Matthew 8:1-4 ~ Lord, if You will - Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will"

Mount of Olives, Israel

Matthew 8:1-4

1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

The blog is picked out when I'm on vacation or on the run from the two thousand posts published since 2007. Prayer accomplishes the picked post before the post is read. Today's post is June 27th, 2008. The man photographed on the sidewalk on the Mount of Olives reminded me of our Pastor. This was his first trip to Israel.

Actually the post from June 27th, 2008 did not have a comment on the reading. I remember that particular day I felt very lonely. Who likes to admit to loneliness when in June of 2008, I had a house of youth ministry boys and dishes to wash. Heck, who likes to admit to loneliness. But I was and left the title as "Lord, if You will."

Loneliness has dogged me since I hit puberty. And I shared that with my very well read grandmother Anita. Who quoted me from her favorite book, "The Yearling" which has a quotes saying, "We all get lonely, we just go on."

And you know, life has seasons. My dad used to say the Sunday Blue Laws gave him the Sundays - a restless boredom not easily filled. Loneliness isn't always isolation, according to James Dobson. Loneliness can be insulation. How to share what's in your soul and who to give that to.

Scripture says Love covers a Multitude of Sins. You can get stuck inside yourself. Really stuck. One more reason to get off the American fed rear end and move that to Church.

We need to love. Love. To reach beyond our boundaries and truly care. I did Youth Ministry. That expanded my world a good bit. You let in the good with the bad when you increase your boundaries. Youth Ministry has had two almost fatal car accidents, an unplanned pregnancy resulting in good marriage, counseling crushed teens in good and bad dating, lots of bbqs and breakfasts. And we had an entire tent donated to us after my oldest son stood up and sprayed his younger brother's friends like a sprinkler system with thrown up - regurgitated Vienna sausages. Needless to say, there was A LOT of screaming, it woke up the entire camp site. Unfortunately, our employed Youth Minister did not see the humor until I almost passed out, I laughed so hard. He couldn't stay mad too long as I was starting to roll on the ground kicking my feet up in the air - the madder he got and the more the story progressed. To his credit, we both laughed till we cried.

And then, I just was still lonely. Which goes and comes, with this blog post ending in -

Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will"

The next significant thing in my insulation isolation or whatever you deem that - was our Church Needlepoint Group. Bing. HIM. What we share a significant amount of in our Needlepoint group is parental misbehavior. All of these grown women discovered we had this in common. We had in our midst a lady who now tells us she was wiped out - her stories reflected an abuse we don't even often see in the Media. And I realized, we had a duty to listen to these hard stories pouring out. Sometimes this is hard to listen to - it's easier to just be friends with the people who sparkle. And this group began to be a haven. Lives were changed. And the group began to go back to being a Needlepoint Group from time to time - because - old hurts were being... Healed.

This group made a change in my heart. Sometimes the group was... not fun. Sometimes there are things that are dark, lurk and not healed. And you, sadly, can't touch that. And we kept going and even touched upon some things you just have to give to Him. And the Truth is - He is in charge. This Light is still shining for this group.

Life has seasons of change. Which, oddly enough, is surprising. We've welcomed new family in our lives and I've felt my heart grow like no other time. And still this is a season of change and more looking at His Word for love to be good influence.


And I'm sitting here still proclaiming -

Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will"

This Post finds our Paster returning from Israel and I'm looking vastly forward to hearing Clark tell about new developments in Israel of men and women discovering God is good all the time.

And today, I do believe Love has permanently expanded my heart. Finding a voice for my soul. Loving the people I know with less judgement. Kicking tail when I have to. Volunteering at our local Pregnancy Assistance Center and finding out the privilege of finding sausage biscuits brought to the volunteers that instead went to feeding a homeless pregnant woman intent on hearing a Christian message and seeing her life change there. (Lord Jesus Christ be with that dear women who now is a new mom.)

Having a bright eyed young client tell me of homelessness, a handicapped six year old son, an unemployed new husband, a need for medicare specialist ob-gyn to discern the needs of her unborn daughter who was flagged as Downs Syndrome. With bitter anger to her mom for not helping her, when her other five siblings receive help. I prayed for her and she gave me a look like bitter uh-huh thanks. That made me wince a little. And our Director said - give this beautiful Cherry Changing Table to the next client. And our bright eyed young client said, "I will find a way to pick that up today." I said, look, forgive your mom. And do some of our homework on forgiveness. She said she would and she needed some forgiveness homework.

Prayer. What a thing. Last resort - hardly.

3 weeks later - bright eyed young client has returned. With .... her mom. And her mom is thrilled too. This young mom is getting a new trailer home from her mom to put on her mom's "beautiful" land! Our bright eyed young mom is glowing. Her husband has found steady employment. And... and... and she found the medicare specialist who said the Downs Syndrome was a false positive. The treasured six year old is thrilled to find his sister is going to be okay.

Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will"


And your blogger, she has had quite a day today. A request for prayer for a young lady who loves her mom and time will be spent at dinner looking over her wedding reception photos at our house. A request from Church Family and a dear lady to bring her family to swim again. A sister-in-law calling about scheduling a niece to spend the night. A family cousin's cousin is getting married and that will be fun! A great dinner with family out of town where my son who is twenty-four sparkled and passed a mom test to see if she'd press her daughter to meet my son. A Needlepointer calling to say we had a great couples weekend. And oh, God, HIM, my mom is coming to visit. Prayer is a good thing. We just had a family reunion. And and I had my house cleaned for the first time ever. With the ladies at Walmart recognizing a cart loaded with cleaning supplies congratulating me again and again that having your house cleaned is - Wonderful!! Then hearing from another far flung niece - who wants to meet the bride we mentioned at the top of our paragraph. God creating circles of love.

Father God, may all my family be blessed knowing that the Light that shines in all mankind is living, active, joyful, ready waiting, with open arms - to always love and care and rejoice in good events we look forward to in ... Hope, Faith and Love. With the Greatest of these being Love. Because. God is Love. In Jesus Christ. Amen.

<><

John 3:16 ~ HE Gave

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.


Ever have "One of those Days"? Evidently according to blog my Friday, March 18, 2011 was one of those days:

"My bottom front tooth broke in half today. I was eating refried beans. Repairmen - at my house today. Trips to the hardware store. Solutions not working. Lists made for more repairs and more trips to more stores. All with a jagged snaggle tooth. More needed tooth work. By evening I was contemplating the cool, calm collected people I'd seen all day long. Sure seems like some people have an easier, more fun life. Well. C'est le guerre. You can never be too rich or too thin. Until you are the thin one or you are the rich one, compared to someone else."

Or compare this to Edward recently renting a car and the rental car place actually has harassed us because a literal Zombie Killer (he has a business idea and it's good and I won't explain further, but he has a business card showing he is a Zombie Killer) ran into Edward who was in a parked car at a red light in front of a policeman. The policeman wrote a report up saying this is true and ticketed the very friendly Zombie Killer who is currently and bonafidely insured with Geico. Anyway the 'rental car unnamed' place calls us to say they need a police report. Edward trapped them into revealing they knew there was a police report (which he handed in with the rental return) and referred to his insurance. Then they had the nerve to call and say pay for the accident until Zombie Killer insurance kicks in. Um. No. And then a bored monotone calls to tell us on the phone that it's decided 'against us' - pay up. I told Edward to tell them, "I will pay, when you claw the money out of my cold dead hand."

And my mother-in-law was harassed during my father-in-law's passing to pay a fake dental, rather large bill. When he went Home, she told the caller, sure you can have the money, but you are going to have to go A LONG WAY to collect that.

When you sit to watch / read the news, which I don't. Because I find I used to know ALL the news and it was depressing. The world continues to turn without me reading the news. Thank God, literally for FB, because if something terrible happens someone is bound to comment and I'd rather hear about people I know anyway. And people love to tell you what horrible event has happened & then you have something 'fun' to chat about. On the vast news days we seem to travel in the car and pick up on that. News gives people who are ill time to think "I could do that". We need the news to condemn and be continually horrified over known mentally ill people doing horrible acts of violence.


And this brings us back to our quote -

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Did Jesus arrive to give this amazing gift to us - declaring us worthy to be with HIM in our human condition in an uninformed condition?? NO.

John 2:25
He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

God hears all our thoughts. Just perhaps this is what the space of the universe is. J.K Rowling might have hit upon the need for the space in the universe in Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve. In Jesus Christ the LORD, we are known from where we really live - all the way to the back of the universe. How wide, how high, how deep is His Love.

Why would Jesus Christ arrange His day to row across the Sea of Galilee to meet a specific person? This is an example of how the Father in the Prodigal Son runs to us.

What does God see in us? This is pretty clear.

John 1
All things were made through Him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was Life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

That's an amazing thought . Miracles are still occurring today. The Newspapers occasionally have this right.

'Miracle' recovery: Blind dad leaves doctors stunned by regaining his sight
25 Feb 2013 00:00 Paul Hill was told nothing more could be done for his vision - and then, incredibly, it started to come back

A week into a coma, as her condition deteriorated, doctors told her family to say a final goodbye to seven-year-old Charlotte her mom Leila, 31, climbed into the hospital bed with Charlotte to give her daughter one last song. A song both mom and daughter had often sung together. Her daughter suddenly began to smile. Astonished doctors and nurses told Leila to keep singing – before they were rewarded with yet another smile from Charlotte. Leila said: “It’s a miracle."

Aug 21 BELLBROOK, Ohio — A family in Ohio said they've witnessed a medical miracle, and a doctor said he's never seen anything like it. It was quiet outside of Christ's Church in Bellbrook on Tuesday. It was quiet inside, too. Tony Yahle, 37-year-old,said, "Earlier this month, Yahle's family found his breathing was off and he didn't have a pulse. Family members did CPR and he was eventaully taken to Kettering Medical Center.Yahle was "coded" for 45 minutes as team of medical personnel tried to stimulate his heart. He was declared dead the afternoon of August 5. Suddenly showed signs of life appeared as nurses prepared him for his family. He would be taken to OSU Medical Center by CareFlite.

"Everybody started telling me how it happened," Yahle said. "That's when I started to understand, you know, a miracle happened."

Right before he woke up, Yahle's 17-year-old son Lawrence spoke to him. "I pointed at him and I said, 'Dad, you're not going to die today.' I stood there for about a few more seconds. I was about to walk back to comfort the family..."

That's when Yahle started showing signs of a heartbeat.

"It went from hopeless to hope in an instant," Lawrence said.

Yahle's cardiologist said this case is beyond rare."In the last 20 years, I've never seen anybody who we have pronounced dead and actually the patient we saw with no activity once we stopped doing all our efforts and then for him to come back... I've never seen it," Dr. Raja Nazir said. "Actually, I've never heard of it."

LifeSiteNews: July 18, 2013 Family members and medical personnel at a hospital in Lindrina, Brazil, say they are stunned after a baby declared dead apparently came back to life after being placed on the altar in the hospital’s chapel. According to local news sources, Yasmin Gomes was born premature earlier this month, and almost immediately stopped breathing. Doctors attempted for nearly an hour to revive the girl, who weighed only 2.6 pounds, but after their attempts failed they declared the baby dead and issued a death certificate.

Only God can save the world. God so Loves the world, He is still the Light lighting mankind. And apparently, He still calls His creation...

Genesis 1:31
And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.

Psalm 24:1
The earth and everything it contains are the LORD's. The world and all who live in it are His.

John 5:17
Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

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

<><

Ephesians 1:15-23 ~ do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers

Ephesians 1:15-23

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,


(Hebrews 1:1
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.…

God asks us to believe His Son and believe the prophets who wrote the Word of God and those seeking Him earnestly. One of the rewards of Christian fellowship is to be inspired by those who love Him. Another reason for corporate worship. )


16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

(1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing

when we think of someone pray for them. We should also have a deliberate daily prayer list. This conversation in your mind prompts you to pray for those who come to mind. This isn't Christian Guilt 101. This is HIS word coming to you...Turning your thoughts to Him as you think.

Philippians 1:3
I thank my God every time I remember you.)

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

(James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.)


18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

(His Hope
1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love

How Much does God really love?)

Ephesians 3:18- ~ Amplified Bible (AMP)
18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses [f]mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and [h]become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

And that inheritance says

20 His power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super-abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— )

19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

(I once was in a bible study long, long and far away ago, saying if we expect for Him to answer prayers, we are only seeking the prosperity gospel - this is contrary to His Word.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.)

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

(Luke 23:43
Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be in paradise)

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

(Of course we know this Scripture

Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.)(Blessed are you Lord Jesus Christ.)

22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.


1 Peter 2:1-25
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ the Lord rarely does give the blessing of Jabez . One reason is the Bible says money hastily gotten does dwindle. And another reason, the Scriptures don't even have a lot to say about Jabez, he's boring. There is an important point to make about Jesus a living stone rejected - we understand - we ourselves have been rejected. The forgiven learning to be the forgivers. The forgiven learning to be Lights of Jesus Christ, not self-hypocrisy of position. Our human frailties, teaching us to be kinder. Our failures saying, I run to the Lord, because I need HIM.

When you look at overviews of Ephesians, this is Paul's take on Churches being the Body of Christ. Which is inevitably going to cause conflict, because The Bride of Christ houses people. And in Mary's own house, as the Mother of Christ, we see Jesus did not see eye to eye with His Family, although He traveled to visit them for several days while going to the Wedding of Cana. So problems exist, thorny problems. And still do. Jesus was willing to wear a crown of thorns and be mocked, I think the Bride of Christ deserves, He says, a Sabbath visit for worship.

Paul spent a long time in Ephesus.

1 Corinthians 16
7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Pray for others, pray your prayer list, but never forget to pray for your Church. 

What we read in God's Word is clearly, Church is a hassle. Pew Reports show Americans agree.  Even men who started the early Church quarreled. C'mon they were quarreling in the last Chapter of the Gospel of John. Today we see people thinking. The old denominations were starting to be led by men who were interested in the Church as an escape from the Vietnam Draft. Using the Church for works. (Mr. President, please consider war to be a final attempt needed only when civil unrest has compromised our lives.) People should change Churches showing Church Leadership to adhere to the faith - God says His work for us - to believe Him and His promises - written where - yes, in His Word. 

Let's be clear. People leave Churches as well from hurt feelings, yet it's my personal experience, they usually then stay home and mutter about Church. Yet if you read God's Word, which is necessary to understand HIM fully, He says the "wicked" remain uninvolved in fulfilling His Commandment to Honor Him on the Sabbath.

Something to ponder when you hear people say, I love Him, not His Church. And mafia, fogetaboutit, if you think Jesus did not talk about going to HIS Church. Jesus told Peter, who was not the first to proclaim Jesus as Messiah, Peter was the first to teach others - this is the foundation of our faith - Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ the Lord - AND His response to this was -  be a Rock. Keep the gates of Hell from coming near Church. Sure that's extrapolation - but also clearly - This is HIS message.

Yep, let it expand your mind with awe. Jesus took HIS disciples to Caesarea, the most Roman city in Israel,  Where HIS Sovereignty was discovered to be the foundation, And Jesus Christ the LORD explained not that a Temple would rise, but HIS Church was to last so many millenniums, that Hell would be kept out. We are God's Temple, He wants to dwell within us, but clearly Jesus wants His Church on the path to His Home.

Father God, bless the people who strive together for millenniums to be Your Children. Guide, establish, strengthen, pardon and bless them to reach out to the world only You can save. Help the Churches to strengthen themselves to be the Body of Jesus Christ. Each Temple of the Lord being living stones in Your spoken Word - the Church.  In the Highest Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

<><

Job 13 ~ Behold, My Eye has seen all this, My Ear has heard and understood it.

Jackson Browne just might have seen with the eyes of Job

Job 13

“Behold, my eye has seen all this,
my ear has heard and understood it. (!!!!)

2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 But I would speak to the Almighty,
and I desire to argue my case with God.

(Rather like Jacob, who was a blessing wrestler)

4 As for you, you whitewash with lies;
worthless physicians are you all.


(We are the elbows-out-generation, even our CNN has subtitles. God just did not put in subtitles, He expects us, like Cornelius to ponder HIM.

Luke 6:29
To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.

I was once mocked in a Christian school falsely, asked for my coat to see if I would hand that over. You think that if I'd handed over my coat I'd have earned a new Christian??? Nope. However, I was soooo shocked I began to pray for a woman who'd mock a Scripture. And she returned, after Christmas, to say her mother, her parents-in-law, and her husband bought her coats for Christmas. She said her husband, upon being 'grilled', her own word, had felt compelled to buy her a coat. I'd have to say, from her words and her tone, this was something for her to remember for a long time. We don't resort to prayer, we are thrilled to run to Him in prayer and rejoice in refuge.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Who are we following? Jesus Christ the LORD. The risen Lord. Jesus Himself knew what was in man. And He came to save the World. Only GOD can save the World.

Jesus was asked foolish questions and He responded meekly? No, Jesus did reply kindly in almost all circumstances, however HE didn't roll over when HE knew HE should not.

We seem to have a vision of meek Jesus submitting. Jesus fought the good fight. He dealt with people constantly giving false judgements for various reasons. Jesus didn't submit, Jesus was fighting the good fight to the end, know HE gave His life for undeserving people, when HE could have called down angels to serve Him. 

Proverbs 25:11
Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.

Jesus is represented as Wisdom in Proverbs laughing at the beauty and joy of creation. Wisdom.

Matthew 10:16
I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

With a huge remembrance, Jesus said mercy is given to the merciful.

I happen to like a shrewd retort now and then. And Job has a rather memorable one. I think Jesus Himself enjoys this.

Job 12
Then Job answered and said:

2 “No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.


And rather like Jacob, the Blessings Wrestler, he continues with this:

3 But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know such things as these?


4 I am a laughingstock to my friends;
I, who called to God and he answered me,
a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
5 In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune;
it is ready for those whose feet slip.
6 The tents of robbers are at peace,
and those who provoke God are secure,
who bring their god in their hand.

(Jesus was even mocked by Nicodemus.

John 3:3-4
3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night ......and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

This is not the policy of most people in dealing with Signs from God. Jesus got rather snappy with Nicodemus. 

John 3:8-12
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?


Certainly, Jesus loved and helped the Woman from Syria asking HIM for crumbs from His table. Jesus would not have helped her if she had drawn a false humility. Today, remember with me in gratitude, God sees us transparently, searching not for teeth gritted humility, but a willingness to contend with briar burr patches with HIM helping us.

A lot of situations require not, sigh, more prayer, but Joyfully more prayer. God has saved the World. HE does not seem to mind Jacob frankly wanting HIS attention and blessings, although to contend with HIM is not comfortable. Jesus Christ the LORD never requires a false halo.

Psalm 81
Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!

Mark 10:32
They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe)



7 “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
8 or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?

(If you've ever sat and waited upon a Hurricane to arrive, you don't sit peacefully, the beasts, the birds, the fish are all agitated. Creation waits with anticipation for the Revealing of the Sons of Men. We all should be observant and grateful for the beauty God laughed with delight to create. )


10 In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind.
11 Does not the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
12 Wisdom is with the aged,
and understanding in length of days.

(Wisdom Jesus Spoke of.

Luke 7:33-35
33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

If we spend time looking to His Words to see truth. (Like Thomas Jefferson who John Addams proclaimed to be alive in Heaven as they both passed on July 4th after creating a new nation conceived of in Freedom. Like being able to pray in public. ) If we are spending our time leaning to the Word - we know our destination. If we spend time debunking the Word, Him, the Church, Christians - we are learning of that destination too.)


13 “With God are wisdom and might;
he has counsel and understanding.
14 If he tears down, none can rebuild;
if he shuts a man in, none can open.

(Apply this to natural disaster - not New Orleans and not Haiti - these things were HIM creating awareness of need, dire need.

Nahum 1:9.
What do you plot against the LORD? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time.)


15 If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
16 With him are strength and sound wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.

(See Psalm 107)


17 He leads counselors away stripped,
and judges he makes fools.
18 He looses the bonds of kings
and binds a waistcloth on their hips.

(Jesus washes the disciples feet.)


19 He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows the mighty.

(See the History of Pontius Pilate and Herod. See the end of Herodias. Prisoner Paul boldly proclaims this. Read of  the end of Festus, Agrippa and Bernice. The opposers of Chrisitianity did not turn out so well.)

20 He deprives of speech those who are trusted
and takes away the discernment of the elders.

(See Luke 1. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. This righteous priest trusted his own righteousness before the Angel Gabriel who stands before God. And forgot to catch hold of the horns of safety on the alter before he doubted God's Word.)

21 He pours contempt on princes
and loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He uncovers the deeps out of darkness
and brings deep darkness to light.
23 He makes nations great, and he destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and leads them away.
24 He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth
and makes them wander in a trackless waste.
25 They grope in the dark without light,
and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.


(We are not called to grope in the dark, but to call upon a God living and active, not allowing a world to pour contempt on HIS goodness with a sly call for false halos.  Look for the right solution, to the right situation. We deal with HIM, and ask His blessings upon our interactions. Asking His opinion in our thoughts, asking His Mercy.)

Isaiah 9:2 
 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light


1 Corinthians 15:57
 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

<><

Psalm 40 ~ blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud

Psalm 40


1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance [righteousness]
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!

We have several really large pine trees. At the top of one, about 60 feet up, one of the branches had fallen and caught on a lower branch. I pointed out to my husband, the branch looked exactly like a shepherd's crook. It was a large branch. We wondered if it would do damage when it fell, so on one of our walks, we prayed about it. I rather liked that shepherd branch hanging up there!

Years later, we were returning from one of our walks to Starbucks and my husband noticed the branch had neatly fallen into the flower bed, no damage at all. Eagerly we went to see this shepherd's crook. We were discouraged to find one crushed baby sparrow. My husband and I found 3 or 4 more tiny little sparrows. They were cute with little masks, like the one in the photo. We knew not to touch them, or the parent would smell the human scent. I could hear, from inside our house, the parents crying frantically & the babies peeping cries. They couldn't locate the young birds. I was getting frantic myself. And growing more unhappy that neatly shaped branch was the message of impending doom. Time was going on and it seemed the little birds, after falling so many feet in the hollow in the branch, were getting quiet.

Now feeling good & angry, I googled 'rescuing baby birds fallen from the nest'. Amazingly, the human touch and birds scent is a complete myth; it advised getting a basket, putting the remainder of the nest in the basket and using coat hangers to hang the basket in branches at a comfortable, reachable height. Slightly tilt the basket so the birds fold into the original nest. The hollowed branch had nesting materials. Thrilled - yes - to hush the more distressed parents and rescue the oh-so quiet baby birds. I returned to the house, job done. NO. The babies were too distressed to cry & the parents were frantic. One more google search. The answer, me grabbing the baby and holding it high; now the baby bird was squeeling. Oh, that worked. The dad was hysterically fearful of this human. He fearfully and bravely flew to a lower branch, just nearby. Now, the parents could see me put the baby back into the basket/nest. Alleluia, the parents were only too glad to see their brood. My reward - getting to see the parents raise them for the next two weeks. Happy family. Everyone grew up after some flying lessons. We still see their variety of sparrow arrive at our bird bath and feeder. The glow of kindness brightens the day.

This is like the blessings we have in the Lord. We have discomfort, fear and our issues are not immediately resolved. It is in trust, not abandonment, or panic & we are able to see the path God has for us.

Great is the Lord!

We are blessed when we put our trust in Him.


 Help us, Father God, to not abandon or panic about our troubles. To put our problems in Your hands. With faith, and a slice of curiosity, to see how You will bring Your will forth. Great is the Lord! Thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.

<><

Matthew 9:18-26 ~ And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion

Matthew 9:18-26

While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 

20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

23 And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.

So many people say the Gospels were written in the 4th century by oral history. Which is in conflict with Paul writing of the Temple sacrifices being done as he wrote. The Christian bishop, Papias of Hierapolis, about 100–140 AD, wrote: "Matthew collected sayings of Jesus." Matthew identifies himself as a Tax Collector in this Chapter.

Does Jesus know about the confusion mere mortals face? How life isn't always apply this solution to this verse??

Jesus had 3 years to wow the crowd. When we get to the 9th Chapter of Matthew, Jesus had called the first set of disciples together, Matthew had not been part of the group called together in the 4th Chapter. The 8th Chapter lists 4 miracles. Jesus had been speaking with crowds of people who gathered to hear Him. This is the way Matthew arranges his introduction of Jesus ministry. An outsider, later invited in.

It would seem that Jesus, with His exact ideas of what is going to occur would have asked Matthew right away. Instead, Matthew is given time. Just like John the Baptist. John the Baptist tells us he did not know Jesus. He didn't grow up with his cousin. He had time to grow into understanding Jesus. In the middle of being given the idea Jesus did not march along with a perfect day planner, let's remember Jesus rowed back and forth over the Sea of Galilee sometimes several times in one day. If you were God, wouldn't you want to arrange people so you didn't have to row or sail back and forth?

It is another example of God making time for the give and take in life. Jesus has done 4 amazing miracles and, of course, everyone treats Him with respect. It makes sense. No, we are still the people God has to contend with. Still the grumblers in the desert asking for God to do more. People laughed at Jesus. Not with Him. Elijah would have called down fire. If you'll remember, the disciples asked Jesus to do this on one occasion. And Jesus, being God, said no, He had other plans.

Back to the Day Planner thought. In the middle of working with the ruler, Jesus heals. So. There is a 5th miracle and the people still don't like it. And don't trust Him.

How does Jesus feel being pressed in all the time? We see an example.

When Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away."



He is kind enough to give a reason. We don't know Jesus' tone. The people leave after being put out. We can assume the synagogue ruler was in charge of getting them out of the way. You can imagine the ruler wasn't too fussed about moving the laugh-ers out of the way because he'd just seen Jesus heal. Not a huge decision of politically correct thought going on there.

Jesus deliberately chose to step away from being God. He was there in the spoken Word of Creation and saw things we only hope to see in Heaven. He didn't say, "Let me chase the people and not let the sun go down on my anger." He allowed time for obedience and quiet. He saw order and privately settled the matter with the people.

We hold maxims because we remember them. We readily remember 'don't let the sun go down on your anger'. 'Turn the other cheek'. And we hold them to be the immediate Biblical answer. Yet sometimes turning the other cheek is exactly what the evil one would want. Sometimes we have to employ "Rebuke the devil and he will flee from you." Exactly like, if people are not going to reason with you, why provoke another fight by saying there is a time limit.

Jesus knew about conflict, struggling to apply the right solution to the right opportunity for a solution.

Matthew 18:15-17
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.


To get into the Promised Land, Joshua had to decide.

Joshua 24:14-16
 Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 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.

The Scriptures are written for you. A message of Love explaining the nature of God. Explaining mercy, explaining the subtitles are not from God. Asking Him, how each matter requires integrity, honesty, and expecting the best of mankind - God saw a reason to save each on of us - a Light lighting all of mankind. Prayer, believing God will care when our cares are placed upon Him.


Father God, how I appreciate You did not write in subtitles, asking us, like Jesus, to be able to know what "Is Written." To apply our lives to Your Word, not allowing maxims to direct us rather seeking Justice with Mercy, Walking Humbly with You. For only You, Father God, can save the World. And we shall trust in Him. With Faith Hope in Love in You, Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

<><

Psalm 33:12-13,18-21 ~ in Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his Holy name

 

Psalm 33:12-13, 18-21

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.

13 From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all humankind;

18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.



One the days Father God is in HIS Heaven and all is right with the world, be grateful. On the next day, when basically the same circumstances look bleak, we still need to Trust Him. That He would hold us to HIM, for HIS namesake and not our own waver unrighteousness and selfish concerns.

Letting HIM being our help and shield creates more peace, more bridegroom-Holy-Spirit dwell with in me in joy, than allowing the waves of life knock us one way and then the next. We can always depend upon His unfailing love.

Father God, be part of all of me. Down to my marrow and intricate cells. Help me each day to be a chosen place for you to dwell and help me make this soul to be a joyful place for You to dwell. In Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

<><

Matthew 18:15-20 ~ by my Father in heaven

The art chosen today is for rejoicing. This reminds me of my daughter Isabelle and the miscarriage we suffered and remember even today that brief life. Knowing the hills and highways of Heaven.

Matthew 18:15-20

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 

18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed ^{[shall have been bound...shall have been loosed]} in heaven. 

19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Recently I was involved in a brew ha ha created by, thirteen years, frankly, of ego and narcissism. A neighborhood thing. The skirmish started with a request for servitude. Actually, that was couched with 'a do me a favor.' We should do favors. We should want to help people. But the antenna went up when the request came with an uncalled for insult. And the favor was long-term. When I politely declined to do the favor, I was called on the phone several times and later given a formal attitude with disapproval. I was cheerful, but steadfast.

Boundaries were crossed, people discussed the best way to handle that. Unasked for physical contact resulted from boundaries crossed, uninvited I might add. And still privacy was the rule for the day. This led to more insults disregarding a death in the family. Still Privacy was followed. Another woman was held up to unasked for physical conduct. Still privacy was followed.

My husband was subjected to a narcissistic campaign when I was away from home. Culmination, finally, local authorities had a falsified report handed to them by the ego. And still Edward and I wondered what was too personal to disclose and what was private. Finally, the falsification of the written report flew all over me and thirty minutes later, the truth had been disclosed to the local governing body. Did that feel good? Absolutely not. Revenge is what part of me cried out.

I sat and thought of the twelve different ways I had said this was private, not for gossip fodder. And the phrase 'Fight the good fight' came to me. Isn't the good fight about being truthful? The Lord says give Justice with Mercy. He never said seek to suffer for the sake of suffering. We just think namby pamby nicey is called for. Forgive others the way you want to be forgiven. The Lord never said to the woman caught in adultery, keep your mouth shut even if its not true.

Revenge. Aren't most Christians more than aware Revenge is wrong. However, this revenge-think wasn't clear thinking. The falsified report was wrong. The truth was being sought. The fight was brought on a platter and carried literally to my door. It was time to declare the thirty minute story of injustices spoken, false accusations presented. And to find out the governing authority had remembered the raving egotist. In a career where people make reports every day, this individual was remembered as being out of the norm.

It's so important to remember .... God does not want His Children to suffer and hum "Onward Christian Soldiers." He asks us to bind revenge, not to bind truth. He asks us not to suffer, when honesty is asked for.

Christians remember this Biblical passage. Rejoice in suffering when we overcome the suffering. Bind revenge, but bind unnecessary hurtful behavior. Loosen truthful speaking to the right people. Loosen speaking for the right reason. Loosen letting events roll past and not reclaiming them.

Father God, we pray for the narcissism experienced over the years, the false accusations of hurt property and missing property. Untruths spoken. Boundaries crossed. We pray for the giver of these deeds, that having light shown on the behavior, not that shame will endure, but healing and recovery. Father God, the point of our time here is to grow up, lean into You, and learn with faith - We are called Home to you. Let us speak Truth without fearing we cross lines. Realizing Justice isn't just for the other guy. Thank You, Father God, for wanting all Your children to live in peace and fight the good fight when presented the time to speak. Not accepting suffering to be a duty required from You. And thank You for the opportunity to present truth.

Thank You, Lord Father God, for the blessing of having people around us give us support. Our Pastor who offered to call the egotist. The Church Family who were scandalized with this behavior. The concern for safety and the literal clean up required. The prayers offered and answers received. God bringing light from darkness. In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen. 

^<><