Matthew 21:14-17, 21, 22 ~ have faith

Extraordinarily Beautiful - Silent Night (Stille Nacht) Sung by The Vienna Boys Choir

Matthew 21:14-17, 21, 22

The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

¹⁶ “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

¹⁷ And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

²¹ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

There are hundreds and hundreds of prophesies fulfilled in Jesus Christ. One of them is
Psalm 8.


¹O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
² Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.

³When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

⁵Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
⁶You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
⁷all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
⁸the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

This praise bursting forth from the children, babes and infants really follows along with what Jesus said about His praise will be sung out.

Luke 19:36-40
And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,

38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Makes all those Christmas Carols on the radio seem a bit warmer. Doesn't it? I have to admit, I like the old Christmas Carols better than the newer ones. Just a fuddy duddy that way.


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Psalm 1 ~ like a tree

Psalm 1

<sup>English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible


1</sup> Blessed is the man^[a]
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
² but his delight is in the law^[b] of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

³ He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
⁶ for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Footnotes:
a. Psalm 1:1 The singular Hebrew word for man (ish) is used here to portray a representative example of a godly person;
b. Psalm 1:2 Or instruction

We have had an incredible year for the trees here in the Houston area. Record drought. A stunning number of trees are still standing and dead as a doorbell. Being a gardener, a friend called me to show me her incredible composting skill. That couple can really make dirt. Anyway, they called me to show me their patio tree, one of 3, shading their patio, died in the middle of the drought. It had been fertilized, watered and it just keeled over. It was the 'one' they relied upon for shade. "Why?" They asked. I said my cousin worked for the Louisiana State Forestry Commission and when he visited he said record drought is not record drought. It is just an event that has occurred again and again over the millenniums we have no record of. It is nature's way of making the forest stronger.

But they said, "The tree had all the necessary things for life." I said," It's still the stress of the event of constant wind, constant heat and it got to the tree. "

And I have to add here, we lost a 120 year old Oak that I was passionately in love with during Hurricane Ike, 2008. That grand old lady had a tornado hit her and she politely leaned over and slowly did a whole lot of damage to the next door neighbor's home. An 18 wheeler crane had to come, from Colorado, to remove that beautiful, still green tree covered in acorns. Our area township building authority saw the 3 story crane appear and drove over to see what the crane, he could see over the housetops, was doing. We had just learned our daughter, at 33 weeks gestation, was not going to live.

And wouldn't you know, Psalm 1 was my reading that tornado/hurricane evening. I felt worse than worse. It set me on a journey. What did the book of Job mean and how did it relate to me...

Psalm 1 is about hope and believing we can trust God. The acorns left by the 120 year old Oak left a tree. We are the tree that survived this year's drought. Some day, we will be the real Christmas tree that will just be glorious for this particular season. But in God's promises - all those lights of Christmas - Jesus the Light - continue to shine.

John 1:

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

9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.




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2 Chronicles 33:10-20 ~ God was moved

2 Chronicles 33:10-20

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

¹⁰ The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹ Therefore the LORD brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon. ¹² And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. ¹³ He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

¹⁴ Afterward he built an outer wall for the city of David west of Gihon, in the valley, and for the entrance into the Fish Gate, and carried it around Ophel, and raised it to a very great height. He also put commanders of the army in all the fortified cities in Judah. ¹⁵ And he took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside of the city. ¹⁶ He also restored the altar of the LORD and offered on it sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and he commanded Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁷ Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.

¹⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, behold, they are in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁹ And his prayer, and how God was moved by his entreaty, and all his sin and his faithlessness, and the sites on which he built high places and set up the Asherim and the images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the Chronicles of the Seers. ²⁰ So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his house, and Amon his son reigned in his place.

Advent Conspiracy - Enter the Story

Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, moved God - just from a prayer offered in desperation.

What we are really all looking for in Christmas is to give something meaningful. To move the ones we love. The Advent Conspiracy is for the Biblical Churches who do not have Advent. And what they've done with it - is amazing.

About 12 years ago, we were moving into our second home and we threw out three 40 gallon trash bags from the boys' rooms with just bits of junk in them. It took about 2 days to sort out the junk from the still intact, working toys and as we carried it to the trash, my husband remarked "There goes about 2 Christmases." He was right. (Of course this is part of life! But we've worked hard to put one lasting gift into each Christmas.)

A meaningful gift - it prompts us - what 3 people do you know that you could do an act of kindness for and it would be meaningful. This is what our pastor, Clark Lowenfield asked us this Sunday - and it already starts to put new ideas in motion. Last year Clark challenged us to write a letter - to tell the ones you love - what you've shared with them. Why they are important to you. It's so much better than a warm sweater.

Christmas memories are made from more than a trip to the store. I think my college age sons Are going to enjoy the marshmallow air-rocket guns. I will too if they keep them outside... I'm still thinking on the memorable gift for the family. I do have an idea for a neighbor as one of the 3 people who need something.

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Mark 13:24-27 ~ send out the angels

Mark 13:24-27

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

²⁴ "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, ²⁵ and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

Angels - with the return of '80's nostalgia, maybe you remember the Christmas Angel craze of the 80's. I have participated in it in a big way and continue today. I saw photos of the New York Met tree in the 80's and have endeavored to do my best with our Christmas tree.


Met tree photos....

And I've had help with my angel tree project from family, my mom (of course) and friends. Even Church parties where the ornament is wrapped and distributed without anyone knowing what the ornament was - mine turns out to be an angel. My great-aunt Eloise had beautiful lace she collected for decades and my cousin Maxine gave it to my mom and to me. So our store bought angels have additions of beautiful lace and gold trim and acrylic paint applied to their clothes.

Not to mention the baseball angel, the football angel, the '99 Spencer doggy went to heaven photo in angel frame, the paper dinner plate angel, the valentine doily angel, the mother's day out angel, musical and medieval mosaic angels, red and white checked art deco angel, renaissance metal angel, pastel- paper- mache WWII plump Shirley Temple musical angels found in the attic of our second home, and - you get the idea. My sons even to this day look for the two angels repainted to look like them at age 5. They enjoyed placing their angel higher than the sibling's and sometimes the tree began to sway as that angel climbed heaven wards to 'higher' glory.

But in the middle of beautiful art - there is one thing I really long to see - an angel on the tree not looking like she is dressed to have High Tea with Queen Victoria. What about the real angels that the heart- stopping reaction is - O.M.G.


Luke 2:8-14

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"


Christmas is not just a reminder of God choosing to become part of our lives, but Christmas is the joyous reminder - we are going Home. All of the Christmas joy and Christmas hassle - our Alpha and Omega are in Jesus Christ. This life is just part of the plan for eternity - beginning today.


2 Peter 1:17
For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

2 Corinthians 3:10
For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.

2 Corinthians 1:22
and He has also set His seal upon us, and has put His Spirit into our hearts as a pledge and foretaste of future blessing.




Handel Messiah Hallelujah 1000 Choir Chorus
70th BPMC of Anniversary 7th Church Choir Festival.
John Hong, Organist (Hyun Il Hong : 홍현일)
Graduate Juilliard



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Psalm 99 ~ The King in His might loves justice. You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

May 11, 2011

Jacob sees Esau Coming to Meet Him, painted by James Tissot (Genesis 33)


Psalm 99

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2 The Lord is great in Zion;
he is exalted over all the peoples.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name!
Holy is he!
4 The King in his might loves justice.
You have established equity;
you have executed justice
and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Exalt the Lord our God;
worship at his footstool!
Holy is he!

6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was among those who called upon his name.
They called to the Lord, and he answered them.
7 In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them;
they kept his testimonies
and the statute that he gave them.

8 O Lord our God, you answered them;
you were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
9 Exalt the Lord our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for the Lord our God is holy!




Isaiah 6:5
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

Not everyone who stays away from Church is unbelieving. Some people stay away because they realize they shouldn't stand too close to the Holy mountain of God Almighty. Going to Church makes them feel second rate and guilty.

The disciples were frankly terrified during the Transfiguration. The Glory of God was overwhelming to them. Moses and Elijah - to stand in their midst made them utter weak comments that they must have cringed over later.

Much easier to stay on the most traveled, well worn paths of the work a day world. A resume comes to you, someone knows someone and they are looking for work. A personal email/letter to you is accompanying the resume. Yes, the applicant has had a rough path. He has cheated his dying father. But he was young & his mother helped him. Sure, he was a run away during his father's dying, but he went to work for a relative for years. Years. And he did great work. The relative/boss cheated him. Then he stayed with the cheating employer for years. Sure, he has his way with women and ... women servants. And yes, he did put the women servants in harm's way when his dangerous brother came to call. Oh, yeah. He does have an angry, violent brother who terrifies him.

This man needs work. He has 12 sons and a daughter. He's a great father. Except he favors two of the children. One son, slightly more than the second. The kids are angry, but come on - the man needs work. One of his sons was killed in a wilderness trip. He is willing to leave his beloved promised land and relocate. He is the kind of man to wrestle with great difficulties. Look at the years of work record - this man is even willing to change his name if you promise him eternal loyalty and steadfast love.

So please, make Jacob your banner. He will make a great CEO.

Our God is might to save. And forgiving, seeing the intentions of the heart in difficult situations, forgiving the intentions of the heart in difficult matters.

If God had a name what would it be? I AM, ABBA, FATHER, DADDY
And would you call it to his face? Jacob was known to wrestle God
If you were faced with him in all his glory - Like Jacob
what would you ask if you had just one question? Bless me?!

Yeah, Yeah, God is great
Yeah, Yeah, God is good
Yeah Yeah yeah yeah yeah

What if God was one of us? This has been known to happen. With angels, star and shepherds
Just a slob like one of us - Like Jacob
Just a stranger on the bus - "I am a stranger, in a strange land"
Trying to make his way home - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me

If God had a face
What would it look like? Early Christian art of Jesus, before the 5th century, looks like the Shroud of Turin - Jesus' face
And would you want to see it - Usually there is a crowd at the Shroud
If seeing meant that you would have to believe
In things like heaven and Jesus and the saints
and all the Prophets - So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Yeah Yeah God is great
Yeah Yeah God is good
Yeah Yeah yeah yeah yeah Yeah!

What if God was one of us? Jesus of Nazareth sending His Holy Spirit to dwell in who All who believe

Just a slob like one of us- He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
And there he lets the hungry dwell

Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
Just trying to make his way home
Back up to Heaven all alone - Nations shall dwell with Him!
Nobody callin' on the phone - As long as there are tests there will be prayer in school!

cept for the Pope maybe in Rome - Whenever 2 or more gather in His name....

Yeah Yeah God is great
Yeah Yeah God is good
Yeah Yeah yeah yeah


Exodus 34:7
maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Numbers 14:18
‘The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’


Nehemiah 9:17
They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them

Psalm 86:5
You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.

Psalm 99:8
LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.

Daniel 9:9
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


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Christianity, Bible, Scripture, Jesus is Lord, Messiah, Anglican, Prayer, Faith, Hope, Love, Miracles, God sees more than others, God sees you. Forgiveness, encouragement. Holiness.

Nehemiah 8:9-18 ~ a terrific day

Nehemiah 8:9-18 ~ The Message

⁹ Nehemiah the governor, along with Ezra the priest and scholar and the Levites who were teaching the people, said to all the people, "This day is holy to God, your God. Don't weep and carry on." They said this because all the people were weeping as they heard the words of The Revelation. 

¹⁰ He continued, "Go home and prepare a feast, holiday food and drink; and share it with those who don't have anything: This day is holy to God. Don't feel bad. The joy of God is your strength!" 

¹¹ The Levites calmed the people, "Quiet now. This is a holy day. Don't be upset."

¹² So the people went off to feast, eating and drinking and including the poor in a great celebration. Now they got it; they understood the reading that had been given to them.

^13-15 On the second day of the month the family heads of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered around Ezra the scholar to get a deeper understanding of the words of The Revelation. They found written in The Revelation that God commanded through Moses that the People of Israel are to live in booths during the festival of the seventh month. So they published this decree and had it posted in all their cities and in Jerusalem: "Go into the hills and collect olive branches, pine branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and any other leafy branches to make booths, as it is written."

^16-17 So the people went out, brought in branches, and made themselves booths on their roofs, courtyards, the courtyards of The Temple of God, the Water Gate plaza, and the Ephraim Gate plaza. The entire congregation that had come back from exile made booths and lived in them. The People of Israel hadn't done this from the time of Joshua son of Nun until that very day—a terrific day! Great joy!

¹⁸ Ezra read from the Book of The Revelation of God each day, from the first to the last day—they celebrated the feast for seven days. On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly in accordance with the decree.

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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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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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