Genesis 19 ~ Have you anyone else here?

Genesis 19

1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” 3 But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” 6 Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, 7 and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. 8 Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” 9 But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. 11 And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. 13 For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” 18 And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!” 21 He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar [little city].

23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.

29 So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.

30 Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

34 The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab [from father] . He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi [son of my people]. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

WHAT IS "WRONG" WITH LOT? Let's get out the soap box and stand on it together.

I was watching television, the History Channel was running an archaeological show showing Sodom. The bitumen (petroleum based) started at a ruined building which thought to be the gate house where Lot was sitting.

What is the whole picture here:

Galatians 5:17-21
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Lot has left Abram (friend of God) because of business conflicts. Their herdsmen couldn't get along. Lot has moved to a city were he is named a "councilman" or "elder" of the city. There seem to be a few problems there..... but Lot is pulling up his bootstraps... making the best of it.

The problem with being the frog in the increasingly warm to boiling water is... the boundaries move.... Lot believes he will throw his own daughters out into an orgy to prevent "sin."

So, what does this mean for you.. today.... this is the Good News! Look at the list in Galatians and, baby, pick up that stone and throw it with precision and speed.

John 8:7-9
And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones

We live in Lot's culture. I can prove it to you with a box. In the 1950's we watched "Lassie." Now we have sitcoms not like "Our Friend, Flicka." The box's voice has changed. Even the shape of the box has changed. Lot is us. Not worthy. We watch the box. Why was Lot saved? “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? God saw Lot as being in a tangled up heap, but worthy of salvation.

Now consider the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Lot did not find a way back to God's friend. Lot goes his "own way." Lots daughters return evil for evil.

We had a great video in Church today with Mike Singletary. Mike said the divorce rate in the NFL is 80% and he chose to walk as God's friend. It's a great day for Super Bowl. Football sounds probably like the war of that day:




A life filled with it all... is empty without the Lord God Almighty, Abba, Father.



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Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 ~ consider the work of God

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

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13 Consider the work of God:
who can make straight what he has made crooked?

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

Each day I look at the Feedjit tool at the bottom of our blog to see what needs to be corrected by seeing what Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask lead people to in their search. Yesterday was the search for, "Scriptures on seeking a job?" In human nature, if you are with a job and your family is employed, we've forgotten on a daily basis the world is hungry and the unemployment is 9%, high in the USA, and all over the world. Pray for them. Daily. (Note to self!)

Consider the phrase at the end of the readings - so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. Man likes to record winning and families like to remember winning. The Word says adversity is something also to learn from. When we seek God, we seek His wisdom.

If you are unemployed, it's all you think about. I remember from experience. It's like being in prison, and the bars hold you back.

I have a dear friend unemployed in the North Eastern part of the USA. It's terribly cold and her furnace went out. The repair people lied to her and put her off, charged her for a part they "ordered" and left her in the cold for 5 working days. (Another company fixed it in a day with local parts.) She sat down and asked why her life was such a dark comedy. She decided watching "Snowapocalypse", she remembered being the traveler in the airport, trapped in the wrong city, angry and frustrated with a complete "me" attitude - there was a Reason for this season in her life. It's part of His plan. To have her grow, in His direction.

Solomon was celebrated for his desire for Wisdom. Where? God was so pleased, God records it in His Word. Solomon said to reach out and realize, even if circumstances are not to your desire, you are still part of His Plan. You still have your two hands, put them out and ask. Ask for gratitude, ask for opportunity.

Do you still feel like the Plan of God is off-center, like a painting on the wall?

Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?

Gen. 18:14
Is anything too hard for the Lord?

The simple truth is that joblessness is adversity. The LORD did give us words about adversity:

Job 36:15
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity.

2 Samuel 4:9
But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity."

Consider David was out of job, and left his life behind, when he chose to leave Saul in God's plan. God's anointed one - David - was out of work. It was part of God's plan.

Proverbs 24:10
If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

Ecclesiastes 7:14
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other

Isaiah 30:20
And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.


Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times,and a brother is born for adversity.

Who is your brother?

Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.

You are not alone, find your brothers & sisters in Christ.

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.

Psalm 105:1-3

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

Our Church occasionally forms prayer groups for people needing prayer. We start as 12 and sometimes end as 3. The prayer before God is equally heard. We just bring Scripture and for an hour, prayer is given out loud. The Scriptures do tell us when 2 or more are gathered, He is there. To be in constant prayer. Our Bible Classes and my service group - they all keep an email list handy to email each other for prayer. And I use that email list. Many Christ based Churches offer Wednesday night services. And always feel free to use the comment section below for prayer requests. God wants us to be lifted in prayer.

God can direct our needs for prayer to bring us into a real caring and sharing Christian community. People to hold hands, to love and lift our burdens to God for His redemption.




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Psalm 69 ~ the talk

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni created his David statue when he was 26 years old. It took him 2 years. Commissioned as one of a series of statues positioned along the roof line of the east end of the Florence Cathedral, the statue was instead placed in public, outside the Palazzo della Signoria, the seat of government for Florence. David symbolized to them the defense of their civil liberties, a city-state threatened on all sides by more powerful rival states.

What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed? ~ Michelangelo

Do you know that women who are chaste remain much fresher than those who are not? ~ Michelangelo

Psalm 69

Listen - click for new tab, this is a good Scripture to listen to.

1 Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck [Or waters threaten my life ].
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 [Hebrew lacks 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 [may they not come into your righteousness].
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.

When David spoke with the Lord, what did the Lord God Almighty see?

1 Samuel 16:12-14
And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for this is he."


1 Samuel 17:42
And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.


David didn't pretend to be holier than he actually was. One of the qualities the LORD loved about David.

1 Samuel 16: 7
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

David sounds like we all do in the midst of bitterness. David was a warrior and completely capable of damage done in revenge. Instead David doesn't hide from the Lord, as Adam and Eve did in the garden of Eden; David believes His Father has a plan and His Father will deal with evil and evil doers as He sees fit.

David releases his bitterness to God so completely, David then moves into Praise. I believe if we were to see David head into our worship services on Sunday, as an analogy, he wouldn't be consumed throughout the whole service with David: David's problems, David's anger, David's bitterness. We would see David come into the Sanctuary a few minutes early. See him in intense prayer and then he would release his difficulties to God, just like Noah released the dove. Like Paul, who said he became content to see what God would do to bring events to glorify Him.

1 Samuel 18:5-7
And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,

"Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands."

1 Samuel 18:14
And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him.

1 Samuel 19:5
For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel.

1 Samuel 27:12
And Achish trusted David, thinking, "He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant."

(The Lord was in charge of giving David a path, when David was excluded from Israel.)

1 Samuel 30:6
And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.


1 Samuel 28:16-18
And Samuel said, "Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has turned from you and become your enemy? 17The LORD has done to you as he spoke by me, for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day.


Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.

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;


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1 John 5:1-5 ~ Who is it that overcomes the world

1 John 5:1-5

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

What should cause us to tremble?

Psalm 96:9
Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!


Isaiah 7:9
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.


2 Chronicles 20:20
20 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.”


Matthew 6:30
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

Matthew 8:
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.

Matthew 9:2
Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 15:28
Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Mark 11:22
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

Acts 15:9
He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Romans 1:5
Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for His name’s sake.

Romans 1:17
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 John 4:8
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.


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Isaiah 40:13 ~ Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor?

Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor? Isaiah 40:13

My husband and I graduated from Texas A&M, I've always liked the way the professors have looked at weather patterns changing and not come to hysteria over things like global warming, saying we can even look at Charles Dickens books and Elizabethan era history to see weather patterns change without causing dire circumstances.

We had Swine Flu at our house, my son in college was quarantined to our house. I thought the media attention for Swine Flu, Avian Flu was like hungry seagulls.

I know Christians have even earned a Wikipedia page for http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010%E2%80%932011_midwinter_animal_mass_death_events suggestions of Apocalypse.

But, experts say, massive die-offs like these are not at all unusual. What is more unusual is the AP Wires report die-offs and major news isn’t reporting them. Google does if you dig into different wording of it.

Did you hear of the 10,000 -20,000 cattle dying in Vietnam. I think something that large going unreported is bizarre.

Bird Deaths December 2010 - January 2011

Chronological Order

South Korea, December 2010
So far, more than 100,000 chickens have been culled and more than 10,000 ducks due to new outbreak of avian flu.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12097615

New Zealand, December 2010
Penguins, petrels and other seabirds are dying in large numbers and washing up on our shores, says the Department of Conservation (DOC), NZ.
Autopsy reports showed they died of starvation due to a lack of small fish to feed on in the ocean.
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=188024
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1012/S00781/unusual-weather-conditions-causing-mass-death-among-seabirds.htm

North Carolina, USA. December 2010. (It was originally thought these deaths were caused by malicious humans, but that has now been retracted).
Large number of pelicans
Cause : presently unknown (awaiting results)
http://www.enctoday.com/news/-86417-jdn--.html

Arizona, USA. 26 December 2010
70 plus bats
Cause - one theory is because it was “unseasonably warm”
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/12/28/20101228tucson-70-dead-bats-found.html
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/article_0c307d8f-baf4-5a2f-ab95-93c7d846ff30.html

Illinois, USA. Late December 2010 onwards
Multiple birds (estimate 50 - 100), clustered around a few households.
Cause unknown.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6185536/dead_birds_reported_by_residents_in.html?cat=8

Kentucky, USA. Late December 2010.
Lots of birds (seemed to fall only in this lady’s backyard)
Cause unknown
http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/local/Woman-reports-dozens-of-dead-birds-in-her-yard-112830524.html

Tennessee, USA. Estimated time of death last week of December 2010
120 blackbirds (very localised cluster)
Cause unknown
http://www.wsmv.com/news/26379609/detail.html

Georgia, USA. 30 December 2010
3 rare cranes (all found together)
Cause unknown
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110105/NEWS01/301050085/Authorities+investigate+whooping+crane+deaths

Arkansas (Beebee), USA. 31 Dec 2010
5000 blackbirds.
Reputedly killed by fleeing from fireworks

Chile, South America, 2 Jan 2011
Thousands of birds fall from the sky and die
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mrlH3BgKPxk

Manitoba, Canada, 3 January 2010
10,000s of Birds Found Dead in Manitoba
Cause : local reports suggest bird flu
http://www.bbsradio.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=11811

Louisiana, USA. (Labarre) 3 Jan 2011
500 blackbirds and starlings
Cause presently unknown
http://www.wbrz.com/news/hundreds-of-dead-blackbirds-found-near-new-roads/

Italy, around 3 January 2011
300 doves
Cause unknown at this time
http://www.geapress.org/ambiente/faenza-piovono-tortore-morte-foto/10282

Japan, 3 January 2011
Multiple birds death
Suspected : avian flu
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/health/04global.html?_r=4
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101220a2.html

Sweden, 4 January 2011
50 - 100 jackdaws
Local vet theorises they were scared by fireworks, landed on a road and “didn’t know how to fly away from cars which hit them”.
http://www.thelocal.se/31262/20110105/

East Texas, USA, 5 Jan 2011
200 birds found dead on a bridge
Theory : “Hit by cars”
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7800408-now-east-texas-also-reports-hundreds-of-dead-birds

2011-01-09

Unexplained bird deaths have struck again this time at a farm near Quebec City in Canada. More than 80 pigeons have been found dead of unknown causes. The country's environmental officials state...

Jan 11, 2011

Major, Bizarre Fish Die-Off Along Lakefront in Chicago A bizarre scene is evolving on the Chicago lakefront, with Canada geese and mallard ducks gulping down dead or dying gizzard shad.

A major die-off of what appears to be the 2010 class is happening in Chicago harbors. Thousands, perhaps far more than that, of dead gizzard shad in the 3- to 5-inch range are frozen in the ice of Chicago harbors or floating around in open patches of water.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/01/11/major-bizarre-fish-die-off-along-lakefront/

January 12th, 2011

Sonoma County California has its own bird death mystery on its hands. More than 100 birds were found dead on Saturday clustered on the ground off of Highway 101

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Bird deaths in California - Charleston Environmental News | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/environmental-news-in-charleston/bird-deaths-california#ixzz1BcMWgt4z

Jan 13, 2011

371 Dead Birds Fall from Sky on LA's Sunset Blvd; Similar to California, Arkansas, Louisiana Bird Drops http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6218358/371_dead_birds_fall_from_sky_on_las.html?cat=9

12 Jan 2011

Romania – hundreds of birds, gov’t say died of alcohol poisoning

2011-01-19

Dothan, Alabama (DCE)- The plot thickens in the mystery of massive animal die offs as recent bird deaths occur in Alabama. On January 10th-14th scores of dead birds had been found in Scottsboro, Tanner and Dauphin Island, Alabama. 300 plus dead birds discovered along highway in Alabama

Continue reading on Examiner.com: 300 plus dead birds discovered along highway in Alabama - Charleston Environmental News | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/environmental-news-in-charleston/300-plus-dead-birds-discovered-along-highway-alabama?cid=parsely#parsely#ixzz1BcMzOPxI

Jan 18, 2011

Hundreds of dead seals in Labrador, Canada – dying since December http://coto2.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/hundreds-of-dead-seals-in-labrador/

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Last week about 300 birds were found dead on the side of the road in Athens. Now another massive bird kill in the Tennessee Valley has the State Agriculture Department investigating, this time in Jackson County. http://www.waaytv.com/news/local/story/Another-Massive-Bird-Kill-in-the-Tennessee-Valley/zHVxdW6X4k2lJFJvmWK3TQ.cspx

Jan 20, 2011

Colorado is now on the list of states where birds are mysteriously dying.

CBS4 You Reporter Stacia Shane sent in pictures of dozens of dead birds she found on I-25.

The birds were found near Dacono.

More than one hundred birds were found and most of them were under tree

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2011/01/20/mysterious-bird-deaths-investigated-near-dacono/

Jan 21, 2011

Beijing reports mass bird deaths http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/01/21/40584234.html

Jan 23, 2010

10,000 Cattle Dead In Vietnam: Cows, Buffalo Part Of Mass Die-Off

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/society/4119/seven-people-die-from-cold-in-central-vietnam.html

http://www.salon.com/wires/world/2011/01/21/D9KSK8GO0_as_vietnam_freezing_cows/index.html

Blamed on cold weather 48’ Fahrenheit, one night of freezing temps

January 27, 2011

Massive amounts of gizzard shad fish die off in Lake St. Clair, Michigan

http://theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/01/27/news/local_news/doc4d4218be854a9301809608.txt

Dead Fish Chronological Order

December 2010 - January 2011

Indiana, USA, 17 December 2010
Dead fish wash up on Washington Park, Michigan City, Indiana beach (frozen gobies, trout, crayfish, and mudpuppies).
Cause : attributed to stormy weather
http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/Dead_fish_wash_up_on_Washington_Park_beach_112105654.html

Phillipines, 18 December 2010
Many dead fish floating
Cause : suspected pollution
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20101218-309667/Residents-gather-eat-dead-fish-floating-in-barangay-Ibo#

Sydney, Australia. 19 December 2010
Dead fish clog lake at airport
THOUSANDS of dead fish have been found floating on the surface of a small lake inside Sydney Airport.
Cause : unknown. (I can’t find any results for investigations for this yet).
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/dead-fish-clog-lake-at-airport-20101218-191ba.html

Haiti, around 20 December 2010 onwards
“Scores of dead fish”
Cause presently unknown
http://www.france24.com/en/20101227-authorities-probe-dead-fish-haitian-lake

South Carolina, USA, 23 December 2010
Cold water kills thousands of starfish on SC coast
http://www.lakewyliepilot.com/2010/12/23/964237/cold-water-kills-thousands-of.html

Vietnam, around 24 December 2010 onwards
More than 150 tonnes of red tilapias (world’s most popular farmed fish)
Cause : “Tests on the fish and water samples reveal the deaths were caused by frequent ebb tides and the high densities of fish kept caged in pens," say officials
http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/Story/A1Story20101231-255737.html

Italy, 28 December 2010
Two miles of beach full of fish, clams and crabs dead in a stretch of coast
Cause : suspected pollution in area
http://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/cronaca/2010/28-dicembre-2010/strage-del-mare-natale-181158495607.shtml

San Antonio, Texas, 29 December 2010
Tourists Greeted By Dozens Of Dead Fish In Museum Reach Section Of River
Cause : Officials suspect “recent rains” and cooler water temperatures
http://www.ksat.com/news/26316464/detail.html#

Argentina, 30 December 2010
Lots of dead fish
Causes : unconfirmed but officials are talking “natural” and “suffocation”
http://www.el-litoral.com.ar/leer_noticia.asp?IdNoticia=152947
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=136401&catid=2

Brazil, 29 December 2010 onwards
Millions of dead fish - at least 100 tons of sardine, croaker and catfish)
Cause still presently unknown (waiting for test results)
http://www.parana-online.com.br/editoria/cidades/news/502434/?noticia=MORTANDADE+MISTERIOSA+DE+PEIXES+NO+LITORAL#id=google_ads_frame5&parent=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parana-online.com.br&rpctoken=adsense_rpc_key&_methods=expand%2Ccollapse%2C_ready%2C_close%2C_open%2C_resizeMe

Arkansas, USA, early Jan 2011
100,000 drum fish
Cause presently unknown

Wales, 2 Jan 2011
Hundreds of dead fish, mostly bream, carp and roach,
Cause : cold water stress suggested
http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=79520

Peterborough, United Kingdom, 4 Jan 2011
Scores fish dead in brook (not the first time either)
Cause : suspected pollution
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/environment/concern_as_fish_die_in_beauty_spot_brook_1_2224957

Canada, 4 Jan 2011
Hundreds of gizzard shad fish
Cause : put down to “natural occurrence”. Officials said such die-offs are not unusual but usually happen in the Spring
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2011/01/04/16757321.html

Florida, USA, 4 Jan 2011
Thousands Of Fish Dead In Spruce Creek
Officials said it was due to the cold but the fish kill is unusual because it is warm, according to people who live along the creek.
http://www.wftv.com/news/26367953/detail.html

UK, 5 Jan 2011
Dead fish in pool
Cause : cold weather
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2011/01/05/anger-over-dead-fish-left-floating-in-pool/

Maryland, USA, reported 5 Jan 2011 (happened late December it seems)
2 million, primarily adult spot, with some juvenile croakers
Cause : cold water stress suggested
http://www.wbaltv.com/r/26357581/detail.html
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/bs-gr-fish-kill-bay-20110104,0,5624655.story

Michigan, USA, reported 5 Jan 2011
Hundreds of dead fish, gizzard shad (type of herring) turning up in rivers
Cause : suspected cold stress
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/26378636/detail.html

New Zealand, 5 Jan 2011
Hundreds of snapper
Cause presently unknown (some without eyes)
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10697906

UK, reported 5 Jan 2011
Over 40,000 dead crabs
Cause : attributed to cold stress
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/flora--fauna/40000-crabs-die-of-cold-in-britain/articleshow/7223955.cms

Past Cases

1973: Stuttgart, Arkansas. Hail knocked thousands of birds from the sky.

1976: Maryland: 15 million spot fish died early 1976 and a smaller number in 1980.

2001: Arkansas. Lightning killed dozens of mallards at Hot Springs.

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Psalm 127 ~ gives to His beloved

Psalm 127

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1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

25 years ago today, it was our wedding day! We looked a bit younger, but boy, the weather was better! A balmy 80 degrees! So thanks for that Father God, I am still remembering and rejoicing.

At this weekend's 30 different ecumenical Church gathering, my husband Edward took the time to tell me how much he loved me. I don't think I've felt such overwhelming love in my life. It was a wonderful thing and I'll carry it with me through this life and into the next. I'll tell no sad tales of my life, but our 25 year marriage was preceded by our dating in High School and College until we were apart in our Sophomore year until Edward graduated. After I graduated, we were engaged for a year while I traveled all over the country with my work.

We celebrated our 3rd anniversary with our preemie son in his swing at the foot of the dinner table. He had apnea, hernia surgery at 6 lbs., and forgot to breathe for the first year of his life. We've had seasons of financial woes. A healthy second son. Years of youth ministry. A daughter still-born in September of 2008, she was beautiful & 2 lbs at birth. We've had our share of what life can give. Nothing is better in life than having a Savior and having people who love you and you get to love.

Psalm 127 is great for this. Worry, worry, worry isn't going to cut through life ...or help. Only God's love and His mercy gets us through.

I was touched yesterday by the obituary of Eunice G. Sanborn of Jacksonville, Texas. She died at 114, the oldest person in the country. She said, ""My secret is my Savior," she said in 2007. "A lot of people don't know Him, but I do. I love Him. He's going to keep on being my secret. I don't know how long I'll be here, but I've enjoyed it. I'm thankful," Sanborn said. "Life is a wonderful thing if you make it that way. If you don't make it right, it isn't wonderful. If you do things right and love the Lord, you'll be all right."

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah!

!!!!!

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Psalm 16 ~ Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

Please read the PS at the end of the page

Psalm 16

Listen - click for new tab

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight [I say:]

4 The sorrows of those who run after [who acquire] another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being [my glory] rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption [Or see the pit].

11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Tonight The Woodlands had 30 different ecumenical Churches gather together after 21 days of fasting and prayers. We met as one Church, as the Bride of Christ. 600 chairs were filled at HopePointe Anglican, plus the people standing in the back, the people sitting in the side windows. We said, " We come together to acknowledge the Church is one. We gather to love the Lord Jesus Christ and say He is why we exist."

(Praying before the Service)

How many times have you gathered together with the excellent saints of God to worship in standing room only and no one wants to leave? It began at 6 pm, there wasn't an ending time, but the ladies who baked the 660+ cookies guessed at about 8 pm. ~ 8 pm came and went. What... joy. How can just a mere word hold what the evening was. The ministers, the pastors, the priests, all stood to say what had been the Word of the Lord coming to them from the time spent praying, fasting for an awakening of the Holy Spirit.







One of the phrases drawing laughter was the phrase, "All is not right behind the trees." Living in The Woodlands, referred to as 'the bubble', there is a certain pressure to appear to always have our perfection on. To strive, to achieve, to be perfect. Not to be lonely, or worried, or afraid. Church should be the place your real self reaches out to the Living God. Come as you actually are.

We are a new Church with 200+ Church Family. We stood in our beautiful atrium, if we'd been younger, we would have pressed our faces to the glass, the parking lot was full, the Junior High School's parking lot next door was beginning to overflow. In awe, we would hear people say softly, "More people are still coming up the drive."It must have been repeated 20 times. We are thinking it was 700 people from 30 Churches. One of the Pastors said to Clark he'd guessed about 40 people would show up. If only you could have seen the smiling faces arriving at our door.

My friend, Dee, had a young 30-something woman come up to her and ask her if her daughter was Kathy. She used Kathy's maiden name. Dee replied she was. It was the High School friend who had led Kathy to Christ in High School. I turned to Dee, I said this is like being at Heaven's Gate. It created some real thought.

Can you imagine a more beautiful way to begin a new year? There isn't one. Jesus told us:

Matthew 6: 17, 18
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

If you've begun this year in ways that don't please you or the Lord, you can still be part of this prayer for awakening in our area, we extend the invitation to you! For your area. Begin your own 21 days of giving up something or adding something to strengthen you. Prayer is the power of God; it's your fuel, and ours, and our bond. Our joy can be your joy, in the Spirit of God, time and place are His.

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.

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My PostScript or P.S. is - later this summer we would experience the worst drought in recorded history. Our rainfall levels were lower than the deserts of Texas. Our county experienced a tri-county fire. 3 counties on fire together. We had firefighters come from all over, including Alaska and North Carolina. Many, many thousands of trees that were decades old were lost. And in the middle of all of this scary horror you can see home after home that was saved. The fire marks scorch the house - this is a tribute to the firefighters - but fire has an element of wind that cannot be contained without Help from above. I do not think these prayers for our community did anything but bless all of us during this time. Thank God and then thank God for the Christian leaders who brought us together for community prayer and fasting. It really was a very Holy and Awe-inspiring Evening.

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