Matthew 2:16-18 ~ to be comforted

Matthew 2

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

The tomb of Rachel, “in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem” (Genesis 35:19), had been, probably from the day when the “pillar” which marked it was first set up, one of the sacred places of the land because Rachel is considered a spiritual mother for the Jews. I read today a scathing reply of the Messianic prophecies as being too wobbly to be believed - Matthew 2:18. Jeremiah 31:15 - being very unreliable. Really Rama belonged at one time to Benjamin.

Jesus went to the Samaritans in the fourth chapter in John's Gospel to tell for the first time plainly that He is the Messiah. And just as Rachel and Benjamin were parted as well as Jacob - this is a reminder. This is God, years later, reclaiming the remnant Samaritan Jews thrown out in the Reclamation of Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity in Babylon.

Jacob felt Rachel's death was the most difficult thing in life to bear. And Jesus is born where Rachel died. God did not just weep for Lazarus. God had aspects of life He would draw forth again to heal. Jesus spoke of the prophet Jonah, we do not know his fate - only that Emperor Nebuchadnezzar and the way of discovery the Babylonian Empire wanted to know more about the God of Daniel renamed as Belteshazzar, with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The fruit of the work of God through Jonah. The slaves were giving prominent homes to meet in for Sabbath Worship of their God. And Ezekiel was given his own house by the river to have peace enough to hear again and again from God.

Father God does not require that we work and work and work. Jesus is there for those who seek Him. He promises Ask and He will be found.

Ezekiel 34 - God is concerned with this life. And our welfare.

Ezekiel 34

23-24 “‘I’ll appoint one shepherd over them all: my servant David. He’ll feed them. He’ll be their shepherd. And I, God, will be their God. My servant David will be their prince. I, God, have spoken.

25-27 “‘I’ll make a covenant of peace with them. I’ll banish fierce animals from the country so the sheep can live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. I’ll make them and everything around my hill a blessing. I’ll send down plenty of rain in season—showers of blessing! The trees in the orchards will bear fruit, the ground will produce, they’ll feel content and safe on their land, and they’ll realize that I am God when I break them out of their slavery and rescue them from their slave masters.

28-29 “‘No longer will they be exploited by outsiders and ravaged by fierce beasts. They’ll live safe and sound, fearless and free. I’ll give them rich gardens, lavish in vegetables—no more living half-starved, no longer taunted by outsiders.

30-31 “‘They’ll know, beyond doubting, that I, God, am their God, that I’m with them and that they, the people Israel, are my people. Decree of God, the Master:

You are my dear flock,
the flock of my pasture, my human flock,
And I am your God.
Decree of God, the Master.’”

God is concerned with our heart. Our earnest heart. When Tyre looted the ruined Jerusalem, glad for its destruction, God felt Tyre's hardness of heart. Recently, Baylor University and University of North Caroline uncovered a mosaic of Ezekiel 26. Alexander the Great visited the Temple to bow to the representative of God. Because Alexander the Great well knew prophecy of God in His Word after making Tyre into mainland in a tremendous military campaign to reach the Island of Tyre. Her ships were never to be seen again, and the island never recovered as Israel did again and again with the blessing and help of Father God. We learn about resiliency from the faith of Israel and more importantly, the Mercy of God - God is Love.

Father God,
We will all have laments before we depart this life. Of choices we made and of people we loved and lost for various reasons. Jesus knew about this and said:

Luke 8:52
Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, "Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep."


You tell us this again when Exekiel's wife died.

Ezekiel 24
Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.

Jesus grabs and holds our hearts because He weeps for us and with us. This is our Father God of Love. He strengthens us to be real and not anything but earnest. Providing the hope of real recovery.

We believe with You, Father God, what You have told us in Thessalonians we are informed, about those who asleep, we will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. We believe Jesus died and rose again, even and You will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus to eternal life in You.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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John 11 ~ for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it

John 11 
 
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.

14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 

Several empty tombs are associated with Lazarus. The one tomb causing believers of the world to trace that particular tomb in Larnaca is the one with the message, "Lazarus the friend of Christ".

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved [indignant] in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”

Caiaphas Ossuary. Today, Caiaphas is known for the corrupt way he killed a man he knew to be Good.

51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. It was an important miracle. Yet the raising of the widow's son in Nain, was done in front of many witnesses. For self God glory? Jesus was giving the people of God tools to believe. Jesus was giving people the opportunity to understand His resurrection. To see that God's Promises could, indeed, be true.

Yesterday we read John 16 saying what we ask for from God in faith - is given. This chapter completes the reason why the Sons of Zebedee would ask Jesus to sit at His right hand in His Kingdom. God is fully capable of being God.

Father God, We need to building ourselves up in Your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit. Keeping ourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And we will have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire by the fruits of the Spirit - love, joy and patience with kindness and goodness; to others show mercy with fear in wisdom of their path, separating ourselves from the the flesh willing to do like the gods of the Canaanites - idols who gave up love for financial gain - gave up their own flesh and blood to prosper, even killing innocent babies to shake their blood over profit.

Now blessings of Thanksgiving to Jesus Christ who is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy.

Bring forth goodness and honesty Lord God..Thanks be to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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John 16:23-33 ~ Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name

John 1:14 
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.



John 16:23-33

Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!"

John 1:9

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

We have had Christmas. And still this is Christmas Season. We have thought on the willingness of God to come and live our human life. The passage says ask anything in the name of Jesus Christ and ends saying 'we will have trouble'.

The disciples who walked with Jesus in His life, believed Jesus could do this. And asked with their mother for a very large and permanent slice of the pie of Heaven. Based upon what they had seen, Jesus could definitely deliver.

How does this work for us 2,000 years later. Time has gone on down the long road, and yet if you look at the vintage pictures of Israel a hundred years ago, Israel looked about the same as the day Jesus led the disciples to be in awe of Him. Peter informed us this isn't even a day to God. And we believe Jesus and the Word of God are the same from Genesis to Revelation.

How will we look at this verse of absolute conviction that God is going to give you whatever you ask in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord?

Because He will. He says so.

Hebrews 13
20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen



So. Oh mannn. Only for the Holy, Holy, Holy people. Not quite. God sees us all as needing a Savior. Even the chosen sons of Zebedee. Even Peter. Even Paul casting out John Mark who later wrote... a Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Luke 5:32
I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.

Great is the Mystery of Faith.
God shows up in the most unlikely of places. When a man is dying of a drug overdose - when told Jesus will save him, rises up from brain death to smile and take the offered hand of Jesus and go Home to Heaven with Jesus. Changing the life of the woman in the room forever. God goes where there is earnest need for His Love. We don't contain God, we glorify Him. And have gratitude He is God. Forever.

God shows up. When earnestly asked.

Luke 4;26-27
26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

What is the Good News? God sees us just as we are and decides to save us with His Son. We are transparent before God.


Psalm 26
Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.

We put ourselves as we are before God. And earnestly explain our desires and our actions to Him. Knowing as we cast our cares upon Him, He cares for us. We make ourselves right before Him, best as we can. We will fall and need Jesus. He will be there for us. And invite Him in us again and delight He will answer us.

God loves our journey, our process, our truthful conversation. God loves us yesterday, today, and tomorrow. See what I mean here... 21 times God tells us about Prayer.


Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. "Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

Luke 11:9-13
So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

Matthew 21:22
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

John 14:13-14
Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it."

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.

John 15:16
You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

Psalms 91:14-16
Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. "With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation.


Psalms 50:14-15
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High; Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.

Psalms 10:17
O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear

Exodus 22:22-23
You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. "If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry"

Psalms 102:19-20
For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth, To hear the groaning of the prisoner, To set free those who were doomed to death,

Isaiah 41:17
The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, And their tongue is parched with thirst; I, the LORD, will answer them Myself, As the God of Israel I will not forsake them.

2 Chronicles 7:14
and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Ezekiel 36:37
Thus says the Lord GOD, "This also I will let the house of Israel ask Me to do for them: I will increase their men like a flock.

Zechariah 10:6
I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph, And I will bring them back, Because I have had compassion on them; And they will be as though I had not rejected them, For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.

Zechariah 13:8-9
It will come about in all the land," Declares the LORD, "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it. "And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"

1 John 3:22
and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

Mark 11:24
Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

1 John 5:14
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Matthew 18:19
Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

David believed in the Mercy of God even when facing the absolute Word of God. Hezekiah believed in the Mercy of God even when facing the absolute Word of God.

Father God, in good times Praise You for Your Glory. In every day, lean to You in expectation of Your Love pouring down upon our loved ones' lives. In trouble, expect You to teach us a life lesson, to trust You and to pray for Your overwhelming mercy. In all days, to Love You for loving us. Looking forward to our future with hope knowing You are God and You are for us. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Mark 7 ~ He could not be hidden about the Dec 25th date

Mark 7   
 
And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 

But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet.

Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”

But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.”

29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.”

30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.




Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
 
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
 
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
  
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him. 

16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.” 



Is Christmas meaningless to Father God?
This is an unusual question with some ideas of the Sovereignty of God.
His Ways are Mysterious.
Something new to consider.

A Facebook friend, Malone, has said today:
As I listen to Christians in America, it seems to me that the vast majority of us are de facto Semi-Pelagianists.

God’s grace makes us uneasy. Grace doesn’t feel right or fair. It’s like we’re getting something we don’t deserve or didn’t have to work for at all; that we didn’t get it the old fashioned way by earning it. It’s as if Someone gave us something exceptionally amazing at Christmas, something it turns out that we really loved and needed, and it’s not that we just forgot to get Him anything in return, we actually chose not to get Him anything at all. EXACTLY. And, for me, that’s what puts the “Merry” in Christmas. My tracking number is saying missing bracelet I need help. I do not deal with terrorists of the antichrist hate kind. I pray for them to go the hell away from me permanently. I swore to JESUS THE LORD I will never gruntation you again or go blind.

A Shepherd who leaves the herd takes a chance. A Shepherd who make the sheep dislike him finds they would rather run to starvation and harm to be away. You may pick away but continue to threaten and pull mean, abuse is to be avoided. Currently, I pick separate from this or another state with kindness of peace. I'm ok. I don't pick fake friend any more. I don't pick abuse as a form of interest. I pick leave the conversation for mean. I pick no more hours in here with a typewriter. I pick now. You have increased truth. I thank you. Don't take a goodness and run it into disrespect and mean tricks. If you fear or dislike, send us to a new state.


I will respect you to not name call most of the time.
Now you respect me with kindness. And we feel better inside our souls. Respect generates respect sorry for names more sorry you were mean. He says Peace is found in kindness and you are learning today about respect for this. You would agree yes would go stupid.

You and I have Word of God so lets live to say good job instead of Samson and parents. I have love but CMON we all got to be fed watered nourished and kindness. And I have the new situation of newlywed love again. That is a gift of His. Please do kindness instead of gargoyle.

I pick someone who wants to be respected and loved and give that. Sorry names I called incorrectly. With respect and kindness you can have peace us. You pick. Empty another state penpal honest with signatures. Im good with better no lies no visits no take no mean. Im happier with signatures and honest. I remain married and with my sons.

Span return my ring my pants and can have some tangerines. Communicate to my sons and Edward your kind regards. I'd like Edward to make a living without trouble. I'd like to be prayed for daily and my family. I'd demand respect. And not call you rude names more than a dozen times a year. And continue to be honest. I guess id prefer no visits over lies. Ow. Ow.

I'm grateful for honeymoon time. And lack of lies at home. WOW Amazing. Wow. And Mom is doing better about the correct space and respect. I think I will get paid for the Administration no formal away papers are presented. I cried hard for worked hard for family and got zip response and my mom wasn't caring. I'm a little embarrassed to be known as unfriended and rememeber my grandmothers were ok with that's the way it goes. I'm glad people tell me when they have a problem like a boiler explodes and I pray with them and care. I'm glad when people tell me about their bds.

I'm ok here hope you are as well HI.





Father God I love Edward I have no desire he suffers and I want to go in bed asleep I am still praying his soul feeds his brain and heart. I'm not an adulterer and I'd like to be trusted for 28 years of good behavior. Not getting a long and fighting is so unhappy. Three years of trust and then screaming is shocking. I'm sorry for suffering and I should be trusted implicitly in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord this is true. Amen.

An idea we have been thinking on for two millenniums - what we owe God and His ability, in effect, to come out of the larger Tupperware box we place Him in. 
 

We debate Christmas.

The commercialism. What goes around comes around. Oliver Cromwell made England without Christmas for 18 years. If you had a ham on Christmas Day - you might be placed in the stockades. "Christ's Mass" had a ring of Roman Catholicism about it, the season was changed to "Christ tide" and any celebration confined to one day - of fasting. Shops were forced to stay open - business as usual.

Jesus has told us Love the Lord Your God with all your heart and your Neighbor as yourself. Jesus did tell us the one who shows mercy is our neighbor. And then He said pagans love those who love them. God loved telling Joshua not to the right or the left. We have to remember all the time about our Father God of love - what I read yesterday morning.

Galatians 5
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
 
The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The Joy of God is remembered far longer than all other -
that is honest. OK.

The Christmas Truce (German: Weihnachtsfrieden; French: Trêve de Noël) - unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front of World War I around Christmas 1914. In the week leading up to the holy day, German and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and talk. In areas, men from both sides ventured into no man's land on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to mingle and exchange food and souvenirs.
 
We say to each other smugly - this is not the actual birth of Jesus Christ.

Are we sure???

Psalm 115:3
Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.
 
And THAT - is what our faith says!
Christmas is not the working to the bone to provide evidence of love. Christmas is the Joy and Love in Celebrating what Linus told us via Charlie Brown.
If you were God Almighty and You had one Son to give. And You worked with the statement of the Son through the Father - "Blessed are the eyes that see, more blessed are those who do not see and yet Believe."
Jesus also told us His Father and Jesus are working today. John 5:17. Rejoice in Love. And let fear go. Rejoice in being loved.

Jesus told us to have Life Abundant. Be salt. Be Light.
Why party like it's 1999?
Why Christmas as if we missed the "real" day to Celebrate?
God loves us just as we are. If the actual birth day to celebrate Jesus brings real joy - perhaps God first had His Son on December 25th and the pagan celebrations fell into this -

Proverbs 16:9
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
 
Job 42:2
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted."
 
Isaiah 46:9-10
Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose."
 
We love to tinker with grand ideas and philosophies. God is Sovereign. He says He will do something He will. We believe the center of the Bible is Jesus. Why do we believe we actually cannot have lucked into celebrating the right day?
Today. This is the Day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Christmas - Jesus Christ the Lord - is a Gift.
 
Ephesians 2
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 
 
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

John 21
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers[b] that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.


Hello
Edward
Tony Cousin
Larry Cousin,

We have ourselves in corners and i wondered if we could have a discussion and time to think.

Edward would like work. I'm not sure he was in belief the Wilsons were helping him. And now he
doesn't have amazing clients calling from the past. in fact, 'coasters' on Galveston delivered on January 15th was an
announcement that coasting was over on Larry's January 15th birthday.

To be fair, Edward was worried Tony was going to show up and take his love. Actually, I don't think that is true.

Tony hasn't been in contact with us for real since Feb 2014. We never planned on an affair or met. Tony has been a friend to us. Hence several business deals to say sorry for our years of familial lack of understanding.

I'm asking for an agreement if Edward would be in agreement to trust me. I'd like to have my penpal without font and allow Edward to read the messages. Because Tony actually would like to be the co-editor of the blog after I write. And I'd like to have some editor help on writing my book. Edward would have access to read the words.

Tony is a Christian. I am his family. I understand something important. Life is about preparing for eternity. I want us all to be proud of our lives and stand with Jesus and say, "I did my best. I need Your Love and Promises." We have all made this messy. To straighten this out requires some humility for all.

Ephesians 3 says family will live together in Heaven. Jesus in the Lord's Prayer says bring Heaven to earth. Forgive. Do our best. Honor vows. Be good to one another.

If you trust me Edward. You said once very mildly two weeks ago that it was ok if I sometimes talked to Tony because you read that I keep telling Tony for real, I'm married. If this is acceptable, please say so clearly. I think you will find the cousins will bring you enough business to be happy and productive. The going forward is saying I trust you to look out for me. I trust you love me. I want to live in forgiveness and not anger or lack of privacy in private rooms of the house. I want us to all trust each other and have better lives. For all of us I hope we realize we all have a place at the table. Our children to be appreciated and honored. I would like us to be able to email each other freely. And meet again using our real names and identities. No one really enjoyed the misdirection of identity.

I think honesty is best. And help for Edward to have business and enjoy his days with all the family wishing him and each other to have good events with our words and actions.

With Love and Sincerity,
Anne-Laurel

Psalm 97 ~ Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise His Holy Name.

Streams of Light, painted by James Coleman
 

Psalm 97

1 The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.

7 All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols—
worship him, all you gods!

8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, LORD.

9 For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.

10 Let those who love the LORD hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11 Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.

This is a repeat old post, and then, generally, an old post is improved. Oddly enough, at the time of this old writing - the painting on floor is unfinished and Father God put upon my heart to not add more to this work or write about the Scripture. The art work is sitting on the floor unframed, and waiting for its place on the wall.


Yay! Yay! Yay! A New Year.

Let's be real.

We have a New Year ahead of us. There is a story, I'm sure you've heard, of a man who faces a New Year. He is sixty or seventy years old and he decides that he is called to boot camp his body back into the prior decades by strenuous exercise. The exercise journal goes on to say - a young, blond woman is the instructor and the first week in January, the man is encouraged by her strength, vivacity and tenacity. And the first two weeks are difficult to get into his car, go up stairs, open jar lids and put on his trousers. By the sixth week, she is boot camp style in his face and he leaves saying he never wanted an old ditch as dross again.

Frequently for students and parents, the New Year is staggered into. Winter darkness is not the most happ, happ, season of all.

Christmas has almost as many obligations and time requirements, financial requirements, emotional commitments and stresses as any other time of the year. Expectation of the School Year has met reality. Christmas Lights for Anglican Christians and the Christmas tree are removed after Epiphany, January 6th - the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. And on January 7th, we are left without daylight savings time, in winter sunlight, to see with faith that the sun is rotating , back to our side of the planet, a minute at a time each day. 

And yet the Winds are lifting with new approach. 
A determined positive viewpoint.

Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

 


God gives us work.

John 9:4
We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

John 11:9
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world's light.

2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.






Now What Is This Work To Accomplish?

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






There is a very HUGE Purpose to Life.

Proverbs 17: 3
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tries the hearts. 

Malachi 3 says we wonder if serving God is to our benefit. The truth is we speculate. Yet we know. The Word of God, Romans 1, says we know the Truth. It depends upon our hearts to let this Call be answered by our lives.

Malachi 3
13 “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord.

“Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’

14 “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”
The Faithful Remnant

16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.

17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.




Psalm 11:5
The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.

There is a story now of ISIS, they are asking children to play with decapitated heads to desensitize young innocent children to violence. Lack of compassion for the frailties of mankind that causes God to love His creation with so much Love. A young man wanted to be a doctor at age 12 - instead - he was coerced and compelled to violence by ISIS of Muslim against Muslim. He had no way out. And volunteered to be the human explosion with a way to blow himself up. Instead he has turned himself in and the captivity has led to his freedom for his compassion to the creation of mankind by God.

How does this hit our Western Culture? 

We must look where we are swimming in the great current of the forces of the river of life. 

We should keep our eyes on Jesus Christ to see we are nourished.  Honestly seeing our lives, the people around us - the Truth of our own spiritual journey - the Greatest Adventure.

This is easy to miss. Even today. The Narrow Path calls us to  work on your own Salvation.  Rick Warren points out - who missed the Greatest Adventure in the First Christmas? Herod the King, the Political leaders, the Religious leaders, the Business people ~ Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth and Zechariah (family), Shepherds and the Wise Men. A narrow path even for this Greatest of All Events.

Test the Spirit, ask the Wind of the Holy Spirit to propel us forward. AGAIN.
And going where we are called and pleased and fed and nourished to be.  
Sustained by Father God.
We are surrounded by people putting their best face on their words, actions and deeds. 
We must have our eyes on Jesus Christ. 
We work on our own salvation - our gratitude in relationship to Jesus Christ the Lord.
He is our Standard Bearer.

 



I have quoted this before, yet this is a great New Year Standard to look at:

Galatians 5

What does it look like to be swimming in the good crowd - moving and shaking - gettin on down the Highway of Life. Remember with me, the High Places in Scripture are sometimes used as glamor more than earnestness of heart and narrow, meaningful life.

Those who have ears - hear. Blessed are your eyes that see. See the difference.

19-21 Obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies [porn], and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

And if we are swimming to become filled with all the gifts, talents and unique talents and abilities God had given to us to keep our own lives pleasing to Him and to us.

The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, 23 Gentleness and Self-Control. Against such things there is no law.

Our Savior tells us - True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4




 






Now.

As you begin your New Year as a Child of God.

Hebrews 12
11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

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

We lean with trust and expectation upon our Father God. I just lost my very beloved Grandmother Bit's 18th Birthday Gift to me. She gave me the garnet and pearl cufflinks of my great-great-grandfather James Wells Person, 1865, which she had taken and made into earrings for me. I lost one earring. And I mourned. And now, I'm praying for the best (your prayers are appreciated) and I have felt in my heart Father God said to trust Him. This is very sad, yet not to be placed in the category of never having experienced the love this brought. The mystery of God's plan is to live the adventure.

Jesus tells us this:

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 this is where this post rests.




Ephesians 2

Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Thank God.


Father God, we are all Your beloved in process like the painting.

This year has had great moments and hopes and leave with some far better and some in need of nourishment. We place this last Year with You in Gratitude and earnest Prayer.

We lean upon You for Your Blessings and Promises in expectation of Love and Mercy for this next year, living Your Plan for us. To be living with Jesus Christ Centered with Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control believing the mystery of faith - we are blessed in Your Plan of Love for us.

Because, Because, Because Father GOD You love us just as we are! Your Scripture says this in the Words and Actions of Jesus proclaiming You. And only the earnest truthfulness of a heart leaning to You is what You ask. We have the privilege of asking in the Highest Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves Those Who Call upon Him †

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Ephesians 2:8
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