2 Thessalonians 3 ~ That we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.

 

2 Thessalonians 3

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

From time to time the reading repeats. I do not find this as a flaw, instead I see this as a time to reflect again. Read the verses and let them flower and grow within me.

One of the historical problems new believers have in the Word of God, the Bible was written by the people who did not seemingly triumph or live well. Didn't the wicked and evil men - triumph.

Well, no. There are few monuments today for the leaders doing the regular leading thing. Few sculptures of the scoffers. Less interest in their tombs. See Paul's Tomb the Vatican excavated his tomb from the 1930s until the 1960s.


the steadfastness of Christ 

The Historian Josephus records twice about the surprise and admiration this Judean General had for Jesus and called HIM the Christ, And James, identified as the Lord's brother. Jewish Josephus records messiah types scatter at trouble, but the group of friends so loyal to Jesus Christ - they are called Christians.

Pontius Pilate was so erased in History - we had the idea until the 1960s, he did not exist but recent archaeological records proved otherwise.

Who was the famous man Paul spoke to when the unnamed Sadduceen council  arrested our PAUL ?  Well if you look up that man, you find in Acts 23, that is Governor Felix. Which man does history honor?

High priest Ananias? His house was found in ruins, at the sack of Jerusalem in 70 A.D; they also found his family tomb and his sarcophagus (which was quite pretty.) His existence was doubted as well until the Talmud Records were found of the Sadduceen Council, for this era of Jesus walking the earth, in Scotland. These record the name of Mary's father. And say they were very concerned about Jesus' miracles and insurrection.

70 A.D? Jesus' natural life span. This would have been rather churlish of the LORD to forgive that generation and then zap them. And Jesus' adult home town, picked as a land flowed with milk and honey, on the shores of the sea of Galilee, that town survived war until the 13th century. Capernaum.

Speaking of sarcophagus, that trial went on for 5 years in Israel with the Judge saying he didn't have enough authority to disprove or prove the sarcophagus of James, Brother of Jesus. The Head of the Louvre and  C.I.A gave evidence saying the style of the signature, the age of the patina, were correct.  James is better known than the whereabouts of King Agrippa.  So where is he?  We are not sure.

the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored

 The triumph of Christianity is actually a very remarkable historical phenomenon.

Ian Wilson records a letter from a Jewish rabbi, of Lyracanthra, saying it would be the end of Judaism because of the incredible miracles of healing, restoration, life transformation and complete hope. These are letters confirming the Gospels show the Rabbi to be extremely unhappy. Josephus, the Israeli General turned traitor, turned Historian says Jesus was the Christ and his brother James formed the later Christian Church until martyred in 62 AD.

Trajan (c. 53 - 117) Philosopher Pliny the Younger's letter to Trajan on the subject of the Christians and the response of Trajan to Pliny the Younger. On Early Christian Writings. How to torture Christians to discredit the claims of Jesus Christ.

Hadrian (c. 76 - 138) Foxe's Book of Martyrs -- Persecution Under Trajen...... The forenamed authors, Antoninus and Equilius

Antoninus Pius (c. 86 - 161) Instead of stirring up persecution against the Christians, he extended to them the strong hand of his protection throughout the empire. Rather than give occasion to that oppression which he regarded as inseparable from an emperor's progress through his dominions, he was content to spend all the years of his reign in Rome, or its neighborhood. Under his patronage the science of jurisprudence was cultivated by men of high ability, and a number of humane and equitable enactments were passed in his name. 161 – 180 166 Christian persecution returned - The period was one of ever-increasing calamities. The earthquakes which had alarmed Asia under Antoninus were but the prelude to more serious convulsions. The Tiber rose to an unprecedented height and swept away the public granaries. This was followed by a famine, and that by a pestilence, which spread from Egypt and Ethiopia westward. Everywhere on the frontiers there were murmurs of insurrection or invasion. The year 166 was long known as the "annus calamitosus," and it was in that year that the persecution broke out and that Justin suffered. These calamities roused the superstition of the great mass of the people, and a wild fanaticism succeeded to an epicurean atheism. The gods were wrath, and what had roused their anger but the presence of those who denied them?

Marcus Aurelius (c. 121 - 180) The Thundering Legion incident (174)

During the war with the Quadi in 174 there took place the famous incident of the Thundering Legion (Legio Fulminatrix, Fulminea, Fulminata) which has been a cause of frequent controversy between Christian and non-Christian writers. The Roman army was surrounded by enemies with no chance of escape, when a storm burst. The rain poured down in refreshing showers on the Romans, while the enemy were scattered with lightning and hail. The parched and famishing Romans received the saving drops first on their faces and parched throats, and afterwards in their helmets and shields, to refresh their horses. Marcus obtained a glorious victory as a result of this extraordinary event, and his enemies were hopelessly overthrown.

That such an event did really happen is attested both by pagan and Christian writers. The former attribute the occurrence either to magic (Dion Cassius, LXXI, 8-10) or to the prayers of the emperor (Capitolinus, "Vita Marci", XXIV; Themistius, "Orat. XV ad Theod"; Claudian, "De Sext. Cons. Hon.", V, 340 sqq.; "Sibyl. Orac.", ed. Alezandre, XII, 196 sqq. Cf. Bellori, "La Colonne Antonine", and Eckhel, "Doctrina Nummorum", III, 64). The Christian writers attributed the fact to the prayers of the Christians who were in the army (Claudius Apollinaris in Eusebius, Church History V.5; Tertullian, "Apol.", v; ad Seap. c. iv), and soon there grew up a legend to the effect that in consequence of this miracle the emperor put a stop to the persecution of the Christians (cf. Euseb. and Tert. opp cit.).

It must be conceded that the testimony of Claudius is the most valuable of all that we possess, as he wrote within a few years of the event, and that all credit must be given to the prayers of the Christians, though it does not necessarily follow that we should accept the elaborate detail of the story as given by Tertullian and later writers 161 - 169

Lucius Verus (co-emperor) (c. 130 - 169) with Marcus Aurelius
180 - 192

Commodus (c. 161 - 192) All these who failed to follow the decree were brought to the Senate and were tried. This decree was a forceful attempt to put down Christians completely. But the followers who believed in Jesus Christ refused to accept this and many were ready to face the trial. "The Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs" written.

Persecution slows down -

Pertinax (193)

Didius Julianus (193) .

Septimius Severus (193-211) Edict makes it illegal to convert to Christianity; persecution especially in North Africa, ca. 203: Perpetua & Felicity martyred in Carthage (North Africa)

Caracalla (211-217)

Macrinus (217-218)

Elagabalus (218-222)

Severus Alexander (222-235)

Maximinus (235-238)

Gordian I and II (238)

Balbinus (238)

Pupienus (238)

Gordian III (238-244)

Philip the Arab (244-249) .

Trajanus Decius (249-251) 250: Major Empire-Wide Persecution; Christians required to participate in Emperor Worship. Bishop Fabian of Rome martyred; Bishop Cyprian of Carthage exiled; Origen of Alexandria tortured to death.

Trebonianus Gallus (251-253)

Aemilian (253) .
Valerian (253-260) ca. 258: Bishop Cyprian of Carthage martyred
Gallienus (253-268)
Claudius Gothicus (268-270) .
Aurelian (270-275) some persecutions
Tacitus (275-276)
Probus (276-282)
Carus (282-283)
Carinus (283-284)
Numerian (283-284) .

Diocletian (284-305) Major Empire-Wide Persecution begins ca. 303; confiscation of Christian churches and books; arrest, torture, and execution of many Christian leaders. Personally sends troops to Nazareth, the Bishop of Caesarea Eusibius records Diocletian offering clemency to the nephews carefully recording their ancestry to Jesus Christ. All refuse and are tortured and put to death. Diocletian sends troops to Turkey to place the Bishop Nicholas (also known as St. Nicholas or, in German, Santa Claus, in prison.

& Maximian (286-305) Major Empire-Wide Persecution begins ca. 303; confiscation of Christian Churches and books; arrest, torture, and execution of many Christian leaders

Constantius Chlorus (305-306)
Maxentius (306-312) .
Galerius (305-311)
Licinius (311-323) 311: Edict of Galerius: toleration for Christians, allowing them to worship openly

Constantine (307-337) 313: Edict of Constantine (Edict of Milan): toleration for all religions, including Christianity; ends persecutions

Constantine's position on the religions traditionally practiced in Rome evolved during his reign. At first he prohibited the construction of new temples and tolerated traditional sacrifices; by the end of his reign, he had begun to order the pillaging and tearing down of Roman temples. The day Christianity officially arrived in the Roman Empire was in 325 A.D. The First Council of Nicaea is regarded as the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church. Invited by Emperor Constantine, about 318 world-wide Bishops (including St. Nicholas), who had risked their lives and were condemned for serving Jesus, traveled across continents and oceans, continued to risk their lives in dangerous travel, to express the basis of the Church today and choose the Books of the Bible.

(* I compiled "Thee" above information and gathered from several sources and paraphrased.)

The triumph of Christianity is actually a very remarkable historical phenomenon. ...

do not grow weary in doing good
 
Luke the beloved physician, lived to be in his 90s. He stayed with Paul, the only one, until Paul died.

Timothy, Paul's missionary friend he called a son, was the Bishop of Greece and lived well until his 80s.

Lazarus and Mary and Martha are well documented growing to old, old age on the Mediterranean Shores of France. Not too bad. They had Jesus to dinner in appreciation of His friendship and help.  

And a lot of our Scripture exists because we had those willing to relocate to India and Africa. 

John lived until his 80s.


The Lord is faithful

Generations have called upon the name of Jesus Christ and have been saved. Governments have attempted, in our lifetimes, to restrict access to the Sciptures and the governments have failed; seeing a rebirth of Biblical interest and Churches.  The Word still  generates faith, becoming hope, flowering into love.


establish you and guard you against the evil one

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

toil and labor we worked night and day

John 5:17
Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."

 
peace at all times in every way


Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.




<><

John 7 ~ the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true

John 7

7 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. 6 Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

10 But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. 11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”


The details of honesty. Jesus said, " my time has not yet fully come." And yet Jesus went to Jerusalem. There are at Least four passages in the New Testament about being true in all you say.

James 5:12
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

James is the Brother of Jesus Christ and lived some sibling rivalry with HIM (i.e. this passage):

James 3:17-18
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Jesus said something about mercy, maybe,  somewhere:

Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Paul met Jesus and said:

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Ephesians 2:4-10
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

This passage in the second Chapter of Ephesians  is perfect for our daily reading today.  Jesus faced his brothers in their sibling rivalry, their trespasses. And HE continued to show HIS Grace and kindness to -  all of us. We are saved through faith, as a gift.

Even His brothers learned this from Jesus . And they went into the world at large to proclaim Jesus risen from the dead.

Matthew 19:28-30
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Listing one more reason, we can judge with right judgment, Jesus is the SON of the MOST HIGH, GOD THE FATHER:

His brothers will not be last. In the book of Act alone, the Holy Spirit reminds us 51 times all who do the will of God are brothers and sisters. Yet we learn about Jesus' brothers and their faith.

Acts 1:13-14
And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

And we even learn about the sister-in-laws of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 9:5
Don't we have the right to bring a Christian wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord's brothers do, and as Peter does?

You have to figure these men were of God.

James 1:25
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.

James 2:12
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!



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

Psalm 1 ~ like a tree

Psalm 1

^{English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible}    

Blessed is the man^[a]
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

² but his delight is in the law^[b] of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

³ He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

 

⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
⁶ for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Footnotes:
a. Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person;
b. Psalm 1:2 Or instruction

We have had an incredible year for the trees here in the Houston area. Record drought. A stunning number of trees are still standing and dead as a doorbell. Being a gardener, a friend called me to show me her incredible composting skill. That couple can really make dirt. Anyway, they called me to show me their patio tree, one of 3, shading their patio, died in the middle of the drought. It had been fertilized, watered and it just keeled over. It was the 'one' they relied upon for shade. "Why?" They asked. I said my cousin worked for the Louisiana State Forestry Commission and when he visited he said record drought is not record drought. It is just an event that has occurred again and again over the millenniums we have no record of. It is nature's way of making the forest stronger.

But they said, "The tree had all the necessary things for life." I said," It's still the stress of the event of constant wind, constant heat and it got to the tree. "

And I have to add here, we lost a 120 year old Oak that I was passionately in love with during Hurricane Ike, 2008. That grand old lady had a tornado hit her and she politely leaned over and slowly did a whole lot of damage to the next door neighbor's home. An 18 wheeler crane had to come, from Colorado, to remove that beautiful, still green tree covered in acorns. Our area township building authority saw the 3 story crane appear and drove over to see what the crane, he could see over the housetops, was doing. We had just learned our daughter, at 33 weeks gestation, was not going to live.

And wouldn't you know, Psalm 1 was my reading that tornado/hurricane evening. I felt worse than worse. It set me on a journey. What did the book of Job mean and how did it relate to me...

Psalm 1 is about hope and believing we can trust God. The acorns left by the 120 year old Oak left a tree. We are the tree that survived this year's drought. Some day, we will be the real Christmas tree that will just be glorious for this particular season. But in God's promises - all those lights of Christmas - Jesus the Light - continue to shine.


John 1:
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.



<><

Genesis 27 ~ He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.”

Jacob Deceives Isaac,  painted by James Tissot



Genesis 27


When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. 10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”

14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son
is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!
28 May God give you of the dew of heaven
and of the fatness of the earth
and plenty of grain and wine.
29 Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may your mother's sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son's game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob?[a] For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:

“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be,
and away from the dew of heaven on high.
40 By your sword you shall live,
and you shall serve your brother;
but when you grow restless
you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother's fury turns away— 45 until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women.^{[daughters of Heth]} If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

The Shadow Knows. If you are old enough, you remember this was a radio broadcast.

John 2:25
He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.


Yin and  yang,  a Chinese philosophical idea explaining opposite forces are interconnected and interdependent of each other. In other words, good follows evil.

Psalm 23
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life

David says in the presence of his enemies, he is determined his life will still give goodness and mercy.

If life is problem solving, Isaac is having a heck of a time. He knows and believes he is the Keeper of Abraham's Blessing "Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you." And he knows he is surrounded by Rebecca, who is his love, yet is a self-interested, chess player. And Jacob, the shifty son who already has Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew. You'd think Isaac would have put a caveat saying if you're Jacob, no dice on the blessing. However, Isaac did think he was dying, but held on for Jacob to grow up and return with his 12 sons. And Rebecca did herself in, that daughter in law was a long time in coming and then, oi vay, the bickering of two of them. More sibling rivalry.

I once heard a very interesting sermon by a Catholic Priest (he'd been a married Episcopal Priest, but brought his wife and the entire congregation to the Catholic faith) on yin and yang in Christianity. Every time there is great good, evil is going to show up, because evil is, by nature, jealous of goodness. Isaac has a great blessing and he wants to decide God's will. Rebekah wants to decide God's will and improve her own life by controlling Jacob's. Jacob wants all the goods all the time and is smart enough to take a blessing of God's. Esau is going to get tired of everybody.

You would think the Scriptures would be more like Dick and Jane go to summer camp, meet and marry. Instead you see life does strange things to families trying to get by. The one thing you can say for this Biblical family, they are still together after Lamon gets finished decades later working out his own issues on his son-in-law.

Romans 8:38
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

Ephesians 3:19
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.




<><

2 Thessalonians 3 ~ the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored

 Photo Compiled by Investigation Bureau of Germany. I'd think this is the compilation of the numerous icons of St. Paul. Usually Paul looked more cheerful in the early Christian art.


2 Thessalonians 3


3 Finally, brothers,^{[brothers and sisters]} pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored,^[glorified] as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.


What was Paul's thorn in the flesh? I've heard several people come up with a prayer inspired answer.  A PhD who has used his life interpreting versions of the Bible. A woman with a vast healing ministries say, separately, they believe Paul suffered from pain in his legs and knees, like arthritis. This a man who went many places for the LORD.


Today I had a great to do list and about three of the things were accomplished. Making me feel rather inadequate to write this blog. However, we press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. Do not grow weary in doing good.

It's important when Scripture calls to you, to listen. Not to turn away in frustration. How easy to forget in verse 3, the evil one would like nothing better than to condemn us for not being perfect. Instead we remember with power and strength, grasping how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ. Why would we remember that with all the saints? There is not one saint in this Book explaining the attributes, the qualities, the mercy, the forgiveness of God, who has not been a sinner. The miracle explained in this paraphrase of Ephesians 3  - families named by God on earth and in Heaven -  God says come as we actually are to HIM. The miracle is He takes us as HIS own.

God explains in this passage, about eating and idleness. He could also being speaking of the work we do in tearing flesh, of sarcasm. Busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

An example to imitate, we look to the good Jesus Christ gave us. This is one more example the Word of God is from the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. Do not grow weary in doing good. Idleness? Always pray taking our needs to the Highest Authority is never an idle thing to do.


John 5:17
Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."


The Lord be with us all. Remember Jesus Christ appeared to Paul,a sinner to bring Paul to live the adventure Paul love,  serving and loving HIM. Jesus appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

Jesus, risen from the dead, appeared to Paul.

Acts 9:5-6
And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

1 Timothy 3:16
He appeared in a body,
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory.

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. Father God, open our hearts to You. Let us be willing to be gathered to You as Your Child. Let us rest in Your Grace. In the name of Jesus Christ. We pray for Your world-wide Church for Your Love to fill and direct the people You send. Let us be Your Temple and not Herod's Royal Stoa. In Jesus' name. Amen.









<><

Exodus 13 ~ By a strong hand the Lord brought us out

Exodus 13

The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”

Kosher kept the children of Israel surviving in the desert and giving birth. The Iron Age saw parents raising children and grandchildren instead of eking out self-existance. First born personality traits tend to be high achievers, driven, self assured, confident. They are usually the focus and center of their parent’s life, and as a result, they grow up with distinctive personality traits. Almost every one of the Presidents of the US were first born children. They are used to being relied on. Determination is next. They have probably felt this pressure from their family, and others who have relied on them being self-motivated, as they know people count on them. Organization is another part, with a system. Eager pleasers, used to having the approval of others. Peacemakers. Hiders keeping their problems hidden, in order to maintain this image.

God, that Smartie, was setting up a system where leaders had a way to be recognized and valued. Rather like Kosher working for the Children of Israel. God moving His Children forward.



3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. 5 And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. 8 You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.

Why is this night like no other? We would do well to examine our days. Gratitude is always something we need to uplift us and go forward. The Psalms tell us HE loads us with benefits each day. Without looking for the benefits we are bereft.


11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord's. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 

14 And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 

16 It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

Deuteronomy 4:34
Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?


17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. 19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” 20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. 21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

<><

Psalm 96 ~ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it

Psalm 96

Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!

4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

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

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

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

This week we decided was a good time to start working on the tree.  After kids start growing up, they are not as in love with the idea of a Christmas tree. Matter of fact to bring up the Christmas Tree starts everyone, except me, groaning about the tree. And after a couple of years of trying to build the thing with the numbers falling off of the branches, I make sure we take a shot at dividing up the tree decorating. We start with the bargaining of boxes and then get to the nitty gritty. My husband does a good job with the lights, but that usually involves buying more lights and some loud discussion. Loud Discussion.

So that brought down my oldest son. Who observed the loud discussion with some humor. As he wiped that off his face, he said, "Dad, I can solve this for you.  And you will never have to do this again."  My husband paused, this sounded good. "You only have to do one thing." What ~ we wondered as we turned to look at Cal. "You just have to embrace Judaism."  My husband was not amused. But Cal and I laughed harder and harder.

And actually this is a pretty good analogy for Psalm 96.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; ^{[holy attire]}

We treat the Lord pretty casually these days. We arrive with our kids in wrinkled clothes. We might not arrive on time. We might have fast food on the way home. I actually know a pretty good joke. (This woman has an electric, of course, window in her car go out. And she checks on the price $350 for a .50c plastic part. So she decides not to. And then the next window goes out and the next. So she has a car with three windows that aren't working. And finally her driver's window won't go down. And she says to the mechanic can you fix this window. He says, "Lady, what about the other three windows?" She replies, "Don't You Understand!?" "What?"The Mechanic asks.  She replies, "I Feed My Family From That Window!!.")

Worship is Worship. Render to God the things that are God's. Acknowledge His Holiness and stand in awe. Let Wonder be inspiring. 


Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.





<><

Psalm 100 ~ Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Psalm 100


Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;^{[and not we ourselves]}
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.


This particular Psalm is my favorite. We would belt this out, in Elementary School's Morning Prayer, while jumping and moving on the kneelers and the whole place smelled like Elmer's glue. You have to love what is dear and familiar to you. 

Below is the Old 100th Psalm and was created in 1551 A. D.  There is a good reason this one has lasted this long.  This is indeed a Joyful Noise to the LORD.







<><

Galatians 6:1-10 ~ restore him in a spirit of gentleness

That's My King, by Dr. S.M. Lockridge

Galatians 6:1-10

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

Brothers,^{[Brothers and sisters]} if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.



Muscular Christianity has been something admired through the generations. And the passage declares ... this isn't the path forward.

We were told in Church, one evening, with a very brilliant, interesting and well-known Professor from SMU, he loved the people he lived with in the Middle East. They had an endearing quality he loved; they kept urging him to say this phrase, "Allah is God, and Mohammad His Prophet." It seems if you say those words, in their tradition, then you are saved. In like Flynn. 

And our admired professor left his year long new friends, with smiles, having never uttered that phrase.  Perhaps he should have done as Paul - and become all things to all people.  The Professor was asked to just say the phrase. Instead our professor declined -  saying Jesus is KING, his Savior, the Son of God. And knowing our professor, he was gentle and witty.  

This year in his life expands this passage so well. Our friend was there learning about his lifework of Hebrew & of History, and instead his reason to boast was not his. His work as a Priest overshadowed the lessons. He proclaimed Jesus Christ in gentleness to the those who insisted on their own way. Our Priest Professor believed God would not be mocked by the repetition of a mere phrase.  He believes: 

Romans 10:9
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

A relationship, not a religion.


In not making the requested declaration, our Priest heard a woman come up to recite prayers to one of the more questioning and reasonable men. They all knew the woman would not be able to say these prayers in Arabic and yet she perfectly recited the daily prayer, and had not a clue she omitted one phrase "and Mohammad was His Prophet."  Which would usually incite a riot, or at least a good fist fight. Instead this created a long memorable, earnest,  conversation of the tongues of fire given in the Book of Acts. The gift of language. 

Acts 2:1-8
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

Now we could end our post by reporting a conversion with this miracle. Instead we will say a seed was planted.

1 Corinthians 3:4-9

4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.


We are not blessed to know the outcome of the ears hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead we learn about the Priest.

the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, 
for in due season we will reap,
 if we do not give up. 

10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.


<><