Isaiah 52

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“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise... The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” - James 5:13,16

“I want people everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer.” - I Timothy 2:8


Isaiah 52
1 Awake, awake, O Zion,
clothe yourself with strength.
Put on your garments of splendor,
O Jerusalem, the holy city.
The uncircumcised and defiled
will not enter you again.

2 Shake off your dust;
rise up, sit enthroned, O Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
O captive Daughter of Zion.

3 For this is what the LORD says:
"You were sold for nothing,
and without money you will be redeemed."

4 For this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
"At first my people went down to Egypt to live;
lately, Assyria has oppressed them.

5 "And now what do I have here?" declares the LORD.
"For my people have been taken away for nothing,
and those who rule them mock, "
declares the LORD.
"And all day long
my name is constantly blasphemed.

6 Therefore my people will know my name;
therefore in that day they will know
that it is I who foretold it.
Yes, it is I."

7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
"Your God reigns!"

8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
together they shout for joy.
When the LORD returns to Zion,
they will see it with their own eyes.

9 Burst into songs of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the LORD has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The LORD will lay bare his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.

11 Depart, depart, go out from there!
Touch no unclean thing!
Come out from it and be pure,
you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

12 But you will not leave in haste
or go in flight;
for the LORD will go before you,
the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Galatians 4 ~ Adopted as sons of God

Galatians 4


English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave [bondservant], though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles [elemental spirits] of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

12 Brothers [Brothers and sisters], I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of the blessing you felt? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth [by dealing truthfully with you ]? 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia [For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia]; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband.”

28 Now you [we], brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

John 1: 13
To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

Just as John stood at the cross of Jesus Christ with His Mother, Mary, and was adopted into Jesus' family, you are a child of God. Just as Mary Magdalene went to embalm the body of Jesus Christ and found Jesus telling her God was His Father and her's, you are a child of God.

Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

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Psalm 59

Monastery of St. Lot at Deir 'Ain Abata in Jordan Lot's Cave The bulk of the material finds date to the early Byzantine period (ca.5th-7th centuries A.D.)and are associated to the church and monastery. The presence of Nabataean pottery ( 1st century B.C.- 1st century A.D.) account for the earliest occupation and may relate to the foundation of the settlement. Furthermore, Early Bronze Age I (ca.3000 B.C.)and Middle Bronze Age II (ca.2000-1500 B.C.) burials in the cave and around the monastery allude to the area of ‘Ain ‘Abata as being a sacred place even in pre-Christian times. The final occupation of the site was during the early Abbasid Caliphate (late 8th to early 9th centuries A.D.)which could indicate a continued veneration of Lot in the vicinity by Christians and Muslims alike.

When the monastery was built, the entrance to the cave was set at the far end of the north aisle. The fine mosaic was still perfectly preserved, together with an inscription telling us that the church was dedicated in April 605 AD.


Psalm 59
1 Rescue me from my enemies, O God.
Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.
2 Rescue me from these criminals;
save me from these murderers.
3 They have set an ambush for me.
Fierce enemies are out there waiting, LORD,
though I have not sinned or offended them.
4 I have done nothing wrong,
yet they prepare to attack me.
Wake up! See what is happening and help me!
5 O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel,
wake up and punish those hostile nations.
Show no mercy to wicked traitors.

6 They come out at night,
snarling like vicious dogs
as they prowl the streets.
7 Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths;
their words cut like swords.
“After all, who can hear us?” they sneer.
8 But LORD, you laugh at them.
You scoff at all the hostile nations.
9 You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me.
He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.
11 Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons;
stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees,
O Lord our shield.
12 Because of the sinful things they say,
because of the evil that is on their lips,
let them be captured by their pride,
their curses, and their lies.
13 Destroy them in your anger!
Wipe them out completely!
Then the whole world will know
that God reigns in Israel.
14 My enemies come out at night,
snarling like vicious dogs
as they prowl the streets.
15 They scavenge for food
but go to sleep unsatisfied.
16 But as for me, I will sing about your power.
Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.
For you have been my refuge,
a place of safety when I am in distress.
17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises,
for you, O God, are my refuge,
the God who shows me unfailing love.

In the 6th century AD, a monastery was built around the area traditionally known as Lot's cave . This Monastery has now been re-discovered, and here we see a view from the door into the cave, looking out over the plains that once sheltered Sodom and Gomorrah.

The excavations were directed by Dino Politis, with support from the British Museum, the Jordanian and Greek governments, and private sources.

Recent discoveries in the area include: 5 cities. 2 are believed to be Sodom and Gomorrah. It was actually found from the large number of graves discovered in the area, unrelated to the sudden disaster which destroyed the area. The destruction debris was about three feet thick. There are bodies left in the remains. The area was destroyed suddenly and no one attempted to resettle the area after the destruction. There is a gate tower believed to be the gate where Lot sat. The steep sides of the hills have rings from the ages similar to trees, there is a ring that instead of the traditional centimeter ring is a 3 or 4" ring showing evidence of disaster.

There is ample evidence of suberranean deposits of petroleum-based substance called bitumen in the region south of the Dead Sea. Such material normally contains a high percentage of sulfur & burns upon immediate contact with flame. It has been postulated by geologist Frederick Clapp that pressure from an earthquake could have caused the bitumen deposits to be forced out of the earth through a fault line. Today bitumen is readily available just by picking it up. As it gushed out of the earth it could have been ignited by a spark or surface fire. It would then fall to earth as a burning, fiery mass. This is about the only area on earth were this substance is found. Unlike cities like Pompeii, this area was never settled again to this day.

This area was shown recently on a television program on the History channel called Digging for the Truth. Originally aired April 17, 2006. The Real Sin City: Sodom & Gomorrah

Psalm 53 ~ God sent his son to bring salvation

Angel of the Lord in front of empty tomb of Jesus Christ

Psalm 53

1 The fool says in his heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.

3 Everyone has turned away,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

4 Will the evildoers never learn—
those who devour my people as men eat bread
and who do not call on God?

5 There they were, overwhelmed with dread,
where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
you put them to shame, for God despised them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Isaiah 48:12-21

Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell Arizona

Isaiah 48:13 My own hand founded the earth,
and My right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summoned them,
they stood up together.

Isaiah 48:12-21

12 "Listen to Me, Jacob,
and Israel, the one called by Me:
I am He; I am the first,
I am also the last.

13 My own hand founded the earth,
and My right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summoned them,
they stood up together.

14 All of you, assemble and listen!
Who among the idols has declared these things?
The LORD loves him;
he will accomplish His will against Babylon,
and His arm will be against the Chaldeans.

15 I—I have spoken;
yes, I have called him;
I have brought him,
and he will succeed in his mission.

16 Approach Me and listen to this.
From the beginning I have not spoken in secret;
from the time anything existed, I was there."
And now the Lord GOD
has sent me and His Spirit.

17 This is what the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says:
I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you for your benefit,
who leads you in the way you should go.

18 If only you had paid attention to My commands.
Then your peace would have been like a river,
and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

19 Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand,
and the offspring of your body like its grains;
their name would not be cut off
or eliminated from My presence.

20 Leave Babylon,
flee from the Chaldeans!
Declare with a shout of joy,
proclaim this,
let it go out to the end of the earth;
announce,
"The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!"

21 They did not thirst
when He led them through the deserts;
He made water flow for them from the rock;
He split the rock, and water gushed out.

Mark 5: 21-43 ~ Who wrote the gospel of Luke? Luke

"Don't be afraid; just believe." Mark 5:36

Photograph of the oldest fragment of the gospel of Luke.
The oldest fragments of the gospel of Luke are called the Paris Papyrus p4 ~ in the book: Eyewitness to Jesus, Dr. Carsten Thiedeand are dated around 66 A.D. based on information and analysis provided by Dr. Thiede, American scholar Dr. Phillip Comfort, and others. In 200 A.D., 70% percent of the Gospels according to Luke and John are found. When comparing the bible today to these 200 A.D. Papyrus, it proves that the Written Gospel and the Doctrinal Gospel were the same in 200 AD as they are now.

Mark 5:21-43
21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24 So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?"
36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Ephesians 6

Cypress Tule tree in the church yard of St. Maria de Tulle Oaxaca, Mexico. The tree is 2,000 years old and is 167 feet in Diameter. The town has 7 trees, with the largest being in the church yard of St. Maria de Tulle. The largest tree on earth.

Deuteronomy 5:16 Honor thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Ephesians 6
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Ephesians 5:15-33

Ephesians 5:15-33

11-16 Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.

Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!

17 Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.

18-20 Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.

21 Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another.

22-24 Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.

25-28 Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage.

29-33 No one abuses his own body, does he? No, he feeds and pampers it. That's how Christ treats us, the church, since we are part of his body. And this is why a man leaves father and mother and cherishes his wife. No longer two, they become "one flesh." This is a huge mystery, and I don't pretend to understand it all. What is clearest to me is the way Christ treats the church. And this provides a good picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself in loving her, and how each wife is to honor her husband.

Psalm 119:25-48

Psalm 119: 48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.

Psalm 119:25-48

25 I am laid low in the dust;
preserve my life according to your word.

26 I recounted my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees.

27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts;
then I will meditate on your wonders.

28 My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.

29 Keep me from deceitful ways;
be gracious to me through your law.

30 I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set my heart on your laws.

31 I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD;
do not let me be put to shame.

32 I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free.

33 Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.

34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.

35 Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.

36 Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.

37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.

38 Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.

39 Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.

40 How I long for your precepts!
Preserve my life in your righteousness.

41 May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD,
your salvation according to your promise;

42 then I will answer the one who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.

43 Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth,
for I have put my hope in your laws.

44 I will always obey your law,
for ever and ever.

45 I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.

46 I will speak of your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame,

47 for I delight in your commands
because I love them.

48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love,
and I meditate on your decrees.

Psalm 39

At the beginning of Peter's apostleship, Peter said to Jesus that he was just a simple man and requested that Jesus look away from him, that he might have peace. Later, Peter was to proclaim Jesus to be the Son of God and realized that Jesus' words were the gift of life. There was no other place Peter wished to be.

This is a Psalm of King David, but perhaps Peter would have thought similarly during the arrest and trial of Jesus.

My hope is in you, Oh Lord.

Psalm 39
1 I said, "I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence."

2 But when I was silent and still,
not even saying anything good,
my anguish increased.

3 My heart grew hot within me,
and as I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:

4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.

5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath.
Selah

6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

7 "But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.

8 Save me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the scorn of fools.

9 I was silent; I would not open my mouth,
for you are the one who has done this.

10 Remove your scourge from me;
I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11 You rebuke and discipline men for their sin;
you consume their wealth like a moth—
each man is but a breath.
Selah

12 "Hear my prayer, O LORD,
listen to my cry for help;
be not deaf to my weeping.
For I dwell with you as an alien,
a stranger, as all my fathers were.

13 Look away from me, that I may rejoice again
before I depart and am no more."

Psalm 15 ~ He who does these things shall never be moved

Archeologists discover tomb of St Paul in his own Basilica
Posted: Friday February 18, 2005 6:24 PM EST
By Catholic News Agency




Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.



~ He who does these things shall never be moved.

St. Paul's Outside the Walls Church Nave
Rome, Italy—Archeologists have announced that a sarcophagus possibly containing the remains of St. Paul was found directly behind a marble plaque with the inscription, “Apostle Paul, martyr,” below the main altar at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.

Giorgio Filippi, an archeologist who works for the Vatican Museums and who led the excavation team, told the Italian daily “Avvenire,” “We have discovered a sarcophagus or container of relics. We know that in 390, that is, when the emperors Theodosius, Valentino II and Arcadius expanded the Basilica, the remains were known to be those of St. Paul.”

The sarcophagus has a small whole through which a camera could be inserted, but for the moment Filippi considers the discovery to be “sufficient.”

The discovery was made by a team of experts from the Vatican Museums in response to a request from the administrator of St. Paul’s basilica, Archbishop Francesco Gioia.




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Psalm 17 ~ Steps of Your path

The stairway is known as the "Stairs of Repentance", created in the 4th century by a monk, leading to the top of the mountain. Mount Horeb is of special importance, for centuries people have believed it is the mountain where the Lord gave Moses the 10 commandments. The history in St. Catherine's Monastery, records the existence of twelve chapels on the slopes and summit of Mount Horeb by the 4th century.

Psalm 17
1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

2 May my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right.

3 Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.

4 As for the deeds of men—
by the word of your lips
I have kept myself
from the ways of the violent.

5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

7 Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings

9 from the wicked who assail me,
from my mortal enemies who surround me.

10 They close up their callous hearts,
and their mouths speak with arrogance.

11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

12 They are like a lion hungry for prey,
like a great lion crouching in cover.

13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, bring them down;
rescue me from the wicked by your sword.

14 O LORD, by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You still the hunger of those you cherish;
their sons have plenty,
and they store up wealth for their children.

15 And I—in righteousness I will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

Isaiah 41:17-29

Annointing of David by Samuel

Isaiah 41:17-29

17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:

20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.

23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.

24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.

25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.

26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words.

27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.

28For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

29Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ~ We will marvel at Him in the Day of His Glory!

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.
5 This is evidence of the righteous judgement of God, and is intended to make you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. 6For it is indeed just of God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7and to give relief to the afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marvelled at on that day among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfil by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12so 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.

Psalm 37: 19-40

Psalm 37:19-40

19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.
20 But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good;
so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous
and seeks to put him to death.
33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Isaiah 38: 17 - 19

17"Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness;
It is You who has kept my soul from the pit of nothingness,
For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.
18"For Sheol cannot thank You,
Death cannot praise You;
Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
19"It is the living who give thanks to You, as I do today;
A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness."

Psalm 30

Psalm 30
1 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
2O LORD my God,
I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
3O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol;
You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones,
And give thanks to His holy name.
5For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
6Now as for me, I said in my prosperity,
"I will never be moved."
7O LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain to stand strong;
You hid Your face, I was dismayed.
8To You, O LORD, I called,
And to the Lord I made supplication:
9"What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?
10" Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me;
O LORD, be my helper."
11You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
12That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever

Isaiah 53:7-12

The Ascension of Jesus

The Prophet Isaiah wrote about Jesus, the Messiah, 500 years before Jesus Christ was born.
Here is a list of 58 Old Testament prophesies fufilled: http://www.bprc.org/topics/fulfill.html

Isaiah 53:7-12

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By a perversion of justice he was taken away.
Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people.
They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.


Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Psalm 145

Emerald Valley by Pierre Bourat

Psalm 145
1 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.
6 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.
7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
10 All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.
11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Isaiah 63:15-19 ~ Your lofty throne, holy and glorious

The bones of Uzziah, King of Judah, rest here ... Do not open!" Found in 1963, Mount of Olives.

Isaiah 63:15-19
15 Look down from heaven and see from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might? Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
16 But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 Why, O LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are your inheritance.
18 For a little while your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 We are yours from of old; but you have not ruled over them, they have not been called by your name.

Uzziah of Judah (עוזיהו), was the king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, and one of Amaziah's sons, whom the people appointed to replace his father (2 Kings 14:21; 2 Chronicles 26:1). He is one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

His long reign of about fifty-two years was "the most prosperous excepting that of Jehoshaphat since the time of Solomon." He was a vigorous and able ruler, and "his name spread abroad, even to the entering in of Egypt" (2 Chr. 26:8, 14). In the earlier part of his reign, under the influence of Zechariah, he was faithful to Yahweh, and "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kings 15:3; 2 Chr. 26:4, 5); but toward the close of his long life "his heart was lifted up to his destruction," and he wantonly invaded the priest's office (2 Chr. 26:16), and entering the sanctuary proceeded to offer incense on the golden altar.

Azariah the High Priest saw the tendency of such a daring act on the part of the king, and with a band of eighty priests he withstood him (2 Chr. 26:17), saying, "It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense." Uzziah was suddenly struck with tzaraas (leprosy) while in the act of offering incense (26:19-21), and he was driven from the Temple and compelled to reside in "a several house" to the day of his death (2 Kings 15:5, 27; 2 Chr. 26:3).

He was buried in a separate grave "in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings" (2 Kings 15:7; 2 Chr. 26:23). "That lonely grave in the royal necropolis would eloquently testify to coming generations that all earthly monarchy must bow before the inviolable order of the divine will, and that no interference could be tolerated with that unfolding of the purposes of God... (Dr. Green's Kingdom of Israel).

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Psalm 148

Peru
Music Link to Psalm 148 http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/p/hpraisj2.htm

Psalm 148
1Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
2Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
3Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
4Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
5Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
6He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
7Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
8Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
9Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
10Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
11Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
12Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent, his glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 He exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

Wisdom 10:15-21

Plain of el-Raha
Wadi el-Deir connects Jebel Musa to the Plain of el-Raha. Raha means "rest" and according to tradition this is the area where the Israelites camped and the golden calf was forged (Exodus 32). Nearby are the tomb of Sheikh Harun (Aaron) and the chapel of the golden calf.

Wisdom 10:15-21
A holy people and blameless race wisdom delivered from a nation of oppressors. She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs. She gave to holy people the reward of their labours; she guided them along a marvellous way,and became a shelter to them by day, and a starry flame through the night. She brought them over the Red Sea,and led them through deep waters; but she drowned their enemies, and cast them up from the depths of the sea. Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly; they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name,and praised with one accord your defending hand; for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute, and made the tongues of infants speak clearly.

Psalm 48 ~ Beautiful in elevation

Monastery of St. Catherine - the monastery has a library with the second finest collection of manuscripts in the world (after the Vatican), including 3,500 manuscripts and 2,000 scrolls. - First Century fragments of the gospels - one of the earliest copies of the Bible (4th century A.D.) -The monastery sits at an elevation of 5150 feet (1570 meters). The mountain of Jebel Musa rises to 7498 feet in elevation (2286 m). Jebel Musa is Arabic for "the mountain of Moses." - near according to tradition this is the area where Moses received the 10 commandments. In the area: the site of the burning bush, the cave where Moses lived with Zipporah. In the 4th century, the Jebel Musa had 12 known chapels.

It has withstood numerous attacks over its 14 hundred year existence thus protecting a rich store of art, and today, while it is one of the oldest monasteries in the world, its original, preserved state is unmatched.


Psalm 48


Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God. His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King. Within its citadels God
has shown himself a sure defence.

Then the kings assembled, they came on together.
As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic,
they took to flight; trembling took hold of them there,
pains as of a woman in labour, as when an east wind shatters
the ships of Tarshish. As we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God,
which God establishes for ever.
Selah

We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.
Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory.
Let Mount Zion be glad, let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.

Walk about Zion, go all around it, count its towers, consider well its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide for ever.

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Anglican Church of St. John the Baptist in England

Luke 1:57-66

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.

Zechariah's Song

67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

Luke 1:46-56
46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Luke 1:39-45
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Luke 1:26-38
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Judges 13:2-7,24-25

Judges 13:2-7,24-25
2 A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was sterile and remained childless. 3 The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, "You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son. 4 Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean, 5 because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines."
6 Then the woman went to her husband and told him, "A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn't ask him where he came from, and he didn't tell me his name. 7 But he said to me, 'You will conceive and give birth to a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from birth until the day of his death.' "

24 The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him, 25 and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Psalm 84 ~ For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere

Psalm 84

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise! Selah

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!

10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you!

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Matthew 18:12-14
12 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Psalm 85: 8-13

Psalm 85:8-13

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

1 Thessolonians 4: 1-12

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

4 Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of you knows how to control your own body * in holiness and honour, 5 not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one wrongs or exploits a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

9 Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more, 11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, 12 so that you may behave properly towards outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Matthew 15: 29-39 ~ The great mercy in Jesus

Sea of Galilee

Matthew 15: 29-39
29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. 30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, 31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

2 Samuel 22, Psalm 118

Zion Gate - exterior of the Old City. King David is buried on the exterior about 150 meters from here

2 Samuel 22, Psalm 118 - Written by David.

v1 I will love you, LORD. In you I am strong.
v2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress. He gives me help. God is my rock. I run and hide in his shadow. He is my shield. He is the one that saves me. He is my high tower.
v3 The LORD is someone that I must praise. He will save me from my enemies.
v4 Death was all round me. God's enemies were following me.
v5 Sheol was tying me down. Death was catching me.
v6 In my trouble I prayed to the LORD. I shouted to my God for help. He heard my voice from his temple. My words went into his ears.
v7 So, the earth moved and shook. The foundations of the mountains shook. They moved because God was angry.
v8 Smoke rose from his nose. Burning fire came from his mouth. Burning coals shot out from him.
v9 God opened the heavens and came down. Dark clouds were under his feet.
v10 He sat on a cherub and he flew. God flew in the arms of the wind.
v11 God covered himself with darkness. He was in the dark waters and clouds in the skies.
v12 It was very bright where God was. Out of the clouds came hail and lightning.
v13 The LORD sent thunder from the heavens. People heard the voice of the Most High. There was hail and there was lightning.
v14 (The LORD) shot his arrows (of lightning). He made his enemies very frightened. He sent a lot of lightning and he beat his enemies.
v15 People saw how deep the sea was. They saw the foundations of the earth. This was because God blew on them through his nose.
v16 (The LORD) came down to me. He held me. He took me out from deep waters.
v17 He saved me from my powerful enemy. He saved me from people that hated me. They were too strong for me.
v18 It was a bad day for me when I met them. But the LORD gave me help.
v19 He led me out to a wide place. He saved me because he found pleasure in me.
v20 - v21 The LORD did this because: · I am righteous · my hands are clean · I obeyed the rules of the LORD · I did no evil · I did not turn away from God
v22 Really, all his rules are in front of me. I did not turn away from them
v23 I did nothing wrong before him. I did no sin.
v24 (The LORD) made me righteous. My hands are clean when he looks at me.
v25 To people that are kind, you (God) are kind. To people that do nothing wrong, you do nothing wrong.
v26 To people that are clean, you are clean. To people that turn away from you, you turn away from them.
v27 You will save humble people. You will not save people unless they are humble.
v28 LORD, you make my light burn brightly. My God is my light in the dark.
v29 Really, in you I run up to a troop (of soldiers). In my God I can jump over a wall.
v30 The way of God is perfect. The word of the LORD is true. He is a shield for everyone that hides in him.
v31 Because who is God? Only the LORD! Who is a rock? Only our God!
v32 It is in God that I am strong. He makes my way perfect.
v33 He makes my feet like the feet of a goat. I do not fall on the hills.
v34 He teaches my hands to fight. My arms can bend a metal bow.
v35 (God) you made me into a winner. You bent down (to earth). You made me great.
v36 You made me take long steps. My ankles did not turn.
v37 I ran after my enemies. I caught them. I did not turn back until I had killed them.
v38 I knocked them down. They did not get up again. They fell beneath my feet.
v39 You made me strong for fighting. You made my enemies bend in front of me.
v40 You gave their necks to me. I destroyed my enemies.
v41 They cried for help but nobody saved them. They cried to the LORD but he did not answer.
v42 I cut them into small pieces in the wind. I put them on the streets as sand.
v43 You saved me from the people that attacked me. You made me the leader of the nations. I even rule people that I do not know.
v44 When they hear about me they obey me. Foreign people are afraid of me.
v45 They will not fight me. They do not hide in their fortresses.
v46 The LORD is alive. Praise my Rock. Lift high the God that saves me.
v47 He is the God that fights for me. He makes the nations obey me.
v48 He saves me from my enemies. You lifted me above those enemies. You saved me from angry men.
v49 LORD, I will praise you in all the nations. I will praise your name with songs.
v50 (The LORD) will give his king great power. He will always show kindness to his Messiah, to David. He will show kindness to his children.

Psalm 122 ~ The house of the Lord

Garden of Gethsemane


Psalm 122
1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together.
4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."
8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you."

The Olive Tree ~ It is interesting that the trees are claimed to go back to the time of Jesus. They could be the same olive trees at the time of Christ, but are reported by Josephus that the Romans tore down every tree during the invasion of Jerusalem in 70 AD. There are trees today - for new shoots come forth from apparently dead roots - that are actual horticultural studies show to be 1800 years old.

Olive trees can be a wild thing without cultivation, but after long, patient culturing, it becomes productive. It continues to be productive, with age ( which is a gift of the Holy Spirit) .
Olive oil was the substance of light in Israel. Olive lamps, provided, even in a darkened room, light. Not only all this, but the balming influence, the soothing, salving influence of oil, was well known. The olives had to be crushed with huge stones to bring the oil out.

Jesus prayed in this garden. This garden is a symbol of the Light of the World, seeking the Father before bringing forgiveness from sins. When the forgiveness of God was given, the temple building wasn't as important as being a temple ourselves for the Holy Spirit. The olive trees in Gethesemane today are symbolic of the the joy, the oil of gladness and the olive branch.

Psalm 132

The Tomb of King David, also, centuries later, in the same site the upper room was The Last Supper of Jesus Christ & His Disciples

Psalm 132
1 Remember, O LORD, in David's favor, all the hardships he endured; 2 how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 3 "I will not enter my house or get into my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, 5 until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob." 6 Lo, we heard of it in Eph'rathah, we found it in the fields of Ja'ar. 7 "Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!" 8 Arise, O LORD, and go to thy resting place, thou and the ark of thy might. 9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy saints shout for joy. 10 For thy servant David's sake do not turn away the face of thy anointed one.
11 The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: "One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. 12 If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies which I shall teach them, their sons also for ever shall sit upon your throne." 13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation: 14 "This is my resting place for ever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 15 I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. 17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. 18 His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon himself his crown will shed its luster."

Psalm 128

Psalm 128 -

1 Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.
5 May the LORD bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem, 6 and may you live to see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 120

Psalm 120
A thanksgiving, reporting divine rescue .
1 I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.
2 Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.
3 What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue?
4 He will punish you with a warrior's sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.
7 I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 104

Psalm 104
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, thou art very great! Thou art clothed with honor and majesty, 2 who coverest thyself with light as with a garment, who hast stretched out the heavens like a tent, 3 who hast laid the beams of thy chambers on the waters, who makest the clouds thy chariot, who ridest on the wings of the wind, 4 who makest the winds thy messengers, fire and flame thy ministers. 5 Thou didst set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be shaken. 6 Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the sound of thy thunder they took to flight. 8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place which thou didst appoint for them. 9 Thou didst set a bound which they should not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
10 Thou makest springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, 11 they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild asses quench their thirst. 12 By them the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches. 13 From thy lofty abode thou waterest the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy work. 14 Thou dost cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth, 15 and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon which he planted. 17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. 18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the badgers.
19 Thou hast made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. 20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep forth. 21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. 22 When the sun rises, they get them away and lie down in their dens. 23 Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until the evening. 24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy creatures. 25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, which teems with things innumerable, living things both small and great. 26 There go the ships, and Leviathan which thou didst form to sport in it. 27 These all look to thee, to give them their food in due season. 28 When thou givest to them, they gather it up; when thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good things. 29 When thou hidest thy face, they are dismayed; when thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 When thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure for ever, may the LORD rejoice in his works, 32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! 33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. 34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. 35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!