Psalm 126 ~ Joy

Psalm 126
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad!

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.


The most played funeral song in the United Kingdom is "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."

So, that isn't a novel approach to a funeral in the U.K...

Restoration - God repeats events, aspects and situations too.

Abraham argued with God for lives to be spared.
Then Abraham was asked about an important life and did not argue...my opinion is God wanted Abraham to say No. God is God and is in charge of life and death. God wanted Abraham to argue God is Good.

Moses stood as God's ambassador to the Red Sea.
Elisha parted water for the Children of Israel.

Prophets cured outside of Israel during starvation
Prophets cured outside of Israel for leprosy as well.

Zechariah had trauma happen in the Temple.

2 Chronicles 24
20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” 21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”


Two Gospels refer to Zechariah. Father God was indeed thinking of Zechariah. The next Zechariah is John the Baptist's father.

The next Zechariah failed to believe the impossible is possible with God. John the Baptist's father doubted God and did not grab hold of the horns of the Altar which as a Priest - he knew these were the mercy fail-safe part of the Temple - and he was seeing an angel in God's Temple. Perhaps God is reminding us Zechariah could have forgiven and also cried out for God to save him.

The Temple saw quite a few miracles. Once people get past doubt. Zechariah was very angry at being killed. Love up builds.

Joseph was a poor boy, of a Dynasty, who became the Pharaoh's Visor living by faith.
Joseph was a poor boy, of a Dynasty, who became God's Son's Visor living by faith.

Elijah did show up for the Transfiguration. Yet Jesus did say John the Baptist was a repeat conversation with God thinking of Elijah.

Why does God repeat things like the Samaritans tossed out of the Second Temple  - Well, Jesus found them in the Fourth Chapter of John's Gospel? God is thinking of these things. Like Jesus remembering Solomon in one Gospel during being shown the Temple the Day of Palm Sunday. Remember, Jesus was there. His Glory filled the Temple. The sight was a lot like what the Hubble Telescope shows us God is creating the birth of new stars. Isn't God fascinating?

God is Love. God wants to see His people up built.
He is reminding us of what HE has taught and what He wants to have happen better.

The Song - bright side of life???
Life is disparaged. When you stop to look at it.

What we do matters. To each other. To God.

Matthew 21
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

Believing makes a Path acceptable to God.

John 6:29
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."


Take the GLORY - of being Love.
THE STRUGGLE - with time, money, troubles and riches of the world.
THE OVERCOME - from embarrassment, repent, plain problems just given to us.
THE HOPE - God is for us.
THE LOVE - God is.
THE FAITH - All His promises are for us.
AND JESUS - Our Redemption and Savior. Son of God.

The bumps and bruises. take the events that still bring a tear to our eyes. And say - God has Fathered us. I am grateful. For what has been so difficult. We can be grateful to learn - God has brought me this far - that what He brings forth, we will do together. We expect the Goodness of God. Our Amen is in Jesus.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Isaiah 55:12
 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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