Psalm 91 ~ The Lord is faithful

2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.

12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”






New believers have in the Word of God, the Bible was written by the people who did not seemingly triumph or live well. Didn't the wicked and evil men - triumph. Really?

History proves the agenda of men passed on and the Will of God Goes Forth.

See Paul's Tomb the Vatican excavated his tomb from the 1930s until the 1960s. Amazing.

The steadfastness of Christ and then the others

Pontius Pilate was so erased in History - we had the idea until the 1960s, he did not exist but recent archaeological records proved otherwise.

Who was the famous man Paul spoke to when the unnamed Sadduceen council arrested our PAUL ? Well if you look up that man, you find in Acts 23, that is Governor Felix. Which man does history honor?

High priest Ananias? His house was found in ruins, at the sack of Jerusalem in 70 A.D; His existence was doubted, as well, until the Talmud Records were found of the Sadduceen Council, for this era of Jesus walking the earth, in Scotland. These record the name of Mary's father. And say they were very concerned about Jesus' miracles and insurrection.

Capernaum.. Jesus' adult home town, picked as a land flowed with milk and honey, on the shores of the sea of Galilee, that town survived and thrived - avoiding war until the 13th century. Capernaum.

The Word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored.
There was no doubt Roman Emperors always win.

The triumph of Christianity is actually a very remarkable historical phenomenon.

Ian Wilson records a letter from a Jewish rabbi, of Lyracanthra, saying it would be the end of Judaism because of the incredible miracles of healing, restoration, life transformation and complete hope. These are letters confirming the Gospels show the Rabbi to be extremely unhappy. Josephus, the Israeli General turned traitor, turned Historian says Jesus was the Christ and his brother James formed the later Christian Church until martyred in 62 AD.

People you might not have heard of - and the world loved - and -yet- we can't place their face.

Trajan (c. 53 - 117) Philosopher Pliny the Younger's letter to Trajan on the subject of the Christians and the response of Trajan to Pliny the Younger. On Early Christian Writings. How to torture Christians to discredit the claims of Jesus Christ.

Hadrian (c. 76 - 138) Foxe's Book of Martyrs -- Persecution Under Trajen...... The forenamed authors, Antoninus and Equilius

Antoninus Pius (c. 86 - 161) Instead of stirring up persecution against the Christians, he extended to them the strong hand of his protection throughout the empire. Rather than give occasion to that oppression which he regarded as inseparable from an emperor's progress through his dominions, he was content to spend all the years of his reign in Rome, or its neighborhood. Under his patronage the science of jurisprudence was cultivated by men of high ability, and a number of humane and equitable enactments were passed in his name. 161 – 180 166 Christian persecution returned - The period was one of ever-increasing calamities. The earthquakes which had alarmed Asia under Antoninus were but the prelude to more serious convulsions. The Tiber rose to an unprecedented height and swept away the public granaries. This was followed by a famine, and that by a pestilence, which spread from Egypt and Ethiopia westward. Everywhere on the frontiers there were murmurs of insurrection or invasion. The year 166 was long known as the "annus calamitosus," and it was in that year that the persecution broke out and that Justin suffered. These calamities roused the superstition of the great mass of the people, and a wild fanaticism succeeded to an epicurean atheism. The gods were wrath, and what had roused their anger but the presence of those who denied them?

Marcus Aurelius (c. 121 - 180) The Thundering Legion incident (174)

During the war with the Quadi in 174 there took place the famous incident of the Thundering Legion (Legio Fulminatrix, Fulminea, Fulminata) which has been a cause of frequent controversy between Christian and non-Christian writers. The Roman army was surrounded by enemies with no chance of escape, when a storm burst. The rain poured down in refreshing showers on the Romans, while the enemy were scattered with lightning and hail. The parched and famishing Romans received the saving drops first on their faces and parched throats, and afterwards in their helmets and shields, to refresh their horses. Marcus obtained a glorious victory as a result of this extraordinary event, and his enemies were hopelessly overthrown.

That such an event did really happen is attested both by pagan and Christian writers. The former attribute the occurrence either to magic (Dion Cassius, LXXI, 8-10) or to the prayers of the emperor (Capitolinus, "Vita Marci", XXIV; Themistius, "Orat. XV ad Theod"; Claudian, "De Sext. Cons. Hon.", V, 340 sqq.; "Sibyl. Orac.", ed. Alezandre, XII, 196 sqq. Cf. Bellori, "La Colonne Antonine", and Eckhel, "Doctrina Nummorum", III, 64). The Christian writers attributed the fact to the prayers of the Christians who were in the army (Claudius Apollinaris in Eusebius, Church History V.5; Tertullian, "Apol.", v; ad Seap. c. iv), and soon there grew up a legend to the effect that in consequence of this miracle the emperor put a stop to the persecution of the Christians (cf. Euseb. and Tert. opp cit.).

It must be conceded that the testimony of Claudius is the most valuable of all that we possess, as he wrote within a few years of the event, and that all credit must be given to the prayers of the Christians, though it does not necessarily follow that we should accept the elaborate detail of the story as given by Tertullian and later writers 161 - 169

Lucius Verus (co-emperor) (c. 130 - 169) with Marcus Aurelius
180 - 192

Commodus (c. 161 - 192) All these who failed to follow the decree were brought to the Senate and were tried. This decree was a forceful attempt to put down Christians completely. But the followers who believed in Jesus Christ refused to accept this and many were ready to face the trial. "The Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs" written.

Persecution slows down -

Pertinax (193)

Didius Julianus (193) .

Septimius Severus (193-211) Edict makes it illegal to convert to Christianity; persecution especially in North Africa, ca. 203: Perpetua & Felicity martyred in Carthage (North Africa)

Caracalla (211-217)

Macrinus (217-218)

Elagabalus (218-222)

Severus Alexander (222-235)

Maximinus (235-238)

Gordian I and II (238)

Balbinus (238)

Pupienus (238)

Gordian III (238-244)

Philip the Arab (244-249) .

Trajanus Decius (249-251) 250: Major Empire-Wide Persecution; Christians required to participate in Emperor Worship. Bishop Fabian of Rome martyred; Bishop Cyprian of Carthage exiled; Origen of Alexandria tortured to death.

Trebonianus Gallus (251-253)

Aemilian (253) .
Valerian (253-260) ca. 258: Bishop Cyprian of Carthage martyred
Gallienus (253-268)
Claudius Gothicus (268-270) .
Aurelian (270-275) some persecutions
Tacitus (275-276)
Probus (276-282)
Carus (282-283)
Carinus (283-284)
Numerian (283-284) .

Diocletian (284-305) Major Empire-Wide Persecution begins ca. 303; confiscation of Christian churches and books; arrest, torture, and execution of many Christian leaders. Personally sends troops to Nazareth, the Bishop of Caesarea Eusibius records Diocletian offering clemency to the nephews carefully recording their ancestry to Jesus Christ. All refuse and are tortured and put to death. Diocletian sends troops to Turkey to place the Bishop Nicholas (also known as St. Nicholas or, in German, Santa Claus, in prison.

& Maximian (286-305) Major Empire-Wide Persecution begins ca. 303; confiscation of Christian Churches and books; arrest, torture, and execution of many Christian leaders

Constantius Chlorus (305-306)
Maxentius (306-312) .
Galerius (305-311)
Licinius (311-323) 311: Edict of Galerius: toleration for Christians, allowing them to worship openly

 And Then - History Always Remembers Constantine

Constantine (307-337) 313: Edict of Constantine (Edict of Milan): toleration for all religions, including Christianity; ends persecutions

Constantine's position on the religions traditionally practiced in Rome evolved during his reign. At first he prohibited the construction of new temples and tolerated traditional sacrifices; by the end of his reign, he had begun to order the pillaging and tearing down of Roman temples. The day Christianity officially arrived in the Roman Empire was in 325 A.D. The First Council of Nicaea is regarded as the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church. Invited by Emperor Constantine, about 318 world-wide Bishops (including St. Nicholas), who had risked their lives and were condemned for serving Jesus, traveled across continents and oceans, continued to risk their lives in dangerous travel, to express the basis of the Church today and choose the Books of the Bible.




(* I compiled "Thee" above information and gathered from several sources and paraphrased.)

The triumph of Christianity is actually a very remarkable historical phenomenon. ...

Do not grow weary in doing good

Luke the beloved physician, lived to be in his 90s. He stayed with Paul, the only one, until Paul died.

Timothy, Paul's missionary friend he called a son, was the Bishop of Greece and lived well until his 80s.

Lazarus and Mary and Martha are well documented growing to old, old age on the Mediterranean Shores of France. Not too bad. They had Jesus to dinner in appreciation of His friendship and help.

And a lot of our Scripture exists because we had those willing to relocate to India and Africa.

John lived until history records him vibrant in the 2nd Century.

The Lord is faithful

Generations have called upon the name of Jesus Christ and have been saved.

Fruit of the Spirit...against such as these - there is No Law.

Governments have attempted, in our lifetimes, to restrict access to the Sciptures and the governments have failed; seeing a rebirth of Biblical interest and Churches.

The Word still generates faith, becoming hope, flowering into love.

We are still in the decade proclaimed to be the largest percentage of Christians on earth.

Romans 10:13
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved

Abba, our Abba,

We want each day to start with Jesus. Saying Jesus God, please go with me. By the Power of the Holy Spirit - Guide, Lead, Encourage, Teach, Help, Prevail, Equip me with my life today. Enable. Protect. Give Wisdom. We want to be with Jesus. Because on His Path is going to find our Hope, Joy, Faith, Peace, Love.

Jesus is able to do so much more than we even imagine. Jesus is God who fed thousands with less than a meal. We want to live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' To all who did receive Jesus, who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God, Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

We want the Word made flesh to dwelt within us, and we have seen Jesus Glory. Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. From Jesus' fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Not from works, for man to boast. Purely from the Love God has for us. And He became our salvation and righteousness.

We cover all of our cares and people we love - with the Highest Name - Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Ephesians 6:15 ~ the gospel of peace

Ephesians 6:15

15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.



The feet are running from the sniper in Las Vegas. And to the left someone is injured and the group is running together to protect the injured carried.


Matthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.


The Gospel of Peace is a choice. And many times the Gospel of Peace is a choice made under fire.

Why would a Good God ask His Only Son to Die.

The story of explanation is a good one. It's fiction as far as I know:

A man and his beloved only son were doing a Sunday job for the father. The son and father were enjoying Sunday afternoon. The man worked for the railroad and they were adjusting the lines underground to make the smooth transition from one line to another. A mistake had been made down the line. A huge, huge passenger train was now headed to oblivion or the son would be crushed underground. As the happy train filled with capacity shot past the bereaved railroad father - the people were marrying, eating and drinking and carrying on with life as usual - the bereaved railroad father had sacrificed his only son - that the filled to capacity train occupants would live.

Why? The father knew his son. He knew his son would not survive living while all the train had died. His Son was a Hero.





The Peace of God Passes understanding. We are preparing for this every day. Practicing. The Disciples of Jesus did not wander around looking all joyous as they sat with God's Church Bridegroom. They had frustration, fear, bewilderment. Uncertainty. The desire not to look stupid. There is a preparation for the Gospel of Peace. Determining a course to walk towards the Gospel of Peace.



2 Timothy 4

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 From now on the crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.



We could say God was cruel to have given the test.

2 Timothy 4:8
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.

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son - who is cruel? The Father preparing the inheritance. The son who wanders off.

We determine where we will put our efforts. We determine where Love is to live our lives for meaningful growth towards Father God. Surely we would say God can watch our hearts, actions and words and decide on our valor and integrity.







In the days to come, the people who have lived being shot at in a human bowl will suffer and think. And have great emotion. Where will the blame be placed. Where is the scape goat. Someone is to blame for the suffering.

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
    they shall become like wool."


When Father God sees His creation shot at and beheaded - He is not pleased. Our Father God abhors Human Sacrifice. Until He and the Son give Life. When our God sees death and murder - He has decided to save the world. God wipes away the horror and gives Love. Just as the people in the middle and midst now of seeing the kingdom of heaven - through Jesus Christ coming to earth - have suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.

Jesus Christ lived with faith beyond John the Baptist beheaded by Herod. Non-Davidic "King of the Jews." Herod raised in Rome and puppet king of Caesar. Killed His own.

Jesus readied His feet to feed the multitudes and walked upon the waters. Where Peter was not a solace and Jesus chose to save Peter in the midst of familial loss.


The Gospel of Peace is a Choice. An ongoing choice to say God is in Charge and we Believe in His Goodness. And put our heart, mind, soul and being into Jesus Christ Savior.


Abba Father,

We pray for all of us to pray with Jesus and see the Holy Spirit increase love.

May the words of my lips, the meditations of my mind be pleasing and acceptable in Your sight. You are our Rock and Redeemer. For our loved ones. For our hopes. For the people You have given us. For our nation. For the generation yet to be born. For the believers around the world calling upon Jesus. God, You have our hope and future in Your goodness.

Our hope is in Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Ephesians 6:15 ~ the readiness

Ephesians 6:15

15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.



We can never be ready unless we see a key importance to our Father.


Father God is witnessed to be Love by the Disciple John. And God is so Loving His belief is for saving the world through Jesus Christ. This is the measure of God's Love.


Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.



We cannot fully Love Father God ~

~ without our heart acknowledging He has loved us first.

~ without our soul having awe for being included, invited and the reality of Eternity with full access to our Father God in Jesus Christ.

~ without our mind deciding to do the work God has planned for us. To believe in Jesus and set our path upon Jesus Christ.

~ without our strength fighting the Good Fight to finish the race. Pressing on ahead.


Unless we believe and acknowledge and act upon God being good - we cannot do this.

We are very familiar with God saves the world. Then read the news. God is still set on saving the world. God says His Word endures - saying it is Good 10 times to Creation. We are Creation. Especially when we have faith and believe Father God.

Abba,

I stand with You. I believe You. Thank You for your Love.

When the news is so serious. When Wall Street merely marches on. We know where to place our concerns for the Nation and world.

We affirm the Love of Believers to make the world better. To communicate with integrity. To affirm the strength of putting kindness in practice. For the bravery to speak up when someone acts very oddly. We believe in the strength of prayers to keep our community safe. What we cannot do, we believe You can do so by Your Word alone.

We pray for more Holy Spirit over us all in the Name of Jesus Christ.

And in this prayer, tell You thank You we do not live in warfare. We thank You we do not live in the Middle Ages behind walls. 

We thank You for the comfort of so many medicines and medical advancement is available.

We thank You we live in an age when childhood affirmation is better understood.

We thank You so much of the news is merely verbal. We increase our prayers for all of us to feel more assured and calm. Thank You as we drive in vehicles we so much calm.

We thank You for the news showing the rescue of Harvey. For the Rescuers. We pray for the construction industry to have rest, regulation, trust and hard work in the months to come. We pray for the comfort of those stricken by weather.

We pray the Holy Spirit enlightens us all daily to Your Goodness. Our mind open to Your Goodness.

You Great and Gracious Love enfolding our Loved Ones, the people You have given us. The prayers asked for Health. For Marc, Bruce, Todd, Paul. Julie. Edward. Our health concerns.

You Great Love enfolding our employment, our communities, our Churches to renew and rejoice. Love enfolding those in School. Love enfolding the States to the Nation and embracing the world looking to You, Father, in Prayer. Families to be strengthened in Love for one another.

Rejoicing in how real the Bible is telling us human nature with knowing the Last Chapter is Your Love.

Rejoicing in the Fulfilling of Your Word as Truth, Father God.

Our Alleluia in Jesus Christ. Amen. And Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Ephesians 6:15 ~ having put on the readiness

Definitely Silver Ugg's Weather. No place like Home. No place like Home.

Today, at noon, I put on my Ugg Tennies and watched my sons. My son Cal gave a year old refrigerator, year old washer and dryer to the Hurricane Harvey relief fund. And my son Alexander took off from work and made sure his brother, in Michigan, got the goods out. Cal, in effect, gave a 5% tithe of last year's income. Will he kill me for this... he might. And then, I will never get to wear my tennie Uggs again.

It is my joy and pleasure to see my sons today. And because I write a blog... I get to tell you.

One is super cute in Michigan State Law School and is 28 years old. I still claim him.

The other is 26 and doing post=Harvey construction work after being hired from doing free Hurricane Harvey Relief. Yep. I claim them both. Both actually are super cute. He is getting a Master's in Construction from LSU.


And if they never read this blog... I might live to post tomorrow. I'm Brave. Triple Brave. And Stealth in my Ugg Tennies. Limber. Lithe.



And on to the Bible with Lightning Larrup on.



Ok, very seriously.

Man shall live by every Word of God.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Law. The Law is thought to be the 10 Commandments. And, then again, the Law is thought to be The Pentateuch - The Five Books of Moses. But really - God is Vast. If God wanted the Niagara River to join to the Mississippi River tonight - all God would have to do is - Say so.

The Law is far more wonderful than traffic or Estate.


The Law is Majestic, Magnificent.

The Law is Abiding Love 26 times in Psalm 136.

The Law tells us 11 times in Genesis 1 and 2 - God sees and tells us today, "Creation is Good."

The Word of God is the Law. Every Word God has spoken is Love. Truth. Goodness. And His Promises endure Perpetually.

Jesus Christ fulfills the Law because - we are not capable of doing 3,000 Pages of God's Eternal, Living Word. God and Jesus delight in mankind in Creation. The Good News is this - God looks into our thoughts, our ways, our deeds - individually - and as mankind - and decided to save us. No, not just a couple of us... The World.

We will have eternity with God, who adopts us in Jesus Christ - just because - He Loves me and He love you. And we believe in the One - God the Father has sent us. Jesus.

What does this mean?

Ephesians 6:15

15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.







Romans 12 is an Astonishing Light of God. Every Portion of Romans 12 is - unforgettable.


Romans 12
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.


Ephesians 6
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

Every Word of God could have us travel light speeds with Joy and Verve.

Shoes for your feet - Isaiah telling us of Jesus 700 years before Christ Jesus. "Send me!!!"


Isaiah 6:8
8 Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"


Making the Tortilla meet at two ends - Isaiah meets Zacchaeus, in the Tree, saying "Sent me!!!" The Tortilla is - today - for us.
,




{Now, if you did not readily equate Zacchaeus and Isaiah and The Armor of God. Well - sit down, go home and turn off the lights. NOOoooooo - not at all. Thank God, you didn't, because if you did - what would we write about today???

Instead - something much more important is here. Jesus.

The Word of God is Living. Active. If you read Ephesians 6:15 and you find something I did not cover here - MARVELOUS. You have heard God. The Point of Bible Study is Jesus and your soul. We open up all the windows and where the Light of Christ Jesus shines in your soul - there - that is the point. Where God and you connect.}

{Ok, back to the Bible Study.}







Ephesians 6
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

1. We have found  - we find our shoes in readiness to be sent by God.
2. We are going to take one verse and push it far - to the next galaxy.
3. We find our willingness to - GO - to do something with our faith.
4. Readily


Philippians 2:1-30
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you




Readily...

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

So many times in God ~
When we give to others - we are filled.
When we believe in God flowing into us ~ good self-esteem. Providing Joy and healthy, self nourishment.
When we care and pray with hope for another - we are lifted up.
When we have readiness - we nurture our soul.

Not the saccharin. Not the sweetness of eyes run of fake empathy - Instead in the Way, Truth and Live - when we are touched and transformed.  The Joy of the Lord where He is pleased to fill us with the Fullness of God. Where God is our Joy and Strength. Not wisdom and knowledge!!! Love. Not knowing all about the Scriptures. Even Jesus said, "It is written."  Not quotes of Latin, history, Greek verbs. Love. Healing. Hope. Joy.

Where we can take our challenges, our frustrations and see through the telescope - we have reasons to be grateful for the challenges. Where we can draw up the Lord's Prayer and fell His Strength renew us. Having the Joy of the eternal - in that very second. Redemption of the day moving us into Eternity.

Relationship - recently I read the prayers of the Church and was Filled to find how many are seeking Jesus to make others feel more Joy. To feel Loved. The prayers of the people - are for others to have the Comfort and Love Jesus gives.







5. Readiness. God touching again on having - our - Lamps filled with enough fuel to have the adventure of faith.

No WONDER God said it was Virgins with Lamps to Light. The Joy and Innocence and Expectation of - Readiness. Faith of a child.

6. Getting out of the habit of knocking things as bad.
Readiness to have the courage to find good news.
We all have to practice to give good news in small quantities - easily swallowed.
The habit of bringing good news.

We all know about the police and videos. We all do.
The bravery of the people, not abusing the police, to bring Justice.
The technology today to make improvements.
How wonderful is that. Completely.

Fake News.
That the world is all bad.
Providing us with the outrageous, real atrocities - opportunities - to pray when we hear them.
Bring more Heaven to earth.
No copy cats from vile news.
Readiness to do what is eternal over trauma - prayer.



7.   Seven Days a Week  - 365

The Readiness of the Gospel of Peace.


Genesis 1 - God puts the Holy Spirit over the prevailing waters of Creation.
Jesus delights in Creation - Proverbs 8 explains again.

The Plan is to bring the Holy Spirit into the Believers in - when - the Fullness of God's Timing.

Sing with me - "From the Beginning!"

We have an inner warmth. Our "knowers" are struck. God has planned your life. Your name. God longs to bring you - His Beloved - into His Kingdom. Forever.

Your Life. Your Hope and Future. Is planned, established, sure and beyond our doubts - resting in God's Heart and Will. The Readiness of the Gospel of Peace.

How far? Not just you. Not just me. God so loved "The World", He has given us Jesus. His Only Son.







This is indeed, indeed, indeed God of Love.

In a Grace this unfettered, unbound - speed of Light. We can put our Trust in Our Father God.




Father God, Abba,

With Jesus to pray with us increasing the Holy Spirit, we ask for Readiness.

Ready my loved ones.
Ready the loved ones in Corona Del Mar, California celebrating the Beloved Uncle who lives at home at age 100. And being celebrated at his Methodist Church today. Rev up that golf cart. For another Beach sprint.

Readiness in the people God has given me. Seeing their goodness.
Make Ready in Jesus Christ, our thoughts on the positive.

Readiness to hear, locally greater Houston, in Florida, Puerto Rico and Mexico City - the need for encouragement and compassion. With continued thought on relief.

Prayer and making our feet ready.

Expanding our prayers from relief to the grind of working out new lives. With Expectation of something greater than we can do. Jesus Christ as God.

Readiness to Remember what You have done for me. For the ones I love. Thank You Father God. Thanksgiving.

Thank You God for Jesus and the miracles we have seen like new jobs in Houston. Last year was slow for Houston. We see hiring. We see healing past and healing future. For Marc, Wayne, Bruce, Julie and Edward.

We cover the Nation with Jesus and the prayers of the faithful - we see with Joy.

Our Father God is wonderfully alive. Wonderfully God of Love.

Amen in Jesus. Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful Jesus our Lord God.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Matthew 12:33-36 ~ give account

Revelation 22:1-21

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Matthew 12:33-36

33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.

34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil?

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."




We wonder if all dogs go to Heaven, we know horses are sent to earth from Heaven: it's wonderful to find the Tree of Life from Genesis 1 and 2 is found in Heaven. 

The Garden of Eden was washed away in Noah's flood and the Tree of Life is rejoiced and delighted upon in Heaven.  Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel (the Tigris), and Phirat (the Euphrates) are the rivers of Eden. Most of them disappear forever from the Scriptures. Isaiah 19 and 30 and Isaiah 37 tell of Works of the Lord and the action of the Lord is to make rivers disappear. Psalm 104 also declares rivers are made to vanish.  The Scriptures declare repeat situations. This would be the only explanation for the great rivers to be gone.

  The Book of Tobit is accepted as canonical by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Oriental Orthodox Church. Uriel is often identified as a cherub and the angel of repentance. Uriel "stands at the Gate of Eden with a fiery sword" or as the angel who "watches over thunder and terror". A fitting hint, worded by the Book of Tobit.

I'm hopeful my extremely giant Oak, toppled by a tornado in Hurricane Ike, is in Heaven now.   

David discussed good trees in Psalm 1 and we know David relied upon the Grace of God, as we all do, to be called righteous. God says He makes even His Enemies to live at peace with Him. And there are times God will take a reluctant 23 year old and make that young woman witness. Because God can do all things. Even when the 23 year old young woman decided Evangelism wasn't her gift and therefore she was exempt. I know, because I was this young woman.





I was at work one day in my cubicle, put right beside the main corridor. I was greeted by a good looking man who said he was waiting on the man on the phone, in the office across the hall. It wasn't a time for me to visit, I was pretty busy.

And he said, "I can tell you are busy, so I will tell you a joke."

Which didn't strike me as a great thing at that moment.




We wonder what Jesus would say as a young man of 30 years old to our culture. We know. Jesus enjoyed vineyards and was known as a drunk and a glutton. Jesus spoke of vineyards 22 or 23 times in the Gospels. Jesus - bounced. Jesus found Joy in life.


So this man who brimmed with health and good cheer told me this joke. It was a joke I had not heard since I was 16 years old.


It's an extremely tacky joke about Jesus being sacrificed, dying on the cross. And Peter being beaten to a pulp twice. And Jesus tells Peter He can see Peter's house from being on the cross. It's a horrid, horrid old joke. And depending on the graphic person, it can be embellished. And be truly grotesque.


I didn't even know what to say and I looked at him. Just sat looking at him.

He said, "It's fun to tell the joke to see the reactions."

We looked at each other. He said, "Tell me your reaction."

I said, "You know usually, even if I am a believer, I say weak 'ha' and move away from a bad joke."

He laughed, and said, "Yeah, that's what I usually get."

I said, "If that's what you usually get, it seems lukewarm to dull."

He said, "I've never had this much conversation over the joke before, I think it's a pretty funny joke."

I looked at him. I was busy and the joke went deeply into my life. He said, with some emphasis, "Maybe it is dull and boring."




I said, "It's like this - a long, long, long time friend of my parents was an attorney and descended into alcoholism. The kind where you have him to dinner for 25 years and realize, suddenly, having him stand up is a precarious proposition. And he tells you the joke when you are 16 years old -  as he can hardly stand. And then tells you how he hates Christians because they don't laugh. They are bigoted. It's funny. Then in 25 minutes, he staggers back into the room and tells the joke, more slurred, again and staggers out. At the age of 16, it's fairly terrifying."

The man asked, "Why did your parents have him in the house?"

"Well, they didn't know it would go that way."

"And so he divorced his wife and she ate my dad."

"What?"

"The wife, of the very drunk man, ended up getting her house payment after her husband became too drunk to make the payment and ran off and divorced her. So, she ended up after 25 years of being friends with my mom, she ended up marrying my father and not putting him on the Mortgage. And realizing even married to him, she doesn't like him. He is sunk. Left the people who loved him."

So the man, who was a visiting vendor said, "This is, this is, the most conversation I've ever had out of this joke."

I replied, "I bet. Do you tell the joke a lot."

A lot. Yes. As you see it forces a conversation usually. Of acquiescence, fake. Because he could push the buttons afterwards.

I said, "Maybe you should stop, because what you are really watching is seeing yourself defined."

He said, "I believe I agree with you. And you are the last person I will tell that joke to."





The joke had a consequence. About two weeks later I was moved. To a quieter cubicle. I rather liked the first cubicle, I could see out the windows. And in being moved, I made new friends and got greater benefits and opportunity from the company. I was moved closer to the CFO. This all played out and I found out within the next year. At first I had hurt feelings. And in the next year, oddly the cubicles were broken down to just be part of that hallway. Seems lots of people offended visitors. But - oddly we - rarely got visitors. Just a few. A vendor. Just about one visitor.



I was Never going to be the one who discussed ethics in work. Ever. But it's hard work to be silent when that one joke changed an entire family.


The joke changed that man. I saw him occasionally and he did not seem so very happy. Apparently he kept telling it.


Father God can do the absolute impossible. Even a mule of a silent Christian can speak up!!! Me.


Numbers 22

26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.
27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff.

28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn.

So he bowed low and fell facedown.





Father God,

Bless us with the mediation of Jesus as our prayer partner. And in sticky wickets, increase the Holy Spirit to make the conversation.

Let's live the Joy of Life. The adventure of God works all things to Good.

And we will do what we can to please You, knowing You are so very thoroughly pleased with a fleeting life on this earth.


You are Father God - vast and ancient of Days. Gracious and Good. Finding vineyards beautiful and interesting.

You wrap Love around the prayers You hear world wide. The Heavens speak of Your glory.

The nations rely upon Your Glory. Bless this Nation as we trust in You, please.


Bless the seas and all the roar. Quietly we hope.

Strengthen what is weak and do not let it quake.

Come strongly into our Lives Father God. Be with the strengthening of the ones we love to have the Glory of Jesus Christ dwelling within them. Help those who are recovering from storm. Shepherd us and the people You have given us, Jesus Christ. Be our open and strong shelter upon the Rock of Jesus Christ.

We give our cares to You, for You care more for us, far and away more than our fleeting cares and anxieties.
Steadfast Goodness You are.

For the varied and many gifts You give, help us to use them wisely and as a blessing to Jesus. Give us this day. And with Your Grace
we will see all day long - Your mercies Renew.

In Jesus we ask, live and have our being. Amen.
Glad to be the Easter People Amen and Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

John 21:24-25 ~ the books that would be written

Billy Graham has been known to warm hearts like the Fire of Pentecost. And one of the most reassuring things Billy Graham says is: 
“I've read the last page of the Bible, it's all going to turn out all right.”


Each of the Books of the New Testament has a purpose. A deep, deep purpose to live in our only real estate in eternity. Not our brain, not our heart, not our will - our soul. The purpose is Lamp Lighting!


And - reading and believing the ending blessing of the Books end is just - truly wonderful. Paul writes again and again and again of the love he has for the people he ministers to. The overwhelming desire to touch a soul with love for eternity. This is the purpose of loving the God of Love.

John 21:24-25

24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.



John was very right.
All the books thinking of the Prince of Peace. Wonderful. Redeemer. Jesus. Making God His Father and ours.

Romans 16

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you
according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages
26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations,
according to the command of the eternal God,
to bring about the obedience of faith—
27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.


God is strengthening us with His truth.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.




The revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages
26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations

Romans 11:33, 36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.


The Revelation of the Mystery of our Father God's Nature

Romans 15:5-6
May the
God of endurance and encouragement
grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.


Romans 15:13
May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.


We have just uncovered what Paul was striving and fighting the good fight to display before The Romans. Paul's Great Hope for... us.

Ephesians 6

22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love



The Purpose:
Encourage your heart!



Ephesians 3
16 that according to the riches of his glory
he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith
--that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen

+

And the Goal of Thessalonians:


1 Thessalonians 5

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,
and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.


I believe that!



1 Thessalonians 3:12-12
12 and may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all,
as we do for you,
13 so that he may establish your hearts
blameless in holiness before our God and Father,
at the coming of our Lord Jesus
with all his saints.

Abba,

May those You have increased
abound in love for one another and for all,
as we do for You

Rejoicing You establish hearts
blameless in holiness before our God and Father,

Knowing in prayer that we have our Lord Jesus
with all His saints

Praying for our Loved Ones,
The people He has given us,
praying for people with Birthdays,
praying for our concerns,
large and small, amazingly invited to bring Him all we think and care for.

Praying over situations,
Praying over employment,
Praying over health,
Praying over wisdom and decisions.

Knowing Father God covers us!
All the healing Jesus has shown us in the Bible is happening
in His creation today.

Our Living Father God.
Jesus praying with us now.

We are blessed indeed, indeed, indeed.

Praying together - we put this prayer list together is to combine our
concerns, knowing the Power of Our Father in expectation.
Knowing with Certainty God fulfills His Word.
Alleluia Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Psalm 81~ Walk in His Ways

Psalm 81

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

4 For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob.
 

5 He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known: 6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.

7 In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah   8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!

O Israel, if you would but listen to me! 9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
 

10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. 13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

14 I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.

 

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. 16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”  








 

Seems David complains and complains, and as the reader you are agreeing with him! That's right, tell us, tell God about it! Suddenly David does an about face .... when one is "hep up" agreeing with David .... and he says..... like in   

Psalm 108: 10  
Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 11 Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies.

Some days we feel like David. Like Jesus carrying His cross. Then David throws a curve in a verse latter in the same  

Psalm 108: 12  
Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! 13 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.


 Read Psalm 81 again, or just let a verse jump in your memory.... For me this Psalm hinges on:



 

  I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. In distress you called, and I delivered you

 Some days I say, please Father, help me to carry that burden..... and other days the verse puts a little jolt of "Noooo.... I want that..... more...."  

Regardless, I reach the verse: 

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 

And I say to Him, I can think of a whole lot of blessings!!! And I won't bow down to another god!!! 
Watch Father God!!  

So what about these Davidic turn-around Psalms? David is Not window dressing, thresh David down, shake him around - David trusts God. Even when the Ziphites went to tell Saul where David was, in Psalm 54; David trusts God. David grew up hearing, then living the mighty works of God. He heard stories about the Heavens long before his descendant Hezekiah would ask God to turn the hands of time back. David knew of Joshua:  


Joshua 10:12-14  
At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

“Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”  

13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.

Joshua 10

Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.

14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.

Genesis 18:14 

Is anything too hard for the LORD?" 

Capernaum - Land of Milk and Honey

Jeremiah 32:27 

I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

Matthew 19:26  

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

David waited expectantly, like Paul did, to see what God would plan. David trusted God. As we can.




Father God,

Each day we have the opportunity to despair or to place our trust in You. You wrote in Your Living Word to ask for Jesus to help in prayer.
We do this now!

You fought for Hezekiah and the people because they trusted You.

We lift up our voices, our hopes to You.

Strengthen us in Your Peace and Your Joy. Enable us to Love with Jesus' Steadfastness and His Hope and Future.

Help us to communicate for You. For the Ones we Love and place in Your care.

For our construction projects and task resolving. For Patience. For Striving. To rejoice in the People You have given us.

For the Peace of God in our communities, jobs and Churches.

For the Blessing You would have us have for our Nation.

For the Joy You would place around the world for Your Beloved People.

Thank You for hearing the desires of our heart. Healing. Needs met. Timing. Appeal. Conviction. Listening. Empathy. Resolve. Goodness.

In Jesus we Love and Pray. Your Great Will be Accomplished here as in Heaven. Amen with Jesus our Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †