
will come up against you
and ruin your fortified cities.

19 Stand by the road and watch,
Dibon, noted here as fortified, is noted today as being on the King's Highway in Antiquity. A city the travellers would want to preserve and would more than likely continue because trade keeps prosperity going.


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Mark 3 ~ called to Him

For milleniums, people have interest in Jesus and his disciples. There are many, many images of Jesus with his disciples. This altar is in purple to celebrate Lent, the disciples are painted behind the altar.

Mark 3

1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone."

4 Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.

5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. 11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."

23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."

30 He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."

31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."
33 "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.

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

Numbers 21:4-9 ~ he lived

Mount Hor, Jebel Nebi Harun ("Mountain of the Prophet Aaron" in Arabic), a twin-peaked mountain 4780 feet above the sea-in the Edomite (Edom – children of Esau) Mountains on the east side of the Jordan-Arabah valley, near the city of Petra. On the summit is a shrine of Aaron. Aaron's death, situated "in the edge of the land of Edom" (Numbers 33:37, 38).

Numbers 21:4-9 (New King James Version)

4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” 6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Psalm 119:1-8 ~ O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes!

Psalm 119:1-8

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
4 Thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently.
5 O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with an upright heart, when I learn thy righteous ordinances.
8 I will observe thy statutes; O forsake me not utterly!

http://www.mcleanbible.org/uploads/12-05-04.pdf How to Finish Well

Lon Solomon is Senior Pastor for McLean Bible Church in McLean, Virginia. He wrote an interesting sermon, called How to Finish Well, comparing & contrasting the lives of different men. Some were in baseball and the other is St. Paul. He looks at maps of Paul’s travels and examines biblically what happened to Paul.

Then Lon Solomon tells about a woman asking to pray for Lon. Lon said that the most important prayer she could pray for him was to end well. Lon makes the point that either we can be like Paul “who fought the good fight. The Lord can say to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Or we could hear “wow, you really made a mess of things.”

The sermon says there are 4 things we can do to help us start and end well as followers of Jesus Christ:

“ 1. Stay vitally connected to the Word of God. Psalm 119 assures us that staying connected to the Word of God keeps our lives pure and clean and to stay out of the ditch spiritually (Verses 119:9, 11)

2. Psalm 119: 24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. Staying in the Word of God provides us built in spiritual counseling.

3. Psalm 119: 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Staying connected to the Word of God is a halogen light for the path of our life, keeping us out of the bear traps set by the evil one.

4. Psalm 119: 98, 99 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. Staying closely connected to the Word of God, memorizing the Word of God, meditating on the Word of God, protects us from the temptations of life, the bad decisions of life, the poor choices in life that cause us to self-destruct, and finish our lives poorly. God wants to give us spiritual insight and discernment in our lives that is supernatural.

Are you staying vitally connected to the Word of God each and every day, each and every week of your life?”

Mark 13:1-8 ~ what will be the sign

Mark 13:1-8

1 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

2 "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

5 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

2 Timothy 1 ~ rekindle the gift of God

Jesus ~ 4th century art, from catacombs of Commodilla

The Vatican has an amazing, earth shaking amount of early Christian art. One television documentary said the early art in Christianity (before 400 A.D.) is found largely in catacombs and saved from old churches; one of the most interesting aspects of this art is the face of Jesus is always the same. The documentary pointed out that variations on His face occur after the 4th century A.D.

People, the bible records, always have human nature and need a Savior. Unfortunately, just as the early children of Abraham were warned not to have idols, icons have attracted some to become icon cultists. But the Lord trusts us not to worship the image, but to seek His love.

The early art of Paul shows a bald or balding man with a furrowed brow. As Scripture for Today began the art, it was first St. Paul, but Paul would have wanted the art to be Jesus. The image Paul always wanted to put forth was the love God gave him in Jesus.

2 Timothy 1

[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
[2]
To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

[3]
I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers.

[4] As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
[5] I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lo'is and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you.
[6] Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;
[7] for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.
[8]
Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God,

[9] who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago,
[10] and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
[11] For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,
[12] and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
[13] Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus;
[14] guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
[15] You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, and among them Phy'gelus and Hermog'enes.

[16] May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiph'orus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains,
[17] but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me --
[18] may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day -- and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.

The service Paul gave us, even today, was to make known the love that God (Abba, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) has for us:

+Paul first appears to us in Acts 7, Saul approved of the stoning of Stephen.
+Paul then meets Jesus for the first time, on the way to Damascus, after the death of Jesus Christ. Paul’s eyes were not blessed to see Jesus in life, but more blessed because he believed.
+Paul agrees with the gospel, eyewitness, historical accounts of Jesus’ life. His life is like our lives, he didn’t see Jesus, but as a believer, wants to give the world more information about the life of Jesus and how Jesus loves us today.
+Paul wants us to know that the Cross of Jesus Christ has saved us when we believe in Him and trust in Him.

+Romans 3 is an example of what Paul has found in his life and offers TODAY to us: 21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

+ Colossians 3: 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

+Paul deals with many other questions on which he may have been asked for advice: their relationship with unbelievers; the duty of supporting other needy Christians, how to deal with church members who had fallen into temptation, the need for self-examination and humility, the conduct of family life, the importance of accepting the teaching authority of the leaders of the Church. Paul gives us advice as an anointed teacher of God, on the nature of man. The bible was written for you, because God loves you.

1 Thessalonians 1 ~ gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit

This is the house of Peter, the rock upon whom the church was built. It is located in Capernaum, Israel. We know Jesus was in Peter's house (in many ways) because the bible records the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law in Peter’s house in: Matthew 8:14-17, Mark 1:29-39 & Luke 4:38-44. Peter’s house still has the church people and pilgrims writing their joy to the Lord on the walls. After Peter left to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission to share the gospel all over the world, Peter’s house grew to become the church in Capernaum.

1 Thessalonians 1

[1] Paul, Silva'nus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalo'nians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace.
[2]
We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

[3] remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
[4] For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you;
[5] for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
[6] And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit;
[7] so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedo'nia and in Acha'ia.
[8] For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedo'nia and Acha'ia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
[9] For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
[10] and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

This photo is of Osios David, a Greek Chuch built in 400 A. D. The front porch and yard have been continually used and enjoyed by the Church family for over 1,600 years.

Last night, our church remembered Jesus & Lent by having a time of fellowship, a meal and prayer for healing in a church member’s home. This is a beautiful, full of love tradition in the church for 2 millenniums:

Acts 20:20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.

James 5: 13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

I Corinthians 16: 19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.

Romans 16: 5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

Colossians 4: 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

Philemon 1:1 To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home

Father God, bless our Churches to be families. Please bless our homes to be places of worship. And help us to live each day as a dwelling of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.



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Psalm 34 ~ Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but

Please look carefully at the altar, all the people are coming to the Lord! The majesty, the love and the awe in the people as the Lord approaches.

LISTEN ~
To Joe Pace and the Colorado Mass Choir ~
Let Everything That Hath Breath

Yes, it is Lent. We prepare for Good Friday, so that Easter might come. Jesus, the Christ. Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1: 21 Lord & Christ, Lamb of God, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Bright & Morning Star, Word of Life, The Righteous, Dayspring, I Am, Son of God, Shepherd and Bishop of your souls, Messiah, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, Lord & Savior, a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Light of the World, Alpha & Omega, The Almighty!!! Emmanuel.

Psalm 34

1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.



~none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

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Psalm 19:8-10, 14 ~ meditation

Southern Steps

The flight of stairs leading to the main entrances of the Temple Mount was 200 feet wide. Excavators uncovered the easternmost part of this staircase with its alternating long and short steps.Suggesting the fifteen long steps may have been one of the locations where pilgrims sang the fifteen Psalms of Ascent (120-34) as they went up to worship. How marvelous.

Steps leading to the original entrance to the temple mount and to the Second Temple. It is certain that Jesus climbed these steps when He visited the Temple in Jerusalem. Pilgrims come from all over the world to see the southern Temple mount.

Psalm 19:8-10, 14

8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.

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.


These are wonderful words on the steps to the Temple. Well worth listening to.






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Exodus 19, 20 ~ distance

The beautiful chapel photographed above is not the one we visited last year while college hunting for our oldest son. (It is not the college he chose to apply to.) We travelled across many states to see a college my son read about and interested him. One of the factors was the college review, indicating a real interest in christian growth. We were dismayed to learn, as we toured the campus, that the guide was not going to show us the famous chapel. We were puzzled about that. The handsome guide, from our part of the country, explained the chapel would be used for entertainment with games like dungeons and dragons and Harry Potter masquerade parties. Later, we read in the paper that the college president had determined that the sight of the cross offended many people.

Exodus 19 and 20 brought this memory back. The people, the children of Israel, were so eager to be with the Lord, that the Lord had to make provisions for their safety. Remember, even Moses could not look upon the Glory of God.

At our Winter Conference in January 2008, one of the speakers showed the statistic: there are 360,000 churches in the USA, if every church had 300ish more members, every person in the United States would have a church home. Remember to pray for the United States, that the churches would be able to share God's love with the people.

Exodus 19

1 In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you [a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

9 The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

10 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 He shall surely be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on him. Whether man or animal, he shall not be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they go up to the mountain."

14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain [b] trembled violently, 19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. [c]

20 The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."

23 Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.' "

24 The LORD replied, "Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the LORD, or he will break out against them."

25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Footnotes:

Exodus 19:6 Or possession, for the whole earth is mine. 6 You
Exodus 19:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint all the people
Exodus 19:19 Or and God answered him with thunder



Exodus 20

1 And God spoke all these words:
2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 "You shall have no other gods before [a] me.

4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

13 "You shall not murder.

14 "You shall not commit adultery.

15 "You shall not steal.

16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
24 " 'Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, [b] your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it.'

Footnotes:

Exodus 20:3 Or besides
Exodus 20:24 Traditionally peace offerings

Matthew 9:9-13 ~ His disciples

- 16th Century, Flemish Renaissance Painter. Jan Sanders van Hemessen specialized in scenes of human character, normally religious scenes. His style helped found the Flemish traditions of genre painting.

Painters specializing in portraying scenes from the bible have offered God a powerful tool of worship with their lives. They put hours into making the bible come to life.

Matthew 9:9-13

9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”


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Mark 4 ~ seeds on earth

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Sometimes we, the followers of Jesus Christ, are the seeds.

Who are we called to? The people who seek God.

Acts 17: 22
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.


Pilgrims to Israel: viewing the Holy Land by boat on the Sea of Galilee

Mark 4

1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that

“they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.”

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

~ Who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?

Psalm 33:6-9 (King James Version)

6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

This is why we are the seeds on earth. Jesus Christ the way, the truth, the life.

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Psalm 1 ~ Blessed

The sermon for Ash Wednesday found Starbuck's poster of a large tree that says: the deeper the root, the farther the reach. Psalm 1 also says this; with God all things are possible. Lent's season reminds us that although we have weaknesses, flaws and sins, God gave us His Son. Jesus knew all about our human nature, but He chose to give us the gift of eternal life in His kingdom. God makes the impossible, possible ~ perishable and weak becomes eternal and cherished.

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man [1]
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law [2] of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Footnotes
[1] 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person; see preface
[2] 1:2 Or instruction

Mark 2 ~ Many were gathered together

From the movie, 'Jesus of Nazareth'.

Today is the beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday.

Mark.2

[1] And when he returned to Caper'na-um after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
[2] And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them.
[3] And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
[4] And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay.
[5] And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."
[6] Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
[7] "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
[8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts?
[9] Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take up your pallet and walk'?
[10] But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic --
[11] "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home."
[12] And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
[13]
He went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and he taught them.

[14] And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.
[15]
And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him.

[16] And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
[17] And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

[18]
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"
[19] And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
[20] The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.
[21] No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; if he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.
[22] And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins."

[23] One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.
[24] And the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?"
[25] And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him:
[26] how he entered the house of God, when Abi'athar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?"
[27] And he said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath;
[28] so the Son of man is lord even of the sabbath."

The Synagogue of Capernaum. An Aramaic inscription on one of the broken columns records the name of the donor, "Halfu, son of Zebida". These names in the Greek form (Alphaeus and Zebedee) are mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus Christ's Disciples, James and John, were sons of Zebedee. The New Testament calls them "sons of Thunder".

Miracles in Capernaum listed in the Gospels:

1. Dead daughter of Jairus raised (Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41)
2. Drove evil spirit from a man in the synagogue (Mark 1:21-28)
3. Paralyzed man let down through the roof and healed (Mark 2:1-12)
4. Jesus caused four disciples to catch fish in a miraculous way (Luke 5:1-11)
5. Through a fish, Jesus supplied tribute tax money needed (Matthew 17:24-27)
6. Healing of the centurion's servant afflicted with palsy (Matt. 8:5-13)
7. Healing of nobleman' son in the King's court (Herod Antipas) (John 4:46-54)
8. Healing many other people and casting out demons, as "all the city was gathered together at the door" (Mark 1:29-34)

Psalm 67 ~ May the peoples praise you, O God

When the Lord gave us Psalm 67, He gave us a tool to pray for others and ourselves. As Psalm 67 is read, we can place the name of the person, or church, prayed for in "us & you". May the Lord bless and strengthen the churches proclaiming Jesus Christ. May the faith, hope and love of the Word of God go out to the ends of the earth.

Psalm 67

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,
Selah
2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

3 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.
Selah

5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

6 Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.

7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Anglican Missions in America, Winter Conference 2008 ~ Proclaiming that God Reigns, Jesus Christ has saved us in grace.

Mark 5:1-20 ~ all men marveled

Jesus reminds us "how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." This crowd of people gathered in the Philippines in 2008 to: go barefoot as a sign of humility, to take up one's cross and trials in life in imitation of Christ, remember a healing from Jesus, remember tragedies avoided by the grace of the Lord & remember the blessings of life given by Jesus.

Mark 5:-20

[1]
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Ger'asenes.

[2] And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
[3] who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him any more, even with a chain;
[4] for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him.
[5] Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones.
[6] And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him;
[7] and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."
[8] For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"
[9] And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many."
[10] And he begged him eagerly not to send them out of the country.
[11] Now a great herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside;
[12] and they begged him, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them."
[13] So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.
[14]
The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.

[15] And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.
[16] And those who had seen it told what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine.
[17] And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their neighborhood.
[18] And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.
[19] But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."
[20] And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.

Psalm 24 ~ come in

Basilica St. Peter & St. Paul, Prague

Psalm 24 (New King James Version)

1 The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
2 For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters.

3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah

7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory. Selah

Mark 4:26-34 ~ When planted

Mount Sinai, a tree between two boulders.

Mark 4:26-34

26 He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

30 Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."
33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Exodus 33:22
and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by

Exodus 33:11
The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

12 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people."

14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."


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