Matthew 11:29-30 ~ rest for your souls

Matthew 11:29-30

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; 

for I am gentle 

and humble in heart, 

and you 

will find rest for your souls.  

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Not many of the radio Christian Broadcasts, KSBJ in Houston among them, report Christians today feel life is easy or the burden light.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 11 about John the Baptist suffering violence. And He expands on this to say the Kingdom of Heaven is often seized by violence.  People don't even need a reason for violence, Jesus says wisdom is justified by its deeds. The Old Testament says cities can go down together and Jesus speaks of unrepentant cities going down to Hades. And then the last verse is Matthew 11:29-30.

What if we could look in hindsight at some lives? We might see that Jesus has truly done the hard work, His Salvation and gift to us. And His burden, He places on us is light.  God working in you both to will and to work, for His Good Pleasure.

Bishop Sam Hulsey was a great friend to my mother-in-law and he was a minister to all he met. A very dear man, a beautiful Christian.

Job 38:7

While the morning stars sang together 

and 

all the angels 

shouted for joy

Bishop Sam was a friend of our family and was a joyous part of celebrations and present and timely help when my father-in-law was eulogized - 2005 -pictured that very day fishing the shining water of Heaven. Bishop Sam sent me a 3 page handwritten note when our Infant Daughter Isabelle went to be with the Lord on the day she was born in 2008.

2011,When Edward's cousin Andrew married Sarah, Bishop Sam picked out the most beautiful Scripture. I was filled with the majesty of the Scripture, the vows of love and will always remember their wedding in the blazing and beautiful Sunset of Texas as Bishop Sam read God's Word.

Job 27

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. Till I die I will not put away mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Job 38

Who laid its cornerstone,

7 when the morning stars sang together

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors

when it burst out from the womb,

9 when I made clouds its garment

and thick darkness its swaddling band,

and prescribed limits for it

and set bars and doors,

and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther

Psalm 19

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.

I asked Bishop Sam the day of the wedding, we both wept at the Words of God a little, why so many parts of the Bible have beauty and then anger. The shortened version of his answer was: "Jesus arrives in our hearts and takes the wrath of God away. And the Words remaining tell of our Salvation, what we did not face in God in condemnation."

I repeated, "God's Face."

Bishop Sam replied, "The Lord lifts His countenance upon me. And you." Bishop Sam's wisdom, as he held both my hands, continued, saying, we all face anger in people around us and the Triumph is from God. And then Bishop Sam was very matter-of-fact-about-people. And we smiled.

Job 19:25

I know that my Redeemer lives, 

and that in the end 

He will stand on the earth.

One of my most favorite people was my cousin Maxine. For 12 years, I was her guardian through the State of Texas. In my youth, I loved to visit Maxine, who lived near us, to pour over her comic strip books with her. Or walk with her in their garden to find vegetables or the hill of their front yard, and we would find treasures of nature. And to later bring my children to sip Coca-Cola out of a bottle. Maxine would go on to have 23 strokes.  

Maxine with my mother

The one puzzle about Maxine was her zip lips after she said there is no Heaven. No God made earth and a mythical Heaven.  She would announce this was the end of the discussion. I'd point out all of the people we were related to, Maxine would even go back to her grandmother, Melissa, who was my great-great-grandmother. And I'd ask her if she thought they were foolish or uninformed people. No, she would agree, they were wise and good. And I'd ask her if they Believed Jesus as God and Heaven as His Kingdom, what would they be to Believe in Him? Zip went the lips.

And one day she was in the Hospital, at age 83, and I asked her if she was going home to live with a Judge appointed companion or if she was going to Assisted Living.  She was, of course, furious, but I pointed out this was the State of Texas, and we were going to do what she requested.  Maxine decided on Assisted Memory Loss Living.  She would stay for 12 years. 

12 years of Memory Loss Assisted Living would seem like a tragedy. One day, she told me they had radiators in her home and a huge fireplace, but she couldn't remember being this warm or this cool, in Dallas. Our family typically lives to 94 and Maxine did just that. 

Maxine's husband, JT Price, directed the TV shows for Lassie and the Lone Ranger. Under Jack Wrather Production. They lived for 3 decades in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. And they loved the Lobby. Meet and Greet.  One of the things Maxine loved about the Assisted Living, was sitting in, "The Lobby."

When she died, at age 94, I went to the funeral home and realized her coffin was the white French furniture of her youth. She was going to rest forever.  Then, I was meeting all the family left at Kessler Park Methodist. And several people wept, of course I did as well.  And the Minister asked us about Maxine's soul. We all had to confess to her unbelief. And the Minister asked if we had seen any sign at the time of passing. I said, yes today, I did. Her coffin she had picked out is the same furniture of her youth and young woman years, she kept in pristine, condition since 1917. And I wondered why the strokes had ended Maxine's speech. Why, she was mute for about six years. What was God thinking.

And the Sermon for her passing was, The Spirit Hovered over the Waters of Creation. Genesis. The Lord was giving Maxine time.  And we believe that Jesus was reaching out to the woman who had seen some of life's hardships.  Giving her the time to understand in His Creation, His Spirit hovered over the waters. And in her closing years, His Spirit was doing a work we will only see, after our years of loving her and our prayers.  It was a very honest and touching Funeral. For the woman who had given harbor to family in need over the years. Hospital stays where children had a loving home to care for them during their parents being at work or in the hospital. Maxine definitely remembered, during her years there, the wonderful love she had for JT. 

For the casual observer, this might seem a small thing, but to be able to put such a person to rest, and to feel this Blessed Assurance of Jesus Christ as the Way to Salvation - this was mighty to us. 

My father-in-law had encountered the Lord's voice to him.  Twice. Once, when his grandmother insisted he go to confirmation to find Jesus.  Certainly, because his grandmother was going to Heaven, and she couldn't do without him in Heaven. And she asked him with anticipation and expectation, he would find Jesus is God. His Lord and Savior. He did after a few weeks. Sincerely.   Then one fishing trip, he heard to go to the family member in the Hospital immediately! Acted upon, this, saved someone from a permanent injury to a leg. Went to the Hospital and saved a leg. Not someone given to the wisps and whirls of flights of fancy.  A man who considered his dignity to be a Gift of God.  He left his Church over the policy of Divorce.  And he had some years of major illness. This was a man who rarely spoke of his faith. He held faith to be what he had encountered. God could speak for Himself and if you've heard the Voice of God, no one would turn from Him.

And his illness kept him home for at least 6 years.  This wasn't too terrible, God had provided him with a porch to a State Park.  And he was sound and strong in personality and mind. As he knew he was dying, he found himself hours away from our family. He phoned one of his children, they were at work, and as he died, he spent 30 minutes explaining to the answering machine. God. His Love. Seeing Heaven open for himself. And the real reality of Hell. Asking him to always do and reach for The Lord.

Consider the method, Jesus Christ reached this man. By Word. And the man acted immediately upon this Word. This strong man reached the conclusion God would Speak for Himself. And when prompted to speak - this wonderful man - Spoke. 

This is someone who will meet Jesus and will be able to hear, "Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant."

God preparing us all for His Good Work with His Gifts.

We have a departed family man, who loved lavishly. Married briefly in his long 94-year life. And worked very hard and was recognized in his community as having reached the top of his profession. With the abundance of life.  He had a 50-year-long secretary, a 40-year-long driver, a full-time gardener who worked for him for decades. A live-in maid who stayed for a decade or more. Many people thought he yelled far too much. Could go purple in the face. 

People at times whispered about his lifestyle or asked his family point-blank rude questions.

And we would answer as he would direct us to say.  His life was not the grounds for a political war of opinions.  His life was directed as he felt led to go.  Love. Give Love.  His Santa was black because he was the 40-year-long driver. The children never noticed. His gifts would be treasured for a lifetime. 

For one family member, he decorated their entire household while they were on their honeymoon. Perfectly. For others, he would stop by and enhance life. In fact, this kind man was known to welcome this 16-year-old girl, by opening his arms and welcoming us to the rest of his life. When we married, he was asking me what gifts we had received. I told him my grandmother had given me all her household and moved in with my father. So he gave us all he could think of. He was known to help plan the best Christenings we had ever known for small infants.  His life didn't give him children, and so he had 50.  

His Easter and His Christmas were for 50 family members, who felt that Heaven had opened for the day. 

And he lived for 94 long, loved, wonderful years.  And during his 94th year, he had heart failure and was in ICU for a week. As we visited him, he told us about seeing Heaven. And it turns out Heaven has parties like our loved one plans.  The food is glorious, the sky matches, and everyone wears white.  Except his sister Florence, who needs to change for the meal.  And as we would enter his room, he would ask, "Was your flight to Hawaii easy? Because he didn't remember even getting on the plane." "Do you see the color of the flowers. In fact, the color of everything, he had never seen Hawaii look this good." For the entire week, we heard about the glories of this party.

Said the night wind to the little lamb:

"Do you see what I see?

Way up in the sky, little lamb

Do you see what I see?

Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, Jesus Christ is Lord.

Abba, Father,

Our Abba,

You, our Father God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 

19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, 

a hope 

that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 

where Jesus 

has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, 

having become a High Priest 

forever. 

Hebrews 6.

Isaiah 40:9

Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, 

Herald of good news. 

Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, 

Herald of good news. 

Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, 

"Here is your God!"

Isaiah 25:9
And in that day it will be said, "Surely this is our God; 

we have waited for Him, 

and He has saved us!

 This is the LORD 

for Whom we have waited. 

Let us rejoice 

and 

be glad in His salvation."

To know the Scriptures, To know the Power of God.

 Thank You.

To Pray with Jesus. To ask You, Father God.

 May the God of hope fill us all, everyone, 

with all joy and peace in believing, 

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit 

we may abound in hope.

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well, in Jesus Christ. 

Help us find and bring

to become

 more Heaven

to this earth.

The Lord,

The Almighty,

Our Father,

Bless,

Save,

Secure

and Uphold

those who had no

Christmas in

Israel.

And Ukraine.

Those here with us.

We know:

Our God is working. His Son, 

Jesus is working.

In Jesus,

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus

Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3 ~ The Lord visited

Genesis 15:1-6

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 

2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 

4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 

5 And He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.”

 Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 

6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 21:1-3

21 The Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.

To believe the Lord. And to live each day as He has said, in faith.

Abba, Father,

 May the God of hope fill us all, everyone, 

with all joy and peace in believing, 

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit 

we may abound in hope.

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well, in Jesus Christ. 

Help us find and bring

to become

 more Heaven

to this earth.

The Lord,

The Almighty,

Our Father,

Bless,

Save,

Secure

and Uphold

those who had no

Christmas in

Israel.

And Ukraine.

Those here with us.

We know:

Our God is working. His Son, 

Jesus is working.

In Jesus,

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus

Psalm 30 ~ You have brought up my soul

 

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

I was listening today to someone who doesn't want elaborate Christmases. They feel, seeing all the joy of others, requires a response they wish didn't have to be required.  Like a shaken lava lamp, to be required to be identical to the responses.  And wish a simple gift to be appreciated, would be the full total of the day. One gift. 

Some details, wishing for the day to be plain and simple, don't appeal to me. And yet, some Churches love to make Christmas unadorned.  We know of a Church that asks no one ever say, “Happy Easter.” We all have an opinion. Christmas has brought out many responses in seasons of History. 

Scripture is living and active. Helping all the gifts to be nourished. Building up the Body of Christ in His many varieties of Gifts. 

1 Corinthians 12:4 

There are different kinds of gifts, 

but the same Spirit distributes them.

Scripture is Living and Active. We can find in the Scriptures of the Birth of Jesus Christ, we could celebrate as largely as the number of Heavenly Hosts to proclaim to the kindly Shepherds. 

We could look at the hardship of an unwed mother, not surrounded by family, in risky birth and travel. Christmas could celebrate only the basics the stable offers. We could focus on only the prophetic. And miss the courage and determination to love a mere infant. We could focus on the hardships and miss the warmth of Joseph staying with his new family. To see the want, we would miss the Shepherds coming to give assurances all the visitations were a solid fact. We could say this was isolation and miss the unwed mother and rather well-known father are welcomed in The Temple.

Psalm 30

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the Temple.

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.

Nazareth lived as the Jews lived. If a family had been in one area, each generation added on to the house and lived with family. Mary lived with her family and was betrothed to the Line of David. She could anticipate a life of hard work - but this was an advantageous match.

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!

Nazareth

… Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1: 21

… His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Might God,
… The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

… God hath made that same Jesus… both Lord & Christ Acts 2:36

… Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world! John 1:29

…they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, the song of The Lamb Revelation 15:3


… Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Revelation 5:5


..and the Bright & Morning Star Revelation 22:16


..and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life 1 John 1:1


…we have and advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ The Righteous 1 John 2:1


…whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us. Luke 1:78


… Before Abraham, I Am. John 8:58


… And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1: 34

…are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25


… We have found the Messiah which, is being interpreted, the Christ. John 1:41


… I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6


…through the knowledge of the Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 2: 20

..a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:16

… I am the Light of the World. John 8:12

… The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world… John 1:9

… I am Alpha & Omega the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come

The Almighty Revelation 1:8

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Abba, Father,

 May the God of hope fill us all, everyone, 

with all joy and peace in believing, 

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit 

we may abound in hope.

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well, in Jesus Christ. 

Help us find and bring

to become

 more Heaven

to this earth.

The Lord,

The Almighty,

Our Father,

Bless,

Save,

Secure

and Uphold

those who had no

Christmas in

Israel.

And Ukraine.

Those here with us.

We know:

Our God is working. His Son, 

Jesus is working.

In Jesus,

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus