Psalm 16 ~ I bless the Lord

Psalm 16

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.

11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.


Today was going to be a difficult day, months have built up to it. This is the anniversary of Isabelle’s day. My husband & I were so pleased and excited to be expecting a daughter after 22 years of marriage and 2 loved, wonderful teenage boys. But the Lord had other plans and a year ago today, our daughter was born at 33 weeks & she was stillborn.

A year ago, in the hospital, after the visiting friends left, I was alone to contemplate my daughter's death. I thought of the grief I’ve experienced in my life and almost all of it was a life experience everyone has at time or another, or a human choice. This was the first time I’d experienced a disappointment I could say was something the Lord had in His Book of Life. I was hurt with Him. I wondered where to go to receive comfort and the phrase floated to me “I have no good apart from You”. True, but how to do this? I wept to Him, I let Him know.

The first night home, it was going to be hard to rest, gently the Lord seemed to say to me, “Put your head on the pillow and rest, I will hold your sorrow tonight.” The pillow never seemed softer and more welcoming, I slept and rested well.

I sat last night to write a letter to Isabelle, with a prayer the Lord would read to her what He’d like her to know from her mother. It was 6 pages and after a year, what I knew to be grateful for in logical sequence, or thought, was real gratitude. Part of the gratitude is profound that Isabelle is placed in with the saints whom God delights in. He holds the life of Isabelle, she is in a beautiful place Jesus called Paradise. Isabelle has already inherited the Kingdom of God and she is part of my inheritance there. I believe it; she and I dwell securely knowing it. We are both on the path of life & we will set the Lord before us.



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Luke 3:15-22 ~ praying and the heavens opened

Luke 3:15-22

As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Yesterday’s photo was Jesus’s joy doing His Father’s will. Today, Jesus was doing His Father’s will and praying – the heavens opened.

We are always invited to do as Jesus; when we pray, we can know and expect the heavens open and the Holy Spirit hears. Father God wants us to tell Him of our deepest desires - He wants us to trust & believe He answers and does what is good. This has been a troubled year: people worry about fallen finances, faltering businesses, insecure jobs, unrest and government trust issues, direction of churches, magazines announce discernible faith loss in our country and we lost our daughter almost a year ago. So much uncertainty affects families in their marriages. Families with teenagers and adult children - sometimes are met with more emotional work than family joy. Within all of the turmoil, people of faith are still hopeful. We pray and know the heavens open and God is pleased.

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Psalm 97~ worshipers of images are put to shame

Psalm 97

[1] The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice;
let the many coast lands be glad!
[2] Clouds and thick darkness are round about him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
[3] Fire goes before him,
and burns up his adversaries round about.
[4] His lightnings lighten the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
[5] The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.
[6] The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
and all the peoples behold his glory.
[7] All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
all gods bow down before him.
[8] Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of thy judgments, O God.
[9] For thou, O LORD, art most high over all the earth;
thou art exalted far above all gods.
[10] The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
[11] Light dawns for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
[12] Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!

~ worshipers of images are put to shame

The word of the Lord is living and active, so today I am broadening the text to encompass new meanings. One of the statistics we learned in a youth ministry conference is 7th graders brag to each other of drugs, sex and other things parents wouldn’t wish for their children. The statistic says 75% of what they say is untrue. Junior High Schoolers are trying on images for their friends, for feedback. Unfortunately this false bragging can lead to bad behaviour by pretending it is fact already. Just as we are told to visualize success for positive achievement, negative imaging works successfully as well.

The Second Commandment of Exodus 20 is:
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Rick Warren says in the Foreword of “The Relationship Principals of Jesus”,
When we make temporal values our #1 goal is in life: happiness, success, wealth, comfort, fame, fun, respect; we will unconsciously base all of choices upon that.

Jesus summarized the commandments and says by loving the Lord first and extending that love to His people: carved idols, money, happiness, popularity, alcohol/substance abuse, party spirit & fame as the most important choice fall away.

Mark 12:28-31
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Loving my neighbor as myself is not my strong point, but perhaps the first step is to make that my goal and pray about God giving me discernment, ability and purpose to visualize Jesus’ response. With Father God's grace, I won't fall into my self-justified pattern of selfishness. I agree with Rick Warren when he says just pulling up my boot straps and "come on everybody let's love one another right now" won't work. We need a Savior and that is Jesus Christ.


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2 Kings 1:2-17 ~ do not be afraid

2 Kings 1:2-17


2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah went.

5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the Lord, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite."

9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!’” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’”

17 So he died according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son.

~ 15 Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Corinthians 1:24-31
but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

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1 Timothy 3:14-16 ~ believed in throughout the world

1 Timothy 3:14-16

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great:

He was revealed in flesh,
vindicated in spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory

~He was revealed in the flesh

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

~vindicated in the spirit

John 1:-17
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

~seen by angels

Luke 2:8-14
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

~proclaimed among Gentiles

Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

~believed in throughout the world

Revelation 21:22-27

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

~ taken up in glory

Revelation 21:1-4

Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."


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Psalm 126 ~ our mouths were filled with laughter

Psalm 126

English Standard Version, Max McLean Audio Bible

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

Shouts of joy will be required!


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Psalm 101 ~ when will

Psalm 101

1 I will sing of your love and justice;

to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.

2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life—

when will you come to me?

I will walk in my house

with blameless heart.

3 I will set before my eyes

no vile thing.

The deeds of faithless men I hate;

they will not cling to me.

4 Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;

I will have nothing to do with evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret,

him will I put to silence;

whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,

him will I not endure.

6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,

that they may dwell with me;

he whose walk is blameless

will minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit

will dwell in my house;

no one who speaks falsely

will stand in my presence.

8 Every morning I will put to silence

all the wicked in the land;

I will cut off every evildoer

from the city of the LORD

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Psalm 98 ~ He has done marvelous things

Psalm 98

1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.

2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!

8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together

9 before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

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1 Timothy 5:17-25 ~ sin

Jesus in the Synagogue at Nazareth by Greg Olson

1 Timothy 5:17-25

17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

18 For the Scripture says, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages."

19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.


21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.

22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.

23 No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

24 The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.

25 Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and
those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.


~ 24 The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after.

Who is good?

Matthew 19:17
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

Jesus had to deal with questionable leaders, one of the Jewish ruling council came to Him at night to find out more. Not many people want to deal with a leader, a ruling council, who doesn't know how to make an appropriate leadership decision and sneaks in the back door, so to speak, unnoticed by the crowds. But Jesus said:

Matthew 5:44
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

At the same time, the bible doesn't show Jesus went out of His way to find Nicodemus and keep explaining to Nicodemus. Jesus wasn't too hasty about laying hands on Nicodemus. Of course, Jesus (being fully human and fully divine) knew Nicodemus' heart, but this is an appropriate example of Jesus not glad handing Nicodemus' desire to please everyone publicly.

Jesus made himself easily and publicly available as He said in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus did not publicly condone Nicodemus for coming to find out more. But Jesus didn't announce publicly to the many people following Jesus that Nicodemus was a sneaky political leader catering to his own desire for truth without announcing it was worth finding out.

Jesus said:
John 7:24 "Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."

Jesus could have spent His time with Nicodemus clucking over Nicodemus like a partial grandparent, but He told him something similar to:

Luke 13:4-7

4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?

Jesus didn't waste His time condoning all of Nicodemus' behaviour, He said:

John 3:10
Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

We make a mistake when we don't recognize Jesus wants all of us to grow in Him. He loves us and He speaks truthfully. Because Jesus met Nicodemus and gave Nicodemus His truthful love, Nicodemus was able to grow and speak publicly for Jesus. Nicodemus was the only one to ask for the ruling council to give justice to Jesus. Nicodemus grew sufficiently to be able to annoint and prepare Jesus for burial when there would be no praise or public thanks.

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Matthew 22 ~ the greatest commandment in the Law

Matthew 22

1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

4 "Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

5 "But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8 "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

13 "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
14 "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
21 "Caesar's," they replied.

Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 "Teacher," they said, "Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh.

27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?"

29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " '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. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"

"The son of David," they replied.

43 He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, 44 " 'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet." '

45 If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

When we read Jesus says the greatest of the commandments is Love - loving the Lord with all our hearts, soul and mind; love our neighbor as ourselves. It brings an awareness to me that I will see glimpses of this in myself, but it isn't within me to be loving all the time. Jesus brings us this gift to know it isn't all about the rules, it is the message of love. Why set this standard of unselfishness? Because it is God's example.

He says 1 John 4: 19
We love because he first loved us.


Romans 8 (The Message)
1-2 With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

Father God doesn't ever ask us to save ourselves by being good enough, He offers to love us and fill us with His Love.

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Communication is important. This last week was a difficult week for our family. My mother had foot surgery to correct a failed bunion foot surgery from 8 years ago; we had planned a 2 week recovery. As we were told her surgery was complete, the phone rang and our 20 year old son was being quarantined out of Southwestern University for Influenza A, possible Swine Flu.

Where to go, how to divide up the family? A fast decision was needed. The well part of the family came home with my mother in a borrowed Yukon with a bed in the back, wheelchair, walker and a mountain of supplies. My husband drove to Austin and picked up our son and drove back to Dallas to stay in my mother's house - cut off from his work. His mother brought them supplies, now my husband (who was well) was quarantined as well.

The next day a family member, my husband's Uncle Paul, died and condolences had to be done by phone.

We've been blessed by many prayers and the week gradually sorted itself out. My mother recovered extremely quickly and was out of her wheelchair and into a walker by Thursday. Minimal pain. My son's fever was gone by Thursday and they returned home to less strict quarantine upstairs. No one was else has been sick.

Scripture for Today is very important to me. Sometimes work, family, friends, occasions, technology and necessity make it very difficult, but how I love to do Scripture for Today and look forward to the next one.

Blessings to you!

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1 Corinthians 15:29-58 ~ as for us

1 Corinthians 15:29-58

29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,

"Let us eat and drink,for tomorrow we die.”

33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

35 But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."

55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
 

~ 29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?


What does that mean for us today?

In the 4th century, the Catholic church outlawed baptism for the dead by proxy. It can be
used to be offensive to non-christians believers. There are numerous interpretations on baptism for the dead mentioned in this passage. The explanation I understand the best about this passage is one explained to me years ago; it’s also the explanation the articles I researched, on early Christian baptism for the dead, uphold as the most feasible. When Christ was raised into His Kingdom, the faithful were resurrected by the power of His Holy Spirit. Paul and the early Christians were witnesses to many amazing miracles and phenomenal conversions, these people were the first generation to realize salvation comes from Jesus Christ. Some of these people would have had children, parents and loved ones who died before Jesus was known to them.

It would have brought comfort to the faithful to bring Jesus to their loved ones, feeling they had
given them the most important gift of all. How is that important for us today? Last year on
September 23, 2008 our daughter Isabelle was born at 33 weeks and she was stillborn. It was
so comforting to be part of bringing Isabelle to Jesus. Of course, Jesus would reach out to tiny baby Isabelle without us or if baptism had not been possible. But this is the comfort of baptism
Paul speaks of; not baptism of strangers, not strange dark ritual, not condemnation baptism, but
the joy and comfort of knowing the promises of The Almighty, Most Magnificent come to the tiniest and most frail of us all. This is a beautiful passage full of love!

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

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1 Thessalonians Chapter 4:1-8 ~ gave you through the Lord Jesus

Rylands Papyrus - John 18:31-33 and 37-38, dated at about 125 A.D.Magdalen Papyrus - Matthew 26 -sometime between 30 and 70 A.D.

Oxyrhynchus Papyrus - sayings of Jesus which have parallels in all four gospels, perhaps 110-130 A.D.

1 Thessalonians Chapter 4:1-8

1

Finally, brothers, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God--and as you are conducting yourselves--you do so even more.

2

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

3

This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality,

4

that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor,

5

not in lustful passion as do the Gentiles who do not know God;

6

not to take advantage of or exploit a brother in this matter, for the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.

7

For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.

8

Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not a human being but God, who (also) gives his holy Spirit to you.

The dates of these fragments indicate the people who wrote them lived during the time of Jesus Christ on earth, or knew parents, family or friends who lived during the time of Christ.

These Papyrus survived more than 5 Roman Emperor campaigns to destroy all Christian Scripture.

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
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Proverbs 30 ~ There are those

Japanese Bullet Trains

Proverbs 30

[1] The words of Agur son of Jakeh of Massa. The man says to Ith'i-el,to Ith'i-el and Ucal:[2] Surely I am too stupid to be a man.I have not the understanding of a man.[3] I have not learned wisdom,nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

[4] Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!

[5] Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.[6] Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

[7] Two things I ask of thee; deny them not to me before I die:[8] Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,[9] lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, "Who is the LORD?"or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.

[10] Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.[11] There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.[12] There are those who are pure in their own eyes but are not cleansed of their filth.[13] There are those -- how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift![14] There are those whose teeth are swords,whose teeth are knives,to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among men.

[15] The leech has two daughters;"Give, give," they cry. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":[16] Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire which never says, "Enough."[17] The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

[18] Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:[19] the way of an eagle in the sky,the way of a serpent on a rock,the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.[20] This is the way of an adulteress: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."

[21] Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:[22] a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;[23] an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.

[24] Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:[25] the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;[26] the badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the rocks;[27] the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;[28] the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.

[29] Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:[30] the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;[31] the strutting cock, the he-goat,and a king striding before his people.

[32] If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.[33] For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.



There are those -- how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!


The two trains are reminders of what Rick Warren said about life. Life always has something to complain, stress, and focus on. Life also has blessings each day, to have gratitude.

Looking at the negative: Feeling stupid. Being rich and denying the Lord, being poor and becoming dishonest. Lying to get ahead and pushing someone aside. Being self-centered and not taking care of parents. Self-righteousness, being unable to admit fault or wanting to see ourselves. Such unkindness transforming our face. Mouths spewing anger, words that are knives & swords used against the poor and the helpless.

Becoming planted in taking only; becoming rooted in the tragedies that occur in life and absorbed in the catastrophe of others. Accepting sin and overlooking it for pleasure, gain or conformity.

Obtaining power to use it with the best intentions and turning it into self-gratification, foolish waste & self-aggrandizement. Playing the fool and exalting self.

Look at the wonder of gratitude, the joy of gratitude: The Mightiness of Jesus, overcoming death, establishing an eternal kingdom and returning - giving us the Good News. Jesus Christ, with God, as His Word. creating the wind, the waters and the ends of the earth.

Every word of God is flawless. He gives us a shield and answers our prayers. He, who created all things, is concerned for the small things and gives them to us to see and wonder. Ants to see diligence and believing it to become fruitful. Badgers to give us determination & perseverance with diligence, the miracles of God going to the hopeful and not the haughty. Locusts to remind us of unseen forces in a transient world, lizards remind of hope in hopeless conditions.

To take the mundane & the ordinary of life and rejoice like a child in the things adults take for granted. To give joy in observation instead of judgement, hope instead of cynical wisdom & to believe the promises of God.


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John 2:1-12 ~ Jesus had been invited

William Hole (b before 1600; d 1624). English engraver, appointed chief engraver for the Mint in London, a post he retained until his death. This painting is one of the first to place and clothe Jesus as He was during His life on earth.

John 2:1-12

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

4 "Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."

5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples put their faith in him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Why did Jesus let His first miracle occur in a little town, where only the servants and His mother would remember such a small event?

The current litmus test question, to find out how inconsequentially you allow God to seep into your life and thoughts (or how overzealous a Christian you are) is: "Do you pray at stop lights or for parking spaces?" I've had people laugh when they ask and had people laugh when I answer. I always say, "yes, I pray if I feel a need for help." But the correct answer is: don't put God in a box labeled, what "A Gigantic Creator of the Universe Should Care About." With a subtitle: "I Wouldn't Care About it, if I were God." We trust Him to listen to us and to provide for us, in His plan. Just as Mary asks & trusts Jesus - to do what He knows to be best.

Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

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Proverbs 1 ~ right, just and fair

Buckalew Elementary, The Woodlands

Proverbs 1

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;

for understanding words of insight;
3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,

doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple,

knowledge and discretion to the young-
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,

and let the discerning get guidance-
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,

the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction

and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
9 They will be a garland to grace your head

and a chain to adorn your neck.

It's a good week to continue to pray for our children (& parents) to have the Lord present in their classes, car/bus trips, school activities. We ask for our children to nurture others & be nurtured. We pray for their circumstances to draw them to the Lord and to draw others. Father God, in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we ask your blessing upon these things, now and in the school year to come. So be it, Amen.

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Numbers 6:24-26 ~ The Lord bless you, keep you, be gracious and give you peace

Numbers 6:24-26

"The LORD bless you
and keep you;

25 the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;

26 the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace."

Life in Texas made another of those season related changes ~ lots of kids headed off to a new school year. Father God bless us as we have a new day and new changes. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Mark 4:1-20 ~ growing up and increasing

Planting a Gigantic Sequoia tree - found in humid climates with dry summers. Giant sequoia grows best in deep, well-drained sandy loams, such as drainage bottoms and meadow edges. Likes to be planted near other pine trees. When the trees are young they prefer some shade, later in life, they are shade intolerant. Cones bearing fertile seeds observed on trees as young as 10, the usual age is 20 years. Large cone crops of reproductive maturity don't appear before 150 or 200 years. Trees grow an average 1.6 to 2.3 ft per year in height. At age 50, they are significantly taller than other fir trees!

A Gigantic Sequoia is fairly commonly sold in the nursery business. It sometimes grows in the boles of dead or removed trees. Mature trees provide a visual centerpiece for a large landscaped area. Recommend planting a giant sequoia in areas with abundant horizontal and vertical space! Such as parks, campuses, or large yards. Large enough open spaces to provide ample growing room for this species.

Mark 4 (Revised Standard Version)

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.

[2] And he taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: [3] "Listen! A sower went out to sow. [4] And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. [5] Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil; [6] and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. [7] Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. [8] And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." [9] And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

[10]
And when he was alone, those who were about him with the twelve asked him concerning the parables.

[11] And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; [12] so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven." [13] And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? [14] The sower sows the word. [15] And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them. [16] And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; [17] and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. [18] And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, [19] but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. [20] But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."

Today is analogy day. Seeing the sky, mountains or the ocean and we are reminded of the vastness of God. God has created us as His children to be part of something so loving, so much more powerful than we can take in.

Deuteronomy 6:4
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

We are like the seeds in today's Scripture. Planted in one place and doing our best with the seeds planted around us. As we journey through path times of famine, good & joyful times, rocky times, times of tribulation & persecution, cares of the world, delight in riches, desire for other things, acceptance and fruitfulness. We rub again the others around us in their journey.

1 Corinthians 13 is the great chapter of love, reminding us love always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I remember the shock of being rounded up and criticized by my group of friends at 6 years old. We are a lot like the trees in the forest, needing right amounts of light, shade - rest, food and water. Part of life is learning what criticism is healthy and what is simply a tree crowding into the light. With God's love, we bloom where we are planted. As an extreme example, seeing that without God's love, we can become bitter, bent and contorted. Like the bullied boys of Columbine High School, contorting and grotesquely bending. Sometimes we are so occupied by the people around us, we forget to look up and remember God is greater than people and circumstance.

With God, we know we are far more important that seeds, or trees, or just another human cog.
God says He is not a god of the dead. He is God of the Living. In giving us His son, He invites us to His eternal Kingdom, not lasting like the Sequoia, but giving us His Love into Eternity.

"He who has ears, let him hear."

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Psalm 19 ~ reviving the soul

Psalm 19

The heavens are telling the glory of God;and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech,and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words;their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth,and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

Its rising is from the end of the heavens,and its circuit to the end of them;and there is nothing hid from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honeyand drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern his errors?

Clear thou me from hidden faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

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Psalm 101 ~ dwell with me

Psalm 101

1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord,

I will make music.

2 I will ponder the way that is blameless.

Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart

within my house;

3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.

I hate the work of those who fall away;

it shall not cling to me.

4 A perverse heart shall be far from me;

I will know nothing of evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor

secretlyI will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look

and an arrogant heartI will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,

that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless

shall minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit

shall dwell in my house;

no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning I will destroy

all the wicked in the land,

cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.