2 Peter 3:5-18 ~ By the same Word

 

2 Peter 3:5-18

The Heavens existed long ago, 

and the earth was formed out of water

And through water by the Word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.

But by the same Word 

the Heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not overlook this one fact,

 Beloved,

 that with the Lord 

one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 

The Lord is not slow to fulfill His Promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, 

but that 

all 

should reach repentance. 

10 But the Day of the Lord will come

 like a thief, 

and then the Heavens will pass away with a roar, 

and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, 

and the earth 

and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, 

what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, 

because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, 

and the Heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 

But according to His Promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, Beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 

And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the Wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all His Letters when He speaks in them of these matters. 

There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, Beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Thy Will Be Done.  

There is an amazing amount of grace and peace to trust the Lord.  And in those days we live Mercy and Peace. Sometimes we are unable to grasp God's Wisdom and grapple with ignorance and are unstable, doubting like an ocean wave tossed in a storm. Unstable when in a place in our lives to ask with faith without doubting, like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

During the Great Depression, we learned as a culture when people looked a little like this, due to loss of housing, farms and their own statehood, we learned this:

The movies looked like this, and people found the coin to go to the movies, when washing clothes was a luxury due to homelessness. 

I've always been interested in the movies. The sets, the clothing, the lighting, the implications in words, gestures and the subtle references to history and Roman Empire names.  Why? I took a class on the History of Film and Filmmaking.

And what we see in film is educational or corrupting. It depends entirely how we soak our minds. I do not buy into the current trend to take our time on the computer to be taught one theory or that fiction is history and there are personalities in code.  There are lessons, in drama, we learn the opposite, from the intended teaching. 

Picking up the thread from the Great Depression, 

The astonishing fact was one secure business was Dry Cleaning, being a Cleaner.  People had to bring in their beaten down clothing and they had it cleaned for interviews.  No suffering at all in being a Dry Cleaner. Not anymore with new fabrics.  And some of the success of the Dry Cleaner Industry was paying Policemen in NYC to allow those thrown from their homes, to have all their belongings placed on the sidewalk securely by the Police, and then wait 15 minutes under their eye, to move back in to a home or apartment no one would be able to sell or rent out. And by having housing, no one owned or rented, then the economy began to heal.

This is the point I am coming to: 

The mercy of hearts heals a Nation. The earnest and sincere desire for the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ to establish hearts, marriages, jobs, education, hopes and dreams for mercy in one another.

During the prosperous and, and, and bankrupt 1980s, Greed was labeled as good. And in this status quo, we started to be very much, stiff suits and stiff lips, stiff necks and looking out for what appeared to be all that.  I loved the 1980s. Happy life. But the seeds on the ground could look pretty grim.

When God tells us 

The Day of the Lord will come

 like a thief, 

and then the Heavens will pass away with a roar, 

and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, 

and the earth 

and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

The hopes of life are dissolved. And in reality, the sky turning red, the moon falling away, mountains that fall, death stalled, people fleeing to the flattened mountains to hide, sounds like the Sun has been removed, damaged. It's fearsome. 

And this includes our own time of becoming part of eternity, personally. 

We find our faith tells us the best is yet to come.  Personally, I know the dreams I had of seeing the ones I love in Heaven, have aspects of the prophetic, that are now reality. My faith has increased as this began to occur. 

THE SCRIPTURES TELL US THE TRUTH

and GIVE US HOPE IN JESUS CHRIST

Some of this life, presently, is fearsome. Yet with bold overtures. 

Finding the real goodness in difficult times.

When History records this very unreasonable and silly era, "follow the science, unless told otherwise is ok," time of meandering around oaths, duty, physical and bodily reality. Being told our imaginations are the god of it all. When saving the climate means an incredible rise in burning and shipping and pricing coal for use in homes and industry. And an incredibly silly economy, when people have even 4 jobs for 2 parents.  This is all "improvements."

What is our silver lining?

What will History Record 

about this Unreasonable, Silly Season?

How 

will our culture 

have a remarkable History During Our Lifetimes?

It has been a long time when school meetings were packed.

And authority was taken down specifically in notches for safety, decency and oversight.

It has been a long time when strangers took the time to help one another with specific problems in their lives. Personally, with personality.

It has been a long time when the evil comments were recognized as NOT the Voice of Reason, The Voice of Truth. And We Want Lives of True Mercy and Compassion. With the Authentic Rock Steady Love and Mercy of Jesus regarding Real Life.

It has probably been since World War II when people were concerned about evil.

This resilience is our Rock of God.  His Gift. People function because they have Hope. We have Hope this is a phase, like pet rocks.  Sheer might cannot hold an entire nation captive. Never for long. The Spirit of God resides in all of us. Be Bold. Have Hope. See the Compassion. Do not accept the unacceptable. Do this with strength. Gandhi did this by saying No.  Being Brave and Confident is the Key in Christ Jesus.

It's been a long time 

since the horizon of our culture has been so observed

and so prayed over. 

The heart we have for our world and the children being born and raised. The hopes in Goodness prevailing, with our lives enfolding and upholding Goodness.

Stadiums like Billy Graham saw. We see.  Incredibly larger than any Palestinian rally of 400 people.  More than 52 male athletes participating with 35,000 professional athletic women.

The prayers of the Righteous have great weight with the Lord. It's a great thing that His Lord's Prayer asks our prayers to have sin forgiven. Forgive one another and Pray. 

Abba, Father,

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,

 guide the nations of the world 

into the way of justice and truth, 

and establish among

them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, 

that they

may become the Kingdom of our Lord 

and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

The Safety of one

who has faithfully

served this Nation.

And is Loved. 

Eternal God, 

in whose perfect Kingdom no sword is drawn

but the sword of righteousness, 

no strength known but the

strength of Love: 

So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, 

that

all peoples 

may be gathered under the banner 

of the Prince of Peace, 

as children of one Father; 

to whom be dominion 

and

glory, now and forever. 

Amen.

Dwell in us, Father,

we ask in the Highest Name of Jesus.

Dwell, fully, in those we love

Help us to seek You 

first

and we will finish well 

in Jesus Christ.

We pray 

Peace

for Israel

and Your Good Creation.

Continued Healing

and all Good Health!

Very Grateful for the help

we have received from each other

and God's Salvation.

VERY GRATEFUL

for all the help we have had.

Thank You. Jesus.

Our God is working. His Son,

Jesus is working.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

YES Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus

 

Psalm 91 ~ He is my refuge and my fortress

 

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of The Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely He will save you

from the fowler’s snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with His feathers,

and under His wings you will find refuge;

His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”

and you make the Most High your dwelling,

No harm will overtake you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For He will command His angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation.”

When the Scriptures begin in Genesis, immediately the Creation story repeats. Interesting. When the Gospels explain God's Will for the Salvation of His Good Creation, to tell to All of Creation, the events parallel or repeat.  All during Scriptures, the holy men and women have repeat events, thoughts, difficulties, miracles, praise, prayer and inspiring us to believe The Word of God.

We do this within ourselves. We have repeats. My mother pointed out to me when I was 7 or 8 years old, many people have repeat situations.  We were discussing Elizabeth Taylor being married 7 times. Elizabeth Taylor was asked to explain, probably by Merv Griffin on his intense interviews. The quote was: “I don't entirely approve of some of the things I have done, or am, or have been. But I'm me. God knows, I'm me.” And then my mother gave me a history of Hollywood cancelling themselves and careers over things we find in the American History Books. We started next with Princess Leia's, Carrie Fisher's mother, Debbie Reynolds.  (See "Postcards from the Edge")

Mother wasn't in favor of all of Elizabeth Taylor's things, but she did approve of her mercy and kindness.

My mother went on to explain people can be surrounded by cancer, or car accidents or divorces or careers that fail. All for various reasons. She included examples of close friends and family. Tragedy to overcome.

My Children's Classic Literature, Professor at Texas A&M University, believed this is indeed a lifelong pattern of life. And she required we begin each class telling of ourselves, this week. Usually, people would come up with something irksome thing.  It was a planned and intense trap from a woman who was assertive and combative to hide a merciful personality. Her next position would be, leaning forward to her knee, to glare, take off glasses and ask, "What are you going to do about this, today?" Plan to replan. And the possible solutions were opened to the college class of about 35 adults, to critic.  We were further informed this class of hers was a favorite of returning alumni, the solutions of replanning would benefit our entire lives. I do tend to think of her class more than others, definitely.

As a Christian, we know situations aren't always in our control.  The good Professor would say, if it is beyond your control, learn to swim with the current and when to stand your ground. 

Screaming at the News is not the usual, regular news.

We screamed at our house in Dallas when Kennedy died.  When the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. When the Vietnam War ended and Watergate became serious. Victorious, Reagan got the prisoners out of Iran.  The Call to Tear Down This Wall. When Bill Clinton proposed, older people should have their Social Security. And my mother quit being Sarah Palin and became anti-Israel. 

Three times in life, the news stories have brought my family to Literally Screaming. 

I went to the 500th Anniversary Ball for Monte Carlo and went with my Au Pair, who part-time worked for Princess Grace, we sat with the Princess and Prince Albert.  And spoke with Princess Grace all the long, long evening. I made the AP wire. French phones rang from America.

Then Mother and I went with our friend Sally on one of our frequent trips to Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls. We stood forever next to the American Falls, remarking we could reach out, touch the Falls and be pulled over and die. Or break fingers.  Saturday morning, I woke up to my mother SCREAMING, the cement, 15 x 15 area, enclosed right up there with the American Falls had fallen, in the night, into the Falls. Erosion had been at work, none of the Civil Engineers had been aware of. Niagara Falls viewing was now closed for months to determine the safety of viewing the Falls. Canadian Falls would be closed that week to determine if the Canadian side was safe from erosion. We had stood there for about an hour, it was a slow tourism day, about 1 pm.

One Friday Evening in 1992, I'd returned a Blockbuster Video to Mockingbird and Central Expressway. I'd felt nervous and began to pray for a safe place to park. In fact, as I arrived, the parking space in front of Blockbuster Video's doors opened up. I pulled in and quickly did the return and hurried home. About 8:30 pm. They closed at 9 pm. And Saturday's headlines were a murder at the Bookstore next door of a Nurse. Who had gone to buy a book on the way home from Baylor Downtown's large Hospital.  She was my age. Her murderer was apprehended because he murdered her, carjacked her vehicle and rode around Dallas with her blood coating the inside windows. Her body was found later, while he was in county prison, in the Trinity River.

Another 4th would be, the Friday evening in October 1985, I had been working for Club Corp and returning from LAX Airport to Dallas.  That 1985, year, had been the worst in recent decades for air traffic accidents.  Texas was experiencing wind shear events. We were flying in and found out the storm had killed 280 people on the runway at DFW. Their airplane had been beating the storm, and before the rain came in, wind shear, literally, threw the plane down 260 feet on a huge tank within 40 feet of the DFW highway and 40 feet from the runway. In sunny skies, with wind and storm approaching. They thought, all of them, they were beating the storm.

October 1985, we were using that same runway. The very first plane to use the runway, within an hour of the wreckage, that was profound.  Due to wind, we had to use the runway because it was clear, barely, of the wreckage.  It would take almost 4 months to clean the sight. In front of the Highway and the runway during those months.

The last week, we were in Hawaii, viewing cliffs from the top of 3,400 heights.  They were large patios, enclosed by metal, heavy fences. At one point, a woman tripped on a small staircase and there was screaming.  The screaming really caught my attention. My first point to look for was the exit. I took my photos and proceeded back to the parking lot. Watching parent coax young children to the metal, heavy fences. Time to go home.

We started to the airplane. Unfortunately, we had chosen to have another day and were traveling after midnight, and due to time change, to be awake all night flying.  News came of President Trump's verdict. 34 counts. Of many injustices. 

And we arrived at midnight at LAX. Waited a few hours and boarded to home. As we got to Texas, a storm had come up. No problem, we would simply beat the storm and fly into the airport.  Good, that would work. And as we descended, we were informed IAH had shut down incoming and exiting aircraft due to heavy wind shear. Suddenly, we were up and circling Houston. Not such a great view to see such a storm with 75 mph winds. I began to think we needed to land, "elsewhere." Really.  I planned Lake Charles. Good. Baton Rouge. Good.  And we were moving ON. And in fact, landed in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Wow. I like Shreveport and I can tell you it is amazingly verdant with large trees. Many, many, many large trees. Very, very green. Lovely. Lovely. Lovely. Beautiful!

Life does make us face circumstances and events. And we are, eventually, better for the experiences.  We learn to feel secure and joyful.  To pray faster. Hopefully with more faith, assurance and please Jesus Christ. 

The one thing this Nation has had is honesty. We all hope this will begin to reassert this in our lives. Nationally. Financially. Socially. In News Facts in stories. Without bull.

This is a praying, believing Nation. I do not see how the National fabric can successfully change to bizarre fiction instead of rationality.  We are the People who are stubborn and hardworking, with a long history of determination in God, family and faith.

Keep Praying. God is there. 

Comforting to see many quote the Scripture upon their heart, mind and hopes. Expectations. Activism is showing.

Abba, Father,

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,

 guide the nations of the world 

into the way of justice and truth, 

and establish among

them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, 

that they

may become the Kingdom of our Lord 

and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

The Safety of one

who has faithfully

served this Nation.

And is Loved. 

Eternal God, 

in whose perfect Kingdom no sword is drawn

but the sword of righteousness, 

no strength known but the

strength of Love: 

So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, 

that

all peoples 

may be gathered under the banner 

of the Prince of Peace, 

as children of one Father; 

to whom be dominion 

and

glory, now and forever. 

Amen.

Dwell in us, Father,

we ask in the Highest Name of Jesus.

Dwell, fully, in those we love

Help us to seek You 

first

and we will finish well 

in Jesus Christ.

We pray 

Peace

for Israel

and Your Good Creation.

Continued Healing

and all Good Health!

Very Grateful for the help

we have received from each other

and God's Salvation.

VERY GRATEFUL

for all the help we have had.

Thank You. Jesus.

Our God is working. His Son,

Jesus is working.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

YES Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus

 

Romans 12:15,16 ~ Live

Romans 12:15,16

Rejoice with those who rejoice, 

weep with those who weep. 

Live in harmony with one another.

Yes, a Gorgeous Cake brought as a GIFT!

Don't we love God coincidences! 

When I heard, Terrain's song, "Honestly, We Just Need Jesus", I rarely watch the news on Saturday Morning, but the news, the national broadcast news, was featuring Terrain. I loved the song. Made my morning. 

Today, I got in the car, we had 3 missing pieces of luggage, and I was at peace. Things will find a way. This song, I'd lost, was on the Radio. Such a good feeling. A connection.

And as we had coffee, a family was having a Graduation Party, for many friends and family, at the Restaurant across the street. Grandmother, grandchild. Pleased Mom, pretty obviously a single mom. A Child Grown, to be proud of.  The excitement of the Child. The aunt or mom's friend bringing more balloons than she could almost carry, these exact balloons. The cousin trying to disco into the party. The friends with the disco girl. The comment. Laugh.  The expectation of Life, Blessings!

The party staggered in small groups. The expectation of the different generations, the joy in the party, the event, the hope. Wow.

Don't we love God coincidences!

The official version of the song blends with the photos as if they were picked to go TOGETHER!!! GOD gives us Jesus Christ!

In our gift shop free world, free graduation loan promises from the sharks who made education unaffordable. No relief really coming, when those who paid their debts would choke out, out the sharks.  Elbows out world. Came home to watch a movie at night and it's historical fiction.  But actually captured the human ennui, coldness and Comments that created our Continent, The New World. Elbows out, score some drama or pain and gain nothing. Make sure people hurt. And then don't feel better. It's as if ... we are in the ugliest teenager stage of life, extreme culture.  So cool. Cold enough to create a pandemic with a Cold Virus.

But not today! 

Today, there was a party with all generations. And true Joy.

The verse is from:

Romans 12. 

The Strength in this Major and Joyful Chapter in the Scriptures is as strong as a mountain is.  Take a quiet minute to read Romans 12, the Mountain is built with such God Joy in Roman's 12.

Honestly, I think we just Need JESUS!

And Honesty, The Willing and Good News Plan of God Himself Will Prevail. We need to do our part making life a Light that Shines.

Abba, Father,

From the rising of the sun to its setting, 

the name of the Lord is to be Praised!

 Because of the tender mercy of our God, 

whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give Light 

to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, 

to guide our feet

 into 

the way of peace. 

We pray for Peace

as a Nation

and as the world 

recovers from the upheaval, upheaval of

all this mess 

all over the news.

We pray for Peace

Victory over the warmonger

and the vengeful.

We'd like to see

Peace again in the Middle East

and for Ukraine

at the Border of the USA.

For Taiwan.

The Post will pray for the return of lost luggage,

2 found and 1 to go.

Thank God, Better Now.

We pray for the

Blessings

of

Goodness

in our

Children's future!

In the Highest Name of Jesus

we ask His Help.

Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus