Isaiah 1:19-2:3 ~ people shall

Broken Oaks Celtic Christian Music ~Oak Trees From Acorns - Listen - a song of resurrection, healing and rebirth.

Isaiah 1:19-2:3 (New King James Version)

19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword”;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

21 How the faithful city has become a harlot!
It was full of justice;
Righteousness lodged in it,
But now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
Your wine mixed with water.
23 Your princes are rebellious,
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves bribes,
And follows after rewards.
They do not defend the fatherless,
Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
24 Therefore the Lord says,
The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,

“ Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries,
And take vengeance on My enemies.
25 I will turn My hand against you,
And thoroughly purge away your dross,
And take away all your alloy.
26 I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
27 Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
And her penitents with righteousness.
28 The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together,
And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees
Which you have desired;
And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens
Which you have chosen.
30 For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades,
And as a garden that has no water.
31 The strong shall be as tinder,
And the work of it as a spark;
Both will burn together,
And no one shall quench them.

Isaiah 2
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the LORD’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say,

“ Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.


Terebinth and oak trees are considered as theophanies, divine manifestations of God to a person. These trees are used as places for religious practices, a place for encountering the Living God, landmarks and, also, a place for burial.

Just as Solomon experienced God by visiting a lonely place, the desire for speaking with God became corrupted into a practice of idol worship. We want God to be part of our lives, but desire Him to be on our terms. The wood from the trees was sometimes used to make idols, instead of emblems of strength and durability.

We are like Israel, experiencing God’s great and tender mercies and asking,“what have You done for me lately?” God is telling us in Isaiah 1:19-2:3, that He believes that even when we fall into selfishness and self-centered sin, with His grace, we are redeemable and He loves us.

John 1:43
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."


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1 Kings 17:17-24 ~ Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?

Tibouchina granulosa, this purple flower is sometimes called Glory Tree.

1 Kings 17:17-24

17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"

19 "Give me your son," Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!"

22 The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"

24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth."

During the time of Jesus walking the earth, people were concerned with God’s wrath:

Luke 13:
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'

8 " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "

God tells us, in His scriptures, that He is slow to anger. God declares to us that His love extends as high as the heavens.

Psalm 36: 5 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.

God renews his mercy over and over to us each day, just as God repeats his signs, miracles and wonders. He sent us His son helping us understand the height, the depth and the reaches of His love. The miracles of Elijah sound a lot like the miracles of Jesus, for an excellent, awe-inspiring reason: it is the same power of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Elijah did many miracles, signs & wonders, because Elijah was the front-runner to Jesus, the Son of God.

1 Kings 17:1, Elijah predicts a famine and drought. Jesus saves the disciples:

Matthew 8: 26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

In 1 Kings 17, Elijah saves the widow, himself and her son from a morsel during the famine, in Matthew 6, Jesus feeds 5 thousand.

In 2 Kings 2:8, Elijah parted the water and crossed over on dry land, Jesus walked on water.

Matthew 14: 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

Today’s reading is Elijah raising the widow’s son from death. Jesus raised from the dead as well:

Luke 7: 11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." 14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 They were all filled with awe and praised God.

John 4: 46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 48 "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." 49 The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50 Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live."

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour." 53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

Luke 8: 49 
While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more." 50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."

51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep."

53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" 55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.



John 11: 40 

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."'

43
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.


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Numbers 9:15-23 ~ they remained

The portable dwelling place for the divine presence, or tabernacle is known in Hebrew as the Mishkan ( משכן "Residence" or "Dwelling Place"). The Mishkan was in use from the the Exodus until portions of the design and temple tools were made part of the first and second Temples built in Jerusalem.

Numbers 9: 15-23

15
On the day when the Dwelling was erected, the cloud covered the Dwelling, the tent of the commandments; but from evening until morning it took on the appearance of fire over the Dwelling.
16
It was always so: during the day the Dwelling was covered by the cloud, which at night had the appearance of fire.
17
Whenever the cloud rose from the tent, the Israelites would break camp; wherever the cloud came to rest, they would pitch camp.
18
At the bidding of the LORD the Israelites moved on, and at his bidding they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the Dwelling, they remained in camp.
19
Even when the cloud tarried many days over the Dwelling, the Israelites obeyed the LORD and would not move on;
20
yet sometimes the cloud was over the Dwelling only for a few days. It was at the bidding of the LORD that they stayed in camp, and it was at his bidding that they departed.
21
Sometimes the cloud remained there only from evening until morning; and when it rose in the morning, they would depart. Or if the cloud lifted during the day, or even at night, they would then set out.
22
Whether the cloud tarried over the Dwelling for two days or for a month or longer, the Israelites remained in camp and did not depart; but when it lifted, they moved on.
23
Thus, it was always at the bidding of the LORD that they encamped, and at his bidding that they set out; ever heeding the charge of the LORD, as he had bidden them through Moses.


Matthew 19:
28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

Probably, the corner where the Mishkan (tabernacle) once stood. In the background is the modern settlement of Shiloh. It is not clear from the description if this wall is actually the wall of the courtyard or the walls of the building with the animal skin roof. This Mishkan was in use during the time of Judges of Israel. (Also notice the forestation of Israel, more trees were planted in Israel in the last 100 years than any other country on earth.)

4/28/08 Foxnews reports that 80% of the U.S. population is Christian, of that population, 50% have have changed Christian religious affiliation seeking a personal relationship with Jesus and not just religion. Christians are still being led and follow the Lord's direction to move in their lives today.



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Exodus 2:1-22 ~ Moses was content

Exodus 2:1-22 (Amplified Bible)


1 NOW [Amram] a man of the house of Levi [the priestly tribe] went and took as his wife [Jochebed] a daughter of Levi. 2And the woman became pregnant and bore a son; and when she saw that he was [exceedingly] beautiful, she hid him three months.

3And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark or basket made of bulrushes or papyrus [making it watertight by] daubing it with bitumen and pitch. Then she put the child in it and laid it among the rushes by the brink of the river [Nile].

4And his sister [Miriam] stood some distance away to learn what would be done to him.

5Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, and her maidens walked along the bank; she saw the ark among the rushes and sent her maid to fetch it.

6When she opened it, she saw the child; and behold, the baby cried. And she took pity on him and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children!

7Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call a nurse of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?

8Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the girl went and called the child's mother.

9Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages. So the woman took the child and nursed it.

10And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. And she called him Moses, for she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

11One day, after Moses was grown, it happened that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of [Moses'] brethren.

12He looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

13He went out the second day and saw two Hebrew men quarreling and fighting; and he said to the unjust aggressor, Why are you striking your comrade?

14And the man said, Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? Then Moses was afraid and thought, Surely this thing is known.

15When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh's presence and took refuge in the land of Midian, where he sat down by a well.

16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

17The shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flock.

18And when they came to Reuel [Jethro] their father, he said, How is it that you have come so soon today?

19They said, An Egyptian delivered us from the shepherds; also he drew water for us and watered the flock.

20He said to his daughters, Where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.

21And Moses was content to dwell with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

22And she bore a son, and he called his name Gershom [expulsion, or a stranger there]; for he said, I have been a stranger and a sojourner in a foreign land.


How many of us struggle to be content? About 5 weeks ago, one of the major news networks did a poll and story on the American struggle for, not contentment, but happiness. The poll featured the person polled asked on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being perfect, how happy are you? Every participant answered at least a 9 and some answered a 10. The scientist controlling the experiment came on camera saying his in-depth studies portray the polled people as…. using strong exaggeration. The scientist said one of the reasons people today feel isolated is the need to portray their lives as a successful & happy. The scientist went on to say these results were not surprising to him, he expected people to face a national television cameo as portraying themselves as fulfilled.

At funerals, I have been asked how I can believe in a God so cruel as to separate people by death. The answer is God built us to be seekers in this life & to grow into seeking, wanting, needing relying upon His grace. The separation from God, the separation from our loved ones is an invitation for the separation to be temporary.

If Moses had grown up as an extension of Prime-Minister Joseph’s family, as just another honored part of the honored clan (even if it was slavery), and had faced his life feeling absolutely happy ever day, what would he have accomplished? Moses probably felt content most of his life, but he was still seeking. The journey isn’t a bad thing & roses have thorns. Norman Vincent Peale used to say, “You have problems, must mean that you are alive.”

One way in life to feel less isolated is to join a Christian small group in a Bible believing Church; there Christians share their burdens in supporting, prayerful confidence. The Bible asks us to share our burdens and to be constant in prayer.

Hebrews 12:
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned." 21The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."

22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.


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Isaiah 60:17-22 ~ the Lord will swiftly accomplish these things when their time comes

A Lunar Moth arrived at our window last night, it was an amazing part of creation. The wings are by far one of the most spectacular green moth wings on the planet, it is not only a naturally fluorescent green color, but glows-in-the-dark and has full wing fluttering motion! The Luna moth or Lunar Moth (Actius luna)from a type of giant silk moth which has a four natural fluorescent green colored wings with a brown, and white "eye" on each of its wings. These nocturnal insects have long, sweeping lower wing-tails. The normal wing span for Lunar Moths is from 3 to nearly 8 inches across. Ours was 4 inches across & taller, we thought at first it was a bird, but the motion fluttered more than anything we had ever seen.

The moths seem to have a season. Spring and Fall. Everything in its time. Except the glory of the Lord.

Psalm 104:
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works-

Romans 8:21
That the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Isaiah 60:17-22 (New American Bible)

17
In place of bronze I will bring gold, instead of iron, silver; In place of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron; I will appoint peace your governor, and justice your ruler.
18
No longer shall violence be heard of in your land, or plunder and ruin within your boundaries. You shall call your walls "Salvation" and your gates "Praise."
19
No longer shall the sun be your light by day, Nor the brightness of the moon shine upon you at night; The LORD shall be your light forever, your God shall be your glory.
20
No longer shall your sun go down, or your moon withdraw, For the LORD will be your light forever, and the days of your mourning shall be at an end.
21
Your people shall all be just, they shall always possess the land, They, the bud of my planting, my handiwork to show my glory.
22
The smallest shall become a thousand, the youngest, a mighty nation; I, the LORD, will swiftly accomplish these things when their time comes.



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Matthew 9: 1-8, 27-33 ~ they glorified God

Matthew 9: 1-8, 27-33

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1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 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’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”


These verses from the gospel of Matthew are about healing. Many people say that the time of miracles is past. This is untrue, the Catholic Church records, vehemently, thoroughly and with zeal, the healings in the name of Jesus Christ occurring today and in centuries past. In my life, I have been witness to healings: My mother was being prayed for in Jesus Christ’s name, she said it was like being microwave flash cooked, her visible tumor on her thyroid of many years, scheduled for surgical removal, was healed.

My mother’s friend was told her eye blood vessels would fail, her doctors then discovered glaucoma. She requested surgery and the doctors told her the blood to her eyes would shut down and she must learn Braille, surgery was not an option. My mother’s friend began traveling to Christian seminars where many healings in Jesus’ name occurred. After several years of traveling to seminars, the doctors continued to ordered her to learn Braille quickly; she went to her eye specialist appointment to learn her eye blood vessels had healed and she no longer had cataracts. Mother’s friend continues to go to the seminars as worship and thanksgiving.


Our youth pastor called me the first day of summer break, 5 years ago, saying he had witnessed a just occurred accident involving a truck and a child on a bike. He was extremely distressed and said the truck looked like a shark had bitten a huge bite out of the truck, leaving a huge head imprint on what was left of the hood. We were to discover in the next 30 minutes that the 13 year old dragged 75 feet by the truck was a close, close family friend of ours and the youth pastor. Our dear young friend was ordered a life flight, but he regained consciousness to say his name. Dr. Red Duke was the admitting, emergency physician and asked parental permission to remove his internally bleeding spleen and kidney, brain damage would be accessed later. Our friend’s father wisely asked to wait. That Sunday, our church all signed a blanket with Sharpie pens, agreeing that our friend would be covered in prayer and we prayed for him in Jesus’ name. The next day, the physician assigned said, "It was amazing there was not any brain damage. The kidney and spleen began to function, someone (or church) had been praying for our friend1"

A friend of mine from church was crying a lot, and unusually for her, one Sunday. She has been told she had a near fatal blood count from medication she was taking. After an emergency appointment with a hemoglobin specialist, the outlook could be immediate death from stroke. She was called the next day for another emergency appointment and blood was taken again. Then a teaching, very well-known, hospital called her to ask for a blood sample. The nurse taking the sample explained that five total samples had been taken, the results showed falling blood counts for a year, then an emergency count. Then two more samples showed a count climbing from 70 to 210, normal, in a space of three days. My friend had been prayed & healed in the emergency time in the name of Jesus. Her blood counts have been normal for 3 years.

Our pastor was scheduled for both of his arm rotator cuffs to be surgically repaired, he had been in great pain for 2 years. Our church attended the 2008 January Winter Conference, unexpectedly he was called by symptom of feet (with many others) for prayer. He was prayed for in the name of Jesus Christ and his rotator cuffs and back began to feel intense heat. His surgeon confirmed with MRI that the rotator cuffs were healed. Surgery was unneeded.

Jesus Christ yesterday, Jesus Christ today and Jesus Christ tomorrow. Unchanging.

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Psalm 108 ~ In truimph I will parcel out Shechem

Psalm 108

1 My heart is steadfast, O God;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
2 Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

3 I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and let your glory be over all the earth.

6 Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.

7 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
"In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Succoth.

8 Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah my scepter.

9 Moab is my washbasin,
upon Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph."

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?

11 Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?

12 Give us aid against the enemy,
for the help of man is worthless.

13 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.


When David, filled with the Holy Spirit & God’s discernment, wrote Psalms; Father God was saying many different things. The Psalms explain life has dangers, perils, victories, celebrations and thanksgivings. God does not call forth His marketing spin team to put on rosy spectacles. David sometimes felt abandoned by God, just as Jesus cried out on the cross. God is steadfast love and His plan for our lives and eternal salvation is in motion.

One of the most important and essential point of the Psalms, whatever our current situation in life, the victory is God’s.

We read Psalm 108 and see David is the apple of God’s eye (lots of earth shaking victories & David feels close to the Lord), but David is letting God know he wants more. More victories, but David makes an important point, David acknowledges that David understands that the miracle of David’s life belongs to the Lord.

When David goes before His Father in prayer, he is going in fully informed as to why Israel has problems with these nations and David is asking for help. We see the Bible explains history and although names of many places have changed, the Scriptures also explains family history formed into nations. Scripture encourages us to understand and seek wisdom, see Proverbs.

Shechem - Genesis 12: 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

David and the Holy Spirit list Shechem first in the list, this is the promise of God telling Abraham that this is God’s earth and His to do as He pleases.

Valley of Succoth – Genesis 33:17
Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.

Joshua 13:27
and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth and Zaphon with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth ).

Gilead – Genesis 31 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

48 Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me."

51 Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us."

"Gilead" means hill of testimony or mound of witness, (Genesis 31:21), a mountainous region east of the Jordan River, situated in the present-day Kingdom of Jordan.

Manasseh – Genesis 48: 5 Israel said, "Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh.”

Genesis 48: 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
"May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life to this day,

16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
—may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
upon the earth."

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18 Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."

19 But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations." 20 He blessed them that day and said,
"In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing:
'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.' "
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

For most people, the best-known descendant of Ephraim was Joshua, while Gideon (Judges 6:12-15) is perhaps the most famous descendant of Manasseh.

Ephraim – helmet. Ephesians 6: 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Judah – scepter. Genesis 49: 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his.

David was from the tribe of Judah, Jesus is called Lion of the tribe of Judah.

2 Samuel 5:
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.

Moab – Genesis 19:30-38 "Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Let's get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father." That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. The next day the older daughter said to the younger, "Last night I lay with my father. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father." So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today."

Moab (Hebrew: מוֹאָב, Standard Moʾav Tiberian Môʾāḇ ; Greek Μωάβ ; Arabic مؤاب, Assyrian Mu'aba, Ma'ba, Ma'ab ; Egyptian Mu'ab) is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in modern-day Jordan running along the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. In ancient times, it was home to the kingdom of the Moabites, a people often in conflict with their Israelite neighbors to the west. The Moabites, attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over an unnamed son of King Omri of Israel

Edom - Genesis 25:30
He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom. Part of Jordan.)

Philistia – Philistines were said to live in the southern coast of the nation of Canaan, and became a separate nation - descendants of Noah’s sons.

Genesis 9: 20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25he said,
"Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers."

Genesis 10

6 The sons of Ham:
Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan.
7 The sons of Cush:
Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca.
The sons of Raamah:
Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD." 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

13 Mizraim was the father of
the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 14 Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.

Jesus Christ died for our sins and extended His grace, mercy and forgiveness to all nations.

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Romans 7:1-12 ~ free from the law

Today let's pray for JI Packer. JI Packer was ordained in 1953, 55 years ago. He is one of the most important theologians of this century. As an Oxford student, JI Packer first met C. S. Lewis, Lewis’ teachings would influence his life. JI Packer was general editor for the English Standard Version of the bible, a revision of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

A writer and frequent lecturer, Dr. Packer is best known for the book, "Knowing God". He is a frequent contributor and executive editor of Christianity Today. Christianity Today’s founder is Billy Graham. The magazine's presence on the Internet began in October of 1994 when it became one of the top 10 content providers on all of AOL. Then, in 1996, their website was launched. It was originally named ChristianityOnline.com. Today it, and its sister publications, reach well over 2 million readers in traditional paperbound form, and more than 10 million in their internet form.

Let us pray today for JI Packer and give great thanks for his many years serving the Lord in fufilling Jesus Christ's call to spread the Good News! I was priviledged to hear JI Packer in Dallas for the 2008 Winter Conference. He is a humble and vastly knowledgable christian.

Romans 7:1-12 (English Standard Version)

7:1 Or do you not know, brothers —for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Hear the Shofar Blast. The ram's horn sounds called Tekiah, reminds on Rosh Hashanah that God is creator, Father to the entire universe.

Shevarim, three short, wail-like blasts calling deep to our hearts. A cry out to God from the depths of our soul; in this moment, when our souls stand before the Almighty without any barriers, that we can truly spiritually yearn for daily prayer to connect, to grow, to achieve.

Teruah, nine quick blasts in rapid succession, calling us to awake from spiritual slumber.

Love One Another

Love One Another, a sermon by Father Malone.

Thursday, February 28, 2008 Scripture for Today. I John 4:20-21;5:1-21 ~ Overcomes the world

When we read in the gospels that Jesus urges us to love one another as the Father has loved us, He gives us a divine example of Love.

God is not tolerant of wrong, but does forgive. The wrath of God exists, but He does not make this His choice of priority. God is very slow to anger. He says in the Scripture that he does not tolerate wrong. God is holy, and asks us to be holy. God completely understands human failure. He has given us forgiveness in Jesus Christ. In this forgiveness we have freedom, freedom from God's judgement for all time. He calls us to be holy. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of self-control.

From God we learn unconditional love. Human beings fall short of this divine love, our human nature is basically too selfish and we are not divine enough to love perfectly. God is passionate about you as a human being, not a human doing. God is in love with you and wanted you as His creation. God does not love you because you are beautiful, accomplished, hard working, physically fit, witty, interesting, smart or you provide for Him. You cannot give God enough praise to make Him feel good about Himself. God does not love you from an attempt to keep from loneliness. He already is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He has an entire universe as well as His eternal Kingdom. God does not love you out of a sense of duty, you are his choice.

God is in love with you. He wants your spirit to be so filled as to overflow. He does not want your works, he is more interested in your faith - love. He does not want your sense of duty, or fear. He wants love to fill you with overwhelming awe. He wants thanksgiving. He wants us to want to do right, he does not want to be an accuser or a judge. God wants Love. He wants the Light of the World to give life. We cannot give God a gift that he did not give us, but He loves thanksgiving and He loves mercy.

He is the Father that sometimes says no, with only our best in His heart. He is the Father who urges us to fight the good fight, so that we might finish very well.

Our sermon said that if we spoke Greek, we would know the Greek word Paraclete as the Holy Spirit. This translates into "Counselor", "Helper", or "Comforter". Paraklētos, "one who consoles, one who intercedes on our behalf, a comforter or an advocate. Reflects a translation of the Hebrew word מְנַחֵם‎, mənaḥḥēm "comforter". According to the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature: "the technical meaning 'lawyer', 'attorney' is rare." Our sermon from Fr. Malone today, said it is the One who comes along beside you to say, "this is the situation, I am here to be the way, the truth, the life and your help and your comfort."

Exodus 17:1-7 ~ Is the Lord among us or not?

Jordan River. The New International Version has 620 references to water; water is used as many different symbols in the bible. Today we are looking at water as spiritual life.

Exodus 17:1-7

Listen

1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."

Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"

3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

5 The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"


Isaiah 12:2-3 (New King James Version)
2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘ For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’” 3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. Ye shall draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Jeremiah 2:13
13 “ For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Matthew 3:13
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

John 4:10
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

John 4: 13, 14
13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

John 7:38
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”


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Mark 15:20,22,25,33-41 ~ ministered to Him

Mark 15:20,22,25,33-41

Mark 15:20
20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

Mark 15:22
22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull).

Mark 15:25
25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him.

Mark 15:33-41
33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

Mark 15: 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Matthew 14:32-33
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

6 Matthew 26:62-69
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."

64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."

Luke 22:69-70
They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"
He replied, "You are right in saying I am."

John 1:34
I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.

John 1:49
Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.

John 20:31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 1:41
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ).

Romans 15:12, Isaiah 11:10
12 And again, Isaiah says:
“ There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

Luke 1:32-33
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Psalm 45:6-7
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Malachi 4:5-6
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Matthew 11:3-5
3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Christian poll taken by Fox News says christians today in the U.S.A. are seeking a personal relationship with Jesus

4/28/08

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/player06.html?022808/022808_ff_lauren&Losing%20My%20Religion%3F&FOX_Friends&New%20poll%20suggests%20shrinking%20spiritualism%20in%20U.S.&FOX%20%26%20Friends&-1&&&&&new

80% of the U.S population is christian. The poll finds that christians go to church. The U.S. christian population has experienced change in their spiritual lives, 50% changed religious affiliation since childhood. Traditional religious christianity is out, people are looking for a personal relationship with Jesus. A relationship with Jesus is labelled in the media as orthodox or evangelical christianity.

Those seeking a relationship with Jesus believe in the divinity of Christ, human justice & personal morality.

God is love. 1 John 4:8b

I John 4:20-21;5:1-21 ~ Overcomes the world

I John 4:20-21;5:1-21

20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 5
Listen to 1 John 5 (click listen tag)

5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

On television, the Bible was criticized, on this topic -Paul not clearly understanding modern man. If true, after reading 1 John 4:20-21;5:1-21, we would have to say John, who stood with Jesus at the foot of the cross and comforted Mary, did not understand man. This, of course, is ignoring the Holy Spirit. The Lord is omniscient. He knows all things. “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:13).

Was John's life, 2000 years ago, so vastly different than ours? John had a job given to him by Jesus. John was told & did care for Mary and he went out to spread the Good News, they left Israel (after Herod killed James, the brother of Jesus & began to hunt for others). John would encounter many things we see today in our lives. Some we do not have, John would have known about Nike and the symbol, the Greek goddess of victory, John would have know Greek god & goddess temples. He would have encountered many people trying to get ahead and just getting through life one day at a time. John would have seen evil in his life; Jesus was condemned unfairly and crucified in front of him. John was eyewitness the death of the Son of God and saw Jesus die. John saw danger and knew dangerous ideals; he was willing to risk his life to follow Jesus, this is a man that the Holy Spirit would use to tell us & we should hear.

John tells us in John 5: 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

God is love. 1 John 4:8b

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Mark 14:43-72; 15:1 ~ And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?

"Jesus of Nazarus"; Nicodemus, grieved over the crucifixion of Jesus. Nicodemos enters the gospels in John 3 to learn of spiritual awakening, later asks the Pharisees not to condemn Jesus without learning about Him in John 7 and cares for Jesus's body after Jesus was mocked, unfairly tried & condemned as a criminal in John 19.

Mark 14:43-72; 15:1

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled.

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

53 And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Lent is the season when we remember what Jesus took upon Himself to give us Easter. The reason Jesus could endure: the loss of most of His disciples, public humiliation from the hypocrites and the crowd who had given Him hosanna as King, being unfairly condemned as a criminal, being beaten, spit upon, scourged and the terror of knowing that a terrible death and ordeal would come upon Him, was the love He knew from His Father.

When Jesus returned from the dead, one of the first conversations He had was with Mary Magdalene, He shared with her that she had been grafted into the family of God. He said;

John 20: 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

17 Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

John 7:38-39
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

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1 John 3:9-22 ~ Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us

1 John 3:9-22

9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

Genesis 24:1-27 ~ choice gifts from his master

Today’s historical search for Isaac’s bride is symbolically the church becoming the bride of Christ. Symbolically: Abraham is God the Father. Isaac is Jesus, the Christ, Son of God. The trusted servant is the Holy Spirit. Rebekah is the willing bride of Christ, the church. We know from the Scriptures that Rebekah and Isaac will have troubles in life the Scriptures tell us are part of life. In the midst of signs, births, prosperity, betrayal, all trouble and stages of life; we learn from Isaac’s life, forgiveness allows the Holy Spirit to help Isaac to end well. We can almost hear Father God say to Isaac, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Is this a love story? Yes, we know it. We all root for Rebekah to complete the sign and become Isaac’s wife. We all want the signs of God’s approval in our life. We know Rebekah will place her son’s prosperity over her husband’s peaceful illness and anticipated death. We know Isaac will still have Rebekah as his wife when a life-time of years pass before the family is reunited in forgiveness. We know this miracle only can come from God.

Just as we know what Rebekah’s human nature will cause and allow, God knew what was in Rebekah’s heart and chose her to be part of His plan in fulfilling His promise to Abraham. In Jesus, we are heirs of Abraham, we are grafted into God’s tree of life. God chose Rebekah and God chooses us, asks us, wants us to be part of His plan in this life and heirs to His eternal kingdom.

Genesis 24:1-27

24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia [1] to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this [2] I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden [3] whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, [4] and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen.”

Footnotes
[1] 24:10 Hebrew Aram-naharaim
[2] 24:14 Or By her
[3] 24:16 Or a woman of marriageable age
[4] 24:22 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

Luke 15:11-32 ~ he divided

Because the Word of God is living and active, we grow along with the parable of Jesus.

If you did not grow up knowing the Prodigal Son parable, read it as if you were the younger son. Or remember when you were the young child of your parents – we all had times in our youth of misspent youth and parental “involvement”. Read the story a 2nd time, as if you are the overlooked, unrewarded brother with a light coming out of the darkness.



Luke 15:11-32
Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version


11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to [joined himself to] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son [some manuscripts add treat me as one of your hired servants].’ 22 But the father said to his servants, [bondservants] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”


Have we all behaved well always? Have we all had children who please us or the Lord everyday? And would we want our children to accept all of the law and all of the prophets without a day they could point to - a day of spiritual rebirth - where we put away the old and we become a new creature in Jesus Christ. We all know of the very public fall of Jimmy Swaggart - who was raised in belief & said there never was a time he didn't believe - it's probably more that he was swept along than made a personal choice to answer the personal call of Jesus Christ. I say that with compassion and not from the soap box.

It's amazing to read that Eli and Samuel, who loved the LORD so dearly, accepted so easily their children didn't please God or the people of Israel. I far and away prefer the parable of God's lost child - and the message of hope -

Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

God Runs to us. We should do no less than the people who came to Jesus and asked His favor for the centurian. No less than the people who carried their paralyzed friend through the roof to get Jesus' attention and healing.

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.


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Psalm 95 ~ a people

On Thursday, we read in Scripture for Today, about Exodus 17:7, Massah means testing,
Exodus 17:7, Meribah means quarreling. Perhaps when Father God remembers the Exodus, He remembers that He forgave a lot. On Wednesday, we read in Scripture for Today that Baruch was blessed by God and that is blessed indeed. The Lord promises us in the bible that Israel is blessed by God. In testing and quarrelsome times, the Lord promises that a remnant will always be kept by Him.

After almost 2000 years, on the night of May 14, 1948, when Israel was declared a state, the Jews of Rome had a triumphant parade and marched under the Arch of Titus (celebrates the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple). Their message: "The Empire of Rome is gone, we're still around. Victory is ours." The promises and blessing of God continues, His steadfast love prevails. To see photos of the Arch of Titus and the explanation of the carved frescos of the temple tools removed from the Second Temple, please see Scripture for Today, February 27, 2007.

To see the blessings in Israel today, please see Cool Facts about Israel on Youtube.com :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV6K08RFRQs&NR=1

Psalm 95 (Revised Standard Version)

[1] O come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
[2] Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
[3] For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
[4] In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
[5] The sea is his, for he made it;
for his hands formed the dry land.

[6] O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
[7] For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would hearken to his voice!

[8] Harden not your hearts, as at Mer'ibah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
[9] when your fathers tested me,
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
[10] For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, "They are a people who err in heart,
and they do not regard my ways."
[11] Therefore I swore in my anger
that they should not enter my rest.

The Brazen Serpent combines the Bronze Serpent held up by Moses to heal sinners and is combined with the cross of Jesus Christ held up to redeem sinners. It is located on top of Mount Nebo, Jordan where Moses saw the Holy Land.

Matthew 16:13-19 ~ He asked His disciples

Matthew 16:13-19

Matthew 16:13-19 click on the Listen to hear

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

John 3:14-17 ~ For God so loved the world

Photo of Mount Hor, Jebel Nebi Harun ("Mountain of the Prophet Aaron" in Arabic), where God wanted to save Aaron, even if he was the high priest/prophet of the golden calf.

John 3:14-17

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

If the Bible were simply a book of improving stories or a moral tract, Numbers 21:4 -9, a history of God, the snakes & the children of Israel would be an embarrassing tale. In this story God is angry and disappointed, snakes are sent to make clear God’s wrath.

The Bible is answering our question and need to know the human condition and how to cure it. It points out our human foolishness, our frailties and our sin. As well as our need and God's willingness to give us a Savior.

The people had great reason to trust God and Moses. God had led them out of Egypt, showing many mighty acts and wonders. Thirsty in the desert? God provided water from a rock (Exodus 17: 1-7). Yet again, the people whined and moaned, like sulky teenagers. No wonder God was exasperated and provoked beyond endurance. Still, God, Yahweh, I am, Lord of Lords, God of Gods wants to save us. Emmanuel.

God told Moses put up a poisonous serpent of bronze. According to John’s Gospel, Jesus used this story showing God’s desire to heal and save his people (John 3:14-17). The lifting up of the bronze serpent points to his own lifting up upon the cross.

To Ponder
Jesus’ interpretation of Scripture, even difficult passages like today’s, usually emphasises God’s loving kindness for people. Is this what we seek to find and stress when we read the Bible?

What do we do with our own impatience and ingratitude?

Also written by Reverend Martin Forward, The Methodist Church of Great Britain