Psalm 92 ~ You, O Lord, are on high forever

Orion Nebula - Hubble telescope - 1,500 light years away. Hubble Panoramic View of Orion Nebula Reveals Thousands of Stars

Psalm 92

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Amazing, amazing advances have happened in science and medicine. We have yet to create life. It is not the human forte. How great are Thy works......O Lord!

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Mark 9 ~ were afraid to ask Him about it

Mark 9 ~ (New International Version)

- Audio link - Mark 9

¹And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

²After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." ⁶(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

⁸Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.

¹¹And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

¹²Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? ¹³But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him."

¹⁴When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.

¹⁷A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."

¹⁹"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

²⁰So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

²¹Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"

"From childhood," he answered. ²²"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

²³" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

²⁴Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

²⁵When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil [unclean] spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

²⁶The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

²⁹He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer [prayer and fasting]"

³⁰They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." ³² But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" ³⁴But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

³⁵Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

³⁶He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

³⁸"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

³⁹"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

⁴²"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. ⁴³If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.['their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' ] ⁴⁵And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸where
" 'their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted with fire.

⁵⁰"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

Ever have a prayer request you were worried about placing before the Lord? Sometimes the Scriptures have two different opinions on the matter on your mind. Jesus says here - whoever is for you, cannot be against you. Jesus also says in:

Matthew 12:30
He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters

The Scriptures are not double minded, it says life has twists - turns & situations can be unclear. When Jesus was asked for (another) sign, in Mark 8, He'd already shown many signs - He wasn't there to be directed by the religious - living off their own power. The Apostles were convinced Jesus was very holy and went with Him, with the one verbal invitation. They stood with God of All & spent a lot of time confused, uncertain and afraid. Mankind is recorded again & again in the Scriptures being in awe at the great works of God's hand. They didn't leave Him, more were gathered to Him, Jesus sent 70 disciples ahead of them speaking of God & the Kingdom of Heaven. We know Jesus loved these people. How?

Mark 3:35
Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.

Jesus placed them as His family. Frequently, He addressed them as "beloved".

Uncertainty, when we address Father God, in the depths of our being, is something God takes pity on; His compassion is great. Remember, when Jesus prayed He said, let Your will be done. God is still God, even when we don't completely understand. Jesus trusted God in all things. Our greatest prayer conversations tell Him of our desires, our questions - as it really is. Uncertainty and confusion is not sin. He knows.

Look at the compassion of Jesus:

~ "will not taste death"
~ Jesus did not abandon the unbelieving generation - He healed them.
~ Jesus helped the boy's father overcome his unbelief.
~ Jesus didn't leave the boy after he was healed. "Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up."

~ Jesus asked them about arguments and discussions they had. He was very involved with them. Rarely did Jesus rebuke them.
~ The disciples pushed small children away - these were important matters for fully informed people. Jesus welcomed and blessed the children.
~ Salt isn't meek, mild food. Jesus encouraged people to be themselves, but knowing mankind, He encouraged peace in the same breath.

Remember Peter fell in deep waters when he felt his own faith slip. Jesus didn't abandon Peter, He loved Peter and asked Peter to love others. We can always let the Lord know when we feel unsure.

Father God, knows. Jesus loves you, He will not fail you.

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Mark 8 ~ He sighed deeply in His spirit

Mark 8

Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version

1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha [ Magadan, or Magdala].

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” [the Herodians] 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”


When the New York Times Bestseller author, M. Scott Peck,M.D., wrote the 'The Road Less Traveled" he was still on the infancy of His Christ relationship. He'd begun as a Christian/Buddhist/Carl Yung enthusiast, but as he really broke bread with the Gospels (he said if he was going to refer to the Bible -he felt he should know something of it), he met Jesus. He remembers thinking, why didn't anyone tell me Jesus had personality? Every page of the Gospels brought him closer to Jesus. This was God, this was a man.

If we put this passage on a daily planner for Jesus, what would we see?

We'd see actions & emotions God chose.
~ Compassion for the hungry at several levels.
~ Provision for the people who've put Jesus first.
~ Repetition of the great Acts of God - 3 days for Jonah, 3 days for the Resurrection.
~ Daily strife (with co-workers, or the religious) without a reaction of hatred. Instead a deep sigh = prayer. And Jesus continues in God's direction for Him.
~ Explanation of leaven - the Pharisees, Herod, Herodias, all have risen - but with the steam from themselves and the will to compromise - at great cost to themselves.
~ Patience - Jesus isn't just putting up with the clueless to find something more fulfilling to himself, Jesus knows He is there for them. This is why He is here.
~ Jesus heals without asking for public aggrandizement. Jesus feeds without waiting for the acclaim.
~ Jesus is acknowledged by his friends - Jesus does not use his friend's praise to promote Himself. He will wait upon the Lord.

This is the man God chose to be.

Father God, teach us each day to be grateful, merciful, diligent, wise. Help us each day to walk the walk you have planned of us. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be pleasing to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Hebrews 10:26-31 ~ will be deserved

Hebrews 10:26-31

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The Scriptures wade right in and are not politically correct. Why? It is God. This isn't the kind of message we are used to receiving straight to the point.

Let's discuss this passage viewed as the moral pendulum swings; a bit of history and then a comparison.

When we look back to the years 1716-1780 - we see a renaissance still going on in the Church were people are filled with hope for the sweeping reforms of the new idea of "Sunday School", a new country - new fortunes to be made and religious tolerance (not religious abandonment), even in Europe, Christianity is turning around the Gin Operations which were a lot like Opium Dens. A massive "drug" problem was being conquered, by hope, a movement of the Holy Spirit created by the new energy of the Church. These are the days of John Wesley. William Wilberforce is about to come into the mix with John Newton, to abolish slavery.

No one had seen this Great Renaissance about to occur. Cotton Mather was one of the most famous men in America; this preacher lived, ate and fed his people with this passage. Hebrews 10:26-31.

On the other hand, this is the "Golden Age of Piracy" and no one glamorized pirates at the time.

July 12, 1726, William Fly ascended Boston's gallows to be hanged for piracy. He was smiling. He showed no guilt, no shame, no contrition. Indeed, as Cotton Mather, the presiding prelate, noted, he "look'd about him unconcerned." Suddenly William Fly took charge of his death. He threw the rope over the beam, making it fast, and carefully inspected the noose that would go around his neck. He turned in disappointment to the hangman and reproached him "for not understanding his Trade." Fly then "with his own Hands rectified Matters, to render all things more Convenient and Effectual," retying the knot himself as the multitude who had gathered around the gallows looked on in astonishment. He informed the hangman and the crowd that "he was not afraid to die," that "he had wrong'd no Man."

Cotton Mather explained that he was determined to die "a brave fellow."

Samuel Cole, Henry Greenville, and George Condick, other pirates, caught with Fly - stood and repented of their crimes. What were they? Mutiny - They began as shipmates. April 1726 to sail with Captain John Green to West Africa in the Elizabeth, a snow (two-masted vessel) of Bristol. Green and Fly soon clashed, and the boatswain began to organize a mutiny against his command. Fly and another sailor, Alexander Mitchell, roused Green from his sleep late one night, forced him upon deck, beat him, and attempted to throw him over the side of the ship. When Green caught hold of the main sheet, one of the sailors picked up the cooper's broad-axe and chopped off the captain's hand at the wrist. Poor Green "was swallowed up by the Sea." The mutineers then turned the axe on the first mate, Thomas Jenkins, and threw him, still alive, after the captain over-board. They debated whether their messmate, the ship's doctor, should follow them into the blue, but a majority of the crew decided he might prove useful and decided instead to confine him in irons.

The rest of their activities were the usual surrender or die terrorism pirates usually do.
Certainly, William Fly knew what he was talking about for harsh punishments at sea. Up until William Fly, pirates usually asked for pardon and gave testimony to the fact they deserved punishment. William Fly's case led to more unrepentant pirates giving a mystique to "walking the plank with nary a tear."

This event started changing a culture, it became famous - repentance at a death wasn't considered "manly'. The response to Fly didn't bring down our culture, but it's an example of mankind's flightiness.

Slowly the story gained major fame & changed from Cotton Mather giving his time to condemned men, to stuffy, overbearing, posturing Cotton Mather recruiting another conversion. William Fly's story picked up and Cotton Mather was seen as a foaming at the mouth, member of the stiff-upper lip, controlling aspect of the authorities. It was as if Cotton Mather was now "the man" striking down a hard-working laborer.

Yet isn't this the same situation as something similar to the massacre at Columbine High School? Just as the killers at Columbine had experienced the harshness of humanity, they didn't need to jump into becoming the worst of it. Fly was probably exposed to some extremely terrible punishments at sea, but is creating murder and mutilation isn't something we would hope would glorified.

When we, as a culture, applaud defiance from repentance, when we look to excuse and glorify the sin. The sin becomes more and more outrageous. Why would we ever get to the point were we glorify someone who kills,mutilates, steals and is a terrorist? When we turn to accepting a glorious tale, because the crowd likes it, we are swept down.

The Pendulum swings slowly, but it swings wide.

John 7:24
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.

Father God, help the human population understand wrong is declared sin for a reason. In order to live better lives, we must say no and repent when we don't. Help us realize repentance gives new hope. Let the joy of Your Holy Spirit shine brightly even in the subject of renewal. Amen.

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2 Corinthians 4:6-10, 16-18 ~ to give the light of the knowledge

2 Corinthians 4:6-10

6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self [man] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

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Why are we so sad? Why do we blame God? Evils abound in the world so that the world will fail to seduce us into loving it.

-- St. Augustine

My father-in-law was an interesting man & I loved him. He reminded me of Humphrey Bogart - he was a determined person. Amazing amounts of self-confidence and sometimes known to be sarcastic. He owned a seat on the New York Stock Exchange after buying a failing brokerage, where he worked. It sounds very beneficial, but the men who owned it, before he bought it, were determined to put him in his place and not let him run the company. My father-in-law had them step down by sheer force in personality and shrewdness. He turned it from one failing brokerage, into four successful businesses in several states. I heard him say many times - most of his good fortune was being in the right place at the right time by luck. It would seem he had a privileged life and would know little of suffering. That sarcasm hid a very observant and tender heart. He was a man - people were unaware of the fact - took care of his grandmother who lived to be 100 years old (moving her to live near him), not many people with children, businesses and travel have time for a grandmother who is blind and deaf; his mother (seeing her twice, daily, when she was an invalid), and his brother. He accepted Jesus Christ when his grandmother told him she wanted to make sure his soul would be with her in heaven. He loved his wife with rare devotion - which everyone knew.

He was a man who walked the walk, not talk the talk. He didn't tell, ask or receive compliments for the good he did. I'm sure most of his hunting friends never knew of the toys and food he took to the impoverished children of his Mexican hunting guides. He did it after seeing the youngest child take great care to share a Coca-Cola with all of the other children.

He always said, "You get two lives - your childhood which really lasts 100 years. Remember when you are about 5 - a summer day lasts at least a year. Then you become an adult and it lasts about 20 years - even if you live to be past 80 - the years are gone and it's amazing they went by so quickly." There was an addition to this statement - he said you needed the years you were a child because many of the adult years are so difficult. My father-in-law knew. Years of very pressing responsibility for the people who worked for him. He woke up early every morning to worry about the day - at about 5:30. He smoked as he worried. My father-in-law knew many years of emphysema.

Being a blunt and direct man, the neighbors on his street sometimes found him to be... rude. But his neighbor across the street, for 38 years, gave my father-in-law's eulogy. It was beautiful. It ended with his friend's tears saying, "God is finding Heaven to be a better place today after a new arrival. Heaven is a good place this morning. My good friend is on his boat, on the great waters, heading out to find what he can find."

For all of us, no matter how we appear to each other.

Though our outer self [man] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.

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Psalm 101 ~ ponder the way that is blameless

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 secretly
I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
I 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.

This beautiful Psalm is a person who loves the Lord & wants to serve Him. In the morning, He is their first thought. This is a happy person who enjoys making a beautiful song - making a beautiful noise before the Lord. Someone who seeks others who love the Lord. No double standards and no spiteful speech. The blessings of life do not cause this person to love life more than the Lord - the glories of life do not cause arrogance or haughtiness.

Anointed of God - these are the attitudes.

Come Lord Jesus.

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Psalm 89:1-18 ~ build Your throne for all generations

Psalm 89:1-18

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings
[the sons of God, or the sons of might]
is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?
8 O Lord God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
with your faithfulness all around you?

9 You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
12 The north and the south, you have created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.

There are a few glimpses of Heaven in the Scriptures.

In the Council of the Holy Ones, nothing compares on earth. God is more awe inspiring than all of the heavens. He is known by His steadfastness - love. What sets Him apart? Righteousness and Justice. Blessed are the people who see the Lord's face and walk with Him. He is the glory of his people.


Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

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Luke 12:32-40 ~ blessed are those servants

Luke 12:32-40

32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

35 “Stay dressed for action [Let your loins stay girded] and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants [bondservants] whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he [would have stayed awake and] would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Are you casually convinced, like my neighborhood and Church family conversations, we are on the downward spiral? With all of our technical advances and the sometimes increasingly vulgarities of media - it makes me wonder if the pendulum will swing back. And the pendulum has swung pretty, amazingly far before.

Good Morning, Vietnam! We are in a period of change. The National Council of Churches, record the attrition/matriculation data, most of the mainline denominations - of the last 200 years - are reporting a decline! We know it. Catholics report an increase. !!!! All part of the Body of Christ. Churches believing the Scriptures are growing!!!! Every 500 years, the church changes fairly radically. Well... Martin Luther 1483-1546. Now. What's the assessment of the change? The Rev. Dr. Eileen W. Lindner, editor of the annual Yearbook since 1998, noted that many observers have attributed accelerated membership decline of some churches to "an increasing secularization of American postmodern society, and its disproportionate impact on liberal religious groups."

Why? We girded our loins for work instead of faith.

A 1960s graduate clergyman told me - in his seminary classes, many people joined the Church in the 1960s to protest the Vietnam War. They felt important social reform could only come from the Church. Kind people who wanted racial inequality to stop. Caring people who wanted the poor to be fed and clothed. Not people expecting - with great eagerness - for the Holy Spirit to show up. People who looked at the advances the Christian Church has put forth for mankind for 2,000 years & wanted more. Educated, scholarly people who can see the influence of the Christian Church impacting mankind - gleefully ignored by pop culture.

To make radical changes - slow but sure is best. It took almost 40 years for this to be really noticed! Slowly the message was preached that "people felt better when Jesus spoke of healing". It sure was some kind of "God Thing" when the Reed Sea was dry for the people, that may have been Hebrew, walked out of Egypt. And only hysteria to report the chariots & the Pharaoh's army covered by water. The emphasis was away from faith and into works or cafeteria plan - pick what you want Scripture.

The emphasis of faith based preaching warmed up to become "lukewarm works". Proverbially, instead of catching that mesmerized frog - in increasingly warm, comfortable waters - the frog lost interest and hopped away to go "do what felt right".

Instead, O this glory, we should look for & want the Power of God - hoping & expecting His presence with us!

The Glory of God who declares in Isaiah 6:6
your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for

Isaiah 35:1-7
1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.

3 Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who have an anxious heart,
“Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.”

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

Let us put out our hands like Isaiah and say, "Here I am Lord, send me!!!!"

Hebrews 12:12-14
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

When we ask the Lord to be our strength, He will not turn us down.

Father God, each day, let these hands and this will do what You have planned for us in Your goodness. We pray each day for the Churches to be effective for Jesus. Let the power of God lead us! Father God, help us to value the Kingdom of God being at hand, every day. Love the sinner and ask for the high road. Serve, not just as missionaries, but serve each other as Jesus - instead of close friends at church. Serve our neighbor with Jesus care. Everyone. Remind our friends and neighbors God loves them. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.



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Matthew 17:14-20 ~ I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him

He Healed the Lame in the Temple, by James Tissot. Tissot painted over 1,000 portraits of Jesus. A loving, caring Jesus, going about in love, doing His Father's work - healing.

Matthew 17:14-20

14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly [from that hour]. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. [But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting]. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

The visit from Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19, 26)
The muteness and healing of elderly Zechariah (Luke 1)
The conception of John the Baptist to an elderly priest and his wife (Luke 1)
The prophesy of Anna and Simeon, during Jesus' baby presentation at the Temple (Luke 2)
The cure of two blind men (Matt 9:27-31)
Piece of money in the fish's mouth (Matt 17:24-27)
The deaf and dumb man (Mark 7:31-37)
The blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)
Jesus passes unseen through the crowd (Luke 4:28-30)
The miraculous draught of fishes (Luke 5:4-11)
The raising of the widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:11-18)
The woman with the spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:11-17)
The man with the dropsy (Luke 14:1-6)
The ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
The healing of Malchus (Luke 22:50-51)
Water made wine (John 2:1-11)
Cure of nobleman's son, Capernaum (John 4:46-54)
Impotent man at Bethsaida cured (John 5:1-9)
Man born blind cured (John 9:1-7)
Lazarus raised from the dead (John 11:38-44)
Draught of fishes (John 21:1-14)
Syrophoenician woman's daughter cured (Matt 15:28; Mark 7:24)
Four thousand fed (Matt 15:32; Mark 8:1)
Fig tree blasted (Matt 21:18; Mark 11:12)
Centurion's servant healed (Matt 8:5; Luke 7:1)
Blind and dumb demoniac cured (Matt 12:22; Luke 11:14)
Demoniac cured in synagogue at Capernaum (Mark 1:23; Luke 4:33)
Peter's wife's mother cured (Matt 8:14; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38)
The tempest stilled (Matt 8:23; Mark 4:37; Luke 8:22)
Demoniacs of Gadara cured (Matt 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26)
Swine rush into and drown (Mark 5:1-20)
Leper healed (Matt 8:2; Mark 1:40; Luke 5:12)
Jairus's daughter raised (Matt 9:23; Mark 5:23; Luke 8:41)
Woman's issue of blood cured (Matt 9:20; Mark 5:25; Luke 8:43)
Man sick of the palsy cured (Matt 9:2; Mark 2:3; Luke 5:18)
Man's withered hand cured (Matt 12:10; Mark 3:1; Luke 6:6)
Child cured (Matt 17:14; Mark 9:14; Luke 9:37)
Two blind men cured (Matt 20:29; Mark 10:46; Luke 18:35)
Jesus walks on the sea (Matt 14:25; Mark 6:48; John 6:15)
Jesus feeds 5,000 “in a desert place” (Matt 14:15; Mark 6:30; Luke 9:10; John 6:1-14)
Many fulfilled prophecies (also see: prophets)
The conception of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:35)
Star of Bethlehem
The transfiguration (Matt 17:1-8)
The resurrection (John 21:1-14)
The ascension (Luke 2:42-51)
Peter and the healing of a the paralytic Aeneas at Lydda (Acts 9:32, 35, 38)
Miraculous ability to speak and/or understand a foreign language (tongue) previously unknown to the speaker
Inspiration of Scripture by God
He healed them all (Matthew 4:24, Matthew 12:15, Luke 4:40, Luke 6:19)
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

Why the list? Jesus knew if the boy had a demon or plain epilepsy. Jesus knew about the Spiritual Realm.

Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 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.

Psalm 89:7
The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.

Matthew 16:18
Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Ephesians 6:12
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

What does this say for today, for us in Jesus Christ?

Luke 10:20
However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

People who lose a child, people with a grave illness - wonder if they are being punished. Jesus Christ died for our sins. Period. Nothing we can do can improve upon that.

Just as blessings and good things are gifts from God, adversity does not mean the absence of God. Jesus during His life was an advocate of prayer. We should do no less.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Jeremiah 31:31-34 ~ I will write it on their hearts

Jeremiah 31:31-34

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Praise God for His mercy, His love as high as the sky. The days are coming.

What did it mean to write on their hearts? To have the promises of God in us. We know. When we look at the Word of the Lord, God has given us the wisdom to understand in our spirits.

Acts 8:26-36
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

It isn't a question of learned wisdom, like learning to read, but a spiritual wisdom. God gives us the ability to believe. As Christians, we study the passages of God to learn of God, but it is the new Covenant promise God writes on our hearts. God opens the passage to our soul. God breathes His promises and they remain.

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

People sometimes want to know why there is an Old Covenant and a New Covenant. It isn't as if God changed His mind. History is His story. From the beginning, God's creation of man has wanted to be and triumph over - God. We rejected God dwelling with us as God. We lived with God as a powerful source, but His mighty Acts frightened people and they wanted to keep Him behind a curtain. People were mostly afraid of God. No one enjoyed seeing a dove or larger animal struggle & be killed. Yet this was the system of God, high above us, and we acknowledged we were not holy - which is true. Sacrifice was for sin release. Then our desire for God became merely a system, we followed the rules and felt self-righteous.

God was pointing out to us, man does not understand God, or live His holiness. Man has rarely wanted God, more to the point, mankind wants to be in control.

The New Covenant isn't something easy for God. It required God to choose to be as a man. To not look upon His creation, but to be them. To know illness and death in the ones we love. To feel poverty. Homelessness. To know war. To understand escape. Having a happy childhood and growing past it. To understand complete degradation, the horror of being labeled as a criminal. To briefly have honor, then brutal beatings and public humiliation. To allow us to reject Him, again, in another attempt to love us. To die. To forgive. To defeat death.

When Jesus gave us His Holy Spirit, he fed the hunger the world had for Someone to care for them. Hope beyond the brief span of our years. Hope to live beyond ourselves.

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

Abba. Abba. Abba. We are Yours. Alleluia.

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Romans 8:1-21 ~ the law of the Spirit of life has set you [me] free in Christ Jesus

Romans 8:1-21

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [who walk not according to the flesh (but according to the Spirit) ] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set [me] you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, [and as a sin offering] he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

12 So then, brothers, [brothers and sisters] we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Creation waits.... with eager longing.... for the revealing of the sons of God! .....Repeat that on a beautiful sunrise - faith, hope and love will surge straight into you.

This is what sets us apart in Jesus Christ, from the rest of the Universe. The Law of the Spirit of Life vs. the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.

All in all, this isn't one of the most comfortable passages. Incredible beauty. There isn't one of us who won't feel the twinge of knowing we are still in these bodies and they are flesh. The meditations of our thoughts and the words of our mouth are not always acceptable. How well we know this. We all have two natures.

What we tend to rush right past... because we know it.... we know it.... we know it.... the sacrifice of Jesus Christ covers all of our sins. All. of. them. We have to declare God is God. He is the One Sovereign.

I have a memory from my childhood - being in the car on a warm, comfortable summer day. Pre-teen. My mother starts telling me about our chores for the day. Yuck and bother. I start to complain and my mother says, "Are you interested in knowing one of the most elemental laws of the universe?"

This was an attention getter, a unique reply from my mother and I said, "What?" With real wonder.

"The Universe is in decay."

"What do you mean?" -Sounded ominous to me.

"I mean everything is winding down, this is why we clean. Everything you come in contact with will need feeding, mending, replacing, painting, cleaning & polishing. For all of your life, every single thing." My mother cheerfully declared.

"That is the Worst Thing I've ever heard in my life." And you know, it still is.

Dust - according to a childhood friend of mine who is really enjoying home schooling her kids, in science - is not just made up of particles of human skin. Really. This is the 2nd law of Thermodynamics. Dust is the universe in decay.

So, what is our Endust?

In Christ Jesus, we cannot forget, we are children of God. The mercy and grace of God is what sets us apart. Renewal. Redemption. It is He that made us and not we, ourselves. Faith. Promises of God. Praise in the good times. Prayer, praise and faith in the difficult times. Hope.

The Word in Romans 8 says something important. Even if our flaws are pointed out to us. It repeats in:

Ephesians 2:4-9
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.


Here is a good note to end on for the mind of the Spirit:

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.

Father God. Abba. Jesus. Holy Spirit. Jesus loves us, He will not fail us. On this, You raise us up.

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Psalm 64 ~ hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy

Psalm 64

¹ Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

² Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from that noisy crowd of evildoers.

³ They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim their words like deadly arrows.

⁴ They shoot from ambush at the innocent man;
they shoot at him suddenly, without fear.

⁵ They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares;
they say, "Who will see them ?"

⁶ They plot injustice and say,
"We have devised a perfect plan!"
Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.

⁷ But God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly they will be struck down.

⁸ He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

⁹ All mankind will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.

¹⁰ Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD
and take refuge in him;
let all the upright in heart praise him!

When we lost our daughter at birth in September 2008, we were told by someone very wise, grief in America is something people don't want to face. You will be deserted like a widow. When I hear about the experiences of people who have lost children, they agree. So, we were prepared.
And unprepared.

It hurt to see gregarious people hurry away and very shrilly say, "Oh, I can't talk, I'm in a hurry." And frankly, it must have hurt those people who hurried away. Because that was only round 1. If someone feels guilty, they don't want that guilt. So why did a 44 yr old woman become pregnant and lose a daughter at birth? They reason, maybe we were trying to conceive and we are foolish. Or maybe it is punishment - we deserved it. Or you were just plain stupid not to have an abortion at your age to not face this possibility.

And maybe sometimes, having a heart that hurt so badly, things just hurt.

When grieving parents join groups like 'Compassionate Friends', stories are told about the truly horrific things that are said to the grieving. (Not in the group, things said to the grieving in their life.)Things like: "You have the worst life imaginable, let's go around the table and all agree to this, people." "Oh, no, the dog is old - will that be next?" "Let's not hear of something this unfortunate, like this, happening next year." The week after the funeral, "when are you going to start working on your weight? Next month - "I haven't seen progress yet." At the holidays, "You are starting to look like Elvis." "Let's pray for our sister, I am sensing a lot of pride and spirit that has grown cold to the Lord." "I can tell you like children, maybe next month you could help in our childrens' department." From someone who didn't send cards or a flower, invites to dutch lunch where the conversation is: "I hope you are working on your mental health, now." "Are you thinking of selling the house, downsizing would be good for you, I know someone who is very interested. They'd be very lenient on the time you need to get out." "It's probably for the best, you wouldn't have been so good with a son / daughter." " I hope you won't talk about this for a long time and bring it up." Invited on a walk by an old friend, "You think this is hard on you, my other friend lost a child and it has just made me so depressed"... the rest of the walk is about that person's wounded sensibilities. Or.... people pretend not to see you or just talk over you in conversations.

So... even if you are 4 or 100 years old, this is called verbal abuse. Sometimes it is speaking having not thought. Sometimes it's called bullying because there is malice.

The Scriptures have advice on verbal abuse. More about that later.

What do the Leading Experts on Defense For Verbal Abuse have to say? They almost all agree.

Verbal defense, for comments or rudeness in being ignored.

1. Acknowledge to yourself, you are under attack

2. You do not have to reply – maintain eye contact or just leave

3. You might, repeat what they have said - with emphasis

4. You do not owe a response

5. Do not agree.

6. Be confident, firm, modest

7. Do not go for the jugular, in attempt to verbally kill the speaker - i.e. do not insult back

8. Do not assume the speaker is your enemy.

So, what is the Scriptural advice?

Matthew 5:39
But I say to you, That you resist not evil: but whoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.


Luke 6:29
Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also

Wow. With the Word being living and active, I'd say that sometimes turning the other cheek is walking away. This is gold. We have now discovered why the Roman Empire, world conquers all, wanted to know Jesus Christ in just a few years. Such a difference from the eye for an eye - mean, old world.

Why does this work for verbal abuse? A. it informs the person they have been rude. B. It does not require you to be kicked again - verbally. C. It allows plenty of room for both parties to forgive. D. It allows for your dignity not to reply.

Perfect. Especially if you are like me and you will think of the witty come-back in a week. Offer the other "cheek".... repeat their comment back to them (cheek). If they start in on you again, offer the next cheek and just walk away. No need for nervousness.

This particular passage is about the mob mentality of people, this advice works for a group. Feel compassion for the bully who seeks power so badly, in such a distorted way. There is an apt phrase for the bully as well:

Ecclesiastes 11:1
Put out your bread on the face of the waters;
for after a long time it will come back to you again.

It is the Biblical version of - what goes around comes around. The bully only alienates himself in the long run. Perfect love casts out fear.

But the reason this works is this....

John 1:9
The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

We all have fallen short of the glory of God. Forgiveness is the key. God testifies that even the bully has light of Christ in Him.

Father God, when it hurts, You are there. Guide us and lead us in living in Your light and basking in Your goodness. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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