Ezekiel 11 ~ I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone

Ezekiel became a major priest in the second of three separate battles with slave round-ups, chosen carefully by status, from Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II. Ezekiel was asked to go with the first round-up but he had deference for the Major Priest. In the second round-up, the job was vacant due to old age. By the third round-up Ezekiel's good wife had died. Nebuchadnezzar thought so much of the young priest, he gave Ezekiel a house on the Chebar River. The peace, the sound and the presence of God gave Ezekiel guidance for the enslaved nation Nebuchadnezzar quickly changed the status of out-right slavery to exiles.

Ezekiel 11

1 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the house of the LORD, which faces east.

And behold, at the entrance of the gateway there were twenty-five men. And I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2 And he said to me, "Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city; 3 who say, 'The time is not near to build houses. This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.' 4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man."

5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and he said to me, "Say, Thus says the LORD: So you think, O house of Israel. For I know the things that come into your mind.

6 You have multiplied your slain in this city and have filled its streets with the slain. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, they are the meat, and this city is the cauldron, but you shall be brought out of the midst of it. 8 You have feared the sword, and I will bring the sword upon you, declares the Lord GOD. 9 And I will bring you out of the midst of it, and give you into the hands of foreigners, and execute judgments upon you. 10 You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the border of Israel, and you shall know that I am the LORD.

11 This city shall not be your cauldron, nor shall you be the meat in the midst of it. I will judge you at the border of Israel, 12 and you shall know that I am the LORD. For you have not walked in my statutes, nor obeyed my rules, but have acted according to the rules of the nations that are around you."

13 And it came to pass, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?"




14 And the word of the LORD came to me:

15 "Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, your kinsmen, the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, 'Go far from the LORD; to us this land is given for a possession.'

16 Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.'

17 Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.' 1

8 And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations.

19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them.

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

21 But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD."

22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. 23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city.

24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 And I told the exiles all the things that the LORD had shown me.






That's quite a Chapter. Ezekiel is lifted up to Jerusalem and returns. Like Acts 5, someone drops down like Uzzah touched the Ark of God.

Does it touch us today? We are a nation barely leaning to a future where we could be divided on the Right to Bear Arms. And it seems to me to say - not to be very vocal. It's really going to be decided by the votes we bring. The rest is the sound and the fury. Perhaps we bring more violence about by focusing on the violence. The more we yell about violence the more we focus on violence. Voting is the key.

What would be our focus? Leading our Joy? Bringing our soul to Jesus. Our part of eternity to the Lord. In our gratitude to Jesus, would we bring more Heaven or more hell..

Without a focus on Daily Good, we might slip into being a people who do not believe in the future.





What does bringing this focus to every day do? Ezekiel was so convinced of God and His Goodness, he was open completely to the belief God would do amazing Works of God. Ezekiel was able to look at life with a Hope and a Future in God's Good Purpose and Plan. And in this faith of the Goodness of God, Ezekiel spoke amazing words of Hope.

We can have this spark in us. This Light of God. His Hope. And give thanks for the kindness of people around us. Giving thanks for kind words. For visitors. For the Diligent. Being diligent ourselves. We make the Circle of God's Love complete. And some days this isn't a joy, until we remember Psalm 136 His Steadfast Love endures forever. If we roll a stone, we do work. Jesus didn't skate to His Ministry - He put work going and doing. On the days of being bogged down in the typical, Ezekiel reminds us to be lifted up.

Let the circle be unbroken, by and by Lord, by and by.



Abba, Daddy, Our Father,

9Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refugeb—
10no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

11For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13You 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.
15When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

We would give You Your Words, and put our cares into Your Capable
Promises.

Resting the ones we Love and all of the news and our Hope and Future
with You, and rest easily.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 86 ~ Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, listen to my plea for grace

Psalm 86

A Prayer of David.


Abba, Father God,

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.

3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.

4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.

10 For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.

12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.

15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maidservant.

17 Show me a sign of your favor,
that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

In the Name of Jesus, we'd ask to be covered in the Name of Jesus and those we
Love and the people you've give us. Amen.

These are stones found standing in the wall of the Palace of David.

David has a problem. Insolent men have risen against him. David anointed of God - before his birth because our days are written in the Book of Life.   Who might the insolent men be? David comes up against his father Jesse - who didn't want to bother the Prophet Rabbi Samuel with young David. His brothers mocked him for wanting to fight Goliath. His first wife abandoned him. Saul disliked David in compan most of Saul's sons and concubine's sons.


David resided in a Ziklag ditch, close to the border between Gath and Judea. From Ziklag, he lead raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites, but lead King Achish to believe he was attacking the Israelites in Judah, the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites. Philistines war against Saul. David returned to Ziklag. Finding Jonathan and Saul  killed in battle, and David was anointed king over Judah.

Insolence in the north, would come from Saul's son Ish-Bosheth anointed king of Israel, and war ensues until Ish-Bosheth is murdered.

David is never happy with Joab. David hideously fought with 3 of his sons. And a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bicri from the tribe of Benjamin. Basically David has - conflict.

We find out Chronicles is from the 4th Century B.C. and feel we have found the house is wallpapered after it burned down. However, it's important to know:


1 Chronicles 29
29 Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer, 30 with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries.

Chronicles well supports 1 and 2 Samuel.

David has a history of 'Writing the Book on Prayer'. Jesus was asked rather abruptly to give the specifics on power to get Answered Prayer. David was not really asked, which might be due David's success in being King and fairly busy. David does a lot of directing to set up Solomon's building the Temple. It's never recorded David is asked about being God's Anointed.  Yet David had plenty of down time to consider how to ask God about events in his life.

We have established David has his struggles.

David is genuinely impressed God would just take time to listen to David.

David is searching for something we love about Father God - David is always looking for the part of God making Him our Father.

David wants Father God to remember David is going to trust God. And obey.

David wants God to know he is not just wasting God's time, this is a sincere prayer.

David assures our Father this prayer is about God's Glory. David is not just 'taking'.

David feels genuinely he should have God's support for David's good heart. David is seeking to learn from God what to do. He wants God to teach him. David is aware God is for all of mankind. David is not looking for care alone from God - David fully expects God's help and to be able to see results from a Gracious Father God.

These are Ivory eating and serving utensils found in the site of King David's Palace. Avid reminders of noble vessels for very human people.


Some of what David sees in his prayer life - is unique and important. The gratitude just for God to listen. David does not take gratitude lightly. The obvious Heart of God has David appreciating a Fatherly God. We understand David talks to God all the time. David is assuring God this is 'the one prayer' to listen to - please.


And in knowing all we know about David - we know we have Blessed God praying with Jesus like John 17. A great comfort to know Jesus would pray with us in prayer. Living water of God continually doing more we can ask or imagine. And the pure comfort of knowing the Word of God is Alive and Working!!!

John 14:13-14 ~ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 14:13-14

13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.


Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will remain--so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

1 John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Matthew 21:22
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Mark 11:24
Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

So if these are magic beans, why doesn't this work?

Would we be the first to ask Jesus this?

No, indeed not. The Disciples came to Jesus and said, roughly, to Him:

Luke 17
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.


Jesus has so much personality, He answers this rather rude demand for more Power. He replies:

7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

That is very profoundly unworthy - if  anyone expects to treat God as a waiter. If despair and unhappiness are left as a wake and blithely asking Jesus to clean up sins. This will not cause the empathy of God.

Or if someone barely nods to the Lord and says, "Ok, but this is good prayer."

Or maybe these magic beans are for these particularly worthy saints. The Father needed to give them His Power to plant the Church.

Yes. Exactly.
And No.

These men put God first in their lives. What their goal was - is and was and will be - Father God's will.

The reason Jesus taught them to pray and gave them His Words:

"Thy will be done on Heaven and on earth."

These People, Children of God, truly want to be like Isaiah, "Send me!" They Love Jesus.

They want God's Will to unfold in front of them. Wonders. Acts of God. When we Love Jesus and believe His Will is a Hope and a Future, we are these saints of God. Trusting all things interweave to work for Good for those who Love the Lord and work according to His Purpose!

The Living Word of God is for the people who look to Him. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Jesus and His Father are still working. And we trust the Holy Spirit to be the light in all of mankind  working the Will of God to save the world through Jesus Christ.

Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin of The Rubin Report have said if we take the ideas and the time phases where these ideas are prevalent: Nietzsche, Jung, Nihilism, Totalitarianism it would boil down to this - not to be too religious - the bottom line is mankind's DNA has moral worth and we are picking with every choice - Heaven or hell. 

And then we are saying the Rock of our Foundation is our Father. Our hope for redemption and for hope itself - is from God in Jesus. And His Holy Spirit dwelling in mankind and in our loved ones. In ourselves to fuel those around us. To lift each other up, instead of pulling them down.



Father God,

When we remember Your Words,

We know thanksgiving is what You love. Even in hard circumstance, to find Your actions, what You are doing and how the day and the time will lead us to grow up and go Home to You.

Our Daily Thanksgiving is a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

Your kindness has tolerance, and patience. In genuine sincerity, we are to walk the path and all grace abounds, in all things, at all times, having all that we need, we will abound in every good work.

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, we will live in peace.

In looking to do Your good will, You will supply every need of ours according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus. We pray this for the people we love, we carry our love for them in our souls and pray for Jesus to help us move, carry, encourage, and persevere to the Joy of Jesus. We pray for our communities, Churches, jobs and Nation. The troubles of believers around the world, Isis and asking tender hearts for the Lord.

And we will be joyful. For to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 3:16 ~ the mystery of godliness

1 Timothy 3:16

16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.




Consider the phrases:

I Corinthians 2:16
For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.


1 Kings 19:11-13 NKJV

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.

Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

If we do not hear the Voice of God, is there hope for us to have anything close to the mind of Christ? We pray to stay on the path Father God has individually for us. To have the Encouragement and Joy of Father God with His Blessings and Direction. With His Wisdom. In Jesus. Amen.

If we are going to the Hardware Store, we probably hope to remember we are out of something obscure - have that nudge. If we were inventing a vaccine for an illness we hope Father God would nudge us in our medical research. Just to have God's help. If we comfort someone, we hope to remember our own comfort. To have words of encouragement and Love.

I never can see this photo without thinking of Jesus reunited with Mary's sons and His Brothers.

Because we know Joseph considered re-locating to Jerusalem, we know the Family Compound of Mary and Joseph would have been slightly smaller.

 

1901 Nazareth




Can't you see Jesus comforting James and telling him this:

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.

And we would agree all of our prayers must rely on God's Will.

James 3:17
The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.


Connecting our experiences and thoughts - seeing what God will provide. God has given us a mind. I think our first experiences with God is to say Thank You when circumstance and remembered encouragements we give ourselves form Goodness. And we remember Gratitude. I think basically, this is our relationship with God daily. God our foundation in Jesus Christ.

We are fortunate to have Christian Radio. We are fortunate to drive in the rural areas and have so much. We all have a phone, but local radio has a lot. A little astonishing really. When Easter arrives, sadly television programming will look like Easter never happened (maybe). But if you travel from Dallas to Houston, you will find an entire state of Texas local radio celebrating. And the content is good.

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Maybe television will again retrieve the so many fine Easter movies. Even on days filled with still-winter-in-lots-of-areas we will find Christian radio with wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, bringing thankfulness in our heart to God Himself.

Would Father God understand and approve of us wanting His Help?

The Word of God lists this word "With" - 5973 Times. We can say our Father God, our Jesus God to this.

In fact, we can connect this to the men of faith from 3 millenniums. Our God of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Psalm 84:2
My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Psalm 119:81
My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word

Abba, our Father,

We are Praying Psalm 29 today! Seeking and seeing Your Blessing:

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Abba, we are placing our Rock with Jesus and seeing
Living Water flowing, flowing, flowing, flooding us with Love and Encouragement, Protection and Wisdom. And upon this Rock
we are climbing up.
Bring our cares up to You.
Bringing our heart felt desires.
Bringing those we Love.
Bringing the people You have given us.
Bringing our nation and the Nations of Jesus' heart. His Beloved.
Bringing the believers not yet believing.

Covering us in the Name of Jesus and His Love. Amen.

Knowing Jesus will speak tenderly over the wind and sea, the storms we face. Thank You, Abba.

1 Corinthians 14 ~ Pursuit Love

1 Corinthians 14

The Message (MSG)

14 1-3 Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.

Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth. If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him. But when you proclaim his truth in everyday speech, you’re letting others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience his presence with you.

4-5 The one who prays using a private “prayer language” certainly gets a lot out of it, but proclaiming God’s truth to the church in its common language brings the whole church into growth and strength. I want all of you to develop intimacies with God in prayer, but please don’t stop with that. Go on and proclaim his clear truth to others. It’s more important that everyone have access to the knowledge and love of God in language everyone understands than that you go off and cultivate God’s presence in a mysterious prayer language—unless, of course, there is someone who can interpret what you are saying for the benefit of all.

6-8 Think, friends: If I come to you and all I do is pray privately to God in a way only he can understand, what are you going to get out of that? If I don’t address you plainly with some insight or truth or proclamation or teaching, what help am I to you? If musical instruments—flutes, say, or harps—aren’t played so that each note is distinct and in tune, how will anyone be able to catch the melody and enjoy the music? If the trumpet call can’t be distinguished, will anyone show up for the battle?

9-12 So if you speak in a way no one can understand, what’s the point of opening your mouth? There are many languages in the world and they all mean something to someone. But if I don’t understand the language, it’s not going to do me much good. It’s no different with you. Since you’re so eager to participate in what God is doing, why don’t you concentrate on doing what helps everyone in the church?

13-17 So, when you pray in your private prayer language, don’t hoard the experience for yourself. Pray for the insight and ability to bring others into that intimacy. If I pray in tongues, my spirit prays but my mind lies fallow, and all that intelligence is wasted. So what’s the solution? The answer is simple enough. Do both. I should be spiritually free and expressive as I pray, but I should also be thoughtful and mindful as I pray. I should sing with my spirit, and sing with my mind. If you give a blessing using your private prayer language, which no one else understands, how can some outsider who has just shown up and has no idea what’s going on know when to say “Amen”? Your blessing might be beautiful, but you have very effectively cut that person out of it.

18-19 I’m grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives us for praising him, which leads to wonderful intimacies we enjoy with him. I enter into this as much or more than any of you. But when I’m in a church assembled for worship, I’d rather say five words that everyone can understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like gibberish.

20-25 To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your infantile thinking. How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility.

It’s written in Scripture that God said,
In strange tongues
and from the mouths of strangers
I will preach to this people,
but they’ll neither listen nor believe.

So where does it get you, all this speaking in tongues no one understands? It doesn’t help believers, and it only gives unbelievers something to gawk at. Plain truth-speaking, on the other hand, goes straight to the heart of believers and doesn’t get in the way of unbelievers. If you come together as a congregation and some unbelieving outsiders walk in on you as you’re all praying in tongues, unintelligible to each other and to them, won’t they assume you’ve taken leave of your senses and get out of there as fast as they can? But if some unbelieving outsiders walk in on a service where people are speaking out God’s truth, the plain words will bring them up against the truth and probe their hearts. Before you know it, they’re going to be on their faces before God, recognizing that God is among you.

26-33 So here’s what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three’s the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you’re saying. Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself. And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If you choose to speak, you’re also responsible for how and when you speak. When we worship the right way, God doesn’t stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches—no exceptions.

34-36 Wives must not disrupt worship, talking when they should be listening, asking questions that could more appropriately be asked of their husbands at home. God’s Book of the law guides our manners and customs here. Wives have no license to use the time of worship for unwarranted speaking. Do you—both women and men—imagine that you’re a sacred oracle determining what’s right and wrong? Do you think everything revolves around you?

37-38 If any one of you thinks God has something for you to say or has inspired you to do something, pay close attention to what I have written. This is the way the Master wants it. If you won’t play by these rules, God can’t use you. Sorry.

39-40 Three things, then, to sum this up: When you speak forth God’s truth, speak your heart out. Don’t tell people how they should or shouldn’t pray when they’re praying in tongues that you don’t understand. Be courteous and considerate in everything.



Whoa. If this was an analogy for telling the one you love how God earnestly loves them - we need to see the Language the Word of God employs.


Bible

With - 5973 Times
Up - 2551 Times
People 2271
Children 1727
Sons 1061
Father 977
Jesus 953
Heart 925
More 770
Word 737
Love 684
Heaven 644
Brothers 641
Together 610
Given 591
Gave 554 Times - Good words 'given' as we speak of His Gifts 1145 Times.
Answered - 550
Voice 524
Christ 523
Life 550
Spirit 501 Times
Glory 480 Times

“Do not be afraid.” 70 Times. Most Repeated Phrase

1 Corinthians 14

ESV

14 Pursue love
 and earnestly
desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 

2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God;
for no one understands him,
but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies
speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.

10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.

12 So with yourselves,
since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit,
strive to excel in building up the church.


13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.


18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.


20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”

22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation.

Let all things be done for building up.

27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.


36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in order.

The Cellos compliment each other, working together as Jesus sent us two by two in ministry. This Love they have for what they do bursts forth.

Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.

Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you.

Pursue love
and earnestly
desire the spiritual gifts.



Abba, our Father God,

In the quiet of our souls, let us sing to You.

And in this quiet, we place the ones we love and our cares. Asking Your Blessing.

Taking the days of antibiotics and worn out this and that - we will just take a vacation from worry and let Your Will be  good and perfect for us.

Realizing when we fail to really be blessed by our blessings - then we fill indeed find ourselves not blessed. Taking firm hold of the Blessings.

You look for heart, live in mine and this life will be pleasing to You as we present our souls to You.
Days of sunshine ahead.

You are God and Strong enough to save the world. This is a good place to put all of ourselves.

In Jesus. Amen.

Acts 4:23-31 ~ Gentiles + † +

Acts 4:23-31

The Believers Pray for Boldness

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,
said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’ —


27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.



We have talked about being able to say "God bless you", "I will pray for you" and "Merry Christmas."

We live in a time where one news source says a few weeks back, "Trump was cleared of Russian Interference with USA Voting." Then the next news source says more about Trump and the USA Election. Add to the complications the recent voting IN Russia. We all have strong opinions on a very new Presidential Style. With rather Historic Presidential Approval after President Trump's own Town Hall. Not to be confused with the CNN Town Hall. And then D.C. sit-ins and protesting. We always did this. Rome wasn't the only time soldiers arrived in the Capital. Washington D.C. after the Civil War. And the War for Independence, President Washington dealt with the Whiskey Rebellion. And taxed - himself.

We are arriving at the idea - The United States has a better and dearer Christianity than we Nationally Believed. And really the true idea would be - we Love Jesus. And we consider Him. And know, know, know in our Knower - Jesus helps me and helps you - personally.

Acts 4 is addressing a New Identity in Jesus Christ. Perfect.

We have forgotten something. Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus feeds the thousands in the next breath after hearing His Cousin John the Baptist died. A funeral meal. And we find Jesus prays that night, walks on water - and our Peter - is lifted up out of the water. A good thing. Very immediately a very good thing. The Rock is the Church. We need our Jesus-told-us-in-Caesarea this Church would be born.

Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, does something. He always has a 2nd. He had John the Baptist. Ok, yes, loosely. But then the day after John the Baptist died, Peter is raised up.

If we want to say "God Bless you" we might be further encouraged to have assistance. It's not complicated, this is Biblical. We learn this in one of the few organizations held together for 2,000 Years. With a very, very clear history. The first leading mankind out of huddling in city/state/fortresses. Church - planting outside the city walls deliberately; increasing trade. Promoting communication. Church - the first to feed the starving around the world. On many levels. The first to have hospitals during the-why-help-them-they-are-really-going-to-kill-you plagues. The first to bring aid. The first to bring reading. The first to bring education.

How unfortunate that 2,000 years of amazing Acts of Jesus have been beaten down by this phrase, "The Crusades."

Yes. Human beings. Flawed.

Governments with the same problems are 'history'. Not the Church. Relevant fact. Important. We've seen the United States Northeast leave the Church. And everyone said TK. Instead - better words replaced TK. Forgiveness. Redemption. Restoration. Mercy.

Matthew 11:12

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. 13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

Speaking of Violence. Let's jump right into Netflix. Television is amazingly better. Game of Thrones. Versailles (Princess Elisabeth Charlotte married to Philippe I, Duke of Orleans is a hoot). Medici. Even Borgia. And The Last Kingdom - the rise of Alfred the Great and his real love for Jesus Christ.

And for fun - let's throw in Pirates of the Caribbean. Justified.

Let's be honest. Let's be real. Let's be genuine.

Are we going to head off to Church and talk about what we watch at home. Yes. Tackle the way, the truth and the Life. Handle the difficult topics. We are going to say the Crusades. We are going to look people in the eye and say war is just terrible. Always. And we are not going to say the Church is the center of darkness. When all Nations and all Empires have - FLAWS.

So, let's talk about Revisionist History.
Now I know, you expected me to say something about immorality. So let me not disappoint. Television is amazingly better. And lewd. We can even do better. Especially not watching this with children. Really. Ratings - please fall. For content to be clean.  When I read 3 or 4 of the first Game of Thrones books, I thought this is the most depressing book I have ever read. Evah. And I gave the current set at the time to my friend, Kurt. And I swore up and down I was never going to spend time "watching the most depressing sets of books I'd ever read." Edward watched and every time I passed through the room someone was having some - kind of - sex. I said I don't think the books had that much sex. Edward said they seem to put a lot of sex in it. Yeah. Months and 2 seasons went by. And I began to watch because Edward said it couldn't be missed. And a few others said you have to watch this. And we found we could fast forward. Pretty soon we had to sit down and watch all the seasons. With fast forward. Our fast forward works speedily.

Now, this is what I'm saying -
we discovered as more people were intent on Game of Thrones - we had MORE CONTENT. This is filler. Just like music repeating, "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." We all liked Game of Thrones more and more with - more - content. Therefore, because a Nation is watching all of this Television - Let's all decide fast forward works really well and ask for over and over and over and over - surprisingly - More Content.

Back to Revisionist History. And before we get too far into Revisionist History, the next topic is going to be Why Christianity in Hollywood suddenly has two faces.

Revisionist History we have discussed several times has Biblical roots with Jeremiah getting hopping mad the culture was repressing the Exodus and Egypt because they didn't want to admit slavery. Lying about History.

How about the Borgia Family. I am for further historical study done on Historical Subjects. Boring. Oh no, not at all. We can always find political topics repeating and repeating. We don't have to lean on sex. We don't have to erase children for lack of actors. Refer to them. Sex isn't what makes people all that interesting. We have ideas of then and now to look at. To learn.

My son's good friend and former Employer where they had amazing travel all over the world together is the Historical World Leading Authority on Coins of Antiquity. He was telling me about Professors who study nothing but lace to identify the town where the art was made. There are profound histories and politics to learn of. Historical Television Content is worthy.

The Borgia Family. History discovered a ring capable of poisoning people. Therefore we are told this probably belonged to Lucrezia Borgia. I doubt she killed people - she obtained divorces in the 1400s and the early 1500s. Very terrible at the time. She did have a very, very violent and psychopathic killer brother. And if we look at the Borgia's "Official" History we find it's bland enough for school children. Murder went unresolved.. So we have gaps to fill. Letters to be read.

Now - Revisionist History. Pope Alexander VI, born Rodrigo de Borja, the Bad Borgia Pope. In seeing him legitimize his children. Love them. Acknowledge them. Have basically one wife and a divorce and then another. We are seeing someone when History reexamines him for terrible Christianity - is rather shocked to find he took risks Jesus might be able to say, "And this is Rodrigo." It's worthy of discussion, or maybe, just interesting to find this -

Pope Alexander VI, as he died, convinced many his faith was very devout. When one faces death with calm and assurance - there is Jesus going on.

Pirate of the Caribbean.
"Bible-thumper on this ship?"
"A missionary is the story. What I heard, was he got captured in a raid. The rest on the ship got killed, but not him. First Mate wouldn't let it happen, on account his premier standing with the Lord."
―Jack Sparrow and Scrum concerning Philip Swift


"You are different."
"Different?"
"Are you not? You protect."
―Syrena and Philip Swift

And then the Christian gives up all for a mermaid.


Several of the shows have a Hollywood repeat. It's not gasp with relief, it's to be examined with a not-real-world-c'mon. Face A Thundering Rev. Cotton Mather. Ripe with Finger Pointing. Thundering Sin. And he convinces no one. And then there will be Face B another repeat - the Christian who loves. And Loves.

Face A is a myth these days. It's 18th Century. And for the unchurched - they fear they would hear this. Sad to think. Let it not become typical type content. Doesn't happen. (If it does happen - it's unusual.)



The Bible-thumper who gave up all for the mermaid. The Thundering Cotton Mather. The Christian who loves. We are back to looking for Content... No one comes in good health to a thundering Love of false god Zeus who would strike you down for false god Zeus' pleasure and indifference. No one is going to be blessed if the answer is always roll over for smiley type content. The Peace is Hard Won. It's not a nicey peace. To truly explain Father God, one has to know of the amazing depth of God who loves you as you are.

Routinely, Historically - people have found Joy in having Jesus Christ.

Astonishingly like a Parent. Completely informed as you the real you. Parents sometimes thunder. It's called relationship. But if the parent wants your cringing, your guilt, you star-ship, then you have not discovered Jesus and His Abba.

BUT we will not turn Jesus Christ, Abba, the Holy Spirit and the Amazing Incredible Wonder of God miracle - the Bible - in your hand into - thou shalt not Preach. Every Word of God - is - valid. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. The Old Testament is preaching the Ten Commandments. God does not sanction the killing of human beings. Which the false gods do.





If we considered all the potential Children of God as Believers - we should see a St. Augustine. His mother told the party-goer, prostitute-loving, a good evening of wine, "I cannot go to Heaven without you. It would not be Heaven without the unique person you are. You must find Jesus loves you and know His Love."

The closest we can come to telling someone how loved they are in Jesus Christ and His Father to tell them of their virtues, their compassion, their tender moments. Their heart-felt desires of Life. The Light they bring to Life. The Magnificent Forgiveness exists because we Love and Trust this person to display their goodness. We believe with them they are worthy in God's eyes. We believe they should Love our Jesus because our Jesus assures us He lives in their lives now - merely unknown. This is the depth of Love and Forgiveness we need to have explained in our Jesus characters. Not limiting real relationship and real opinion and not assuming there is one opinion. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Why? Because not all can understand a Father's Love. A Son who seeks all His Ministry to find the lost lamb we all have in us. The Holy Spirit who has wanted to live closer - an essence of God - a mystery - a desire of God - some need the glimmer of God to understand first the Presence of our Father God Almighty. Even Father God says between Timothy and Paul Letters that faith is a mystery. We don't have to understand all of the Holy Spirit to allow others to look and find the Beauty and Mystery of God and His Presence in our lives.

We know in the early Church some ran far to bring the Gospel further, but bravely they went with the Word of God, knowing this would be a danger for being killed. We know some stayed and died bravely. Both of these were led by God and brave. We can keep expressing our choices, Honoring Jesus, not accepting that Christians who are too forward - and would put off the hope of God for others. We have no need of, "Oh. look at least one of the Christians looks vaguely Christian." Why? Because being a Christian today requires courage. The screaming zealot - is almost a myth.

When we shake out this all out to the basics, it's like giving seeds Light.

Our Jesus, like our David, would Dance in the Vineyard. With Joy.

Our Father, Abba,

We cover in and all our needs with an urgent plea for "Jesus."

And Your Words to us.

Our Father, Who is in Heaven,
Holy is Your Name
Your Kingdom comes
We want Your will to be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day,
our Daily Living Bread.

Forgive us our sin,
as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation.
Deliver us from evil.

As John saw,
For thine is the Kingdom,
thine is the Power,
thine is the Glory.

Forever and ever. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.