Psalm 100 ~ With Gladness

 

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, 

all 

the earth!

2 Serve the LORD with gladness!

Come into His presence with singing!

3 Know that the LORD, he is God! 

It is He who made us, not we ourselves and we are His

we are His people,

and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving,

and His courts with praise!

Give thanks to Him; 

Bless His name!

5 For the LORD is good;

His Steadfast Love endures forever,

and His faithfulness to all generations.

When we put Scripture on Shirts, bumpers, photos and art, we have to stop and Capitalize the Words referring to God. Jesus told us He has humility and did the Father's Plan. As Easter approaches, I am again amazed at how willing God our Father is to have us near Him. He had Aaron throw blood around the Holy of Holies. Father God has an earnest and all-seeing understanding to the mess of humanity. John 21. I stand in perpetual awe Jesus is abandoned by the men who have seen what the Prophets and so very, very many longed to look. And His response is to make them breakfast. Where they promptly squabble and ask positions and favors and the taking of favors from others.

Solomon in all his Glory was praised for not wanting harm but blessing. Oh, the Glories of Spring Break and the work of being on a vacation with the ones you love. My Reverend Step-Grandfather would say, "Hell is going on vacation with the ones you love, in a small car."


Now let's step back and say - the Glory of Jesus. Not just anyone - Jesus Christ, our Messiah and Savior, making breakfast for errant people.

The Joy of getting up on Sundays and going to Church to praise God. 

For wellness. For people to love. For errant people. To experience the joy of messages many years old - Living - to experience and feel and be blessed by God our Father for His Lavish Love.

This week, I'd like your prayers, I have fever, rattling sinus, cough and intestines. A Virus. Had a small fever. And in this time, I am feeling some strong gratitude. This is just a virus. A passing thing. My back is on the mend and was painful. I've had allergies before and felt much more miserable. And headaches. Blessedly Free. Time to rest and see my backyard green, mild orange, to yellow up by the minute. The birds flying. The dog sitting happily next to my whooping cough. Ah, to live in the era of menthol cough drops.

I like Sermons and with this internet age, I am blessed to hear a Sermon any time I want one. Lent is a particularly good time to listen to Sermons. Sermons from the good believers I'm blessed to hear - are from the heart. And are like a good conversation around a table.


And as you listen to souls revealed - my heart is profoundly touched. My soul blessed. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

Thanksgiving, Holy Days Travel are not just little children and families. It's college and grad school. It's vacation while things are hopping. Solving of puzzles on how to connect. Overcoming and overcoming and overcoming - Just Like the Gospels Jesus has given us. 

We can plod along, or we can raise up our eyes, deal with all the realities with vim and vigor and Jesus. We can Shine. Pivot - give, good measure running forward. Not indiscriminately, not unwisely. But with Love.

I heard a great and realistic Sermon on families and the joys and sorrows of being in a family.
The Scriptures have this exact message, with Paul and Peter getting good and glum. Mary is announced to have a baby and Matthew 2 tells us this is Said He will be a Nazarene - a strict look at diet and ways of God - named before Jesus arrived - of the town Jesus would live in. Nazareth. God has unique coincidences, He calls a Plan. Remember with me - real life - real Scripture - Mary complained. The Bible is GOOD. And after Mary complained - she lived in Nazareth. Wow. Then again, Mary complained Jesus needed to come home pronto. Wow.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

For everything there is a season, 

and a time for every matter under heaven.

Two of my college roommates moved as children to live in Hawaii. You know, some grandparents were jim-dandy-thrilled. They had to move home, Hawaii was just too routine. Too lush. Too much of the same. One of our favorite and godly late 20s and early 30s told us he really, really, really did not like his parents from about age 20 to 30. Yada yada yada, tell me how I'm different than you. Explain my life. And he is the Prodigal Son.

My father and his mother did not get along. She tried excessively and he enjoyed being plain snotty. Her life consisted of listening to us and trying to solve a problem. Daddy moved on after 25 years of good marriage. Grandmother did not. 3 of 4 of her great-grandchildren are named after her. Daddy said some very, very unbecoming things about Grandmother. He did not win the argument, in the long run.

Look at Psalm 100.

Rejoice. Glory to God for teaching us where we are Blessed and being Blessing Finders.

There are plenty of people who make life better for their participation.

Sometimes, like my "Grandmother", they are unsung. My father was her only child.

God assures us this.

Again

Again

Again

Again

Again

Again.

Troubles will arrive. 

Overcoming is a process just like the incredible amount of physical time and seasons in the Prodigal's Son Return.

Our Glory arrives from our Promises from God. Himself. Our Father who abundantly, lavishly, unendingly is going to arrive and fix breakfast while we moan at the Face of God in Victory of the Eternal Kingdom where we Live - today.

Our identity is fixed. 

Our salvation in belief is Secure. 

Our eternity is not our knee, our foot, our brain. 

Our Eternity is present today in our temporary body. 

Your Soul is a gift to you from our Father God the Almighty. Eternal property

 - I'd hazard a guess is shaped like this:

Our willing hands work and we will see the Blessings of God Himself.

God's Mercies Renew each day. 

It's grand when this is the early morning - but sometimes we find this Wind of the Holy Spirit any time of Day. It wouldn't surprise me - knowing Jesus - to know this Upsweep of Mercy - is always available in Jesus.

God is a Father, Himself. He tells us in Ephesians - families live together.

Abba, Father,

Because of Jesus,

His Life,

His Love,

His Glory,

We know You, Father.

In Jesus Christ, we will

Take firm hold 

of 

Your Faith.

Cover any problem you have with the Rock 

the people carried around in Exodus for water. 

A Giant Rock being carried around in the desert. 

Get happy. 

We are the Easter People 

and 

God has allowed us the Extreme Mercy 

of placing our Rock by prayer. 

And upon this Rock, I will climb to pray. 

The rock has stairs and is open for all. 

Jesus Christ, Living Water and Rock of our Foundation. 

Waters perpetually flowing. 

God Abundantly being God Almighty Father God 

- doing more than we could ask or even - - - imagine. 

These waters do not turn off. 

Our Prayers are welcomed by our Father

 - and yet - 

Expressly Written - 

God is the Spirit who Answers 

and has the Kingdom, 

the Power 

and the Glory 

to answer prayers better than we know.

The Spirit gives Life

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus 

Psalm 97 ~ praise His Holy Name, Jesus Christ The Lord

 

Streams of Light, painted by James Coleman
 

Psalm 97

The LORD reigns

Let the earth be glad;

let the distant shores rejoice.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;

righteousness and justice 

are 

the foundation of His Throne.

3 Fire goes before Him

and consumes his foes on every side.

4 His lightning lights up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,

before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim 

His righteousness,

and all peoples see His glory.

7 All who worship images are put to shame,

those who boast in idols—

worship Him, all you gods!

8 Zion hears and rejoices

and the villages of Judah are glad

because of Your judgments, LORD.

9 For you, LORD, 

are the Most High

 over all the earth;

You are exalted far above all gods.

10 Let those who love the LORD 

hate evil,

for He guards the lives of his faithful ones

and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11 Light shines on the righteous

and joy on the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the LORD

 

you who are righteous,

and praise His Holy Name.

 

I like to read this Blog. I put my heart, soul and voice here. This is part of my Joy in Worshipping the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

This is a repeat old post, and then, generally, an old post is improved. Oddly enough, at the time of this old writing - the closet has been cleaned for 2 days. The art work was here, already.

Yay! Yay! Yay!  Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year. Let's find a reason in this cooler weather to find our Joy. Let's Look Until we find our Joy.

Let's be real.

We have a New Year ahead of us. 

There is a story, I'm sure you've heard, of a man who faces a New Year. He is sixty or seventy years old and he decides that he is called to boot camp his body back into the prior decades by strenuous exercise. The exercise journal goes on to say - a young, blond woman is the instructor and the first week in January, the man is encouraged by her strength, vivacity and tenacity. And the first two weeks are difficult to get into his car, go up the stairs, open jar lids and put on his trousers. By the sixth week, she is boot camp style in his face and he leaves saying he never wanted an old ditch as dross again.

Frequently for students and parents, the New Year is staggered into. Winter darkness is not the most happ, happ, season of all.

Christmas has almost as many obligations and time requirements, financial requirements, emotional commitments and stresses as any other time of the year. Expectation of the School Year has met reality. Christmas Lights for Anglican Christians and the Christmas tree are removed after Epiphany, January 6th - the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. And on January 7th, we are left without daylight savings time, in winter sunlight, to see with faith that the sun is rotating, back to our side of the planet, a minute at a time each day. 

And yet.... the Winds are lifting with new approach. 
A determined positive viewpoint.

Isaiah 40:26

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: 

Who created all these? 

He who brings out the starry host one by one 

and calls forth each of them by name.

 Because of His great power 

and mighty strength, 

not one of them is missing.

 


God gives us work. Sometimes it is our family and all the mess.

John 9:4

We must work the works of Him! 

Who sent.... me 

while it is day; 

night is coming, when no one can work.

Let's be real.

Sometimes the heaviness has to be there.

Let's be real.

And then in accepting ourselves

as Love yourself,

then 

We can choose to be Blessed.

This Season

This Weird Pandemic Recovery, Shaken Lava Lamp World

has to be allowed to have doubts, pain,

sorrow and upset.

And then say, Jesus is The Lord

and I will tell Him the real situation.

And then the Choice to Choose Joy

is within our reach.

To try, to hope, to dream, to accept,

to say yes. To be polite when down or angry.

To have the Help of God to hit the reset button

and 

to 

Believe in Heaven on earth as 

The Kingdom of our Father

God of Love

God of Hope

God of Encouragement.

Loveable and flawed.

We can be strong enough

to say no,

to what should definitely be said no to.

And to speak up, firmly.

John 11:9

Jesus answered, 

"Are there not twelve hours of daylight? 

Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, 

for they see by this world's Light.

2 Thessalonians 3:10

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command:

 If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

John 9:4

We must work the works of Him! 

Who sent.... me 

while it is day; 

night is coming, when no one can work.

Now What Is This Work To Accomplish?

John 6:29

Jesus answered them, 

“This is the work of God, 

that you believe in Him 

Whom 

He has sent.”

There is a very HUGE Purpose to Life.

Proverbs 17: 3

The refining pot is for silver 

and the furnace for gold, 

but 

the Lord tries the hearts. 

Malachi 3 says we wonder if serving God is to our benefit. The truth is, we speculate. Yet, we know. The Word of God, Romans 1, says we know the Truth. It depends upon our hearts to let this Call be answered by our lives.

Malachi 3

13 “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord.

“Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?"

14 “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out His requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”


16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His Name.

“On the day when I act,” 

says the Lord Almighty, 

“They will be my treasured possession. I will spare them,

 just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 

18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

Psalm 11:5

The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.

Behavior involving intention to hurt, damage, control or kill someone or something

There is a story of 2012, ISIS, ISIS was asking children to play with decapitated heads to desensitize young, innocent children to violence. 

Lack of compassion for the frailties of mankind that causes God to love His creation with so much Love. A young man wanted to be a doctor at age 12 - instead - he was coerced and compelled to violence by ISIS of Muslim against Muslim. He had no way out. And volunteered to be the human explosion with a way to blow himself up. Instead, he has turned himself in and the captivity has led to his freedom for his compassion to the creation of mankind by God.

How does this seem to our Western Culture? 

We must look where we are swimming in the great current of the forces of the river of life. 

We should keep our eyes on Jesus Christ to see we are nourished.  Honestly seeing our lives, the people around us - the Truth of our own spiritual journey - the Greatest Adventure.

This is easy to miss. Even today. The Narrow Path calls us to work on your own Salvation.  Rick Warren points out - who missed the Greatest Adventure in the First Christmas? Herod the King, the Political leaders, the Religious leaders, the Business people ~ Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth and Zechariah (family), Shepherds and the Wise Men. 

A narrow path even for this Greatest of All Events.

Test the Spirit, ask the Wind of the Holy Spirit to propel us forward. AGAIN.
And going where we are called and pleased and fed and nourished to be.  
Sustained by Father God.
We are surrounded by people putting their best face on their words, actions and deeds. 
We must have our eyes on Jesus Christ. 

We work on our own salvation - our gratitude in relationship to Jesus Christ the Lord.
He is our Standard Bearer. Looking up to Him.

 



I have quoted this before, yet this is a great New Year Standard to look at:

Galatians 5

What does it look like to be swimming in the good crowd - moving and shaking - gettin on down the Highway of Life. Remember, with me, the High Places in Scripture are sometimes used for glamour more than earnestness of heart and narrow, meaningful life.

Those who have ears - hear. Blessed are your eyes that see. See the difference.

19-21 Obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies [porn], and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

And if we are swimming, working, to become filled with all the gifts, talents and unique talents and abilities  ----- God has given to us ---- to keep our own lives pleasing to Him and to us.

The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, 23 Gentleness and Self-Control. Against such things there is no law.

Our Savior tells us - True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4




 






Now.

As you begin your Holy Days, Holidays and to the New Year as a Child of God. To do the work God has given us this season. 

Hebrews 12

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; 

yet 

to those who have been trained by it, 

afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 

12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak 

and the knees that are feeble, 

and make straight paths for your feet, 

so 

that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, 

but rather be healed.

John 6:29

Jesus answered them, 

“This is the work of God, 

that you believe 

in Him 

Whom He 

has sent.”

We lean with trust and expectation upon our Father God. I lost my very beloved Grandmother Bit's 18th Birthday Gift to me. She gave me the garnet and pearl cuff links of my great-great-grandfather James Wells Person, 1865, which she had taken and made into earrings for me. I lost one earring. And I mourned. And now, I'm praying for the best (your prayers are appreciated) and I have felt in my heart Father God said to trust Him. This is sorrowful, yet not to be placed in the category of never having experienced the love this brought. The mystery of God's plan is to live the adventure.

Jesus tells us this:

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," 

declares the LORD, 

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

plans to give you hope 

and a future."

And this is where this post rests.

Ephesians 2

Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions

—it is by grace 

you have been saved.

And God raised us up 

 with Christ 

and seated us 

with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

In order that in the coming ages 

He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, 

expressed in His kindness 

to us 

in Christ Jesus.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, 

through faith

—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

— not by works, 

so that no one can boast.

Thank God.

Abba, Father God, 

We, who seek You, are all Your beloved, in process, like the Prodigal.

This year has had great moments and hopes 

and some in need of nourishment. 

We place this last Year with You in Gratitude and with earnest Prayer.

We lean upon You for Your Blessings and Promises 

in expectation of Love and Mercy for this next year,

 living Your Plan for us. 

To be living with Jesus Christ 

Centered with Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness,

 Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control 

believing the mystery of faith - we are blessed in Your Plan of Love for us.

Because, Because, Because 

Father GOD You love us just as we are! 

Your Scripture says this in the Words and Actions of Jesus proclaiming You. 

And only the earnest truthfulness 

of a heart leaning to You 

is what You ask. 

We have the privilege of asking 

in 

the Highest Name of Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

1 Samuel 8:4-7 ~ prayed

 

Archaeological dig of Samuel's house on the hill outside of Jerusalem, Ramah. Samuel's Tomb is here as well.

1 Samuel 8:4-7

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 

6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” 

And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, 

“Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them."

Samuel, how close was David, and Saul to The Book of Judges, the government after the Exodus created the Nation of Israel. Pretty close.

The Book of Judges has a passage that says, "All the people did what was right in their own eyes." Anarchy, more or less. 

Jesus called John the Baptist, "Elijah, if you will."  And...'

"Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." The Gospels present holiness with calling and doubt at the death of John the Baptist. Grappling with doubts and the difference between life and Heaven.

Samson was prophetically conceived and asked to be holy like a Nazarene. Yet, Samson basically married into pirates. Killed at will. Consorted with death in Delilah. And his last act was revenge. Samson is the failure of holiness. Jesus healed the Phoenician woman's child. By His honesty with her requests. Samson points out the wildness of revenge and hateful behavior, but getting down on the same level. The Book of Judges is about war and not rising up to create a place for family and culture. The Book of Judges is about a season of waning. 

Samuel is 1000 B.C. We thought we were so far from the Exodus, yet Samuel is the end of government from the aftermaths of the Exodus. The problem with the holiness Samuel faces is the same failure in Samson and in the era of tax collectors and Herod bowing down. Human frailty.

David grew up as one of the Shepherds, dreaming of his nation.

The oldest Philistine inscription describes

Goliath in his hometown

Museum of Israel

Appropriate Date B.C.

The Who sang about My Generation in 1965. We Begin Again. 

Samuel was the Bronze area, yet Samuel knew when to pack it in. Not with plots and revenge.  Churchill says revenge is expensive. Samuel had a clue and Samuel moves on to a new form of government. They weren't any happier with Saul or David or Solomon or Solomon's son.

Waiting on the Lord can be difficult. I'm sure, Jesus felt His own family should have been able to catch on and do the right thing. Jesus, different from Samuel, forsakes revenge and waits for His Family to mature, understand and rise to better works.

Waiting on the Lord, isn't a bad idea. Samuel doesn't spend a lot of time blaming himself.  Samuel isn't wearing rough clothing or tearing his clothes.  Yet, in the New Covenant, we are the Easter people, Samuel doesn't pray and pray and pray for his sons.  He doesn't tell the Lord of his disappointment. He doesn't believe that if His Father God was in bed resting, Samuel's prayers would stir the Lord to mercy.

Samuel was different from David. And Jesus is David's Son.  I like Jesus!

Abba, Father,

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;

may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May He send you help from the sanctuary

and grant you support from Zion.

May He remember all your sacrifices

and accept your burnt offerings.

May He give you the desire of your heart

and make all your plans succeed.

May we shout for joy over your victory

and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

Now this I know:

The Lord gives victory to His anointed.

He answers him from His Heavenly Sanctuary

with the victorious power of His Right Hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

 They are brought to their knees and fall,

but we rise up and stand firm.

Lord, give victory to the king!

Answer us when we call!

Father, I still have coughing and, yesterday, some fever. All 3 thermometers disappeared from their place. Then Amazon

failed to deliver the new Thermometer. This one probably wasn't Amazon's fault.

The Font on the Blog has been re coded to be ugly. Pirated by virus.

The photos won't sync to be seen. The 365 Microsoft sync was preempted. OneDrive virus moves the photos to folders and not seen or usable.

The techs told me to call Blogger and Google and OneDrive and Microsoft. They don't have phone numbers.  The Techs as our Geek Squad, we paid $200.

They sent me a text saying our Thursday appointment was 'cancelled', yet Edward was there when they said they wouldn't fix the virus.

The thing is, a virus invades a known program and pirates it. Just as the 77380 zip code, Geek Squad has left their financial obligations. 

Last time we had a virus in July, these same techs sent me to another source we had to pay.  Their first, Geek Squad, virus fix failed in 24 hours. Unfortunately, their suggested source said they are without

skill and talent.  The "cancelled"  Geek Squad appointment text - was really

not within the parameters of ongoing financial concern.

In the Name of Jesus, we pray for

a Jesus is Love world! 

Amen!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †