2 Samuel 1:1-16 ~ And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’"

David's Followers Including the Women, Ziklag, painted by James Tissot

2 Samuel 1:24,25
24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!

2 Samuel 1:1-16

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord's anointed.’”

Amalekite -
A member of an ancient nomadic people of Canaan; said in the Bible to be descendants of Esau's grandson Amalek. God defeated seven tribes of Canaan to give the Children of Israel the promised land after the Exodus.

In Ziklag, which looks about the way it sounds, something of a ditch, where David did dwell. David had to ask news of a Canaanite about King Saul. The Lord had removed David far from Saul, fighting a different battle all together.

You would think David would have arranged constant news of Saul, instead David hears from Saul's enemy, of Saul's, and Jonathan's, upcoming battle with the Philistines.

You have to love the sweeping victories of the Bible, like the Technicolor endings of the Exodus provided by Cecil B. DeMill. This is like the Exodus, there is no clear win when the win is expected. David is now in possession of Saul's crown and armlet, but the next step of this battle is:

2 Samuel 2
4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, 9 and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.


2 Samuel 3
There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.


2 Samuel 5
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

This isn't a made for Hollywood ending, and the battle of the politicians and army leaders sounded more like mafia than Scripture, but the good thing about Scripture - this is a study of life - the way life unfolds.


Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Let's put out our hands each day to Jesus Christ the Lord and become the anointed of the Lord.

Isaiah 1:17
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause.

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Matthew 20:20-28 ~ the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve

Jeremy Camp - Shine - Lyrics - Reckless Album 2013

Matthew 20:20-28

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.

21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Subtitles call this: A Mother's Request

This would be what Pastor's call - a day of challenge. Even Texas High School Football Coaches hate when moms do this. Texas High School Principals call meetings about this, before school starts. That's a joke son, a joke.

Who else had days like this? Jesus. His mom called Him home early when He was twelve. His mom called Him home, when He was controversial. Jesus, being God, had to put Himself in the center - when His own mom was blessed. Telling us today, Jesus is the center. Focus on HIM.

Luke 11:27-30
As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

Jesus is the Word of God.

Controversy. Jesus was in the center of controversy in His Life. And invoke His name in unexpected places today, you get controversy. God is not in favor of controversy. He is a God of order.

1 Corinthians 14:33
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

Let us stir one another up to good works.

When we tell a controversial story, we hope a seed is planted. Raising us up to do His work. This is a true story. One I have known for decades. Explaining why we see denominational flight.

A small boy was being raised by good people. One day the four year old boy saw people attending Church, he asked him mom to take him, she explained they went on major holidays, but they'd get around to going - God is what they worshiped and Jesus, His Son. The boy asked why they didn't go all the time. The boy's mother said well, they just didn't. All the time. His father came home and the boy asked again, the father's reply was much the same. The boy wept at the dinner table. His parents took him that Sunday and he pulled them to the front pew. He was fully engaged and quite thrilled. His parents were rather stunned. And Sundays became a Day of Worship for the entire family, for the rest of their lives. And they sat on the front pew. The minister was pleased and from time to time referred to the family.

The boy played football and went on to college. He graduated and was really enraged to find he could be drafted into the Vietnam War. He was prime to go. And he had never been more angry in his life, the American Way could be the death of him. He suddenly understood the Civil Rights Movement. And saw what the Church needed to do. He enrolled quickly, with like minded men, into seminary. The place ministers refer to as cemetery.

Just as Jesus combined service to power and complications of this nature - Jesus tells us about faith and works.

James 2
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

These men were going to help the country because the country would not help itself. Works was the cry. Faith was not required, it was damaging the 'Movement.' Ease your way into faith.

No one was going to believe a Virgin could conceive a child. Obviously, if you read the Greek, the Aramaic, the Hebrew, the KJV  - God did not intend us to believe a fairy tale. This was about works creating a path Jesus meant to plow. Don't look back, don't take your hand from the plow, open your mind to the new and groovy ways to connect to the ONE. Jesus didn't feed the 5,000, HE encouraged them to put their pocket food into baskets. Never mind it was only loaves and fish, not figs, nuts, grapes, melons, tomatoes, lamb, chicken, or lentils. God didn't part the Red Sea, HE made a drought. And Pharaoh and the chariots arrived in the rainy season. And as we went further down this path, open your mind - om - om - om. Jesus as God's Son was never required to Die. No one requires their Son to die. And besides that this is the HOLY GHOST - no permanent solid body saying He lives and we have new bodies joining HIM in a new Heaven and new Earth. Jesus never said HE was the way, the only way to the Father.

This is a dangerous path.
People leave. And slowly people leading the Church learn, God's Words create a burning in the heart - the disciples felt as they recognized HIM.

Yes, this is a controversial story. The point being, we serve to glorify HIM. And test our own soul, to know if we are putting HIM in the center.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. 

Why are the denominational changes occurring?

Romans 15:4
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Hebrews 1:11
They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.

John 20:29
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

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Leviticus 25:1-17 ~ For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field.

Leviticus 25:1-17

The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, 4 but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5 You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. 6 The Sabbath of the land  ^{[Sabbath produce of the land]} shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you, 7 and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food.

The Year of Jubilee

8 “You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years. 9 Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. 10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan. 11 That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. 12 For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field.

13 “In this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his property. 14 And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. 15 You shall pay your neighbor according to the number of years after the jubilee, and he shall sell to you according to the number of years for crops. 16 If the years are many, you shall increase the price, and if the years are few, you shall reduce the price, for it is the number of the crops that he is selling to you. 17 You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God.


Maeve Binchy Snell was an Irish novelist, known for her take on human nature and life in Ireland. Her descriptive characters, interest in human nature, and her clever endings caused her books to out sell Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and W. B. Yeats.

One of her stories was a far flung family who had once owned a grand home with a rare and unique set of sixteen matching dining room chairs. The relative who appreciates the chairs calls together the family after many years and would like to reunite the family and pay market prices for the chairs. The relative collects all sixteen of the chairs spit to the family, chair by chair. Some are delighted to see the long lost family, some are grateful for the boon of knowing a good price without the guilt of selling a family heirloom. The relative makes a great pitch for future reunions, but the cynical relative seeing the market value of the complete set is correct. No reunions follow.

Jubilee is quite different and is a unique call of the LORD. The rapture declares dust recollects and bodies reform, rise up, proclaiming His Glory as faith departs the earth. Another attempt of God to call to souls, for the faith as He longs to hold the people of His creation, those dear to Him.

Jubilee has a lot of this romance and the love story. The country of Israel was a gift to the sons of Jacob. Children are often apt to wander off, marry, find new careers. Jubilee calls people back to their land - its theirs. Jubilee is also unique because of the Kosher Laws. Uniquely in Israel, we see longevity, we see King David living well into or past his fifties. This is something people will explain to the their children is a once in a life time event. Not just an opportunity for economics, although this makes economics rather a challenge, this is a calling home. An event to celebrate God has provided for His people. A time to reconnect. Eat the produce of the field. It's Jubilee. 

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Acts 16:1-21 ~ the believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy

Acts 16:1-21 (Today's New International Version)

1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11 From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."

Two separate spirits are spoken of in Acts 16. The Spirit of Jesus didn't let Paul and his companions enter Bythnia, where they were headed, where they were trying to go with the best intensions. The Spirit of Jesus didn't let them go forward to preach the Good News. Then Paul stopped another spirit proclaiming Paul and the others as bringing the way to salvation from the Most High God. It seems to contradict, doesn't it? The Spirit of Jesus stopped them from spreading the Good News in Bythnia and then they stopped a spirit proclaiming in Macedonia.

Father God's wisdom is greater than our own. Jesus knew they were needed in Macedonia and He redirected them. Paul became annoyed by the constant shouting, the repeating banter of the spirit. It wasn't helpful, just causing chaos instead of order.

That's opposite from what Paul learned about Timothy from the believers, Paul didn't hear proclamation's repeated over and over, he learned more about Timothy.

Galatians 5:19-25

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

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1 Samuel 1:9-20 ~ all the days of his life

Shiloh was the center of worship, before the Temple was built by Solomon. The Iron Age Archaeological digs of Shiloh remains yielded a pillared two storey public building near the top of the tel. Collared rim storage jars found in these buildings, pointing to usage as part of worship complex. More than 20 silos were uncovered from this era, included one with carbonized wheat. The destruction layer evident throughout the tel may have occurred in the wake of the Philistine victory at Eben-Ezer. One of the more intriguing finds was that of a heap of pottery outside the city wall. This pile of pottery was the remnant of a number of animal sacrifices, which were tossed over the wall after completion of the ritual and then buried. This find points to a sacral status of Shiloh during the Canaanite period, and by the Israelites. The top of the tel, where Finkelstein supposes that the tabernacle would have been placed, is now just exposed bedrock.

The current synagogue is a copy of the Original Tabernacle.

1 Samuel 1:9-20

9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”

Hannah and the Lord God are on the same path. They both want Hannah to have a child and for that child to live to the glory of God. It was a good, a very sweet time for Father God to richly reward Hannah for her faith. We all have something in our lives that we are equally grateful for.

We praise you, Lord God Almighty! You have upheld us. And You overcome. In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

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Matthew 12:14-21 ~ But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, how to destroy Him.

Matthew 12:14-21

But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”


Jesus created controversy.

People came to the core of their souls, their true desires and found a knot, a clash, a joy, a resounding hope, a fear of loss of power. He, as the Word of God made flesh, was alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, Jesus penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; He could judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

What did the prophets have in common? They hoped in HIM. Jesus is our hero. He healed all who followed Him. Justice, Peace, Gentleness, Quenching the weary, Bearing their burdens.

Isaiah 35
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.

3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
4 say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come

Hosea 6
“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us,
that we may live in his presence.


2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.


1 Corinthians 1:18
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

John 14:6

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

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Isaiah 36:4-21 ~ Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you.

God's plan sweeps through time. See Israel thrive during the time they listened to God.


Isaiah 36:4-21

4 And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours? 5 Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me? 6 Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

7 But if you say to me, “We trust in the Lord our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”? 8 Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 9 How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 10 Moreover, is it without the Lord that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it.’”

11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 12 But the Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?”

13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. 15 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me[b] and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern, 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”

21 But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, “Do not answer him.”


There is a famous quote in the Bible about the Father of Lies ~

Jude 1:9
But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses' body.)

I got roped into a Ghost Tour of Charleston. Without much enthusiasm, I trailed our group and just as we started out, a group of local Churchmen were placing a well printed sign,  "May We Pray With You?" The invitation was appealing!!!  I was starting to have to put effort into keeping up and so I just gave them a broad smile and put my thumb up in the air. Christian Encouragement is a lovely thing and they waved and thumbed back. Okay!!! Prayed for.

So. It became night and got dark. We stood beside a Round Christian Church and the guide told us this was the most haunted site in Charleston. Because the round Christian Church was round, so the devil couldn't hide in the corners.

How much hooey tour I had been given, according to the internet - Quite a lot. People can take a round Church and make a square peg.



“We trust in the Lord our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed

Hezekiah  is amazing, saving the Temple from becoming a heap of gold offered to the Assyrians. Keeping precious what is Holy. 

Solomon, our King noted for wisdom, heard right away from Father God and then began to go his own way, going to these high places - trying to get the LORD's attention as Solomon lived Solomon's own path.

The High Places - in Assyria, in Hebrew - bamof - are always places of worship. It has been surmised and so called because the places of worship were originally upon hilltops. Unfortunately, 
without the Holy Spirit, 
these high places lead to worship of sacred prostitution and of prosperity worship leading to child sacrifice and infant sacrifice. See the first chapter Paul wrote to the Romans.

Yet the LORD GOD, the ALMIGHTY had this to say about His own Temple.

Isaiah 66 

Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
and what is the place of my rest?
2 All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word."

Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork


And that same day, The LORD spoke again about His Temple.

Jesus had something to say about High Places - He traveled far and was tired. The Son of GOD went up to the mountainous region in the Southern Levant,  called Samaria."Continuing that thought, Jesus was to give "the bottom line" to a Samaritan, a mere woman.

John 4:7-26

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.[b] The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.


Jesus continued to celebrate High Places.

Matthew 17
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”


Should we? Oh... yes!

1 Corinthians 22:22-23
I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Proclaim HIM with your mouth, Live HIM in your heart. Find Him by seeking Him diligently.

Matthew 17
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jesus, You go in all places where the soul is willing to find you. To You the dark, is not dark at all. Be with us, Father GOD, forever.  In the name of Jesus Christ the LORD; Please let the Holy Spirit dwell within me, let me move and dwell and have my being with You. We are Your's, Father GOD. You bought us with a price. Help us to glorify God in our bodies. May the Words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be always acceptable to you my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen!

Don't forget our worship - learning and worshiping and praying together !!!

Mark 10:32
They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe

Acts 1

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.


The family of GOD, adopted, invited, loved, cherished, pull together and - worship HIM, together, giving HIM their love.



“The Lord will deliver us.”

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Psalm 19 ~ One day tells a story to the next

Psalm 19 ~ God's Word Translation

For the choir director; a psalm by David.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky displays what his hands have made.
2 One day tells a story to the next.
One night shares knowledge with the next
3 without talking,
without words,
without their voices being heard.
4 Yet, their sound has gone out into the entire world,
their message to the ends of the earth.
He has set up a tent in the heavens for the sun,
5 which comes out of its chamber like a bridegroom.
Like a champion, it is eager to run its course.
6 It rises from one end of the heavens.
It circles around to the other.
Nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The teachings of the Lord are perfect.
They renew the soul.
The testimony of the Lord is dependable.
It makes gullible people wise.
8 The instructions of the Lord are correct.
They make the heart rejoice.
The command of the Lord is radiant.
It makes the eyes shine.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure.
It endures forever.
The decisions of the Lord are true.
They are completely fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey, even the drippings from a honeycomb.
11 As your servant I am warned by them.
There is a great reward in following them.

12 Who can notice every mistake?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep me from sinning.
Do not let anyone gain control over me.
Then I will be blameless,
and I will be free from any great offense.

14 May the words from my mouth and the thoughts from my heart
be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my defender.

One day tells a story to the next.

Proverbs 24:27
Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

Today, was a great day of Disc Golf!! Observing grown men salute nine year old Connell Stillwagon as he play with - shine!  Genuine talent, fostered carefully, by coaching from his dad, Matt Stillwagon. Connell is the World Champion Disc Golfer of the Junior Division, 10 years and younger. Not United States Champion, mind you. The World Champion Disc Golfer Amateur (the Professional category is not available in this age range) for a nine year old. We will notice with Connell, he is playing in a division allowing ten year olds! And, further mind you, Connell did something heretofar unheard of - he hit an Ace drive - a one stroke win  - - - on a Championship Course !!!!

I watched him casually flick an impossible shot today and smile with genuine satisfaction as eight grown men applauded, whooped and hollered. This boy plays DG, Disc Golf, daily with the grown men. Many who play daily - and he - holds his own.

With only a twinkle and a genuine smile. Awwwww.

This year the Stillwagons hosted both a Disc Gold Boy Scout Camp and helped with Stonebridge's Vacation Bible School. This is building a house.

One day tells a story to the next.
One night shares knowledge with the next
without talking,
without words,
without their voices being heard.
Yet, their sound has gone out into the entire world,
their message to the ends of the earth.

This man is teaching his son more than video games. More than an evening of television. With determination, Matt is teaching his son, not just a sport, but using his time, talent and effort to build Connell into a talented man - each day with purpose. Matt is not a soccer mom, but reasonable and witty using words to fence and entertain. He said today, his mom told him if he wanted a good woman, he'd have to have good looks or wit. So Matt has been sharpening his wit for many a year, holding on to RaeAnn - they celebrated their 13th anniversary.

1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

Conall Stillwagon - Juniors 10 and under.

Matt Stillwagon
July 9
105 degrees at the Country club at our 1:30 tee time. Add the infamous 20 mph winds, on a card of 5 players, and you have a 5 hour round!!!!!!
At the end of day 1, Conall Stillwagon leads by 4!
8 am tomorrow we'll be back at Country Club to do it again

Proverbs 31:26
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Rae-Ann Stillwagon
July 11 near The Woodlands
Before I go to bed I must say how unbelievably proud of my son I am. He has been playing at the PDGA Worlds Disc Gold Tournament in Emporia, Kansas. He playing in heat as hot as Hades with the sun beating down in him and he's keeping his cool :0) he only lost two strokes today on his 13 stroke lead from yesterday. He has 27 holes left to play (18 tomorrow and 9 on Saturday) Matt, correct me if I'm wrong. He still has the lead by 11 and I am literally sitting on the edge of my chair waiting for a recap of every round. Please wish him luck here or on Matt's page because he can always use people cheering for him. I know I sure am :0) C-Dawg, this is your year!!

Rae-Ann Stillwagon
July 11 near The Woodlands
Sorry dad! I have a baby asleep on my lap so I couldn't answer your call. I DO know how the boy did on his first round. He lost one stroke and is still in the lead by 12!! He has unfortunately taken it hard but he'll bounce back! He needs all the encouragement he can get. I told Matt to show him our Facebook pages to see all of the people wishing him luck and cheering him on. I know that'll make his day :0) Dee Dee and Papa have already landed but are on their way. I bet that'll brighten his day too. —

Matt Stillwagon
July 14
Wow! We drove through the night so we could share the hardware w the North Side Chain Gang. To our surprise, after the mini, Conall came back to a hero's welcome

CONALL STILLWAGON!!! 
CONALL STILLWAGON!!!  CONALL STILLWAGON!!! 

Proverbs 11:17
A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.

Galatians 6:10
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

2 Thessalonians 3:13
As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

Kindness and encouragement are tools that pay off for generations. We are the-elbows-out- generation. But I want to share another story about goodness and the payoff.

We don't personally know Bill Engvall, the comedian, but his kindness and his fraternity room - benefited my eldest son Cal - in a way that creates a grateful heart for me today.

Cal was traveling home, as college students do, at 2:00 in the morning, and he reached a stretch of highway outside of Austin, Texas that was brand new, multi-lanes and suddenly Cal noticed the street lights just ended, plunging the road into complete darkness. He Really did Notice, because his car went from no problems, to completely dead with the steering wheel locking up totally.

He was rather panicked, as even a completely adult person would be. We agreed to drive to meet him, but he did tell us he was rather afraid. We told him it would be about two hours before we could get there, but we were leaving immediately. Cal seemed to get younger and rather make a whimper noise at that. He decided he would call a fraternity alumni to see if Jerry, the alumni, would help. Jerry is a policeman and enjoys walking in on his own fraternity, years past, in uniform, with a smile. It causes them.... to sit up straighter. And I have to smile, and admit, cleans them up to a good degree.

Jerry got out of his bed, drove to Cal stranded on the highway and decided to help him locate the right place to have the car towed to, calmly, I might add. And wait with Cal, for the right tow truck (for a long time!), signing for night time delivery at the dealership, taking him back to the fraternity house and arriving only about a half hour ahead of us.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Jerry, as a police man, is fully aware, you take your life in your hands resting on the side of major highway/freeway.

So - how does Bill Engval come into the picture? You may well ask. Well, Bill's class of fraternity boys were hanging out on the porch about,  let's be kind, and say a few decades back. And the high school bus was in view every afternoon. Finally, a geek arrived and said to the cool, ultra cool, fraternity "Men"..."You all look cool." The High School geek was assured, they were cool, indeed. He said he was not cool, new to the city, friendless, with a divorced, dumped mom, and no one was having anything to do with Jerry.

Who still comes by to see that dilapidated horror of a fraternity room? Bill Engvall - once a year. By the way, if you meet Bill Engvall, tell him mothers across the nation hope he will in the future give 48 hour notice to clean said room before the request to visit that just nastiness. Bill Engvall does visit with the current ultra cool fraternity boys, but mostly he is coming by to see Jerry Pate. Jerry was inducted upon High School graduation. He was never a student at said lofty university - but he was, and is, the back bone for something much more important. Jerry learned to tile and he tiled the bathroom with the fraternity seal. Until the University President, slash former alumni himself, got nasty and ripped out the work they all still talk about. Spoilsport.

Proverbs 24:27
Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

Thank you, Bill Engvall for your kindness to a son of a dumped mom, who announced he was friendless and geeky. Jerry Pate is the result of that kindness and decades later - I say - Thank YOU SO MUCH!!!!! 

JERRY PATE !!! JERRY PATE!!! JERRY PATE!!!!

Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good..............
............ for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

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