Several weeks ago, the Post was about the Family of Jacob.
The 12 Sons of Jacob. Surely God had blundered in. God does not blunder. God always is God. Perhaps in the vast of Space, Father God the Almighty of All of Creation said, "Let there be Light." So we would understand how Vast God is. How Warm is God's Love for you. His Precious Child.
The First Word of God is Jesus. The Universe. This is Huge.
And God - who has a real Home, in a real Kingdom, begins the story of His Love, your Father, running home to - you. Home is where the Gate narrows off the road.
The Wild Winds of Life.
Our Lives. We wonder where we fit in. What's the Plan. God starts with only His Universe. The Holy Spirit abides on the waters (everywhere in the new Creation) as God discovers He delights in His Creation and in mankind. God - delights in - you. The Scriptures are to see the wild winds of life howl - the journey is personally yours and you are going home. Named by God. Chosen by God.
Real Life
Now, what kind of fresh mess is Jacob involved with. Scripture is going to go there. Really. Family. Sticky notes. We have a blind, blind, blind father who has no healthy idea of siblings. A manipulative mother. A self-centered brother. And God. Then we have a plotting gentile, goy father and a very prissy, missy who marries her betrothed off to her sister. And then the servant/ girlfriend /concubines and we end up with 12 sons of probable far-flung nationalities and a daughter.
Fortunately, there is nothing of substance to fight about and they will live happily ever after in the Bronze Age. Leading lives of long robes, sheep and happy thoughts.
When God speaks, He is outside of the cage of time.
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow are His and He has the Answers. God delights in mankind.
All of the togetherness of tents, sheep, wives, children - is really a lot of time to develop as a human being. This Vast story is coming down to individuality and Jesus as God.
And this group of 12 sons finds they are Fighting. Over marriages, sister, household - - - items. Goats. Lambs. Coats. Slavery, excuses, falsehood, death, separation and murder of the truth.
Bronze Age or pre wooden arrow age:
Eve decided the 'Apple' did away with God.
The 12 Sons of God decided slavery (devotion to self-comfort, self-planning and career intoxication are salvation) did away with Truth. Reality becomes starvation at many levels.
The First Family of God's Nation start individual lives by deciding the Winds of Life and I will do - what? Ranchers are like David. Shepherds spread out to guard the flock. This is a time to discover self-discovery and thoughts.
The Sons of Jacob Israel will have a whole generation to discover God's Plan.
Bronze Age to Iron Age. Shepherds in the Church Nativity Play. Same Jet Stream.
John 3:6-8
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
God is Using the Same Story. Saying remember, remember, remember.
The Vast Plan of the Universe looks a lot like Jesus walking on water to pull up His beloved Simon Peter.
The Entry to the Exodus looks a lot like the Exodus. A Generation of waiting to see God's Plan.
The Vast Plan of God is explained in a Word. A Phrase. A Paragraph. A Sentence. Books and Books of Scripture and is the Father running to the Prodigal - you.
When we see the real Heartbreak of the Scriptures - we learn God is not forsaking His Person.
The map is finding the Path. The Narrow Path. The grains of sand on the beach - as many times as Your Father has thought of you. Your hand in Your Fathers. Prayer.
God's Hand to Hold in the wild winds of Life.
Each verse of Scripture is written for you.
To find how much He loves you.
And the wild winds of life - the drama and the fear - are shaping us to become who we will be.
Reuben is pulling for Joseph. Jacob is furious with Reuben. Rueben is pulling for Leah. Benjamin longs for Joseph. All Fight for Dinah. Each verse is about Jesus and the Journey. We are the Prodigals to remember Life is His Story. Remember the map said something about this. The Bible.
The story isn't about Reuben, Joseph, Jacob, Leah or Dinah.
Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life. Each verse is about Jesus. God did not anoint David for anything but his heart. God's purpose in this life is to put seeds on our path and we determine to find Jesus.
Genesis 45
45 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him.
He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
2 And he wept aloud,
so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”
But his brothers could not answer him, for they were astonished, dismayed, in awe at his presence.
4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.”
And they came near.
And he said, “I am your brother,
Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here,
for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 For the famine has been in the land
these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth,
and to keep alive for you many survivors.
8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt.
Come down to me; do not tarry.
10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ 12 And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.
16 When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house, “Joseph's brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, 18 and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ 19 And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Have no concern for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
21 The sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. 22 To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five changes of clothes.
23 To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.”
25 So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.
26 And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.
28 And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
We read the Map - The Scriptures - to find Jesus and live the way, the truth and the Life.
In all this forsakenness of the First Family of God's Own Nation,
we find the truth in Psalm 136. Steadfast Love does not leave. Blessing. God's Own Blessing.
We tie our questions about the wild winds of life into Scriptures. And we apply.
Occasionally you are asked, "What did you see about God this week?" And unless you have time to sit and gather the wool - you can't answer.
Or unless you have repeat, repeat and remember, remember.
I was asked about two years ago why exorcism doesn't work like the movies. Because Jacob stole the blessing and lived life knowing he was going to bless Everyone. It's a mixed bag since God said, "Let there be Light." And "Apple." And the truth is London has reported exorcism Really does work in aged and heavily populated places. Now, why include this tidbit of TMI? Because when we live life telling the truth and doing our best - we clean the path straight for generations. There is A Lot of Good Work in... "this little Light of mine."
Kind of like this: "What did God say to you this week?"
On Monday, at 1 a.m., I went in to get my sheepskin Plantar fasciitis booties from the den. My dear little lamb, Beaux turned into a wolf and we had two trips to the doctor and two trips to the ER. We are praying, calling for and happily accepting prayer for my arm, side, leg and the dog now departed our house. All to heal.
So on Saturday, a dear loved one announced - in the restaurant - the stunning news they never said they were Pro-Life. Lamb does what??? Husband then makes the growling noise at the news. And everyone tries to be quite contained. While stunned. And the song reaches the Chorus at the repeated phrase: " Reverend Step-grandfather Tate said - hell is a long trip in the car with your loved ones."
The car trip home happens. "Hey, Let's be cool here. I never said to either of you I'm Pro-Life. I know your (tone) Stance here."
Silence. Om.
"I never said I was Pro-Life. I have a stance."
I said, "Well having worked in Pro-Life for three and a half years, I can tell you I don't have a "stance."
"Oh - You Have a Stance."
"No, I have found so many people are unsupported in real pain in their past, they really don't need more thrown at them. I have a "Belief" and I have a "Compassion", but I can tell you for sure I don't have a 'stance.'"
"That's A Stance."
"No, that's a deep and abiding "Belief" with 'Compassion'. A "Stance" eats your face off. Like my dog and my arm."
And our dear one was able to say we don't routinely eat off arms. I'm happy to say this does relate to the Scripture Passage.
All lambs are wolves. God says so.
Romans 3:23
'All' have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
If Jacob had not been human enough to wrestle with God, he might have self righteously cast off Leah. Cast off Rachael. Cast off Rueben and his sons and stayed with Laban. And if Jacob had stayed with Laban, we'd have what to call Jacob Israel. We apply Scripture to understand when to get off the pillow and move forward with God.
Jacob decided to work with his lambs.
He knew the spots. The spots were apparent. We get the choice. We understand we have to dig to work with goat sheep wolf. We can be screeching blind Isaac. Plotting Rebecca. Insolent Essau intent on his sport. We can call them all wolves. And because Israel called them Lambs and Beloved - we want to know the story and want healing.
Social Media has emboldened us all to be vocal if we are Pro-Life or not. If we support Hilary or not. Emboldened is one thing. To give up care is another. We continue to love one another. And to hold each other up gently. To love one another covers a multitude of sins. Because our conversation about Pro-Life was gentle, there is another conversation and another and another and finally to be told I wouldn't take up being NOT Pro Life. I myself wouldn't do that. To cut someone off is to leave them in the cold.
Jesus never left.
We want to see Jesus' new Heaven and new earth.
We want the adventure of the narrow gate with Jesus.
Jacob is the end of the "Stance." Jacob is Jesus with Zacchaeus. Jacob is Jesus going to the lost sons of Israel. Jacob shines so brightly, Jacob is bringing the Light of Christ to the Nations.
What happened to the loved one with Stances. He melted. He knows Love. Love Wins. God's Plan Wins. Every Time.
Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
God of Love
~ John, the Beloved of Patmos Island
God of Encouragement
~ Paul, Prisoner of Mamertine Prison, now of St. Paul's Basilica Outside the Walls
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful Light.
~ Peter, buried under a rock in Pauper's Graveyard (Cicero uses the word) on Vaticani Montes (hill) in Rome. Now of the same Rock 80 feet under the Vatican Altar. 60 years of Archaeological Research. That Peter. That Rock. That "Gates of Hell won't prevail." Yes. That Rock.
Contend for the faith that the Lord has once for all entrusted to us, his people.
~ Jude, formerly of Nazareth. Now Jude bar Joseph. Jude bar Mary. Jude bar God Almighty.
When they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
~ James, Brother of Jesus. Formerly new earth, now new Heaven.
Minute 47 colorfully tells us of streams of water and birds. The Sermon completes our longing for Heaven and our prayers to fill us all now.
Abba, Father God,
Be the Wind of our Lives. Be the Wind where You send us. We are the Easter People and Alleluia is our Song. As Jesus took His Breath of Life after Living from death, we are part of His Breathe in the New Covenant.
The Breath of Jesus Christ surrounding us. In this moment. God's Eternal Love. His Steadfast Love never forsakes us. Blessed to be with Steadfast Love. You assure us of Your Living Presence in Psalm 139.
Abba, be in front of us to Guide and Lead us in Your Love and Encouragement.
Abba, be behind us to leave Your Mercy and Love in our footprints.
Abba, be beside us to hold our hand in Prayer and in Your Love continuously.
Abba, please be in me. Giving me Your Redemption and Righteousness in the Name of Jesus always I ask.
Abba, cover those I love in the Name of Jesus living in us all.
Abba, Guide and Lead us with Such High and Steadfast Love we know the Nation is safely entrusted to You.
Abba, be behind the Children of God in peace for today and in prayer filling Your Good Plan and Will for more Heaven on earth for all of mankind. For All of Creation.
Blessing You knowing Your Plan covers all of Creation.
Jesus is God. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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