Colorized Photo 19th Century Oak of Mamre, near Hebron, Israel, The Oak of Abraham's Tent, his home. Descendant Tree. Not probable 3 Millenniums old.
Israel did all they could for centuries to nurse the ill tree along. Photo 1865 A.D.
Colossians 3:5-11
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self,
which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all
Matthew 13
31 Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his SEQfield. 32 Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
When Christians tell you of visiting Heaven, many, many, many, many, many times you are told with sincere eyes and warm hearts and some intense emotion of their dreams of Heaven. And in these dreams there is a field and flowers and in the distance or near by a magnificent Oak Tree.
When Abraham heard God and began his life of obedience to God - he took up residence in a country he had not seen before, and chose to dwell in Mamre. Not far from Hebron, where he did not own any land an bought some to live under the magnificent Oaks of Mamre. For 3 Millenniums these long living trees have been replanted with acorns from the tree. Carefully tended, lovingly.
We are told in this life, we see glimpses of Heaven. The Oaks of Mamre - where Abraham continued to hear God and entertained Angels. There is no mistake that many people have never heard of the Oaks of Mamre - yet dream of a Heavenly field with a large tree. And sometimes where Jesus sits waiting to tell them they are so loved.
Christian witness... your experience - shared - is not easily disparaged.
Abraham had an unusual witness. And the outcome explained this was of The Almighty God. Abraham won God's heart for protecting the men in the city God wanted to kill. God Loved being known as Merciful. Surely God felt He had found the Father of Nations. Obedient and believing, correctly, in the Mercy of God.
And in our troubled news times, we see murder as people scream about God.
Abraham shared in this event. He surely did. He was told, correctly, God wanted him to kill Isaac. I, personally, disagree with Abraham and think God would have been delighted and applauded being told, "No, You are God of Life and of our end. You act as God alone."
God tells us the adventure is seeing God move all things to Good. And because God had spoken to Abraham - the event is of God and no child was killed.
This is a time where the Word of God was unusual. The outcome displays the splendor of Life. Abraham believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
Abel believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
Enoch believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
By faith Sarah believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
By faith, Isaac believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
By Faith, Jacob believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
By Faith, Joseph believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
By Faith, Moses believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.
By faith, the people crossed the Red Sea on foot, they believed God and this was credited to them as righteousness.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith believed God and this was credited to them as righteousness.
Hebrews 11 tells us these people died having not seen God's Kingdom as Stephen did and Nathaniel. Or even the repentant thief on the cross next to Jesus.
God had provided something better for us all, that apart from Jesus, Abba and the Holy Spirit - we should not be made perfect.
Our Abbe in Jesus,
We became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
For it is by grace we have been saved through faith in Christ Jesus, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
This is not our 'hit and run' ministry - this is our waking each day to see Your mercies renew and doing our best to live showing God's Grace is valued, honored, recognized, appreciated and very needed.
This is covering all things with Jesus and His Love and continuing down the path of life in appreciation for "Life".
We ask this Joy of Christ Jesus, for ourselves, our health and ears, our years, the ones we Love and for the people You have given us. Particularly for P and for D, who have heath issues to lift to You, with all certainty.
You are our Father and we lift High our Prayers and know Your Good Will will be spoken and fulfilled. Jesus is the Lord of us all.Alleluia, Alleluia, Jesus the Son of God. Jesus strengthens and encourages. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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