Jeremiah 10:23 ~ plan his course

Many of the godspeaks.com Billboards don't have the exact phrase in the Bible.

Most of us are looking for a "Street" Sign.
And Today's jargon works wonders for getting to the point.


Maps - on the smart phones - they just tell you where to go.

Psalm 119:19
I am but a pilgrim here on earth: how I need a map—and your commands are my chart and guide.

What would happen if you didn't go there?

Jeremiah 10:23
O Lord, I know it is not within the power of man to map his life and plan his course—

My answer would be - I've learned over the years - decisions are like flowcharts - one leads to another. A little bit like the old 'Life' board game. We want to stay on the path. "Give us this day." The Path is bumpy, but a meaningful life is sometimes the road not taken. Not all who wander are lost!

Ezekiel 21:19-20
Son of dust, make a map and on it trace two routes for the king of Babylon to follow—one to Jerusalem and the other to Rabbah in Transjordan. And put a signpost at the fork in the road from Babylon.

Or let's avoid the Son of Dust Road and take

Joshua 18:5-6
The scouts will map it into seven sections, and then I will throw the sacred dice to decide which section will be assigned to each tribe.

How interesting that a map is like Julius Caesar - "Let the dice fly!"

And Like this Gentleman -

Genesis 22:5
Abraham leaves Beersheba as he left Haran many years earlier. God calls and he leaves. It is as simple as that. No map. No directions. Just an unwavering trust that God will lead him where he needs to go. Mount Moriah becomes one of the most important places in all of the promised land, the one place in the world set apart for the worship of the one True God. According to 2 Chronicles 3:1, Solomon builds his temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, not far from where God tests Abraham.


We all have an idea where we are going. Romans 1 tells us the Holy Spirit says so. Abraham knew he was being called forth. Paul tells us he will have to wait to see how it goes with him. Creation waits for the revealing of the Sons of God. There are hints.

I'm Pro Life. A loved one had an abortion during college and was a school teacher - she never had children. Her marriage didn't afford her the opportunity.

I'm Pro Life. I know grown people who had a parent who fought for their existence.

I'm Pro Life. My son was born six weeks early and almost died. The joy of Christmas day and finding out he would live.

I'm Pro Life. One of my family friends had a baby in High School. She later married the father and took care of him as he was so much older than she was. Their daughter is her only child. She loves her two grandchildren - the daughter who lived - and married again. A life worth leading. A life worth saving.

I'm Pro Life. I had a stillborn daughter and was advised to have a late term abortion. Urged. I had my daughter even though I was told her amniotic fluid would kill me. I held my smiling three pound Isabelle and say her complete joy at being only awake in the arms of the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus. My daughter lives in Heaven.

I'm Pro Life. I volunteer for PACN. Saving lives and bringing hope to "People" for 27 years.

I wish, I wish, I wish
       we had a video of each crying woman
as she finds she has an unplanned pregnancy. Surely a brain tumor has this many tears.

And the video would show the faces of the Mothers we see for the next year. Joyous Women doing Valiant Work. They glow. They beam. They baby talk. They do homework. They speak of accomplishments. And the cradles, cribs, exercise mats the baby loves - because they earned it doing parenting, self-esteem, Bible, budget, pre-natal, development, breast feeding, potty training, relationship, Love Languages, stress management homework they told us they wanted to focus on.

They earn their way forward - for Love.

They glow. They bask. They lug a car seat. They tuck socks, passies, little stuffed animals, crackers, blankets, little shoes, and Big Dreams.

For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other. Galatians 5:13

And the other road? It's a hard road. The heart hurts. A hurting heart can make loud noises. A hurting heart can tell a Person that they are cold. A hurting heart can tell a Person for a life time they are being punished. PACN offers classes on recovery to the moms and dads who wonder where the other path would have gone. We are volunteers who all have a reason this place touches the soul.

(Lately, twice in two days I've heard of abortionists who tell the expectant mom it sounds as if she is miscarrying and let the matter be taken care of by the  RU486 Abortion Pill. No evidence was present of miscarriage. I was speaking with a Judge and he said, "Well that's to ease their path." And I asked him if he wanted his health care to be given with a lie. He replied, "No! Good point.")

Our God does something. He Forgives and Loves. Sometimes, it's easier to pick the higher, harder path. The other path can be filled with many more regrets than He would ever give.

Do we trust God?

His Storehouses of Blessings never run dry. It's my profound joy to tell you Good News. God equips us for our lives. Each day I see Overcomers. I see People Going Forth. Doing His Work. With Joy. God Still finds His Creation - Good.

We speak of awe and wonder of Moses. Joshua was pretty fantastic. Getting in there and working forward in difficult circumstances.

Joshua 18:8
As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord.”

Life is a lot about "Expectations!"

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Matthew 18:2-4 ~ The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew 18

2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."



Psalm 131:2
But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.

Matthew 18:2
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.

Matthew 18:4
Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Mark 10:15
Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it





Here is a "Wonder" more than a Biblical Fact.

Based upon Biblical Fact.

Jesus had a spirited conversation with the Sons of Zebedee. The fishermen known to be called Sons of Thunder

( Not the cell phone age :""Did You Catch Many Fish Today? WHERE???""WHAT BAIT DID YOU USE? ARE YOU GOING TO THE SYNAGOGUE TODAY? ")

 Brothers - Disciples - James and John, the Sons of Zebedee, ask Jesus for His permission to sit at the right hand side of the Almighty God, Maker of All Things. And to sit by Jesus, Light of the World, Word of God, God's Only Son -  ...by His right side.

Now, here is the thinking. I would bet, with Wonder, The Right Hand Side of God - next seat to Jesus, contains ...

- Not the man who gave Jesus a party - Matthew.

- Not the Pharisee who came to see Jesus at Night.

- Not the people who gave Jesus dinner - Lazarus, Mary and Martha.

- Not the man who delivered Jesus from being stoned as an infant. The Gospels twice remember  - the good example of Joseph later in life. (What about the left hand side - Maybe!)

- Not the disciples who left when they heard the New Covenant was Eating and Drinking the Body of Christ.

- Not the beloved Disciple who was adopted and given Mary as his Mom.

- Not Moses, who was rather rash and failed to bring on in - The Exodus.

- Not Peter, who was given breakfast, and the Keys to the Gates of Heaven (The 12 Gates Never Close, remember with me, these men were in their young adult years!)

 - Maybe the one who gave Jesus the beautiful robe - to fine to be shredded - made in one full piece. Who felt a sword pierce her heart.

Sooo. I bet you are reasoning with me.

- God loves Heart. I betcha the Person who was given the right hand seat of God - offered up service to His Plan and His Will - with humility. I betcha the Person was Written in God's Word as having a heart pierced for God. (Yes, we Know Jesus sits at the Right Hand of GOD, I'm saying the next seat.)

Luke 2:35
"So that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

- This Person would want to wade into the fray to "Save Jesus!"

- This Person would never desert Jesus. Staying all His Life.

~ This Person might boss Jesus - a little.

- This Person would put their own plans aside and go through embarrassment to bring Jesus into the world.

- This Person would teach Jesus how much a child does Love. Having experienced first hand - how much a child Loves. Jesus would go forth to teach the millennium generations of the World how deeply innocent and trusting a child is. The desire to please in being submissive and how much a child sees with Faith.

John 19
but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.…

The Mayo Clinic Doctors say this was a spear that created this fluid because of heart failure as well as extreme trauma. The Spear would have traveled up through His heart and lungs. This is the only medical explanation for this fluid.

The Seat next to the Lord - would have a lot of influence. Jesus would Say who is in charge. 

Luke 11:27
As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you."

He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Jesus went on to say His Mother and Brothers Are Doing His Will. The Book of Acts agrees. Wholeheartedly.

And Jesus did explain the hierarchy.

Luke 10:27
"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind."

Philippians 2
Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth 


Matthew 27
When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”




Because... those who knew Jesus, knew His family and knew the Holy Spirit said -

1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God
and one mediator between God and mankind,
the man Christ Jesus.
He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.

This is an important Bible Verse to this post. God, when He created Adam, before the rib was taken, God has Mother and Father attributes. God has maternal aspects, Eve was taken from Adam. Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit is where we put all our hope and joy and Love. God is Love.

1 John 3:1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Ephesians 2:4
God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved!)


Alleluia. Thank You Father, You are the One we look to. The Only One Who is Good.

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Scripture for Today Blogspot Post on the Biblical Mary.

Luke 2 ~ His Mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

 

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Numbers 21:4-9 ~ he lived

Mount Hor, Jebel Nebi Harun ("Mountain of the Prophet Aaron" in Arabic), a twin-peaked mountain 4780 feet above the sea-in the Edomite (Edom – children of Esau) Mountains on the east side of the Jordan-Arabah valley, near the city of Petra. On the summit is a shrine of Aaron. Aaron's death, situated "in the edge of the land of Edom" (Numbers 33:37, 38).


Numbers 21:4-9 (New King James Version)

4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” 6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Father God, in faith we know this is the area where Aaron entered Your Kingdom. We rely upon You when the wild winds of life howl, You are our rock. Just as Moses and Aaron had Your help and attention during their journey in life, You are here with us in love.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Proverbs 16:9 ~ Lord, establish our steps

Proverbs 16:9
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

Is God for Democracy, Socialism, Monarchy, Anarchy, Self-Control and Higher Learning?

John 3:8
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

Remember with me, when is God politically correct in the Scriptures?

Jesus meets the people who need HIM, He just failed to bend down when asked to bend over or push over.

And in humility, when the woman needed someone to stand up for her, HE sat with her.

When the people needed to be fed, He put His hands into the bread and the fish - given to HIM. To multiply, to provide, with faith and hope.

In dire need, Peter was failing, and He immediately reached for His child.



Going back to the question - what form is His Path - Jesus - the Way, the Truth, the Life.


There is one Plan - His. We can walk opposed to His Plan - straight into the wind - fighting it like a walk on the beach. And we do His Plan.

We can allow His Will be done and He allows His Spirit to propel us. We are doing His Will and His Plan.

Dear Father God, help me to be in that number, when the saints go marching in. You are the One Who is Good. Help us to bring more Heaven to earth. GI -Give us This Day. Let us be awake and aware. Let us have gratitude for Your provision. Give us work for those around us. Forgive me my sins and help me to forgive those who sin against me. Forgiveness is the deep breathe allowing me to move forth in Your Love. Blessing me to build bridges and go forth or leave doors open - in Your Will. As Your Wisdom would provide - keeping us from temptation to fall from Your Path or to allow evil to gain a foothold.

No work of mankind succeeds completely in Your Word. Your workmen go Home. Your Wonderful Will and Your Works, Your Wonder, let that Continue to provide the true compass - A Light from Within that is Jesus Christ - the Light of the World for all mankind. To You the Honor, the Glory, for the One who would Save the Creation of God - the World - Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ the Lord.

Let us Love. Let us Love God with all our Hearts and allow HIM to provide a path to love others as our selves. So help us, Jesus. Amen.

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Romans 9 ~ even us, whom He also called

Romans 9

1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised![a] Amen.

6 It is not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."[b] 8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."[c]

10 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger."[d] 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."[e]

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."[f]

16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."[g] 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "[h] 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

25 As he says in Hosea:
"I will call them 'my people' who are not my people;
and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one,"[i] 26 and,
"It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them,
'You are not my people,'
they will be called 'sons of the living God.' "[j]

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality."[k]

29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:
"Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah."[l]

30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone."

33As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."[m]


a. Romans 9:5 Or Christ, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Christ. God who is over all be forever praised!
b. Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12
c. Romans 9:9 Gen. 18:10,14 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?
d. Romans 9:12 Gen. 25:23
e. Romans 9:13 Mal. 1:2,3
f. Romans 9:15 Exodus 33:19
g. Romans 9:17 Exodus 9:16
h. Romans 9:20 Isaiah 29:16; 45:9
i. Romans 9:25 Hosea 2:23
j. Romans 9:26 Hosea 1:10
k. Romans 9:28 Isaiah 10:22,23
l. Romans 9:29 Isaiah 1:9
m. Romans 9:33 Isaiah 8:14; 28:16

Romans 9 - (English Standard Version)

Listen - click for new tab

Sometimes it is human stubbornness to have it our way - not to listen to wisdom. The Potter has called the clay to His plan. 80 percent of Americans declare themselves to be Christians, with 50 percent changing denominations to help them to be closer in relationship to Jesus Christ. 

When Paul wrote this chapter, in the first translation, you can easily see he was educated at the feet of Gamaliel. Paul knew what he was writing about, he knew the Old Testament well. Paul was living his life as a rising part of the Temple administration. Paul well understood Moses' call to a new life. Paul saw, intimately, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The law of righteousness called him. This fulfillment calling him, calling us, to a way of life - the plan - Love.

Father God, hang on to us as we do Your Plan. Hold us close in the shelter of Your mighty Grace. Let Your Mercy and Your Guidance, carry us in the details of our lives. Knowing the details of our lives, even car repair, requires Prayer for assistance, for the mechanic, for safely. Help our thoughts become prayers. Realizing how amazing You, our Father God, would want us to talk to You. God planned for us and loved us before He created us. Keep holding us dearly, Father God. Build in our lives each day, adventure to expect Your Promises. Help us build bridges to allow greater paths of Love. Call upward what is good in this generation. Strengthen and establish Great Works of Yours.

Father God, let us rejoice in seeing the Ways and Wonders You provide. No trumpets sound, and still Mighty Acts abound. The Gulf of Mexico is amazingly clean from the massive BP oil spill... Who is as Mighty and Loving to Creation than Our God??? Jesus Christ the Lord!

And remembering Elijah being kept alive by the widow sharing all she had. Generosity is an attribute of God. His warehouses never are empty. Rejoice with me, the example of Exxon = our wealthiest corporation - their employees can look forward to secure employment, not odd layoffs, profit sharing and retirement benefits. Let us pray their example shines forth. Praying the blessing of work with rewards for all.

Praying for God to help our nation, our states, our towns and our Churches, our organizations to encourage all of our God given potentials to think, say, act in ways to make life more of a Joy to Him. Jesus, You taught us to pray bring more Heaven to earth, let us all be more aware of doing this each day. Amen!

1 John 4:8

God is Love.

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1 Kings 21:17-29 ~ The Word of the Lord

Ahab is remembered for being an evil man & king. Elijah brought him The Word of the Lord, but Ahab didn't like Elijah and thought of Elijah as his enemy. The Lord was more impressed that Ahab reached beyond the messenger to hear The Word. How we can be glad that the Lord hears our prayers, even sinners have the Lord's compassion.


1 Kings 21:17-29

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. You shall say to him, "Thus says the Lord: Have you killed, and also taken possession?" You shall say to him, "Thus says the Lord: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood."

Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. Also concerning Jezebel the Lord said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.' Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat."

(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.)

When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster on his house."

Father God, we pray for Your Glory to go forth. We look to You expectantly to bring more Heaven in our lives, today, as we live on this earth in the lives You provide us. We ask for for generous portions of Love, Mercy, Forgiveness, Healing. Let us work diligently the Plan You have and allow Your Glory to roar forth bringing Your Works Forward in Great Joy. Let Love blaze a path forth in sincerity. We ask in our Hero Savior's Name - Jesus - name above all others. Your Will be done. Amen.

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Isaiah 2:1-5 ~ the Light of the Lord

Handel's Messiah -

Isaiah 2:1-5

1 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

2 In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.

3 Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

5 Come, O house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.

When the Bible tells us about Heaven, we just see glimpses. Most people are interested in Heaven. Dwight L. Moody tells of a man who lost a loved one & began to pour over the Scriptures. It is a good thing to be able to comfort each other by being able to know what the Scriptures say about Heaven. This passage tells us 'nations' will be taught by the Lord.

1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.


1 Corinthians 2: 7-9
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written:

“ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”





Isaiah agrees with the book of Revelation:

Revelation 21:1-4
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."



Revelations tells us how many people will be heaven and how salvation is given:

Revelations 7: 9-10
9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:


"Salvation belongs to our God,


who sits on the throne,


and to the Lamb."

Heaven is walking in the light of God. Our Christmas lights are glimpses of the Light. The first chapter of John tells us about Jesus:

John 1:3-9
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

The Nativity (also known as the Holy Night or as Adoration of the Shepherds) is a painting finished around 1529-1530 by the Italian painter Antonio da Correggio

6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

Psalm 97

¹ The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
² Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
³ Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
⁴ His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
⁷ All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!

⁸ Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O LORD.
⁹ For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ O you who love the LORD, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
¹¹ Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
¹² Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name! 

 

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