1 Kings 8:22-30 ~ heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You

When Biblical findings are announced, Archeologists then endlessly debate. In 1996, the New York Times, the History Channel and many others announced deeper layers of the existing Western Wall, remnant of the Second Temple called Wailing Wall, had been found. The older stones were from the First Temple built by Solomon, due to the placing and the stone size of the more modest First Temple.

The layers, other than massive Herodian stones and the more modern Islamic stones, are debated. When on the tour to see the stones, the smaller stones are labeled as the closest point to the First Temple.

1 Kings 8:22-30

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 24 who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

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1 Kings 8:1-13 ~the LORD'S glory had filled the temple of the LORD

1 Kings 8:1-3 ~ (New American Bible) Listen

1 At the order of Solomon, the elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes, the princes in the ancestral houses of the Israelites, came to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD'S covenant from the city of David (which is Zion). 2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).

3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark; 4 they carried the ark of the LORD and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels that were in the tent. (The priests and Levites carried them.) 5 King Solomon and the entire community of Israel present for the occasion sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen too many to number or count.

6 The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary, the holy of holies of the temple. 7 The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark, sheltering the ark and its poles from above. 8 The poles were so long that their ends could be seen from that part of the holy place adjoining the sanctuary; however, they could not be seen beyond. (They have remained there to this day.) 9 There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets which Moses had put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites at their departure from the land of Egypt.

10 When the priests left the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD
11 so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud, since the LORD'S glory had filled the temple of the LORD.

12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud; 13 I have truly built you a princely house, a dwelling where you may abide forever."


~ the LORD'S glory had filled the temple of the LORD


2 Samuel 22:10-12
He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

What a sight to behold.



Solomon built more Cherubim into the room built to be the Holy of Holies, this passage is describing them as the Ark is placed in the Sanctuary. The descriptions of the Ark being built describe a Mercy Seat existing between the two Cherubim on the Ark. The Ark is referred to once as a throne. Our pictures of the Ark, never have it remotely look like God's Throne, but instead a decorative box holding sacred relics instead of Throne of the Living God.

Solomon proclaimed God would live in the Temple of the Lord forever. After Jesus was resurrected, John had a vision of the Heavenly Kingdom to come:

Revelation 21:22-26
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

Man keeps trying to have permanence of eternity on earth. God designs eternity for His Heavenly Kingdom. God gives us glimpses, He gives us beautiful glimpses, of what is to come.

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Psalm 138 ~ give thanks for Your name, steadfast love and faithfulness

Psalm 138

1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
3 On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.

4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
5 and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.


We had an excellent sermon today from our Deacon. She included an ancient African parable, she emphasized is not of the bible, but is a learning parable - giving a thought to ponder:

Jesus and his disciples were walking & Jesus asked each of the disciples to carry a stone with them from the side of the path. The disciples all chose a different sized stone, John chose a very large stone and Peter a small one. Later in the day, Jesus asked the disciples to put the stones down and He changed the stones into bread. It was the end of the day, the disciples were hungry and Peter only had a very small amount of bread. John had plenty and shared with Peter and the others.

The next day, Jesus asked again for the disciples to pick up a stone. Almost all the disciples chose larger stones. They carried the stones with them to the Sea of Galilee & Jesus asked the disciples to cast the stones into the water. The disciples quickly threw the stones into the water and waited. Jesus and the disciples all watched the water. Thomas asked, with the others, "What miracle would Jesus do with the stones today?" "Yes," they all asked, "what would Jesus do?"

Jesus answered, "Today you all threw a stone into the water & you will receive a question: for what person and what reason did you carry a stone today?"

Human nature in all of us. The gods we have: self-centered love, competition, abundance, greed, boredom, false subservience and power.

Remember the chapter after Jesus fed the thousands?

Matthew 16:5-12
⁵When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶"Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

⁷They discussed this among themselves and said, "It is because we didn't bring any bread."

⁸Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹⁰Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹¹How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." ¹²Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Praise be to you Father, for giving us the highest name of Jesus Christ as Lord. We give you thanks for your steadfast love and faithfulness.

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Exodus 15 ~ Moses and the people of Israel sang this song

Exodus 15

1 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father's God, and I will exalt him.
3 The Lord is a man of war;
the Lord is his name.

4 “Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast into the sea,
and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
5 The floods covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.
6 Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power,
your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.
7 In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;
you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.
8 At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up;
the floods stood up in a heap;
the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.
9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’
10 You blew with your wind; the sea covered them;
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
12 You stretched out your right hand;
the earth swallowed them.

13 “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed;
you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.
14 The peoples have heard; they tremble;
pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
15 Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed;
trembling seizes the leaders of Moab;
all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
16 Terror and dread fall upon them;
because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone,
till your people, O Lord, pass by,
till the people pass by whom you have purchased.
17 You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain,
the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode,
the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.
18 The Lord will reign forever and ever.”

19 For when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. 20 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. 21 And Miriam sang to them:

“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

In the first 3 days of the Exodus, the Lord promised them a healthy life & so they used the blessing and wandered for 40 years. Moses, being a prince of Egypt, and leaving loaded with Egyptian treasure given to them, wrote these events down, but an oral history remains. There are few people who cannot hum this:
“I will sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."

A lot of times we remember from children's movies & Charlton Heston, but these movies should be encouraged! Imagine how many nights, in the vast desert, under perfect desert skies of the Exodus, people sang this memorable song praising God. They had a pillar of fire to sing it by, imagine seeing such a sight. We can all, only too well, imagine being the doubters God kept in the desert.

Were the people bitter during the 40 years? God really didn't record their time. No one really wants to hear 40 years of complaints. Or even an evening. God showed Moses a log to throw into the water, to make it sweet. Jesus also told us about bitterness:

Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

How many times we would please those around us & God, if only we would remember we have received so much mercy ourselves. How many times is it really that important?

The Lord will reign forever and ever!

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Exodus 37 ~ He also made

Acacia tree and Acacia wood
The Table - made and shown today in Israel by the Temple Institute
The Lampstand made by Temple Institute. Today in Jerusalem Museum for Temple Institute
The Altar of Incense - Temple Institute
Mount Nebo in Jordan overlooking Israel. Where Jeremiah hid the Ark before the Babylonian enslavement of Judah. (Link Scripture for Today 2 Maccabees 2:4-62)
Relief of King Darius of Babylon and slaves (Link to Scripture of the Day)
Gate of Ishtar in Ancient Babylon (Link Scripture for Today)
Rebuilding of the Second Temple went on for centuries, this is a model (Link Scripture for Today). Although the Second Temple was given the listed Temple Treasures back, the Babylonian king could not return the Ark of the Covenant, because it has already been hidden and never was in the Second Temple. It's interesting the First Temple, built by Solomon, simply stood while the Ark was there, but the Second Temple was always being destroyed by war, or remodeled.
Jerusalem falls in 70 A.D. to Titus, this would have been about the end of Jesus' natural life on earth.
Model of the Coliseum, built from the money taken out of Jerusalem by Emperor Titus.
The Arch of Titus in Rome today.
Relief carved on the Arch of Titus showing the Truimph after the destruction of Jerusalem, these are the Temple Tools, but not the Ark of the Covenant. After 1,935 years, Roman Jews proudly walked under the Titus Arch, for the first time, because Israel was again a nation, May 14, 1948.
About the 3rd to 4th century AD, the Jews collected enough money to rebuild the Temple, but the building was destroyed by earthquake while still in construction. Then war.

How the relief appears today - 2,000 years later.
Mount Nebo, were the cross of Jesus Christ is placed with an emblem of Moses overlooking the Holy Lands, while visited by John Paul II.
The Coliseum today, an aerial. About 500,000 people and over a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games. It is damaged by earthquakes and stone robbers. On each Good Friday, the Pope leads a "Way of the Cross" procession around the Colosseum.
Ishtar Gate from Babylon, rebuilt using the actual baked bricks. In Germany (see above).

The Temple Institute Museum in Jerusalem.

Exodus 37

1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. 4 And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold 5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. 6 And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 7 And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat, 8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. 9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

Making the Table

10 He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. 11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. 12 And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. 13 He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. 14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. 15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. 16 And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.

Making the Lampstand

17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 19 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 21 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. 22 Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 23 And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its utensils out of a talent of pure gold.

Making the Altar of Incense

25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, 27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. 28 And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

29 He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

~ He also made

John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Look at all these things, men moving and transforming parts of God's creation. All of these times, all of these events used by the Lord to unfurl His plan in His time.

Glory be to the Lord Most High.

Amen.

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Psalm 69 ~ You know

Psalm 69

1 Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.

4 More in number than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
O God of Israel.
7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
that dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my mother's sons.

9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,
and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting,
it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
and the drunkards make songs about me.

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love
answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
and from the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or the pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Hide not your face from your servant;
for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies!

19 You know my reproach,
and my shame and my dishonor;
my foes are all known to you.
20 Reproaches have broken my heart,
so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food,
and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

22 Let their own table before them become a snare;
and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation;
let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom you have struck down,
and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
27 Add to them punishment upon punishment;
may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox
or a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 When the humble see it they will be glad;
you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the Lord hears the needy
and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36 the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall dwell in it.


What a sad, mournful Psalm this is. It is the the cry of Good Friday. Jesus was not only hunted, deserted, mocked flogged, condemned, beaten, but he physically began to deteriorate during the 650-yard journey from the Fortress Antonia to Golgotha . His muscles had been pushed past human endurance.

Where would water have come from in this Psalm? Many doctors have looked at the gospel of John to understand what would have physically caused Jesus' death. They all agree Jesus suffered so much from the Garden of Gethsemane, all of these things hastened His death.

Dr. David Teraska has researched the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

"The average time of suffering before death by crucifixion is stated to be about 2-4 days (Tenney), although there are reported cases where the victims lived for 9 days. (Lipsius) The actual causes of death by crucifixion were multifactorial, one of the most significant would have been the severity of the scourging. (Edwards) Jesus died a quick physical death (Pilate was surprised that He had died so soon. (Mark 15:44)). While many of the physical signs preceding death were present, one possibility is that Jesus did not die by physical factors which ended His ability to live, but that He gave up His life of His own accord. His last statement, "Into your hands I commit my Spirit" seems to show that Jesus' death occurred by giving Himself up. In John 10, He states that only He has the power to lay down His life. He proved His power over death by His resurrection. Truly, God is the one who has power over life and death."

John 19:33-37 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

Where did the water come from that was mixed with Jesus blood and possibly the water mentioned in Psalm 69?

Dr. Terasaka continues, "One theory states that Jesus died of a massive myocardial infarction, in which the heart ruptured (Bergsma) which may have resulted from His falling while carrying the cross. (Dr. D. A. Ball) Another theory states that Jesus' heart was surrounded by fluid in the pericardium, which constricted the heart and caused death.(Dr. C.T. Davis) The physical stresses of crucifixion may have produced a fatal cardiac arrhythmia. (Dr. C..Johnson)The stated order of "blood and water" may not necessarily indicate the order of appearance, but rather the relative prominence of each fluid. In this case, a spear through the right side of the heart would allow the pleural fluid (fluid built up in the lungs) to escape first, followed by a flow of blood from the wall of the right ventricle.(Dr. W.D. Edwards) The medical evidence supports that Jesus did die a physical death."

"Christianity is the story of God sacrificing His Son to restore a relationship that was broken. As stated in the above text, Jesus gave up His life to pay for the sins of mankind and taking the punishment for the sin upon Himself. Because He gave His life on the cross, any one who believes in Him will have a restoration of a personal relationship with God. Jesus Himself claimed to be the only way to God (John 14:6) and only by the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ can man have a meaningful and purposeful life. (John 10:10)"

"God desires that all men come to know Him in a personal way. If you have never received Jesus' gift of Himself for your sins , or have any doubts to how you can have a meaningful and purposeful life by the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ, you can start by praying a simple prayer, such as:"

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I confess that I am a sinner before God. I acknowledge that by your death and sacrifice that you have paid the penalty of my sins for me. Please come into my heart and become the Lord of my life. As you gave your life, I give my life to you. I will take up my cross and follow you, not as I will, but to follow Your perfect will for my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Christians Know! Easter follows Good Friday. We do not have a God who sits on high without concern for us. God chose to dwell with us. God did not leave Jesus, He does not leave us, this is the ending of Psalm 69:

30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

32 When the humble see it they will be glad;
you who seek God, let your hearts revive. (!)

33 For the Lord hears the needy
and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.

35 For God will save Zion
and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36 the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

Hallelujah! Christ has risen indeed!

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Romans 16 ~ Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well

Romans 16

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant (1 Or deaconess ) of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert (Greek firstfruit ) to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, (messengers) and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers (Or brothers and sisters; also verse 17 ) who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, ( their own belly) and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you. (Footnotes, verse 24 - some manuscripts insert: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.)

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

(Footnotes are in parenthesis.)

Who Were Rufus and his mother?

Not Paul's biological family. Rufus is not a common name in New Testament times, (later this became a popular name and is one of my family names) but appears in Mark 15:21.

²¹A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.

It is not certain it is the same Rufus, some Biblical scholars lean in that direction. Cyrene was on the north coast of Africa, north of Benghazi, Libya. I, personally, find it thrilling & a tear-jerker that Simon, the bystander, carrying Jesus' cross that day, would have children mentioned casually later. Who wouldn't have been changed by standing with Jesus in his time of great sacrifice.

Cyrene did not have a large number of Jews, but to read Romans 16 - in the first century A.D. - this letter would have been shocking to the Jews. And a shock to more conservative Christian churches today. Most of the names are Greek or Latin, 11 of the names are women. And some women have a position of some authority. Not as priests, but deaconess, or a servant. Paul sees them, not just as fellow workers, but his family & recognizes them 9 times with the words: beloved, kinsman, mother or messenger. Messenger isn't an unusual term here, he is talking about angels. Paul sees his family as people willing to risk their necks for his life.

This funny portion, at the end of Romans, called chapter 16, is actually quite important. People sitting at home, reading their bible, should realize we all see the great apostle Paul, who never built a cathedral, was not the nomadic waif only relying upon God. Paul was known to proclaim, when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we are the Temple of God. He was not saying become an island, he was a joyful member of Christian community. Something Father God sees as families living on earth and in heaven. Ephesians 3:15.

To the Christian church today, Paul is saying people are not separated by class, position, hierarchy of belief, but all are beloved family. The youth of today would say, "Peace Out", & pound their chest with a fist twice. And Paul would add, "Peace Out, My Beloved", with an enormous hug.

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Matthew 22:1-22 ~ the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a King who gave a wedding feast for His Son

Matthew 22:1-22

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

~ The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son

Rick Warren says the most inspirational things on his Facebook. Today:
“Worship is expressing our love & joy to God for who he IS,what he’s SAID & what he’s DOING"- Purpose Driven Church.

Today's reading brings to mind Jesus creating wine from water helping to celebrate marriage, which is great because we remember Jesus celebrating. What Rick Warren says about Father God is so true, it wasn't a wedding story from dusty ages past, it is Today. When we go to church we should be excited, we should expect the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts.

The church is the Bride of Christ, we are making sure, as the body of Jesus Christ, the world is clothed in holy garments of love. Jesus isn't saying here there is a high wall separating us from the undesirables. He is commenting factually His Kingdom isn't come as you'd like, but He saying The Kingdom of Heaven, by definition, is the rule of God. This does not please the rules of religious appearance - the man-made rules. Man-made rules, ironically for this parable, of appearance, would exclude David, the most revered King of Israel.

A comedian had a famous monologue saying would God be so cruel as to throw people out, people who had maybe been too busy to know God in this life? He is, the comedian said, a God of love. This passage speaks directly to the comedian's question. For the comedian, he knew God is a God of love, he said it. So, he must have been a little acquainted. We leave him in those loving hands. Which just isn't a bad place.

Where does that place us? We are the invited. It seems like this king is an angry guy to a cynical world. But a King who gave His Son, that we might be offered the clothes of righteous love, to come in as His children.... We are the invited.... Today... it means a response should be given. If we know the King (& we do!), we should know the response is not to show up, sit down, looking appropriate on the outside. The response is not only to prepare ourselves, but to pray (keep the conversation going) and joyfully share His Love.


Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
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 seek him in his temple.

Expect to hear in your heart from Father God, expect the Holy Spirit to speak words in church to you, you will find something to share. Let the expectation build your faith each day, as you journey with the Lord, and fuel your prayers!

Luke 11:9,10
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

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Psalm 1 ~ the Lord

Bob, our female duck. We didn't know a lot about ducks when Bob put her head on my foot.

Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

"Nothing inspires me and strengthens my commitment to the Lord
like our annual stewardship campaign."

I've noticed Christian speakers and pagan comedians have something in common, it is easy to speak of personal tragedies (like yesterday) and weaknesses than blessings. Why? It's difficult to share blessings without sounding holier than thou or to sound like the donkey braying at the neighborhood to-do.

God has abundantly blessed my life, with grandmothers, with being an only child and then giving me a baby brother. I was blessed to have a Daddy who read to me and loved me. I was given a dad I could relate a loving Heavenly Father to. I was blessed to have a great-grandmother, grandmother and mother who have loved everything God ever grew & taught me to see the infinite beauty in every direction.

I was blessed to have a grandmother and step-grandfather who dearly loved the Lord and talked about Him to me. I attended Christian Parochial Schools. I was blessed not to grow up like Jimmy Swaggart, we went to church monthly & I had to find out if I wanted to follow the Lord.

My husband is my High School sweetheart from my youth group, we were blessed to meet and marry after not dating in college. When the Lord looks at my husband, he sees a mighty river of love. He has many fine attributes the Lord loves - giving his wife and children opportunity to thrive. Edward had done youth ministry for a number of years. And he gets his college son to go to church when he is home without a fuss.

Monetary blessings are more difficult to be frank and gracious about. I have lived very well, met famous people, attracted attention by our abundance. I have, also, lived in a 2 bedroom house & wondered how our 2 children would grow up. I've had prayers answered where the Lord must have said "Fine, enough, I wanted to give you that & you have worn me out, child!" I prayed specifically for a showcase house, with a yellow living room and a great view of water. And I have received.

Psalm 1 is an interesting combination, unending prosperity and then a discussion of wickedness. We are all both.

Blessed be the Lord, who reminds us our daily blessings come from Him: our grandparent's attention, the things that interest us and define us, having parents who modeled God's parenting, siblings who've helped us, choices we've made instead of having them made for us, being Loved by the Lord, sometimes it's monetary and mostly not. Having work and not toil. Having a loving church family. Enjoying a garden. Having children. Restoring something broken. Blessings of inner peace that come from forgiveness. Sharing and having friends. Seeing vast beauty in the miracles of this world, God has created and given us. Recovering good health. Even having a body well enough to exercise.


Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah

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Psalm 116 ~ the pangs of Sheol

Photo by Ansel Adams

Psalm 116

1 I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.

10 I believed, even when I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!

Some days are a winter gray. The Lord isn't just the blue skies of summer, but Lord of the days that are just bleh. To be reminded of an old mistake, to be unfairly finger pointed, to have a miscommunication with a good friend, to say good-bye to someone previously admired, anniversaries spent apart.

Each day has blessings, it is good to acknowledge when it hurts and good to look for the daily blessings. This isn't said as a greeting card. During the times of my life I've had grief, I have not walked alone, but with the Lord and his blessings.

God is a Giver & thrilled to give. The bible is so much about overcoming obstacles and feeling loved during the insecurities of life. With faith, we should always expect the very best. Having lived through my parents divorce, my dad's unfortunate death, a very sick infant growing into a strong boy, the death of another child - I would say one of the best attributes of the Lord is knowing when the wild winds of life howl, God is our refuge.

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death."—Psalm 68:19-20.

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