Joshua 22 ~ So be very careful to love the Lord your God

Joshua 22

Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 2 and said to them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. 3 For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you. 4 Now that the Lord your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

6 Then Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their homes. 7 (To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half of the tribe Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan along with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them, 8 saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth—with large herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze and iron, and a great quantity of clothing—and divide the plunder from your enemies with your fellow Israelites.”

9 So the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in Canaan to return to Gilead, their own land, which they had acquired in accordance with the command of the Lord through Moses.

10 When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan. 11 And when the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side, 12 the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shiloh to go to war against them.

13 So the Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, to the land of Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 14 With him they sent ten of the chief men, one from each of the tribes of Israel, each the head of a family division among the Israelite clans.

15 When they went to Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh—they said to them: 16 “The whole assembly of the Lord says: ‘How could you break faith with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the Lord and build yourselves an altar in rebellion against him now? 17 Was not the sin of Peor enough for us? Up to this very day we have not cleansed ourselves from that sin, even though a plague fell on the community of the Lord! 18 And are you now turning away from the Lord?

“‘If you rebel against the Lord today, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole community of Israel. 19 If the land you possess is defiled, come over to the Lord’s land, where the Lord’s tabernacle stands, and share the land with us. But do not rebel against the Lord or against us by building an altar for yourselves, other than the altar of the Lord our God. 20 When Achan son of Zerah was unfaithful in regard to the devoted things, did not wrath come on the whole community of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.’”

21 Then Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the clans of Israel: 22 “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows! And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the Lord, do not spare us this day. 23 If we have built our own altar to turn away from the Lord and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the Lord himself call us to account.

24 “No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 The Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the Lord.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the Lord.

26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’

28 “And we said, ‘If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the Lord’s altar, which our ancestors built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’

29 “Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord and turn away from him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings and sacrifices, other than the altar of the Lord our God that stands before his tabernacle.”

30 When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of the Israelites—heard what Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased. 31 And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lord is with us, because you have not been unfaithful to the Lord in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s hand.”

32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. 33 They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.

34 And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us—that the Lord is God.

God's Work still goes forth, His workmen go Home.

A human body weighs five pounds less within a minute of death, than the living person did. Without any physical change.

When we say someone has Heart, aren't we really saying Soul?
What Shape is a Soul?

God has not brought us this far - to drop us on our heads.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.


Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us


Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.

How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.

It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even 
life
forevermore.

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Matthew 7 ~ Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Rembrandt Van Rijn:The Return of the Prodigal Son

Matthew 7

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.


7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Ask, knock, seek find. Where, what, when. Jesus moved, in his adult life, to Capernaum. Jesus was most impressed with the Centurion who waited only upon God's Word.

I've observed and been interested, all my life, in people and what makes them tick. I think I always expected God to be stuck in the second picture. Always weeping. We always joke about Jewish Mothers - but when Adam was created - God was still holding on to Eve's rib. Meaning God is a Jewish Mother. He had no need for Jesus to be anything but cloned, and God chose a Jewish Mom named Mary for Jesus - who sometimes upset Jesus - even as He traveled to Cana and stayed with Mary for a few days.

God expected Mary to tell Jesus - there, there, there and GET BACK into the Game.

Would you doubt that the Prodigal's Father later gave him a list of Team Chores.

In the old vein of it's all dire:

I heard a Priest explain his baptism of a parishioner's baby daughter with Down Syndrome. He looked at the parents and her mother was copiously weeping. Her father was beginning to tear up from his wife's reaction. The Priest stopped the readings to say something about Expectations. Their daughter would not live up all their dreams for her. And God is in the same boat. We will not always please Him. Nor live up to expectations.

God is like the Old God of the Old Testament.

Not the reformed God.

Recently I met a man without forearms. These days I look closely at people without hands, my daughter was born without her left hand. This is something I guess I will always do. This trait runs in my grandmother Anita's side. And I looked at this man with his arm clamp on one arm and saw something I was so very glad to see. His eyes spoke of joy. And his wife came over and talked with us and their small daughter. They talked of buying a horse. His wife had no pity or sorrow. She Loved her husband and expected him to bounce.

Recently I met a man who is deaf and is a Disc Golfer. He was playing in the State Championship of Texas and we had met the month before. Last month, his game was fluid and what I saw was this - a very likable man determined to communicate when the game allows that. I saw some hurt at how easily others communicate. And I saw his shoulders straighten and he communicated until he was satisfied. I saw the ability he had to speak clearly. I heard him use great noises, he cannot hear, to entertain others.

The fruit from his tree - was what God sees in the World and says Life is Good. People saw his effort and bent over to make sure he was affirmed. This is a very likeable man.

So much so that, this weekend, when the Championship started and he was very less-than-pleased - you knew you could speak up to encourage him. He was not going to whine with you giving him confirmation. (Not much anyway!) And when you passed him a written note, some surprise, but more appreciation that it's not comfortable to reach out. Taking your advice that the hail and hearty man who just greeted you suffers - to a deeper understanding that life calls us to Shake things off. Strive again. Strive again? That man did Well in the Championship.

Mean God - He gives us imperfect lives and opportunities? That Wrathful God of the Old Testament.

Hebrews 11
11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.


32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about...

That Wrathful God of the Old Testament -

Choosing Abraham to be the Father of Nations. Abraham who asked God for mercy. Went to bat against the Lord God. Then distrusted God enough to think God would want Isaac instead of boldly proclaiming 'NO.' Did that Wrathful God dessert Abraham the sinner? Nope.

The Horrid God who would let Jacob be labelled a Thief of only a Verbal Blessing...

Jacob is loved and held dear for fighting for Blessings - Blessings Jacob willingly bestowed on Sons who deserted Jacob. Jacob is Chosen. And Comforted.

How Dare that Wrathful GOD provide Opportunities for a Solution of Faith.

Imagine allowing Samuel to work for HIM for years. What is that? A violation of Child Labor Laws. And Samuel hears God's plan and says - "OH NO. Don't Send Me!" Yep. Samuel Prophet of God is a complainer. Goes God ZAP Samuel. No. God says, "Oh Samuel, please stop mourning Saul." God picks Samuel because... Samuel can Love.

Gad rushes in to tell King David - forgiver of many men who did not follow him and he welcomes them as he comes to his throne - Gad the Prophet rushes in to say "You Blew IT. Pick death or horror." David, who is picked for many things, says "God will be more merciful, He must pick."

God is merciful. He fires Gad!

Nathan sweeps in to make David weep over a lost lamb. God is going to keep Nathan around - even comforting and guiding a feeble David who knows David is going Home to his Father God.

The hand of blessing. The hand of adversity. From God?

40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Life rests in no particular angle for a long time. Victory is God's.

Psalm 119:28

My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

1 Peter 5:10

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.…

In Jesus Christ Our Hero. The Lord!

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Psalm 47 ~ He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.

Psalm 47

1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth!

3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.

4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
Selah

5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.

8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.

9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.

The South has a saying - Living in High Cotton.

The early Old Testament has a tradition. Moses found God's name to be "I Am" from a trip to a  Mountain.

Acts 7
33 “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."

The Children of Israel found Mount Gerizim to be a place of Blessings. Later the Samaritans would live here and Jesus would first announce Himself to be the Messiah among them.

Moses stayed on Mount Nebo overlooking the land of milk and honey. Jeremiah, in Maccabees, hid the Ark of the Covenant knowing the Temple days were numbered on this Mountain.

David conquered the city of Jerusalem for the Tribe of Judah and then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah.

Luke 22
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. To pray.

The Transfiguration occurred at the top of a Mountain.

Luke 9
35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

Even when the Temple was proposed by David. Isaiah 66 tells us "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?"

How are we to incorporate the high places, the Temple, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

Jesus also spoke of the Beatitudes. Jesus, the Son of God, was so comfortable, HE sat to teach the people on the mountains leading from the Sea of Galilee.


Matthew 5
3 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world."

God tells us to be Salt and Light. Being the people we are basically created to be. With components of examining our souls, mourning and comfort, gentleness and great inheritance (God's Promises in our expectations), to hunger and thirst for righteousness, obtain mercy from God and give mercy, purity of heart (sincerity), peacemaking,

~ these qualities are those of Children of God.

These are the aspects Jesus has for the Work of Men. To believe God - He is so comfortable with this, Jesus sits to teach us today. To imbibe, exude, and manifest these into our words, work, and attitudes. God Planning each of us and equipping those qualities within us, to function as His unique Children.



All of them Saints of God, and I pray - God help me to be one, too.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Matthew 7:7-11 ~ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-11

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!


Jesus gives us, today, preparation, His Words to you  -  advice. You are blessed to believe. Expect God.

John 20:29
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”


Simeon is known for millenniums for his earnest work to find Jesus.

Luke 2

22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),[b] 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Simeon Sees God’s Salvation

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against."

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Romans 8:28
“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

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

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Matthew 6:16-18 ~ will reward you

In John 6:35, Jesus tells us that He is the bread of life. It is also interesting Jesus doesn’t suggest to us that we should fast, He says 'when' we fast.


Matthew 6:16-18

16 "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you

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Genesis 49 ~ When Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his ancestors in death.

Genesis 49


Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.

2 “Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might, and the firstfruits of my strength,
preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence,
because you went up to your father's bed;
then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers;
weapons of violence are their swords.
6 Let my soul come not into their council;
O my glory, be not joined to their company.
For in their anger they killed men,
and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,
and their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
and scatter them in Israel.

8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father's sons shall bow down before you.
9 Judah is a lion's cub;
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down; he crouched as a lion
and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
11 Binding his foal to the vine
and his donkey's colt to the choice vine,
he has washed his garments in wine
and his vesture in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth whiter than milk.

13 “Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea;
he shall become a haven for ships,
and his border shall be at Sidon.

14 “Issachar is a strong donkey,
crouching between the sheepfolds.
15 He saw that a resting place was good,
and that the land was pleasant,
so he bowed his shoulder to bear,
and became a servant at forced labor.

16 “Dan shall judge his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
a viper by the path,
that bites the horse's heels
so that his rider falls backward.
18 I wait for your salvation, O Lord.

19 “Raiders shall raid Gad,
but he shall raid at their heels.

20 “Asher's food shall be rich,
and he shall yield royal delicacies.

21 “Naphtali is a doe let loose
that bears beautiful fawns.

22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough by a spring;
his branches run over the wall.
23 The archers bitterly attacked him,
shot at him, and harassed him severely,


24 yet his bow remained unmoved;
his arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 by the God of your father who will help you,
by the Almighty who will bless you
with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that crouches beneath,
blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father
are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents,
up to the bounties of the everlasting hills.
May they be on the head of Joseph,
and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.

27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
in the morning devouring the prey
and at evening dividing the spoil.”
Jacob's Death and Burial

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. 29 Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah— 32 the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob had finished this charge to his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and joined his ancestors in death.

The Scriptures are so real. Who would have remembered, except one who loves Jacob, to add the last sentence.


Job 1:21
and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

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