Proverbs 2 ~ Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.

Proverbs 2

1 My child, listen to what I say,

and treasure my commands.

2 Tune your ears to wisdom,

and concentrate on understanding.

3 Cry out for insight,

and ask for understanding.

4 Search for them as you would for silver;

seek them like hidden treasures.

5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,

and you will gain knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord grants wisdom!

From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.

He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.

8 He guards the paths of the just

and protects those who are faithful to him.

9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,

and you will find the right way to go.

10 For wisdom will enter your heart,

and knowledge will fill you with joy.

11 Wise choices will watch over you.

Understanding will keep you safe.

Psalm 126
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.

The Joy of the Holy Spirit. 

What do you do when you don't feel it. When Joy is a job. We all know the feeling.

The Work of God within us is a Work of the Holy Spirit. Not always an emotional joyride. To Love is different from being 'in love'.

The New Year is a good time for insight. 

I just read an article by an experience-this-homeless minister on judging his neighbors: 

He commented  his real, affluent neighbors spent too much time loving each other. Giving away what belonged in the home. (Where does he live??!)  After offering commentary that his real and actual neighbors in his neighborhood spend too much effort on loving each other, being concerned for each other - "idolization".

Then he spends the rest of the article talking about knowing his time in being homeless will never compare to the real thing. And the article goes on for pages about being touched by the compassion of the homeless to share blankets with each other. 

In the article, as he is stopping his homeless trial, he drove to his parent's house to pick up a car they were giving him, and he mentions, briefly, he had not been home in years. End of parents mentioned again

I have to wonder about that article - I wonder if the minister isn't crying out for someone to ask him - What about Your Parents? What about the joy you don't take to your heart?

We are not God. We all have a different story God has written on our hearts.

What about the times we don't give Biblical Advice.

I have a parenting adventure to relay.

So  - we are looking for our own path God calls us uniquely to do. It's a journey. And like grief, no one can carry your grief or tell you how to recover exactly when you are doing the work of grief. Like losing a child.

But we can certainly do the insight work - we need to do for ourselves.

God gives us passages and they will Leap Up At You. Sometimes make you angry. Melt your heart. Cause you to wonder what that can possibly mean. And that wonder is healthy. And God is probably telling you the journey will come back to that, but for now, that part of the passage is not for you. The thinking part is good to start the process.

Biblical Advice doesn't always look like this is a well-wrapped Gift.

Noah had a pretty good idea - Noah was to build a vessel. However, the people around him would disagree. Really, Noah was doing his God given job.

Now judgment and discernment.
We have Noah building a ship. And the Minister pretending to be homeless 'to learn' and saying his neighbors were in err. Grateful enough to have a new car and honest enough to say years between visits. Blind enough to leave the subject.

When is the path the right one?

Here is our Tale.

My oldest son was told by his parents and a-years and-years-ago minister to literally hit the Junior High School boy spitting on him. (Because this turning the other cheek wasn't working. And we were all a little shocked, but being practical, (om) to leave the Scripture behind.) This had gone on for 2,3 months and my son had a very attractive girl who had left the building because - it's just really just UGLY to see your crush being spit on by a kid working up to really spit one on you. Now the girl avoided Cal. 


Well, the truth is:  The adults all felt a little like, hmm,  Jesus might not be too pleased to hear we said hit back. There was talk among the adults about in school suspension was just one of those things. My son's best friend said, said sure it's ok, he'd done it for carving the word 'Cantaloupe' where it shouldn't have been. We felt maybe like we were the ducks flying off. Jesus told the parable of a house being hit by High Winds. And He said the Rock will hold. Not the one on sand.

We have to Go With What God Is Giving Us. This was an ugly, ugly time

We are not in logic to continue to say, "Suffer the kid puffing out his cheeks and spitting only when there is an audience in the bus and the hallway." People were avoiding Cal. They wanted him to hit back. We had prayed, so now time for the adult solution.

We felt we had Struggled for Insight.

The Day arrived. Cal had had lessons from his younger, incredulous brother on thumping someone with a fist. Alexander's comment was to hang his mouth open and holler, "You Want A Lesson on How to Hit Someone? You do this already!" The Adults all waited to hear what the end of the thump up would bring. We had phone calls from people and our minister was calling and praying. 

How did Cal Do??????

Cal went WAY past what his minister and parents told him. He didn't hit back, he pushed the kiddo in to the lockers and made a huge NOISE. NOOOOOOOOOIIIISSSE. And the tears welled in his eyes, as he put his nose to the kiddo's nose and said with a voice that shook, "NEVER DO THAT AGAIN! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU."

The emotion scattered the hall crowd, familiar with the huge welling up of spit and the enormous spatter.

Thank God, unknown to Cal, the Kiddo's head met the handle of the locker. The Kiddo never bothered Cal again. And when we saw the Kiddo years later - Cal was able to kindly remark, "The Kiddo has problems - you can tell that today. And he felt my shame. And he was able to understand me that day."

My son. My SON. MY SON. WOW.

Cal discovered Rebuke was heard because time was given,  for, "Turn the other cheek."

Ok, this Scripture:

Luke 12

42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 

43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 

45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 

48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with light blows. 

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Our adult advice that day, wasn't what it should be. We wanted a well-liked, happy son to continue to be respected. And we gave him advice. He just happens to be smarter. And Blessed. God helps us in our parental weakness!

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Cal went on to say, the Kiddo quit being a bully. Cal said it was because the kid clearly saw his own pain given back to him. Give the Kiddo a hand for wisdom. And Cal.

Noah.

Ephesians 3

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 

and to know this

 love that surpasses knowledge—

that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

I happen to believe God, who created the Universe, named all of us. He has the Love. And the people who picked your name were inspired like Daniel, through the Holy Spirit, created peace. Daniel 1:9,  or if you like,

Proverbs 16:7

When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Loosely, I'd say No One Could Tell Noah to have Rest when Noah knew the Wind was Blowing Fiercely. Noah was not receiving peace around him. Still, Noah would stand for what God told Him to do.

God did tell us and Cal did do the best:

Philippians 2:12

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

God just did not tell us to sit in judgment of what another man is doing. President Reagan ran for important offices several times, not until the end of his second term as President of the United States did President Reagan say this,"I always felt a call put upon my heart from the Lord. That Communist USSR did not let the people of their nation have the personal freedom we are so freely given to worship God. And God put it in my heart to bring down tyranny that would separate us from being allowed to know the God of Love who brings us Salvation and Eternity."

President Reagan was asked by the smiling interviewer why this was not part of his speeches - i.e. when he accepted the Nomination. Reagan uncharacteristically began to pivot and squirm in his chair. And finally, he straightened back up and said, "It sounded unreasonable. Even to Nancy." He was then asked if Nancy shared his visionary call. And President Reagan said, "Well, she surely does, now, that we did Tear Down That Wall!"

Of course, the interviewer was not going to let go of the chance to get at Nancy's beliefs. Next, President Reagan said upon being chastised about the knowledge of Nancy engaging an astronomer for the President's safety - "Don't go poking your nose into Nancy's Soul or Beliefs. I live with Nancy and I say to you that Nancy is too fine a person to not know the Love of her Lord." Reagan spoke with utter and complete sincerity about a huge calling. Displaying love and mercy and undoubtedly Prayer for Nancy. President Reagan was never in agreement with 'horrorscopes." And Ronald Reagan was not going to put down the soul of his wife.

We are all called to do what God does. He sees His creation as Good. And prays. Jesus prays for us in John 17.

10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me.

Dear God, Thank You for Jesus.

We will not duck out on praying with great fervor for the ones God has called us to Love.

Amen in Jesus.

Our minister to the Homeless Article. (Yes, the article was for real.)
Spoke of judging - love - as being too inconsequential. Wrongly motivated. Taking away from God.

We can apply Scripture about Love.

God is Love. And because God is Love. Anyone who read the article would grasp that his judgment fell back on him.

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.

Proverbs 11:9

With his mouth, the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

And this.

Matthew 15:5

'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God," 6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

God has given us a hierarchy.

And this is even easier. We can be moved by Mercy.

Luke 10

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor?”

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

When we are LOOKING UP down around for our purpose - we start by loving the ones God has placed deliberately in our lives. We listen for our Spirit to speak to us in Scripture. We look to the one who is Good. Scripture is alive, living and active. What moves and shakes you as you read Scripture is God Speaking To You. The interesting part is that different verses of Love will move and shake you as you need to hear them.

Ask questions. Read your Bible. That Word of God suffered for four centuries to come to your eyesight. And we see the importance IN Scripture by seeing the Dead Sea Scroll and Septuagint strive and strive to bring You what God has to say.

We live in two millenniums gone by of the Gospel. For older people, they usually know the Bible. The door to their understanding has a path. For younger people, without a life of love - they are not going to be interested in what your view is of God.

Earn the Right to Be Heard.

They aren't interested in how much you know, they are interested in how much you care.

Preach the Gospel, if you have to use Words.

Lord Jesus Christ, bless us with Your Spirit. We ask with Joy. Amen.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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Proverbs 1 ~ a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck

We have a New Year. And resolutions to have new attitudes. From looking at the stars far away, choices we are to make and the prayer for God to bless us this 2015 Year.

We are looking forward in expectation for God's face to smile upon us.

How will we find God's help us make good choices and wise decisions?    



Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
and forsake not your mother's teaching,
9 for they are a graceful garland for your head
and pendants for your neck.


20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?

23 If you turn at my reproof,
behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.

28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.

32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”


2 Thessalonians 3 16 
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

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


We are indeed looking 
for a sign 
of genuine blessing. 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The first requirement would be that we are not taking from God, but instead looking for the blessing of His to be with all of us. God did not intend to arrive full of grace and truth - being the Light of all of mankind - to bless only us.

Light by the very nature of Light is to grace - all. 

 God blessed Abraham, to be a blessing to millenniums. Hezekiah was blessed to be an archaeological and Word of God treasure to understand the how high, deep and wide looking for God's blessing can be to all of us.

God is Pro Instruction and Anti-Condemnation. Hence the Words of the New Testament - no condemnation in Jesus Christ. Romans 8. We do not do away with the Law, but realize Jesus fulfills our gaps and encourages weak knees and drooping hands not to flag.  God wants our determination and faith. This passage is giving us the challenge to be in His Grace.

God starts with His 10 Laws. They are orderly. And gives us His Son who says worship God in Spirit and in Truth.

So Decision Making. 
We run to the new library - Google. Instead, we need to carefully consider the source. Even the word 'google' makes you remember the computer phrase - garbage in - garbage out.

We want our source to be genuine and good and loving. 
So the equation equals = God.

We need resources from God.
We are blessed today to have Rick Warren and Joel Olsteen available just for immediate instruction in a godly manner. I'm grateful my Church, HopePointe Anglican Church, is easy to find. We are blessed with genuine Godly instruction today.

HOWEVER, what God wants is you. Be yourself. He is passionate for you, as Your Father. He wants your thoughts, not repeating old phrases like a heathen to Him. 

God has no care for mindless servitude and platitude. Conversation where you tell Him what He said and He gets to have that conversation with your real self. That is what God wants - you to be the best you He created. God doesn't need child death for Him to want to bless you with good fortune, like the false gods of the Old Testament He wanted us to be away from. He wants you to see you in His creation and have you see the good as well.  God sees Good. You are His Creation.

Zeal!

We want God to be zealous about us. 
And He gave us brains to discern what He is telling us. We want to be able to face decisions in action, path and words. 

Circle of Fire for God, uncircle our direction.

I have a friend who is a retired doctor and to watch him in Decision Making is important. It's a display of wisdom. This is how he faces our new clients with his decision making ability from Medical School and in emergency situations.

1. He applies himself to the decision in attention and will not be rushed. Decision Mode.
2. He discerns the situation carefully by listening.
3. He always repeats the facts.
4. And then he applies the facts. Not in panic, in logic, in prayer, in goodness. He is a godly doctor trained in decision making.
5. He treats others as part of the team. See one, teach one, watch the next person do one.

He is orderly. Like God set out the Commandments starting with God and making a logical set of directions.

We want the Wind of the Holy Spirit to direct us and not just circle. We set up a framework for decision goals.

Our first step is to decide how we will make decisions - logic, self, impulse, flowchart, prayer, asking advice, from whom, journal facts, rethink old stories and events???
Wisdom is speaking in this Passage of Scripture.

Discern Blessings in Decisions

1. God 
tells us the facts to His blessings. Spend time with Him often. Jesus did this.

Matthew 23:37
How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Father God, I will be willing! To be gathered by You.

2. Love yourself.
Do this in good health and truth. Apply Joy and Self-Control. Often be a place to refresh God's Deep Love in who you really are.

2 Timothy 1:16-27

16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day!

Father God, I will be willing! To be refreshing to God.

3. Love others. Guard your heart. Jesus did not run to the Temple to display being the Glorious Resurrected Messiah. We're calling that avoid Pigs in the Temple!!! Use humor in life. Often. Jesus did Often Show Mercy. Love the People God Puts In Your Life. Especially the ones who show mercy.

Hebrews 6:7

For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.

Father God, I will be willing! As far as it depends on me, I will live at peace with everyone. Refreshing You!

Decision Making in God is different than decision making in the College of Business. 
"Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night!!!"


God tells us life Will Test our metal. Jesus told us there would be days like this. In John 16:33 Jesus says: "In This World You Will Have Trouble. And Jesus overcomes the World."

Who ya gonna believe? The toothpaste casino adds? God was right. Our decisions will be tested and all shook up. Jesus said the house would have the winds assailed. The house that stands believes in Him. Like Hezekiah. Hezekiah had the whole Assyrian Empire about to knock down all his life, efforts and history. His earthly father had established an out to tear the Temple apart and give up the gold by convincing the people to worship away from the Temple. Hezekiah believed God and had the most successful kingdom apart from David himself.

Einstein is greatly quoted saying the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results. 
That might be true.
However
the Olympians would say differently. People trying to support their families in business find doing the right thing over and over eventually sees results. 

And we fail to see = having a name that means reliable, kind, dependable actually gets us respect often unreported to the individual with the good name. We fail to feel the Love God is giving us for our diligent care. We have to see with our eyes of faith - Love and Care will continue to be appreciated by God and streams forth like light from the clouds unannounced.

God tells us the Heavens proclaim the Glory of God. 
Usually no noise is heard.
 The Glory of God is Love. We should remember as we see the sky proclaim Glory that God is for US.

God notices when we bring Heaven to earth.

Father God, I will be willing! To see with eyes of Faith.







 

When you know that the Season is Changing. And the Wind of the Holy Spirit is needed. Or you are just hopeful to have change.

Pray. Earnestly tell God the reasons. Stay in truth and in gratitude for Jesus - within the Law of the Spirit.

When Trouble threatens to swamp your lifeboat. Listen when people accuse you or give you half false data, usually they have learned how to misdirect. Look for truth. Truth Pilate asked about. We are told in Romans we know Truth. Lean upon God. Great struggles in the Bible tell us to look at the One who is Good.

Sometimes we have to remember where to look for real goodness - God.

Pray for the Holy Spirit who is Jesus Christ the Lord!

Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Jan Karon's famous Mitford books tell us about Father Tim praying the prayer that is Always Successful - Thy Will BE Done. And then the timing - well that is His!!!

Father God, I am willing! I will cast my cares upon You. You Love me. I will strengthen and rest in You.

The Noah Step. The difficult one.

Are you doing your life right? Did you mess up God's purpose for your life? Is your life meaningful?

Guess. What. Moses could have asked this question. Many times, even as he went up Mount Nebo to see the Children of God go forth into the Promised Land.

Gratitude.
Our honest prayer for honest situations. 

We are not large enough to be perpetually punished. Jesus took our sins. We might face overcoming poor decisions. It's when we give up in the gloom of unworthiness, then we have stepped out of the Light of His Love.

We might foolishly try to put our selfishness first again and again - but we cannot blame God for that. God did put us here to grow up to go Home to Him. Even the Prodigal Son had to grow up some. To find some humility.

It's a Promise. The Word of God is Fulfilled. God's purpose for our lives will be good.

Do we Really believe God has good purpose for us?  Similarly, the demons that shrieked at Jesus had a continual shriek "What purpose do you have for me God? What will You do to me?"

Would God call us not to be us? Does He love us as we are and give us Gifts and Talents to fit in to His Plan.

Jeremiah stood fast.

Jeremiah saw terrible, terrible times. Being a prophet - he said, he didn't really want the job. God surely did not smite Jeremiah in vengeance for wanting better. Peter wanted away from what he grasped was very large and Good.

Jeremiah looked on the purpose God had for him and chose to believe God is Good. And His Word to me is for a Hope and a Future. In the midst of despair, Jeremiah bought an Estate. And you bet your boots that after the third round up to enslavement in the Babylonian Empire - Jeremiah remained. And after the war was basically done - more foolish people tried to escape to Egypt. Did Jeremiah? No. Because the Lord knew that His plans for Jeremiah were for Good.

God created us to be us. 
How radical if God said to me - you are not someone else? 
To find our highest purpose is to be in grace of His plan. The plans of God are done by God. Moses didn't bring forth the Exodus - this required generations. 

We want to live well doing our part. Especially journal gratitude of the good things. Feel free to even text yourself. Good News.

God is God. We do not confuse His Plans. Look up. The One who Loves you is Good. Alleluia!!!

Father God, I am willing! When the water is stirred up even by my own frustrations and even greater when good things surround me - I will look to You in the expectation of the adventure Life has for me. You are Abundant Life. I will drink deeply of Living Water and see Love.In Jesus I ask Your Blessings on us and look for the Victory. In Your Righteous, I ask for every good thing to do Your will. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Ephesians 5 

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 

and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us 

and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, 

but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 

and find out what pleases the Lord. 

11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 

13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,

rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 

16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. 

Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Word of the Lord is our blessing.  Thanks be unto God. 

 

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John 1 ~ Make straight the way for the Lord

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 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 all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all 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 everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only [Son], who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "This is he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' ") 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only [Son], who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Messiah."

21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."

22 Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God's Chosen One."

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?"

39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter ).

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit."

48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."

49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel."

50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that." 51 He then added, "Very truly I tell you, you will see 'heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on' the Son of Man." 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Mark 6:45-56 ~ and all who touched Him were healed

  Mark 6:45-56

45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” 51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, 52 for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

53 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore 54 and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once, 55 and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, 
and all who touched him were healed.

Loaves and Hearts

Guess who's coming to Dinner?

Well, Gladys. Oh Aunt Gladys! She is so Great Hearted. And Granpa John - know how to stick by you way past the thick and thin to the very gates of Hell.

Now the thing about Aunt Gladys, she is tremendously loving.
But she has some rules.
She listens only to Christian music and she expects no swearing, no violent video games. No drinking. No off color stories. She likes to be introduced to new people, but you need to prep them first so she isn't exposed to anything messy. Movies need to be screened. Because she really likes Sunday School atmosphere. It's not that she's uptight, so we are off to a bad start explaining Aunt Gladys - it is that she is vastly holy. She rescues people who are doing the right things. She will get up in the middle of the night give you the shirt off your back. You just have to show that you are putting your good foot forward upwards. You have to modify every thing first to see if Aunt Gladys is pleased. Because, well, to be honest, Aunt Gladys has some vast temper. But even if you make her mad, she is going to forgive you. Immediately. Then you need just to keep working really hard to hold up your end of the relationship.

Cousin Irving says Glad is isn't.

And next we will talk Granpa John.

He has been in the thick of war. He has seen people at their very worst.
He has seen good people have hard times. He has seen good people go wrong. He will tell you some stories that make your mouth fall open. Dealing with drunkenness. He has a few stories of incest where he had to intervene.

He has seen some things we just wouldn't want to see like the lepers in biblical times. He had to go into heavy combat with a friend and tried his best to save the man, and still will cry about that. He has seen a good man have his name dragged into litigation over mere rules of conduct.

And Granpa John in his extreme old age can do authority to make people see the straight path to getting along. In spite of seeing really difficult and horrible things,

Granpa John has Joy. He listens like no other and is quick to point out when you do the brilliant, courageous thing and he will honestly shake his head and tell you when you did WRONG and Need To Start Over After You Earnestly Apologize.

Because Granpa John has seen so much and has a story to tell about all the drama and the crime and the war and the success he has rejoiced over - you can pretty well tell Granpa John ANYTHING. And you are going to get a straight answer that will not humiliate you or cause you to have to say, "No, that's not what I meant, no, you don't understand." Granpa John will encourage you in what you do best. He loves to cheer his loved ones on.

And then there is our cousin Patrick. He was in the navy, but the oddest thing happened. He became enslaved to a group of people who seemed to have religion of nature, but they - liked human sacrifice. And snakes. And fortunately, Patrick escaped and got to come home.

Patrick like joined the Peace Corpes or something. Because he got sorta funny. And went back to the enslaved people to save them.

So Patrick came back and we asked him about that. And Patrick said he had to save the people from the snakes. Irving said grown people should be able to kill snakes. Patrick glared at Irving. And Patrick said the snakes are people who make religion their goal and then bite the hell out of anyone who would break a rule for life happening.

Patrick said that there aren't any manuals on bringing people to Jesus Christ the Lord. At that point Gladys became really angry. Especially when Patrick told Gladys she didn't walk on water.

Patrick informed us then,
that
this whole post is an analogy.

Patrick is St. Patrick who did indeed bring Jesus Christ to cast the snakes of so called religion off the island.

Gladys is the way we so very badly represent the God who became Man. Who from the beginning was Light. The Light that Shines in All Men. From whom we are blessed to be given Grace upon Grace. We need to bring witness to the Light of God's Love.

Granpa John? Is Of Course - the man who would follow Jesus to the Hell on earth of dying for us to be given Salvation. And when you look at the life of John, praising the other Gospels to Bishop Papias of Hierapolis. Encouraging the brethren. Loving people. Polycarp. Being firm on what Jesus is.

The Word of God covers all the messes we could ever get into. The Word of God is not squeamish in the situations where the Light will Shine. Jesus healed lepers by touch. Deaf men privately with gestures. The blind asked Jesus to heal and He did. Jesus put His hand into the fish and the loaves to get past
verse 52 -  hardheartedness.

Jesus had people like His own brothers disappoint Him. He knew they needed time. John told us what God is - God Is Love.

What did Jesus expect of His own brothers? To grow into their idea of God and then to take wife and all and tell people about the Goodness of God. I don't recall one time Jesus rushed up to people to tell them off. Except. When the Church/Temple were selling in His Place. Jesus was known to speak tartly to religious Nicodemus coming to Him privately at night.

There is something about a God Sized Mission Statement about Saving the World. Jesus knew and understood the two natures in all of humankind.

John 2
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

And Jesus had a Response to this as GOD about the requirements of internal dwelling of God and Salvation:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,

you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

Father God You are still Working. Salvation is only possible as a Gift from God. Let us be loving and encourage others, especially those we Love,  to see You Are a God of Love.God requires little of us for what He has given primarily gratitude and conversation. Father let us willingly give this to you. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Joshua 3:14-4:7 ~ for a very great distance indeed

The house I grew up in looked a lot like this one and here is the link to the house today.

Joshua 3:14-4:7 ~ New American Bible

14 The people struck their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. 15 No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan, which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest, 16 than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan; while those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 While all Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD remained motionless on dry ground in the bed of the Jordan until the whole nation had completed the passage.

Joshua 4:1-7

1 After the entire nation had crossed the Jordan, 2 the LORD said to Joshua, "Choose twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, 3 and instruct them to take up twelve stones from this spot in the bed of the Jordan where the priests have been standing motionless. Carry them over with you, and place them where you are to stay tonight."

4 Summoning the twelve men whom he had selected from among the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 Joshua said to them: "Go to the bed of the Jordan in front of the ark of the LORD, your God; lift to your shoulders one stone apiece, so that they will equal in number the tribes of the Israelites. 6 In the future, these are to be a sign among you. When your children ask you what these stones mean to you, 7 you shall answer them, 'The waters of the Jordan ceased to flow before the ark of the covenant of the LORD when it crossed the Jordan.' Thus these stones are to serve as a perpetual memorial to the Israelites."

It was an instant miracle, the Jordan parted like the Red Sea. Only it wasn't so sudden, one generation of Israel had passed away, the Lord waited 40 years for the Ark to pass through the Jordan River. In the Lord's time and to serve His purpose, miracles occur. The Lord expects His people to be a holy people.

When God's time was right:

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.

Dr. James Pritchard, University of Pennsylvania, In 1964, Dr. James Pritchard turned his attention to the Jordanian site of Tell es-Sa'idiyeh, identified as the biblical city of Zarethan. Pritchard, of the University of Pennsylvania, found in 2 months, he hit pay dirt so fast that he hardly caught up with himself. He suspects that in Biblical times the Jordan Valley was the richest and most civilized part of Palestine.

Dr. Pritchard thinks that Zarethan was a city of Canaanites, ruled by the Hebrews in Jerusalem, but he is also convinced that its site was inhabited long before the Hebrew invasion. For one thing, it had plenty of water, a rarity in the Jordan Valley. After spotting springs that still flow from the foot of the mound.

While probing in a slightly lower part of the mound, Dr. Pritchard stumbled by accident upon his most spectacular find: a mud-walled tomb with the skeleton of a woman of high station, perhaps a local queen. She lay with rich grave goods still around her—500 beads of carnelian and 75 of gold, silver pins, a silver chain, four ivory boxes, an ivory spoon with a human head carved on it, and many objects of bronze and pottery. She must have died about 1200 B.C., not long after Joshua stormed the Promised Land.

Link to a Google page of then and now

I grew up in Dallas in a nice neighborhood where the houses were typically on half an acre. As the city got 10 times larger, the houses were torn down and a Jewish Temple that supported and supported one another, enabled a majority of the neighborhood to tear down the old house and build  much, much larger homes. My parents built our house about six years before I was born and my dad drew up the plans based upon Williamsburg architecture.

We had loved that house I grew up in and people occasionally rang the doorbell asking if we wanted to sell. The house had great charm. Daddy told me he had one of the most vivid dreams of his life and spoke of the dream often to me. He dreamed that as he built the house in the 1950s, the house became larger and larger and larger like the Vanderbilt Mansion Biltmore or like Northpark Mall. He couldn't believe how it had grown. He was worried about the cost and the bills. As he wandered and wandered, he became lost. When he returned many years later, like Rip Van Winkle, he found my mother had remarried and was sitting near the front door with her new husband hand in hand. As he was asking, he discovered it was a neighbor she had married.

I read constantly as a child, and one of the books I kept up with for more than a decade was a story of young boy and his friends who discovered an abandoned house in the woods and they all took up a bedroom in the large home and had projects and studies as they pretended to be adults. Later they discovered the home owner had always lived upstairs, but she had so enjoyed seeing the children's projects she allowed them to use her home and develop into the interesting adults she was sure they would become.

The dream and the book merged into my life. My father passed on to Heaven about twenty years ago. The house, if you look at the link at the top of the page, became the Youth Services Building for the Jewish Temple. And is the same color as North Park Mall. If my father were to wander back into our lives for a visit, he would find my 80 year old mother's extremely caring and kind boyfriend is a man from this neighborhood and they have dated for about six years now.

It is a sweet, glorious feeling to know my father had some vision of our future and he would want to come back and see us doing our lives and, yet, remembering him with love.

God - Isaiah 55 says something about this wonderful memory of the time that was so very beautiful.

"Because I, the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”

6 Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.

7 Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry.

11 It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

12 You will live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song,
and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
13 Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow.
Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up.
These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name;
they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”

Father God, thank You for Your blessings yesterday, today and tomorrow. Upon You we will rely in the name of Jesus the Lord. Love continues. Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 ~ making a way

Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

May the Lord our Father God guide us and lead us in the new year and make this year a joy to Him and to us. In the Name of Jesus Christ the Lord. His Will be done. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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