Psalm 34: 9-14 ~ Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

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Psalm 34: 9-14

9 Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.


The stories of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah are our stories. And in the middle of the Kingdoms and towards the end, life has a lot of work and many opinions and options. Yet the direction saving the Kings, the Kingdoms, the people swept in events is to worship Him corporately and in His Word. Seeing good, turning away from voluntarily handing Him our messes to clean up and to truly trust Him.

Hezekiah was King. No one doubted that. And Hezekiah found from time to time that his good life was lacking. Hezekiah was as prosperous as Solomon. With fewer blemishes. I sometimes wonder why we fuss so over Moses and Solomon. Joshua swept up a mess, surely we understand working with the events life gives us with Trust and Effort.

Hezekiah had all kinds of bad advice from his environmental upbringing. His generational sin was.... heavy. And Hezekiah said to his late father's memory, sure you wanted me to strip the Temple of Gold and hand that to the Assyrians, but really when I got to the point of that abomination - that felt wrong for me. And we realize Hezekiah had help from golden Isaiah. Well... um notice with me Isaiah had three other Kings that Isaiah was learning the ropes with. Wow. Like we learn as we get older how things work. And older people have some wisdom.

Well. Sometimes. Because we see a lot of the Kings ran after perceived power and other pursuits of 'wisdom'.

Hezekiah had time to make mistakes and recover.

Now also notice being King has perks. And some really awful exposure. And this. None of us is immune to judgement, we all feel like we lack in some circumstances. We grow weak with the same circles we think and trod. We grow Spiritually hungry and don't perceive that need clearly. We feel the love of LIFE has left. Give us the Day! Has Fled without Hope for many good days.

God asks us what decision will we make when we are tried again. Because the truth is Isaiah was working with his fourth King when Hezekiah came along. Isaiah isn't recorded as being "generational -sins- flop- for- Hezekiah's- daddy." (Yet we could make a case for that, but we like Isaiah and give him the nod instead of the magnifying glass.)

God asks us what we will do with our beliefs, our efforts. What King do you pick for your life? Yes, of course the answer is Jesus. In reality, we cannot ever do what Jesus did, because we are not HIM. He was without sin, to forgive our sins.

 Are you .....

... are you the right side or the left side? Because unlike Joshua, sometimes we don't get to pick the middle! Of course we are supposed to be balanced, but not all bicycles have the same training wheels in true circumstances. A lot depends on where your alligators are placed. And which metaphor do you like?

In the end, we get to be just like Hezekiah who felt like his nice life was about to be invaded, stamped out, rubbed raw, and you just didn't get the fair shake afforded to that dratted Solomon.

Why did Hezekiah prevail? He did something every day... He went out and thundered to the guy next to him about the LORD. Muscular Christianity to the extreme. Nope. The Scriptures record he wept, cried, complained, plotted, thought it out again, fretted, fussed, WHILE HEZEKIAH WAS PRAYING. And he put papers before the Lord and said... what am I to do. Sometimes, even rarely, Hezekiah decided to hush and wait upon the LORD. Because even kings get picked on by other kings. Perils of life.

In the end the Kings that prevailed did this...

Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

We get so backward over this. Kings of Israel wanted to stuff HIM behind a curtain. Even David did this. People who understand God believe what we say when we say The Kingdom, The Power and The Glory are Yours.

And Hezekiah went forth Thundering Witnesses to this... No. Instead Hezekiah did this...

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Hezekiah spoke to the Lord, and of the Lord, rather quietly, but used his words, and his actions to reveal his belief that God would work with Hezekiah. And the Word of God says, He does this routinely when we place our trust in HIM.


God help me to be one too. In Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Galatians 2 ~ But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

Galatians 2

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.


11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.


"The Knights Templar & the Protestant Reformation" states when Stanley Jones, a missionary, met with Mahatma Gandhi, Stanley Jones asked Gandhi, "Mr. Gandhi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?"

Gandhi replied: "Oh, I don't reject Christ. I love Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike Christ."

Well, Mahatma Gandhi has hit upon a truth expressed in the last Chapter of the Gospel of John. In The Book of Acts, Chapter One. And in this Word of God. All these people are Flawed. All the people of the Bible are flawed.

But Mr. Gandhi has failed to extrapolate. The British left India without a war. It takes two to tango. We call it cowardice to fight people who don't fight back, but that's done quite a lot.

God says in the Gospels, people are a hassle. He just isn't of the opinion you throw them out. That Forgiveness is Divine. And Paul dealt with these matters not in a turn the other cheek fashion, he addressed his concerns. Now just Maybe, he was so vocal that God decided Paul should move. God gave us a brain to be congenial and be like Hezekiah, King of Israel, who knew when to button up his mouth.

Mr. Gandhi knew personal sacrifice. And fasting. Jesus agreed and said, "When we fast." Recently, I met a woman who decided not to abort her baby upon finding anger from the father of the baby, because her mom fasted for two days, promising assistance as well.

God says in Matthew 22, The Kingdom of Heaven is like a King who prepared a Wedding Banquet for His Son.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’

The Body of Christ welcomes all who would would want to come to be part of the banquet of His Name, His Kingdom and His Blessings.


How are we justified?

justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified

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Psalm 109 ~ My God, whom I praise, do not remain silent

Malachi 4

“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.

5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”

One of my favorite people on the planet has a real problem with "hateful religion". Haters gotta hate, he says. And, of course, he is really right. Except one of his favorite things to snarl used to be...."Die in a Fire." I don't know, maybe he meant that kindly.

Is the Word of God hateful.. I do not believe so. God is the giver of the Feast. Inviting those to participate. Come to the Table of the Lord and be filled.

The Word of God tends to run to fulfillment. The Root of David did come to save us. Elijah did return in the Transfiguration.



Psalm 109
A Psalm of.... David


1 My God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent,
2 for people who are wicked and deceitful
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
3 With words of hatred they surround me;
they attack me without cause.
4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer.
5 They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my friendship.

6 Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
8 May his days be few;
may another take his place of leadership.
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven[a] from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,
their names blotted out from the next generation.
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord;
may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May their sins always remain before the Lord,
that he may blot out their name from the earth.

16 For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy and the brokenhearted.
17 He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him.
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
18 He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
19 May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him.
20 May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me.

21 But you, Sovereign Lord,
help me for your name’s sake;
out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give way from fasting;
my body is thin and gaunt.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.

26 Help me, Lord my God;
save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Let them know that it is your hand,
that you, Lord, have done it.
28 While they curse, may you bless;
may those who attack me be put to shame,
but may your servant rejoice.
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

Mostly, I've really had a very blessed week. Maybe a bump or two. What do we do when people disappoint us? David faced some pretty big trauma. Running for his life from an "Anointed King."

I was told this summer this is just another example of how man wrote the Bible and the Bible is just awful. Actually, this is deeper than that. This is how transparent we can be with HIM. How would you react if your children suggested to you with evidence, "It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” And kept that from you for years? And then you leave the promised land to discover they really only sold him into slavery for you to Think your child was dead... and they never record saying, "I'm remotely sorry."


Or may Jesus came and said, "Father forgive them." and from now on we just turn our cheek at all things. Preston Yancy leads our Bible Study and he calls this Happy Clappy Jesus. I am growing fond of him.

Or maybe we do like Jacob and do the best we can and say some injustices are left to HIM because the are horrendous like Jacob and Joseph. Jacob did end up blessing his sons and telling them how the cow ate the cabbage. You have to like real. Reuben tried rather ineffectively to save Joseph, didn't confess his part and ended up sleeping with his father's concubine.

Well how can we have a Jesus type forgiveness from Jacob before Jesus lived? The Holy Spirit is indwelling. Jacob was confined by life events and did his best. This could be why Israel and Jacob are the same in name.

Yet some of the blessings were very... mitigated.

Perhaps we should clean this up for the LORD. In that case, don't call on me, please. I'm not going to PR this piece into being politically correct.




The LORD does not say all meanies fry. But He did say if you aren't particularly loving representing HIM, He could say this...

Deuteronomy 18:20
But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.

Or this..

Matthew 25
"44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

And He could reply .. "I never knew you."





Christianity doesn't seek to scare us into believing, neither is it the "Inspirational Hour" for us all to just feel great. Self-help isn't just all about me...Jesus all about me...

Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.





To not declare Jesus spoke of Hell is to delete part of His message.

Mark 7:6-9
And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!

Jesus wasn't meek and mild. He thundered. And He spoke directly of hell eleven times. Not to mention Judgement and where the fire is not quenched. Jesus said He came to save and that there is a different direction. Jesus spoke twelve times about our inability to judge each other as well.




As HE told us not to Judge others, we find out He does.

Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left."

How does He accomplish this judgement?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”





A heart open to God requires open ears and a willingness to tune in to every part of God’s word.


Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

2 Kings 22:19
Because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord.

Psalm 14:2
The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.


Matthew 6
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

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Psalm 7 ~ My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.

Painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1525.

Psalm 7

1 Lord my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
2 or they will tear me apart like a lion
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

3 Lord my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands—
4 if I have repaid my ally with evil
or without cause have robbed my foe—
5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample my life to the ground
and make me sleep in the dust.

6 Arise, Lord, in your anger;
rise up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake, my God; decree justice.
7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
while you sit enthroned over them on high.
8 Let the Lord judge the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity, O Most High.
9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure—
you, the righteous God
who probes minds and hearts.

10 My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
a God who displays his wrath every day.
12 If he does not relent,
he will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.

14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;
I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.



Luke 12:12
“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”





A lion attack is a fairly serious thing. Usually happening very fast.

And we all readily remember the Colosseum being a place of Christian martyrdom where the last Pope celebrated Good Friday.

Compared to:

Daniel 6:26-28
“I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
27 He rescues and he saves;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel</b>
from the power of the lions.”


God is the Living God. Discerning all events and people.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Why would God allow Daniel to be saved from Lions and not Christians in the Colosseum - does one story negate another? I would say not. I got in the cage with a lioness on steroids once. Not very intelligent. But I'm here today. Compared to the disaster at the Colosseum, the Lions were not entertaining with the Christians and that was unusual. Even here God's Plan was at work.

I'm trying to say, God does not work all events in the same manner. We can be the people saved from the lion's den and the people who are eaten. And still be of the Lord. One story does not mean that HE is inept in His Word or indifferent.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live

This seems almost impossible to believe in some situations. And yet we can say with sincerity some will be saved from Lions and some will not. And other Christians rose and fled, and still the Word of the Lord went with them. Life is a lot about Hope, Faith and Love. Knowing what to do when life offers us storms or lions.

Mark 4:38
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?”

This is what Jesus is to us ~

Mark 1
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”

One of the reasons we make straight paths for HIM, we want what Jesus gives pouring out in a blessing. He is our foundation. Our Rock. Knowing where we stand or rest, knowing what He would have us do or say.

Romans 15:13 Hope in Adversity

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

Psalm 103
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

Psalm 5:12
For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”


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

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

Numbers 6:
22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

24 “‘“The LORD bless you
and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.


John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.

Thank You Father God, for the blessings brought forth in my life. This was a blessed day and I am so grateful replying to all who blessed us ~ Father God please bless them as well. Comfort those we know in trouble and sustain us to the season of more blessings. In You, Your storehouse is never to full to pour out more blessings. We ask Your will be done, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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James 3 ~ By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom

James 3

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.



In the renewal, the love letters of renewal and regeneration.

God gives us specific exercises in life to strengthen us to His purposes. Why would He do this? If it were merely exercise in life, we might burn out or be bored. That effort has life in His plan, Strengthened us.

Psalm 138
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
3 On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.

4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
5 and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.


God does indeed call us to His purpose. We can resist and become hardened, bitter, unhappy, dismayed. And even if we are seeking HIM, without the diligence to find gratitude we will indeed become immune to the blessings of life.

Gratitude is not something we should do without and
requires  effort for most of us.

God does not ask us to spend our lives guessing His purpose and task for us. It's rather a simple thing. Humble. Give Justice with Mercy, Walking Humbly with Him. 

Life has some strength in determining His purpose for me.  For all of us. And it is a rather simple way with it. Easy to remember. Easy on the brain, comfort for the soul. 

Acts 10
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

It's rather overwhelming for us to follow in the footsteps of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Who opened His arms and took on the sin of the world. Our sin. And almost incomprehensible for most of us to imagine, being Peter, moving out of Jerusalem and moving onward on His Path. The Lord's own brothers did this too. And Paul.

However, we all love the stories of Jesus interacting with the Centurion. And we all foster a secret hope in us this is Cornelius. We cannot know until the day we go Home to be with Jesus. Yet we can mostly imagine being Cornelius. Working for a rather hostile environment to Christianity. How did Cornelius witness? He looked for the teachable moments. He opened his hands in the morning to the Lord.

Lord Father God, let us go with You each day praying in all circumstances. Knowing we want to do better. But not giving into the sadness of our weakness, instead rejoicing You see us with patience, kindness, rejoicing in our truth giving, bearing us up, believing in us, hoping in His Love and omnipotence, enduring our weakness, rising over our weaknesses in triumph. Giving us, in grace, Your promises of enduring life, a plan for a hope and a future. Because You are Love.

Father God we give great thanks for the continuing prayers we give for each other strengthening us to do Your will. The prayers of the righteous people are powerful and effective. In Jesus Christ Risen over Death, our Lord. Amen.

Each day we are building. In prayer we ask, let me be fruitful for You. Let Your glory shine in my life. And eventually, there is a moment you are called upon. This is a good thing, a warm thing, because Father God builds us easily to do the good works He plans for us. We serve the Living God, who walks with us in wonder, just like He did for His disciples, and equips us for this.

Ephesians 4
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.


God is love. The disciple who wrote this walked with the incarnate Word of God. And he was enriched and changed for all his days, proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven Is At Hand.

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Addendum:

Wisdom, we are called to be more than nice.  Nicey is the fake subtitles to fall back on without wisdom. We are to search our soul's depths. We live within the wisdom we seek. We are equipped.  Isaiah had practice for three of Judah's kings before he was sent, sent, sent to help Hezekiah.  God Does Equip us.

Give Justice, With Mercy, Walk Humbly with the Lord. 

We cannot give effective change without honest complaint. Why should we accept dishonorable social hierarchy within our lives, our Churches? 

Paul wrote, in the Holy Spirit's voice:

Romans 5:3-5
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Paul is NOT going El Greco hair shirt here. For too long we have bought into the spiritual snare of jump twelve feet up in the air we constantly fail Him. God accomplishes HIS Plan, His Purpose long after His workmen go Home.  Hope does NOT put us to shame. This is not the illness of suffering is good for you. God's Love Pours into our hearts in the Holy Spirit.

Do we think Paul enjoyed suffering? Are you kidding me. Paul spent one of the Chapters of the New Testament, published today, not edited out, in real hurt he was abandoned in his deepest efforts. This is not a man rejoicing in sufferings, but telling us the hard work relies upon HIM as our Champion.

Run your race to win. He expects try, diligence and no cheap grace. Don't hand Him the sweep up broom with a smile. Do the hard work.

Give Justice. If you experience injustice, look that squarely in the face and do not fake nicey up. 

Give Mercy. The truth is we are bound within events of our lives with diligent try. Joshua did more hard work, sweeping up the Exodus. Not to the right or the left. Balance. 

Good conduct? Show me the effort of try to work with in the boundaries life, remembering the Day of Blessing and the day of adversity come from Him. Give thanks for the blessings and the reality of the day.  Mercy? Not just your comfort zone, but the kindness of seeing others diligently trying.  Let's see continued support for good conduct.

Mercy. Speak kindly, this might be the only kind word we see all day. Thank you, Karen and Paul Lewis, for living this out.  We do act as the Body of Christ, working to upbuild in Love.

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Matthew 6:26 ~ your Father feeds them

For the loved pets, we wish to remember, gather with our other treasure in heaven.

For Spenser, who never traveled to the beach, but is missed. Age 13, when he ran to the Lord.

And Merit, who would have been 15, this week.

Do Pets Go To Heaven? Do Animals Go to Heaven?

Scriptures never say heaven is only for humans.

Revelation 5:13
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!"

God’s covenant with Noah included both people and animals (Genesis 9:9-11). However, that covenant was not one of eternal life, but that He would not again destroy the earth with a flood.

The fourth commandment as recorded in Deuteronomy 5:12-15 includes a Sabbath rest for animals as well as people. Again, it reveals some equality between people and animals, but makes no statement regarding animals going to heaven

Psalm 148:5-6
Let everything he has made give praise to him. For he issues his command, and they came into being; he established them forever and forever. His orders will never be revoked.

Animals and man will be in harmony (Isaiah 11:1-9).

Isaiah 11
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—

the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and of power,

the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -
3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,

or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,

with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.

He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;

with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt

and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,

the leopard will lie down with the goat,

the calf and the lion and the yearling together;

and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,

their young will lie down together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,

and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy

on all my holy mountain,

for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea

Jesus said:

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Matthew 10:29
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.

The passage in Romans 8:18-25 certainly does include animals as part of “the creation.”

Elijah was picked up from heaven by horses, this was told to Elijah before it occurred and Elisha saw it happen. The Lord could have sent anything to convey Elijah to heaven, but the horses came from heaven and the Lord sent them.

2 Kings 2:
11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"

The four winds sent from heaven are on horses. The four winds are written of in Daniel, Zechariah and Revelations 7.

Zechariah 6:
2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black, 3 the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. 4 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, "What are these, my lord?"
5 The angel answered me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.


A good man cares for his animals
No one but Jesus can be called good.

Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

Luke 18:18-19
18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
19 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

1 Corinthians 9:9, Deuteronomy 25:4

For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You Shall Not Muzzle The Ox While He Is Threshing " God is concerned about oxen, isn't He, He's not too busy.

We are not told implicitly, but heaven has been told to us in verses in the bible and the verses seem to hold God’s love spreading to animals in His eternal kingdom.

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Addendum:

In the recent best selling book, "Heaven Is For Real", we learn about a miscarriage the boy knew nothing of, and became his sister in Heaven the boy tells his family about. "Yes, Mom, the baby who died in your tummy." Grandpa's photo, gasp, was not recognized. Gasp.  Until a wise Grandma thought to place Granpa's youthful photo of him in his young, young twenties before the boy -- "Oh Granpa!!" Talk about Happy Family then.  And Jesus has a white horse.... what. Yes, Jesus had a colt He asked for to ride into Jerusalem. 

There is a favorite paragraph in Ephesians for me:

Ephesians 3
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

We read in the Old Testament God named people. I believe earnestly we are named by Him. Today. All of us. And we learn families Live together, and I Believe He means more together than ever in Heaven. I'm planning on a fleet of Springer Spaniels and all those kitties.

Father God, You sent horses from heaven to earth for Elijah. We wish You would gather our loved animals into Your kingdom. Your love never fails. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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