Matthew 27:27-50 ~ a man of Cyrene, Simon by name.

The Scala Sancta (Holy Stairsa) are the 28 steps leading up to the Praetorium of Pontius Pilate, Antonia Fortress, in Jerusalem, where Jesus Christ stood during path to the Cross. The stairs were, reputedly, brought to Rome by St. Helena in the 4th Century. This is one relic I can see being actual stairs Jesus stood upon. For centuries these white marble steps, Scala Santa, have attracted Christian pilgrims honoring the Passion of Jesus. Martin Luther had the opposite reaction and shortly left the Church over climbing the Scala Sancta on his knees (required to go up the stairs) and the indulgences for forgiveness at the time, also required, in the Church.


Matthew 27:27-50

David Cochran Audio, English Standard Version

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, ^[praetorium] and they gathered the whole battalion before him. ²⁸ And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ³⁰ And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. ³¹ And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. ³³ And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull),

³⁴ they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. ³⁵ And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. ³⁶ Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. ³⁷ And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” ³⁸ Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. ³⁹ And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

⁴¹ So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, ⁴² “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

⁴⁵ Now from the sixth hour ^[noon] there was darkness over all the land ^[earth] until the ninth hour. ⁴⁶ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ⁴⁷ And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” ⁴⁸ And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. ⁴⁹ But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

(Yes, yes, yes we all realize this outcropping of rock has changed shape over 2,000 years, but it is overlooking the city - a Biblical requirement and, come on, if this is indeed the place God's Son died for us - it is going to have some preservation aspect to it.)


When you listen to a Sermon on the Prodigal Son or you do a Bible Study - people will frequently say that they are the judgmental older brother or they realize they are the younger son. And in that idea of placing ourselves in the middle of the Gospel (the days Jesus choose to walk among us as grace upon grace) where would you have been the day of the crucifixion? Where you there when the Crucified my LORD.

Remember Luke 23:27
And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.

There were a lot of people there that day. It's an important fact to remember.

When I think of that day, I'm pretty sure I would have been one of the thousands of women who turned up that day. Would anyone have left untouched?

Peter, who had much to lose - did not turn up. Not even Thomas, who'd promised to go with Jesus right up to death right Before Lazarus was raised. But another Simon was there. Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21 & Luke 23:26. Simon gets three mentions in the Scriptures.


Mark 15:21
And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

The thing that touches me is this -

Romans 16:13
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

That day the Son of God continued to Love. To provide for us atonement of our sins. Because of that day, we are victorious over death in the name and grace of Jesus Christ. We should be touched by that love and do as Jesus asked us to do.


John 13:34
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

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1 Timothy 1:1-17 ~ to the ages of ages. Amen.

Jesus was going to Heaven to see Joseph, too. It was God's Plan Joseph was not on earth during the ministry of Jesus. Kindness to Joseph. Turbulent.

1 Timothy 1:1-17

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

² To Timothy, my true child in the faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, ⁴ nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship ^{[good order]} from God that is by faith. ⁵ The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, ⁷ desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

⁸ Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, ⁹ understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound ^[healthy] doctrine, ¹¹ in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Jesus Christ Came to Save Sinners !!!!!

¹² I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. ¹⁷ To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever ^{[to the ages of ages]} Amen. 

 

Bibles should come with a like button. FB needs a Meh button. This particular passage is especially cheering after returning from a regular check-up doctors visit. And better yet when it is heard orally. I was coaxed into reading the Scriptures each day at the age of 16. The words and idea - God writing me a letter poured into me. So, I've read the Bible each day. And I have to say, I find it uplifting almost always. Except for the those days when I'm learning I have to improve. But even that is uplifting when done in love. There isn't a loving parent in the world who doesn't lovingly correct a child. John Birch, Open to God, The Methodist Church in Britain. wrote such a beautiful commentary on 1 Timothy 1:1-17 - I'm going to have to borrow it:

This week's theme: The Pastoral Heart

 

Monday 13th February 2012

1 Timothy 1:1-17

"The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example of those who would believe in him for eternal life." (vv. 15-16)

Background

Paul knew where he had come from. Here was the arch-enemy of the Church, transformed into arguably its most influential voice and evangelist. He remembered well the cruelty he had shown to Christians he pursued with such vigour. It's difficult to overestimate the brutality of Saul (as he was then), as by his own admission he was a very violent man (verse 13). After his Damascus road experience everything changed (Acts 9). Interestingly it is the patience of Jesus that Paul was so thankful for. Despite the damage he had done to the fledgling Church, Jesus had a plan for his Paul's life which he had to pinch himself at times to comprehend. Paul saw his experience as an example of how great was God's patience and grace. He offered up his life as an example of a pattern that others might see in their own lives. If someone like Paul could be loved and used by God then there was hope for all of humankind! Paul didn't claim to have chosen Christ. It was Christ who chose him at the point he was throwing his life away, and he was forever thankful that Christ not only chose him, but trusted and appointed him to be his ambassador (verse 12). There is much within this passage which speaks of the value of all human beings. The early Christians were wary of Paul when he came to them not as a persecutor, but as servant and teacher (Acts 9:21). It was the presence and power of God's Spirit in his life, and the love he showed that convinced them he was on their side! This is a timely reminder not to write anyone off as being beyond redemption, and also not to underestimate the grace and power of God to transform a life that is lost, into a life of service.

To Ponder

a) How often do you give thanks for the work of grace that God has done in your life and that of your Christian friends?

b) Have you ever written someone off as 'beyond redemption'? Is so, what does Paul's story say to you?

c) God calls all kinds of people to a life of service or ministry. Have you ever considered the possibility that he might be calling you? And what might that be?

 

 

 

I love John Newton's (Amazing Grace) paraphrased saying - “I am not the man I ought to be, I am not the man I wish to be, and I am not the man I hope to be, but by the grace of God, I am not the man I used to be.” 

 

Today I am grateful for this Timothy letter.... it was written for me. And for you. I've loved the Timothy letters for so long, we had a great cat we called T.C. - Timothy Cat. Amazing love. This unconditional love is what God gives us. In Abundance. 

 

Read the letter again, you are God's Timothy.   <><

Mark 1:40-45 ~ clean

Mark 1:40-45

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” ⁴² And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. ⁴³ And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

People who are not acquainted with the Scriptures don't have any desire to be. What would ever draw them to Scripture? Jesus is a leper to them. No slice of 'Christianity' on my plate today, please.

Test yourself. Where is your faith going.

I've heard people say the Scriptures were written by the 'man' to control the masses. " Jesus visited the lepers because the leper union wanted compensation" - so they wrote that part in.

And yet.... the Scriptures give real insight.

Mark 8:22-26
²² And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. ²³ And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” ²⁵ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

When a blind man is healed, it would take the brain a while to understand the images the eyes see - Are you incredulous the Scriptures would know this?

The Church, using human hands, human faults tries to do the work of Jesus. For 2,000 years the Church has made mistakes but gets back up and tries again. We all play a different part each day. Some days we are the leper - needy. Some days we are Jesus - the healer, the needed hand to touch and comfort. Some days, sadly, sadly, sadly - we live in a world where Jesus is the leper.



Faith is a gift. But Faith is fruit. It requires some tending. Just as it isn't good to put an elderly parent in a corner and say, "Be well." Life is busy. Especially for the family with 2 careers - where the candle goes at both ends. I remember a long-ago college friend named Suzanne - she wanted so much to attend Church - but it was overwhelming for her. Who are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John???

The message to the Christian is be like Jesus. We cannot possibly know what goes on with others. We can only make an uniformed guess. Jesus didn't ask the leper if he picked it up at a bar - He reached out to help. He didn't ask the leper to be anything but Glad of Salvation. He cleansed the leper because He Loved him. Just that way, warts and all.

John 8:15
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

The message to the borderline is this - do not even enter the village. What? If your Sundays are so busy you can't get to Church - then sit and rest. If you have the energy to clean the house, shop and make the day pleasant - you are not treating Jesus with anything but leprosy. Your grandchildren are going to be telling you at Christmas that they don't believe in that angel business. Do the work of Faith. Feed your soul and feed those around you - for eternity. Commandment #8 was arrived at with work and determination. For you.

The message to the people further out on the border is this - if you do have some eyes of faith and you see the truth in Jesus healing in Mark 8 - knock the sleep out of your eyes. Tend the faith.

Philippians 1:6
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Hebrews 3:5
Scripture says, "If you hear God speak today, don't be stubborn. Don't be stubborn like those who rebelled."

Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Honor Commandment #8.


Here was our Sermon, at HopePointe - Rev. Clark Lowenfield, on 1 John 5.

All Sermons on 1 John, Walking in the Light.



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Psalm 90 ~ we bring our years to an end like a sigh.

Rainy rice fields. Taken from the Church of the Holy Spirit website - Vientiane, Laos: an international group of believers and seekers from many different backgrounds, sharing together the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Communion services customarily follow a liturgy drawn from the Anglican Church for an international congregation from a range of backgrounds and traditions.

Our Church, HopePointe, was a pioneer Church - without a permanent building - and called Church of the Holy Spirit, also Anglican. The photo actually took me to this website.

Psalm 90

¹ Lord, you have been our dwelling place^{[our refuge]}
in all generations.
² Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³ You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”
⁴ For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.

⁵ You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
⁶ in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.

⁷ For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
⁸ You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.

⁹ For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
¹⁰ The years of our life are seventy,
or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span^{[ pride]} is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
¹¹ Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?

¹² So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
¹³ Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor^[beauty] of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!

A cousin-in-law of mine has passed away in the Lord. She was in her 7os and experienced cancer, passing away quickly. We did not know each other well, Susan lived in Washington Parish, Louisiana and was the town's librarian. We shared two decades ago, what it was like to struggle with a mortally ill infant. It was the type of loss that brings understanding to a conversation.

One very rainy and beautiful weekend, we all celebrated the 50th Wedding Anniversary of my Uncle Frank and Aunt Nora together. The photo reminded me of that Louisiana weekend. It was so very amazingly green, and so lovely. Everyone was smiling. No rice fields, but the green spring time was stunning.

I know my great-aunt Hazel prayed for her only child, William, to come home safely from World War I. And William was killed. I know God heard her prayers and Hazel experienced God's peace. Hazel talked about William a lot She really enjoyed remembering him. My mother told me Aunt Hazel talked of William more than my mom thought she should. Aunt Hazel had William's portrait painted. And it went to another cousin, after Aunt Hazel passed on, who became ill and William's painting was thrown to be given away or thrown away. An uncle was asked if he wanted to travel 6 hours to look over everything being put out. There was William's portrait.

My uncle took it and asked our family in Franklinton, LA (where William lived) if there would be a good place for William's painting. And it was given to our cousin Susan, who was the town librarian. William's painting will hang in the Franklinton, LA Library because William died defending his country.

One generation remembering another. It fits together. And makes life a gentler place. God is not God of the dead. But God of the living.


Isaiah 40:1-11

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare 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: "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, "What shall I cry?"
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty 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;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
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.



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2 Timothy 2:14-26 ~ one approved

2 Timothy 2:14-26

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and charge them before God ^{[the Lord]} not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, ^{[one approved after being tested]} a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹ Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

²² So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And the Lord's servant ^{[bondservant]} must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Matthew 23:23
"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, and cummin, but have neglected the more important matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others."


We can take all of our denomination differences. We may look at King James Version or the English Standard Version and stake our claim. Or we can say - God is Love.

Jesus never quoted the added Chapter and Verse. He merely said, "It is written." Jesus gave us ideals and He lived them. Mercy with Truth over all else. Every day. His Father's ideals and He gave His life for them. For us.

Beyond that..... we must say to ourselves each day - cast the first stone. And our attitudes and words must reflect the ideals of Jesus. And the mercy of Jesus.


Romans 4:25
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Church at Varengeville Against the Sunlight - (Wings of Morning.) Painted By Claude Monet.

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 gives light to 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. ¹⁵ (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ For 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.

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Psalm 81 ~ Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp

Views from the Palace of David outside the old city walls of Jerusalem.

"The discovery of the location of the palace of King David is of extreme importance to our understanding of ancient Jerusalem," says Dr. Mazar, in an exclusive interview with the Jerusalem Christian Review. "We now have tangible remains of the place where the most famous king in history once lived."

"In fact," says Dr. Eilat Mazar, "we know quite a bit about this palace from the Bible." It was "a house of cedars" (1 Chronicles 17:1), built by Phoenician builders (2 Samuel 5:11 & 1 Chronicles 14:1) who used the cedars of Lebanon and developed a distinct style of stone masonry.

King Hiram of the Phoenicians offered King David to build him a palace fit for an emperor (2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Chronicles 14:1): "Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stone masons, and they built a palace for David." (2 Samuel 5:11, NIV)

"One of the reasons researchers were at a loss in finding this important place was that they assumed that King David, as logic would dictate, built his home in the safest, best protected part of the city, inside the Jebusite city walls," says Mazar. However, this was not the case.

The Jebusite city, while almost impregnable, was also very small, approximately 9 acres in size. Nevertheless, scholars continued to search for King David's residence within the city walls. No remains were found that pointed to the existence of a great palace like that which the Bible describes, and scholars began to doubt biblical claims that such a grand structure ever really existed.

"But one of the main clues in finding King David's palace," says Mazar, "was surprisingly from the Bible itself." 2 Samuel 5:17 states that: "When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went DOWN [from his palace] to the [citadel]." (NIV, capitalization added for emphases)

Psalm 81

A Psalm for the Choir from Asaph. On the Gittith.

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

¹ Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
² Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
³ Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.

⁴ For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule ^{[just decree]} of the God of Jacob.
⁵ He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over ^[against] the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
⁶ “I relieved your ^[his] shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
⁷ In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Selah

⁸ Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
⁹ There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
¹⁰ I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

¹¹ “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
¹³ Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
¹⁵ Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
¹⁶ But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart - be acceptable in Your sight, Oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Psalm 81 - to me - is the most mercurial of the Psalms. Some days I read it and it seems to me all possibilities open to God are there for me. Yay!!!!! And other days.... I'm not so sure. And that is faith, in the human existence - mostly. God knows exactly where we are in our faith - better than we know it ourselves. We do not hide from Him. God is for us. In days of sunshine and plenty. The days where just one more thing happens and ... it is ALL terrible. A song for each day.

Asaph wrote this one (song) & saw David go from living in a caves and just ditches as a fugitive, for 22 years, David was anointed without being King. And Asaph saw David dance as His Ark came in.

Consider Mark 7:31-37

³¹ Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. ³² And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³ And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. ³⁴ And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” ³⁵ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. ³⁶ And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. ³⁷ And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Sure the dead are raised, the deaf hear, speak and the blind see - I have the faith to believe this. Yet no matter where we are in faith - this is the One - Jesus - Whom we place our trust upon. Now the way that Jesus healed the deaf man - that is Someone. Our hero. Jesus. Look up. The LORD. God the Almighty.

And a song for Him.

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Matthew 25:1-30 ~ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:1-30

¹ “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶ But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

¹⁴ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents,^{[ a talent, a monetary unit worth about twenty years' wages]} to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I heard an excellent news cast this week talking about what I've experienced with my kids when they were younger. Christmas and New Year are over - the new is worn off the 'new year' and here we are in pre-Valentine's, winter-gray-day, less sunshine weather. My sons typically did not get the best grades, of the entire year, about now.

But..... now we will recall my neighbor Carol's advice one winter day. I enjoyed my long-moved- away neighbor. She was Louisianan drawl sharp, sharp spoken, opinionated, fast talking, smooth decorating, good old-fashioned Southern Charm. A smile, a beverage and some saucy talk with spicy opinions. Always good for a conversation. The phone rang one day and Carol invited me across the street to have some good advice. Tedium lifted, interest sparked, I did as asked.

Carol said, "Honey, I've got good advice for you and it will change your life." I told her I was ready, willing and able to hear it. I happen to like good advice. Especially from people willing and able to leave their good advice in your own hands to decide where to place the advice. Carol laughed and she said, " I have 4 sons. When they are on your payroll, your college dime and your health insurance - they should return the calls, make the grades and sit up straight if you say so. And then the time changes. They marry sweet young things and have children you want to see. You no longer give any advice. No opinions. When their children come to your house, jump on your white sofas with chocolate fudge cicles running down their arms on your white sofa - you look over at your formerly sweet young thing daughter-in-law and you say, "Aren't they cute. Love her new hair ribbon." And you mean it.

;) Enter into the joy of the master.

So, about this news cast .... it said for this time of year - momentum is important. Exercise. Determination not to slump into nothingness and inaction. Deliberation. And when you find your self staring into the gray, cloudy sky - give yourself encouragement to get going again.

Remember our efforts are for the LORD.

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men

Besides. Who wants to have a pristine white sofa no one ever jumps on - left in utter darkness....


Nehemiah 8:10
Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."



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Mark 3:1-19 ~ He went up on the mountain

Breakfast with Jesus, painted by James Tissot.

Mark 3:1-19

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

¹ Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. ² And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. ³ And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” ⁴ And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. ⁵ And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea ⁸ and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. ⁹ And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, ¹⁰ for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. ¹¹ And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” ¹² And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.


¹³ And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. ¹⁴ And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach ¹⁵ and have authority to cast out demons. ¹⁶ He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); ¹⁷ James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); ¹⁸ Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. ²⁰ Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat.

When John the Baptist began his ministry, he cried out for people to clear a straight path in their lives for the truth. He drew people into the wilderness and asked them to repent. You wouldn't think John the Baptist would have drawn a crowd. And yet John did. John's ministry was about personal repentance and improvement. John worried the Temple officials with his words of personal redemption. Church/Temple officials worried over redemption? It just doesn't sound right.

Here we have Mark 3 - Jesus has just begun His ministry, not even really leaving Capernaum - and acts of God are being seen. Israel has been recorded for looking for just these healings and these miracles and now officials want them to stop.

We've heard the Gospel all of our lives and it becomes routine - why - why would Temple of God officials ever be worried about redemption and acts of God?

It was a completing and a re-awakening of a message - God's love was proving again - God does not dwell in human buildings - but in the up-building of mankind.


1 Kings 8:27-30
“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! ²⁸ Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, ²⁹ that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. ³⁰ And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

In the beginning of Jesus' ministry - it is like Genesis. God is about His creation.

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

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."

At the end of Jesus' earthly life ministry - it is like Revelation.

John 21
⁹ When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”

God was never about the up-building of anything man made, He was about the up-building of us.


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Psalm 71 ~ Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent

King David playing the harp, painted by Sir Peter Paul Rubens



Psalm 71

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1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!
3 Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5 For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

7 I have been as a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
and with your glory all the day.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
forsake me not when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me;
those who watch for my life consult together
11 and say, “God has forsaken him;
pursue and seize him,
for there is none to deliver him.”

12 O God, be not far from me;
O my God, make haste to help me!
13 May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
who seek my hurt.
14 But I will hope continually
and will praise you yet more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
of your deeds of salvation all the day,
for their number is past my knowledge.
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
19 Your righteousness, O God,
reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?
20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness
and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have redeemed.
24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
who sought to do me hurt.

David left his father, Jesse's, flock as a boy deciding to answer King Saul's call for someone to defeat Goliath.



Archaeologists digging at the biblical hometown of Goliath have unearthed a shard of pottery bearing an inscription of the Philistine's name, "Goliath" lending historical credence to the Bible's tale of David's battle. This supports biblical depiction of life at the time of the battle. It dates to about 950 B.C. within the correct time span.

In 1902 archaelogist Robert Macalister found several large skeletons of women, 2 meters tall, at Gezer, 6 km south of Gath, 30 km west of Jerusalem. Gezer was Philistine territory. Goliath was about 9 feet tall in Biblical measurements.

Numbers 13:29 describes the sons of Anak are described as being huge. An Egyptian papyrus, written by Hori, in 1200 BC warned traveler about giants south of Megiddo, the hills of lower Galilee.



1 Kings 2:1-4
When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 that the Lord may establish his word

In our marriage class, we thought of the television programs like "Bachelor" celebrating the youthful human body. When I was younger, most of the movie stars were John Wayne, David Niven, Jimmy Stewart. Dean Martin. Most of these men were in their 60s. Few of the 'stars' were young. Now, the lines at the grocery stores, magazines are filled with young faces - I have no idea who they are. Isn't it a complex world where we live in a country we are all aging, the median age is increasing, and yet.... we glamorize youth more than when we did when I was younger.

Consider David killing Goliath at a young age. Living for 22 years after being anointed King of Israel before he was King. Goliath was at his top game and physical condition. Yet it didn't work the way Goliath wanted.

And that leads to the next charge of David to Solomon to "be a man." What did David mean about being a man?

For today's example, Sir Peter Paul Rubens led a colorful, long life. "My passion comes from the heavens, not from earthly musings." (28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) Rubens was at the top of the list during the Jesuit reformation, an art awakening - becoming the leader of the art era - painting a tremendous number of Biblical portraits, altarpieces and then later surprising many by moving into landscapes. Rubens also celebrated women.

Rubens came into his own style of painting in 1615, being different from the other painters. His style was bold and not full of details. He didn't outlive the popularity of his art. He traveled to many countries, and had a diplomatic career while many other artists never rose beyond a trades' man status.

Rubens married in 1609, Isabella Brant Rubens, his letters wrote of her liveliness, honor, respect - the dedication they had to their 3 children and her help in his efforts.

Rubens was shaped by life experiences and had been raised after his family experienced some serious trouble. One of the reasons, perhaps, for this marriage dedication, Rubens was born after his father had been imprisoned for his affair with Anna of Saxony, Princess of Orange. Wife of ruler William I of Orange. His family returned to Cologne, Germany the next year. In 1589, two years after his father's death, Rubens moved with his mother to Antwerp, where he was raised as a Catholic.

53 year old Rubens married again 2 years after his wife's death, to 16 year old Hélène Fourment. They had five children. The fifth child being born 8 months after Rubens' death.

Most of the world would applaud Rubens for his good sense to marry again to a much younger woman and have 5 more children. And yet - Hélène acquired fame as the subject of many Rubens' works. Many women bless Rubens' for the recorded beauty of larger women and middle-aged beauty.

In life, a lot of happiness is the gratitude for what we are and who we are - today.

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

Isaiah 46:4
Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

Proverbs 16:31
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.

Proverbs 16:32
Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.



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