John 15:1-17 ~ abide in His love

Botanically very improbable - St. Rita's 600 year old grapevine still producing wine sent to the Vatican. The vine was thought to be a dead stick and cared for by St. Rita (b. May 22, 1382) in Umbria, Italy.

John 15:1-17

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants,^{[bondservant]} for the servant^{[bondservant]} does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Abiding in love, the Scriptures tell us will produce benefits the Scriptures call fruit. Not gifts, but fruit - waiting in gentle seasons of rain and soft temperatures. Resting in seasons of longer nights and colder temperatures. Blooming in warmer temperatures and days of beautiful weather. Growing in warm temperature, looking for provision of water and care - in the most necessary season.

Fruit can just happen .... in long forgotten gardens and in the wild - it still is a gift of God. Truly an abundance of this godly blessing needs some constant care and willing hands. Even with willing hands, we still need the provision of weather safety and good weather. Even an analogy of fruit requires the blessing of events from God. And this has a warm, reassuring feel to it. Jesus' analogy works for us today as it did in the days Jesus walked among us being God's blessings of grace upon grace and truth.

Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

As a gardener, the idea of God Himself having gratitude is something I can very much appreciate. How can we do less than to be cultivators of gratitude. Realizing our lives are gifts.

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day

Revelations tells us God's plan, from beginning to end.

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God."

Acts 17:28
For “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’


Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.


<><

Jeremiah 9:23-24 ~ delight

Jeremiah 9:23-24

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

The LORD does not need to use many words to make His point. How shall we delight our Father God?

<><

Exodus 35 ~ all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses

Exodus 35

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

¹ Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do. ² Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. ³ You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.” ⁴ Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. ⁵ Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD's contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; ⁶ blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats' hair, ⁷ tanned rams' skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, ⁸ oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁹ and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 

¹⁰ “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: ¹¹ the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; ¹² the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; ¹³ the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; ¹⁴ the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; ¹⁵ and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; ¹⁶ the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; ¹⁷ the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; ¹⁸ the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; ¹⁹ the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.” 

²⁰ Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. ²¹ And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. ²² So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. ²³ And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats' hair or tanned rams' skins or goatskins brought them. ²⁴ Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD's contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. ²⁵ And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. ²⁶ All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats' hair. ²⁷ And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, ²⁸ and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. ²⁹ All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD.

³⁰ Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; ³¹ and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, ³² to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, ³³ in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. ³⁴ And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. ³⁵ He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer. 

  Yes. This is Church family. Kicking it all off is my son Alexander looking like Jeddi Warrior Acolyte. I'm almost sure it wasn't the look he was aiming for.... I'm the hooligan in the black t-shirt. Catch me if you can. I wish I could find the photo of Edward as part of the Silent Monks. So...... how is Exodus 35 going to make a memorable difference in your life of Scripture reading??? It is pretty easy. If you compare Exodus 32 - the building of the gold calf - people gave.... gold. In Exodus 35 people gave of..... themselves. Why? Celebrating Jesus as Lord. And became a community going through all kinds of things for 40 years.... or there abouts. (Not meaning to imply that we won't enter God's rest! Rather an analogy of 40 years of soujourning together in life's wilderness!) blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen - that is great and VBS. And the Redeemed Ministry gift bags for women seeking to leave the sex trade. Plus Hobby Lobby is having a buy one get one free sale. Don't forget to buy more yarn for needlepoint kneelers. goats' hair -  good. acacia wood - yes, Jim Ferrell, age 82, made our kneelers at the altar rail. oil for the light - if I didn't have Cindy Beaumont (glowing in photo 32 (above the angel photo) with the Holy Spirit - married to Kirk Beaumont- supreme chef and a/c Texas Savior) as my Table Care partner - we never would have oil in the torches, because I have a habit of making a greasy mess with the oil. spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense - fragrance - yes the Sanctuary has a beautiful vanilla fragrance from the candles - but not really - it is the Holy Spirit making community grow and love one another. Suffering through the hard knocks, rejoicing in the glory of living in community but knowing as we grow, we love with deeper roots. skillful craftsman - oh - just a few. And if you want to learn a new talent - just volunteer. We have gardening, carpentry, needlepoint, teaching, copying, cutting paper, computer, photography, moving furniture back and forth, kitchen cleaners, garbage collectors - thank God, painters, vacuumers. Bakers, shoppers, mowers.... we've even painted stained glass. Banner makers, acolyte trainers, clothes washers, singers, pie eaters, and greeters. And many more. the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen - we have street ministers, homeless helpers, apartment ministries, Redeemed ministry and PACN. Pregnancy Assistance Centers. Food Ministries. The list goes on. Pastor ministries. And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD's contribution


~ Here I am Lord. Send me!



<>< !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isaiah 40:1-11 ~ His reward is with Him

Isaiah 40:1-11

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare [time of service] is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins.

3 A voice cries: [A voice of one crying]
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

6 A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, [And someone says] “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty [all its constancy] is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.

9 Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good news; [O herald of good news to Zion]
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news; [O herald of good news to Jerusalem]
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.


Isaiah was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah. He prophesied 44 years during the reigns of Uzziah (or Azariah), Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Isaiah saw at least two invasions and by the 4th king, Hezekiah trusted Isaiah's Word from the Lord, to repell the Assyrians and ended with a peaceful reign.

Isaiah's words move between past - 8th Century BC - present - what we hope for today- & future - what will be God's will, Judah/Israel & God's eternal heaven. And all three, God's word is constant.

Matthew Henry sees this passage as "And may the Lord prepare our hearts by the teaching of his word and the convictions of his Spirit, that high and proud thoughts may be brought down, good desires planted, crooked and rugged tempers made straight and softened, and every hindrance removed, that we may be ready for his will on earth, and prepared for his heavenly kingdom." ( ~ Very beautifully written.)

Geneva Study Bible says that man's life is short, frail, but the magnificence of God and His miracle gives us all of His Promises for always. ( ~ Interesting to see the comparison between the greatness of God and humans.)

Wesley's Notes on the Bible, very wise, see the passage about John the Baptist as also applying to the return of exiles from Babylon. Pointing out God's will and God's word continues and repeats through the generations. (~ I am always so encouraged when we see things repeat in the bible, knowing it repeats today as well.)

Scofield Reference Notes see this passage as prophesy for Israel "Since Israel is to be regathered, converted, and made the centre of the new social order when the kingdom is set up, this part of Isaiah appropriately contains glowing prophecies concerning these events. The full view of the redemptive sufferings of Christ." Israel will be a center for these things on earth. ( ~ Revelation agrees Israel will be something the world looks towards, even in the end days.)

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary says biblical prophecy stopped in the 39th chapter of Isaiah and, "The latter part was written in the old age of Isaiah, as appears from the greater mellowness of style and tone which pervades it; it is less fiery and more tender and gentle than the former part." It says this is the redemption of Christ.

~ Personally, it irritates me when Scripture is taken apart and given different narratives. Even if we sit down to write a letter to someone to explain a lengthy situation or idea, our handwriting and tone will be somewhat different on each page with different emotions coming from the letter writing. For example, this commentary says the difference between Isaiah 39 and 40 is Isaiah's age. This just cannot be known, instead we must see the communication between Isaiah 39 & 40 as the vastness of the Creator of the Universe telling us of different situations and times.

Which one is right? They all are. (I would disagree with anyone who looks at Isaiah & says we can pinpoint when Isaiah's prophecy from the Lord stops.) The Bible is living and active.

The Lord lives within us when we accept Jesus Christ. For each season of our lives, God is for us. In trouble, God is our salvation daily - a wilderness still in God's care. In good times, God in His Glory prevails. We don't need to read the Bible just as history. Or we recognize that portion as the old John the Baptist portion. Not just looking at biblical stories with nostalgia of great times, we can look ahead in hope. God is for us in this time and in this generation. His reward is with Him and He is with us.

<><

Psalm 91 ~ He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty

Psalm 91

Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge —
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”



Philippians 2:9-10
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God is Love - 1 John 4:8

Father Almighty, Abba, I Am, Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, God hath made that same Jesus… both Lord & Christ, Lamb of God, servant of God, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Bright & Morning Star, Word of Life, Jesus Christ The Righteous, Dayspring, Son of God, Shepherd and Bishop of your souls, Messiah, Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life. Savior Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Light of the World. The true light, which enlightens everyone. I am the true vine and my Father is the Gardener. I am the door.

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

Listen – "Blessed Be Your Name" by Beth and Matt Redman.
Blessed be your name
in the land that is plentiful,
Where your streams
of abundance flow,
blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name
when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord still I will say ...

Blessed be the name of the Lord,
blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
blessed be your glorious name.

Blessed be your name when
the sun's shining down on me,
When the world's
"all as it should be,"
blessed be your name.
Blessed be your name on the
road marked with suffering.
Though there's pain in the offering,
blessed be your name.

Every blessing you pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in,
Lord, still I will say . . .

Blessed be the name of the Lord,
blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
blessed be your glorious name.
(repeat)

You give and take away. (Job 1:21)
You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say,
Lord, blessed be your name.
You give and take away.
You give and take away.
My heart will choose to say,
Lord, blessed be your name.

Blessed be THE NAME OF THE LORD,
blessed be YOUR NAME
Blessed be THE NAME OF THE LORD,
blessed be YOUR GLORIOUS NAME.

<><




Shelter, refuge, expectant prayer, letting God's will be done , Christianity, Bible, Scripture, Jesus is Lord, Messiah, Anglican, Prayer, Faith, Hope, Love, Miracles, God for us, day of blessing, day of adversity, praise, dwelling in Him

<><

Numbers 22:22-28 ~ you have struck me these three times

Numbers 22:22-28

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

²² But God's anger was kindled because he ^{[the prophet Balaam went to curse the Children of Israel against God's desire to bless]} went , and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as his adversary.

Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. ²⁴ Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. ²⁵ And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again. ²⁶ Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.

²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. ²⁸ Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

Scripture for Today Blogspot would love to show you, at this point, an archaeological tombstone, or pottery shard with the story of the wonderful donkey. We will have to take it on faith. God's glory unseen. Unfortunately, all archaeology only confirms Balaam was not a child of Israel, & did worship other gods and was a prophet intent on other gods.



In 1967, at Deir Alla, Jordan, archaeologists found 119 pieces of inked plaster containing an unknown prophecy by Balaam written in a previously unattested dialect with Aramaic and South Canaanite characteristics and employing an idiosyncratic script. The inscription is datable to circa 840–760 B.C. . Painted in red and black inks, apparently to emphasize the text, on fragments of a plastered wall. This is not the correct time frame. This would have been during Uzziah's reign. Perhaps it is another Balaam, or Balaam was still being quoted.

Agreeing with the Balaam testimony is John, Jesus' beloved disciple, Balaam as not part of the Children of Israel, instead working against them.

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

Balaam held the interest of Jude, brother of Jesus:

Jude 1:11
What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

Peter was also interested in Balaam.

2 Peter 2:15
Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

What is remarkable of Balaam.... his defiance, bold resistance to opposing God or an angel of the Lord's authority.... to continue to do the wrong thing.

Numbers 22
²⁹ And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” ³⁰ And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

³¹ Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. ³² And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. ³³ The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”

³⁴ Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” ³⁵ And the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.”

Numbers 24

When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. ² And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, ³ and he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
⁴ the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:
⁵ How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
⁶ Like palm groves that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the LORD has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
⁷ Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be in many waters;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted.
⁸ God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall break their bones in pieces
and pierce them through with his arrows.
⁹ He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”

¹⁰ And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹ Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the LORD has held you back from honor.” ¹² And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ¹³ ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? ¹⁴ And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

It is up to each of us not turn from what we know is right. With the grace of God. God speaks to us in our hearts, we believe & He tells us this in the New Testament. God is good, forgiving and gracious in the way He records Balaam in the Book of Numbers; the New Testament says Balaam continued to work against God's anointed people.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.


<><

Matthew 20:1-16 ~ So the last will be first, and the first last

Shine - Collective Soul

Matthew 20:1-16

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

¹ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius^{[a day's wages for a laborer}} a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, ⁴ and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ ⁵ So they went.

Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ ⁷ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

⁸ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ ⁹ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. ¹⁰ Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.

¹¹ And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, ¹² saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ ¹³ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. ¹⁵ Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ ¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first last.”



So the last will be first, and the first last.

Jesus told us the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He didn't mean just for that moment. Jesus was telling us when we confess with our mouths and believe with our hearts - we have eternal life. Beginning ..... stop watch click...... at believing. All of God's promises are for us - now.

I had the pleasure and sadness to spend time with family I dearly love this weekend - someone when the joy of Jesus Christ and His love opened in my soul - he was the first person I thought of. Today he has it all - the wife he loves - the children he adores - the departed architect's own designed home - and the career he has & was never going to have because he has/had a learning disability. The only reason this dear one has this career after 2 major Universities & a very established High School wished him well and not to let the back door knock him down too hard - he has some real skill. With problem solving and humor.

Life is really hard. It is tough to get out there each day and bust a gut. My loved one was saying that he plans to leave this life of old age in his 60s. Not really our genetic pattern, when the ticket-to-ride departure date seems to be age 94. His young eyes looked weary.

Yesterday we looked at Jacob having the full weight of God's blessings behind him - yet a lot of Jacob's life looked pretty similar to Job. It was within Jacob's soul that God's blessings lived, multiplied and were given out. Jacob lived His promises.

Who else would be first and last in God's blessings? Jesus' own brothers. Jesus knew they would shine. Just as God knew Gideon would shine as well. It is fairly, understatement, important to treat people like they have it within them to Shine. Pray hard - with hope. God is still at work today. An uncle of mine found the Lord at age 78. Dancing in Heaven for my grandmother.

John 7:1-5, Jesus' brothers want Him to see some trouble.
After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." For even his own brothers did not believe in him.

Matthew 12:46-50, after Jesus declared the ruling people of the temple to be vile and evil, His brothers want the trouble to die down.
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

Mark 6:3, Jesus records how his brothers think of Him; Jesus' family is seen by others as a very loving, all of a kind, family.
"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. Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

This is Jesus loving His brother in clear light. He understands the situation, not whitewashing it. So 1 Corinthians 13 tells us love conquers all.

1 Corinthians 9:5, Paul tells us of Jesus' brothers.

Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas [Peter]?

The Books of the Bible, James and Jude are Jesus' brothers that their Nazareth home town saw them as a seamless family. In the time of the early Church:

Acts 1:14
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Hebrews 2:10-12, Jesus speaks of us as His brothers, but also His own brothers.
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says,
"I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises."

I pray the Psalms. I'm not spending time fretting. I am placing the one I love in His hands.

Psalm 87

¹ On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

² the LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
³ Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God.
Selah

⁴ Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—
“This one was born there,” they say.
⁵ And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her”;
for the Most High himself will establish her.
⁶ The LORD records as he registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.”
Selah

⁷ Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs are in you.”

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



<><

Hebrews 11:8-16 ~ people who speak thus

Hebrews 11:8-16

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. ¹¹ By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Body of Jacob Returning to Israel for Burial. Painted by James Tissot


Jacob left a land in famine. A land where his grandfather, grandmother, mother, father and his beloved wife Rachel were buried. The place where he had long mourned the death of a favorite child. Land purchased for him. For an old man who had once fled his comfortable home after stealing a paternal blessing, how could this have seemed like a blessing?

Yet Jacob did not die in the journey. Did not die rounding up all of his children and grandchildren to leave. Jacob made the journey. One step in front of the next. This incredible man still believed in the blessing of God and made sure all of his children and even 2 grandchildren were all rounded up and blessed. Jacob was not going to leave this life giving only one paternal blessing. Jacob was going to leave his life with more giving than what had been given to him.

Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Goodness and mercy were the blossoms of Jacob's life.

In plain view, Jacob was not living a blessed life. Rather more like Job. But most importantly Jacob lived with joy in his heart of Faith, Hope and Love. With the greatest of these being Love. Jacob's children hardly deserved a blessing, yet Jacob made sure all of them were blessed. Scriptures never record his children asking for forgiveness for letting Jacob believe for years Joseph had died.

The road was bumpy, sometimes harsh. Famine, theft, blessing and curses. Yet Jacob is Israel and the blessing - is - his.

Father God, help us each day in our comfortable lives to have our gratitude renewed and our cups overflow to bring goodness and mercy. That we may always be people who give You thanks. In the name of Jesus. Amen.


<><