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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!!!!!!

Psalm 106 ~ relented

Psalm 106

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

¹ Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
² Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?
³ Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!

⁴ Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,
⁵ that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory with your inheritance.

⁶ Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
⁷ Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
⁸ Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.
⁹ He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
¹⁰ So he saved them from the hand of the foe
and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
¹¹ And the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
¹² Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise.

¹³ But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
¹⁴ But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert;
¹⁵ he gave them what they asked,
but sent a wasting disease among them.

¹⁶ When men in the camp were jealous of Moses
and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,
¹⁷ the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
and covered the company of Abiram.
¹⁸ Fire also broke out in their company;
the flame burned up the wicked.

¹⁹ They made a calf in Horeb
and worshiped a metal image.
²⁰ They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
²¹ They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
²² wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
²³ Therefore he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

²⁴ Then they despised the pleasant land,
having no faith in his promise.
²⁵ They murmured in their tents,
and did not obey the voice of the LORD.
²⁶ Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
²⁷ and would make their offspring fall among the nations,
scattering them among the lands.

²⁸ Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
²⁹ they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.
³⁰ Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stayed.
³¹ And that was counted to him as righteousness
from generation to generation forever.

³² They angered him at the waters of Meribah,
and it went ill with Moses on their account,
³³ for they made his spirit bitter,
and he spoke rashly with his lips.

³⁴ They did not destroy the peoples,
as the LORD commanded them,
³⁵ but they mixed with the nations
and learned to do as they did.
³⁶ They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
³⁷ They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons;
³⁸t hey poured out innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was polluted with blood.
³⁹ Thus they became unclean by their acts,
and played the whore in their deeds.

⁴⁰ Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,
and he abhorred his heritage;
⁴¹ he gave them into the hand of the nations,
so that those who hated them ruled over them.
⁴² Their enemies oppressed them,
and they were brought into subjection under their power.
⁴³ Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes
and were brought low through their iniquity.

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
when he heard their cry.
⁴⁵ For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
⁴⁶ He caused them to be pitied
by all those who held them captive.

⁴⁷ Save us, O LORD our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.

⁴⁸ Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, "Amen!"
Praise the LORD!

I had a great weekend with plenty of great things to do! Fun and pleasing people to be with. And then when you gather with people you know very well, not only are you having a good time, but people verbally rub up against one another and verbally step on each others toes. In conversations, people who know each other well are like bumper cars. Really it's more like spaghetti. Laugh about something and someone is going to have a different opinion. Then someone has to 'splain something about why it Was funny and the conversation runs off in another direction like carts going down an old mine train track. What causes the ride to be fun instead of tedious is generosity of Spirit and compassion.

This is Psalm 106. Pursuing in America what is called the American Dream, or in all parts of the world we recognize the 'good life'. La Dolche Vita or La Bella Vita.

Prosperity makes us generous. And buoyant. Hard work calls for justice.

Prosperity leads to envy. And thoughts of others' blessings. Our own prosperity and blessings don't seem to shine very brightly. Sometimes this leads to prayers to be blessed, but without gratitude - how can this take root?

Lack of gratitude in need or abundance and the well of compassion ... Compassion - what it really takes to get along - runs very bone deep dry. Jealousy and materialism. I once had a good friend from college tell me as we started out along the roads of working, marriage and motherhood that she dreamed at night that she had a shopping cart and couldn't fill it fast enough. She said in the mornings she was tired. She changed from one of the most fun people into the mom fitting into a successful suburb and crabby and perfect. But she did have great cars, perfect clothes, perfect children's toys and a beautiful home. It was a friendship that failed. Lack of compassion. Desert.

The world is not as much fun as it was in my childhood. Too many people not doing like my great-grandmother said. Her favorite saying was don't have an enemy - have a dinner guest. In today's world further explanation is needed. She didn't mean fry, saute or boil the enemy :) , she meant try to forgive, build, repair and go forward. Forgiveness expands our worlds.

⁴³ Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes
and were brought low through their iniquity.

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
when he heard their cry.
⁴⁵ For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

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Matthew 25:31-46 ~ will answer

Matthew 25:31-46

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' ⁴⁰And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

⁴¹ "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

There is a Christian popular song "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe.

We only have glimpses of God's glory. The heavens speak of the glory of God.

Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Who would the LORD, the God of Heaven and Earth, want to hear? Who would be allowed to speak to Him? Who is He interested in hearing from??

34-) Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you

And?

45 -) Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'

The LORD doesn't just allow His creation to speak to Him, He desires to hear from All of us.

Jeremiah 9:24
let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.

And

Romans 11:34
"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"

Another way the sheep and the goats are separated:

James 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.



Who Am I Lyrics
Artist:Casting Crowns

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You're

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Father God, You open Your arms to us. Help us each day to know in life's imperfections, we find Your Grace. No one finds their lives filled with unconditional love and acceptance, but in the joy of looking with gratitude - we are filled with Your steadfast Love, Mercy and Provision. Thank You for the opportunities You give us to find gratitude and know Your peace. In the name of our brother, Jesus Christ.


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Ezekiel 36:23-28 ~ you shall be clean

The Vision of Ezekiel, by Francisco Collantes (1599 – 1656)

Ezekiel 36:23-28

23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.[my just decrees] 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

This is the Good News. Accompanied with the signs of God Himself.

In the middle of the Babylonians' 2nd push, sweeping the people of Judah into slavery, Ezekiel is taken captive, with the entire court of King Jehoichin. Ezekiel's name means "whom God makes strong" was a priest God raised to the status of prophet. It seems odd that a prophet would predict the destruction of Jerusalem, to us it seems like "an of course it happened", yet it is a prophecy - Ezekiel was in captivity with the Davidic line's true king in Babylon, while in Judah - Nebuchadnezzar's puppet king was on the throne - all seemed to be going according to Nebuchadnezzar's peaceful plan to rule.

Instead Ezekiel tells them of the coming destruction of the country, city & Temple, in Chapter 33. Perhaps an astute political person could have seen the coming devastation. And almost immediately, the last of the Judea is brought in as a defeated nation into slavery. Their homeland in ruins.

It seems impossible that hope would come in the middle of God's judgement, but God does not Abandon His People. Ezekiel tells God's people in the midst of despair, their story does not end in tragedy. God will raise them up in freedom, as a nation, physically and of a coming New Covenant! God's people don't deserve the mercy of God, but His steadfast Love is, once again, bringing slaves into freedom, back to their own country - blessed by God. There is not another nation in the world, so swept apart, in such chains, and put together again and again. At least 4 times, spanning millenniums.



Nebuchadnezzar had plans to just use the Kingdom of Judah as a puppet/revenue state. He didn't plan to tear it all down - but he did. (These are not the actual photos... )

Ezekiel had no reason for this hope, only the Word of God. Jesus also told us about setting our hopes on the Word of God.

John 5:45-47
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

The rising of the Second Temple is also a sign of Jesus:

Luke 16:22-31
22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

The nation of Israel, does not just rise from the defeated - it rises from the dead. From slavery, from far flung exile - when travel was dangerous - from complete despair. It rises just as God promises, His Word is truth.

Help us Father God, to always put our faith in Your promises. Thank you, God, for Your Mercy! Helping the undeserving, rescue forever - it is what You give us! It is in Your mercy, we have been washed clean. To Your glory, Father God! In the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.



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Judges 4 ~ God marching before you

Choices -

I facilitate a prayer group for Parent's of College Aged Children. And I just adore our home prayer group. Once a month I put together a study for them. Today's post is the leftovers of the Nov 15th post we used for the actual Bible Study on choices. Today is the like the quilt pieces leftover from the study; the scraps of thought.

Our choices make a big difference in our lives. Attitudes of kindness, optimism, refusing to fret over circumstance we cannot change, make a huge difference in our lives.

Numbers 14:4
And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt."


Joshua 24:15
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."


1 Chronicles 21:9-23
And the LORD spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, 10"Go and say to David, 'Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you.'" 11So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Choose what you will: 12either three years of famine, or three months of devastation by your foes while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, pestilence on the land, with the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.' Now decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me." 13Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man."

14So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell. 15And God sent the angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, but as he was about to destroy it, the LORD saw, and he relented from the calamity. And he said to the angel who was working destruction, "It is enough; now stay your hand.


Job 15:5
For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

Proverbs 3:31
Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways


Isaiah 7:14-16
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.

(Isaiah's prophecy about the 2 kings would be Herod the Great and his son Herod Archelaus.)

Zechariah 1:17
Cry out again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.'"


Matthew 11:27
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.


John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

We are reaching a time for National Decision. In another year we will hold huge national elections. Some choices are not trivial.

Judges 4 ~ <sup>(The Message)

1-3</sup> The People of Israel kept right on doing evil in God's sight. With Ehud dead, God sold them off to Jabin king of Canaan who ruled from Hazor. Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim, was the commander of his army. The People of Israel cried out to God because he had cruelly oppressed them with his nine hundred iron chariots for twenty years.

^4-5 Deborah was a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth. She was judge over Israel at that time. She held court under Deborah's Palm between Ramah and Bethel in the hills of Ephraim. The People of Israel went to her in matters of justice.

^6-7 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "It has become clear that God, the God of Israel, commands you: Go to Mount Tabor and prepare for battle. Take ten companies of soldiers from Naphtali and Zebulun. I'll take care of getting Sisera, the leader of Jabin's army, to the Kishon River with all his chariots and troops. And I'll make sure you win the battle."

⁸ Barak said, "If you go with me, I'll go. But if you don't go with me, I won't go."

^9-10 She said, "Of course I'll go with you. But understand that with an attitude like that, there'll be no glory in it for you. God will use a woman's hand to take care of Sisera."

Deborah got ready and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together at Kedesh. Ten companies of men followed him. And Deborah was with him.

^11-13 It happened that Heber the Kenite had parted company with the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses' in-law. He was now living at Zaanannim Oak near Kedesh. They told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. Sisera immediately called up all his chariots to the Kishon River—nine hundred iron chariots!—along with all his troops who were with him at Harosheth Haggoyim.

¹⁴ Deborah said to Barak, "Charge! This very day God has given you victory over Sisera. Isn't God marching before you?"

Barak charged down the slopes of Mount Tabor, his ten companies following him.

^15-16 God routed Sisera—all those chariots, all those troops!—before Barak. Sisera jumped out of his chariot and ran. Barak chased the chariots and troops all the way to Harosheth Haggoyim. Sisera's entire fighting force was killed—not one man left.

^17-18 Meanwhile Sisera, running for his life, headed for the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite. Jabin king of Hazor and Heber the Kenite were on good terms with one another. Jael stepped out to meet Sisera and said, "Come in, sir. Stay here with me. Don't be afraid."

So he went with her into her tent. She covered him with a blanket.

¹⁹ He said to her, "Please, a little water. I'm thirsty."

She opened a bottle of milk, gave him a drink, and then covered him up again.

²⁰ He then said, "Stand at the tent flap. If anyone comes by and asks you, 'Is there anyone here?' tell him, 'No, not a soul.'"

²¹ Then while he was fast asleep from exhaustion, Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg and hammer, tiptoed toward him, and drove the tent peg through his temple and all the way into the ground. He convulsed and died.

²² Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera. Jael went out to greet him. She said, "Come, I'll show you the man you're looking for." He went with her and there he was—Sisera, stretched out, dead, with a tent peg through his temple.

^23-24 On that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the People of Israel. The People of Israel pressed harder and harder on Jabin king of Canaan until there was nothing left of him.

Our minister says all the time, he is neither Democrat or Republican. He has a King. And the rest is gravy.

One of my sons, as a teenager, came home from High School with a many paged questionnaire on politics. He said he'd been dying to prove to me and himself that I am a fascist. (Joy to have teenagers some days, I recently saw a FB post saying raising teenagers is like nailing jello to a tree.) I asked where he was scored and he said the middle range. So challenged, I took his test. And it turns out my son and I are exact political twins. Right in the middle.

It is a good time to examine how you want your country to be run. How you feel about war. About leaders being godly or not. And what the economic plans are for prosperity. Too few of the political debates are about building. They are more about foreign policy = war. Having a plan is a good thing, but the choices about the planning are equally as important. We seem to focus on tax and war. Not so much on recovery for individual jobs and economic incentives for more opportunities. I'm tired of hearing too big to fail. Some humility, some prayer is required.





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Matthew 18:1-9 ~ enter life

Matthew 18:1-9

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

¹ At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" ²And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

⁵ "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, ⁶but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

⁷"Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! ⁸ And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

When Jesus speaks of abundant living ~ we are all interested. When we start thinking of sin, and hell and being maimed, it's easier to be busy elsewhere. And frankly, how many one eyed people, from self-mutilation, do you know. Me neither.

Jesus probably doesn't know many one-eyed self-mutilators either. Yet. He says temptation is part of life and it's time to be mature and get out of the path of temptation. Much less participate in the temptation of someone else.

So... maybe this could apply to my diet since July (12 lbs! Gone!). Thanksgiving is coming. My father-in-law was an interesting man. He could be very forthright, and honest. Rude. I thought he was actually mostly wonderful. And we miss him. He rarely crossed the line to mean, because the criticism he leveled was actually... how to have a better life.

All the don't-do-it's of life - are actually how to have a better life. Thanks, Buddy. And thank You, Father God.


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Matthew 16:13-20 ~ who do people say the Son of Man is?

Matthew 16:13-20

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

¹³ Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" ¹⁴ And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" ¹⁶ Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." ¹⁷ And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock^{[Greek words for Peter and rock sound similar]} I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." ²⁰ Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

There are so many pictures of Jesus. And it's interesting the old, old Christian art (before the 5th century) the Vatican holds of Jesus is a man who looks very much like the Shroud of Turin. Rather a long face, long nose. An elegant face. And remembering Scripture, Psalm 13 and Mark 6:23, Jesus' eyes were filled with light, a beautiful soul light. Reports of Jesus' burial cloth and a facial shroud appear all over history, but not in any concrete fashion until about 1200 A.D.

3 D image of the Shroud. The Shroud had the unique ability to have such differences in depth, it allows 3D images to be mapped.
This cloth, the Manipello Image, is made of byssus, from sea shells and no alive today understands how it was made. Byssus cannot be dyed or painted upon.

And this is from the catacombs of Rome and predates the 4th century.


Regardless of what you think today about the art - my favorite image of Jesus is the one at the top of the page. Jesus choosing to be part of this life. Loving the people around him. Choosing beautiful Capernaum, on the shores of Galilee, to live. To Love.

How will we make this passage live for us today -

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Who do you say Jesus is - today? Do you really believe it. I spent my first two decades of life going to Church with the family, being in the Choir. Being in Youth Group. With one foot on the shore and one foot on the boat. Because I understood that God has very little to do with the details of every day life. And the more I spent time with people in the boat - fellows on the ship - fellowship. I realized something. The people of faith had something. Something I only glimpsed.

One very dark, cold Saturday October night I was with my youth group in Camp Crucis in Granbury, Texas. And the Episcopal Priest did something I found out later is frowned upon in Seminary Circles. He took us into the Church and he extinguished all the lights but the Candle of the Presence. Meaning the Communion wafers in the building have been blessed and made holy. There we were in candlelight and it was the only light within a mile. We were in the type of country where if you looked up, you would see an amazing number of stars.

In the candlelight, the Priest asked - " Who do you believe Jesus is? The great I Am? Take a moment and decide. Really decide."

It was the right time for me. I really wanted to know. I searched earnestly within for the answer. Light flooded my being. I knew. And the Holy Spirit began to live in me. The joy of the Lord is my strength.

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.



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Luke 11:5-10 ~ because he is my friend

Luke 11:5-10

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence [or persistence] he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Compared this to the verse ~

James 4:2
You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

Why sometimes does it seem our prayers are not answered when God calls us His friend? David prayed for his infant to live. Elijah and Jonah prayed for death. Disciples James and John asked for higher rank in Jesus' Kingdom. Jesus prayed "this cup to be taken from me." Paul prayed for a thorn in the flesh to be taken away. Yet All of the Them were willing to live God's plan.

For the last few months, I've been putting together a new prayer group. (We've been part of a Couples Group for the last 11 years.) I really like home prayer groups; it's like the early Church, when you go into someone's home, it is more meaningful to me than a Church group meeting in public facility. So today, I was looking over articles on having a good prayer group.


Be persistent.

Be expectant.

Listen.

One of the articles I read was about a man coming to his prayer group facilitator and saying he was going to quit. The needs of the group were overwhelming and nothing ever happened.

Don't we all get in a prayer rut? This group wasn't spiritually dead, they looked at the question to see - well, seems to be true, now what. They began to ask God, maybe this continuing difficulty IS put in our lives to grow from it. They prayed over arthritis and said, we don't like it. It doesn't seem to be going away - God give me strength to do what You would have me do.

Here is a quote from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, on tragedy: "The odd thing is that those who are most deeply involved … are most aware of two things: a kind of strength and vision just to go on; and a sense of the imperative for practical service and love. Somehow in all of this, God simply emerges for them as a faithful presence."



Some of the ways we don't ask God, in our asking, would be (taken from an article by Wayne Jacobsen, in blue):

The trivial: "Let's pray I can get over this cold" or "Give us a rain-free day for the church picnic." (I disagree here - the Scriptures say to pray for everything and then thank Him for His answers.)

The self-motivated: "My brother's unit just got called up to go to Iraq. Let's pray he won't have to go." While I can understand the emotion behind the request, it is still misplaced. If he's in the military, why shouldn't he go? God's purposes frequently include hardship and risk. Should we ask him to trump his purposes for our convenience? (Wayne Jacobsen goes on to say, pray the fear of his family and their peace. Pray for safety.)

The controlling: "Don't let my daughter move in with her boyfriend" As with Kris' request, I think we're spitting into the wind if we ask God to make other people act according to our will. He doesn't even force people to adhere to his will. Why should he make them act according to ours? (Pray for God to be known to the daughter, that she might want to live in his Love and let her actions reflect His holiness.)

The manipulative: Not all prayer requests are directed at God. We're usually more diplomatic about it than Charissa, who was only four years old, but knew what she wanted. "Jesus, would you help Bob and Laurie learn how to spank their children, so their kids won't hit me when I come over?" I'll admit it worked for Charissa, but I don't think prayer was intended to send subtle (or not so subtle) messages to the faithful.

The blaming: A group in my former church was praying for an infertile woman. They thought she wasn't getting pregnant because her husband wasn't godly enough be a good father. So they asked God to change him. She blamed him and tried to manipulate him to change, and by the time she came to see me, she was incredibly frustrated. I told her I thought they'd missed the point. None of us qualify for God's gifts. If God waited until everyone was ready to have a baby, no one would ever give birth. (Being asked to pray for something we feel is too hard or not God's will. Remember the men willing to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus by cutting the roof apart.)

The mass-produced: I don't know why we think we have a better chance of getting prayers answered if more people are in on it. Like many of you, I receive prayer requests on the Internet begging me to pray for people I don't know, about needs I'm not involved in. God's answers to prayer are not based on a tally sheet. Prayer was designed for two or three faithful believers to focus on, agree, and fervently intercede, rather than enlisting large numbers of uninvolved people. (I do believe God loves to hear more people like the centurion who had people prevail for him to Jesus. But God knows us. One prayer is all it takes. Jesus heard Zacchaeus and Nathaniel . It isn't a popularity contest.)

I loved this article, even if I didn't agree with every part.

What we usually pray to God is not that His will be done, but that He approves ours.

~Helga Bergold Gross

The bottom line would be - how to have more prayers answered. But it isn't the bottom line. Our prayers are answered. When we ask. I know my great-aunt Hazel prayed for her only child to come home safely from World War I. And William was killed. I know God heard her prayers. Hazel talked about William a lot She really enjoyed remembering him. My mother told me Aunt Hazel talked of William more than my mom thought she should. Aunt Hazel had William's portrait painted. And it went to another cousin, after Aunt Hazel passed on, who became ill and William's painting was thrown to be given away or thrown away. An uncle was asked if he wanted to travel 6 hours to look over everything being put out. There was William's portrait.

My uncle took it and asked our family in Franklinton, LA (where William lived) if there would be a good place for William's painting. And it was given to our cousin, who is the town librarian and she herself lost an infant son. When she passes on, William's painting will hang in the Franklinton, LA Library because William died defending his country.

That is effective prayer. Father God had a plan. Father God was asked for mercy, for safety. How do we know? Hazel lived her life remembering the blessing William was to her. Certainly, she wanted William with her, but she was able to take the blessing of having a son and be glad, grateful. The Fruit of that Spirit is also - my uncle happened to decide to drive the 6 hours to look at what was being put away. He petitioned the family and found someone who would treasure a lost son. A cousin who is a librarian, where William will be remembered for his ultimate sacrifice.

And then there is my mother's friend a psychologist loosing her vision from hereditary weak blood vessels and cataracts. Determined God would give her a miracle. And He did. Recovered sight without medication or surgery.

Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, says Christians ought to respond as the Bible does. "A faithful Christian response will affirm the true character and power of God—his omnipotence and his benevolence. God is in control of the entire universe. And God's goodness and love are beyond question. The Bible leaves no room for equivocation on either truth. … We must speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Scripture is silent. Christians must avoid offering explanations when God has not revealed an explanation."


Choice. We have a choice, we can believe our prayers were answered. Rick Warren said in "Purpose Driven Life" we start to give God a report card. A is for when our will is done and F is when our will was not done. We become embarrassed for God and decide He really isn't listening or powerful and we offer Him wimpy prayers that only say "Your will be done." I know I've done this. Our choice is to decide to believe God when He says pray about everything and thank Him for His answers.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-28 (Listen)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

25 Brothers, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

The dove image was used twice for emphasis!




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Luke 18:35-43 ~ Praise to God

Luke 18:35-43

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

³⁵ As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. ³⁶ And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. ³⁷ They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."

³⁸ And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" ³⁹ And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" ⁴⁰ And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, ⁴¹ "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me recover my sight." ⁴² And Jesus said to him, "Recover your sight; your faith has made you well." ⁴³ And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Expectation. Persistence. And God's Willingness. Each day. Today.


I have re-told the miracle of my mother's friend Pat on our Scripture for Today Blog, but it is a marvelous work of God and should be rejoiced over again during this Thanksgiving Season. Pat is a Psychologist and has a hereditary condition of very weak, puny blood vessels to the eyes. She went in to the eye doctor to find out what her condition was and was told, after testing and examination, her eye blood vessels were much, much smaller than normal. And were failing. Pat was advised to learn Braille, as a sighted person, because she would be completely blind in 5 years.

Some time after that, Pat went back to the doctor and said her vision was profoundly worse. The doctor was very upset with Pat and said she had been very unwise not to learn Braille because a sighted person has a very much harder task to learn Braille after blindness occurs. Pat wanted to know why her vision was worse. The doctor examined her and found she had the beginnings of Cataracts in both eyes. Pat requested a surgery for Cataracts and the doctor said her blood vessels were so weak, it would result in instant blindness. Pat was angrily told to learn Braille immediately.

Pat would not learn Braille, she was busy going to every healing service she could find. Pat reasoned that she helps people and her eyes were necessary to do so. Pat flew all over the country going to healing services.

One day Pat noticed her vision was much, much better. No trumpet was heard. No hands felt on fire. Just one day, Pat was better. Back for another eye appointment. Her eye doctor said her vision was miraculously better. No cataracts and normal blood vessels. No explanation but Jesus.

Expectation. Persistence. And God's Willingness. Each day. Today.


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Matthew 25:14-30 ~ well done, good and faithful servant

The Camera degli Sposi ("Bridal Chamber"), sometimes known as the Camera Picta ("Painted Chamber"), is a room frescoed by Andrea Mantegna in the Ducal Palace, Mantua, Italy.

Matthew 25:14-30

¹⁴ "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants ^{[bondservants]} and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, ^{[a talent is a monetary unit for about 20 years wages]} to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' ²¹ His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant ^{[bondservant]}. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' ²³ His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' ²⁶ But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

We can take this passage and feel like God, Heaven and all of His Kingdom are watching. And if we look down to our own core, we can feel full or empty. Sometimes we are full and sometimes we are like the beatitudes.

Luke 6:25
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

Or

Amos 6:1
Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!

Perhaps the best way to approach our talents is with the enthusiasm of Isaiah -

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

We all have talents and gifts - the LORD has given us.

1 Corinthians 12
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts.

What is that one gift that draws us upward and to One Body in Him?

1 Corinthians 13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.


1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.


1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Hebrews 12:12
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.


Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.




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