Jeremiah 31 ~ a nation before Me forever

Jeremiah 31

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.

33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”


35 Thus says the Lord,
who gives the sun for light by day
and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the Lord of hosts is his name:

36 “If this fixed order departs
from before me, declares the Lord,
then shall the offspring of Israel cease
from being a nation before me forever.”

37 Thus says the Lord:
“If the heavens above can be measured,
and the foundations of the earth below can be explored,
then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel
for all that they have done,
declares the Lord.”


38 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.”





Father God makes changes. And He stays the same. When Jeremiah was giving us the real hope from the puppet state of Nebuchadnezzar II - where the false uncle king (Mattaniah) would not be a proper puppet - Jeremiah spoke of real hope from the prison pit of King David's Palace.


We are all pretty sure the world is in bad shape. The news indicates bad weather, bad politics, unrest, rising costs, social situations we thought to never dwell on. And some people say abandon Israel - too much of a religious mess - flee - focus on Syria, or Libya. No.


Balance. Jeremiah was seeking not just to sound ridiculous speaking of God's Salvation and Plan from the pit inside the late King David's palace. He was speaking to those who knew the nation of Judah was going down for the final fall after a  2nd and 3rd invasion of Babylon. They saw and new and were in fear and denial of real trouble. The people felt Jeremiah's timing was off. The Holy Spirit did not.

Today, people want to have a state without religion. Oppressive morality. All laws indicate morality! We have seen the pendulum swing wildly from the USA Congress hosting Presbyterian Churches on Sunday until the 1950s. We have seen Prohibition and the release in under a hundred years. We question if these are the end times.




Jefferson

And Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand fought those who wanted their Christian nations to end.

This was Not Mild Trouble to them. This was life ending and crushing. And Israel did not exist.


War. Not one Empire on earth was ever created without war. Now sometimes Empires merge, but usually there is horrible war.



Have we ever had a time where marriage fell to 50%. Yes. The 1500s A.D.

Have we ever had a time where Church was considered to be in a falling state like the Pew Report of 2% attrition. In Israel. In Judah of the Bible.   Josiah - the famous king of Judah - had an archeological discovery. An amazing discovery lost for generations = THE BIBLE. The Scriptures were FOUND. What? Scriptures were gone from Judah. From the Temple of God.

And The 1500s. Right after "The Renaissance" - The Latin withheld what? The Word of God was withheld. The clergy were 50% cohabiting or marrying illegally. (Doesn't that make you wonder what a Renaissance really is???)


Jeremiah 31 is alive. We have forgotten most people pray and instead we grab saying they don't pray well or don't hope or just judge the prayers. A mere ten years ago we were publishing that Christianity was 2/3 rd's of the World.

Jeremiah 31 says when Israel exists - the faithful should have awe. God is on the move. Jefferson - no Israel. Queen Isabelle - no Israel. Black Plagues - when the world didn't have enough workers to bring in and plant food - incredible death - No Israel. 70 million killed by Mongols - No Israel.

The early Church had no Israel and felt that 200 A.D with freak weather that was incredible - was the end of the planet.



We won't know. Jesus said would He find faith when He was to return. Revelations would say no.








Redbook 2016

What social occurrence could we point to and have hope? What leaf is on the fig tree? What is our sign? 56% of people sacrificially give up benefits to raise children. There are no firm statistics of how many women own their own business to be at home. 6% of Fathers stay home. 57% of fathers say being a father is a key point in the identity Most Fathers say they spend as much time with their kids as their own parents and want more time.







Why focus on parenting? God does. Yep. Our Father.



I read the worst actually, very, last century, famous evangelism recently... A man confronted his parish on being phony. He said that they contributed nothing to making the Church more loving. He said that isolation and meaningless life was all the fault of the congregation - doing nothing to prove to the world at large that the Church is loving.

A father does not evoke positive change in this manner:

"Kids, we want a family meeting. Your mom and I were looking over the condition of our world and we have decided this: Frank, Betty, Lugaid, Ragnarr, Alfonso, Ivayla and Spike. We are not happy with you kids. You aren't adding to us. Where is the benefit to us? You don't bring in more kids. In fact we have decided that you kids are really flawed. You - Frank - you don't love Ragnarr - you are out. Ivayla you failed to do all that we wanted of you. Out. If you all can't be more loving and kind and please us more - well it's the fryer."

This is about as loving as the practice of medieval times of swaddling a child to be hooked on the wall.

That looks - zero - of Jesus.

Can you think of one time Jesus said to his disciples that they were the rise and fall of God's Plans. No.

Jesus said to people about His death, "Days will come, when you hunger to see what miracles have been done here."

We don't love Jesus because we are told - "...you stink."

Jesus is right again. We love Jesus because we have the New Covenant. We know exactly who Jesus really is. Jesus is the One we hunger and thirst for - wanting to see His glory. Even a glimpse of His Glory.

We want to say to Jesus - wait - "I want to be one of the few people who thank You - Again." I saw what Jesus did for someone I know. I saw miracles and answered prayers happen. We want the Light of Christ Jesus to shine brighter and brighter.

If you gather the faithful in a room and say, "Tell me about Jesus, you love." You are going to find hearts are warmed. You will see Jesus is Loved. Loves in return. We want more of the real Son of God, Jesus. The people who Love Jesus have a story to tell. Their own story. Stories of what can only be called a miracle. Telling us - Yes Jesus Answers Prayers. Jesus is Alive. He Lives. You will hear of Jesus saying "NO" and finding out that answer was the best answer ever.

Now ask the faithful who they have dearly loved and wonder and have concern for their dearly loved one - "Do you Love Jesus?" And consider - even the people we mildly know - who we have seen the seed parable actually happen. Good life crowds out ol' Church. Thorns rush in - covering up hope and faith. Nicks and dust cover up good intentions.

We have to love Jesus and understand the destination. We have to be warmed by Jesus to want to tell the ones we Love. We have to really contemplate what the destination is for...chilly.

How will you tell about Jesus? You tell about the One you Love - Who is Good. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. You tell your personal encounter with Jesus. Because your Love should not be ridiculed.

Ridicule. Israel? There were times in history people did not believe Israel existed more than Camelot. Before the amazing unearthing of continual artifacts from the Bible - my generation was told Pontius Pilate was a myth. That the Hittite Empire never existed - fantasy. One by one by one - God's Word proves again and again - Truth.

Ridicule. And surely this will sometimes happens just as spouses hear their spouse decried. And parents are told their children are forlorn. But when Real Love is here - Jesus is going to shine brighter and brighter and brighter.



The only requirement Father God has for us is faith. And if we have this faith, surely our words can keep trying to release Love.

Father God,

You've given us Acts 7, we take our shoes off, lift our feet off the ground to speak with You, the Almighty. We receive living Word passed to us.

We want to abide in You and see Your glory. Obeying Your Word. Remembering the sacrifice You want is Thanksgiving. Being like Joshua, balancing Your goodness and Love to flow out as refreshing Living Water.

Lord Jesus receive the Spirit of this Prayer to fill up our lives, hearts, and homes with Your Love. Fill those we Love. Fill our communities, Churches, cities, Nation, those who Call to You in Love.

We look for Your Glory. More Heaven on earth. In Jesus, we know Your Will is Good. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

John 1:12 ~ children of God

John 1:12
To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God


John 10:10
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.


One of the most Christian families I know raised three girls to love Jesus. How? The second daughter asked her mom, at age 5, in front of another mom, "Why is that man on a letter + ?" Abundant life happened from a very amazing and embarrassing moment.

Remember the Exodus. God was providing a way forward. The LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind. Any wind that directed could have picked them up and delivered them to their destination.

So what is Jesus, who could have lived in palaces telling us about Abundant Life?

Cherish where He places you. Love God. Trust God. Do His calling. His Will is a hope and a future. Trust God for the abrupt changes. Let the process be given time.

I went to my Bible Study last night and we discussed how to love each other. And taking care of a lot of ill and ailing relatives. This is a calling. Creating a Hope and a Future. The hope of interesting young adults in Jesus as life journey begins. God says if we truly abide in His Will, His Word, ask Him to move mountains.


The most impressive messages of changes lives comes from living life as it is - with new perspective. Changed hearts. Allowing for the fact that some hearts will not change and still having joy and hope.

My Grandmother Anita did huge outreach and education in her Church. Her life was quiet and got quieter as she aged. Her vim did not dim. And she was poor - leading one family member to say she was unblessed. However Grandmother knew to her bones she was blessed. And grateful and happy.


Look at Corrie Ten Boom. She was not going to convert the Nazi's to Jesus. And still - she endured with perseverance and courage until life met her with no family and only a clock shop. Corrie Ten Boom taught the world what Abundant Life is.

Ray Stedman put these two stories together:

Many of you remember from World War II the story of Jacob De Shazer, one of the members of Colossians. Doolittle's crew who bombed Tokyo early in World War II. He was captured by the Japanese and put in prison. He hated his Japanese captors and was so violent and vicious that his captors feared him because he himself feared nothing they did to him. They kept him in solitary confinement because of the hatred with which he lashed out against them. But in a remarkable way he obtained a copy of the Bible, and began to read it through. Reading through that book, in the loneliness of his cell, he came to realize the life that is in Jesus Christ. There came an amazing change over this man. His hatred of the Japanese changed completely. He began to love his captors and to show love toward them, and they were utterly astonished by what had happened to him. Instead of burning with wrath, resentment, and viciousness against them, he became the most docile of prisoners, eagerly cooperating with his captors, and praying for them.

Eventually, the story of his change of heart was written up in a little tract, and, after the war, it fell into the hands of a young Japanese, Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, the man who led the air raid against Pearl Harbor, and who gave the command to drop the bombs on that fateful day of December 7. Mitsuo Fuchida was a hero in Japan after the war because of that exploit and others, but his own heart was empty. Somehow he read the tract that told the story of De Shazer's amazing change of heart. He was arrested by the story and puzzled by it. From somewhere he obtained a New Testament and began to read it with growing interest and amazement. At last he came to the story of the crucifixion. When he read the Lord's words from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34), his heart broke. He realized that this One who could love his enemies and pray for those who persecuted him and despitefully used him, was manifesting a quality of life that no natural human being could possibly show. Mitsuo Fuchida became a Christian. Some of you may remember that he gave his testimony in the early days of Peninsula Bible Church, while we still met at the Community Center. Now he is an evangelist going up and down Japan telling forth the story of a love that can change human hearts.

Both of these stories are of Jesus. Corrie came home and thrived with a bankrupt start. And the prisoner changed his prison. So much so a hater was filled with love. And evangelized the Nation.


Sometimes life does not offer spectacular change for internal change. People grouse and fuss. Because life offers us a storm that it offered - the day before. And we offer to be a harbor. Where safety dwells. A much desired harbor of comfort. Giving security giving security. Whatever the journey brings, Love is dwelling and will be here tomorrow. Where the hearth brings comfort not just in giving, but being given grace to as well. The steady durability of the Light, brings the best knowledge our life matters to those we love. How fortunate to give this harbor. How Good of Father God to help us to be light bringers to the people we love. Giving us the steady glow of His Love Earnest, Dependable, Enduring within us.


We give what God has given us.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.










John is the disciple who called upon Jesus to call fire down. And later understood the heart of Father God who gave up his Son. Unbelievable. Undeniable.

1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.


The face on Rembrandt's painting. The Father. The Father is the Son.

God could have given Jesus anything.



Father God allowed Jesus to face the most harsh circumstance in life. To know there is Hope still. And as all these people faced a wall - something changed.

Light was found for all of these people - in the dark.





All of these people encountered the (Thee) unimaginable.




And found this in Jesus Christ.


John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.


And where did God, Father God, place this light found in the concentration camp, in the Japanese solitary, and in the defeated warrior?


John 1:4
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

Within.

Corinthians 4:18
We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Within!!!


John 1:9
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.


How will we sustain our Life and Light?

John 17:3
 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.



Ok, we have said before that Jesus is the Light within mankind. Salvation is a gift. We reflect in our lives. We know what we know what we know what God does for us.


But look at the examples of Abundant Life. That would seem to be, work with what you have, to the best of pleasing God, Reach out.



Our Father, You have given us Your Word in Acts 1:

May our words pray with Jesus and come home to our own hearts with great power.

Help us to take honest, genuine assessment and ask for Your Grace and Forgiveness of our flaws and sin, calling on the Name of Jesus Christ. Let's invite the Holy Spirit again with all love and sincerity. When we abide in His Words, we are going to live, move and have our being knowing His Promises are not just for us, our children, but for all who are far off. A generation unborn. The far side of the earth, for all whom the Lord our Father God will call.

May we realize ~ we are to be salt. Light. Grant us wisdom as a fire within us - to reply as Jesus did, to the need the Holy Spirit perceives. to us that we may let that life show. Let us respond to the feelings You well up within us from Your Holy Spirit, to the impulses to be kind, to be courteous. To be in bold reproof bringing us to Jesus. Make us able to educate. Make us quick, Lord, to respond to these. We ask in the Highest name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who loved us with that kind of love, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Hosea 14 ~ Take with you Words and return to the Lord

Hosea 14

1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.


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


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

4 I will heal their apostasy;
I will love them freely,
for my anger has turned from them.

 
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
he shall blossom like the lily;
he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;

 
6 his shoots shall spread out;
his beauty shall be like the olive,
and his fragrance like Lebanon.

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

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

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

Recently I took with me the Words of the Lord.

This is a Lamp to my feet and lights my Way.

I read in Luke 2 ~ "My eyes have seen salvation"
and in Psalm 91 ~ "my eyes have seen the wicked fall"
and in Acts 2 ~ "The Lord is always before me"

And truly, the fruit has been, to reconsider my thoughts and I have found supreme comfort.
The Comfort of the Holy Spirit, these three Chapters gave me assurance.

Father God,

We give thanks for Your Word. Where many signs and wonders are regularly done among the people by the hands of the believers.

The Togetherness of the generations of families alive in Christ Jesus.

The people hold each other in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

In the sight of Jesus the Lord, Abba, in His Holy Spirit, those even carried out as the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as even the Name of Jesus, His Power and His Love might fall on them.

The people also gathered from the Nations around Jerusalem, they were the sick and those afflicted and they were all healed.

We pray for more Heaven on earth. We look at Today with Jesus. All things are Possible in Jesus. We thank you for the Lion and the Lamb. We Thank You that You are our Father. For all the days we will Sing Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. Today.

We lift up our cares, our loved ones. The Joy of God. His Unfailing Love and Promises. His Blessing upon us as we pray. For our communities, Churches, States, Nation, and for all who call Upon Jesus. For the rescue of Christians from being burned alive. We thank You for Your Help and answered prayer. Glory to God who gives Life. Words of Life. Thank You, Thank You Holy, Holy, Holy Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Leviticus 26 ~ and I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people

Leviticus 26

“You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God. 2 You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.

3 “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, 4 then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 


5 Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. 6 I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. 7 You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8 Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. 

9 I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. 10 You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. 11 I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. 

12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. 13 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

14 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, 15 if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. 18 And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, 19 and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.

21 “Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins. 22 And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted.

23 “And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me, 24 then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins. 25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant. And if you gather within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. 26 When I break your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in a single oven and shall dole out your bread again by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied.

27 “But if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me, 28 then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins. 29 You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. 30 And I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols, and my soul will abhor you. 31 And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas. 32 And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. 33 And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.

34 “Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies' land; then the land shall rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths. 35 As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, the rest that it did not have on your Sabbaths when you were dwelling in it. 36 And as for those of you who are left, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall when none pursues. 37 They shall stumble over one another, as if to escape a sword, though none pursues. And you shall have no power to stand before your enemies. 38 And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 39 And those of you who are left shall rot away in your enemies' lands because of their iniquity, and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall rot away like them.

40 “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me, 41 so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. 43 But the land shall be abandoned by them and enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them, and they shall make amends for their iniquity, because they spurned my rules and their soul abhorred my statutes. 44 Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God. 45 But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.”

46 These are the statutes and rules and laws that the Lord made between himself and the people of Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai.





oh... no... not Leviticus.


Yes, Leviticus. When John saw Heaven and wrote The Book of Revelation - this is yesterday, today and tomorrow. "I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people"


And how will we treat this chapter honestly?


Habakkuk 3

16 I heard and my inward parts trembled, At the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, And in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will invade us. 

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.




The truth is this. Jesus was named after a man the world passes by. Joshua. Yeshua is honoring Joshua. Who waited 40 years knowing that his voice was unheeded to "Trust in the Lord" when Moses had the Philistines spied upon.


We can take all things to harm one another. But we have to twist the Goodness, the Mercy, the Love, Joy and make things harsh. We have to form tools from the Mercy of God and make something what it was not intended to be.

Which is exactly why the chapter starts out talking about idols. We have to get to the bones of why we do what we do. For the glory of God. For Love.

Why do we do the things we do? Usually for our comfort. Or power. Or envy. Or money.

We can say that the Lord bores us and not to read Leviticus.

1. Yet the Book of Job reports Leviticus to be true. Job kept holding up his own righteousness. The Bible tells us not to weary of doing good. But we all get weary. We have to renew in Jesus especially when the circumstances will wear you to a nub.

This is why we thank God and thank God and thank God for the opportunity to land on this side of the Resurrection of Jesus. We are the Easter People and we will get through Good Friday of Life. By remembering to thank GOD for the trials and the fleas and see the upside of all the tribulation life holds for us all.

2. Jesus and His Travels to Tyre and Sidon to probably see the Syrophoenician woman have humility. Humility. We need God, it's not that He needs us. We can all reach a time where we just don't have it in us to go on with cheer or even hope. And Jesus says, "Right, I know you are not that righteous. Yet like Aaron, I love you more than your downside, come to me - you who are weary, I will refresh you. " Eyes on Jesus - we will have the Holy Spirit and His comfort that there is hope.

3. David and Solomon agree - God gives both blessing and woe. Remember to look to Him.

4. Jesus tells the people not to judge the man born blind. And not to judge those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them-- do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

When I went to Texas A&M University, and as you took the required Kinesiology, the first week you jogged or you did tennis or riflery as a test for your 12 weeks to see improvement. Even the Aggies knew you did not put forth your best effort until the final exam.

Doesn't this apply to our efforts for Jesus?

If we look like we line up our ducks in a row for the camera - we surely 'look' ducky.

The point is - did Father God give us 5 talents and we say we have 1 talent? This passage always concernsd me. What we do with just the gift of one day. But really we have to hand this to the Lord and ask Him to be with us - even as we pray. We need Jesus. We have to hold on to His Promises.

We are supposed to confess our sins, but surely we know where we really are supposed to go. This isn't for others to boo and hiss - this is for the quiet understanding in our hearts to Jesus. What we do to the least of our brothers - we do to Jesus.

If we were to judge Habakkuk - this would give us some good conversation. But would we have used our talents Jesus wants? Jesus would be pleased with Habakkuk's soul.

And surely, we know all those who need our honesty and our compassion - because - we don't want them to fall - the fall is forever. We want them to be lifted to Jesus and His Love and Joy. The point of Christianity is to pray for those we wonder about - with Love.  Now the very soul and truth is this - Salvation is purely a work of the Lord. But do you really believe we should forget to pray for those who need His Love. If for nothing else, that our hearts do not grow cold as we act as God to people we love. Sometimes, I feel my prayer life being obligiatory. But let me tell you - meet one of those days where you feel bone weary for God - and He rushes in to help - and suddenly - your prayer life will renew for the very joy that God will rush in. 

This God of ours is is is is is is is Living Water. Come Holy Spirit. We need you. 

Leviticus 26. Maybe the point is. Oh No. Leviticus. Says something.
 
It's disliked - Our Supreme God is involved in Blessing and Woe. YET - We seem to have a lot of cultural woe. Let's work past the woe to remember The Acts of the Apostles worked past 'WHOA" to be the blessing.

If the culture wants you to hush - speak up - give LOVE. 

Remembering God works past our own whoa's. With His Grace and Love. 

Father God,

Help us to be open hearted to all of Your Word and Circumstance. To have our hearts and sights set on adventure and flexibility. Forgiving of each other, our circumstances - to allow us to grow.

Help us to let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from us, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, rejoicing in our salvation for God in Christ forgave me.

Help us to find honesty not to excuse ourselves from being tender-hearted, but to bring forth truth to make the path straight. To Jesus.

Help us keep going forth - to be Love. Strengthen us - to meet the challenges. Help us when we do need to duck. Favor us with your Graciousness, when we need to say "I can't, I just can't". Help our Yes to be Yes of You. And not the desire to be super ego I will. Give us, please, more opportunities to be Yes and not the go into "No" as an unwise person.

Bless us with Your Favor, please God.

Jesus is You, Father. Perfection. What Jesus does for us in fulfilling the Law.

Day after day we use our God given talents to stand to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices. Reminding each other what Jesus does - who takes away sins.

When we see Leviticus for so much education and trouble and mess - rejoice and remember many parts of life seem to have troubles and discord. And be glad in what Jesus takes from us. Wow Leviticus lists and lists what God has taken from us. Alleluia.


Let's remember 1 John 3, See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Let's not let dislike push us apart. For easy comfort. Remembering to love.

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Let us be covered in the Name of Jesus and be brave to embrace, Yes, for Jesus.  To call upon Jesus to be forgiven for our weaknesses, flaws and sins. Going forth with God - forgiven.

Being wise to not embrace what is displeasing to God. Avoid what is foolish controversy - God says not to name what is harmful. Let us not gossip. Let what is important be spoken and what is able to wash away.

Let us do the good works God has put for us to walk in, letting God straighten paths.

Father God,  we want to walk with You. We lift our concerns to You.  Help the care givers provide care, renew and open our eyes to what we need to do.  We need Your Help Father God. Our loved ones covered with Jesus. The comfort of the Holy Spirit. We cover in Jesus' name communities, Churches and Jesus honoring people. Lifting up the Nation to be covered in Jesus. Rejoicing in salvation for ourselves and all of His around the world.

Thank God for His ever present Hope of His Love. He is walking with us and we are His People. Blessed Jesus Thank God for give us this Day. Alleluia in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †