Romans 14:7-12 ~ For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself

Romans 14:7-12

7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess [shall give praise] to God.”

12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

We all have a sermon we remember, more than all the others. (If you don't, you need to find one.)

Mine was an Episcopal priest. One Sunday, my newlywed husband & I were missing church, in our huge church, and we decided to attend the chapel (small) service at 5 in the afternoon. It was warm - everyone was very relaxed.

People, everyone, visited in the pews. "Did you hear? ~ Yes, it was in the newspapers. ~ I heard about that, was it really Father ----? ~ No, it was his son. ~ I read about that, and didn't know if it was him. ~ Where is he? ~~ He is very upset. ~ That's to be understood, I hope he has someone helping him. ~ I heard he was on sabbatical. ~~ Good for him, he'll need it. ~~ Did he have more children? ~ Did they know the other boy?"

Our priest, his 17 year boy, had been shot to death by a long time friend, a gun accident. It had been in the papers. As we visited - information was exchanged - people were sad - this was a loved man, a priest who had long been a loved part of the church family.

Our visiting was interrupted... a cassock-ed figure had stepped up to the small podium. In shock, we realized our Father had not gone on sabbatical. He began by ruefully looked up and said, " I can tell by the looks on all of your faces, you know about the terrible tragedy that befell my family this week." He glanced down, there was a grimace at the floor. He looked up, his expression squared away. "No matter, it is better you understand as we begin."

"No, let's begin from the beginning. This is a catharsis for me. Today, because of the circumstances, I will read from the text and give the sermon. We will be having the communion service today after the reading and sermon."

The Text today is Romans 14:7-12. And this precious man read it to us. Perfectly.

"Let me begin by saying, this was an accident between two young men exploring what it is grow up in an area of the country where men are familiar with fire arms. The young man who shot and accidentally killed my boy was unaware the gun, a hunting rifle, would go off. He is enormously distraught, as is his family. It will be many years before they, and we, recover from this. Your prayers would be appreciated."

"Although, I said that easily, as a man who has been a priest for many years. I do not mean to be that cliche and let me say on a softer note, please pray for this family, the boy who shot and, of course, my boy."

"Let me start out by quoting a song that I have often hummed, probably as I washed one of my first cars I ever owned. Well, the chorus:"

Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear
No one comes near.
Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there
What does he care?

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people

Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name
Nobody came
Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave
No one was saved

"This week, I've spent hours in the cemetery, at the grave of my son. It has been cathartic for me, to be there alone, the peace, the quiet, a place for prayer. About my fourth visit, I saw in the distance a little, little funeral. Sad. Lonely. A minister saying a prayer. I waited. I thought surely the minister was praying before people arrived. I prayed, at a distance, with him. Soon, I saw the lump of dirt going into the grave. At this point, as a man of God, who conducts funerals, I realized it was my duty to go over and be a mourner with this minister. He happened to look up, I waved and he waited for me to cross the cemetery to him."

When I arrived, I explained I was a priest & had the intention of joining with him in prayer. The minister said he'd be glad to have my company and we would read the service together. We did. I learned this was an elderly woman, who was old and had been part of the congregation for so long, people really didn't remember why she was without family or friends. She was very much like Eleanor Rigby. " Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door. Who is it for?" She'd sat towards the back, by herself, for many years. People had assumed there were family or friends for her. Perhaps she had outlived them. But no one came. No one."

"My boy was blessed, he'd known something about life that this poor woman did not."

"If you never hear another sermon, hear me. This is what it is about."

"Life."

"Every Day."

"Every Day, you have the opportunity to build your life."

"What are you working towards?"

"Exactly. Exactly."

"Will people know the Light of Jesus Christ through you?"

"Do not end up as Eleanor Rigby, where no one was saved. "

"It is not all about you. You are called to save others with you."

"Every day, you build, you build your epitaph."

"Make each day count."

"Make each day end, knowing that you have served the Lord."

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Jeremiah 21 ~ escape with his life

Palace of Nebuchadnezzar, Iraq

Jeremiah 21 (New International Version)

- Audio Link ~ Jeremiah 21

¹ The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said: ² "Inquire now of the LORD for us because Nebuchadnezzar " [ Nebuchadrezzar or Nebuchadnezzar] king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the LORD will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us."

³ But Jeremiah answered them, "Tell Zedekiah, ⁴ 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians [Chaldeans] who are outside the wall besieging you. And I will gather them inside this city. ⁵ I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in anger and fury and great wrath. ⁶ I will strike down those who live in this city—both men and animals—and they will die of a terrible plague. ⁷ After that, declares the LORD, I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.'

⁸ "Furthermore, tell the people, 'This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. ⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; he will escape with his life. ¹⁰ I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the LORD. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.'

¹¹ "Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, 'Hear the word of the LORD; ¹² O house of David, this is what the LORD says:
" 'Administer justice every morning;
rescue from the hand of his oppressor
the one who has been robbed,
or my wrath will break out and burn like fire
because of the evil you have done—
burn with no one to quench it.

¹³ I am against you, Jerusalem,
you who live above this valley
on the rocky plateau,
declares the LORD—
you who say, "Who can come against us?
Who can enter our refuge?"

¹⁴ I will punish you as your deeds deserve,
declares the LORD.
I will kindle a fire in your forests
that will consume everything around you.' "

(Click the Red Play Button - Map of Empire Histories)

People who do not know the Scriptures say the God of the Old Testament was violent. It took decades and millenniums of abuse before God's great mercy turned aside.

There were 3 invasions of Judea by the Babylonians, this is the 3rd. When God's Word was followed (rarely), peace was obtained. It is historically ~ Astonishing ~ the Assyrian Empire did not wallop the smaller nation of Israel - next door. God protected Israel for following His Word. The Lord told His children, His Word, which is His Law should be followed to obtain His mercy.

It is often said history is written by the victors, this is an unusual history. Well, people who do not want to understand, God is God, would say Scripture was written after the events to match some sibilance of history. We know the fate of Jeremiah, who spoke for the Lord; he was saved! Jeremiah was given freedom & allowed to choose where he would live - it was a promise to him from God. Jeremiah should not be a hero to the captives. The remaining children of Israel were swept to Babylon. The enduring Word of God - His Scriptures - were kept with the victims. When the children of Israel returned from Babylon, freed, they returned with the remaining Scriptures. This history honors those who followed the Lord, it does not honor the ones who kept this history.




Psalm 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.

2 There on the poplars
we hung our harps,

3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD
while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill .

6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did
on the day Jerusalem fell.
"Tear it down," they cried,
"tear it down to its foundations!"

8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is he who repays you
for what you have done to us-

9 he who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.

The people returning from exile with Psalm 137:8-9 returned from exile hailing God's instructions and Jeremiah as the victors. On one hand they didn't like being captured and they repented for the wrong they'd done to the Lord. It wasn't just politically correct to honor Jeremiah, Psalm 137:8-9 demonstrates they were not politically correct. So, the Biblical history is not just honoring what the Babylonian captors wanted them to record.

This would be a good time to point out, with 3 invasions, the true King Jehoachin, did follow Jeremiah's Word from the Lord and lived with Nebuchadnezzar - at the King's table in peace. Zedekiah was a puppet king, actually the Davidic line's (Jehoachin's) uncle, who tried to throw off Nebuchadnezzar's own puppet appointment.

God's will is accomplished by those who work for it and by those who work against it. Jesus knew He wanted to work His Father's will. Jesus, did as Jeremiah said, He submitted to the authorities. Jesus was sacrificed on Golgotha, outside the city. John 19:19,20

Hebrews 13:12
And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.

Father God, Your way is holiness. Only in Your grace, can we hope. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Matthew 14:1-12 ~ the fame of Jesus

Herod Antipas -the Tetrarch, coin minted during his era, called the Fox by Jesus

Matthew 14:1-12

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, [his brother's wife] 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.

6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

To be Spiritual doesn't sound all bad at all. What were some of the factors in this man's spiritual downfall - how did someone who was pleased to meet Jesus fail?

So, why did it go so poorly for John the Baptist? Herod Antipas survived being the son of Herod the Great by learning when to remain in the background and not create a stir. Herod Antipas wasn't lion like, but crafty and rather inferior, like the lesser animal - a fox.

It would be difficult to be the son of a renowned King and to be afraid for your life. Herod the Great had murdered his wife and sons. Herod Antipas, his nickname and official name in history, had been raised and educated in Rome, to insure father and son loyalty. But Herod the tetrach, his title refers to his father's kingdom being broken into parts; Herod the tetrach received a much smaller portion than one of his younger brothers. One of Herod Antipas' building projects, the city of Sepphoris, was just 4 miles from Jesus' hometown Nazareth.

Herod Antipas could have been the bridge between Rome and the godly Jews, but Herod was more interested in pleasing himself - fame. In pleasing himself, he placed his interests with pleasing Rome. It wasn't godly to put aside his first marriage, arranged by Caesar Augustus, or godly to allow Augustus to arrange his marriage to create political gain and harmony. It wasn't godly to remarry his half-brother's wife. Herod had pleased himself for so long, he'd dug himself into a spiritual ditch. A deep one. If Herod acknowledged God, Herod would have consequences.

Herod was a King in Judea, God's chosen nation, he knew well enough God acted. Herod believed in magic, magicians, spells and spirits. He adopted beliefs held from Rome, beliefs that built foreign altars Israel worshiped in high places, and the gods of the neighboring countries. Herod Antipas was the spiritual head of the Second Temple and he decided on the priest placements.

Adding water to Herod Antipas' deep spiritual ditch would be marrying a woman he knew accepted his marriage for ambition. Herodias was interested in self. Herod Antipas (different from Herod Agrippa who died of worms) was eventually brought to ruin - politically and financially from Herodias' family. They died in exile. But they had entered exile spiritually by their own choices.

Herod Antipas wasn't king by birth, rather by political appointment, he was a type of king. Herod was like Saul, he didn't really believe circumstance could be placed in front of him by God - Herod believed in the power of might - in his own sword.

Father God, it is more comfortable and prestigious to sit on the fence. Help us to remember Your love and Your care to have our choices already decided instead of allowing circumstance to dictate our fall. In the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, we ask. Amen.

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2 Samuel 16 ~ what shall we do?

St. Martin's Church, Yorkshire, Stained Glass by William Morris

2 Samuel 16

1 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3 And the king said, “And where is your master's son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

5 When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. 6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! 8 The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, [will look upon my affliction] and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” 13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. 14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.

15 Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?” 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.

2 Samuel 12: 10-12
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’”

Advice - in the midst of trouble - Joab manipulated David to allow a violent son, Absalom, to return to David's affections from exile (Chapter 14). Shimei & Mephibosheth both give advice the Lord is returning Saul's fate to David's blame. Hushai is a double agent and wants Absalom to claim the worldly victory, in the view of Israel, to take David's harem.

David, isn't the Lord, but he gives us an example of operating in God's will under pressure. Saul became increasingly violent trying to hold on to a kingdom slipping away from him. David asks and looks for God's will as events spiral around him. David must have been holding on to the Lord's promise that David was his anointed. Hard to remember God's own promises when the river of events is very swift.

The Lord gave advice to Martha in the midst of her own self-centered issues:

Luke 10:41-42
But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.

This is the reason David is God's anointed. Sinful, but forgiven. David looks for God's will and God's mercy even when it comes with a cost to himself.

Which brings us to Jesus' advice to the woman at the well, this is what David, anointed of God, lives.

John 4:21-23
²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

Father God, no one reads about David without wanting to be like him. Help us each day to remember the promises Jesus gave us, to receive in faith. Help us, in adversity, to remember to want Your will and hold on to Your promises. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Romans 1 ~ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world

Romans 1

1 Paul, a servant [slave or bondservant ] of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David [ who came from the offspring of David] according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I want you to know, brothers, [brothers and sisters] that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, [non-Greeks] both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, [beginning and ending in faith ] as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” [The one who by faith is righteous shall live]

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

The Book of Romans is something we, as Christians, toss into the category of another Book in the New Testament. In Proclaiming ~ Jesus as Lord ~ the foundations of the world order were changing! It begins to tell us of the impact of God's Son choosing to come into the world as Truth and Grace.

The Book of Romans must have been written prior to 49 A.D, at that time, Jews were expelled by the Roman Emperor from Rome. Much of the Book of Romans is proclaiming to the Jews that the Grace of God is to all of mankind. Already Paul was telling Christians to submit to authorities, in Chapter 13. Claudius did not want his power questioned, he wanted a pure strain of Eleusinian Greek mysteries deifying the Roman Emperor. Claudius was stirred to action when Jews and Christians argued to the point of uproar over claims Jesus was, and still is, today, the Messiah. The druids were also removed from Rome, for good measure.

Short work for a little known religion springing out of the outskirts of provincial Judea! Not really a surprising amount of time or attention for the Son of God. Jesus working miracles in bringing the hearts of His people to know and love Him. Imagine, in just about 16 YEARS after Jesus took his disciples to talk about the power in the world in Caesarea, Matthew 16:16-28 , Jesus' predictions about Rome, the Empire of the whole world, are already happening.

Paul says in the Book of Romans, the Good News of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed in all the world. Jesus Christ is receiving vast attention in the heart of the Roman Empire, Rome itself and the Emperor.

John 1:1-5, 9-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 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.

Father God, we thank You for Your Son. How often we accept without wonder Your words. We give You thanks, You are the light of the world. Amen.

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Jeremiah 15:10-21 ~ of strife and contention

Jeremiah 15:10-21

10 Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. 11 The Lord said, “Have I not set you free for their good? Have I not pleaded for you before the enemy in the time of trouble and in the time of distress? 12 Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze?

13 “Your wealth and your treasures I will give as spoil, without price, for all your sins, throughout all your territory. 14 I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.”

15 O Lord, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance take me not away;
know that for your sake I bear reproach.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
O Lord, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of revelers,
nor did I rejoice;
I sat alone, because your hand was upon me,
for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Will you be to me like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail?

19 Therefore thus says the Lord:
“If you return, I will restore you,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
but you shall not turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you,
declares the Lord.
21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

A child of God with a job to do - an unwanted task. A very honest conversation with God Almighty. Commendable. Yet unnecessary, we cannot hide from God.

Psalm 139:7-12
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.

Jeremiah complains to the Lord. At first to declare his righteousness, Jeremiah declares himself to be an island - separated from man. The LORD is not impressed. He declares the fate of all mankind will be Jeremiah's.

God does not ask for isolation, He asks for mercy. Mercy even when it causes pain. God asks for us to delight in Him.

This wonderful passage on man's unkindness & God's mercy as high as and wide as His Kingdom can be summarized:

Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

John 15:19
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 17:16
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:38-39)

Romans 12:2
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Father God, who could envy You Your Grace? We fall short of each other and You continue to give to us. Thank you, Father. Amen.

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1 Kings 21:17-29 ~ went about

Ahab is remembered for being an evil man & king. Elijah brought him the Word of the Lord, but Ahab didn't like Elijah and thought of Elijah as his enemy. The Lord was more impressed Ahab reached beyond the messenger to hear Him with faith. Father God's willingness for compassion & mercy, is something we can all be glad for in His nature. God hears our prayers, even sinners have His steadfast love.


1 Kings 21:17-29

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. You shall say to him, "Thus says the Lord: Have you killed, and also taken possession?" You shall say to him, "Thus says the Lord: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood."

Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. Also concerning Jezebel the Lord said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.' Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat."

(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.)

When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster on his house."

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Psalm 145:8-9, 15-18 ~ Thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing

Psalm 145:8-9,15-18

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.

15 The eyes of all look to thee, and thou givest them their food in due season.
16 Thou openest thy hand, thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.


Prince Caspian is the 2nd book in The Chronicles of Narnia (The Land of the Talking Beasts) series written by famous theologian, Oxford Don, C.S. Lewis. Lucy Pevensie is the youngest of 4 children & is always first to see Aslan, Great Lion, the parable of Almighty God and Father. She looks for Aslan for many chapters, and has great joy when finally meeting with Him.


Prince Caspian Chapter X, Return of the Lion ~ By C.S. Lewis

A circle of grass, smooth as a lawn, met her eyes, with dark trees dancing all round it. And then -- oh joy! For He was there: the huge Lion, shining white in the moonlight, with his huge black shadow underneath him.

But for the movement of his tail he might have been a stone lion, but Lucy never thought of that. She never stopped to think whether he was a friendly lion or not. She rushed to him. She felt her heart would burst if she lost a moment. And the next thing she knew was that she was kissing him and putting her arms as far round his neck as she could and burying her face into the beautiful rich silkiness of his mane.

"Aslan, Aslan. Dear Aslan," sobbed Lucy. "At last!"

The great beast rolled over on his side so that Lucy fell, half sitting and half lying between his front paws. He bent forward and just touched her nose with his tongue. His warm breath came all round her. She gazed up into the large wise face.

"Welcome, child," he said.

~~~~ Their conversation continues for several pages.

Said Aslan, " If you go back to the others now, and wake them up: and tell them you have seen me again ;and that you must all get up at once and follow me -- what will happen? There is only one way of finding out."

"Do you mean that is what you want me to do? gasped Lucy.

"Yes, little one," said Aslan.

"Will the other ones see you too?" asked Lucy.

"Certainly not as first, " said Aslan. "later on, it depends."

"But they won't believe me!" said Lucy.

"It doesn't matter, " said Aslan.

~~~~~

Lucy buried her head in his mane to hide from his face, but there must have been magic in his mane. She could feel lion-strength going into her. Quite suddenly she sat up.


Thou openest thy hand, thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

Father God, Almighty King, You are all the vastness of the Universe, but Your love reaches out to us. Blessed be Your name, Jesus. Amen.

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Psalm 40 ~ blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance [righteousness]
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!


We have several really large pine trees. At the top of one, about 60 feet up, one of the branches had fallen and caught on a lower branch. I pointed out to my husband, the branch looked exactly like a shepherd's crook. It was a large branch. We wondered if it would do damage when it fell, so on one of our walks, we prayed about it. I rather liked that shepherd branch hanging up there!

Years later, we were returning from one of our walks to Starbucks and my husband noticed the branch had neatly fallen into the flower bed, no damage at all. Eagerly we went to see this shepherd's crook. We were discouraged to find one crushed baby sparrow. My husband and I found 3 or 4 more tiny little sparrows. They were cute with little masks, like the one in the photo. We knew not to touch them, or the parent would smell the human scent. I could hear, from inside our house, the parents crying frantically & the babies peeping cries. They couldn't locate the young birds. I was getting frantic myself. And growing more unhappy that neatly shaped branch was the message of impending doom. Time was going on and it seemed the little birds, after falling so many feet in the hollow in the branch, were getting quiet.

Now feeling good & angry, I googled 'rescuing baby birds fallen from the nest'. Amazingly, the human touch and birds scent is a complete myth; it advised getting a basket, putting the remainder of the nest in the basket and using coat hangers to hang the basket in branches at a comfortable, reachable height. Slightly tilt the basket so the birds fold into the original nest. The hollowed branch had nesting materials. Thrilled - yes - to hush the more distressed parents and rescue the oh-so quiet baby birds. I returned to the house, job done. NO. The babies were too distressed to cry & the parents were frantic. One more google search. The answer, me grabbing the baby and holding it high; now the baby bird was squeeling. Oh, that worked. The dad was hysterically fearful of this human. He fearfully and bravely flew to a lower branch, just nearby. Now, the parents could see me put the baby back into the basket/nest. Alleluia, the parents were only too glad to see their brood. My reward - getting to see the parents raise them for the next two weeks. Happy family. Everyone grew up after some flying lessons. We still see their variety of sparrow arrive at our bird bath and feeder. The glow of kindness brightens the day.

This is like the blessings we have in the Lord. We have discomfort, fear and our issues are not immediately resolved. It is in trust, not abandonment, or panic & we are able to see the path God has for us.

Great is the Lord!

We are blessed when we put our trust in Him. Help us, Father God, to not abandon or panic about our troubles. To put our problems in Your hands. With faith, and a slice of curiosity, to see how You will bring Your will forth. Great is the Lord! Thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Psalm 84 ~ O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you

Psalm 84 (New International Version)

¹ How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty!

² My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

³ Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Selah

⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs; [blessings]
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

⁷ They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

⁸ Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Selah

⁹ Look upon our shield, [Sovereign ] O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.

¹⁰ Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

¹² O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Genesis 22:18
and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.

Genesis 24:31
He said, "Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.

Genesis 24:35
The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.

Genesis 26:4
I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed

Genesis 26:12
And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him

Genesis 27:29
Let peoples serve you,and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers,and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you,and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"

Genesis 48:15
And he blessed Joseph and said,"The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day

Leviticus 9:23
And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.

Deuteronomy 12:7
And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the LORD your God has blessed you.

Deuteronomy 15:14
You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the LORD your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.

Deuteronomy 28:4
Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.

2 Samuel 6:11
And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

2 Samuel 6:12
And it was told King David, "The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing.

2 Samuel 19:39
Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And the king kissed Barzillai [Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man ]and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. [As Barzillai had requested - to return to his home - Barzillai had given voluntarily and generously, without thought to reward.]

2 Samuel 22:47
"The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock,and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation

1 Kings 1:47-49
⁴⁷Moreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.' And the king bowed himself on the bed. ⁴⁸And the king also said, 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it.'

1 Kings 5:7
As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, "Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people."

1 Chronicles 26:4-6
⁴And Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, ⁵Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth, for God blessed him. ⁶Also to his son Shemaiah were sons born who were rulers in their fathers’ houses, for they were men of great ability.

2 Chronicles 31:8
When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps [false altars], they blessed the LORD and his people Israel.

Nehemiah 8:6
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Job 42:11-13
¹²And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. ¹³He had also seven sons and three daughters.

Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,nor stands in the way of sinners,nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

Psalm 33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

Psalm 32:1
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,whose sin is covered

Psalm 37:22
for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

Psalm 40:4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust,who does not turn to the proud,to those who go astray after a lie!

Psalm 41:2
the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.

Psalm 72:18
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,who alone does wondrous things.

Psalm 84:12
O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Psalm 89:52
Blessed be the LORD forever!Amen and Amen.

Psalm 112:2
His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Psalm 124:6
Blessed be the LORD,who has not given us as prey to their teeth!

Proverbs 5:18
Let your fountain be blessed,and rejoice in the wife of your youth

Proverbs 8:32
And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.

Proverbs 8:34
Blessed is the one who listens to me,watching daily at my gates,waiting beside my doors.

Proverbs 28:14
Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always,but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Song of Solomon 6:9
My dove, my perfect one, is the only one,the only one of her mother, pure to her who bore her. The young women saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her.

Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 65:23
They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD,and their descendants with them.

Psalm 66:20
Blessed be God,because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Ezekiel 3:12
Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: "Blessed be the glory of the LORD from its place!"

Hebrews 11:21
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

1 Peter 3:14
But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled

Revelation 22:7
"And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

Revelation 22:14
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

Blessed are You Father God, for the many blessings You willingly bestow. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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