Psalm 127:1-2 ~ The Lord Builds the House

Psalm 127:1-2

Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.


As a first born child to both grandmothers, I can understand this fully:

Hebrews 1:6-8

6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God's angels worship him.”

7 Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But of the Son he says!

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,

the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom!


We are all looking for Love, Strong Prayer and God's Holy Spirit in Wind.

Matthew 24:30-32
Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

We experienced strong prayer tonight at HopePointe. The Spirit of God. Recognizable for His millenniums.

2 Samuel 22:2
He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my delivere"

David understood this in the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 121:1-8
A Song of Ascents.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand

Mary sang of this in the Spirit.

Luke 1:46-48
46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed"


We join the Company of Heaven when we magnify the Lord and exalt the Name of Jesus, Son of God.

Psalm 34:2-4
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

 

Together we pray, Father God, our souls boast in the name of Jesus as Lord. Those who wait upon the Lord hear and rejoice. Our heart sings Love. We are glad in Him. Together, the family of God. We magnify You, Father God. We exalt You Together.

We have sought the Lord and He is answering us. We are delivered from our fears. Let our generations know You are God. We pray for now on all our generations, all ages and those to be born to know the Love and Salvation of Jesus.

Thank You, Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<><

John 14:1-31 ~ Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God

John 14:1-31

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”


5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.


15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.




Mark 2
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Today, has not been the best day for me, my husband has been ill and worrying loudly. And John's Gospel, the 2nd Chapter warmed my heart immediately. Although, today, fretting was soothed, my heart was reminded that love surrounds me. To lean upon love.

Do, an action, Not Let Your Heart Be Troubled. Grab hold of peace. Believe.

Grab hold of what is solid in faith. Push back what wobbles.

Condensing John 2 - a conversation! Relationships with Jesus Christ. Questions asked. A Relationship.

Continued in Mark 2. In unusual circumstance that is uncomfortable - Jesus is There. Like Living Water in all the places water will go. The Holy Spirit of God Loves.


1 Corinthians 3
For all things are yours,
 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas 
or the world or life or death 
or the present or the future
—all are yours,
 23 and you are Christ's, 
and Christ is God's.

This is Today. God is giving us adventure.

Because God has given so much, we can rely upon His Word and His Promises to be fulfilled.

God rests. We sometimes need to rest where peace calls. And have the acknowledgment of peace.

Father God, for what is heavy, let us depend upon Your mercies each day. And we will do valiantly with You. And in the community You give for sustenance. For Love. Not leaping ahead to borrow the challenges of another day. For that next day will have new strength provided.

Your Steadfast love will increase our faithfulness;
believing Your righteousness will bring the blessing of peace.
Faithfulness springs up from the ground, causing us to rise up in hope,
and Your righteousness looks down from the sky.
Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before our Father God
and make His footsteps a way.

 We look to You, Father God. Amen in... Jesus! 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<><

John 2:13-25 ~ three days

John 2:13-25

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 

15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. 


Psalm 96
7 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.

9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.

11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness

and the peoples in his faithfulness.



2 Thessalonians 1
1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.


Jesus meek and mild. Let Him die for our sins and we can hand Him another plate of my-motivations-ghoolash. Yes, Jesus, clean this up for me. Thanks.

William Barclay (1907-1978) a Scottish scholar, taught at the University of Glasgow for 28 years. He was very comfortable with Ancient Greece and the philosophers. He loved the Lord and put in a lot of head knowledge into his faith. Like Thomas Jefferson.

Professor William Barclay says a temple tax was half a shekel valued at 6p. A laborer's wages for a day was 4p. Pilgrims came from all over the Roman world with silver coins from Rome, Greece, Egypt and Tyre. Every time a Jew from another part of the empire exchange money for the half shekel the money changers made 4p out of him - value of a day's wage on top of the tax. They made a fantastic profit which ran into millions of pounds in today's currency.

We will all get the opportunity to explain our words and choices to God.

Then Scripture tells us every knee will bow at Jesus, Joel also tells us - we are all going to get to see Heaven and the Lord. Psalm 96, above, says all of creation and mankind are judged.

Matthew 25:32
All the nations will be gathered before him

How will we expect Jesus?


Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Father God, let us each day name ourselves and the ones we love and, earnestly with kindness and frankly, the ones given to us - to You. Even, Father God, the generation unborn. 

Help us to honestly complain to You and to turn that concern into trust and peace in Jesus Christ. Cast our cares Up to You.

To draw these lives upward. While we were still sinners You died for us. Guide us all to be children of Your plan in expectation of hope and love. Living lives of gratitude and finding joy You provide. The mercies You provide renew each day, for the blessings You willingly provide and the miracles we ask for.

 In Jesus, we pray in expectation of adventure - in all things Father God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<><

Genesis 43 ~ may God Almighty grant you mercy

Genesis 43

Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

3 But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

6 Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?”

7 They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”

8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 10 As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. 14 And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. 

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”

17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. 18 Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

19 So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food. 21 But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. 22 We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

24 The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 They prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.

26 When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. 

27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?”

28 They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.

29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.

31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.”

32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34 When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Matthew 2:15
Where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Like all of life - placing God first, teaches us about the way of God. Forgiveness is as vast as Father God.

Jesus lived in Egypt - Scripture is telling us He knew of culture where God is not placed first. Jesus lived life we would understand. Jesus, our mediator, understands life.

Think with me about the parallel of Joseph, running to see his brother Benjamin. Not as the stand off, older brother - instead as God runs to us,  a Prodigal Son's forgiveness in Luke's Gospel in the Fifteenth Chapter. Joseph was in a very prominent, secure place in life - and God, in Joseph - chooses to bless the Children of God.

Forgiveness - flowing like Living Water from the Temple. In the Old Testament, Amos told us of this joy.

Amos 5:24
Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

In the New Testament of Jesus Christ, this would be God flowing from the Soul where the Holy Spirit delights to dwell. Jesus Christ calls Himself Living Water. Refreshing the Soul, lifting the weary, renewing what has fallen. Water pours out - flowing in every space - there is no space Living Water will not fill. Living Water giving to all, to everyone.

Acts 16:31
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."


James 2:13
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

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

Matthew 9:13
Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”


Father God, we rely upon Your name and Your righteousness to forgive us of our flaws and sins. We ask this blessing for ourselves, our loved ones, friends, family, Church and nation. Knowing no one can forgive with the height, depth, width, of Your Love. This explains Your Love. In faith, we rely upon Jesus. No higher name. Amen.

 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<><

Mark 10:17-31 ~ With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God

Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’"

20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied,
 “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 
30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Psalm 130
A song of ascents.

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

2 Thessalonians 2

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, 
who loved us and by his grace 
gave us eternal encouragement 
and good hope,  
17 encourage your hearts 
and strengthen you in every good deed and word.


Forgiveness is asked to let love flow. To heal harm and makes an upward path to God.
Forgiveness is sought to allow us to be God's child.
Seeks God's Will for us.
Forgiveness seeks the blessing of others and sustains faith, hope and love.
Forgiveness uplifts your family.

Forgiveness is not for power and control of others.
Forgiveness builds up lives. 

God does not put us in harm's way to forgive very often. God calls us to live in a real peace. When the other person's motivation is harm, abuse, usury and power without a real peace or love and only a show of presence - we have not found relationship or a Godly peace.

1 Corinthians 7
15 God has called us to live in peace.
23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings.

Psalm 121:7-8
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

 

Hebrews 13:20-21

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead 
our Lord Jesus,
that great Shepherd of the sheep,

21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, 
and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, 
through Jesus Christ, 
to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Rick Warren did a tremendous talk on forgiveness. Huge calls for forgiveness in serious matters like divorce.

We are told how to handle these serious matters in the Scripture. Just as we are told to rejoice in all things and give thanks, we would never be asked to give thanks for murder. For violence done. For acts of sexual impropriety. Rick Warren says the Bible is about seeking what God will do in healing.We are to have humility and see others better than ourselves - this does not include every situation and every person. God says see good when ever possible and see good traits in people to aspire their good ideals and qualities.

There are times where restoration isn't the goal. Victims of pedophilia do not return to the violent. When the goal of peace is really abuse, usury or power, God cannot say peace is more of the same.

God said marriage is violated with sexual impropriety - adultery. Marriage is also violated when peace is destroyed. God calls us again and again to have peace. We learn in 1 Corinthians 7 God has called us to live in peace.

Not the peace of the world. What is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

God says pray peace for people and do not be troubled, worried. Cast your cares Upon Him, for He cares for you.

God is Good.
For what we cannot solve - God is the One to allow Him to have souls to save. We are not capable to Judge someone in their entirety. We need to be in Him to be fruitful. We stay in what is noble, right, lovely, admirable and away from what is displeasing to God coming from our heart.

When the path is rocky and we wonder - Jesus didn't have a lot to say to Pilate. He wasn't rude. When even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

God calls us to be centered in the midst of things that are a trial to us. Not to the right or left. Jesus is the center.

We see together about troubles fade away when we trust God. Cares about riches fade away and God is good. All Things are Possible with God.

James 1
  5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, 
who gives generously 
              to all without reproach, 
and it will be given him. 

 6 But let him ask   in faith,   with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12    Blessed     is the man who remains steadfast under trial, 
for when he has    stood    the test 
he will receive the crown of life,
which God has promised to those who love him

How will we know?

To forgive is to be able to take a deep breathe - to feel living water pour over us - and to release the worry, anxieties and fear.

Jacob became Israel - God's chosen - he forgave his sons - giving blessings as they had earned not sugar coated - Scripture does not record the sons asking their father for forgiveness.

Jesus, Son of God, forgave Caiaphas and Ananias - He just never returned to proclaim Himself Lord of the Temple. The Pharisees who watched Jesus' every move and word - only one fell down in realization and asked to be forgiven. The Pharisees were not interested in the Love and Works of God - they were interested in power and position - for - themselves.


Father God, we yearn for Your' heart's blessing, Father God,
Dwell within us - help us to establish our soul and a fruitful place for Your dwelling.
You are God.

Nothing is impossible with You. A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by. In the morning, Your mercies renew!

If you set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence, we would not stand.
Help us to have a heart of wisdom.

Help us to have joy seeing Your deeds and allow us the splendor to tell
our children of Your Love.

Pour Your Living Water in our lives - sweeping suffering aside and real healing and real forgiveness to continue in health and holiness. We ask Love and Joy to draw us forth into abundant Life. Father be our Guide and Center. 

May Your Favor Father Lord God rest upon us. And establish our works in Your mercy. We believe in the Love of Jesus Christ and ask Your mercy, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<><

John 12:37-50 ~ for they loved human praise more than praise from God

John 12:37-50

Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

“Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

40 “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them.”

41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 

46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. 

For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 

48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”



Psalm 116

1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!”

5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.

8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.

10 I trusted in the Lord when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”

12 What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful servants.
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;
I serve you just as my mother did;
you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord—
in your midst, Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord.


2 Timothy 4

4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

9 Do your best

to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.

 

A high horse is an excellent place to sit. You just wouldn't want to fall from there.

The Centurion is in this spot because he has listened to the men more than God.

How will we learn to trust what God says more than man. We all fall here. To believe God requires not always the courage seen in the movies of old saints putting down acts requiring unreasonable behavior. The courage is to speak the kind word. To endeavor to stay out of the fire and the water to be centered on Jesus.

God has done most of the work for us. Which makes us a little lax. However Words are very important to God. God in the first chapter of Genesis gave us people to love, care for and not always to eat up their ideas without consideration. He didn't tell us to live in a vacuum - apart.


~ believe in Jesus

~ accept His Word

~ walk before the Lord

~ trust the Lord

~ I will fulfill my vows to the Lord

~ you, Lord, have delivered me from death

~ in the presence of all His people

~ encourage—with great patience and careful instruction

~ I have fought the good fight

~ endure

~ do your best

~ be the one who will stay like Mark and Luke.


Father God, keep us centered on You as You dwell with in us. 

Help me to be where Jesus would want to Live. Help us travel Your path knowing we will be before You - all of us will. We all have an invitation to go to God after our lives are finished.  Put a new song in our heart. We will do our best. And will need a Savior to complete the law and the Spirit of Truth. In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<><