Psalm 60 ~ is Mine

Psalm 60

O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses;
you have been angry; oh, restore us.
2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
repair its breaches, for it totters.
3 You have made your people see hard things;
you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.



4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah
5 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer us!



6 God has spoken in his holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet;
Judah is my scepter.
8 Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”


9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Have you not rejected us, O God?
You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11 Oh, grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!
12 With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.

Shechem - Genesis 12: 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

David and the Holy Spirit list Shechem first in the list, this is the promise of God telling Abraham that this is God’s earth and His to do as He pleases.

Valley of Succoth – Genesis 33:17
Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.

Joshua 13:27
and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth and Zaphon with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth ).

Gilead – Genesis 31 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

48 Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me."

51 Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us."

"Gilead" means hill of testimony or mound of witness, (Genesis 31:21), a mountainous region east of the Jordan River, situated in the present-day Kingdom of Jordan.

Manasseh – Genesis 48: 5 Israel said, "Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh.”

Genesis 48: 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
"May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life to this day,

16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
—may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
upon the earth."

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18 Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."

19 But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations." 20 He blessed them that day and said,
"In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing:
'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.' "
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

For most people, the best-known descendant of Ephraim was Joshua, while Gideon (Judges 6:12-15) is perhaps the most famous descendant of Manasseh.

Ephraim – helmet. Ephesians 6: 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Judah – scepter. Genesis 49: 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his.

David was from the tribe of Judah, Jesus is called Lion of the tribe of Judah.

2 Samuel 5:
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.

Moab – Genesis 19:30-38 "Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Let's get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father." That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. The next day the older daughter said to the younger, "Last night I lay with my father. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father." So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today."

Moab (Hebrew: מוֹאָב, Standard Moʾav Tiberian Môʾāḇ ; Greek Μωάβ ; Arabic مؤاب, Assyrian Mu'aba, Ma'ba, Ma'ab ; Egyptian Mu'ab) is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in modern-day Jordan running along the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. In ancient times, it was home to the kingdom of the Moabites, a people often in conflict with their Israelite neighbors to the west. The Moabites, attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over an unnamed son of King Omri of Israel

Edom - Genesis 25:30
He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom. Part of Jordan.)

Philistia – Philistines were said to live in the southern coast of the nation of Canaan, and became a separate nation - descendants of Noah’s sons.

Genesis 9: 20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25he said,
"Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers."

Genesis 10

6 The sons of Ham:
Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan.
7 The sons of Cush:
Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca.
The sons of Raamah:
Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD." 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

13 Mizraim was the father of
the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 14 Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.

Jesus Christ died for our sins and extended His grace, mercy and forgiveness to all nations.



Abba, our Abba,

Ancient of Days. God and Father. Father of His Only Son Jesus Christ.

Prepare in us daily a place that You are pleased to Dwell.

Keep us in Your Mercy and on Your Will and Path for our lives.

Bless those we Love.

Comfort, Guide and Strengthen us.

Thank You, You draw us to You as Your Beloved.

In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Mark 1: 1-3 ~ a voice of one calling in the wilderness, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him."

Earliest Catacomb representation of Jesus, Peter, Paul, and Andrew. in Rome

Mark

Mark 12:29
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."

Mark 1:1
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah

Mark 1:14
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.

Mark 1:17
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."

Mark 1:22
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

Mark 1:15
"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"

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.


Mark 1:1-3

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—


3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”

The slaves of Egypt founded Israel and everyone had terrace gardens to tend and sell from. The view of David's palace overlooked the straight path gardens the children of Israel had made of the wilderness.

Isaiah 7 says the garden of Israel will be trampled during the time of Jesus as grace upon grace. Trade will be as big as the honey King Hezekiah was sending to be bought up by Egypt. The vineyards of Israel would face disdain - the wealth of the Roman Empire would be bringing vastly expensive wines from their ships.

Jesus is found discussing vineyards 26 times. The vines grow in straight paths. God was telling us - in making life -

Bloom where you are planted.  Enjoy the fruit, given by God, of your life in your hand. Be a light in the Garden of Life.










Who was Mark? This is difficult to say. Timothy was Paul's Spiritual Son. Peter claims Mark.

1 Peter 5:13
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.

Paul loved Mark.

2 Timothy 4:11
Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.

Paul argued with Barnabas over Mark

Colossians 4:10
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas.

Acts 12:11-13
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.



Perhaps, due to early Church wranglings - Mark was Peter's literal son. (If Mary was [historically, wealthy] Peter's wife and he was dazed. In the Roman Empire, women held on to Roman Inheritance.)
And Barnabas's cousin.
And Paul's co-minister. 
Then Mark would represent    -     Christian forgiveness.
He was for a time only the first co-worker with Barnabas and Paul - who had declared John Mark wasn't really devoted to Jesus and the call - enough to continue.And the true believer's humility to exalt Jesus.


1 Corinthians 12:11-14
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.



Mark 12:29
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." 




The Gospel of Mark has a few very stunning thoughts - these were the miracles the Roman people who wanted to know why the Emperor would be worried about Jesus. These are the miracles the 1st Century Roman Empire spoke of as true and valid and most discussed in the 1st Century. This is the burning interest of the early Church.

The idea is Peter was so busy speaking, Mark was given the trust of the Gospel - to record what Peter had seen so closely.

St Mark wrote his Gospel for busy people of the Roman Empire. Historical references - a concise record a busy person could refer to, the references to the Miracles of Jesus most often spoken of. Only 16 chapters. The words and deeds of the Savior which reveal His divine Power. 

The account of Jesus people asked about the most, explained by Mark's closeness to the disciples. The obvious goal being to experience the Author of Life - Jesus Christ.  The question the Gospel of Mark is answering - tell us of the awe and wonder of Jesus. Living Jesus.

The proclamation of Jesus in Mark 1:14 and the following verses, for example, mixes the terms Jesus would have used as a 1st century Jew ("Kingdom of God") and those of the early church ("believe", "gospel"). Counter belief against those who saw Jesus in a Greek way, as wonder-worker (the Greek term is "divine man"). 

Fascinating - Many ancient historians record the Gospel of Mark is a concise record of St Peter's preaching. 

Mark saw the suffering of the Messiah as essential, so that the Son of God title (the Hellenistic "divine man") had to be corrected and amplified with the "Son of Man" title, which conveyed Christ's suffering unto victory over death.

Savior of the world. 

Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." 

This we know Mark did. Knowing more clearly of his work for Jesus than his parentage. We know Mark was the first Bishop in Africa and died in Alexandria in 68 A.D. 

Mark's concern in presenting the life of Jesus was that the most widely spoken of miracles in the 1st century A.D. were recording expressing Jesus as the Messiah bringing us Good News of God's unity over all of creation. 

Mark brought Jesus to the millenniums.

Abba, Father God,

3 Millenniums later, we are blessed to know the good heart You loved in Abraham.

Increase Your Holy Spirit within us. That each day as we do Your Will, we will have the Love and Joy Abraham displays in most of his ways. We would ask You for Your mercy and grace each day as the Beloved of Jesus.

Lifting up good health and improvement.
Giving You, Father God our heart, sorrows and delights.
Trusting You with the lives, path and future of the one's we Love.

Rejoicing in the Goodness of Your Creation, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Asking for more of Your Holy Spirit not just in our lives, but encouraging Your nations to Trust You. And in Your Great Love and Delight in us, knowing the Goodness of Your Future You will Willingly bless us with.

Being Covered in the Name of Jesus, We ask Your Blessing. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

John 6:29 ~ Jesus answered, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Jesus not only gives good advice - Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

John 6:29

Jesus answered, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”


Jeremiah 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and will show thee great things, and difficult, which thou knowest not.

Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Galatians 3:6,7
Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.


Father God, You said more blessed are the eyes seeing with faith. 

Father God, we lift up Your Good News. Jesus Christ wants to save the world. Equip us and the ones we Love with everything good to do Your Will, working in us to be pleasing in Your sight, through Jesus Christ, Father God to You be glory forever and ever.

Bless those in all circumstances to be led by You. Give us Your help, we look to You for healing and mercy.

Father God, we thank You for cooler temperatures and breezes. We ask You all of Texas and the South needing rain - will be soaked generously and again - in Mercy for our needs.  For  California. Thank You, Father. 

For good health, good travel and a good school year. God's own good rest and renewal. The blessing of more Heaven on earth for His Glory. 

 Amen in Jesus Christ. Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Mark 10:49 ~ Take heart. Get up; He is calling you.

Mark 10:49

“Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”





This is what God does for us.

John 6:44
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.



Mark 10

50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 

51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” 

And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 

52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

God is Love.



Mark 10

46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 And Jesus stopped and said, 

“Call him.” 

And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”



Abba,

You have given us Jesus

You have given us Your Word

You have given us Your Promises.

We are so Blessed.

Bless those we love.

Bring more Heaven to earth


Amen Jesus we love Your call. Amen.

  

John 1:27 ~ He is Jesus Christ Son of God our Savior

John 1:27

He is the One

Who comes after me,

The straps of His sandals

I am not worthy to untie.

“It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”

“Preach the Bible at all times, if necessary, use words.”

St. Francis never sought to elevate action over speaking in the task of bringing the Gospel

Neither did he believe the Gospel was only a message to be communicated. 

Francis recognized that the Gospel was all consuming, the work of God to restore all of Creation unto Himself for His glory. He embraced the truth, authority of the Gospel he proclaimed with his mouth was given authority by the nature and character of the life he led. And in the same way, he knew, in spite of his own failings (and that of other Christians), the proclaimed message of hope and love would find fertile soil in the hearts of others, and so His Gospel must be proclaimed

Huffington Post, Jamie Arpin-Ricci

1 Kings 19:11

And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks 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.

Matthew 8:26-27

Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Hebrews 1:3

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

John 1:27

He is the One

Jesus Christ Son of God
is fully God. We need Him daily.

We need those who practice unkindness and deceit to live
in the Light of Jesus Christ.

We will have this Peace, Love and Joy.

Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Job 9:10-19 ~ marvelous things beyond number

Jericho looking southward

Jericho, once a “Biblical problem” a seeming disagreement between archaeology and the Bible. However, now we know the archaeological evidence supports the historical accuracy of the Biblical account in every detail.

Rahab, 3rd great grandmother of David. As the Children of Israel left Egypt and wandered for 40 years, soon they would need help. More than the help of one person. God would have to act.

The Children of Israel did not have lives that pleased them in Egypt and God hears them. Then 40 years later, they finally enter into the Promised Land because they didn't follow the advice of God, but their own fears. So they enter Jericho first. Jericho is the land flowing with milk and honey. It is fabulous, a gorgeous land. They are told how Jericho will fall. It seems absurd and hopeless. And today we see, the Bible has once again, told the Truth.

It seems absurd they would leave Jericho to only guess what was ahead, but faith compelled them to keep going after Promises were fulfilled.

[ According to Bryant G. Wood PhD 

Excavations at the outer (lower) fortification wall by the three major expeditions to Jericho. At the north end (numbers 1–5), a portion of the mud brick wall (shaded) atop the stone retaining wall survived, demonstrating that the city wall did not fall in this area. Nothing remains of the mud brick city wall at other points investigated, showing that it had collapsed everywhere else (numbers 6–13). Remnants of the collapsed city wall (shaded) were actually found still in place in three places at Jericho: number 11 (German excavation), number 12 (Kenyon’s excavation), and the 1997 Italian-Palestinian excavation extending Kenyon’s south trench at number 8.

***According to the Bible, 
Rahab’s house was incorporated into the fortification system (Jos 2:15). If the walls fell, how was her house spared? As you recall, the spies had instructed Rahab to bring her family into her house and they would be rescued. When the Israelites stormed the city, Rahab and her family were saved as promised (Jos 6:17, 22–23). 

At the north end of the tell of Jericho, archaeologists made some astounding discoveries that seem to relate to Rahab.

The German excavation of 1907-1909 found that on the north a short stretch of the lower city wall did not fall as everywhere else. A portion of that mudbrick wall was still standing to a height of 8 ft (Sellin and Watzinger 1973: 58)

What is more, there were houses built against the wall! It is quite possible that this is where Rahab’s house was located.]

Psalm 89 says Rahab was crushed.
This Psalm was published, verified, sung by her 4th great grandson (Solomon) in the Temple. Written by one of his wisest councilors. Truth being told in the LORD'S Temple and trying to honor a story working for the LORD.

If you wanted to honor your heroic great, great, great, great grandmother in the Temple of the LORD - how would you delicately refer to her profession and her salvation? Perhaps to point out God is greater and to say she was crushed in her life...

... is really asking what it was like to be in Jericho as the walls fell.

Psalm 89 

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?
8 O Lord God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
with your faithfulness all around you?
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

Rahab is explained more carefully in Joshua 6.  God has moved Rahab's life along like Job.

Job 9:10-19

10 who does great things beyond searching out,
and marvelous things beyond number.
11 Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not;
he moves on, but I do not perceive him.
12 Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back?
Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ 

13 “God will not turn back his anger;
beneath him bowed the helpers of Rahab.
14 How then can I answer him,
choosing my words with him?
15 Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him;
I must appeal for mercy to my accuser
16 If I summoned him and he answered me,
I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.
17 For he crushes me with a tempest
and multiplies my wounds without cause;
18 he will not let me get my breath,
but fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty!

We have now heard what the people experienced at the wall of Jericho.

Rahab might have failed to perceive God.
Except God was giving her life direction and motivation to want to work God's plan for her life and it fit into His Plan. Who were the helpers of Rahab who made God so angry? Perhaps it is the clientele. God wouldn't have been angry with the two men from Joshua. We see in the passage, Rahab stood over the hidden men of God hidden under the flax of her roof.


Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him
Rahab's actions were that of Joshua. Being brave and courageous. Rahab appears in the second chapter of Joshua. Joshua has just been commissioned by God to do HIS work


To hear the Lord God's Voice. To live His Word. To be in Jericho.

Joshua 1:7-8
Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Perhaps. Perhaps because Rahab is listed in Matthew 1:4-6...........

and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah

..........we can say Rahab was one of the people who longed to see Jesus and hear Jesus.

Matthew 13:17
For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.


Jesus once spoke and all the guards fell back.

We are telling God's story. We can draw from Job, Joshua, Solomon, Solomon's advisors, David, Rahab, Isaiah and we are telling of flawed people. Doing what they can. Abiding in God, seeing like Paul.

...Philippians 2:19-24 ~ how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord.


Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. 

You have to be what God wants you to be. Believing what He wants is important. Teaching those around you with genuine care. Being flawed, but going forward in the LIGHT.

Give justice with mercy. Walk humbly with the LORD.



Abba Father,

Jesus has taught us Matthew 4:4
4 Jesus answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’

God has a Plan. He calls that Plan - The Book of Life.

And HE Sanctifies that Plan with a Name. - Jesus - The Lord of Lords. King of Kings. Creator of all things.

And HE Seals His Plan - with the Holy Spirit of God.

And this is where we pray to stay. And for those we love and He has given us.
In the Name of Jesus let this Love continue to fill the Nation trusting in God.
To fill the Children of His Good Creation on His Works He calls Good.
Filling the earth with His Good Plan and Holy Spirit to bring more Heaven to Earth.

In the Name of Jesus. The Highest Name of Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Jeremiah 32:6-15 ~ last for a long time

The Book of Daniel and

Babylon by Frantisek Kupka

Also The Book of Esther.

Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema

Both of these books of the Bible are almost Historically Book Ends. Both are the result of the Second Exodus of Judah. Daniel is a slave and Esther is the remnant of Jews remaining because life in the Babylonian Chaldean Empire was pleasing. Their lives are fruited by the explanations of the Prophet Jeremiah.

Easy to remember as Book Ends. Daniel had one amazing miracle of God after the other. We find looking at the history of Nebuchadnezzar II - Nebuchadnezzar does duck out and arrive later. The Greek historian Herodotus tells of the daughter's accomplishments when the major History jumps past Nitocris.  Nitocris really was an interlude sovereign. Daniel is like the Exodus - the first one - the Acts of God are just too incredible to believe. And yet the History Channel has done aerials of the Exodus can be glimpsed as Plagues happened as in Exodus and in the Ipuwer Papyrus.

And then as you consider Esther:

Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema

Esther is like the song "Everlasting Light" by the Black Keys. This woman is living in a material world. Forced to be a material girl. She is finding God in the ordinary. The day to day life where God tells us He will nor forsake us.

God has left footprints for us to see.

We find Esther's husband's tomb and history are examined in depth. Her own tomb has been a visitation site for well past a millennium - her's might be a memory celebrated - but her husband's tomb is a cross and is almost an archaeological wonder. In fact, King Xerxes I of Persia is more warm and human in the actions and thinking of being a thrown over husband. He's warm, human and believable.  The Scriptures are real.

And speaking of believable, nothing in The Book of Esther is Supernatural or hard to believe. This Book of the Bible asks faith actions in difficult - lose your life - times. There is Daniel - Prophetic Man of God. And Esther - stuck in a harem - girl meets world - act with faith - completely different book ends. Both in conquering nations.

As different as Alpha from Omega. And exactly the same God, Jesus expecting Messiah God and Holy Spirit.

So - if you held up your poker hand and you have:

Jeremiah
Esther
Simeon
and the Disciple John - what do you have?


Ok, this is the line up:
Jeremiah - Very, very very Acts of God Supernatural
Esther - acts of God accomplished from nothing supernatural
Simeon - goes to the Temple this particular day in complete expectation of an Act of God of world-wide historical consequence.
John - enjoys spending time with His Father God.


Jeremiah - God wants us to know how far He has not forsaken us - God tells Jeremiah He will make good on His Promise Jeremiah is going to survive the utter annihilation of Judah. God even cares where Jeremiah will live.


Jeremiah 32:6-15

6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ 8 Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.

9 “And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. 11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. 12 And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13 I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, 14 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time. 15 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’

Housed in the Museum of Israel

Simeon knew a great wonder of God. Being led in the Holy Spirit in him.

Luke 2

27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,

31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

32 A Light of Revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”



And John - the amazing living journey into The Kingdom of God

Revelation 1

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day

John was merely enjoying prayer time with His Father and suddenly John went from being at home, to hearing God and then seeing the Kingdom of God and then seeing Jesus Himself.




Abba, Father,

Given all that You have put in my hand, I'd never gamble that God is not present and able.

I would instead encourage all the people I love and You have given me to pray, "Jesus Christ, I believe You are God. I believe in the wonders of the Holy Spirit, I invite You to live in me and have the eyes of my heart opened to all the Glory of God surrounding me every day."

Live in us Father God. Increase the Holy Spirit bringing more Heaven to this earth.

We give You Great Thanks for all your Way, Truth and Life.

And we will know Jesus, Your Mercy, Love, Joy and Peace

Amen and amen to be covered in Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †