1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:"A voice of one calling in the desert,'Prepare the way for the Lord,make straight paths for him.5 Every valley shall be filled in,every mountain and hill made low.The crooked roads shall become straight,the rough ways smooth.6 And all mankind will see God's salvation.' "
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked.11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay."
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Psalm 79:8-13 8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers; let thy compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for thy name's sake! 10 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of thy servants be known among the nations before our eyes!
11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before thee; according to thy great power preserve those doomed to die! 12 Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted thee, O Lord! 13 Then we thy people, the flock of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever; from generation to generation we will recount thy praise.
It was the worst day. Work had mess ups at the factory from the quotes, the art wasn't right. My son went to Michigan to see his girlfriend today for a week, he has a sprained ankle. My husband has a really hurt pulled shoulder to neck from digging a ditch at the church and then doing disc golf. My older son went to Ultimate Frisbee and severely sprained both shins, had to go out and buy more Ace bandages. My teeth started to kill me all over, like no other, and I read it is a sinus infection. The dog, Merit, has another bladder infection & I'm worried about my 10 year old dog. So he urinated all over Cal's room in front of us and couldn't stop. Cal's dog, Jackson, threw up on the living room rug. And I broke my brand spanking new steam cleaner. But Cal fixed it.
Life has so many issues and complications, we will rest our worries for today in Jesus' arms and look for Him to bear us up.
As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Have you had to forgive someone for causing the death of someone you love? We, as a family, forgave a nursing home caregiver for throwing open a steel exit door in anger, not knowing Grandmother was on the other side of the door and breaking our mother/grandmother’s shoulder. Grandmother died from the injury, she was 93. Grandmother had an amazing passing, full of the peace, going home with her beloved FatherGod. She was 93 and death is not unexpected. The caregiver wept and wept, meeting with us twice, to be forgiven. It wasn’t difficult to forgive an act of carelessness; without malice to Grandmother, the caregiver had really enjoyed Grandmother and was her friend. She wept harder hearing Grandmother forgave her and wasn’t angry. Grandmother dreamed many times of being reunited with family and her husband, gone for 50 years, Grandmother didn’t spend a minute being angry.
My father’s passing was a different matter. It’s complicated. His second wife knew a downward spiral was occuring and was, perhaps, tired of her marriage. The funeral photos looked like a christening or wedding photo, with the faces filled with joy of the step family. As I questioned family members, it became apparent with more help, his death might have been avoided. My grief turned into the most amazing rage. I never knew these violent emotions even could exist. No apology would ever come from the woman who now hailed my father, after his death, as the love of her life. She married again, for the 3rd time, within months of his death.
Years before my dad died, I had attended a Bible study on forgiveness. The Bible doesn’t record the sons of Israel asking forgiveness for telling Israel Joseph had died from being mauled and actually selling him into slavery. Israel grieved for his son for many, many years. Forgiveness needs to occur even when an apology is not ever going to arrive. As Israel died, after discovering the needless years of suffering and the deception of his sons, he blessed his sons, giving each the blessing appropriate to them. Israel died at peace and filled with hope. He wasn’t unrealistic in his forgiveness, but peace filled him.
I have found a willingness to forgive is the first step in forgiveness. Time helps to allow forgiveness to grow. I asked God in the name of Jesus to allow my rage not to conquer me. I pictured living water flowing over me as I prayed. I asked for forgiveness when my forgiveness didn’t grow and placed my heart in God’s hands. The pictured living water of God was my best defense. Today, I able to understand my dad’s responsibility and regret my dad’s wife’s choices. I am at peace. I have forgiven. Because the Lord helped me, and with His grace, I know I am forgiven. Thank God.
[1] They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. [2] And the whole congregation of the people of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, [3] and said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
[4] Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or not. [5] On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily." [6] So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, "At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, [7] and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your murmurings against the LORD. For what are we, that you murmur against us?" [8] And Moses said, "When the LORD gives you in the evening flesh to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your murmurings which you murmur against him -- what are we? Your murmurings are not against us but against the LORD."
[9] And Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, `Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your murmurings.'" [10] And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. [11] And the LORD said to Moses, [12] "I have heard the murmurings of the people of Israel; say to them, `At twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"
[13] In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning dew lay round about the camp. [14] And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as hoarfrost on the ground. [15] When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.
Rick Warren gave an interesting interview after “The Purpose Driven Life” became a best seller. When we come to the celebration part of our lives & when we have trouble, we can choose if we are grateful for the daily blessings or we can dissolve into worry. In prayer with Father God, we can choose to have hope.
Interview with Rick Warren , author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California . In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:
“People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.
God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, "which is my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal my wife or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72. First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better ...God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. Painful moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD "
1 Lord, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. So let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? 2 You have planted them,and they have taken root and prospered. Your name is on their lips, but you are far from their hearts. 3 But as for me, Lord, you know my heart. You see me and test my thoughts.
Drag these people away like sheep to be butchered! Set them aside to be slaughtered! 4 How long must this land mourn? Even the grass in the fields has withered. The wild animals and birds have disappeared because of the evil in the land. For the people have said, “The Lord doesn’t see what’s ahead for us!”
5 “If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? 6 Even your brothers, members of your own family, have turned against you. They plot and raise complaints against you. Do not trust them, no matter how pleasantly they speak. 7 “I have abandoned my people, my special possession. I have surrendered my dearest ones to their enemies. 8 My chosen people have roared at me like a lion of the forest, so I have treated them with contempt. 9 My chosen people act like speckled vultures, but they themselves are surrounded by vultures. Bring on the wild animals to pick their corpses clean!
10 “Many rulers have ravaged my vineyard, trampling down the vines and turning all its beauty into a barren wilderness. 11 They have made it an empty wasteland; I hear its mournful cry. The whole land is desolate, and no one even cares. 12 On all the bare hilltops, destroying armies can be seen. The sword of the Lord devours people from one end of the nation to the other. No one will escape! 13 My people have planted wheat but are harvesting thorns. They have worn themselves out, but it has done them no good. They will harvest a crop of shame because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”
14 Now this is what the Lord says: “I will uproot from their land all the evil nations reaching out for the possession I gave my people Israel. And I will uproot Judah from among them. 15 But afterward I will return and have compassion on all of them. I will bring them home to their own lands again, each nation to its own possession. 16 And if these nations truly learn the ways of my people, and if they learn to swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’ (just as they taught my people to swear by the name of Baal), then they will be given a place among my people. 17 But any nation who refuses to obey me will be uprooted and destroyed. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Jeremiah warned and warned because he could hear the Lord, the Lord had sent His word about Jeremiah’s generation.
We have a different blessing; we can act as the Lord’s light.When we see injustice, we don’t have to live with it, we can act against it, speak out for change. Jeremiah spends the first verses asking God for justice against evil. If we translate that to our day… our time … God is saying if he is going to make sweeping changes and then everyone will participate in the trauma.
In Texas, there is a saying, “if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute and it will change.” A lot of places have this particular saying. This chapter of Jeremiah could be telling us - we don’t have the judgement of God spoken to our generation in particular - “Go ahead and complain. Go ahead and whine without becoming part of the solution, see what happens.” Ever seen the God billboards? One of my favorites is the black background and white letters saying, “Don’t make me come down there! --- God”
Abraham “trusted in God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” But Abraham spoke up to the Lord God Almighty to save his nephew. In that amount of power, it would have been far and away more comfortable to remain silent.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a minister, put time and effort into opposing the evil of Hitler’s regime from the beginning of Hitler’s rise to power. He, alone as a man of God, is recorded as speaking up from the pulpit to seek to end the slaughter of the Jews.
“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
If you see something you don't agree with in society, don't become part of the problem, speak out. If you don't like media that is not godly, don't participate. Just don't do as everyone else does because it is acceptable. Let your light shine and God will help you.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24 At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.’
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.’ 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. 29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea. 2 The Lord is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. 4 ‘Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea; his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea. 5 The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. 6 Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power— your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.
~ the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians
The Lord saved the children of Israel, not armies, not Pharaoh, not Moses. The Lord fufilled his word to Moses, the children of Israel would celebrate freedom on the Mountain of the Lord.
Psalm 33: 10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth- 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
[1] Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel.
[2] Thus says the LORD: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them,
[3] for the customs of the peoples are false. A tree from the forest is cut down,and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.
[4] Men deck it with silver and gold;they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.[5] Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,and they cannot speak; they have to be carried,for they cannot walk. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil,neither is it in them to do good."
[6] There is none like thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
[7] Who would not fear thee, O King of the nations?For this is thy due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like thee.
[8] They are both stupid and foolish;the instruction of idols is but wood!
[9] Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish,and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; their clothing is violet and purple; they are all the work of skilled men.[10] But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.At his wrath the earth quakes,and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
[11] Thus shall you say to them: "The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens." [12] It is he who made the earth by his power,who established the world by his wisdom,and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
[13] When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain,and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
[14] Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols; for his images are false,and there is no breath in them.
[15] They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.[16] Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob,for he is the one who formed all things,and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name.
[17] Gather up your bundle from the ground,O you who dwell under siege!
[18] For thus says the LORD:"Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land at this time,and I will bring distress on them,that they may feel it."
[19] Woe is me because of my hurt! My wound is grievous. But I said, "Truly this is an affliction,and I must bear it."
[20] My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken; my children have gone from me,and they are not; there is no one to spread my tent again, and to set up my curtains.
[21] For the shepherds are stupid, and do not inquire of the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.
[22] Hark, a rumor! Behold, it comes! --a great commotion out of the north country to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a lair of jackals.
[23] I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
[24] Correct me, O LORD, but in just measure; not in thy anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.[25] Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the peoples that call not on thy name;for they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him and consumed him,and have laid waste his habitation.
~nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them
The Teton Mountain photo indicates a storm is coming, not the apocalypse many newspapers shout about. When is it time for the Father to end this world, it will be time.
My husband was reading to me what the normal times & expectations were in 1908 in the United States: average life expectancy – 47 years. The typical wage was $0.22, the total amount of paved roads in the U.S -144 miles, average house cost $1,800. After the First World War, people began to buy clothes already made for the first time. Major fortunes changed & education increased overall. A major flu epidemic. Then a major Depression. Something pondered in great detail today.
When the details of last century’s Great Depression are poured over and examined, don’t we all have grandparents and parents who not only survived the depression, but ‘lived’ through it? I’ve heard history, not only of Survival, but of Compassion. Gratitude. Change. Prosperity.
One thing is certain in life: God loves you.
Psalm 90 1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. 17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 138: 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.
8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned." 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." 6 And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" 12 He said, "But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."
~ the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire
People react differently to the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus recognized the awe, amazement and worship from the followers who understood, He said:
Matthew 13:16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
Moses recognized how large the challenge and how small he was. Isaiah saw it differently:
Isaiah 6:5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
And Isaiah 6:8 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
No matter what the reaction, the Lord’s plan is put into place. The bush is fragile, but the fire does not consume it.
Father God uses fire in the New Testament as well:
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
Just as Moses could not believe because of the enormity of the accomplishment, or like the analogy of the burning fragile bush, he wondered for his own safety. Jesus provides for the fragile.
John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Acts 13:36-42 "For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:
The site of Pithom, as identified by Naville, is to the east of Wadi Tumilat, south-west of Ismaïlia. Here was formerly a group of granite statues representing Ramesses II, two inscriptions naming Pr-Itm (the city in the reading today Pithom and Rameses), storehouses and bricks made without straw. Further excavation revealed, Tell el-Maskhuta dates only to the end of the 7th B.C. century, and may have been built by Pharaoh Necho II, possibly.
Exodus 1:8-21 (God’s Word Translation)
8 Then a new king, who knew nothing about Joseph, began to rule in Egypt. 9 He said to his people, "There are too many Israelites, and they are stronger than we are. 10 We have to outsmart them, or they'll increase in number. Then, if war breaks out, they will join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country." 11 So the Egyptians put slave drivers in charge of them in order to oppress them through forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more they increased in number and spread out. The Egyptians couldn't stand them any longer. 13 So they forced the Israelites to work hard as slaves. 14 They made their lives bitter with back-breaking work in mortar and bricks and every kind of work in the fields. All the jobs the Egyptians gave them were brutally hard.
15 Then the king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth, look at the child when you deliver it. If it's a boy, kill it, but if it's a girl, let it live." 17 However, the midwives feared God and didn't obey the king of Egypt's orders. They let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. He asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?" 19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women. They are so healthy that they have their babies before a midwife arrives." 20 God was good to the midwives. So the people increased in number and became very strong. 21 Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.
~ 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives. He asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"
We looked at Acts 16, the newly forming church Paul and his followers encounter two different Spirits.
Galatians 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
In this one verse of Exodus, we see two Spirits. A world leader, blessed with all the world has to offer, is reduced to namelessness in the Bible, because he lives in a spirit of fear. Fearful his worldly blessings will cease, he opts for murder of the innocent and helpless. Shiphrah and Puah survive their encounter with Pharoah, because their actions say they live in a Spirit of Hope.
Otto Frank (who survived the Holocaust, while his family and daughter, Anne Frank, did not) rejoices with Miep and Jan Gies’ in their baby son Paul in 1951. Miep and Jan Gies hid the Frank family and fed them during the Holocaust.
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.
Paul's Vision of the Man of Macedonia 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 letPaul 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 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.
For the loved pets, we wish to remember, gather with our other treasure in heaven.
For Spenser, who never traveled to the beach, but is missed. Age 13, when he ran to the Lord.
Do Pets Go To Heaven? Do Animals Go to Heaven?
Scriptures never say heaven is only for humans.
Revelation 5:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
God’s covenant with Noah included both people and animals (Genesis 9:9-11). However, that covenant was not one of eternal life, but that He would not again destroy the earth with a flood.
The fourth commandment as recorded in Deuteronomy 5:12-15 includes a Sabbath rest for animals as well as people. Again, it reveals some equality between people and animals, but makes no statement regarding animals going to heaven
Psalm 148:5-6 Let everything he has made give praise to him. For he issues his command, and they came into being; he established them forever and forever. His orders will never be revoked.
Animals and man will be in harmony (Isaiah 11:1-9).
Isaiah 11 1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist. 6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea
Jesus said:
Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
The passage in Romans 8:18-25 certainly does include animals as part of “the creation.”
Elijah was picked up from heaven by horses, this was told to Elijah before it occurred and Elisha saw it happen. The Lord could have sent anything to convey Elijah to heaven, but the horses came from heaven and the Lord sent them.
2 Kings 2: 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"
The four winds sent from heaven are on horses. The four winds are written of in Daniel, Zechariah and Revelations 7.
Zechariah 6: 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black, 3 the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. 4 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, "What are these, my lord?" 5 The angel answered me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.
A good man cares for his animals No one but Jesus can be called good.
Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
Luke 18:18-19 18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 19 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.
1 Corinthians 9:9, Deuteronomy 25:4
For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You Shall Not Muzzle The Ox While He Is Threshing " God is concerned about oxen, isn't He, He's not too busy.
We are not told implicitly, but heaven has been told to us in verses in the bible and the verses seem to hold God’s love spreading to animals in His eternal kingdom.
Father God, You sent horses from heaven to earth for Elijah. We wish You would gather our loved animals into Your kingdom. Your love never fails. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Abraham (in the front left) entertains 3 Angels. Painted by Aert de Gelder, 1645-1727, was one of Rembrandt's last pupils and considered the best.
Genesis 18:16-33 Then the men set out from there, and they looked towards Sodom; and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.’ 20 Then the Lord said, ‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! 21 I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’ 22 So the men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ 26 And the Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.’ 27 Abraham answered, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ 29 Again he spoke to him, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’ 30 Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ 31 He said, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’ 32 Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’ 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
~ 23Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
Why wasn't Abraham turned into a pillar of salt for questioning the Lord? Father God tells us. The Lord’s plan for Abraham is to keep the way of the Lord. If Abraham had kept his mouth shut and let God Almighty go forward, his nephew Lot would have died.
My niece is being trained as a paramedic. She was in a large crowd of people at a rodeo and the bull goarded the rider. She could tell from the stands the accident was extremely serious. Brooke became alarmed because in the huge crowd, no one was going to help the rider. She ran down through the stands, asking for someone to help him. No one replied. The people hired to be the medical attendants had not shown up for the evening.
Brooke jumped over the rails, spoke with the man to stay conscious, not to look down and pressed her shirt into the gaping wound in his abdomen. At that point, Brooke had to direct a bystander to call 911. No one in the auditorium had called and the 911 operator said help was 10 to 15 minutes away.
Much later at the hospital, the man found out from the hospital staff, who’d heard from the paramedics arriving from the 911 call, that without Brooke’s help, he would have surely died.
For the crowd, they’d paid for rodeo entertainment and no one even lifted their cell phone to help the injured man. Not everyone speaks up. Not everyone speaks up.
Abraham was willing to speak up to the Lord for his nephew. The Lord was teaching Abraham about loving his neighbor as himself. Abraham did.
Galatians 3:6
Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
James 2: 22-24
22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
Romans 4: 1.18-21
1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? 18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
[1] Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
[2] And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple.
[3] Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. [4] And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, "Look at us." [5] And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. [6] But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." [7] And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. [8] And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. [9] And all the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] and recognized him as the one who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
~ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he (the man lame from birth) asked for alms.
When we ask God for the desire of our prayer, do we need to pray ‘correctly’?
This man, who was lame, spent every day at the gate called Beautiful at the temple of God. He wasn’t sitting near the Pool of Siloam waiting for a miracle, he wasn’t being carried on a pallet by friends to see Jesus, and instead he was trying to earn a living by begging from the Jews going to the Temple. He didn’t pursue Jesus.
Luke 6:19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Apparently, the lame man missed hearing the good news from Jesus and missed the biblical era proclaiming the lame would walk. But he was expecting Paul and John to answer his request for alms.
Many people think the lame man had never entered the Temple to worship God because of his disability, but only priests weren’t allowed to be blemished in any way. As long as the man had followed ritual cleansing, he would be allowed to worship in the Temple (I looked it up). This man knew about worship and he knew giving was a large part of Jewish responsibility. He was more interested in the here and now practicality, more than possibility of God’s spiritual or physical presence. But he was interested in asking people following God for help.
Unlike the woman grasping Jesus’ garment in faith to be made well, not like the people in the gospels who cried out for more faith to be healed; the man begging at the gate was healed only because he had need. We do not receive healing because we are worthy, but because we are needy. In great mercy, the will and love of Father God reached out and came to the man going about his daily ‘work’ at the temple.
The lame man was living what Paul wrote about in the eighth chapter of Romans:
Romans 8:26,27 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
The lame man ran straight to the temple to walking and leaping and praising God. Jesus tells us about what he knew of the formerly lame man’s heart:
Luke 17:15-17 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
Does God heal the brokenhearted? And can God restore a broken life?
Rising out of the ruins: Notre Dame Cathedral, Île de la Cité of Paris, built in 1163-1345.
In 1548, rioting Huguenots damaged features of the cathedral, considering them idolatrous.
In 1793, during the French Revolution, the cathedral was rededicated to the Cult of Reason, and then to the Cult of the Supreme Being. During this time, many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or plundered. The statues of biblical kings of Judah (erroneously thought to be kings of France) were beheaded.
A restoration program was initiated in 1845.
In 1871, during the period of the Paris Commune, the cathedral was nearly set alight: some records suggest that the rebels even went so far as to set fire to a mound of chairs within the building.
Before Notre Dame was built, ruins exist, even today on the site: The Crypte Archéologique de Notre-Dame is an atmospheric time capsule which explores the lives and artifacts of the tribes and civilizations that dwelt in Paris long ago. Here are located the telling remains of a house from Lutèce, the precursor to Paris. There are numerous Gallo-Roman artifacts, which provide a fascinating insight into the lives of the mighty Roman Empire and how they lived in Paris.
Isaiah Chapter 52 (New American Bible)
1 Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your glorious garments, O Jerusalem, holy city. No longer shall the uncircumcised or the unclean enter you.
2 Shake off the dust, ascend to the throne, Jerusalem; Loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter Zion!
3 For thus says the LORD: You were sold for nothing, and without money you shall be redeemed.
4 Thus says the Lord GOD: To Egypt in the beginning my people went down, to sojourn there; Assyria, too, oppressed them for naught.
5 But now, what am I to do here? says the LORD. My people have been taken away without redress; their rulers make a boast of it, says the LORD; all the day my name is constantly reviled.
6 Therefore on that day my people shall know my renown, that it is I who have foretold it. Here I am!
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, "Your God is King!"
8 Hark! Your watchmen raise a cry, together they shout for joy. For they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD restoring Zion.
9 Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts his people, he redeems Jerusalem.
10 The LORD has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; All the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God.
11 Depart, depart, come forth from there, touch nothing unclean! Out from there! Purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.
12 Yet not in fearful haste will you come out, nor leave in headlong flight, For the LORD comes before you, and your rear guard is the God of Israel.
13 See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.
14 Even as many were amazed at him - so marred was his look beyond that of man, and his appearance beyond that of mortals -
15 So shall he startle many nations, because of him kings shall stand speechless; For those who have not been told shall see, those who have not heard shall ponder it.
Does God heal the brokenhearted? And can God restore a broken life?
9 Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts his people, he redeems Jerusalem.
Psalm 147 1 Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! 2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. 5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
Isaiah 53:5 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 61:3,4 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Matthew 11:28-30 28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Luke 4:18 (New International Version)
18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed
Abraham's sons, Isaac and Ishmael, both had interesting names. Ishmael - God Hears and Isaac - Laughter.
Genesis 17:9-10, 15-22 (God’s Word Translation)
9 God also said to Abraham, "You and your descendants in generations to come are to be faithful to my promise. 10 This is how you are to be faithful to my promise: Every male among you is to be circumcised.
15 God said to Abraham, "Don't call your wife by the name Sarai anymore. Instead, her name is Sarah [Princess]. 16 I will bless her, and I will also give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become a mother of nations, and kings will come from her." 17 Immediately, Abraham bowed with his face touching the ground. He laughed as he thought to himself, "Can a son be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, have a child?" 18 Then Abraham said to God, "Why not let Ishmael be my heir?" 19 God replied, "No! Your wife Sarah will give you a son, and you will name him Isaac [ He Laughs ]. I will make an everlasting promise to him and his descendants. 20 I have heard your request about Ishmael. Yes, I will bless him, make him fertile, and increase the number of his descendants. He will be the father of 12 princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But I will make my promise to Isaac. Sarah will give birth to him at this time next year." 22 When God finished speaking with Abraham, he left him.
~ Isaac [He Laughs]. I will make an everlasting promise to him and his descendants. I have heard your request about Ishmael. Yes, I will bless him
A fantastic opportunity to look at this richly blessed Scripture. This blessing could be looked at for a week or more with all the different directions this amazing blessing could take us. So many ways to look at the story of Abraham and the promises God has given to him. Scripture for Today attempts to look at one side each day, or we’d be here for paragraphs and paragraphs.
You’d think if you were given the opportunity to talk to God about your life, you’d ‘Sit Up Straight.’ Abraham has thrown himself face forward to avoid God seeing him laugh. This from the wise, old man who named his only child (at that time) Ishmael – God Hears.
Abraham has placed God in a box. Something we can all relate to. A box - many of us own - and it is tightly sealed like a Tupperware box labeled “How I Can Understand God, in My Own Limitations.” Sometimes Psalm 93 puzzles me - then I remember why God is compared to a flood. I remember standing beside Niagara Falls.
Yesterday, in Scripture for Today, Sarai screams at Abram let God judge between her and Abram for Abram impregnating Hagar with Ishmael – forgetting entirely other actual, living people, are involved. Today, Abraham bargains with God to forget about this funny little notion of Sarah’s son. From Abraham’s little ‘Tupperware’ box of understanding God, Abraham will laugh at God’s pronouncement and will, in fact, counsel the Living God.
Does God react? He does. He continues to be the Almighty fulfilling His mighty plans. Psalm 2 records God does laugh. C.S. Lewis reminds the readers of the Narnia series many times, “Remember, Aslan is not a tame lion.”
Fortunately or not, Abraham understands only a shadow of what God is saying. God isn’t angry, it is a time of blessings.
Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Genesis 16:1-12
1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."
6 "Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"
"I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.
9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."
11 The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, [God hears] for the LORD has heard of your misery.
12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
Genesis 16:15-16
15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Everyone can identify being in a less than good situation, everyone can understand wanting to flee away from it. But Hagar comes back having felt and been found by the goodness of God, being understood and loved. Hagar returns knowing a promise from God and understanding the path will be difficult. God gives her the strength to fufill her purpose.
A lot of the people in the old Testament are kings, queens, judges and prophets. But Hagar is a maid. The Lord sees fit to promise Hagar, just as Abram was promised, her descendants will be too numerous to count. Abram might have wanted a legacy, a son, but Hagar must have felt very alone being a maid from another country. God hears her misery, he doesn't just judge between Sarai & Abram, but sees further and with more compassion. Hagar feels God is trustworthy and she can return without the hopelessness she left with.
Slavery isn't always about being put in shackles and locked up, it is being in a situation without the ability to change or go forward. With God all things are possible, and Hagar is told to stay in the same situation; this is what God wants for her. Glorious promises are made for Hagar and God asks her to just continue, but with hope and the new knowledge of the love and compassion in God for her.
Colossians 3: 10
put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
1 Corinthians 7:17-23
17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.
2 He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right, and speaks truth from his heart; 3 who does not slander with his tongue, and does no evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; 4 in whose eyes a reprobate is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 who does not put out his money at interest, and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."
So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
~ They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Recently, I was wondering about prayer. A lot is in the bible on prayer, but last night two passages were brought to my attention and here they are:
Psalm 8 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [or God] and crowned him with glory and honor.
Psalm 115 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.
and then:
9 O house of Israel, trust in the LORD— he is their help and shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD— he is their help and shield. 11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD— he is their help and shield. 12 The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, 13 he will bless those who fear the LORD— small and great alike. 14 May the LORD make you increase, both you and your children. 15 May you be blessed by the LORD,the Maker of heaven and earth.
Prayer is the conversation we have with Father God. He asks us to be constant in prayer and He wants that communication. Father God always wants you to remember He is here for you, a loving Father. He is not far away and condemning, but loving and wanting to bless us.
St. Paul painted by Doménikos Theotokópoulos. Doménikos always signed his whole name, but known by his nickname The Greek or El Greco - characterized by modern scholars as an artist so individual he belongs to no conventional school. Painted in 1604, found today in the City Art Museum, St Louis. Paul holds a letter, but is carrying a sword or a cross, you decide.
1 Corinthians 1:1-7 Bible in Basic English Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the purpose of God, and Sosthenes the brother,
To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been made holy in Christ Jesus, saints by the selection of God, with all those who in every place give honor to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give praise to my God for you at all times, because of the grace of God which has been given to you in Christ Jesus; So that in him you have wealth in all things, in word and in knowledge of every sort; even as the witness of the Christ has been made certain among you: So that having every grace you are living in the hope of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ
My father once said something to me that every occasionally I think of and, more recently, the Christian book club in our church read a book about; what if God wanted the apostle John to live until Jesus returned, what would it be like - to be able, in this life, to meet an actual apostle of Jesus Christ?
What would Paul say to us today? What would it be like to receive a letter in the mail from Paul? This letter begins to tell us what Paul would say to you, a child of God, adopted by Jesus.
Paul would let you know, right away, where he stands; Paul works for Jesus Christ’ purpose. He’d write to you, to tell you, God has called you to be a saint. Only because God has personally chosen you. But you aren’t called to be a lonely saint; just as Paul has Sosthenes, his friend, (who is as close to him as a brother) you will have others who join you to give honor to Jesus Christ.
Paul says you have: love, you’re given forgiveness and peace, you can give forgiveness. Not from Paul, but given from Father God and Jesus.
Next, Paul says you are a new beginner in Jesus, so take things carefully.… Nope, this isn’t said at all. No. Paul says you are God’s, Paul is grateful for you. Paul says you live in the hope of Jesus’ gift of eternal life and eternal forgiveness, living faith, hope and love, living God’s purpose for you – you have all the spiritual gifts you need.
Paul tells you, you are a workman approved by God, you are God’s own child. When you don’t do something correctly, because you are human and need a Savior, God’s grace is coming to you.
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
2 Timothy 2:10-14 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
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We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He has saved all who call upon His name and rely on Him for His Grace. The Scriptures are living & active and are for understanding the Lord Almighty. Biblical readings are chosen from the Ecumenical Christian Church and the Nicene Council, 325 A.D., approved Apocrypha. People remember not just from reading, but by sight and orally- an image has been added as well as audio readings. God tends to link the passages together with fascinates - this blogger, Anne-Laurel Gardere
A simple blog, scripture-for-today.blogspot
This blog is pretty simple, but for a reason. This blog isn't about agenda or me, it is for the joy and love to found by reading the Scriptures. Ultimately, it is you and the Lord.
The Scriptures are Father God's letter to you. He wanted you to know more, to know He loves you.
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Email registry at bottom.! “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). Men “moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21). The Holy Spirit carried men along, moving and guiding them as they wrote in their own words what God wanted them to say.
The Bible is unique; comprised of 80 separate books, & written over a period of thousands of years by more than 40 writers with one Author, spanning the centuries, different states of peace & war & different situations in life. The Bible answers the question: of who is God, who is man & what can their relationship can be. Although the Bible was written on perishable material and copied by hand for many centuries, its accuracy is not in doubt, proven by Dead Sea Scrolls and papyrus from 2,000 years. The Bible has survived persecution & criticism to be read with great interest in each generation.
The Bible gives witness to the greatness of the Creator. A loving Father concerned for all of his creation. With each verse of the bible witnessing to God is love and the multitude & vastness of His attributes. The Bible was written for you. <><
Reading Scripture helps us know God's Love. Every Bible verse is written for you. Jesus Christ is all mankind's Light. John 1!
Jesus is LORD. Read your Bible Daily. Scripture for Today. Reading the Scriptures helps us know God's love. Every verse of the Bible is written for you.
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