2 Thessalonians 1:9b-12

The presence of the Lord 

and from the glory of His Might 

on the day He comes to be glorified 

in His holy people 

and to be marveled 

at among 

all those who have believed.

This includes you, 

because 

you believed our testimony to you. 

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, 

that our God 

may make you worthy of His calling, 

and that by His power 

He may bring to fruition 

your every desire for goodness 

and your every deed 

prompted by faith.

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus 

may be glorified in you, and you in Him, 

according to the grace of our God 

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:9b-12

And we are still on the cusp of a New Year. Few of us will not wonder what the New Year holds. Even if we just passed the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Liturgically. Which is to say:

As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and participation in the sacred through activities reflecting praise, thanksgiving, remembrance, supplication, or repentance. It forms a basis for establishing a relationship with God. Technically speaking, liturgy forms a subset of ritual. The word liturgy, sometimes equated in English as "service", refers to a formal ritual enacted by those who understand themselves to be participating in an action with the divine.


There is One who has Plans. God. And not one of us, not one, is not part of the Plans of God. There is One of us who knows of this year and will, obviously, have all of His Plans come to fruition.



New Years. New plans.
A realistic plan for winning. A realistic plan for overcoming. The Scriptures have an entire book on Wisdom. Proverbs.  With 31 Chapters. Skiers have plans to get down the mountain for the thrill and there is a plan to get back to the top of the mountain.



Going with the winter weather -  then  - we will call this - the Bear Hunt of Life - and need - very much - His Help. And our gratitude for His help. We will need to do our words, our deeds with Love. Which is great. Valentines is next. Everything with Love. Wonderful. 

Particularly in theory. Just like skiers have a plan to get back up the mountain, The Lord tells us we are ok to be angry, just not to sin.

Recently, year and a half, we had a new neighbor. Different cultures within their household. They have false reported our home to the Water Authority, false reported to the Police when I had Covid, and false reported the Other Neighbor on the Other side, in getting a new pool. Fake reported our 2 doors down neighbor did allow them easement to allow bulldozers and diggers to put in the neighbor's pool through their own backyard.  Cut down the neighbor's tree and got a cease and desist order.  Refused to replant, the part was allowed to be cut down and replaced. Fussed when we asked their filled pool to have legal fencing instead of none, we back up to land owned by the State of Texas Park's Department. Sent us a letter using a fake address, in violation of Texas Penal Code 32.15. And the sadists admitted all this to the government official's face. Admitted this screaming at top voice. Fake reported almost all survey points to local government. Last year, we knew it was crazy time, they threatened to cut down our trees for solar panels, to discover my brother is an accomplished attorney.  And they racially harassed our yard man. Who told him to go back in the house. 

This year, they had local governing city authorities by inviting them to their house and then proceeded to yell about religion being false at top voice to me (hate crimes), and assaulted me to the point the city authority had to order them to let go of me. They have, a long time ago, been dinner guests in our home, and then assaulted the dog by grabbing it up into the air, by the tail, after running pellmell to yank the dog up... twice. Never invited again. Then, tried to befriend the 3rd neighbor who witnessed the dog assault at the dinner party and lives across the street. Routinely, they put up various car sales signs and sticks. Move large, lighted Christmas light ornaments around the yard.  Sadists set themselves up to be lost in life. Easily bored and without a winning plan in life. Sadists lose.

The city government employ visiting at our houses, then invited the other neighbor, the good one, to visit with city governance department heads for about an hour and a half. Which we did.

However, in Real Bear Hunts - there is frozen tundra, hunters, starvation, isolation and deep napping. Overabundance. Under abundance. We know alligators and the old problems with swamps. And given any particular day with grumpy bears, caves with other bears and bears with territories - we might find being a bear not as smart as the average bear. We might suddenly come to the realization. All the salmon we'd ever want, on a day where the sunshine never ends. It's all clanging gong without Love.

What will we do the day we feel without the fuel of Love? Too much bs. On the days we just feel chilly? With mankind, as in Human Employment, we could feel fear of burn out.

New beginnings can be enormously appealing - and then - have the threat of burn out.

Jeremiah 17:5

Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man 

and makes flesh his strength, 

whose heart turns away from the Lord.”

Now, that is ominous to me and, probably, to all who have that day / we grit our teeth all day.

With the deep and abiding Love God has - we can take the days when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad and trust the Lord God even in emptiness. We can call to Abba and say, "Sorry. Empty. All Empty. Sorry."

Romans 12:2

Testing you may discern what is the will of God, 

what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The Testing - might have test taking anxiety. We have failed what is good and acceptable and perfect - in the eyes of man and of God Himself.

When we are angry we are not outside the will of God, we can sit and tell the Lord Father God. We can present our failings. And in this honest conversation with God - find He has not left us.

He, Abba, our Father, who sees all our prayers,  is not sitting comfortably with a, "Pull the go to hell lever." The Light of mankind, the Light of Heaven, the Creator of All Things.

The Will of God?

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,

 that everyone who believes in Him 

shall not perish but have eternal life.

Can we leap all the hurdles and say God loves the world - hurray - on these bear eat bear days?

Hebrews 1:3

Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God 

and the exact imprint of His nature,

and he upholds the universe 

by the Word of His power.

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

That is Good News. We need purification for sins when we say hurray - save the world - what about me?

And this is exactly - what we need with Father God. Approaching Him - as if He - is always - approachable. Jesus does this for us - personally. Jesus frequently let the world wait. Jesus had the multitudes of thousands - all of Capernaum - immediately followed Jesus. Jesus frequently told the world to wait.

Matthew 6 

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 

6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

We are deaf when we think Jesus abolished the Law to not bring us the Liberty of His Love. We are deaf to God's Love to not see Jesus brings us His love - personally.

We know Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee 3 times in one day - looking for one person. We can know Jesus would put aside all the earth - and be able - in the Power of the Holy Spirit - to hear me and hear you - personally. Jesus helped Jairus, his wife and daughter and the world waited outside.

And knowing Jesus is the exact nature of God - - -

John 3:16

For God so loved YOU that He gave His one and only Son, 

that YOU who believes in Him - shall not perish - but have eternal life.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus

Proverbs 16:9 ~ The Lord establishes

Proverbs 16:9

The heart of man plans his way, 

but the Lord establishes his steps.

  John 15:1-17

  

  

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 

2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 

15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 

17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Paul was a very honest saint of God.

Philippians 2:19-30

19 I hope to send Timothy to you soon if the Lord Jesus allows it. Then I will be cheered up when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like Timothy. He truly cares about how you are doing. 21 All the others are looking out for their own interests. They are not looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ.22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself. He has served with me like a son with his father in spreading the good news.

23 So I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.

24 And I'm sure I myself will come soon if the Lord allows it.

We have lived Pandemic and we all hope to live a total Pandemic Recovery. We have seen fights in the airline flights and no one manning the booths of the airline on the most travelled time.  

This year is starting with hope. This year is talking about health and recovery. For all age groups.

Yet, I think we look at 1 of every 4 families have some dysfunction and separation, 1 in every 3 in the USA has a substance addiction. 1 in every 3 find necessities moving from reach as they work. Another 1 of every 3, worries their finances wain. We see every system and every organization and see flaws teaching us.... we need to rely on God as Good. Jesus said only God is good. I Corinthians 13 tells us if we give away all we have and have not love, we are nothing.  The Good Samaritan goes on to tell us the merciful one is the neighbor. Not the one rushing on with the career thoughts. Jesus did not disclose to His own Brothers if He was going to the Festival, as they goaded Him.

And

Today, our Father wants to save the world in Jesus Christ. His Good Creation and all the fullness thereof is still yesterday, today and tomorrow.

The Scriptures tell us to be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves. And to be in Jesus, Abide in His Word. Abide in the wisdom of Proverbs. Be fruitful for the Lord. To love one another.

How are we going to condense, process, be fruitful about Paul admitting, easily, the Lord is in charge and not everyone is helpful or innocent?

The Prodigal Father let go of what he couldn't control and stepped out of the picture to allow God to be God. Wait upon the Lord.  The 10 Talents said believe God is good and wants us to trust Him in our plans for today and tomorrow. Take risks, believing God will help us grow or move us along, as He did for all of His Children.

Heaven is like a Tree, welcoming. Allowing all the birds of the forest to come in and take shelter.

Jesus said to the Disciples to not be so faithless and afraid.  Peter learned to swim to Jesus. And continued to wrangle with the Lord after He rose from Death. Jesus frankly told the Disciples, you aren't told the reasons and the seasons. Jesus said, don't worry so much about tomorrow. And the people who relax and worry less are far more the faithful.

When Jesus returned Victorious. He chose 500 to spend time with. He knew husbands would travel with wives and John would need family. Sounds like Eden. And to enjoy Eden, we have to believe God is wanting to talk with us.

Jesus had an idea about fraught circumstance. Jesus said trust God's Will for our lives.

The Lord wants to talk with you. He wants to save you. To Love you.

The heart of man plans his way, 

but the Lord establishes his steps.

Abba, Father,

Our Father, Who art in Heaven

Dwell in me and those I love,

now all of our hearts,

God of Love, God of encouragement.

Hallowed, Holy is the Name of the Lord.

Jesus, the Christ of God.

Beloved Son.

We remember John 17 and ask us as we pray,

You would pray with us.

Your Will be Done

Yes, Jesus is the exact nature of God.

Alleluia.

We want to seek You First, Father,

to see Your Will on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this Day.

The encouragement of Life as a gift and adventure

Fully worthy of our prayers and attention to blessing

Fully in Gratitude.

Give us day our daily bread.

Nothing without the Lord is meaningful

help the physical bread and the earned bread

to be Jesus, Living Bread.

Forgive us our Trespasses.

Just as Christmas is You, trusting us with Your Son,

You fully expect us to have loving and grateful hearts

God doesn't have to see as dark or sinful.

God sees us worthy of Eden to talk to.

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

God doesn't say SIN, He expects us

to treat each other as part of meaningful lives

to enjoy and create more of Heaven on earth.

Lead us not into temptation

of being demanding, unsatisfied,

to take our blessings and make greed

diminishing the goodness in life.

Deliver us from evil

God is clear there is evil in the world.

And God has hope those on the wrong path

will find their heart again.

For Thine is 

the Glory

of Life Given and Life to be Enjoyed

and Eternal,

For Thine is the 

Power

in The Name of Jesus

in Your Word

and in Your Faithful

Promises.

To change hearts and create Life.

And the Glory

The Glory of God

is to find His Goodness.

Giving us Jesus.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus

Revelation 22:8-21 ~ Worship God

 

Revelation 22:8-21

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.

 And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.



16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”


17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” 

And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.



Noah sent the Dove out to find peace.

And one day, God's Holy Spirit will say to us all, "Come."

We will fly to Heaven.

And we will see what John saw 60 years after Jesus Ascended into Heaven.

… Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1: 21

…His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Might God,
…Theeverlasting Father, The Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

… God hath made that same Jesus… both Lord & Christ Acts 2:36

…Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world! John 1:29

…they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, the song of The Lamb Revelation 15:3


…Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Revelation 5:5


..and the Bright and Morning Star

Revelation 22:16


..and our hands have handled, of theWord of Life 1 John 1:1


…we have and advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ The Righteous 1 John 2:1


…whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us. Luke 1:78


…Before Abraham, I Am. John 8:58


…And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1: 34

…are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25


…We have found theMessiah which, is being interpreted, the Christ. John 1:41


…I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6


…through the knowledge of the Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 2: 20

..a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:16

…I am the Light of the World. John 8:12

…Thetrue light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world… John 1:9

…I am Alpha & Omega the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come

The Almighty Revelation 1:8

Luke 2:10 

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; 
he is Christ the Lord.

Abba, Father God,

Moses left a prayer, and this prayer probably interested David and Solomon. Psalm 90 when Moses prayed to be happy.

So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Let us be pleased to Look for Your mercies renewing each day,

Help us to remember the Lord's Prayer Jesus gave us saying, "Give us this day!"

To be so pleased to know this day is part of eternity. 

Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants!

David loved to look to Your tender Heart, Father God. 

David dwelled, anticipating Your Mercy. 

We will follow their example 

and melt thinking of Your Great Love.

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, 

that we may rejoice 

and be glad 

all our days.

We love Moses looking for You, Father God, and happiness to rejoice and be glad in. Moses speaks well with You, we can say this prayer is a Rock to stand upon in prayer.

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

 and for as many years as we have seen evil.

Surely not a pleasing thought. Yet, to know the Words of God is to know the Power of God's Word. Your Prayer says, "Lead us not into Temptation." We know You look for heart. Samuel saw the process of David's family working the day Samuel came to anoint David, and, Jesse, his father said move on without David. We know David did find himself anointed of God. God, we pray in all hope for all things work together for good, for those who Love You and work according to Your purpose.

Let your work be shown to your servants, 

and your glorious power 

to their children.

Millenniums have seen the Beloved of God pray for their children. 

This loving concern is far from tedious to You, Father. 

God of Love. Jesus our Salvation. 

And for the people You have given us.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

 yes, establish the work of our hands!

Abba, we Love the work of Jesus' hands. 

Bless us to remember the Hands of Jesus and be grateful. 

And Pleased Jesus is in the Paradise He gave His Father 

- a new Heaven and a new earth.

Let us live to bring more Heaven on this earth. And with Your Love, Guidance, Encouragement, Joy and Hope - we will bring More Heaven to earth.

Thank You Jesus, Amen.

Yay Jesus

1 Samuel 8:4-7 ~ Prayed to the Lord

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 death from John the Baptist. Grappling with doubts and the difference with 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!

In the Name of Jesus we pray! 

Amen!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †