Psalm 96:7-10 ~ O families of the peoples

Psalm 96:7-10

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7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”

There is a new movie channel commercial on and it is quite good; the narrator says as movies spill and change across the screen, "Let's play!"

That is what movies are.... play. Then they are "based upon a true story".

In the movie theatres right now we have..... Hadewiijch - getting 75% movie critic approval and roughly 3 out of 5 regular viewers like it. "A novice nun, Hadewiich, shocks the mother superior of her convent with her ecstatic blind faith, and is kicked out of the order. Hadewijch becomes Celine again, a young Parisian girl and daughter of a diplomat, and is led down dangerous paths in the real world, balancing between grace and madness in her rage and passionate love for God."

Okay. Jesus Freaks are Nuts. Obviously!

Then, I had to say I loved Colin Firth in "The King's Speech". It's based upon a true story. Really - the future king had a speech impediment, which was worked upon 10 years.... "before" he became king. George VI became good friends with his speech therapist - Lionel Logue. In 1935, after 24 years of revolutionizing speech therapy by establishing exercise and "super-human" sympathy, Lionel Logue co-founded the British Society of Speech Therapists. 2 years before George VI was crowned.

Not so in the movie; In the movie the nasty, toady Archbishop of Canterbury, William Cosmo Gordon Lang, is the dastardly spoiler of the wonderful friendship of the King with Lionel Logue. Again in the movie, Lionel Logue had no real credentials other than life experience and the nasty Archbishop "tells" the King, Lionel has been replaced with a real speech therapist. The Archbishop is incensed the mere King would want Westminster Abby to himself to rehearse for the Coronation. Also - the movie, the Archbishop tells the future king, Edward, Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) the Archbishop is helping Edward with his own father's poor opinions of Edward. The Prince of Wales neatly tells the priest he is a sycophant without using that exact phrase.

Obviously! Men of God are nasty, rude, imperious, self-seeking, power hungry, friendship destroyers - with career destroying thrown in for good fun. It is true Lionel once felt very insulted when Bishop Lang questioned him about if he should be addressed as doctor. The time and situation of the question isn't true. Based upon a true story..... what is Archbishop Lang's history.....really:

O families of the peoples, we are a Christian family, speak up when Christians are used as the device to depict self-centered aggrandizement! Speak up when we are falsely labeled. !!!!!

- His first Church - rejected an offer of the chaplaincy of All Souls as he wanted to be "up and doing" in a tough parish. Lang & fellow curates fashioned a clergy house from a derelict pub. He later moved next door, into a condemned property - his home for his remaining service in Leeds.

- Then the Church in Portsmouth, a dockside parish of 40,000 people, with a mix of housing from neat terraces to squalid slums

- Establishment of parochial church councils long before they were given legal status in 1919. To give the Churches better order to be better functioning.

- Chaplain to the local prison & Acting Chaplain to the 2nd Hampshire Royal Artillery Volunteer Corps.

- Supported campaigns for the abolition of the death penalty.

- Appointed suffragan Bishop of Stepney, Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral - "East End" 2,000,000 people. Almost all were poor, and housed in overcrowded and insanitary conditions. Lang saw & was troubled by the squalor he saw traveling around the district, usually by bus and tram.

- Chairman of the Church of England Mens' Society (CEMS) - society to fund lay workers to help in the poorest Churches to combat poverty issues. Later Lang became critical of the Church's failure to use this movement effectively, calling it one of the Church's lost opportunities.

- Lang was appointed to Archbishop of York, the 2nd highest position in the Church of England. *** Believing the Diocese of York was too large, he proposed reducing it, which after several years' work was reduced in size.

- Lang spoke out on a range of social and economic issues, and in support of improved working conditions.

- As Archbishop of Canterbury, critics began to comment he was "more courtier than cleric". His love of ceremony, and concern for how an archbishop should look and live, began to obscure other aspects of his ministry; He began to act as a "prince of the church".

- His portrait was painted; after sitting for Orpen, Lang remarked to Bishop of Durham the portrait showed him as "proud, prelatical and pompous". Henson's reply was "To which of these epithets does Your Grace take exception?"

- Lang wrote for the Sixth Lambeth Conference an "Appeal to all Christian People" - "We ... ask that all should unite in a new and great endeavor to recover and to manifest to the world the unity of the Body of Christ for which He prayed."

- Near the end of his term in office Lang led a deputation from several church groups to the Ministry of Education, to present a five-point plan for the teaching of religion in state schools; it was adopted into law.

- Lang confided in his diary "he agonized over whether he could, with good conscience, administer the Coronation Oath to the king" who was not living in a state of grace, as his coronation would make him Head of the Church of England. Another man reported the Prince of Wales troubles to the press.

An undeserved satirical rhyme was published:

My Lord Archbishop, what a scold you are!
And when your man is down, how bold you are!
Of charity how oddly scant you are!
How Lang O Lord, how full of Cantuar!

- When the next, younger prince became King, he wrote in his diary of George VI: "I was now sure that to the solemn words of the Coronation there would now be a sincere response." Lang was a long time friend to the future Queen Mother from the early 1920s.

- Summer of 1941 Lang retired, his main concern was "perhaps the most fateful Lambeth Conference ever held" – would be called, Lang felt too old to lead it and wanted to make way for a younger man.

- In October 1944 Lang was greatly distressed by the sudden death of William Temple, his successor at Canterbury, writing: "I don't like to think of the loss to the Church and Nation ... But 'God knows and God reigns'."

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

I loved the movie "The King's Speech" but it is time for the family of God to speak out at the treatment of fellow Christians. They are spoken of in unflattering terms in any way the truth can be manipulated. It is a mild form of hate crime. Speak up.

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”


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Psalm 51:12-17 ~ O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise

Psalm 51:12-17

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12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

When we believe Jesus is the reason for the season, we are given the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation. What greater gift could there be?

God chose not to be a Spirit we would chase after and debate. God chose to come to us, to live the human condition. God chose to be as close as our prayer. To have lived, Himself, joy and sorrow on this earth.


1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

Hebrews 12:24 ~ (New Living Translation)
You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

John 1

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 any thing 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.

9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

John 10:9
Jesus said, "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture."

Today, Father God, we pray the prayer You have given us in Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Here I am, Father God, the person You have created. I stand at Your door. Hear my voice Father God, open the door of the soul You created, come live in me, eat with me and be with me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, I ask.

Romans 10:13
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

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Psalm 126 ~ the Lord has done great things for us; we are glad

Have a heart than never hardens, & a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts. - Charles Dickens

Psalm 126

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1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

Christmas is just 363 days away.

How will Psalm 126 appear to you today? Will you see it as God's promises of Heaven? Will you see it as gratitude for Christmas (is over?)? Gratitude for the gifts in your life?

Lets look at this Psalm today as..... the Willingness of God.... to hear, to bless, like Psalm 23:5b-6

My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

I love the Truth of the Scriptures. It's never the glass is full or empty, it's.... real. We anticipate God being like us. I only have so much eggnog.... I hope Eli won't have too much.... but Owen needs more and so his glass needs a bit more.

God doesn't give us a couple of ties or a sweater and say to us - now feel full. Love with me, please, how real Psalm 126 is. We acknowledge our blessings..... we've celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ with people we love. We give God thanks for our eyesight, for hearing, for health. For a job, for opportunities to come. For the people we were, and are, fortunate enough to love. And have been fortunate to be able to give the gift of giving to.

Psalm 126 acknowledges our lives are blessed and could use some more blessings. It gives us hope and assurance, God doesn't say, "Nope, you are blessed enough and my warehouse of blessings is spent."

Amazingly in a world were people really did buy pet rocks, Jesus Christ has been celebrated for good reason for over 2000 years. God doesn't just give us His blessings for a day, for the continuation of eternal life - for the next life; God gives us the hope of blessings to come. The blessings He will willingly provide.

Shouts of joy ! Will be needed!

Praise to You, Father, for Your great Glory. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Psalm 34 ~ He keeps all

Psalm 34

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1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Footnotes - Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech (Achish, the king of Gath, 1 Samuel 21:13), so that he drove him out, and he went away.

We had a beautiful Christmas, in two cities and one suburb, a large extended family; our family is so blessed. We extend to you our Christmas Blessings ~ the joy of Jesus Christ's love, in your heart, each day.

We have a good friend, one we do not see a lot of, who is a Christian minister & his mother is a Psychologist. Other than being good fun, he is a calming presence, a voice of the Holy Spirit when the wild winds of life howl. He has given us good advice, isn't it easier to listen to good advice when life is calm? He gave this pearl of wisdom twice and finally it found a comfortable, enduring resting place in my memory.

And here it is:

When we are in a good place in our lives, we shake off irritating conversation. When we are in storm, irritants are amplified. We can never change the way other people behave, just our reaction to them.

This Christmas.... the tree bore fruit. How to change our own behavior? Prayer. When we pray for other people to be blessed by the LORD, we change our own hearts. Renewal & Redemption - these are the lasting gifts of Christmas!

Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ.

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Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins

… Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1: 21

…His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Might God,
…The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

… God hath made that same Jesus… both Lord & Christ Acts 2:36

…Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world! John 1:29

…they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, the song of The Lamb Revelation 15:3


…Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Revelation 5:5


..and the Bright & Morning Star Revelation 22:16


..and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life 1 John 1:1


…we have and advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ The Righteous 1 John 2:1


…whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us. Luke 1:78


…Before Abraham, I Am. John 8:58


…And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1: 34

…are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25


…We have found the Messiah which, is being interpreted, the Christ. John 1:41


…I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6


…through the knowledge of the Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 2: 20

..a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:16

…I am the Light of the World. John 8:12

…The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world… John 1:9

…I am Alpha & Omega the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come

The Almighty Revelation 1:8

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.


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Luke 1:57-66 ~ the Lord's hand was with him

Light of Christ, painted by Antonio Allegri da Correggio (August 1489 – March 5, 1534) For a private client's own home chapel.


<sup>Luke 1:57-66 ~ (New International Version)


57</sup> When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰ but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

⁶¹ They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶² Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

We know what the Nativity looked like.

Do any of us really know what it looks like, with certainty, when the Lord's hand is with us?

I know someone who had sudden voice loss, due to nodules on the vocal cords. It was incredibly stressful. Their marriage suffered. The patient suffered. It was difficult for them to think of any other subject, just disability and permanent loss. The uncertainty continued for several operations and then therapy after the successful operation. If Zechariah didn't believe the angel about the impeding birth of his son John, why would he have rested comfortably in the angel's promise of restoration of speech?

Stables in Bethlehem, partial cave. c 1888. Much of Israel more than 100 years ago would have looked - as a way of life - as it did for millenniums. Vast population increases have changed this.

Luke 2:1-7

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Surprisingly to people waiting for the Son of God, for millenniums, Jesus wasn't born in a palace. God's hand didn't place Him in luxury.

The Nativity has a message for us today. Troubles don't come to stay, and even those following the Lord have stresses and worries. God will see us through.

When a child is to be born, we prepare a place for that baby. When we look at the options available today, so many beautiful quilts, beds, ruffled skirts and shapes for the cribs. What wouldn't enter into the equation - a donkey, a heavily pregnant first-time mother, the smell of a saddle, the creak of the leather as the donkey takes 80 miles of steps. Typically this would be 4 days of travel. I doubt Mary and Joseph traveled 20 miles a day. It is still fairly awful a pregnant woman wasn't taken into someone's home to have a baby. Travelers depended upon hospitality along the way.

What do the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus, our Christ, have in common? The people doing God's plan of salvation are not at ease. It isn't comfortable. Roses are not scattered down the path. In neither miracle, do angels play music and sing during the months of decisions. There are fears and questions. No one is ever able to say, "Sure it's rough for you, but look how easy Jesus' parents had it."

What brought them to the place where God's plan actually began to unfold? God. Each day had uncertainty, each day Elizabeth, Zechariah, Mary and Joseph wondered. Each day they put their trust in the Lord to bring them forward. We know this, the Gospels tell us people around Mary & Joseph were not happy with the events, both in the telling of the birth of Jesus and in what the Gospels don't tell about. We never hear of Mary's family giving her assistance, or Joseph's family. Mary & Joseph journey alone, there do not seem to be siblings or cousins who travel with them - reporting to the census.

Later, in their escape to Egypt to avoid Herod's infant killings, they must trust the Lord to provide for them against highway robbery, for shelter and for provisions. And years later, they return to become such a part of Nazareth, the community sees no difference in the family between Mary & Joseph's children and the Son of God. It is a credit to the godliness of Mary & Joseph they blend back into their community.

Matthew 13:55-56
"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"

Mark 6:3
"Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

John 20:29
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Yet the joy of the people trusting the Lord.
God's Precious Gift in a Manger, by Rebecca Ann Lamb & Illustrated by David Erickson

Luke 2:8-14
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

28 Simeon took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen Your Salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a Light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for Glory to your people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them


36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem!

Mark 3:35
For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.


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Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29 ~ For Ever

Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29

2 For thy steadfast love was established for ever, thy faithfulness is firm as the heavens.
3 Thou hast said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant:
4 `I will establish your descendants for ever, and build your throne for all generations.'" [Selah]
5 Let the heavens praise thy wonders, O LORD, thy faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!

27 And I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth.

28 My steadfast love I will keep for him for ever, and my covenant will stand firm for him.

29 I will establish his line for ever and his throne as the days of the heavens.


We all have one Christmas miracle that speaks to the verse:


1 Kings 19:12
After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

Each year, around the Christian world on Christmas Day, you can see the gentle stillness and peace that rests on the earth. The hospital parking lots become emptier, everyone who can make it home - goes. Inside our houses there are Christmas meals, Christmas visits, Christmas phone calls, but the world becomes very peaceful.

Luke 2:13-15 (Listen)

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

Titus 2:1-10 ~ in love and in endurance

Titus 2:1-10 ~ (New International Version)

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¹ You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. ² Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

⁶ Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷ In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰ and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

They say a lot of life is just showing up. Endurance. How to be self-controlled, how to be good? The answer is here. Before we can pull up our boot straps and do better, we must know we cannot permanently pull up our boot straps, grit our teeth and go forward - using our own steam.

The first step is first believing our actions, our words are significant. So many times, we feel we cannot make any difference in life. When God promises us eternal blessings, like in Matthew 25, He also says our actions and words matter. We must be convinced God loves us enough, we matter. Sure we are all self-centered, but to actually matter is a much more important, earnest and sincere concept.

Notice the subject matter; Feel so encouraged in your belief your life is important to God, you are called to teach. “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” - St. Francis of Assisi. When God says we are salt, we remember salt isn't poured down throats. Instead salt is a flavoring.

This would be a passage misconstrued to say slavery is upheld by the Scriptures. This would be a mistake to assume - we will all experience situations where there isn't a change in the foreseeable future. A situation between personalities - an illness - a needed job, that isn't a career - time spent apart from a loved one - or actual slavery that exists today. This is acknowledging we are lights of God. Set forth to shine when it is dark. Believe God has a plan and we act each day knowing He holds us.

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

1 Timothy 6:11-13a
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God


Paul's Titus letter, filled with the Holy Spirit, continues in his pastoral counsel for us today:

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

¹⁵ These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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Jeremiah 42 ~ I am with you

Jeremiah 42

1 Then all the commanders of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, came near 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the Lord your God for us, for all this remnant—because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us— 3 that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do.” 4 Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the Lord your God according to your request, and whatever the Lord answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you.” 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us. 6 Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.”

7 At the end of ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. 8 Then he summoned Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest, 9 and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: 10 If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. 12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. 13 But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God 14 and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’ 15 then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, 16 then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. 17 All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them.

18 “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. You shall see this place no more. 19 The Lord has said to you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day 20 that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the Lord our God, and whatever the Lord our God says declare to us and we will do it.’ 21 And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God in anything that he sent me to tell you. 22 Now therefore know for a certainty that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live.”

Jeremiah 7:16
So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you.


Jeremiah 11:14
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

Jeremiah 14:11
Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.


Jeremiah did as King David did; asked for God's mercy after God told him it would not be possible. God does not change His mind about His promises to Jeremiah. God specifically promised Jeremiah, in the beginning, Jeremiah would not be defeated and overwhelmed. The Scriptures don't record the end of Jeremiah - but I am trusting he ended well.

It isn't difficult to imagine - in those 10 days - the people were unwilling to wait upon the Lord. Too many discussions of actions needed & a plan formed. God offered them mercy. Again. But they wouldn't take it. Fear was more important to them, than their promise to obey.

There are different types of fear. Jesus was kind to His disciples over uncertainty. God makes allowances for the people who have been afraid at His mighty acts. There is fear that has a reverence & seeking component - if not understanding. This passage has fear and disobedience, not looking for Godly direction.

God doesn't want us to stand in a marriage ceremony, make a vow, and then not honor it. All vows to God are important. We could talk all day about the importance of marriage vows. Yet, think of all the people who have committed to be a Godparent, in a vow, and have not honored it. Rarely in life are we asked to make a vow to God. For all the Godparents out there, time to start praying daily. You can pray for a non-praying Godparent or ex-spouse. Praying never hurts. A world in need could find this out.


Numbers 30:2
If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Ephesians 4:24-25
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

1 Timothy 1:18-a9
18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith.

Father God, help us to strengthen feeble arms and weak knees. Let us be healed from discouragement & forgetfulness. Let our prayers to You, our hope in the LORD, renew our strength. Help our prayers soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Father God, be our helper in prayer, like Jeremiah, we know our prayer is a two way conversation. In You is our faith, our hope and our love. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Psalm 139 ~ If I take the wings of the morning

Psalm 139

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.

13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.

19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain!
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts [cares] !
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting [ancient way]!

We had a great sermon today from our Deacon, one requiring to go home and think upon it more. When God enters in we have great joy and great circumstance. We usually have strong reactions to news of birth. 2 birth announcements, one met with faith and the other with a request for a more information. The Good News always has a reaction.

Luke 1:9-18

According to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Zechariah - a barren priest. It's interesting he didn't fall to his knees when an angel appeared to him in God's Temple. Instead, Zechariah put aside his fear and set forth his questions - it appears not to have succeeded with Gabriel.

19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

Jesus told us to accept the Kingdom of Heaven like a child:

Matthew 18:4
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

The Kingdom of Heaven was about to arrive in Nazareth:

“Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus! He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

....... And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Mary was well chosen by God. She didn't question God's timing. Mary didn't plead for this to be convenient. She wanted to know how God's will would be done. Imagine hearing from God's chosen messenger - who stands in the presence of God - with God nothing is impossible.

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”



And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”


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Matthew 25:31-46 ~ when did we see You

Matthew 25:31-46 ~ (New International Version)

Listen - click for new tab, for Matthew 25

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

When we look at the subtitles used to explain the sections to us, this is typically labeled "Sheep and Goats." We could even subtitle it with biblical quotes like "All Things are Possible with God" or "Remember, Beloved, a Day to God is a Thousand Years". Why? Because God combines an amazing analogy for us in this section.

We can be more creative than that.... we'll call it.... "The Huge and the you". (There is a ewe joke in there....)

God, the Vast, The All Knowing, The Father and Creator of the Universe says that you - a speck of dust in this vast creation both in time and impact - says all of creation will see God's Glory. All of us. That is enormous. And says to the blessed - take your inheritance. Still God tells us - Nations (Nations!) will belong in Heaven.

The answer to the question, "When did we see You?" Is we all definitely will. And ....we all should.

Joel 3:14
Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

More than multitudes and millions of people, God knows and loves you intimately.

Psalm 139:1-6
1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.

How does God want to see us? In attitudes and actions of love.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’


Psalm 126:2-3
² Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
³ The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad!

What does that mean to you today? When you believe in your heart, proclaim with your voice that Jesus Christ is Lord. All who believe, trust and call upon the Lord will be saved.

Matthew 10:7
And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

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Isaiah 6:1-4 ~ the earth is full of His glory

Hospital hall security monitor camera sees this image of an angel with wings.


December 2008 ~ Remembering a Christmas Miracle. For those of us who've experience the neonatal intensive care and children born still, this is a wonderful story. All Christmases have a Christmas miracle, hospitals get to be very quiet at Christmas, everyone who can go home, will. All things are possible with God.


Mom, of dying child, goes out into the hall to use her cell phone to take this picture.

Fox News Video - link of Television News Interview ~ Christmas Miracle for Chelsea Barton!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472288,00.html - news article, written interview with Chelsea's mom


Isaiah 6:1-4 ~ (American Standard Version)

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.


Revelation 1:12-14 ~ (Today's New International Version)

12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.



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