Psalm 15 ~ O Lord, who shall soujourn in your tent

Place where the tabernacle stood outside of the city of Shiloh, during the time of Judges and Saul.






Psalm 15

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio


O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.


Why a tent of the Lord? The Lord was very fond of His tent. And could we not long for the embrace and comfort, the cosiness of a Living God loving us for exactly who we are.

Tent ~ It's another one of the living and active Word of God explanations. Yes, this is a Psalm of David, and the Lord told David not to build him a Temple. So we have a reason for the literal subject of a tent....

1 Chronicles 28:3
But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood.'

Solomon acknowledged the futile gesture of building the LORD a Temple:

1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

2 Corinthians 5:1-4
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Our tent, obviously, reminds us our life here is short. David wasn't clean, pure, enough to build the Temple. Yet, David was God's anointed. Solomon was so promising and Ecclesiastes tells us Solomon felt he had partially fallen short in his lifespan knowledge and actions; history records the kingdom wasn't secure when it went to David's grandson.

We never can acquire God's grace by earning it. Not ever. Even the apostle Paul knew he was saved in the goodness of Jesus Christ.

Romans 7
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

We walk in the grace of Jesus. Doing our best each day to uphold Jesus in our words. Comforted even the disciples of Jesus didn't get it right all the time during His life and afterwards they sometimes were quarrelsome and confused.

2 Corinthians 5:5-10
5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage!

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Father God, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart ♥ be pleasing in Your sight this day, and always, in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Amen.




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Other Scripture for Today Blogspot readings on Psalm 15:
February 2, 2007, January 19, 2010

Psalm 67 ~ God shall bless us

Psalm 67

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

6 The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!


I walked past my husband, Edward, watching a television documentary. The narrator was saying, "As a nation, we wondered if this war would cost us our democracy, it was a costly war and seems to go on and on." I paused and asked my husband what year they were speaking of. The American War of 1812. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Each generation of this life with its struggles. Tonight I am feeling the peace God gives us. When we hope in Him and look up.

Psalm 71:14
But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.


1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

On prayer, Jesus gave us a parable of unceasing prayer to the corrupt judge about unjust circumstances. Jesus was telling us we use our judgment and see lack of justice – the door for prayer is always open.


Luke 18:1
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Luke 11:5-9
5 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’

7 “Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.


Just as Jesus’ power went out to the woman who reached out to touch the fringe of his garment, Jesus calls us to pray with expectation He hears, He heals, He loves.


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Ezekiel 1:1-14 ~ wherever the Spirit would go, they went

Ezekiel 1:1-14

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal [amber]. 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies.

12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.


As I sit down to think about Ezekiel's vision of the angels surrounding the Most High God, it is a overwhelming to me. I know my minister has heard the voice of God on rare occasions. I know someone quite well who heard from the Lord only once. It was a very distressing time and this loved one cried out to God, saying. why I am experiencing these vast life-altering changes when I have tried to serve You so faithfully?

God replied to this loved one saying:

O Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings are continually before me.
I will not accept a bull from your house
or goats from your folds.
For every beast of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the hills,
and all that moves in the field is mine.

“If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and its fullness are mine.
Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite my statutes
or take my covenant on your lips?
For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you.
If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
and you keep company with adulterers.

“You give your mouth free rein for evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother;
you slander your own mother's son.
These things you have done, and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

When this loved one came to tell me this voice of God had spoken in a quiet time of prayer and earnestly crying out. My comment was, surely, you have heard this incorrectly. You honor the Lord in your heart. I think you heard this wrong. The loved one's reply was, "No, I heard this and it was the voice of God."

It was within the next month we were to learn this is Psalm 50. We were both a little shaken to hear what was heard was an actual part of the Scriptures. How did this turn out? As the Lord said over the next few decades. This devote loved one has minimal interest in Lord unless it is about pleasing plans ahead told of by the Lord. Television Evangelists are the primary interest. A new and solid interest in liberal actions, things like abortion rights. I was asked recently if this person is going to Heaven. While I don't know, I don't think the Lord wastes time speaking to the condemned. It is, after all, redemption and forgiveness that keep the Lord busy. The loved one given Psalm 50 was also the recipient of a medically documented miracle by the laying on of hands.

When we ask expectantly in prayer for the Lord to show up.... are we just looking for blessings? I know I am guilty of this. Like Isaiah, I know I am a person of unclean lips compared to the Lord.

When I think of people experiencing the Lord in this life, I think of Elijah in the still small voice. A quiet time. I think of Isaiah and think of quiet. I think of Jesus looking for quiet times to pray. But the transfiguration was in a group of people and so was Paul's vision on the road to Damascus. Jesus and the people around Him, heard a voice or thunder. Interestingly, the words used in verse 4 of this passage are also used in modern Hebrew today to mean electricity.

Father God, help is to go where the Spirit would lead us. Thank You for the people who experience You in unique and powerful ways. Help us to remember 10 lepers were cleansed and one returned to give thanks. Help us to have grateful hearts for You. In the name of Jesus. Amen.


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2 Chronicles 6:27 ~ grant rain upon your land

2 Chronicles 6:27

27 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

My husband, Edward, had a first today. He had to consult http://ticc.tamu.edu/Response/FireActivity/ before driving to see a client today.

You'd think with the video, the verse - we'd be seeing fire or smoke in the sky. No. Travel on nearby highway 105 and I-45 has been stopped in places. I've probably read too many historical novels about great fires, but decided it would be a good thing to ask for prayer for our area of Texas.

Good news - we have the first 40% chance of rain since January this week and the postman said it was sprinkling on him in the last neighborhood. When I asked for prayers via Scripture for Today Blogspot last time - we had 4 good showers. On FB one Church friend is praying for her sister who was evacuated. Another reports his suburb in Houston had evacuations. And ... it is only June.

Father God, We look for Your great mercy. Remember the welcome given to the Hurricane Katrina evacuees. Remember this Easter, the huge public worship of 2nd Baptist giving shoes and dancing for You. See the people in the large city and smaller towns asking You for Your help. We ask for the humidity over the Gulf of Texas to bring us soaking showers for at least then next 3 months. Speak the Word, Lord, we ask in the name of Jesus. Your will be done. Amen.


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Happy Father's Day! ~ Job 29:11

Our feedjit tool at the bottom of the page is so handy, it shows what people are putting into search engines to look for. Today, being Father's Day, everyone is looking for Scripture on fatherless. My husband & I are in our late 40's and we are fatherless now.

When Father God sent out God Jesus, He knew, in physical presence, Jesus would be without Him. God looked at the men of the earth and fulfilled His promise to David, Jesus would be part of David's line. In God's own path and plan.

Jesus did not arrive easily on earth with two parents. Immediately we understand God is acting not as a fable, but as tangled as life can become. The feedjit tool doesn't say looking for a father scripture as much as it says fatherless scripture. No where in Scripture do we learn what Joseph's father was like. We know Joseph's father's name due to the genealogy of the gospels, but not his character.

Which neatly brings us to our point to remember for today.

Job 29:11
When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved, because I delivered the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to help him.

I've been fatherless since I was 18, my sophomore year in college. The year the dad I loved so much, who read the stories, made fun food, made friends and a comfortable living - made an alcoholic's decision - to hide from his children and spouse while he filed for divorce. My beloved dad didn't die until I was 30, but I was fatherless. Yes, God has blessed me with the blessings He does provide for the fatherless. Today I have a husband who dearly loves me. Good sons. And family home we love. The blessings of Church family.

At some point, we quit being fatherless. It stops. God fills the hole in our heart. I forgave my dad I love so much. He will be one of the first faces I look for when I enter the gates of Heaven. I am no longer, thanks to God's promises and faithfulness, an orphan child. I am loved as a Child of God. Instead, God has made my heart and my hands able to give the compassion He gave to me - to give to others. Now if you have had this sadness in life from a divorce or a recent parental death, you might want to know, how much does it stop. Pretty completely. Sure, we all have a tender moment remembering in love our loved ones. And we have a petal to the metal moment when we relate past relationship (parent/child) failure to current events in our lives.

I do have people in my life who want to mourn and to ponder their dad's death or even the divorce. I listen to people mourn friends who have been dead for years. It takes some patience on my part to hear them re-hash things emotionally. I know grief, I've lost a daughter. I understand grief does return from time to time. Life does move on. The dead in Jesus Christ are alive today in paradise.

How do we help life move on? Forgive. Love them. Look forward to them again.

For now - be the one who helps others. Comfort the widow. Comfort the divorced. Be like the people who helped move us physically. Who hung out with us when we were as much fun as wet matches.

At some point - we are no longer the child - we become the helper, the parent, the grandparent.

Are you fatherless too? Build bridges. Make a path. Help out. If you know you've been helped, why wouldn't you want to do this. Like Joseph, the man God chose to raise Jesus. The Gospels record Joseph was such a Father - the tiny town of Bethlehem and the surrounding communities didn't see a blended family - they saw Joseph and Jesus looked like each other. High praise. Imagine the Bible recording that you were so much like God there was not a seam.

Matthew 13:55-56
Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

What about those in need? Look for the blessings God gives daily. Count them in a daily journal.

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah

Blessed are You, Father God. You are our Father and the Light of the world now and the world to come. Alleluia in Jesus. Amen.



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Acts 4:1-22 ~ This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone

Acts 4:1-22

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio. For more Acts 4

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

Hugely annoyed, pressed by public opinion, questioning or bullying became astonishment. That is some Very effective witnessing. We read this passage and we say to ourselves, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees were impressed these common men became bold. And yes, these men, arrested, and set in the pinnacle of 'Godly' establishment had cheek. In the odds they could be killed, just like Jesus.

At the time of the 2nd Temple, the Dome of the Rock, the highest peak of the City of David, had been reshaped by Herod - to the shape it is today, because Herod built upon it. It is believed the Holy of Holies was on or near the the huge rock. Some descriptions believe the Holy of Holies was under the Pierced Rock. But many descriptions and the Talmud all disagree.

Which only increased one of the reasons the Religious leaders were impressed.

These men should have looked smelly from being imprisoned, unclean in front of the elite, clean keepers of the Law. Meager in front of the powerful. Unwise in front of the wise. Instead they said Jesus is now the cornerstone. Why is this important - in a day there are many historical documents still in existence for reference - we still aren't sure what was the physical foundation of the Temple.

The cornerstone (or foundation stone) concept is the first stone. The blueprint. The core. Placed to let the builders know all of their effort and will is set in the construction position of the entire structure. Not everyone was literate, but this sign was easily understood. A sure sign to the passerbys, the workers, the leaders - this is how the structure will stand. Irreversible. Sure. A sign for all time.

The Religious Elite are being told the Structure - Jesus Christ - will be so clear, everyone will understand who the first stone is. Not the building, not the Temple. It was completely astonishing to them.

No need for a religious lawyers. No need for Priests to interpret. No set of rules about hand washing or purity. A beacon set. One sure sign. A relationship instead of religion.

Jesus is the Christ. Our cornerstone.

1 Corinthians 3:9-17
9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him.

For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Father God, the day the disciples of Jesus stood in front of the people, the priests and the Captain of the Temple and the Sadducees - they appeared to be wrong. As foolish as publicly running up and kicking the Temple. Yet Father God, what You told them came to be pass. Jesus the Cornerstone, still being the Rock on which we can stand. That day the Holy of Holies was empty, You never returned the Ark of the Covenant to the Second Temple. Instead You gave Your Holy Spirit to us when we ask You to move, live and have Your dwelling in us. Dwell in us richly, that we might be, each day, living to Your pleasure, Your love, Your joy. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.



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Matthew 6:19-23 ~ full of light

Matthew 6:19-23

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!


Treasure and vision, darkness and light. Woe to you blind guides.


How to detect lies. Great tips on how to spot a liar. stevepolygraph

*** Looking straight ahead or with eyes that are defocused/unmoving is also considered a sign of visual accessing.

*** A typical left-handed person would have the opposite meanings for their eye-directions.

*** As with other signs of lying, you should first establish and understand a persons base-behavior before concluding they are lying by the direction of their eyes.

*** This guide is hardly in-depth

Matthew 23:23-24, 27-28 - Woe to you, blind guides
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Image. The appearance of goodness. How often is the path straight for the Lord? I'd say the human population is.... wobbly. Like a colt. We are like Charles Dickens theology. Under decision stress, some people are led by the people they want to be like. Then acting as good or as poorly as the 'leaders.'

The Pharisees took the Higher Path all the way to finger pointing. They would have loved to have a conference to discover this new method of detecting the ungodly. This passage is a lot like basketball. Look where the hips travel. When we decide what our goal is (the Lord our treasure), our direction becomes much clearer. As our direction is to the Light of God, what is darkness becomes more easily to detect. And other than prayer and compassion, we need not be judgmental in our conversations or finger-pointers. Discernment.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Matthew 7:16
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

The Pharisees follow Jesus around, not to rejoice in God, but to pull Him down. Jesus proclaimed mercy at a cost to Himself. Jesus was busy with the work of His father - restoration, reclamation. Jesus was on target. The Pharisees created drama, trauma and without truth with mercy or humility.

Romans 8:38
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Each day, Father God, we seek Your guidance, Your love. Lead us away from temptation and deliver us from evil. To Your Glory. Let us live in Your grace and truth. As our sins are forgiven, let us live mercy, truth and forgiveness to the sins done to us. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.



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2 Chronicles 24 ~ the Spirit of God clothed

2 Chronicles 24

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

1 Joash [spelled Jehoash in 2 Kings 12:1] was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada got for him two wives, and he had sons and daughters.

4 After this Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord. 5 And he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you act quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 6 So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the congregation of Israel for the tent of testimony?” 7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also used all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord for the Baals.

8 So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of the Lord. 9 And proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. 10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished [or until it was full]. 11 And whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was much money in it, the king's secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. Thus they did day after day, and collected money in abundance. 12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who had charge of the work of the house of the Lord, and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Lord, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the Lord. 13 So those who were engaged in the work labored, and the repairing went forward in their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it. 14 And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made utensils for the house of the Lord, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord regularly all the days of Jehoiada.

15 But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death. 16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. 18 And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19 Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.

20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” 21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”

23 At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

25 When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26 Those who conspired against him were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonite, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabite. 27 Accounts of his sons and of the many oracles against him and of the rebuilding of the house of God are written in the Story of the Book of the Kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

When we learn about Scripture, one important point we learn about is about relationships with the Lord. Joash is only king with the steadfast love and righteousness of the priest Jehoiada (his great-uncle) during the reigns of Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash. Jehoiada proclaimed "only a son of David should be King." Jehoiada's wife had hidden the baby Joash from the bloody coup by the terrible queen. And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the Lord's people. Our passage continues to show Joash didn't rule the priest and this wasn't a regency taken over by the priest.

People of God work to support and bring forward other people of God. This is the way God wants His Kingdom to be established. Considering all of Jehoiada's works, isn't it amazing his great righteousness and actions of courage do not rank him in the same esteem as Jonathan?

When do we, in Scriptures, have we such a mighty man of the LORD? We've read of Samuel, Nathan, Asaph during the times of the Kings and, later, Isaiah. Yet, Jehoiada is a mighty man of God. 2 Chronicles 23 is well worth reading about the priest who took courage.

Of Joash? And his fallen behavior we can only say -

Matthew 19:23-26
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Let us remember the great deeds of Jehoiada!

Hebrews 12:32-35
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
Titus Flavius Josephus (37 – c. A.D. 100), a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer of priestly and royal ancestry who recorded Jewish history. Credited by many as recording some of the earliest history of Jesus Christ outside of the gospels. His most important works were The Jewish War (c. 75 AD) and Antiquities of the Jews (c. 94 AD). Jehoiada is in his Jewish Antiquites Book 9, Chapter 7.



Father God, let Your Holy Spirit come upon us in power. Help us to be clothed in the Spirit of God. Help Your child keep Your sheep. Lord, please send forth Your word to declare and establish a way for this. Help us to be strong and let us fight bravely for people of Yours. LORD do what is good in Your sight and sent Your angels. Let us be found innocent in Your sight and our prayers to be granted. We will rejoice and be glad, because great is Your reward in heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


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2 Corinthians 8:1-9 ~ of their own accord

2 Corinthians 8:1-9

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

1 We want you to know, brothers, [brothers and sisters] about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor [can mean favor or grace or thanks] of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you [your love for us]—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Giving willingly. It stirs something within us to see humble generosity. An act of grace.

When I was in college, I was one of the ones at our nightly dinner table who rarely read the newspaper. I read papers all day long. My worldly and bouncy friend Missy asked us, in the early 1980's, if we'd read about the recent, devastating, no survivor, commercial airline crash. Only one of our 8 had. What was it? Missy put down her fork and looked up. The black box was found. The co-pilot was young and it was dark and completely foggy. The co-pilot had turned of the automatic sensor telling how close they were do the ground, suddenly the much older pilot realized they were crashing instead of landing. The pilot was barking orders and said, "What Happened!!?" The co-pilot was ashamed and cried out it was his fault. There was a brief silence. The co-pilot said, "I am so sorry." The pilot, they heard the cloth, reached out to the co-pilot and said, "I forgive you, son." And the terrible, cataclysmic accident with no survivors occurred.

It brought silence to our group and a few eyes with tears.

Our Church fed two hotels with Katrina evacuees for 2-3 months nightly from donations from our Church family and Dimassi's Mediterranean Restaurant daily leftovers. The group that stayed the longest was one huge, extended family. The night before we began moving them into safe, local apartments - they worked together to gather BBQ grills from us and they gave our Church a BBQ they put together. God bless them.

Actions of Grace.

Father God, lead me to be the one in conversations to have actions of compassion and mercy. Let me be on my way in the service of the saints. I thank God, who put into the heart, those who have given acts of grace and concern. Thank You, Father, for gifts of welcome, appeal and enthusiasm and initiative. Thank You, Father, for the people who inspire us. Bless those we hear of, and those we know, who give so willingly. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


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Joel 2:18-29 ~ be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things!

Joel 2:18-29

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land

and had pity on his people.
19 The Lord answered and said to his people,
“Behold, I am sending to you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a reproach among the nations.

20 “I will remove the northerner far from you,
and drive him into a parched and desolate land,
his vanguard [face] into the eastern sea,
and his rear guard [his end] into the western sea;
the stench and foul smell of him will rise,
for he has done great things.

21 “Fear not, O land;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things!
22 Fear not, you beasts of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit;
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.

23 “Be glad, O children of Zion,
and rejoice in the Lord your God,
for he has given the early rain for your vindication;
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the latter rain, as before.

24 “The threshing floors shall be full of grain;
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 I will restore to you the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent among you.

26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

Blessings. Miracles. Answered Prayer. The great things of the Lord involve Mercy from our Father. When the people, God rescued from slavery, cried out for a king, God did not withdraw His support from them. In the same way - Jesus did not let Peter sink in the water. Jesus could have let Peter suffer... just a bit. He didn't.

Matthew 14:31
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Immediately - sin was pushed aside. Sin removed and God let His blessing flow.

John 6:28-29
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Hannah proclaimed after a wonderful work of the Lord:

1 Samuel 2:2
2 “There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

1 Kings 15:4
Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong.

1 Chronicles 17:27
Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed
forever.

O LORD, You are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. For You make me most blessed forever; You make me glad with the joy of Your presence. You give thankfulness to me with Your Spirit. In thanksgiving, I say - Amen! Praise be to You, Lord Jesus Christ.


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John 3:5-8 ~ born of the Spirit

John 3:5-8


5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit [Greek word means both wind and spirit]. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8 The wind [wind and spirit] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Our minister gave great, inspirational, easy to understand "filling of the Holy Spirit" grace today! Pentecost, honey bunny, Pentecost! The followers of Jesus Christ waiting with expectation - when is the gift, Jesus said, arriving? With wind and fire their expectations were Filled.

Okay, granted Darth Vadar isn't the Holy Spirit - but a little example to say - we accomplish things we never would have done with the Power of God. We experience adventure - the abundant life - Jesus Christ spoke of with the Holy Spirit.



We are baptized - we are like a gas lantern. We have that Holy Spirit within us. Gifted by asking. We are filled with the Holy Spirit - that fulfillment - that joy, that presence of God - is the power of the Holy Spirit giving us the ability to do what He has created us to do. To His Glory.
Let your lamp shine!


The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Isaiah 6:8
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Father God, whatever our day is - good or bad, with You we always have the opportunity to look up. You are goodness, righteousness, Love and mercy. We put our hands out today to You. Let us use this day to build our lives in Your goodness. Let us have the outpourings of Your glory. When the day is sunny, we know we have the opportunity to care for others and be merciful. When the day is ugly, we know Your light in us still shines. Each day we will look to You and at the end - we will be with You in Your Paradise.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne. Your Victory is always assured. The world and all that is in it is Yours. The heavens, and all that we cannot see is, under Your authority. The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!

Zion - we are Zion - hear and is glad, daughters of Judah rejoice! Because of Your judgments, O Lord! For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth! You are exalted! AMEN!



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