1 Samuel 25:23-42 ~ followed the messengers +

Velkommen, Dari, Velkommen, Salâm, Ajolo, Wajolo, Welkom,

 Welcome to Paran, Israel and the Negev Desert !!!

 Paran, Israel

1 Samuel 25:23-42

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. 27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 

28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. 29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, 31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

32 And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! 34 For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

36 And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. 37 In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” 

Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” 

1 And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” 42 And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.

David has just arrived in Paran, Israel part of the Negev 'wilderness'. Where David is working out how God wants David to be King of Israel. Welcome to the Negev. David has, in the last chapter, been hunted by Saul and let Saul keep his life. And been insulted by Nabal who called David an escaped indentured servant and David's father meaningless. Nabal has discarded the fact David is a celebrated war hero.

Why? Why would David want to be King? Why would David consider himself Anointed by God when his champion, Samuel, has just died?

Apparently, David is finding to be King, you are polite to Authority even when hunting human beings - namely David. Compassionate to fools. Forgiving.

David can't be claimed to be Romantic. He is newly divorced forcibly by Saul from Saul's daughter, who has re-married. Abigail is going to leave her home where she has brought

18 Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.”

Abigail gets to move with David to Ziklag to this particular hole in the earth the Bible identifies as a ditch.

Abigail is living her own Exodus with five women servants. Fortunately, God provides Abigail with a son named Daniel.

Now why does David want to be King in Israel when Israel is not yet a Land of Milk and Honey? Yes, it's good to be King, but Priests are slaughtered. There is war. And there is war on David by King Saul. Why would David want to do this?

David is faithful to the Lord.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

1 And it shall come to pass, if you shall listen diligently to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command you this day, that the LORD your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of the LORD your God.

3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your cows, and the flocks of your sheep.

5 Blessed shall be your basket and your store.

6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 The LORD shall cause your enemies that rise up against you to be smitten before your face: they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways.

8 The LORD shall command the blessing on you in your storehouses, and in all that you set your hand to; and he shall bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

9 The LORD shall establish you a holy people to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and walk in his ways.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD and they shall be afraid of you.

11 And the LORD shall make you plenteous in goods, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your cattle, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.

12 The LORD shall open to you his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain to your land in his season, and to bless all the work of your hand: and you shall lend to many nations, and you shall not borrow.

13 And the LORD shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath; if that you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day, to observe and to do them: 14 And you shall not go aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

David knew of God's Mercy.

Matthew 22:37

7 Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment."

Why would Israel have trouble? When traveling the Middle East, deserts and poverty are plentiful. A lot of buildings are the color of the sand. A lot of very dusty sand. Living is hard. Opportunity is scarce. When reaching Israel, since the Bronze Age when the rest of the world was dying at age 20, leaving small children behind - Israel lived. Israel lives being Kosher and King David was close to 60 years old. Having seen his children grow up and grandchildren. Israel is a Nation with Family. Family helping support education, careers, learning, help in times of danger, education in life and giving Love. Israel is a community devoted to families who love the Lord.

Why would Israel have trouble? The buildings are white and pristine. Surrounded by agriculture. Israel owns more personal computers per person than the rest of the world and holds more patents (pa-tents) per person times 3.

In Israel, the desert is blooming.

Why would Abigail make haste to be David's wife?

2 Samuel 7

7 After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’

8 “Now then, tell my servant, David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!

20 “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

22 “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.

27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing, the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

David is a Blessing Maker.  David is grateful. David remembers to Love the Lord and has Gratitude. David is a Peace Maker. David is Forgiving. David is honest. David makes Justice.

David has made the best of all of the complex and difficult aspects of Life. David expects to be Blessed, makes Blessings for others, and makes his faith a refuge.

David fully is pleased with God's ability to have more Mercy.

1 Chronicles 21

13 “I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is very great."




David is going to bring Jerusalem, for the first time to his Tribe of Judah.

And then David and Solomon are going to bring Jerusalem Terraces for easy irrigation by manageable ownership. There is so much awe and wonder in the Acts of God. Nebuchadnezzar II would come into Jerusalem and, later, be famous for his hanging gardens in a totally flat topography on the earth - for famous Gardens. Floor by floor by floor.  I would imagine David's style influenced Nebuchadnezzar II. By the Power of the Holy Spirit. David followed Phonetician architecture - borrowing servants and supplies, we could believe Nebuchadnezzar II was influenced by the Jews as he provided human rights to the slaves and the puppet king he placed in Judah.

Abba,

You are our Blessings Maker. Our Blessings Bestower. Our Blessings Revealer.

You Light mankind yesterday, today and tomorrow with Your Presence. You are the Light of Your Path and our Hope and Future.

We ask You for more Heaven on earth. For ourselves and our cares. Jesus and Your Holy Spirit living and moving with those we Love. Comforting the people You give us. Raising up a Nation Trusting in You.

You bring forth Goodness interweaving all for your Purpose and for Goodness. Your Glory.

Bless our friend to be healed from cancer.

You have given us Jesus making the Blessing of asking You for more Heaven on earth. Comfort us and Guide us. Keep us Encouraged on Your Path. Protect us from what is evil. Guide us in all Goodness. Let this earth reflect Your Glory and the fullness of Your Love.

We thank You with all our heart for Your Love.

Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

Matthew 1:2-25 ~ God with us

Matthew 1:2-25

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 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, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[f] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.


Matthew 1 seems like a typical Genealogical Tree. Start with the Beginning work your way to the recent descendants.



Now look at Luke 3. Not your typical Genealogical Tree.

Luke 3: 23-38

23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, 
was about thirty years of age, 
being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, 
which was the son of Heli,

24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,

25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,

26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,

27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,

28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,

29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,

30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,

31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,

32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,

34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,

35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,

37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,

38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.





OF COURSE this is Not Your Typical Family Tree. This is the Family of GOD Himself. Alpha and Omega. The Almighty Father!!!


We are all going to see these two family trees from different points in our lives, in our faith walks. One says one part of Scripture is Alive to us and the next something else is filled with the Light of Jesus our Christ. Son of God.


Let's compare and Contrast.

Let's Start with This: 

Jesus is God's Only Son. Our Righteousness, Our Salvation, Our One True God. Light of True Light. Merciful God.
Wonderful. Savior. Almighty God.

Matthew 1

What we expect to see in a Family Tree, the Seeds start to the Tree branches. In the Jewish community - Bar, Father then Son.

It's the way the Old Testament Family Trees are fully listed. It's Logical and Traditional.

Why would we even want to look at the framework of The Family Tree? Good Question. People ask why are the four Gospels different??? We can see what the 12 Disciples are seeing in the Amazing and Wondrous Acts of God John 21 tells us are so numerous, all the books in the world couldn't tell you and me what Jesus was doing each day. The Gospel, John tells us, is the framework of Jesus' Ministry. One day we will know all of the details in Heaven.

Matthew starts His Gospel with the Traditional. And Flings open the 12 Open Gates to God Possibilities of Jesus. The end of the Family Tree is JESUS.

What we see in the family before Jesus is this. The Vine.

John's Gospel of Jesus' Ministry Chapter 15 ~ Jesus says:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

This would tell us the Four Gospels support each other in telling us Jesus Christ.

We see conflict of life and self interest in the forebears of Jesus Christ. In fact, we could summarize the lives or the Living ancestry of Jesus listed as conflict, self interest, Love for God, need for God, listen to God and overcome the world. We could say Light did not overcome darkness. John 1.

Or we could say: Luke 8:4-15

He was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Luke supports Matthew 1.

The Living ancestry of Jesus Christ finds Ruth was very much trampled on by life. A Foreigner in a Jewish land due to poverty and starvation and death of husband and father-in-law. The birds of trouble threatened to eat up the Life of Ruth.

Perez fell on rocky ground. And sold Joseph into Slavery while telling his father Joseph had died. The family withered in the starvation drought. On Many Levels.

Jesse must have been in life among thorns to have so many sons. When Samuel showed up with God's Blessing and Favor, Jesse was going to choke out David from being seen by Samuel. David was just another son cog. And David was in good soil in his faith and began to yield a Crop for God.

This Family is the Vine a hundred times. And is the Roots of the Tree.

Colossians 2:7
Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Isaiah 11:1
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Maybe Isaiah was saying not the fathers of the Living ancestry tree of Jesus, Jesus Himself.

Luke 3

 Jesus, 

when he began his ministry, 

was about thirty years of age, 

being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph

Zechariah 4:7

he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’

he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'"

Is the Beginning of the New Covenant. Turning Fathers to Sons.
Jesus has overcome Death. Jesus Points to Life, Eternal Life.

Mark 4

30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

Luke 3 is most definitely not your typical Family Tree. The Son of God is First. Capstone.



Jesus is

Malachi 4:6
And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.

Jesus is

Luke 1:17

And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Jesus is removing utter destruction and is offering Salvation to the world. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."



Matthew and Luke see the typical framework of Jesus differently. And yet all of the Word of God supports Jesus Christ. The day Jesus sent His Disciples to get a colt for Palm Sunday - not all attended. Psalm Sunday is recorded from the path of the Disciple. Jesus sent His Disciples ahead of Him sometimes and in speaking with the Samaritan Woman - Jesus appears to arrive first. The Gospels record Jesus walked ahead of the Disciples who were in awe. The Gospels are the viewpoint of the men who walked the Path of Jesus Christ.

The lives, the stories, the Love and the Faith:

Psalm 42:4

These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

Abba,

Blessed be the Name of Jesus. The Christ of God.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—
Blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Blessed are they who call upon Jesus - their prayers are heard.

We ask for more Heaven on earth and God's Good Will.

Amen in Jesus Christ

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

Job 6 ~ God would fulfill my hope

Jacob dreams Heaven on earth. Genesis 28.

Job 6

6 Then Job answered and said:

2 “Oh that my vexation were weighed,
and all my calamity laid in the balances!
3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea;
therefore my words have been rash.
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are in me;
my spirit drinks their poison;
the terrors of God are arrayed against me.
5 Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass,
or the ox low over his fodder?
6 Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt,
or is there any taste in the juice of the mallow?
7 My appetite refuses to touch them;
they are as food that is loathsome to me.

8 “Oh that I might have my request,
and that God would fulfill my hope,
9 that it would please God to crush me,
that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!

10 This would be my comfort;
I would even exult in pain unsparing,
for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should be patient?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze?
13 Have I any help in me,
when resource is driven from me?

14 “He who withholds kindness from a friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers are treacherous as a torrent-bed,
as torrential streams that pass away,
16 which are dark with ice,
and where the snow hides itself.
17 When they melt, they disappear;
when it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The caravans turn aside from their course;
they go up into the waste and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema look,
the travelers of Sheba hope.
20 They are ashamed because they were confident;
they come there and are disappointed.
21 For you have now become nothing;
you see my calamity and are afraid.
22 Have I said, ‘Make me a gift’?
Or, ‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me’?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the adversary's hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the ruthless’?

24 “Teach me, and I will be silent;
make me understand how I have gone astray.
25 How forceful are upright words!
But what does reproof from you reprove?
26 Do you think that you can reprove words,
when the speech of a despairing man is wind?
27 You would even cast lots over the fatherless,
and bargain over your friend.

28 “But now, be pleased to look at me,
for I will not lie to your face.
29 Please turn; let no injustice be done.
Turn now; my vindication is at stake.
30 Is there any injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity?



Job lived during the same time as Jacob, who became Israel. Jacob is listed by the wealthiest Pharaoh in Egypt. Jacob is notably recorded as a placename in a list by Thutmose III (15th century BC). Plans for Thutmose III's building a temple are found in Houston's Natural History Museum. And might have been recorded by Thutmose III himself.


Jacob is called "heel". Job is seen as a heel. Jacob believes he has God's Blessing. Job does as well. Job is vexed and damned by his wife. Jacob damns Leah for stealing an idol from her father. Neither curse their wife.

Jacob feeling blessed of God doesn't have the most beautifully flowing life. And is surrounded by Goy Gentiles who really don't know God nor care much either. Jacob seeks to remedy this with having children.

Job loves his children and like Jacob suffers the death of a child. In Job's case - it's all his children.

Jacob wrestles with God's messenger. Job wrestles with God's message. Both Jacob and Job feel God's Blessing is taken and placed upon them.

Jacob is blessed by the Angel after suffering pain. And his life progresses. Job wrestles for longer and eventually because he seeks God, he finds God. Job's new children flourish. Job has daughters. Jacob has one daughter. Both men want their children to do well in the eyes of God.

All of mankind sins and falls short of the Righteousness of God. Like the woman going to find Jesus in Tyre, the Syrophoenician Woman - Jesus spoke the Word of Healing because these people are not going to depart from The Lord, our Father God.

Our God has made the story full of conflict in the Blessings. Job has been a Negative Nancy. A Downer Debbie. Like the Children of Israel in the Exodus. Perhaps to tell us God does not withdraw from the broken hearted. Perhaps for us to realize the warm welcome of the Prodigal Father for his unruly son. Conflict - something we will all look to find God's Solution. We can find our Father's Living Word to be a Light to our Path.  A Good Father does not tire of His Children. Jacob is a blessing seeker and a blessing giver. Job prys his own hands off of his plans and Trusts God in His Plans. The Father is waiting for the Prodigal Son to realize the Blessing of The Father.

Abba,

Help us to be Blessing Seekers. Blessing Finders. Blessing Givers. Bless us to see the Power of Scriptures and Your Power. To see Living Word as lighting our Path.

Give us this day to find Your Willing Blessings. Help our difficulties lead us to our diligent lives in Your Love.

May this earth have the Blessing of Heaven on earth. And let Your Children and their Children have awe and wonder in Your Works and Word.

Let the Love and Hope in our busy Lives still draw near to Your Steadfast Love. Hold our Loved Ones dear to You. Light our Paths to remain in You.

Let the Glory of Jesus' Light in mankind shine. And in the prayers across Your Good Creation. Your Good Will for our Hope and Future be to Your Glory and provide fuel to strengthen us in Jesus Christ.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

Psalm 131 ~ my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore

Psalm 131

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.


We all suffer from sleeplessness sometimes. Did Abraham? It's not recorded in the Bible. Abraham believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness.


What if we could apply Psalm 131, placing ourselves on the chest of Jesus Christ and resting in His arms.

Allowing Psalm 30 to be part of our rest in Jesus.



Psalm 30:11-12

Joy Comes with the Morning
A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!


Now if we look at the whole picture:


Psalm 30

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.

8 To you, O Lord, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!



God doesn't just give us the whipped cream and smile from the top of the Mountain. Father God shows us the conflict and the effort to find the peace and to know the Peace of God will arrive. We work to find the daily work God has given us: To Believe in the One God has sent to us to Believe.


Jesus showed us Life. An indestructible Life.

Father God,

One day we will see Jesus. We will see Your Promises. We will see all the saints living. We will according to Ephesians live with Family of Generations.

We will know all Your Truth.

Thank You Jesus, You know me. And offer salvation to me and the world. In Your Great Love.

Thank You Jesus for Your Love.

Amen.

Our God has made Breakfast on the Beach for fishermen.

Our God calms the winds and the waves.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

Acts 1 ~ through the Holy Spirit!!! + † +

Acts 1

1 In the first book,  Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went.

Behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled"

1800s  Jerusalem, very like Jerusalem at the time Jesus walked the roads.



We begin the New Testament, leaving the Gospels, and with Jesus Living and Victorious.

We find the New Testament assembles the ups and downs of family. The process, the change of seasons and even years of the Prodigal Son and His Father - their telling of Forgiveness.

Jesus is telling us about the real and true, reliable Scripture of time allowing Works of God.

And of family. The ins and the outs. Pre-teen individualism and parents honored.

The joys of Family and friends dancing, singing, having wine, making wine and vacationing around the Wedding in Cana. An amazing time for Jesus, Mary and the servants.

The goading and separation of Brothers in acclaim, envy, sibling rivalry and fame. The communications cease due to hostilities- - whole thoughts are not communicated.


Mary determines to save God Himself. She rushes in, mistakenly, with His Brothers to be sent empty away. Jesus is God. God's Family does not decrease and instead includes more, doing the Will of His Father. Like the Parables of Jesus and the Wedding Feast.

God has an open heart, open ear, open Gates of Heaven policy for all who Seek Him.

In the Beginning, God said let there be Light. And into this light came Jesus, God of God, True Light of True Light. Making mankind, male and female in His own Image. And the Father delighted in His Son. The Son delighted in the Father and found His master workmanship to be wonderful. The Holy Spirit, Father and Son delighted seeing into mankind. The Holy Spirit abided over the waters.

And God found His Creation to be good 10 times yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Jesus our Living Water.



We find God's Family does not decrease and instead includes more, delighting in the Will of our Father. Exactly explaining the Parables of Jesus and the Wedding Feast.

The Family of Mary and Joseph is flung far and in disaster, all of Israel knows, does not draw together in horrible Good Friday crisis -  only Mary and Mary wife of Clopas. John is included and the family expands again. Mary Magdalene rushes to help Jesus, even in death, the family expands again and Mary Magdalene is included as the first adopted daughter of God.

Jesus, as God, is drawing His Mother and Brothers never united before. More brothers. and, again, expanding the family to include more brothers.

"Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled"

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Abba,

We ask Your Willing Blessings.

And ask You to be alive in the Hopes and Thoughts of those of Loving Hearts, being Loved Ones.

We lift our cares to You.

You tell us to arise with You.

We lift up our loved ones to You.

You tell us all to arise with You.

We lift our Hopes, Faith and Love.

We will do as You say and Arise with You.

We lift all our concerns of culture with You.

You tell us all to arise with You.

A Blessing - when we know our soul to Jesus - when we establish our Identity in Jesus Christ we are assured. We are Established.

Father,  we stand upon the Rock of Christ.

Let's, Abba, Look at the Soul of our Culture.  Let's Establish the Identity of our Soul. 

We think of Blessings -  and have so little Good News - Good News takes us by surprise and we are skeptical

We think of Blessings Abba, we like our blessings to be honest and believable.


We think of Blessings 

I feels so blessed and have such a blessing to have our family together this weekend from near and far.

We see new Blessings - Psychology Today reports 59% of Americans find politics very upsettingly derisively divided and find the lack of moderation gravely upsetting. We see the news is watched at night by 9 million Americans instead of 320 million Americans. The Comedy Shows of Late Night and Early Morning are waning.

We see the Pew Report Proclaim in 2015 it is the end of Casual Christianity and the Dawn of Well Considered Christianity.

We read in the Pew Report Marriage, especially among minorities is up. Legitimate birth is up. The Pew Report shows 2/3rds of College Graduate marriage is unto death us do part.

We, the Beloved of God, We the People, Rejoice to see Your Wonders and Love.

Father God, Alaska had an oil spill. The Gulf of Mexico had ever conceivable worker out there to clean it up - and suddenly The Gulf of Mexico was Clean. Supernaturally. Amazingly. Immediately with Jesus Christ.

Thank You, Jesus Christ for Today. For Tomorrow. For Your Good Will. Your Hope and Future. For our friend who has cancer and we pray healing.

Jesus the Highest Name. Alleluia. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †