Exodus 34 ~ The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets

Exodus 34

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.” 4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,^{[to the thousandth generation]} forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”


10 And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

11 “Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 12 Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. 13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim 14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), 15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, 16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.

17 “You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.

18 “You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt. 19 All that open the womb are mine, all your male livestock, the firstborn of cow and sheep. 20 The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before me empty-handed.

21 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. 22 You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end. 23 Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. 24 For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.

25 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover remain until the morning. 26 The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.”

27 And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.


29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

34 Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.



One of my family, one who has lived with me, decided to debate the Scripture with me as we lugged things to the moving van.The debate became today's blog post. Is God mean and vengeful or the same ol God?

"Now."

" NOW?"

" Okay, now."

"The god of the Old Testament is irritable and mean."

"Oh, you mean the GOD ,who sent His Son Jesus, to redeem us."

"What? No. He's recorded as being mean and vengeful."

"No, that's an interpretation of Him that is flawed."

"Well, He's always killing off the people in battle."

"No, He's saving them and the Hittites were not found until the 1980s, Indians Jones style, by falling into the library of clay pots that not only described all the Biblical battles, but agreed with the Lord."


Yes, the LORD is so vengeful that HE - the Creator of the Universe - is willing to re-do the .... what ... the little document the laws of our plant are based upon.

"THE TEN COMMANDMENTS".

The next time you feel you do not measure up to the greats of the Bible, or anyone else. Remember - Moses threw a hissy fit
and destroyed
- THE TEN COMMANDMENTS -
An awesome thing HE does for you.

And how did the LORD, GOD, The Almighty take that ...

He came to visit Moses. To give Moses more of His glory than all others except His Beloved Son.

Proclaiming: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,^{[to the thousandth generation]} forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”


And we Are so filled with ourselves, we debate with ourselves and each other, all of us, why does HE do that - hurting the third and fourth generation? It isn't the LORD hurting the generations, it is the LORD blessing the generations and we create messes we want Him to sweep up.

I met a young 20 year old woman, today, who is sustained remembering her great-grandmother's house and how well it was pampered, loved, treasured, painted and cared for. The smell of the kitchen giving good meals. Other people own the house and had no skill, or perhaps desire, and the house has fallen into ruins. This young woman has a desire to provide her infant daughter with the things her great-grandmother taught her. And being a young woman enrolled in parenting classes, attending Church and Bible Studies - I know she will become the woman she wants to be - to teach her infant daughter.

This is the LORD, speaking to her heart. A heart of love for this new life she is responsible for. Her great-grandmother living in HIS laws knitting a new generation together in encouragement. Care and love in doing what is there to do.

What was true 4,000 years ago, is true today. Being the LORD, GOD, The Almighty, HE really does not have to put a PR spin on things.

He could have said,"Live your life by my Laws of Love, you will prosper!" Or HE could have given us a parable like this young woman. Reminding us that our lives touch others even after we are in Heaven.

Jesus decided to live our lives and gave us parables - remind me - did we do better with the continuation?

You can pick either of the ways to express this same piece of advice, but I'm pretty sure having the LORD proclaim HIS Love to thousands, or thousands of generations, is really
frankly
filled
with
astonishment
and
wonder.


There is wonder in Jesus, Himself, choosing to live our own life.

Just as the Same LORD GOD ALMIGHTY created a vision of awe for Moses, and for us, who look at that in wonder. The LORD HIMSELF telling Moses about Himself. Recreating the Covenant. He tried again in the second millennium sending pure grace upon grace. We have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus choosing to walk our path in this life.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Scripture saying God seeks us. Proclaiming GOD comes to us, reaches down gets HIS hands involved in life.

2 Samuel 22:17
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.

Matthew 14:31
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

The Word of the LORD speaks all around us,
we just have to watch less television!

Finding ways to see HIS Word fulfilled around us. We tend to circle our thinking into tight orderly circles, and ignore greater issues. Remember the greater moments in our lives, He gives us. And ignore the Lucy's who would press on our head and tell us to look down. Let the Joy of the LORD fill you and remember, always, He loves you today - just as you are.

That is the miracle of the LORD, GOD, The Almighty allowing Himself to give more chances and with faith, hope and love. 





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Psalm 32 ~ Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit

Psalm 32

A Maskil^{[Probably a musical or liturgical term]}  of David.

  Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up^{[my vitality was changed]} as by the heat of summer. Selah

5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

One of the reasons we go to Church is to worship and have a chance to sit in a holy place and say "I'm very sorry." A very important component to forgiveness is the apology from the heart.

There is a huge blessing in forgiveness. Of course, there is peace in forgiveness. The blessing is also in - Believing. Believing that our lives have meaning to the LORD. We actually matter to Him.

Abraham is a believer. Not a saint without sin. Only Jesus is without sin. God was still talking about Abraham's faith three millenniums later.

Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:3
What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

I prefer the drama and richness of The King James Version of this James quote.

James 5:16 King James Bible
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Isaiah understood fellowship with the LORD.


Isaiah 6:7
And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

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Leviticus 25:1-21 ~ I will command my blessing on you

Seasonal Blessings

Leviticus 25:1-21

The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, 4 but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5 You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. 6 The Sabbath of the land ^{[the Sabbath produce of the land]} shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you, 7 and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food.


8 “You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years. 9 Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. 10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan. 11 That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. 12 For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field ^{[countryside]}.

13 “In this year of jubilee each of you shall return to his property. 14 And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. 15 You shall pay your neighbor according to the number of years after the jubilee, and he shall sell to you according to the number of years for crops. 16 If the years are many, you shall increase the price, and if the years are few, you shall reduce the price, for it is the number of the crops that he is selling to you. 17 You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God.

18 “Therefore you shall do my statutes and keep my rules and perform them, and then you will dwell in the land securely. 19 The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and dwell in it securely. 20 And if you say, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ 21 I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.




Oh, yawn, Leviticus. This, and Deuteronomy, only have 17 ways to receive blessings. Who could be interested in receiving blessings. The now famous prayer of Jabez, is placed in the "dry parts." The purpose of the Ten Commandments is actually the key to be blessed. Makes you think maybe in the dry parts of our own lives, maybe actually this is a time of planting. The seeds not quite reaching the Light.


1 Chronicles 4:9-10
Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.' So God granted him what he requested.


Father God! Any time You want to bless me with the prayer of Ibez - I second that emotion. In the name of Jesus Christ The LORD. Amen.


God tells us many things will pass away. Not His Word.

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.


By HIS Word alone, God created.

Psalm 104 :5-9
5 He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.
6 You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.


So, God tells us some things have boundaries.

This is not so with God's plan for economics. You remember how the famous Vizier to Pharaoh received his employment raise. It was quite a raise from prison to Vizier. Joseph predicted famine. Pharaoh believed him.


We reach the same conclusions in economics every s i n g l e time. Invest in the infrastructure, invest in business, spend more, save more, flat tax. Increase minimum wage. Increase health benefits. Increase insurance coverage. Social Security. New Deal. Raw Deal. No Deal.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. But no one 'EVah' says what happened to....


Psalm 104 - God provides

10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine,
and bread that sustains their hearts.
16 The trees of the Lord are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the junipers.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.


and this little passage Psalm 104

3 Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all


Our Grandparents counted upon one job to support their family. He counted on his wife to provide them with meals, clean clothes, sometimes from a large kettle and wringer. Mostly families prayed at meals. He and your grandmother counted on the house to be so affordable they would pay cash. And the car would break a lot, but would be very affordable and paid for in cash. The problems in the local school were relatively mild, and discussed calmly over a good meal with the family. There was one family room for gathering.

Now our college educations, for a nation considered to be one of the top 15 in the world, are more expensive than some 3 bedroom homes. My professors at Texas A&M University are still teaching and my college degree cost us as much as a VW Jetta, I bought (on time at 12.9% interest) for $12,500 total cost  for 4.5 years. And now that same education is more for one semester, by far. Why in the world are we complacent about housing being 6 digits and college costs as well.



What does this say in Leviticus - have the government not arrange for long term debt. Why? Thomas Jefferson said a population not owning their own home, is bankrupt. Home ownership should be a benefit we should rely upon.

Ok. Political solutions? How about wanting economic freedom for the populace?

How frustrating for HIM to give us solutions and we do not even consider His Word.

I will command my blessing on you



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Isaiah 55:10-11 ~ it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it

Isaiah 55:10-11
 
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

In the coming weeks, we will experience something I really look forward to all year. The spring rains. The earthy smell of the rain as the earth experiences the washing away of winter. Is there a better aroma.

The Word of the Lord says:

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

2 Thessalonians 2:16
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope.

1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead





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Colossians 2 ~ having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Colossians 2

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities^{[Probably demonic rulers and authorities]} and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him ^{[that is, the cross]}.

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.


This Scripture passage tells us- clearly - in Jesus we are free from the law given rules, especially rules doing away with love. There is a contrast of the elemental spirits of the world. Let's compare and contrast. In Three Parts of this Scripture:

As we look at the perfection of HIS goals for us, let's not forget we are forgiven. We are to bring His will to earth.

You are filled in Jesus, who is the head of all rule and authority. You were also raised with Jesus through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Jesus from the dead.

We are : 
to encourage,
knit together in love,
reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding,
proclaim the knowledge of God,
rejoicing Seeing others good order,
Live the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Abound in finding thanks to give.

God made Alive
forgives us all our trespasses,
by canceling the record of debt = stood against us with its legal demands.
This he set aside,
nailing it to the cross.



This passage talks about sensuous behavior.

We are in time period where we are alike in the Roman Empire and different. The Roman Empire was astonished to find people who would live goodness. What proclaim something politically incorrect? This was a surprise. The Good News was new.

Today, we are a politically correct nation displaying a word-respect for Christian values, yet giving respect to power, money and an elbows out strategy. Is it any surprise so many Roman style buildings are being built?

What are we subjected to in our television shows and music? (We can turn off our televisions not merely castigate them. The incentive to produce the programs would change. That is called being the solution. Not the complainer.) We as a nation have aged just since the 1970 Watergate episodes when the President would resign because it was in the interest for the nation. Say what you would about Mr. Nixon, he did not allow the nation to suffer a trial. We trusted the government.

We are river rocks, being molded by screaming political shows with No Answers, just the joy of screaming about the problems. We wonder what marriage is. Surprise. The Romans were establishing the laws of what marriage is - when Jesus Christ was being born. This is not a new question to HIM. Is there anything new under the sun? Solomon asked.

Slavery - being so in debt will we ever clear it.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you

Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch

a sensuous mind, not holding fast to God.

We should remember this era, the followers of Jesus Christ traveled with a wife. If we were to see an important change in the Roman Catholic Church, it would be the early Church said Peter and the Lord's brothers traveled with their wife. Marriage is encouraged.



Now the other part of this passage is this:

Not according to Christ -
is merely human tradition
elemental spirits of the world - captivity to philosophy
empty deceit - delude you with plausible arguments.

let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink - rules

God says study spirits for truth in Him. Spirits of judgement, look at with fairness, but not roll over acceptance. Growth requires correction from Him.

Substance belongs to Christ.

Let no one disqualify you

insisting on asceticism - the doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial, self-mortification, and the like.

God is not about hair shirts, masochism. He is not about failure in trying to communicate. Turn the other cheek does not mean constantly accepting judgement. Humility requires seeing we are limited, still having gifts He gave us. To enjoy seeing gifts in others. He is Holy. Whole. Love yourself and love others. Tussles will happen; to dwell on them is not to forgive. Communication. Understanding. Give and take in gracious generosity.

Deceit frequently revolves the love of money. Which allows the comfort and glorification of self. Not about HIM. False philosophy proclaims self - going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head - God Himself. Listening is a trait of His.

We always see Jesus proclaiming mercy over sacrifice. Jesus tells us again and again the substance of Father God is righteousness, holiness and forgiveness. Jesus does not allow people to stone the woman in judgement. He fights for tolerance. Not of the sin, but of social injustice. Mean spirited blood lust. Jesus corrects the woman privately. In public and private, Jesus is about the Golden Rule.

In Jesus Christ, we are part of the Vine - The LORD God Almighty. Who wants HIS whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.



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Psalm 81 ~ In distress you called, ayou; I answered you in the secret place of thunder

Psalm 81
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.[Musical Term] Of Asaph.

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

4 For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule^{[just decree]} of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

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


People hardly ever sit down and ask you - why are you a Christian. What makes you interested in intransigent Christianity?

abiding, age-long, ancient, constant,
continuing, durable, enduring, evergreen, hardy,
immutable, lasting, long-lived,
long-standing, long-term,
of long duration, of long standing, perdurable, perennial, permanent, perpetual, persistent,
persisting, steadfast, tough, unfading, vital

Christianity has not had a changing message since the day the Book of Acts was becoming part of this planet. Jesus Christ loves us that much.

What possible blessing is there really in believing in something you cannot see and taste?

When I was 16, I went from being slightly snide about my grandmother's rock solid faith and was asked if I believed all of the impossible claims about God, His Son Jesus and the promises of the Written Word in Scripture. I discovered when asked to really decide I could and did. I accepted an asked for promise to read His Word every day. And I have. A couple of times, sure, I've been stuck somewhere without a Bible, but I have repeated the Lord's Prayer.

So what is the benefit of being a Christian. Eventually the line between faith unseen and imperceptible begins to dim. And perception becomes part of the continual prayer language of everyday. People say they have a hard time praying, after years of thinking and praying I think prayer and thinking to hand in hand. Like having a thought and turning that thought towards the ONE who is always listening to us anyway. Prayer isn't so much about a form as it is sharing in a heartfelt way, our thoughts, the virtues, flaws and sins.

In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder

There have been times I've wondered why hard things happen to good people. Only to realize God weaves what isn't good into His plan. Surely one of the purposes of life - growing up to go Home to Him - is not giving Him so much to sweep up. We really should not treat Him as if He was a waiter or a servant of ours. And even if we aren't praying for the sterling aspects of our lives, its important to remember we do ask in the Lord's Prayer for His will. And one of our purposes is to bring His Kingdom to earth in our lives, actions and words.

1 John 4:19
We love because He first loved us.

Matthew 6:27
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This summer I was in Sam's with my son, Cal. It was a day I was trying to decide if I was upset enough to cry. Just about all of it all the time. And the clerk in the check out line said to me, Very Cheerfully, "Today is sufficient. God gives you JUST what you need today. Learn to be grateful and trust HIM." You know I was leaving the store, I had to go back and tell her - "God Bless YOU. You are just what I needed to hear." And being a person of faith - she smiled as bright as the sun at noontime.

You have to really appreciate the Light. Especially when He speaks to you so clearly. You know you have heard from Him. The words spoken to me have radically changed my life. Speak up even if your voice squeaks. Hold on - with gratitude - when you hear from HIM. Always look to HIM with awe and wonder.

I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

Matthew 8:10
When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith."

Mark 2:5
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 14:31
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"



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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 126 ~ He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 126

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

Well, do we call this late winter or early spring? In our Houston area, we have great weather days and some really damp chills - the weather bounces back and forth like we always talk about when The Gulf of Mexico's God given winds determine a lot of our weather. And we are so fortunate to live in the piney woods, running from Houston up into East Texas, the pine forest continues all the way across the coastal south until Florida dead ends into the Atlantic.

Our winters are not brown like most of the country experiences. Houston is a great place to retire and have a great day of golf almost every day. And still February, with the exception of St. Valentine's Day, brings the doldrums of winter. I'm seeing people drag around - not much seems to change. Results of those around us dragging our feet as well. A domino effect.

The Bible knew there would be days like this.

All art today is from Vincent Van Gogh

Hebrews 13:16
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

We had a small Valentine celebration in my Needlepoint group. Small amounts of sharing seem to make the whole week brighter.

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

What is the harvest, there are many harvests in Psalm 126

Luke 8:10-11,14-15
He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.

14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.


1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We could name the Victories. And, I think, we would enjoy that.

Deuteronomy 20:4
For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As I went into the Pregnancy Assistance Center I volunteer in, there was an encouraging note from Focus on the Family. The note went on to say don't be discouraged. His Plan is working. The day is fulfilling His Plans. We walk by faith.

Acts 14:9
He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed.

Matthew 9:28
When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied.

That is us in Jesus Christ the LORD.


John 20:29
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Matthew 13:16
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear

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