Matthew 18 ~ If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble

Matthew 18 ~ (Today's New International Version)

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2 He called a little child, whom he placed among them. 3 And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

6 "If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

10-11 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

12 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

15 "If a brother or sister sins, go and point out the fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

18 "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive someone who sins against me? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

26 "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

29 "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'

30 "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive a brother or sister from your heart."

Legalization was the topic of conversation recently. Government looking for ways to support the good things government does with a shrinking economy; the suggestion was ending the war on drugs by having more California type Marijuana Permitted Coffee Type Places to have more taxable dollars, less crime, more money and fund something already going around. After all, reasoning went, marijuana is just Hemp and grows naturally. So does Hemlock. If you have a glass of hard liquor, you are going to have it out of your system in a matter of hours, Marijuana lasts 28 days.

"A 1988 University of Alaska survey showed that the state's teenagers used marijuana at more than twice the national average for their age group.

Alaska's Failed Legalization Experiment
In 1975, Alaskans could legally possess marijuana...until they opted to re-criminalize the drug. Alaska's Supreme Court held that under their State Constitution an adult could possess marijuana for personal consumption in the home.

The court's ruling became a green light for marijuana use. A 1988 University of Alaska survey showed that the state's teenagers used marijuana at more than twice the national average for their age group. The report also showed a frequency of marijuana use that suggested it wasn't experimental, but a well incorporated practice for teens.

Fed up with this dangerous experiment, Alaska's residents voted in 1990 to re-criminalize possession of marijuana. But 15 years of legalization left its mark-increased drug use by a generation of our youth."

If you look at Amsterdam and the effects around Needle Park, in 2010, you would find yourself followed down the streets by the black market drug pushers. These characters don't take 'no' for an answer, they will follow people for city blocks. Legalization has led to an increase in drug consumption. This has led to an increase in drug seekers and a continuing problem for the countries surrounding Holland when the tourist are leaving. And curbing the AIDs epidemic? It has resulted in a 2% decline. Cannabis consumption among Dutch teenagers has increased.

Legalization for prostitution has the same result. It is a gift to the pimps, traffickers and the sex industry. Legalization/decriminalization of prostitution does not control the sex industry. It expands it. Legalization increases propensity, more illegal activities, street prostitution and increases child prostitution. It provides fewer choices open to women.

People tend to make up their minds more emotionally than logically on issues, it is important to see what facts are available from real life situations. Do not cause your brother to stumble.

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Psalm 27 ~ I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God

Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire ^[meditate] in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

The Christian aspiration is not veiled future events! Not pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by.

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Is the joy of realizing God really does run to meet us in our needs. When we earnestly call to HIM, He is right there, beside us!  The God of Angel Armies. Jesus the Son of God, Almighty, the Lord.

Psalm 11 opens and closes on this very idea ~
In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
“Flee like a bird ...
For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face."


Psalm 18
I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

Psalm 91, we all know is the security of calling upon the Lord.


John 14:13-14
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Believing in Jesus Christ the Lord takes us beyond our limits. Jesus telling us be in the world, just not of the world ~

John 17:15-18
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

The John's Gospel, the 17th Chapter, is Jesus praying for us. Jesus is still working! Looking at us transparently, guiding us, leading us. Jesus has real joy in loving His People. He comes to Save us!!!

Jesus told us - when you look at HIM - we see the Father.

Here are some of the actions of Jesus we see in His Word:

Jesus answered

Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”J (When and where - now and here Now!)

Jesus proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.”

Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith." (God looks at us with JOY when we have Faith!)

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”

Jesus turned (as in the Heart of God melted and acted), and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.



Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders (Jesus in Authority)



Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Jesus has such personality when you take the time to look - he is commenting on injustice with irony!)

Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” (Jesus speaks tartly sometimes, as in ~ Wake Up.)



Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. (Jesus ultimately Trusts. This is His nature. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.)



What about when we want our own way and ask Jesus to leave? Matthew Chapter 8 to 9.

And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region. And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.

Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all


Jesus knows hearts. Well.
3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?



And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.”
Jesus is for discretion and privacy. Truth has mercy.



As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?" People are concerned about the fate of another, Jesus tells us we have hard roads sometimes. He didn't sugar coat life.

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And Jesus answering said to them, Suppose you that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.

What would Jesus say to injustice? Let your own words and actions speak that Jesus overcomes the world.



At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children



Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

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Giving Thanks is an Attitude, not a Holiday!!!

My Wonderful Mother-in-Law Celebrated Her Family Birthday!

 

My son, Cal, just doesn't exactly tell you when the picture is going to be snapped!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20
Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 134

1 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord

who minister by night in the house of the Lord.

2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary

and praise the Lord.

3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,

he who is the Maker of heaven and earth

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

God gives us all our gifts. What alone can we do or say to bless HIM that HE has not given us? Thanks. Today I started to moan and mumble. Well, that comes from not giving thanks.

Father GOD thanks for my blessings when I ignore my blessings, I give into falling into spoiled thinking. Thanks for Kimberly we first spoke to at The Woodlands about the trees. Her eagerness to help. And Devon, his agreements. And his confidence in our reports.

Father God thank You for my mom who is so willing to help and to pray. Father God thank You for my cousin who says mannn that's not right and helps. And being paid for the Guardianship, my cousins who helped. And for Tony, he is an encourager!

Thank you for the welcome we had encouraging us to visit my small but loved little Town.

And cousins, thanks for some REAL help with Edward's business. I have to laugh, Edward is happier than ever. And for Edward's sense of humor at Edward's ribbing.

And my Gardere family. Wow L we spoke and isn't Baby Robert a wonder in his good, loving behavior. And my sister in laws - hey - it's like we are like - Family! Love. And much Love to Judy for our understanding and Love in our Sunday conversation. Thank YOU LORD for such a good event and how lovely to see people so vibrant and radiant in their seventies and higher. Father God the joy in seeing the older generation Going FORTH in HIM. So sorry I didn't get to speak to Tina McBee and the Hammacks. Aww.

Blessings on the lady who said don't pray for me and we do pray for. The Light in her is shining and we both know that. And my cousin in laws who we enjoyed wool gathering about antique businesses.

For that Alex Hughes and Kathy. Alex shows up and fixes things. Alex doesn't fully know but all those actions toward his brother and for my family - are the actions of one who loves HIM. God bless Alex for his humor in all the honesty I give him. And his bounce. Blessings on Alex.

Bless Kirk Beaumont, who knows how that air conditioning works and moves fast to fix that all up. And know how to bless us even more by taking up fried chicken. Bless and encourage Cindy and Kirk Beaumont. How many of us are so totally unaware that their blessing our Church with Kirk's vacation to work for the Church is sooo appreciated. For years and years. When you give like that - God never forgets. Blessings on the joy they have given all their children and the marvelous work to be repeated in the generations to come, in their grandchildren. That is a Fine Example to us all about building Legacy. Cindy Beaumont with the face reflecting HIS Love, moves and loves the Church in ways she is completely unaware of.

OH man, Lord, only went we give Thanks does the bounce come back full swing. Thanks FATHER GOD!!! Never before have my problems been fix the Porsche scratch oops I made and how to have the house professionally cleaned. Thank You Lord for the blessing of prosperity. Thanks for Kurt who listens to new life, new thinks and a gives Good advice with proper amount of snap. (No Kurt there is no way I'm cutting my hair. And it looked marvelous the next day. A tart Thanks SO Much, with real gratitude too.) And thanks to Kurt for medical advice. You know Father God, doctors love to give free advice. Continue to bless Kurt. For the blessing Angie is to work with people and pray as she types those Court Documents. Angie's prayers have blessed Edward. Lord, the unsung Texas heroes don't rest. Angie sees first hand sexual predators in Texas are put back into the system very fast. And the court reporter prays as she types the evidence. And this - for Terry Spikes giving such beautiful blessings. And the Conroe Policeman who bowed and Texas waved his head at me. Made my day.

AND DORA!! Lord thanks for the bounce of WHAT and freedom to say what one thinks with acceptance. Good people give good bounce. Bless Jeanette Lord, she has had illness with looking to you. Her Joy in You. Jeanette has the Gift of Prayer. Bless the bounce in Mary Ann! And always Teri. Everyone loves to give thanks for Teri and her diligence, earnestness and fall down humor. And Cindy who seems to appear at the right moment to warmly encourage. And the blessing of Nancy, who has a NEW outlook on live and says her eighties as a BRIDE are Fabulous! And Annie who always glows like Cindy Beaumont does. And actually so does Bishop Sam Halsey. Annie, you need to get in on these prayers because.... When WE PRAY HERE, WE ARE GETTING ANSWERS AND BLESSINGS!!! Thank you LORD JESUS. Amen.

For the dignity I've seen in Agapita and Dora serving their community as light!

And for my friends who call on me and tell me they love me. We don't see all our lives but I am going Forth rejoicing in blessings of love and care!!! You know who you all are and you know you are blessed in my heart in love and in my prayers.

For the gentleman who works at Starbucks and is so kind. And the lady giving us free beverages at Chick Fillet. And the Jason's Deli person too. God bless you all for kindness is so about we bless ourselves when we bless others. God is sneaky like that. Wow. Thanks Father GOD. And the Sam's Clerk telling me - from Him - "Rejoice in the day! Find what HE does to make each day sufficient!" Blessings to her.

And Thanks, Father God, for my mom. We might just slug things out, but wow I saw the blessings of her return to Dallas she was moving at light speed for her increase in the joy she finds in her life.

And I'm praying for Paul and Karen to return. They encourage others just by their attitudes and joy bubbling up from the back onto their faces. And for Clark and the Lewis' who have put together with good care a good pastoral group.

And always the Needlepoint Group for the joy of being real!

The blessings of God are always there, we just tend to tuck our chin in and fret. LORD THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSINGS!!! Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen. And AMEN.

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Matthew 22 ~ 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Matthew 22

1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 

4 "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

5 "But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 


11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

13 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen." 


15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?";


18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" 

21 "Caesar's," they replied.

Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh.

27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"

29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"

"The son of David," they replied.

43 He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, 44 " 'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet." '

45 If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

When we read Jesus says the greatest of the commandments is Love - loving the Lord with all our hearts, soul and mind; love our neighbor as ourselves. It brings an awareness to me that I will see glimpses of this in myself, but it isn't within me to be loving all the time. Jesus brings us this gift to know it isn't all about the rules, it is the message of love. Why set this standard of unselfishness? Because it is God's example.

He says 1 John 4: 19
We love because he first loved us.


Romans 8 (The Message)
1-2 With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.



Father God doesn't ever ask us to save ourselves by being good enough, He offers to love us and fill us with His Love.


In dilemmas about fair.... This parable is about unfair meeting Holy. We get so tangled up in fair versus unfair, as Christians, we feel like throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Tell the truth, hurt feelings, tell an implication, make the transition smooth.

When pressed to the wall. Believe in God to act when we ask. Seek what justice is. Be merciful. Be honest. And let God handle what HE believes the good is. God is telling us about His invitation to Heaven and people will not answer Him.

What Irony. Jesus sets out to die for us, not only does HE set His disciples in Caesarea to tell of His Church to be in Rome, but He is telling us after He does this incredible offer of salvation...people just go along with their merry, bumble about lives.

He is GOD of the living. And in this Scripture tells us life is hard, and HE fully understands.

God expects us to love ourselves. He says so right here. Right after we love HIM, we are to be Like David. Expect we are the anointed of GOD. IN Faith.


Lord, Help me to be Psalm 81. I will open my mouth wide with expectation to fill that. In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

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Zechariah 14 ~ Holy to the Lord

Zechariah 14

Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

6 On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. 7 And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.

8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea ^{[Dead Sea]} and half of them to the western sea ^{[Mediterranean Sea]}. It shall continue in summer as in winter.

9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.

10 The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses. 11 And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. Jerusalem shall dwell in security.

12 And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.

13 And on that day a great panic from the Lord shall fall on them, so that each will seize the hand of another, and the hand of the one will be raised against the hand of the other. 14 Even Judah will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be collected, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance. 15 And a plague like this plague shall fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever beasts may be in those camps.

16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. 17 And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 19 This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.

20 And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the Lord.” And the pots in the house of the Lord shall be as the bowls before the altar. 21 And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the Lord of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day.

Another obscure Old Testament telling us the Lord is Holy. Asking us in faith to be Holy for Him.

People heard difficult things from Jesus, and we don't even debate Transubstantiation any more. However many of the 72 disciples He sent out left upon hearing God has a plan and doesn't use a lot of PR.

John 6
52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”


60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?


67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.


God would not want us to use Him for our gain. And in fact the obscure parts of Holy Scripture point to Him.

Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46
He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Lord, Your plan is not ours. Jesus told us to always pray with Hope. Lord, let Your plan for my life be for a hope and a future. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Encourage, me guide, lead me, that as You dwell in me and I live and move and have my being in You, that You would find my soul a good place for You to dwell. Let all aspects of me be open to You. In Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

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Psalm 128 ~ your children will be like olive shoots around your table

Psalm 128

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!
² You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

³ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
⁴ Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.

⁵ The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
⁶ May you see your children's children!
Peace be upon Israel!

This weekend, I was very fortunate to have both sons travel to spend time with me. One son complains a lot and I sometimes feel like he should have a mute button. Yet he is the one who laughs, talks, sings and if you are getting gasoline in a downtown area around a man flapping his arms and dancing, towards dark, he is the one who is going to get out of the car with you. He struggles with his faith - he did homeless work in Atlanta and a homeless man chased him and the whole group through a mall. He feels like a lot of Christian people aren't much fun and are judgmental. He has a new friend, and she is telling him about Jesus. I am Profoundly Grateful. Thank You, God. We pray for that relationship to grow to Good, or draw them further along the path to His Plan.

My other son has a lot of artistic talent and draws a group of people around him. He usually has 3 or 4 good kids around him all the time. He has had three long time girlfriends. He is not as likely to talk as much, but he has amazing amounts of patience. My second son is still disappointed with God not giving infant Isabelle more time with us. He feels God ignores him and it is all rather pointless. He rarely gets angry - we say you'd have to hit him with a brick to make him angry. I think he was born with this, but this has been a real blessing to our family. He deals fairly and well with his brother; he calms all of us down when we get into our yelling moods. And we yell a lot. We are all fairly loud. But he is the guy who keeps the car safe when the homeless man is dancing outside! And he has an attribute of the Lord, when you need him, he is going to arrive and have compassion.

I read a book called "Walking with Arthur" - it was one of those sweet, moving books that stays with you. It has been part of my prayer life since I read it - I pray for the people who are so relaxed, humble in their faith that they make the world a better place. For years, I've ended my prayers asking God to send us more people like this one to each of my loved ones.

And I am feeling blessed all around.

One thing I notice as I talk to them, we are all a work in progress. We depend upon the LORD. And prayer is always a needed component. May the Lord bless us with Arthurs. Prayers for my family are always appreciated. Thank You, Father God. You show up in your tender loving care. In Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

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Ezekiel 11 ~ you shall know that I am the Lord

Nebula Heart

Ezekiel 11

The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the house of the Lord, which faces east. And behold, at the entrance of the gateway there were twenty-five men. And I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2 And he said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city; 3 who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’ 4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.”


5 And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and he said to me, “Say, Thus says the Lord: So you think, O house of Israel. For I know the things that come into your mind. 6 You have multiplied your slain in this city and have filled its streets with the slain. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, they are the meat, and this city is the cauldron, but you shall be brought out of the midst of it. 8 You have feared the sword, and I will bring the sword upon you, declares the Lord God. 9 And I will bring you out of the midst of it, and give you into the hands of foreigners, and execute judgments upon you. 10 You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the border of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord. 11 This city shall not be your cauldron, nor shall you be the meat in the midst of it. I will judge you at the border of Israel, 12 and you shall know that I am the Lord. For you have not walked in my statutes, nor obeyed my rules, but have acted according to the rules of the nations that are around you.”

13 And it came to pass, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”

14 And the word of the Lord came to me: 15 “Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far from the Lord; to us this land is given for a possession.’ 16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.’

17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ 18 And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord God.”

22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. 23 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city. 24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 And I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.

The Scriptures tell us there will be a Third Temple. Which annoys some Biblical Scholars because they do not count the continual rebuilding of the Exiles Temple as the 'Second Temple'. And there is the continual debate regarding the original Temple placement. Which Passover is the perfect placing for the altar in the Temple of Jerusalem to face the rising sun. One thing is clear, easterly facing altars were unique to the Hebrew religion of Judaism. Pagan temples were oriented in other directions.

Exekiel has forty-eight chapter and East is discussed at least eight times. Altars to Jehovah, I Am, face East. Towards the rising Sun. And water, water pours away from the Temple.

All of the Bible points to Jesus Christ the only Son of God.

Jesus first declared his kingship to the Samaritan Woman at the Well. It is a very corner aspect of what He wants from us. Ezekiel had this vision far from the Temple. When all seemed very bleak for people with nothing left to them, only faith. Ezekiel continues to tell a conquered, hopeless people to look toward God, expect Him. This is a theme of Scripture, expect Him.

What an amazing thing Faith is. Expecting God to act. The personality of Jesus Christ flows from these lessons of Faith. And Jesus said some pretty amazing things. God says the work He gives mankind is to believe Him.

Jesus told us imperatively:

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


Jesus is telling us HE is central to God's plan. John, the beloved disciple begins as Jesus being Life. The Life was the Light of Men.

John 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.


Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Jesus never was employed by the Temple. Yet the Temple was built to reflect His Glory. Jesus threw out people in the thirty-six area Temple when He drove the people He labeled as thieves out. Why aren't we continually amazed Jesus was this empowered. That is vast area.

Ezekiel proclaimed, in faith, the Temple would exist again. Jesus proclaimed the same, with fewer boundaries. His ministry was openly proclaimed to a woman, a Samaritan woman. Here Jesus laid his foundation. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Oddly several times, Ezekiel tells of water flowing from the Temple. The returning exiles would throw out the Samaritan remnants worshiping the best they could.

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Jesus takes from Ezekiel proclaiming His Sovereignty. He goes to a woman at the well. John records this meeting in the Fourth Chapter of John's Gospel.

"whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”


John 4
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.”

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