Psalm 85 ~ righteousness will go before Him and make His footsteps a way.

Psalm 85 

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1 Lord, you were favorable to your land;

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;

you covered all their sin. Selah

3 You withdrew all your wrath;

you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,

and put away your indignation toward us!

5 Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger to all generations?

6 Will you not revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?

7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,

and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,

for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;

but let them not turn back to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,

that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;

righteousness and peace kiss each other.

11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,

and righteousness looks down from the sky.

12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,

and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness will go before him

and make his footsteps a way.

Recently a friend and I were discussing a movie recommended to us by another friend. It is a compilation of people being interviewed impromptu at an amusement park asking if they believe in Jesus and what they know of Him. I pointed out, Jesus was never very interested in popularity contests, but love, redemption, healing, sincerity. Faith isn’t because it is good to think and run with the crowd. She agreed and said it was rigged as well to make the interviewed people look ignorant by catching them off guard. 

We are continuing on with Jesus, Son of God, who chose to live as grace and truth dwelling among us:

Well, let’s talk about what people have believed, the archaeology that has cleared a path to belief. People have falsely accused Nazareth of not existing, the census of not being taken.    
   

Augustus’ census edicts (in connection with the Nativity) are borne out by an inscription at Ankara, Turkey, his famous Res Gestae ,"Things Accomplished" the emperor proudly claims to have taken a census three times.

Josephus, the Judean General turned Roman Historian wrote of Jesus in his book of Antiquities.

"At this time there was a wise man called Jesus, and his conduct was good, and he was known to be virtuous. Many people among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified, and to die. But those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have reported wonders. And the tribe of the Christians, so named after him, has not disappeared to this day" (Antiquities 20:200).

Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs, transfered from the archaeological ruins of Pilate's Palace to the Vatican. The stairs are the stone seen through the wood. It is marvelous to see where Jesus' feet have traveled.

The apostles lived such lives of faith, after being the men hiding from the Roman & Temple authorities, they became blazing lights proclaiming Jesus Christ. Jesus  was being proclaimed and believed upon, in separate continents, many healings, lives changed in just a few short years after Jesus defeated death and rose again.

Yet it would be just wrong to just dwell on the archaeology; we are supposed to see with eyes of faith.  To remember Christianity isn’t a philosophy; it is a relationship, a life changing love. We want to show the love of the One who calls us to Him.  It isn’t our righteousness, it is His and His footsteps make a way. 

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

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