Matthew 12 ~ The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand"

The Cathedral of Basil the Blessed

Matthew 12

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet.”’

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd listened to him with delight.

Luke 2:52
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

 
The real Jesus has personality, Joy in Healing and delights in His People. Jesus shows us His Nature. 

This is why Large Crowds saw Jesus raise the son of the Widow of Nain - her despair and need were the basis of the Multitudes of Believers storming into the Temple when Jesus was found to be Alive. Their Witness. The need only for Joy - when Jesus raised a leader of the Synagogue's daughter - privately.  Jesus didn't need the political pull - this was for this man's pain and his request to Jesus.

Not all the hearers of Jesus delighted in him. Jesus was known to see right into a Person and be able to tell us exactly what was what. Jesus is the Light of the World. And He is Truth with Grace upon Grace!

Here is an evangelical challenge  -What if you had to preach to Ivan the Terrible?

A Very Important and Striking aspect of Evangelism is this 
- What about God do we Love?   
This is Exactly how we convey Jesus the Lord to the ones we Love. The Gospel is received with Love in our Souls.

An aspect of God appealing to Ivan was Truth and was a Love for the People. Ivan wanted people not to be afraid of him. Basil was honest - Loving - bold.

Known as the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, a Russian Orthodox Cathedral, it is the geometric center of Moscow since the 14th century. Built by Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible), it contains eight side churches arranged around the ninth, the tenth church was erected in 1588 over the grave of venerated Basil - Fool for Christ. Basil lived:

Proverbs 16:7
When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

Basil was an apprentice shoemaker in Moscow, but became a shoplifter. He gave to the poor to shame the miserly and help those in need. He rebuked Ivan the Terrible for not paying attention in church, and for his violent behavior towards the innocent.

Most of the time, admonishing anyone with name "the Terrible" wasn’t such a good idea, but apparently Ivan had a soft spot for the holy fool (as Basil was also known) and ordered a Church to be built in his name after Basil died. When Basil died on August 2, 1557,
Ivan the Terrible himself acted as pallbearer and carried his coffin to the cemetery.

Ivan appreciated being boldly told to be merciful and be a servant of Christ Jesus. Ivan appreciated Basil for living Basil's mercy, admonition and Love.

Basil - MUST have met with timing only sent by the Lord Father God Almighty, because the rest of Ivan the Terrible's reign was marked by a violent spiral downward. Basil's life was remembered as a servant of Jesus Christ and inspired many, including Ivan the Terrible's son.


What would have inspired a man to take on Ivan the Terrible?

Ivan had a Terrible Childhood. To read the summaries of Ivan's life is to disregard the full instruction of a man struggling to do the right thing in the 15th century. The rules were different. Ivan actually had a first wife the summaries disregard. Ivan judged her to be insane and weirdly judgmental - instead of killing her or putting her in a terrible mental institution - he had her put in a nunnery where he figured she had a chance.

Ivan traveled to France after one of the wars ended and he met young Charles IX of France. He saw how suppressed Charles IX was by his mother as regent. He lifted the young king in his arms and strolled out of the Court to explain to Charles, like Russia, France must offer hope and jobs and a way just for the people of the land. He was quite kind to the king and felt real empathy for him. Catherine the Great modeled some of her governmental ideas of trying to bring prosperity to the people based upon this man.

Basil did not just renounce Ivan as a Person.
Basil saw the chance of goodness in Ivan.
Basil, because of his Love, felt like there was a chance to reach Ivan.
Basil was seeing the good in Ivan. With Love.

Basil's life, giving to the poor, may have inspired the legends of Robin Hood 100 to 200 years later. Ivan the Terrible's son, Feodor commissioned more towers to be built, 30 years later, around Basil's grave and the Cathedral that became known as Basil's Cathedral.





Father God, teach us daily to speak the aspects of God into the hearts of the ones we Love.

Help us to remember all the time -Jesus is God's Living Word. Today, Jesus our God is Living and active bringing wonders to us. I had a bad dream and the phone made a sweet noise and I realized my dream was silly. Thank You for Your mercy God. Jesus brings us life and light.

Father God talkers of God just talk. When we show, today, exactly like the Early Church - the salvation of God is truly Love we have aspects to reveal in our actions. You have said "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

"An expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?""What is written in the law?" He asked him. "How do you read it?"He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."You've answered correctly," He told him. "Do this and you will live."- Luke 10: 25-28

Jesus tells us loving kindness reveals Salvation.


"I have not come to condemn the world, but to save it." John 3:17 Jesus has Bold Words.

"Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."- John 8:11 Jesus conveys Himself as God.

Father God, We are supposed to sacrifice ourselves like Queen Victoria picked up her finger bowl and drank as her guest did. God says He honors mercy over religious sacrifice. We speak words of blessings for those You disagree with the most.

 Ephesians 3:12 Jesus, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. Jesus LIVES!

2 Corinthians 3:12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold

Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness

Abba,We will Gather, Father 

 We will be filled with the Holy Spirit and pray for appropriate boldness of the Early Church's Love.

We ask Your Blessing for Our Freedom of Speech and we ask for Jesus to Live Giving Truth and Grace upon Grace.  Lord Please Bless Our Nation.

We pray that All Churches open the doors every single day to open in Worship and Food and Fellowship as the Book of Acts suggests. When Jesus blesses fish and bread because He does - if we open the Doors of the Church every single day expecting God - He Will Be There. 

We pray the opportunity to bring one Person to Church this year 

and that they meet the Living God for the first time.

We have no verse we can point to telling us to Judge someone for God. Father God grow the hearts of those we Love to say: Lord God, You Love Me. Thank You. In Jesus, we Rejoice.

The Nation who relies upon God - will not be disappointed. 

Jesus Saves. Amen.

Jesus the God of ALL.

Jesus, we pray Life and healing

Joy and Love in Harby and their children.

Jesus, God of Encouragement.

Jesus, Hope and Future.

Jesus the Lord

saves the world

Amen.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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1 Chronicles 4:9-10 ~ that Your Hand might be with me

 

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. 

And his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”

 10 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!”

And God granted what he asked.

We are familiar with Jabez. This was a huge prayer of all the Church in the 1990s. Oddly, we were all dressed in black, like the movie the "Matrix" at the time. Isn't it a dichotomy of light and dark? And going with this thought, 1 Chronicles 4 is about listing family. Jabez is also listed by God Himself as a descendant of Judah. The Tribe of Jesus and David.

I'd place bets, this is similar to God's Book of Life. A glimpse of Heaven.

We would all like to know how God would be moved to answer this Blessing!

And there is something to say about this Blessing.
As Father God removed Jesus from this life, Jesus said will have troubles; For Jabez - there was no more journey, or adventure or anything worth writing about. We know Jabez isn't permanently marked as being in the cemetery as dead forever, yet there is no more to the story. These few verses have a finality.

Most of our ideas, thoughts and dreams come from what we have witnessed in others.
The Bible teaches us in relationship how life Progresses. We are built to love and care for others. To have the Light of Jesus Christ making Light and Life.









This is Most Certainly, not, a Jabez Portion of Life.
When the decades progress, what will you tell of this time? What is the story of, the glory of - Love? It's not a Jabez Season. You might want to think about Your Story for the Generation Yet Unborn.

Fewer places to go in life with the present changes.

Jeremiah suffered many seasons of some pretty terrible life.

Jeremiah 33:1-4

While Jeremiah was still locked up in the courtyard of the guards,
the message from the Lord came to him a second time:
“The Lord made the earth, and he keeps it safe. The Lord is his name.

He says, 
 ‘Judah, pray to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets. You have never heard these things before.’ 4 The Lord is the God of Israel.

When we move past a time of extreme emotions, people become dissatisfied. And they are more fortunate, but less willing to put themselves in emotional places that aren't fulfilling. It's easier to become lukewarm to life.  We also pray, in our times of difficulties, to keep our hearts warm.

How did Jeremiah survive even before God's Word arrived? He believed.

Jeremiah 1

6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”

18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”

We sometimes wonder about Jeremiah.

What became of him? History tells us the captives of Nebuchadnezzar II, in Babylon, received many letters from Jeremiah encouraging them and they drew profound strength from the Word of God in the Holy Spirit in Jeremiah.

God's Word never goes unfilled. Jeremiah had God's Promise. Jeremiah was directed to plan on, to purchase  settling in Jerusalem's area and stay. We know what happened to Jeremiah.

Romans 12. Jesus fulfills every dot and iota.

Holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

2 Do not
be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

Jabez has lived with the waters of trouble pulled from him. Pain is removed. God's Word tells us Jabez is filled.

Wouldn't we see:

Not conforming to the world.
Transformation and renewal of the mind.

Discerning goodness, pleasing God and seeking Him first to find His Perfect Will.
Some humility. Knowing what is what.
Sober judgment.
And a measure of faith God has given as a gift.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

Jabez was pretty impudent to ask God. Beyond his circumstances labelled by life.

Jesus found Jairus to be this honorable. And we do not see Jairus flop like a fish, create a scene, jump up and down saying he was the ruler of the Synagogue. Except like the woman from Tyre, Jairus really placed Himself at the feet of Jesus. And like the woman from Tyre, Jesus seemed too busy.

The Blessing of Jabez was not to feel pain. Jairus certainly did not give Jesus any pain or harm. He knew Jesus was God. Exactly like the woman from Tyre. The anger of man does not produce the Righteousness of God. According to James, who grew up with Jesus. Self-control is a Fruit of the Spirit - especially when addressing God Himself. A Blessing of Jabez, going along with faith and trust in the Goodness of God.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world

Jesus Christ is the Light of mankind

Light has no borders or boundaries. † One of the most important images Jesus  is giving us.  

Jesus wants us to see in His Message Eternally is His Nature. 

Jesus is the Messiah of God. Both God and man.

Jesus is Light of the world

Abba, Father,

A Psalm of David

The earth is the Lord's 
and 
the fullness thereof
the world 
and those
 who dwell therein

He has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.

5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. 
Selah!

 Lift up your heads, O gates!

And be lifted up, O ancient doors!

The King of glory may come in.

8 Who is this King of glory?

The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!

9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

10 Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory! 
Selah!

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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Psalm 19:14 ~ Lord, my rock and my redeemer †

 This week we considered the Widow of Zarepheth, not a Jew. And, today, we will look at the Prophetic gifts of Balaam. 

Balaam and the donkey are extremely memorable.

The broad stroke of God, the length God the Almighty goes to using only regular day to day tools in His own design. The Lord is overwhelmingly appealing!

Why would this be a subject for today? 
So many are so discouraged. We have to hold our Light brighter and realize God has not given up on so many.  If we feel strong armed at work or at home, God is not giving up. Renaissance mankind looked with expectancy God would act and bring forth good, in every day life.

Balaam left what we could consider rare published works. 

Balaam's history is found in caves of Jordan. This would have been about 1200 B.C. But the fragments are from 800 B.C. This could be the written history, of an oral history of Balaam. Or someone who impersonated Balaam. We don't know.   Jordan records Balaam as someone they considered worthy to read and consider.

In 1967, at Deir Alla, Jordan, archaeologists found 119 pieces of inked plaster containing an unknown prophecy by Balaam written in a previously unattested dialect with Aramaic and South Canaanite characteristics and employing an idiosyncratic script. The inscription is datable to circa 840–760 B.C. . Painted in red and black inks, apparently to emphasize the text, on fragments of a plastered wall. This is not the correct time frame. This would have been during Uzziah's reign. Perhaps it is another Balaam, or Balaam was still being quoted.

Agreeing with the Balaam testimony is John, Jesus' beloved disciple, Balaam as not part of the Children of Israel, instead working against them. Balaam tried to work within what God told him to do and tried to bring the Children of Israel down from within instead. Not good for Balaam.

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

Balaam held the interest of Jude, brother of Jesus:

Jude 1:11
What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

Peter was also interested in Balaam.

2 Peter 2:15
Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

What is remarkable of Balaam.... his defiance, bold resistance to opposing God or an angel of the Lord's authority.... to continue to do the wrong thing.

Numbers 22
²⁹ And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me,
I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” ³⁰ And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

³¹ Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. ³² And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. ³³ The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”

³⁴ Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” ³⁵ And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.”

Numbers 24

When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. ² And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, ³ and he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
⁴ the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:
⁵ How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
⁶ Like palm groves that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the LORD has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
⁷ Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be in many waters;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸ God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall break their bones in pieces
and pierce them through with his arrows.
⁹ He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”

¹⁰ And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹ Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” ¹

² And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ¹³ ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? ¹⁴ And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

It is up to each of us not turn from what we know is right. 

With the grace of God. God speaks to us in our hearts, we believe & He tells us this in the New Testament. God is good, forgiving and gracious in the way He records Balaam in the Book of Numbers; the New Testament says Balaam continued to work against God's anointed people.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 

be acceptable in your sight, 

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

When the Prophet Nathan needed David to pay attention to the Lord.

Nathan told King David about the poor man with the beloved, one small lamb. He wanted to put aside the ire of the King, and put him where he was a good man, to set aside jokes. Nathan did so well, David repented and named one of his sons after Nathan. Nathan worked ard to reach David where he truly existed and lived. Just as Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee to find the one person, Abba had planned for Jesus to meet and, probably, heal that day.

We know the area of Jordan, knew of Balaam and considered him to be of worthy spiritual merit. Perhaps this is why the Lord chose Balaam's lifelong pet and working companion. Elijah was sent horses. Noah was sent a Dove. Jesus spoke of Sparrows and of Hens and chicks. And Herod was described to be a Fox. The Psalmist spoke of what we consider to be whales, found to be more interested in people than we know, Leviathan. 

Abba, Father,

Blessed are those who Love the Lord.
Dwell in us and make us Glad.

Dwell in us and make us mindful of Your Glory.

Dwell in us and be our Salvation in each moment of our lives.

Bring this Love to those we Love.

Teach us and lead us to always seek You first.

And our expectations for Heaven on earth will 

change our perspective daily.

We ask You to finish well.

This week I saw an altercation between

a store clerk and an elderly woman.

This really came to insults, and fortunately for the woman

who was threatening the young store clerk, his job,

his employer was standing there placing moderation

and polite remarks to make sensible human beings again.

We pray for this Nation

when all this anger occurs

in our decisions made during times

we feel we have not 'Lived'. Pandemic times.

We ask the Lord God, Father of us all,

to encourage us in Your Mercy.

Today, we remembered

we are all ok, yes Ok, Okay Yes.

OKAY, YES. Really, suddenly not so ok.

And this is the stress of Pandemic.

And after self adapting, we are alright again

and helped by Jesus Christ, Helper.

We pray the peace and God's mercy on those who are ill,

the young and the old,

those who endure,

those who grieve

and those who adapt and help others.

We ask these prayers in expectation,

Jesus Christ is the Highest Name given by You, Father.

Our Salvation. Amen.

Abba, Father,

In Jesus Christ, we will never give up.

Jesus the God of ALL.

Jesus, we pray Life and healing

Joy and Love in all of us.

Jesus, God of Encouragement.

Jesus, Hope and Future.

Jesus the Lord

saves the world

Amen.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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