Psalm 81 ~ I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.

Psalm 81

Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.

4 For it is a statute for Israel,
a  rule^{[just decree]} of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.

7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.

10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

The Ascension. You would think when Jesus died for us ~ He would have had a honeymoon period. We see almost immediately (opposite of what Jesus did for Peter, to immediately lift Peter up)  the disciples are fed, literally breakfast, by a risen Lord and begin to hide their flaws and to argue rights.

What will John receive? Is Peter really a lover of Jesus or a friend? When is Jesus going to haul the Romans out of Israel? That's about as rude gets. Really.

We fly right past that rudeness usually.

Recently, I participated in a Bible Study were Christians were told complaining is the broken eleventh commandment. Christians push away others by being whiners. I understand the principal, God did become fed up with the Children of Israel whining. However, What HE Really Did NOT Like ~ the failure to live for HIM ~ grab the Land ~ the point was to obtain the blessings ~ and instead they whined of giants inhabiting the land. Action was failed. He put up with A Whole Lot of Whining!

Complaining. I would remind the author of the study - enmity of the world is part of life. Life tends to want to eat everyone's lunch. Even the Son of God, risen from death!  Returning to the ones HE loved.

Could it be possible, we know what Jesus was thinking at the Ascension???

There is a right way and a wrong way to complain to Him. Unfortunately, mankind has not perfected this. I could pretend to say this was incorrect in the desert, but Jacob did this correctly by wrestling with HIM. I could say Paul knew only to ask three times.

Perhaps a more blessed way to pray? NO. Peter had this correct. He did not try to walk on water in his own righteousness again. He had seen his Hero, His Savior, return for him again. Once to reach IMMEDIATELY into the waters for Peter and the next to see Peter get his own hands wet to jump into the fray and make his way quickly to Jesus.

Peter, foolishly, complained he did philo Jesus. Jesus was looking for agape. Still is.

Peter did what mankind does - whine and hide.

Jesus did what God does - react with love and be patient. However, Jesus wasn't Peter's doormat. Jesus told Peter to open his mouth wide. And Peter understood, and was told, the road would be rocky, yet Peter again told Jesus - He has the Words of life. Honest Communication only comes with Honest... complaint. The give and take of forgiveness is an important thing God asks for in communication. He expects us to whine. The Scriptures are filled with people going to God transparently - to complain and tell HIM what they want, need or fret about.

He expects us to live for HIM. HE wants us to be That Centurion - Jesus found to be faithful -

And of course the question is - of course - a whine - HOW??? Like the Centurion Jesus was so pleased with. WE expect HIM to show up. To care about what we cast upon HIM. Yes, we are to be bringers of the Light, fishing - bringing men to Jesus Christ the Lord.

GOD expects us to

John 6:29
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.

Matthew 8:8-10
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.


And the results of those with great faith, believing in Jesus Christ the Lord, whom HE has sent...




The Scriptures plainly tell us again and again - expect the best - more promises will follow beyond our horizons... Never forgetting to Thank HIM for His blessings, knowing all through the Scriptures - God brings forth blessings in this life -  Hebrews 11:


faith, he was commended as righteous
he did not experience death
He rewards those who earnestly seek him
warned about things not yet seen
became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith
called to go to a place
By faith he made his home in the promised land
looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God
who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise

descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
blessed his children, and worshiped
spoke about future events
refused to be known as only a rich, powerful man
chose to be mistreated along with the people of God
looking ahead to his reward
not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible
By faith the people passed through impossible obstacles
By faith the walls of impossiblity fell
By faith a low dweller in life, disregarded, did the incorrect thing for the right reason and was chosen to be an ancestor of Jesus Christ the LORD.

faith conquered kingdoms
administered justice
gained what was promised
shut the mouths of lions
quenched the fury of the flames
escaped the edge of the sword
weakness was turned to strength
became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies
received back their dead, raised to life again.!!!!!!
were all commended for their faith

And By Our Faith, we have to do the work of Jesus Christ believing they received HIS promises. We see Jesus return from the dead, but only in faith do we know these Children of the Most High God - received Hope - His Promises are for me. Faith - HE Will do what He promises. LOVE as vast as the universe for me. 

“That’s My King”, by Dr. S.M. Lockridge:

My King

The Bible says my King is the King of the Jews. He’s the King of Israel. He’s the King of Righteousness. He’s the King of the Ages. He’s the King of Heaven. He’s the King of Glory. He’s the King of kings, and He’s the Lord of lords. That’s my King.

I wonder, do you know Him?

My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful.

Do you know Him?

He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He’s God’s Son. He’s the sinner’s Saviour. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest personality in philosophy. He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He’s the only one qualified to be an all sufficient Saviour.

I wonder if you know Him today?

He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captive. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent. And He beautifies the meek.

I wonder if you know Him?

He’s the key to knowledge. He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the pathway of peace. He’s the roadway of righteousness. He’s the highway of holiness. He’s the gateway of glory.

Do you know Him? Well…

His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. And His yoke is easy. And His burden is light.

I wish I could describe Him to you. Yes…

He’s indescribable! He’s incomprehensible. He’s invincible. He’s irresistible. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hand. You can’t outlive Him, and you can’t live without Him. Well, the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him.

Yeah! That’s my King, that’s my King.

Amen!

Peter tells us Jesus has the Words of Life -
Jesus tells us something -

sovereign
limitless
enduringly strong
entirely sincere
eternally steadfast
immortally graceful
imperially powerful
impartially merciful

The greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He’s God’s Son...

1 Peter 1:25
But the word of the Lord abideth for ever. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you.


John 15:7
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto
you.

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2 Chronicles 29 ~ opened the doors of the House of the Lord

1 Kings 6:2
The Temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.

A cubit is considered to be about 18- 20 inches, so the temple was about 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. In the modern world, the size is not vast like skyscrapers, football stadiums or airports. However, we've probably never seen a Church covered in gold.

2 Chronicles 29

1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east 5 and said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filth from the Holy Place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs. 7 They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel.

8 Therefore the wrath of the Lord came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not now be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.”

12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They gathered their brothers and consecrated themselves and went in as the king had commanded, by the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord. 16 The priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and they brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the Lord into the court of the house of the Lord. And the Levites took it and carried it out to the brook Kidron.

17 They began to consecrate on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the Lord. Then for eight days they consecrated the house of the Lord, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the showbread and all its utensils. 19 All the utensils that King Ahaz discarded in his reign when he was faithless, we have made ready and consecrated, and behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.”

20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the officials of the city and went up to the house of the Lord. 21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and threw it against the altar. And they slaughtered the rams, and their blood was thrown against the altar. And they slaughtered the lambs, and their blood was thrown against the altar. 23 Then the goats for the sin offering were brought to the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them, 24 and the priests slaughtered them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David and of Gad the king's seer and of Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the Lord through his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

27 Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the Lord began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 30 And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “You have now consecrated yourselves to [filled your hand for] the Lord. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings that the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 And the consecrated offerings were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34 But the priests were too few and could not flay all the burnt offerings, so until other priests had consecrated themselves, their brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was finished—for the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in consecrating themselves. 35 Besides the great number of burnt offerings, there was the fat of the peace offerings, and there were the drink offerings for the burnt offerings.

Thus the service of the house of the Lord was restored. 36 And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had prepared for the people, for the thing came about suddenly.

The events and choices of our lives define us. Solomon said the day of adversity is surely from the Lord as the day of blessing.

Hezekiah is 25 years old when he becomes 14th King of Judah. In his era, Hezekiah is middle aged. Hezekiah is coming to God's Kingdom in a time of great stress. The Assyrian Empire is a huge and powerful force Hezekiah has seen take down the Kingdom of Israel. Peaking back at the last chapter - Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, did not have a victorious reign. He turned his back on the Temple of God and closed the doors - sacrificing to every god, all over the place, and turning to other kings to fight battle for Judah.

How can we imagine a king turning his back on this wonder in the world, this gold Temple and the glorious history of the Lord's power and intervention? Sadly, we can understand this. We see people every day who have decided the Lord's promises do not belong to them.

The Temple of the Lord seemed a fairy tale to Ahaz. He cast his hopes away from the Temple. Ahaz had the benefit of knowing Isaiah. He didn't listen or believe. Perhaps Ahaz was thinking if he made the Temple obsolete, future generations would be able to dismantle the Temple gold to pay armies and make financial arrangements.

Hezekiah could have pillaged the gold covering the Temple. Later, he would try this and cry out to God. Crying to God worked better. Hezekiah forged a path away from asking other kingdoms for help. He relied solely upon the Lord.

Hezekiah opened the doors of the House of the Lord. I'm sure not all who witnessed Hezekiah rely upon the Lord agreed or were pleased. But Hezekiah left a legacy of Scripture written about his faith, his victory, and the wonders of God's works. Hezekiah opened the doors of the House of the Lord, the possibilities from following God were endless.

2 Kings 19:
6 Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. 7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’”

14 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 17 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands 18 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 19 So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”

2 Kings 20
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you.

2 Chronicles 30:19-21
19 who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.” 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord.

2 Chronicles 32:19-21
19 And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.

20 Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword.

2 Chronicles 32:23-30

And many brought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward.

24 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he answered him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of costly vessels; 28 storehouses also for the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds. 29 He likewise provided cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions. 30 This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works

Hezekiah's Water Tunnel




The passage reads:

... the tunnel ... and this is the story of the tunnel while ...

the axes were against each other and while three cubits were left to cut? ... the voice of a man ...

called to his counterpart, (for) there was ZADA in the rock, on the right ... and on the day of the

tunnel (being finished) the stonecutters struck each man towards his counterpart, ax against ax and flowed

water from the source to the pool for 1200 cubits. and 100?

cubits was the height over the head of the stonecutters ...

Zada means prosperous or fortunate.

Father God, You've said in Your word, when we believe Jesus is our Savior, we allow the Holy Spirit to live within us. Each day, Father God, we open our hands like the doors to the Temple and ask You to fill our day and our lives with Your plans. To Your glory. In the name of Jesus Christ, we trust each day You will do this in Your plan. Let Your will be done. Amen.

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Numbers 36 ~ This is what the Lord commands

Numbers 36

1 Then the heads of the clans of Gilead—descendants of Makir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph—came to Moses and the family leaders of Israel with a petition. 2 They said, “Sir, the Lord instructed you to divide the land by sacred lot among the people of Israel. You were told by the Lord to give the grant of land owned by our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. 3 But if they marry men from another tribe, their grants of land will go with them to the tribe into which they marry. In this way, the total area of our tribal land will be reduced. 4 Then when the Year of Jubilee comes, their portion of land will be added to that of the new tribe, causing it to be lost forever to our ancestral tribe.”

5 So Moses gave the Israelites this command from the Lord: “The claim of the men of the tribe of Joseph is legitimate. 6 This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: Let them marry anyone they like, as long as it is within their own ancestral tribe. 7 None of the territorial land may pass from tribe to tribe, for all the land given to each tribe must remain within the tribe to which it was first allotted. 8 The daughters throughout the tribes of Israel who are in line to inherit property must marry within their tribe, so that all the Israelites will keep their ancestral property. 9 No grant of land may pass from one tribe to another; each tribe of Israel must keep its allotted portion of land.”

10 The daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord commanded Moses. 11 Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah all married cousins on their father’s side. 12 They married into the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. Thus, their inheritance of land remained within their ancestral tribe.

13 These are the commands and regulations that the Lord gave to the people of Israel through Moses while they were camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River across from Jericho.

You have to love the Scriptures that are so antiquated and out of date. Out of Touch really. Done. Finito. Nothing like this compares to the New Covenant.

Except... Jesus. Yes the Risen Lord of All.


Luke 12:13-15
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

And my own great-grandfather was reportedly the largest land owner in Mississippi - his will left clear instructions in-laws were never to hold the land, only descendents. Rather like our Scripture passage today. It's safe to say, his Estate was not exactly divided to his liking. However, a Pastor friend of mine said this is His-story. He makes a path, a way, and a hope with a future.

Jesus was being asked about Primogeniture. We see in the Prodigal Son Parable, the younger son was to inherit a portion, but the older son was to inherit double sized portions. Solomon tells us the day of blessing and the day of misfortune come from His hand. Jesus also invites us to pray non-stop when unjust behavior occurs. And the Youth Pastor was and is correct. We are to thank HIM for the way our lives play out. King Saul would have been much more content to work with David instead of against him, but instead kicked the goads all his life. The Bible points out, just like the movie Knight and Day - WITH HIM, without Him. And we can decide if we are roots of bitterness, or we exist to be the best us He has planned with a Paul type bounce of "seeing how it will go for me.."

Philippians 2:23-24
I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.


One would think Paul would just know all that is to be. Instead Paul, himself, is to walk by faith.

Now, we see Israel was to be preserved. And as soon as Israel was comfortable, gratitude diminished. Israel is a testimony to our own human condition. And we see ingratitude lead to theft. Ahab was King and grabbed a vineyard in his abundance. Odd, but true.

One thing Israel did wrong. Israel had religious pride. Not bending to Syrians. Jonah did not welcome the "God given and directed" opportunity to witness to fertile ground to the Assyrians. And His Story marched on to spread beyond the borders. Remember with me, Jesus was firm with the Syrian woman wanting something from HIM. Yet, so touchingly, Jesus wanted the woman from a country worshiping other gods to acknowledge HIS majesty, and in her humility, Jesus worked a miracle for her daughter.

People are amusing. Just as the risen Jesus returned to the people He died for (forgiving them for running away), they want to know, "What's in it for us?" This really speaks to how readily available Jesus was to them. Not a ferocious leader, but approachable, loving, having breakfast on the beach.



Acts 1:6-8
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This is interesting too - in an era so many men feel that they aren't Power Rangers, Super Heroes, then maybe their manhood is in question. Jesus said a real man is approachable, even in trauma and dire circumstance.

His reply is rather... typical of our Father GOD, Lord of All Creation. He is saying this is HIS Story. And will unfold in HIS time and manner. But not to feel as if orphans in the storm, the Holy Spirit provides what Jeremiah cried out in a very difficult time, saying:

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ...


And did you know, in these days so many of us aren't even reading the news anymore - there is hope in the border of Mexico. People still pray believing HE will answer, DOES LOVE, and will Triumph!!!

Jeremiah is why Jesus is sometimes said to have been called Joshua - really (Joshua refused to give up on the Exodus as a work of God! Creating diligence out of disaster. Obedience from dire need and Hope in the desert. ) - because Jesus comes in where the situation is such a mess, wades in, gets His hands dirty, wet, and immediately cares.

Jeremiah believed like Joshua. This Verse for a Hope and a Future are the most beloved verse in the Bible next to God saving the world.

God tells us to do when events don't go our way. And its actually an incredible and astonishing piece of advice.

John 15:7
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Then we look to the Lord's Prayer and see we pray for His Will to be done and like Paul - see how this will go with me - with Gratitude!!

Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

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Psalm 79:8-13 ~ let thy compassion come speedily to meet us

Psalm 79:8-13
8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers; let thy compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for thy name's sake! 10 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of thy servants be known among the nations before our eyes!

11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before thee; according to thy great power preserve those doomed to die! 12 Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted thee, O Lord! 13 Then we thy people, the flock of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever; from generation to generation we will recount thy praise.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

It was the worst day. Work had mess ups at the factory from the quotes, the art wasn't right. My son went to Michigan to see his girlfriend today for a week, he has a sprained ankle. My husband has a really hurt pulled shoulder to neck from digging a ditch at the church and then doing disc golf. My older son went to Ultimate Frisbee and severely sprained both shins, had to go out and buy more Ace bandages. My teeth started to kill me all over, like no other, and I read it is a sinus infection. The dog, Merit, has another bladder infection &; I'm worried about my 10 year old dog. So he urinated all over Cal's room in front of us and couldn't stop. Cal's dog, Jackson, threw up on the living room rug. And I broke my brand spanking new steam cleaner. But Cal fixed it.

Life has so many issues and complications, we will rest our worries for today in Jesus' arms and look for Him to bear us up.

Some days, I'd have to say, it's good to be a blogger. To look back on 2009 and say, this too shall pass. I actually picked the Jesus photo heart warmingly reminds me of my son, Cal.

the flock of thy pasture

New opportunities and new seasons. New people to pray for with love. Generation to generation, we hand our concerns to a Vast Father GOD. He might well be the size of the Universe itself. His Right Hand wasn't even required for the Red Sea. Infinitely compassionate. Even His Name is Glory.

Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and and not we ourselves,
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Thank You Father God! For troubles past. Thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart. Making us stronger. You answered, my strength of soul, You increased. We open our lives to you transparently. We are Yours. We ask You for the Glory of Your name, giving us lives making each day a path in You. Thank You for the opportunity we have, each day, to pray for those we are given by You. For each loved member of the family, the blessings of Jesus Christ the Lord.

Blessings upon us for the Words of Your Mouth - blessed be the ways of our Lord. For great is the glory of the Lord. For though the Lord is High, He regards His flock. We look in expectation to Him, His Will be done for His glory and our good.

The opportunities in our Church. And the blessing of Clark's new adventure as Bishop and as the formation of Home Church Family Groups. We strive to bring Your will for Heaven to this earth and ask for Your Light to shine in us. Bringing great celebration, calling friends and neighbors together and rejoicing, we have found lost sheep. In the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven!

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

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Judges 16 ~ in the tomb of Manoah his father.

Creation painted by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, ceiling of the Sistene Chapel

Judges 16

1 Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her. 2 The Gazites were told, “Samson has come here.” And they surrounded the place and set an ambush for him all night at the gate of the city. They kept quiet all night, saying, “Let us wait till the light of the morning; then we will kill him.” 3 But Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron.

4 After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” 6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.”

7 Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9 Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have mocked me and told me lies. Please tell me how you might be bound.” 11 And he said to her, “If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” 12 So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And the men lying in ambush were in an inner chamber. But he snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread.

13 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me how you might be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” 14 So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web [and fasten it tight . . . into the web ]. And she made them tight with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled away the pin, the loom, and the web.

15 And she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me where your great strength lies.” 16 And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death. 17 And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. 21 And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison. 22 But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

23 Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.” 24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god. For they said, “Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.” 25 And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. 26 And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” 27 Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.

28 Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. 30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life. 31 Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had judged Israel twenty years.

A lot of us have grown up thinking Samson was a yut. How would you explain to kids in Sunday School, Samson was actually a dichotomy between gift of God and menace. A dichotomy between blessed and narcissist. Samson is an addict, a man taking such pleasure in the blessing of strength, he is a sexual addict. We could have been taught as children - Samson is a mirror image of David gone awry.

Here is a cornerstone - Samson never had to struggle with indifference of others, false accusation, abandonment, his parents didn't have 8 sons - where he is considered least, he doesn't appear to have a pivotal situation of moral consequences trust into his life without his choice. Samson seems to have it all handed to him. And acts more like Goliath than David. One of the thoughts in this passage is trouble defines us in our choices. An unsought blessing.

Samson is a deeper dichotomy of government following man-made rules of hate, allowing a veneer of righteousness. He is the epitome of hate talk, hate actions given a place of authority. Giving the unsaved, an excuse of "The Crusades" to avoid knowing the Love of God. Giving the saved a chance to look at following blindly a hateful righteousness. Look for God to have a Spirit of Truthfulness with Mercy. Look at this passage again to see if God is plainly speaking or if it is a passage of man interpreting God to be just like them. God asks for holiness. This is the tangle of doing what feels right versus the holiness of God. It is what Judges became.

Samson's beginning - the announcement of God's plan for Samson from the angel of the Lord declares Samson to be a Nazirite.

Numbers 6:1-8
The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the LORD as a Nazirite, 3 they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. 4 As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

5 “‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor may be used on their head. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the LORD is over; they must let their hair grow long.

6 “‘Throughout the period of their dedication to the LORD, the Nazirite must not go near a dead body. 7 Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head. 8 Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the LORD.


Because we have all fallen short of the glory of God, as sinners, it is the Lord's plan to interweave all things for good in His time and plan. Blending into Samson's victorious plan as a Judge of Israel, he sets out to marry a Philistine woman. In Judges 14, it is announced Samson is using this marriage to destroy Philistines. Samson takes too much pleasure in taunting the Philistine men. Samson discovers it hurts to be rejected even after self-centeredness edging towards sadism. Pride rears up when his father-in-law casually offers the younger sister in holy matrimony. Is one person just as easily exchanged for another? Hasn't Samson done the exact same thing in using his marriage as a ploy to destroy his enemies? Haven't other Biblical patriarchs had to work through the theft of a blessing? Like Jacob, God named Israel.

God had promised Samson a holy path, Samson's planning is the problem. Samson is trusting the untrustworthy perhaps in an attempt to say - he is trustworthy. Not all that bad deep down.

Samson tells Delilah if she hurts him, he will be just like any other man. A lot of times we set our selves apart - not for holiness - telling ourselves our situation is different than others. It is a cry Charlie Sheen uses. We are like every other person in this world, in a very aggrandized fashion - sometimes hurt, sometimes hurt-er.

A lot in this Scripture passage is difficult to fit precisely into our own lives. Yet there are some pretty profound truths. Hurting others, hurts us and sends us down a twisted path. Justice in life isn't swift, it isn't accurate and we usually find a way to almost justify to ourselves our own deeds. When we focus on what should be fair in life, using only our own judgment, our own wants - the path is not made straight. This path is Far from straight... God does not abandon Samson even in the midst of his self-destruction.

God's ways are Holy. We judge God to be like us. In this passage, God does not speak, but prayers are spoken to Him. Judges represents a time when people tried to govern themselves, but they were all doing what felt "right" to them. How does Samson truly perceive God Almighty to be different from Dagon - the Philistine god? Perhaps the Philistines and Samson had all met their match.

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God

Exodus 23:25
You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.

Luke 10:27
Jesus answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Psalm 27:11
Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Proverbs 4:26
Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. (ESV)
or
Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. (NIV)


Father God, in blessings and in adversity, You have made them both. Help us not to seek revenge or dwell in grudges. Help us, Lord, to begin these attitudes and actions of love with our parents and continue it into our larger lives. Teach us each day to love others. Let Your light shine in us and drive out our darkness. In Your Grace we rest and not in our own goodness. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


How much easier in Jesus Christ to find a straight path, not trusting in ourselves to start a holy war. Allowing the judgement to come from God. Believing He will set His path before us to walk. Trusting in His grace.

2 Corinthians 5


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

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

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

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