Psalm 103 ~ everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD †

September 11th is more than a day of National photos. More than our collective pain and memories, All of us were affected personally and as a nation.  September 11th is a time we pulled together. We can look at Memorials and Buildings and discussions, but even as a whole - we are a body of individuals. 

Each window of the World Trade Center had a someone loved with a voice, a heart, a soul.

Seeing the joy of Todd Beamer is understanding again all the unique and loved people on the airplanes and the World Trade Towers. His story is the collective for all of the brave men and women. 

Todd: Hello… Operator…listen to me…I can't speak very loud. This is an emergency. I'm a passenger on a United flight to San Francisco.. We have a situation here….Our plane has been hijacked…..can you understand me?

Lisa: (exhaling a deep breath to herself) I understand… Can the hijackers see you talking on the phone?

Todd: No

Lisa: Can you tell me how many hijackers are on the plane?

Todd: There are three that we know of.

Lisa: Can you see any weapons? What kind of weapons do they have?

Todd: Yes…. they don't have guns….they have knives they took over the plane with knives.

Lisa: Do you mean…like steak knives?

Todd: No, these are razor knives…like box cutters.

Lisa: Can you tell what country these people are from?

Todd: No…..I don't know. They sound like they're from the mid-east.

Lisa: Have they said what they want?

Todd: Someone announced from the cockpit that there was a bomb on board. He said he was the captain and to stay in our seats and stay quiet.

He said that they were meeting these men's demands and returning to the airport… It was very broken English, and… I'm telling you…it sounded fake!

Lisa: Ok sir, please give me your name.

Todd: My name is Todd Beamer.

Lisa: Ok Todd….my name is Lisa…Do you know your flight number? If you can't remember, it's on your ticket.

Todd: It's United Flight 93.

Lisa: Now Todd, can you try to tell me exactly what happened?

Todd: Two of the hijackers were sitting in first class near the cockpit. A third one was sitting near the back of the coach section. The two up. front got into the cockpit somehow; there was shouting. The third hijacker said he had a bomb. It looks like a bomb. He's got it tied to his waist with a red belt of some kind.

Lisa: So is the door to the cockpit open?

Todd: No, the hijackers shut it behind them.

Lisa: Has anyone been injured?

Todd: Yes, ..they…they killed one passenger sitting in first class. There's been lots of shouting. We don't know if the pilots are dead or alive. A flight attendant told me that the pilot and copilot had been forced from the cockpit and may have been wounded.

Lisa: Where is the 3rd hijacker now Todd?

Todd: He's near the back of the plane. They forced most of the passengers into first class. There are fourteen of us here in the back. Five are flight attendants. He hasn't noticed that I slipped into this pantry to get the phone. The guy with the bomb ordered us to sit on the floor in the rear of the plane……….oh Jesus.. Help!

Lisa: Todd….are you ok? Tell me what's happening!

Todd: Hello…..We're going down….I think we're going to crash……Wait wait a minute. No, we're leveling off….we're ok. I think we may be turning around…..That's it we changed directions. Do you hear me….we're flying east again.

Lisa: Ok Todd…. What's going on with the other passengers?

Todd: Everyone is… really scared. A few passengers with cell phones have made calls to relatives. A guy, Jeremy, was talking to his wife just before the hijacking started. She told him that hijackers had crashed two planes into the World Trade Center……Lisa is that true??

Lisa: Todd…..I have to tell you the truth…..it's very bad. The World Trade Center is gone. Both of the towers have been destroyed.

Todd: Oh God help us!

Lisa: A third plane was taken over by terrorists. It crashed into the Pentagon in Washington DC. Our country is under attack….and I'm afraid that your plane may be part of their plan.

Todd: Oh dear God. Dear God…….Lisa, will you do something for me?

Lisa: I'll try….if I can….Yes.

Todd: I want you to call my wife and my kids for me and tell them what's happened. Promise me you'll call..

Lisa: I promise I'll call.

Todd: Our home number is 201 353-1073…….You have the same name as my wife…Lisa….We've been married for 10 years. She's pregnant with our 3rd child. Tell her that I love her…….(choking up)..I'll always love her..(clearing throat) We have two boys.. David, he's 3 and Andrew, he's 1…..Tell them……(choking) tell them that their daddy loves them and that he is so proud of them. (clearing throat again) Our baby is due January 12th…..I saw an ultrasound…..it was great….we still don't know if it's a girl or a boy………Lisa?

Lisa: (barely able to speak) I'll tell them, I promise Todd.

Todd: I'm going back to the group if I can get back I will…

Lisa: Todd, leave this line open…are you still there?……

Lisa: (dials the phone..) Hello, FBI, my name is Lisa Jefferson, I'm a telephone supervisor for GTE. I need to report a terrorist hijacking of a United Airlines Flight 93….Yes, I'll hold.

Goodwin: Hello, this is Agent Goodwin.. I understand you have a hijacking situation?

Lisa: Yes sir, I've been talking with a passenger, a Todd Beamer, on Flight 93 who managed to get to an air phone unnoticed.

Goodwin: Where did this flight originate, and what was its destination?

Lisa: The flight left Newark New Jersey at 8 A.M. departing for San Francisco. The hijackers took over the plane shortly after takeoff, and several minutes later the plane changed course it is now flying east.

Goodwin: Ms. Jefferson…I need to talk to someone aboard that plane. Can you get me thru to the plane's phone?

Lisa: I still have that line open sir, I can patch you through on a conference call…hold a mo…..

Todd: Hello Lisa, Lisa are you there?

Lisa: Yes, I'm here. Todd, I made a call to the FBI, Agent Goodwin is on the line and will be talking to you as well.

Todd: The others all know that this isn't your normal hijacking. Jeremy called his wife again on his cell phone. She told him more about the World Trade Center and all.

Goodwin: Hello Todd. This is Agent Goodwin with the FBI. We have been monitoring your flight. Your plane is on a course for Washington, DC. These terrorists sent two planes into the World Trade Center and one plane into the Pentagon. Our best guess is that they plan to fly your plane into either the White House or the United States Capitol Building.

Todd: I understand…hold on……I'll…….I'll be back..

Lisa: Mr. Goodwin, how much time do they have before they get to Washington?

Goodwin: Not long ma'am. They changed course over Cleveland; they're approaching Pittsburgh now. Washington maybe twenty minutes away.

Todd: (breathing a little heavier) The plane seems to be changing directions just a little. It's getting pretty rough up here. The plane is flying real erratic….We're not going to make it out of here. Listen to me….I want you to hear this….I have talked with the others….we have decided we would not be pawns in these hijackers' suicidal plot.

Lisa: Todd, what are you going to do?

Todd: We've hatched a plan. Four of us are going to rush the hijacker with the bomb. After we take him out, we'll break into the cockpit. A stewardess is getting some boiling water to throw on the hijackers at the controls. We'll get them….and we'll take them out. Lisa, …..will you do one last thing for me?

Lisa: Yes…What is it?

Todd: Would you pray with me?

They pray: Our Father which art in Heaven

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive our trespassers,

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory

Forever…..Amen

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…

He makes me to lie down in green pastures

He leads me beside the still waters

He restores my soul

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for His name's sake

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…..

Todd: (softer) God help me…Jesus help me….(clears throat and louder)

Are you guys ready?……..

Let's Roll……………………

Todd's daughter, born after September 11th. Morgan.

My mother's neighbors were flying this United We Stand Flag in 2016 for all the people going to work that day, caught up innocently, expecting the world to move as it does. One day telling its tale to the next. 

One of the most forlorn passages in Scriptures:

Psalm 103:16 

 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, 

and its place remembers it no more.

Like Billy Graham, the Bible, The Word of the Lord, is not going to leave us in a place of remorse and loss.

Psalm 103

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

all that is within me, bless His Holy Name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and do not forget all His kind deeds—

He who forgives all your iniquities

and heals all your diseases

Who redeems your life from the Pit

and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion,

Who satisfies you with good things,

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The LORD executes righteousness

and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known His ways to Moses,

His deeds to the people of Israel.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.

He will not always accuse us,

nor harbor His anger forever.

10He has not dealt with us according to our sins

or repaid us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,

so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass—

he blooms like a flower of the field;

when the wind passes over, it vanishes,

and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting

the loving devotion of the LORD

extends to those who fear Him,

and His righteousness to their children’s children—

to those who keep His covenant

and remember to obey His precepts.

The LORD has established His throne in heaven,

and His kingdom rules over all.

Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength

who carry out His word,

who hearken to the voice of His command.

Bless the LORD, all His hosts,

you servants who do His will.

Bless the LORD, all His works

in all places of His dominion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Amos 5:24 

Let justice roll on like a river, 

and righteousness as a mighty stream

Nasa remembered with photos of the cloud in NYC

September 11, 2001

The flag from the World Trade Center was held up high.

Again September 11, 2021, the Queen played

the Star-Spangled Banner and put a wreath down,

remembering the horror of the UK.

The French remembered by putting a flag down

at the Eiffel Tower again.

The Australians sent their damaged and resilient flag from 9 11 2001 

flying as part of the

World Trade Center

to return to be seen in unison 

against Terrorism.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Amos 5:24 

Let justice roll on like a river, 

and righteousness as a mighty stream

 Isaiah 62:1 

 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, 

for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, 

till her vindication shines out like the dawn, 

her salvation like a blazing torch.

1 John 3:19 

 This is how we know that we belong to the truth 

and 

how we set our hearts at rest in His presence

Ecclesiastes 9:17 

The quiet words of the wise 

are more to be heeded

 than the shouts of a ruler of fools.

Isaiah 18:4 

 This is what the LORD says to me: 

"I will remain quiet 

and will look on from my dwelling place,

 like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."

For Todd Beamer and all the first responders.

The Brave and Valient.

Isaiah 32:18 

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, 

in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

Revelation 22:17 

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" 

And let those who hear say, "Come!" 

Let those who are thirsty come; 

and let all who wish take the free gift of the water of life. 

Abba, Father,

When the darkness closes in, Come, Lord Jesus! 

Courage fails and hopes grow dim, Lord Jesus, come!

 Clear the shadows from our sight; 

set our troubled world aright 

Fill our eyes with radiant light. 

Lord Jesus come!

Dwell in us

and those we Love

We want to seek Your first.

Give us this day

and help us to finish well.

We rest our cares with Your Love,

We trust our Nation to You,

And ask the Blessing of Jesus Christ upon us

and

Your Good Creation.

Jesus saves the world

on earth as it is in Heaven.

Amen.

Jesus, God of Encouragement.

Jesus, Hope and Future.

Jesus the Lord

saves the world

Amen.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

Scripture for Today 

Scripture for Today Web Results  

Scripture for Today Blog

Scripture for Today Blogspot 

Scripture Today Search 

Scripture for Today Blogspot List

John 2:1-12 ~ Capernaum, with His mother and His brothers and His disciples

John 2:1-12

2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 

² Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. ³ When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹ This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

¹² After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers^{[brothers and sisters]} and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

What pleases God? When we expect Him to do something Good.

Subtitles. "This is supposed to be what you think."

We are supposed to expect the Scriptures to be living and active. We are supposed to read it like a letter written to You.

We are told for so long - "This is the meaning of this Scripture," that we fail to see the glory for ourselves.

Does it grab you yet - Mary knew Jesus. She expected something Good from him. If you were going to tell a dry story - one you made up - why would you say Jesus was henpecked by his mom to get started. The Scriptures are telling us about Jesus.

"No, Woman, it's not what Abba/Daddy would want - it doesn't look like God's work - making wine."

And "Woman" still expects Jesus to do it. So Jesus gets stuck with the embarrassment of having His first sign be wine? No. Jesus tells us later He is about Joy. And having a Feast.

Jesus' First Sign Was Making Wine at a Wedding! Jesus changed the world for women. Jesus' own mother was flawed and Jesus took time for her. Jesus is moved beyond the Plan into Life and Jesus explained in John 14-17 Joy is the Life. Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life.

Abba, Father,

Help us, in Jesus, not to be in error 

because

we ask Jesus to dwell in us.

We want to know the Scriptures 

and the power of God.

We ask to see more Heaven on earth

believing Your Will is good.

Your child speaks to Your open heart. I believe in Your Promises. We pray for the prosperity of goodness. For good hopes and faith giving us good health. Our souls' prosperity.

Dwell in us and those we Love.

Help us to seek You first

and finish well.

We commit our work, personally, to You, Father. 

Establish those who love You.

We ask for the coming years to have prosperity financially and in Spirit. That our pleasure in building our nation, our families, our Churches, our businesses delight You as well. 

We ask for life to be quiet from strife, from unneeded fears and concerns. 

 Your people will have wisdom to ask and motivate peace, kindness and love. 

Help us to manage our lives wisely, others are encouraged to do this as well.  

In practical concerns, You share housing and affordability, beauty, safety.  

And in the peace, give mercy. 

Our refuge is in You, Jesus, Light of the world and mankind. Amen.

Jesus, God of Encouragement.

Jesus, Hope and Future.

Jesus the Lord

saves the world

Amen.

Abba, Father,

In Jesus Christ, we will never give up.

Jesus, God of Encouragement.

Jesus, Hope and Future.

Jesus the Lord

saves the world

Amen.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

Scripture for Today 

Scripture for Today Web Results  

Scripture for Today Blog

Scripture for Today Blogspot 

Scripture Today Search 

Scripture for Today Blogspot List

Psalm 34 ~ Magnify the Lord with me

Psalm 34

Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

This Psalm of David is not an old age Psalm

Our lives are built even as we prepare for life. David was a mercenary about to be killed by one of the local kings. And instead, David acted as if he was a lunatic and the king promptly left.  David was a Mighty King by the time he published this to be sung, recited and prayed in the Temple of God. David, the Good Shepherd, intends His People to be wise, canny, innocent as doves, wise as snakes. The Scriptures, being real, publish and explain many things, several times.

Genesis 20 

1 Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar, 2 Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. 3 One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”

Out of Egypt, I called My Son. 

Hosea 11:1 

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 

Matthew 2:15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called My Son." 

Exodus 4:22 Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: 'Israel is My firstborn son, 

Exodus 4:23 and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!'

The Lord is Merciful and will have mercy upon who He pleases. C.S. Lewis captured this, explaining the Will of God is like Aslan. “Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”

Jesus saves King Abimelech, Jesus doesn't save Pharaoh of the Exodus. Jesus didn't meet Herod as requested and Jesus didn't go to Greece to meet the Dispersion. The Wind blows where it will.

Deuteronomy 7 

8 But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your fathers, He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments. 10 But those who hate Him He repays to their faces with destruction; He will not hesitate to repay to his face the one who hates Him.

Jesus, the crowds pressed in upon to heal and be fed. The woman who held on to His Fringe. And yet, she knew she would be honest with Jesus as to her purpose and intent. The King of Glory. The Temple Guards were sent before Good Friday to overcome Jesus. They returned simply saying they were unable. It wouldn't be normal operating procedure to do this and simply be understood by the Temple Authorities.  Jesus drove out the Money Changers, calling them thieves. 

The Royal Portico is the Royal Stoa, Money Changers. Orange Roof.

Nazareth took Jesus to the plateau, intending to stone Him and hurl Him down. They couldn't he simply walked away. 

Giving us new insight into the Word of the Lord, "Turn the other cheek."  Nothing is impossible with God the Almighty. David told us to be canny, respectful and wise when reading God's Word. Expect to find something Alive. Filled with Love and Parental Advice. 

God places the people of Scripture

in dark situations,

in corners.

And He is there.

Life is like the Prodigal Son, play, burn out, punt, remorse, return.

The real and valid nitty gritty of life. The Prodigal Son places.

And asking God to help us and finding we need Him,

Seek Him,

Find Him

and find Help. Helper. Comfort.

With God's Help and Love,

Thy Kingdom come,

Thy Will be done

on earth

as it is

in

Heaven

Ephesians 3

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 

from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 

that according to the riches of His glory 

He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit 

in your inner being

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith

—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

may have strength to comprehend with all the saints 

what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, 

that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, 

according to the power at work within us, 

to Him be glory in the church 

and

 In Christ Jesus throughout all generations, 

forever and ever. Amen.

Abba, Father,

Dwell in us

and help us to seek You first

Jesus, God of Encouragement.

Jesus, Hope and Future.

Jesus the Lord

saves the world

Amen.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

Scripture for Today 

Scripture for Today Web Results  

Scripture for Today Blog

Scripture for Today Blogspot 

Scripture Today Search 

Scripture for Today Blogspot List