Reading Scripture helps us know God's Love. Every Bible verse is written for you. Jesus Christ is all mankind's Light. John 1!

Monday, March 11, 2013

Song of Solomon 2 ~ As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women.





Song of Solomon 2


I am a rose[Probably a bulb, such as a crocus, daffodil] of Sharon,
a lily of the valleys.

2 As a lily among brambles,
so is my love among the young women.

3 As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved among the young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house,
and his banner over me was love.
5 Sustain me with raisins;
refresh me with apples,
for I am sick with love.
6 His left hand is under my head,
and his right hand embraces me!
7 I adjure you,[that is, I put you on oath; so throughout the Song]
O daughters of Jerusalem,
by the gazelles or the does of the field,
that you not stir up or awaken love
until it pleases.

8 The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he comes,
leaping over the mountains,
bounding over the hills.

9 My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Behold, there he stands
behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
looking through the lattice.

10 My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away,
11 for behold, the winter is past;
the rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.

13 The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away.

14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the crannies of the cliff,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice,
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely.
15 Catch the foxes for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in blossom.”

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his;
he grazes[patures his flock] among the lilies.
17 Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle
or a young stag on cleft mountains.





Love, we are told, makes the world go around. God, the inventor of Love, says Love flourishes with His Laws of Love.

The Roman Republic began in 500 B.C., and upon becoming an Empire, lasted until 395 A.D.. The History of this vast government has a profound, lasting influence on the development of language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law, and forms of government today. When you look at what brought down this government, I would say conclusively, its marriage laws.

There is a direct correlation in society between up-building and destruction in the way society looks at marriage. When two people are to be one, it is working of the Holy Spirit. It affects the fruit - children - and culture in all aspects.

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first Emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. Interesting the world was working on marriage during the birth of Christ, calling for David's house to report to Bethlehem. (They've found the census, by the way.)

Augustus was a tidy man, someone who wanted to be a Caesar beyond reproach and his wife, Caesar's wife (whom he proposed to while she was married and pregnant with her other husband's child), as well. Romans had been allowed to marry in different forms and it was all pretty much live and let live as far as marriage went. Augustus decided it needed to be .... Defined and Legal.

 

1. Confarreatio (divorce almost unheard of)was a traditional patrician form of marriage. Divorce for confarreatio marriages, diffarreatio, was a difficult process and therefore rare. A special type of sacrifice that caused the dissolution of the relationship between the man and woman. She would then pass back into her father's home or family. Originally, the confarreatio was indissoluble. The wife leaves her family and becomes her husband's family, or property = cum manu. Later, divorce was easier the dowry returned with the wife.

2. Coemptio (slavery/service) was in essence a sale of the woman to the husband. Coemptio occurred at any time throughout marriage. This was a process of mancipation (slavery/service). The transaction occurred with a scales-holder and in the presence of at least five witnesses, adult male Roman citizens. Coemptio could occur not only with a husband but also with an outsider. However, this process is deemed for the “sake of trust” not for the “sake of marriage.” Coemptio was only a convenient legal practice. If a wife became cum manu through the process of coemptio divorced, then she became emancipated. By the 2nd century AD, a wife was able to compel her husband to emancipate her, a right not shared by her children.

3. Usus (living together, owned by husband) Cum Manu acquired by usus was simply the cohabitation of the husband and wife for the duration of a year. After a year passed the wife was transferred into the ownership of her partner, she was considered taken by the decree of yearly possession. This process required no ceremonial practices. If the woman was not willing to come into ownership of her husband, manus by usus was easily preventable. As conditioned in the Twelve Tables if the wife absented herself for the total of three days and three nights before the end of the year, each year, the marriage was not cum manu, and she was not under the ownership of her husband. If a woman married cum manu through the process of usus divorced then, she became Emancipated. Subsequently, the law of usus was dissolved by legal enactments presumably because it fell out of use..... so Do Not Spend Your Anniversary Together at all costs....

4. Sine Manu (living together, owned by father instead of husband) the wife legally and ritually remained a member of her father's family, standing under the control of her father's potestas. The bride is not under control of the husband. This form of marriage held no ceremonial formalities led by a public official. Ultimately it involved a husband and wife living together under the intention of a marriage, in conjunction with the legal capacity of marriage under the Roman law. Although no official ceremony was held, it was customary for the bride to be escorted to her bridegrooms house. The children of this union were legally members of the husband’s agnatic kin.

Women faced with the loss of property when entering a cum manu marriage began to only consent to sine manu (father's family property) unions (similar to living together, today, to avoid prenuptial agreements and financial wedding issues.)

So, Augustus was trying to put marriage together better for inheritance when he created these types of marriages, legally. They had been used for centuries. When we read the last paragraph in brown, Augustus' goal was promoting self and not promoting a couple living as one person.

Does it sound like these forms of marriages would help sort out society better and then the playing field is easily understood? It had an effect. A definite effect. The love of many grew colder.

Marriage is a work in progress. Dating or living together leads to a non-committed society - free to abandon hearts and children. Those abandoned hearts hurt others, the cycle goes on and on to the detriment of society.

True, we don't consider women property in most of the world today. But we do consider property, income, commitment instead of Christian marriage for love, honor, obey, cherish in sickness and all circumstances. Confarreatio (devoted love forsaking all other things) began to be a thing of the past.

The End of the Empire? Selfishness. Christianity is said to have split the Roman Empire, but really selfishness. Lack of family, a place to go, fairness - is the downfall. Marriage laws made family and oath and position always an uncertainty. Claw your way along.

Weakness created invasion, civil war, plague, economic depression, hyperinflation caused by years of coinage devaluation. A denarius coin, a day's pay, quit using silver and was devalued. Trade increased during the good years of the Empire, but war created large landowners unable to send their goods abroad. Local city dwellers were trapped and unable to buy what they needed by war and unsafe trade on the highways, pledged themselves to local land barons. The Empire broke up into 3 parts in 258 AD. Large, open cities of Classical antiquity slowly gave way to the smaller, walled cities that were common in the Middle Ages.


Alec Gerrard's Temple Model of Solomon's Porch.

Solomon's Porch, the portion of the first Temple still incorporated into the Second Temple, during the days Jesus chose to teach in the Temple. 


God saw something marvelous in Solomon and preserved part of the Temple Solomon built. This portion of Scripture is an interesting. Reminding us God, developed human love.  The footnotes are important here and show God intended love to be an oath of commitment. Without commitment and dedication, love becomes a bramble area.

Solomon was visited by the LORD and given the commission to ask for a blessing. He asked for wisdom. Solomon would spend his reign visiting, creating, being absorbed in selfish pursuits of getting the LORD to speak to him in the altars of high places, historically in pagan worship. What would take Solomon away from his Temple built to the Lord? Solomon forgot the Word of God - to be in union with faithful followers of God. Using wisdom to be a worldly wisdom. The effects of Solomon's self-centered absorption would be Solomon's son Rehoboam was not well versed in wisdom, loosing David's Empire for God in the third generation. Wisdom was forgotten in the building of Solomon's House. We see examples of monogamy and polygamy in Scriptures. In polygamy, we see the same examples in the fall of the Roman Empire.


The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.



Matthew 13:32
It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.



We live in a world were marriage is now considered to be very expensive. Many couples don't get married because they cannot afford a very large wedding. The Justice of the Peace costs about $140 and is considered a poor substitute for a Church wedding. So, if the whole cake doesn't look pretty, they forgo the wedding, probably to look progressive or worldly instead of poor.

However, we still see jubilant expectant mothers, and mostly because their future with their spouse is secure.

Why would God want us to know of this Glory in His Word. He delights in two very different types of creation, reaffirming their love and commitment in the merging of self into union. God sees this as a celebration of love.

the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.

Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle


What Beauty He Bestows Upon Us.



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Saturday, March 09, 2013

2 Corinthians 13 ~ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.



2 Corinthians 13

This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 2 I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them— 3 since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. 10 For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.


11 Finally, brothers,[brothers and sisters] rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints greet you.

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.






Restoration. What is appealing about this test? Aiming for peace, comfort, agreement, peace inside of us. The Love of God and grace of Jesus abides.

My oldest son worked as a waiter in college, during his fraternity president years. He told me for a long time each Sunday, a nun, a woman in her 70s, in the Austin/Georgetown Texas area, came in to his restaurant. Each Sunday, this wonderful woman would ask for my zippy fraternity president son as her waitstaff. She would arrive for a Sunday lunch, in her vestments, alone, after specifically asking for Cal. And spend about 10 or 15 minutes asking him about his classes and his life and his opinions on various things. Cal, was not attending Church at the time; called home to tell me he thought she was a very special, open, considerate, caring woman. Each Sunday, she would affirm him with a few, new sentences written on the check. And she would tip him very generously. She wrote things like this, "You are a very special and thoughtful young man. I look forward to hearing the things you comment upon."

Jesus Christ. The Lord. Was coming to visit Cal. I kid you not. Of course, this was a woman. In Genesis, God describes His attributes as both masculine and feminine. Jesus tells us about Himself in the Word of God. Jesus, our Hero, gets His hands in life as He immediately reaches for Peter. Jesus bends down and sits with the woman caught in adultery. Jesus is so filled with amazing goodness, He travels on His Sabbath to minister to my son. Seeing in Cal wonderful possibilities and reasons to go out of His way to love this young man.

These are the attributes we are not skilled to point out in Jesus! He has are so much amazing goodness and His unending up-building in Love is plentiful.

Psalm 119:50
This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.


Isaiah was given the blessing of seeing the AMAZING Blessing of God's Unending LOVE.

Isaiah 12:1
You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me."


Jesus spend His days proclaiming individual mercies and love, instead of rules and severity.

Isaiah 51:1
And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way. ”Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug."

Isaiah 66:13
As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Philippians 2:1-3
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Acts 13:15
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

Acts 15:32
And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.

Colossians 2:2
That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ

Colossians 2:19b
Holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.




This passage has key phrases influencing my life for many years. Paul is severe here, but he relates so well the phrases

my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down

An example I've tried to use for years in parenting and in communicating -  is the third time of reaching out. Going the extra mile Scripture asks of us in communicating, before judgment, in disciplining children. Jesus makes our lives meaningful by continuing to reach towards us.

1 John 4:19
We love, because He first loved us.






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Friday, March 08, 2013

2 Corinthians 5:6-15 ~ we persuade others



2 Corinthians 5:6-15

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.






When God is establishing faith, He says aim to please HIM and walk by faith.


Numbers 17:1-3
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers' house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers' houses, twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff, and write Aaron's name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each fathers' house.


A staff is used as a walking stick. Case in point, a person walking by faith would need one of these.

In both the ninth chapter of Matthew's Gospel and the twentieth chapter, Jesus encounters literally blind men.

Matthew 9:27-29
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”


Jesus was asked to help. He asked them for faith. He said their faith established His help.

Again and again the blind are brought to Jesus.

In Mark's Gospel, we find:

Mark 8:21-25
22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.


Jesus gives the man privacy and His full attention. Jesus makes a diligent effort to be on the man's level in the healing.

Each day, as Christians, the act of asking HIM for the opportunity and talent to help Him is important.

This is our aim:

2 Timothy 1:5
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.


Timothy has come from a home where one parent has faith, the other does not. We live making judgments for all of our decisions. It's vital to remember we are is known to God; boast not about outward appearance, on what is in the heart.

Proverbs 14:10
The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.


John, having met God walking the earth and traveling with HIM, said He is love.

What is the fuel of those walking by faith?

Nehemiah 8:10
Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Psalm 3:3
You are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.




Matthew 14:36
Implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.



Be of good courage.




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Thursday, March 07, 2013

Hosea 14:2-9 ~ Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips..



2 Chronicles 32, 3-4:
“And he took counsel with his officers and his mighty men to stop up the waters of the fountains that were outside the city, and they assisted him. And a large multitude gathered and stopped up all the fountains and the stream that flowed in the midst of the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?""



Hosea 14:2-9

Take with you words
and return to the Lord;
say to him,
“Take away all iniquity;
accept what is good,
and we will pay with bulls
the vows of our lips.

3 Assyria shall not save us;
we will not ride on horses;
and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’
to the work of our hands.
In you the orphan finds mercy.”

4 I will heal their apostasy;
I will love them freely,
for my anger has turned from them.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
he shall blossom like the lily;
he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;
6 his shoots shall spread out;
his beauty shall be like the olive,
and his fragrance like Lebanon.

7 They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow;
they shall flourish like the grain;
they shall blossom like the vine;
their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

8 O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like an evergreen cypress;
from me comes your fruit.

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
whoever is discerning, let him know them;
for the ways of the Lord are right,
and the upright walk in them,
but transgressors stumble in them.




King Hezekiah was raised to understand, by his late father King Ahaz, to survive as King of Judea, he needed to understand political, monetary, religious compromise to have a good life as a puppet king for the Assyrian Empire next door. Hezekiah started out on just that path, pulling gold from the abandoned Temple by Ahaz to give as tribute.

This is part of an amazingly jaw dropping time in the history of God's chosen people. The people decided to rely upon HIM and work ferociously to build upon their hopes while constructing fortifications against the Enemy. It is the only time in the Scriptures a leader has to ask the people to stop donating to HIM. The coffers are overflowing.

2 Kings 19
14 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 17 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands 18 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 19 So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”

20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard."

2 Kings 20
5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you."

2 Chronicles 32:23
And many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward.

Hezekiah lived such a prosperous reign, it is the only one compared to Solomon in prosperity and trade.


King Hezekiah's bulla or seal. In the Josef Chaim Kaufman Collection, Archaeological Center in Tel Aviv, Israel. Found also is Hezekiah's servant seal, which hung on a cord for the honored person to wear. Archaeologically, there is no doubt of these seals. Archaeologically, Hezekiah is supremely rich of finds - 2 actual seals of Hezekiah's, at least 5 bullae belonging to servants of Hezekiah, the tunnels for water, the Shiloah Inscription and the evidence of abundance in purchasing. Plus the historical knowledge of the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel and the wealth and independence of the Kingdom of Hezekiah's Judah in the midst of the Assyrian Empire.

All of these bullae bear the name of Hezekiah, without doubt.

Return to the Lord;
say to him,
“Take away all iniquity;
accept what is good"

Far from being an austere prophet Hosea says beautiful Words of HIM.

They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow;
they shall flourish like the grain;
they shall blossom like the vine;
their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

John 15:1
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

Jesus was absolutely in agreement with Hosea, proclaiming faith for today and in this marvelous generation -

Matthew 13:32
Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.

Faith proclaimed through the generations.

Isaiah 28:16
So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed." +

We place our trust in Jesus, our strong deliverer. Each day.



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A Good Man



Jesus Christ, the Messiah
Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God


Matthew 12:18
Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles




Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him





Oldest Icon of Jesus Christ









Proverbs 12:2
A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices He condemns.

Proverbs 14:14
The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

Psalm 145:7
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

Jeremiah 31:12
They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more.

John 7:12
And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.”

Hosea 3:5
Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.

Romans 15:14
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

1 Peter 2
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

After one has been enlightened, and tasted the heavenly gift of grace, shared in the Holy Spirit. Tasted the goodness of the Word of God, testified to the powers of the age to come. We should not fall away. It's almost impossible to restore again to repentance. We must believe, we have only once crucified the Son of God. We must not harm ourselves and hold Him up to contempt.

Hebrews 9:14

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”


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Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Matthew 5:33-41 ~ Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'





Matthew 5:33-41

33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.



The Scriptures are situation based. Abraham's life was not Jacob's. Or we would have told the same events over and over. Sometimes an evil person will be convinced and convicted of goodness when presented over and over with gracious kindness and love.

James Chapter 4 tells us about dealing with evil.

James 4:5-8a
“He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Resist like Joseph and Potipher's wife - RUN.

Ephesians 6:13
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

I've memorized few verses in my life, I actually pray and quote the gist of Scripture. This is one I have memorized and will pray this when feeling pressed. I gave this to a friend of mine and she was trapped in an airplane bathroom minutes later. She said this verse kept her from freaking out. It is a handy verse. Remembering even the key issues of truth, righteousness, the Gospel-Peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of Salvation. And the Sword of the Spirit - The WORD of GOD. Which is why I memorized it.

Romans 13:12 calls this the armor of light. So more than one Biblical source says this is good.

Ephesians 4:27
and do not give the devil a foothold.

2 Corinthians 6:7
In truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left

Jude 1:9
But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

Sometimes more words do not help.






A recent article in Christianity Today says Christians have a moral duty not to remain silent in the face of cruelty. Yes to good. No to evil.

Some suffering is - just the way the world is.

Revelation 12:9
The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.




All of creation was affected by the Fall.

Genesis 3: 17
To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.


 Life is rough, Jesus commented on that.

Romans 8:20-22
20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.


22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.







No one is innocent.


Psalm 65
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,
and to you shall vows be performed.
2 O you who hear prayer,
to you shall all flesh come.
3 When iniquities prevail against me,
you atone for our transgressions.
4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!


Mark 10: 18
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.


Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God



Our suffering is not directly related to our sins.

Luke 13:2-5
Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."






C. S. Lewis said, in ‘The Problem of Pain’: “The question of suffering is not just an academic issue. The questioner may well have in mind some bitter personal experience - all the more reason to handle the subject 'with gentleness and respect”

1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect


Out of His love, the Judge became the Rescuer.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.


He drank the cup of suffering to the dregs in order to save us.

Isaiah 53:3-5
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.


Luke 22:44
And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.




The main key is prayer. We consider this secondary to action, however Jesus did this continually. When we call to HIM, we are answered.


Revelations 21:1-5
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."


5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"


 Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

I believe this as I call upon the LORD. And rest and trust in Him.


<><



Monday, March 04, 2013

Matthew 9:27-31 ~ two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”

Jesus Goes Up Alone onto a Mountain to Pray, painted by James Tissot (French, 1836-1902).



Matthew 9:27-31

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.


I suppose mostly people are, "Show me the money!" If they think about wanting a relationship with Jesus. We expect Jesus to heal; we are hardly surprised HE touched the men to heal them. We know Jesus expects faith and works within faith.

Let's think about what people saw when they looked at Jesus.

John 7:41-43
But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him.

Paul tells us in Acts, what he thought of Jesus walking the earth.

Acts 26:9
“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth."

The powerful and well connected in The Temple called Him - Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus mostly spoke of Himself as  Son of Man. Meaning as Jesus went about healing, soothing, speaking mercy over sacrifice, HE thought of Himself as one of the people.

Colossians 2:16-19 tells us more about Jesus being busy as Messiah:
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

Jesus, as much as I like the speech, very much, did not go about saying, "I Have a Dream." Jesus went about sharing healing with souls. Telling them this life changing event was not solely done by "Son of David" - their miracle was created and accomplished by their faith. Jesus was very much about mercy to them, and to us.


Jesus changed lives, these healed men became proclaimers of healing, wholeness and encouraged others to look to GOD.

This change tells us about Jesus. True Hero. Savior of the World. Light of Light. True God of True God.

Oh, come let us worship HIM. Always. Amen.



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We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He has saved all who call upon His name and rely on Him for His Grace. The Scriptures are living & active and are for understanding the Lord Almighty. Biblical readings are chosen from the Ecumenical Christian Church and the Nicene Council, 325 A.D., approved Apocrypha. People remember not just from reading, but by sight and orally- an image has been added as well as audio readings. God tends to link the passages together with fascinates - this blogger, Anne-Laurel Gardere

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Email registry at bottom.! “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). Men “moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21). The Holy Spirit carried men along, moving and guiding them as they wrote in their own words what God wanted them to say. The Bible is unique; comprised of 80 separate books, & written over a period of thousands of years by more than 40 writers with one Author, spanning the centuries, different states of peace & war & different situations in life. The Bible answers the question: of who is God, who is man & what can their relationship can be. Although the Bible was written on perishable material and copied by hand for many centuries, its accuracy is not in doubt, proven by Dead Sea Scrolls and papyrus from 2,000 years. The Bible has survived persecution & criticism to be read with great interest in each generation. The Bible gives witness to the greatness of the Creator. A loving Father concerned for all of his creation. With each verse of the bible witnessing to God is love and the multitude & vastness of His attributes. The Bible was written for you. <><

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New Posts by Subject Matter

Overcoming



The World Changed Rapidly after the first Easter

Our God of All





Posts by Subject Matter





Blessings, Anne-Laurel





Who Jesus Is
1 Timothy 1:1-11 ~ God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope
Matthew 16:13-20 ~ who do people say the Son of Man is?

Good News for us to remember and Think Upon
Animals are found in Heaven ~ 6 Prophets See Animals in Heaven

Anger, Jealousy=Trouble




The Bible explains the Bible, Prophetically

Bible - in your hand, today

Bible Accuracy



Blessing







Blessing our Father God

Blessing - unaware

Boundaries

Brothers
Christmas - His Word Upholds the Universe - December 25th


Psalm 135 ~ who is in your midst
John 1:1-14, 16, 29-51 ~ He was in the world

Details - Putting it all together and discovering it is about God

Psalm 108 ~ In triumph I will parcel out Shechem

Determine your own path, just love Him

Judges 16 ~ like any other man
John 4:43-54 ~ Doing what Jesus says


Earthquake

Every Day, Still Today
Today, Yesterday, Tomorrow


Exodus - History












Heavenly Hosts
His Messengers of Light












Elements of Nature Displaying HIS Glory
Exodus 40:16-38 ~ In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected.

I Decide What is Right and Wrong - God noticed this in the Garden of Eden from Eve

Individualism and Groups

It's the End of the World as We Know it, And I Feel Fine. (One of our most read posts.)
Grandpa - The Bible is Really the Life Story of People and
their Abba









Gates of Heaven


Gifts of God, all of us


Giving - God certainly is





























Glory


God sees His Creation as Good!!!


Gravity






















Good Friday

Gossip

Gratitude

Greatest

Grief, Forgiveness, Homecoming


Hated Emotion - Fear




































History - Is There History Showing Jesus was Alive - VERY EXTENSIVE HISTORY

Holiness


Holy Spirit ~ Manifestations

Homeward Bound, still a sojourner

Honey, Do this

Invitation
John 3:31-36 ~ that God is true

Israel - Destroyed Completely and Rebuilt. A sign of Jesus. Existing today.

Jesus clearly put a Foundation for His Resurrection to be Believed by the Multitudes of all of Israel and the Nations

Jesus and His Childhood Privacy
Nazareth - What Jesus did See Growing Up

John the Beloved Disciple


The Journey of Joseph


























Live It
Psalm 117 ~ Praise the Lord
Psalm 82 ~ rescue the weak and the needy
2 Samuel 4:1-12 ~ David answered
Hebrews 12 ~ Thankful
Psalm 31:3-8,17-21 ~ Thou hast redeemed me
Isaiah 40:1-11 ~ His reward is with Him
Matthew 13:31-32 ~ the birds of the air come and perch in its branches
Matthew 6:25-34 ~ your heavenly Father knows that you need
Luke 11:29-32 ~ Rise up
Psalm 126 ~ shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves
Luke 14:15-24 ~ there is still room
Joshua 1:1-9 ~ I am giving
Acts 5 ~ speak in the name of Jesus
John 1 ~ the Light shines
John 3:5-8 ~ born again
~ they went on from there and passed through Galilee
Judges 20 ~ Israel

Losing a Loved One - Passing ON

Revelation 21:22-27 ~ those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life

Not Being Tossed Back and Forth with Emotion
Ephesians 4 ~ speaking the truth in Love

Marriage
Romans 7:1-12 ~ bear fruit for God
1 Corinthians 7 ~ For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband
Genesis 37:12-24 ~ when Reuben
Psalm 143 ~ Your steadfast love
Psalm 86 ~ For great is your steadfast love

Media... taking it down the path
1 Corinthians 10 ~ Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God





Mercy, an Inseparable Component of Truth
Matthew 23:23-26 ~ clean
1 Samuel 12 ~ serve the Lord with all your heart
Matthew 22:34-40 ~ The great and first commandment. And a second is like it

Miscellaneous
Job 38 ~ Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
Psalm 19 ~ the heavens declare the glory of God
2 Kings 5:1-15 ~ a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper
1 Chronicles 13 ~ the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom










Peace




Pharisee ~ Religion
Luke 11:42-46 ~ Woe to you Pharisees!


Pictorial Images of the 12 Tribes of Israel








Picture It


















Overcoming, with God's help!


Positive Attitude in Trouble




Prophets - the Law and the Old Men in Robes or People who Love the Lord. Flaws and Virtues. What They Sought in the Lord and What Drew Them to Him.



Praise



























Prayer

Psalm 91 ~ Prayer is always heard, God has an open door policy



Prayer Needs




Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words

Promises

Prosperity Gospel











Repeat and Repeat







Rest

Restore

Revelation 8:2
Seven Angels who stand before God

Revisionist History - Moses and Jeremiah said
there would be days like this
Deuteronomy 8
Jeremiah 23


Rock


SALVATION! What is needed?

Science - Blinded me - No - He Who Opens the Eyes of the Blind - With Science!!!

Second (3rd or 4th) Rate Seventh Level of Heaven

Seventh Level of Heaven







Shepherd

Smile!



Time Management





Life and Travels of Paul

Shroud

Transfiguration



True
The World Changed Rapidly after the first Easter



Trust Him

Uncomfortable Scripture

Video Game Player

Visual







Who is like our God?

Willingly

Works and Grace
Mark 1:4-11 ~ You are my beloved Son; with You I am well pleased

Worry

Wrathful, Nasty Old God from the Old Testament

Yahweh




Years - Thousands of Them are Yesterday in His Sight


80 Books of the Bible
Holy Spirit Approved by the First Council Nicaea and St. Nicholas
Included by the Essenes in the Dead Sea Scrolls
Today included by the Catholic Church
God wants to save the world.
The Apocrypha has Purpose; other cultures blend here.





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