Luke 2:33-35 ~ reveals

Holding Heaven, by Ron di Cianni

Luke 2:33-35 (The Message)

33-35 Jesus' father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother,

This child marks both the failure and
the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
as God reveals who they really are.

Jesus turned the world around, He was misunderstood. 

Yes, the blind see, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 
Luke 7:22

By the end of Mark 1, Jesus' miracles have drawn so much attention, Jesus is not freely moving about:

41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

The beginning of Mark 2, the religious are offended by the miracles of Jesus:

6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

The offense of the spiritual has led to murderous desires, Mark 3:

6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Why? In Mark 4, Jesus is telling what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. His disciples say this about Him:

41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Mark 5, when one man, who had previously terrified the town with his unclean spirits is healed, the town says to Jesus:

17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

Then the Religious have a need for Jesus:

2Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."

Jesus responds: 24So Jesus went with him.
41He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). 42Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

A woman from the crowd, feels if she can just reach out to Him:

7When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."

32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."


Mark 6, Jesus visits Nazareth, His hometown:
4Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." 5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus' disciples see Him every day:
They cried out, 50because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 51Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

The crowd had now become crazed for the miracles of Jesus, without seeking to worship Him. He returns to Gennesaret, where they have previously asked Jesus to leave:

53When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

Mark 7, Jesus declares the cleanliness of the soul is more important than rules:

18And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

36And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Mark 8, The crowd continues to gather to be healed, to see, to be fed spiritually.

They had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away."

And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9And there were about four thousand people.

Jesus ask His disciples, who do you say I am?

29 Peter answered him, "You are the Christ."

The disciples are then told by Jesus He will suffer and die. Peter begins to rebuke Jesus.

Mark 9: Jesus returns to the foot of the mountain, to his disciples after experiencing the Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah, Peter, James and John. He is greeted by his disciples like Moses. They have been unable to cast out an evil spirit.

23And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." 24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

7But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" 29And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.

50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

Mark 10, Jesus continues to work with the disciples and teach us:

15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 16And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Mark 11

23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Mark 12:
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"

29Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

Mark 13, Jesus tells His disciples about the end of the world, the end of the Temple, the end of Jesus, he urges them to be alert, to be awake.

Mark 14 Jesus is worshiped for the first time, without thought of reward:
3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her. 6But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."

41And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

48And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled." 50 And they all left him and fled.


60And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" 61But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" 62And Jesus said, "I Am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

Mark 15
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"

40There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

Mark 16

9Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

14Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

20And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.



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Mark 6:21-29 ~ Ask me for whatever you wish

Mark 6:21-29

But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.


A prophet is  without honor amongst his own people and his own town. What would it have looked like if John the Baptist had not been on the menu. We have looked before at Herodias's daughter with the opinion it is very difficult to be the child of mother like Herodias. Who was known to jump marriage ships when the cargo looked better. We live in an age where we are so aware of parental responsibility.

Personal responsibility is not as popular. We know what happened to Herod and Herodias, they are quite easily found in history books. Herod was raised by a killer who claimed the throne of Judea. Sent to Rome to be educated "the best" way. Herodias' family eventually gained the Emperor's ear and basically were exiled to die in obscurity except for..... Jesus Christ the Risen Lord.

And Herodias' daughter? Not heard from again, mentioned by Josephus.  Except on Wikipedia - Salome. What if she'd asked for freedom for John or literacy programs?  Because. There are many, many written messages on the walls of Peter's home.

What we do with our prayers is important to. We cannot hide from the LORD. Sometimes we don't feel like praying for someone, we do it any way. Sometimes we want something we should not.  What can we do but be honest with the LORD.  We can always stand amazed at His Grace. Forgiveness.

However.

Asking for the head of John the Baptist is probably not a good idea.  Messing with holiness not wise. We all need a reminder as we pray, to say, LORD I should remember this more. I should care more. Draw my prayer attention where it should be.  We should remember to pray at intintervals our generation is just letting our mind idle. If CNN and the news channels can flash message, ticker tape and inserts, why in the world don't we pray for ambulances, people with a Christian message on their car, empty or forlorn Churches. Churches so huge, the community is not easily known to one another.  For people alone in crowded places. For the
handicapped. 

I used to get upset seeing animals dead on the side of the road. The LORD spoke with Larry Brooks, a friend of mine, and he said, rather angrily, "Why do you mourn this? For one thing, we all have a time. And another thing is that raccoon wouldn't have died if it hadn't been so greedy to keep eating and grasping as the headlights were coming on." You know it isn't all about raccoons. It is about what we ask for when the LIGHT is there.

10 Lepers where healed. One came back to give praise.

Prayer is about keeping the conversation going. Even in crowded parking spaces. Bless their darlin little heart. 

Let's all practice what we teach. In the name of Jesus Christ, the LORD. The Light. The Salvation of Mankind.


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Psalm 21 ~ For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.

Psalm 21

O Lord, in your strength the king rejoices,

and in your salvation how greatly he exults!

2 You have given him his heart's desire

and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah

3 For you meet him with rich blessings;

you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.

4 He asked life of you; you gave it to him,

length of days forever and ever.

5 His glory is great through your salvation;

splendor and majesty you bestow on him.

6 For you make him most blessed forever;

you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

7 For the king trusts in the Lord,

and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

8 Your hand will find out all your enemies;

your right hand will find out those who hate you.

9 You will make them as a blazing oven

when you appear.

The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,

and fire will consume them.

10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,

and their offspring from among the children of man.

11 Though they plan evil against you,

though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.

12 For you will put them to flight;

you will aim at their faces with your bows.

13 Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength!

We will sing and praise your power.

Anger is mentioned 269 times in Scripture. Gold is mentioned 433 times. Surely an interesting thought. David is recorded as writing only 70 of the Psalms. And he only wrote of gold 10 times. He writes of gold in relationship to pageantry. 3 times mentioning gold as pertaining to a woman.

1 Timothy 3:2-3
Therefore an overseer [bishop] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

For the king trusts in the Lord



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Acts 22 ~ they listened

Acts 22

 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:

3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

Don't we all listen much better when someone is speaking our language. Paul had a can do attitude. He was willing to pull out his ivy league education. Give the gold card of being educated at the feet of Gamaliel. Gamaliel was an interesting educator. He held sway with the Religious council. Saying that if they tampered with the apostles' message - they might be taking on God's will and by extrapolation, His wrath.

Then Paul went on to say, God loves everyone. Not a popular message at that time. Today the unpopular message would be - God loves holiness. Without Jesus Christ - no one can attain that or claim that. So many times we should listen to His word and we feel we can skate by. When we skate by, we do that under our own power.  We go forth with purpose in hope on His Love.

One of my favorite things to say is life leaks like an old wooden row boat. If we put all our efforts in our own direction, that part starts to leak. A youth pastor said that he attended a day planner - saying we can plan all we want -  it is up to God to bring that plan forth. People around us have needs we are unaware of. The event said - put your prayer out for God to direct you. Then we are sustained in our efforts instead of burned out.

Proverbs 27:1
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Paul was not rigid and uptight. He understood with a heart of love for his listeners.  His message was Jesus as Love. Not their plans. God's.


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Revelation 2:8-11 ~ second death

Revelation 2:8-11

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty ( but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

This is an unfamiliar passage of God's Word to a lot of people. We discussed it with a Bible Study once and people asked to look it up and study it as an aside to our evening study. It caused a lot of reaction. It surprised me. People were angered at the thought of hell being ended by death. I think it is amazing and it needs to be not as discussed as other passages. I was telling it to someone I dearly love and it provided assurance - the hell they worry is in their future - is not going to be eternal. This really is not the point.

The point is that God is above all things.  His dominion is over all and He will be merciful over all. I find comfort in that. It speaks to how merciful He is.

What is man, that God is mindful of Him. God follows the unredeemed into hell, to cause them not to suffer. Now that really is Light.

John 1:5
New International Version (©1984)
The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

New Living Translation (©2007)
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

English Standard Version (©2001)
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

It is absolutely our joy and obligation to pray diligently, as Jesus Christ is LORD, for the people we care about in salvation. This passage far from eliminates the worry. This tells us there is a Kingdom of God and hell.

When you read Scripture, God is specific about a judgment. My uncle was saved in his 78th year. My grandmother said she would never give up praying for him. My mother said her mother was dancing in Heaven.


Never give up. Never.






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Micah 6:8 ~ What does the LORD require of you?

COMFORT

Zechariah 1:16-18

Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. ¹⁷ Cry out again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.'"

To be a willing comforter requires a grateful heart. When we've been blessed with God's mercy, we want to share that goodness. We willingly put down our own desires and want to help others.

Maybe you've read "Same Kind of Different as Me" by Denver Moore. Denver is a black man raised in a small town in virtual slavery. To Denver Moore being homeless was a step up. In the middle of having nothing, the soup kitchens were a way to survive. This is movie currently in production being produced by the actor Samuel Jackson.

There is a small detail in the book, but it tells us what kind of homeless man Denver was.

The Christian Soup Kitchen was the first time Denver Moore was provided for. He adopted an 82 year old man - so mean - that one day a car pulled up and out the 82 year old man was tossed to the Soup Kitchen. His wife and children just tossed him out - he'd been a successful business man, but his family had enough. Eventually the man couldn't walk to the kitchens and Denver began to bring him his meals. Denver heard a litany of curses about his color, his kindness, even his Christianity. Denver bathed the man, fed him and cleaned his bedding. The man continued to proclaim his own racist superiority. Denver just ignored him and spoke to him.

After more than 80 years of hate, an abandoned old man was led to Christ by another homeless man. Denver Moore, a man without education or property, allowed the abandoned old man to fully live and accept the unrelenting love of Jesus Christ. How was Denver able to care for him past the hate? Denver had been given the same relentless love at a Christian Homeless Shelter. One person worked to make the light of Christ shine for Denver.

Denver Moore had to be willing to put some things down to help the old man. Denver had to forgive the people who had treated him poorly. Denver had to hear the scoffing of the others - homelessness has an element of power in survival mode. Denver had to allow himself to be vulnerable.

Luke 12:48b-53

Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

⁴⁹ "I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵² For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."This Scripture is uncomfortable. But Biblical truths sometimes have irony - sometimes just to catch our attention.

Denver a homeless black man was powerless in all that we enjoy in the world. Yet he was able to bring Jesus to a man so hateful and racist - no one reached him for 80 years. Complete lack of comfort led to an eternity of blessings. The most important thing for all of eternity. Jesus. One day that bitter, horrible old man realized all he had in the world was a black man willing to be the steadfast and relentless love of Jesus - just for him. Just to be loving.

The Luke 12 words of Jesus are extremely uncomfortable for us today. No one would sign up for this type of unhappiness. But for us today, it is a blessing. We are the beneficiaries of the generations of those who stood in the gap. For us today - Luke 12 means not to stand before Caesar, not be be pulled from our homes. Freedom to get up Sunday and decide where we will worship. Many places to drive our cars if we want a new Bible.

The division we have today is to say - I see any type of situation and I decide - I will put myself out to make a difference. Why would I decide to have any discomfort? The gratitude of what Jesus has done for me. The gratitude to the many generations who have made our lives this comfortable. In our comfort, we also find the ability to stand up, speak up and make a difference.

Comfort and love for others requires a grateful heart.

Fortunately, God doesn't require us to be the Savior. We can Never save others anymore than we can save ourselves. But our decision is this - to hold the love God has for us so dearly these words become our own -

To give justice with mercy and walk humbly with the Lord. Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God..With just faith, hope and love in these words of the Lord, we can comfort and love all the people God would have us to love.



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Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23 ~ the one who offers thanksgiving

Let us be Light bringers

Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23

8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;

your burnt offerings are continually before me.

9 I will not accept a bull from your house

or goats from your folds.

16 But to the wicked God says:

“What right have you to recite my statutes

or take my covenant on your lips?

17 For you hate discipline,

and you cast my words behind you.

21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;

you thought that I was one like yourself.

But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;

to one who orders his way rightly

I will show the salvation of God!”

Father God, help us each day to put our hands out to do Your will in a way that stretches our lives and our will to find Your Will delightful. When we wander in paths that are far from pleasing to us and to You, call us back to You. In gratitude, let us remember all You have done for us. Being so very grateful for the people You bring us.

Thanks for Vacation. For the eyes that see the beauty of Your creation. For time. For the beauty of a storm blowing in. To have shelter from the storm. For a mom to call on the phone. For knowing I have healthy children. For prayers asked for and given. For the people I can count on both hands, I'd like to go on vacation with. For the joy of now and eternity ahead.


For the patience to bounce away from criticism. And petty conversations. To be a joy bringer.

Help us to find honesty within ourselves. To be light bringers rather than light absorbers. To see what we need to see in the people around us to admire them for their good points and to find our own good points leading us away from what is easy and convenient. (For instance, having generational cursing and allowing that to influence our own conversations.)  Learning to be encouraging instead of fault finding. Yet not white-washers. To love with our heart and to love with our actions when the heart is not stirred. Bringing with our efforts, joy to the people around us. And wisdom to be the people we are created to be.

So many areas pull us, Father God. Help us each day to sort out the priority. In Your Love and Wisdom. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Psalm 16 ~ I wil praise the Lord,I will praise the Lord, who counsels me

Psalm 16

1 Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names on my lips.

5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

David says in Psalm 16, he spent time with the LORD in the evenings. Different than 10 Commandments asking us to Honor the LORD on one day of the week. And David tells us the benefit of this time.

Refuge
Security
A heart filling with Praise
Seeing a way forward
Refusal to be shaken
Making the heart glad
Positive speech
Not feeling abandoned
The path of life
Joy

We know David didn't always feel like this from the Psalms he wrote with the Holy Spirit. Yet we know David strongly experienced this. 22 years he struggled, after Samuel anointed him. David's faith and his way forward provide us with understanding.Placing our faith upon the LORD. As this Psalm tells us. Honoring the LORD.

We are in North Carolina this week for some R&R. And this blog, as always, providing a worship and a touchstone to the LORD.

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Psalm 130 ~ with You there is forgiveness

Psalm 130

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1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities!

"Morning Has Broken" a Christian hymn by English author Eleanor Farjeon, published in 1931, using the Gaelic tune "Bunessan" (tune also used as "Child in the Manger").

My family always plays this beautiful song at our weddings and christenings. Last Sunday, my family gathered together to celebrate with my husband and me - a 25th Anniversary Holiday Weekend; at Church, a God-incidence, this song was played. What a blessing to hear it! It was my dad's favorite song. He died after divorcing my mother just before their 25th anniversary. Decades of one of the most loving marriages was abandoned. He did, as so many fathers do in divorce, he deserted his children. Making poor choices, choices we wouldn't have wanted him to make, ending his own life in 1993. His last note to us said he was looking forward to God's mercy and dwelling with us in heaven. For us, it is quite emotional, reminds us of so many good memories of a lovely man who had an alcohol addiction. A man Jesus loves.

Divorce, infidelity, broken families, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Al Anon are things people bring when they seek the comfort of God. God's open door policy is come as you really are.

"Morning has Broken", Chorfassung; this one sounds more like our ceremonies:




Celtic Carillon, Scotland's national hand-bell ensemble, Morning Has Broken in Dunblane Cathedral


What is Psalm 130? It's twin Psalm would be Psalm 67 or

Numbers 6:24-27
The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Psalm 32:1
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.


Psalm 67
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May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!


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Matthew 10:16-23 ~ you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Matthew 10:16-23

 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, ¹⁸  and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. ²⁰  For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹  Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, ²²  and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.  

²³ When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

How often we hear people say they don't want to be a Christian because God might call them to move to China or some place and be a missionary. What they are really saying is that suffering is to be avoided.

When Hallelujah, because anyone who'd raise their hand to suffer is very unusual. I feel depressed just reading the parts of Corinthians about suffering. I once heard a woman on a Christian radio literally weep, not in weakness, but in agony about being a missionary to a very despondent, forlorn area of the world. And her husband was very happy to be there. Well, she and her husband were not being wise. If there was a need there, they are saying God could not find another person. We are not Jesus, but I tell you what, we should all pray for that woman who did suffer and did hard work. And for the area of the world it was. 

(The woman was wise to tell is how it was with her, the Church found someone excited to go there. As a result of the radio broadcast. Her husband was wise to let her speak her heart.) 

We will all face times and situations that we'd prefer not to be there. Sometimes we are called to do the hard work. And stay. And other times it is time to do like the passage says and "move to the next." But isn't the last part of the passage important!!!! 

It says do not stay in times of anxiety. It says they will fade and there will be another opportunity. And then,  a very important thing. The most important thing. Salvation. It is Jesus who comes. We are not the salvation, we work to help salvation. To the best of our limited ability. Salvation comes from God. 

All this passage builds up. In the end, God's work is God's. We do what we can. It is exactly what it says on a memorial tablet for John Wesley and his brother, Charles Wesley, in their father's English Church. "God's work goes on, it is his workmen who go home." Or close enough. 

Moses did not lead us into the Promised Land. David didn't stay King forever. David did not build the first Temple. It is God's work - Jesus did the part we need. We rely upon Him.  We were saying in Bible Study - we all wish Moses did. We wish David did. God is telling us - the pressure is off of us. It is God's work. 

We do exactly what we can. We will look to be innocent, as possible, and we look to be wise in thinking how we speak. And when we cannot accomplish salvation for others;  we know we are in charge of only what God brings to us.

1 John 4:10

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:16

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

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Matthew 13 ~ Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

Matthew 13

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,

and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

15 For this people's heart has grown dull,

and with their ears they can barely hear,

and their eyes they have closed,

lest they should see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their heart

and turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables;

I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

There seem to be two things in life. The way people perceive us and the way it is. Jesus was seen as a carpenter's son. Not really the Son of David. It would be interesting to ask Joseph how that felt to him. There is a portion of the Scripture I cannot find. It is the prophetic word telling us what it would be like in the Judean portion of Israel during the days of Jesus Christ - it was a time when people had what they needed to survive. A donkey, a cow, a house like others, adequate. And tremendous political pressure. A king not of the davidic line.

An adequate life with pressure - doesn't always feel fulfilling.

And we have the Parable about seeds. What are we doing with our faith and hope. Where do we want to be placed in the living Word and how we want ourselves.... to be doing. Sure we see - hey - I see so and so there. It really is about how I react to them. The kindness I can bring to them.

The parable of the weeds - the way life is. Planned. Mary wanted Jesus to come home. His brothers wanted HIM to stir up trouble and then come home. Jesus gave them time to sort it out. They did end up carrying Jesus' word as His disciples. And probably like the end of the Gospel of John - imperfectly. Like the way Peter and Paul got along - bumpily at times. 

Imagine - Mary, James, Joseph, Simon and Judas - going home after Jesus told the whole crowd - "you are my mother, brothers - if you do the will of God." At that point, they were loving Jesus based upon the memories of their love for each other. I imagine they thought it was the end of the relationship for -  a while.  Because they weren't weeds, they did not prepare to never speak again and stick to it.

And our weeds - parables. Puzzles. We have to figure out - today am I the wheat or the weed. And re-adjust. Asking for help from Jesus Christ the LORD. Getting back on the path God wants for us to be lights. Setting boundaries, hoping for others. Asking God to govern us. The wisdom to do what He wants. And the kindness in us to want to do it.

Like our knowledge of the Church of Ephesus.  Redeemed. Bargaining. Corrupting. Ending. Quitting. and then Redemption. Like the martyrs and cowards of Rome. Fighting. Fleeing. Planting again.  It is up to us to not to be plowed under. A good analogy for all of this wheat and weeds. Knowing John lived in peace. Luke lived in peace. Even in that day. Timothy lived in peace. And went out with his boots on as an old man. 

We tend to want to flee from doing God's word. We think we'll end up abused like the run away disciples. Forgetting they ran away. John and Luke and Timothy - ended up well. They lived the hard part. Paul and Peter wouldn't say they got the short end of the stick. 

Running away and living with it - that is the hard part. So many of the men I saw divorce their wives to be happier - died from it within a few short years. It diminishes the capacity to truly love ourselves.

Each day, putting out our hands to do what GOD wants. Putting aside being the most important feelings on the planet. Growing up. Sticking to what is right. Asking not to be disregarded. Loving ourselves. As we love others. Forgiving and being forgiven.


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Jeremiah 1:1-10 ~ pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant

Jeremiah 1:1-10

The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;

for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,

and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

8 Do not be afraid of them,

for I am with you to deliver you,

declares the Lord.”

9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me,

“Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,

to pluck up and to break down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.”



Isaiah 42:1
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.


Numbers 23:26
But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do’?”

1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Peter 2:15
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.


1 Thessalonians 4:3
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;


Numbers 27:5
So Moses brought their case before the LORD

Romans 12:2
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.


1 Timothy 2
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus


Proverbs 6:23
For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life


Proverbs 16:2
All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.



1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.


Mark 4:22
For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and ...
For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is
concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. ... 


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Matthew 10:1-7 ~ These twelve Jesus sent out

Painting of Jesus by James Tissot

Matthew 10:1-7

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ²  The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

⁵  These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶  but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Jesus had such a small amount of time in His ministry. And He sent out His disciples. He knew they would hide and be fearful at His death saying: 

Mark 14:27

"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: "'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

Jesus knew so many impossible things about people. Their names, their marital status, if they prayed under a tree. He knew they'd squabble in the last Chapter of John. 

And Jesus needed no one to tell Him what was in man. 

He called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

God uses imperfect people to do His will.  Millenniums ago. And today.

1 Corinthians 1:27


Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

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