Psalm 57 ~ God fulfills His Purpose for me

Psalm 57

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.


2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4 My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!

I will sing and make melody!
8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!





Anxiety. Every person on the planet with thoughts and hopes has anxiety. In fact, worrying can be a form of entertainment. And become a habit. We learn this from our parents. Little children see their surroundings and learn how to make solutions. Norman Vincent Peale said, "If you have concerns for life, (i.e. worry) you are alive, be grateful!"

Actually I think he was quoting Solomon, who quoted the Holy Spirit, who said better a living dog than a dead lion.


Ecclesiastes 9:4
Anyone who is among the living has hope --even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!


And let's add this to the thought from Pope John Paul II:
" We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song!"

From Deuteronomy to the Book of Revelation, every page tells us

"I will never leave nor forsake you." ~ Jesus Christ, our God.




Thank You, Jesus the Lord, we are here during the time of Jesus. When we look to the Acts of the Apostles to see how Father God's Salvation happens - we see thousands of people believe Jesus is Lord and are added to His Plan of Love to welcome us to Life. God has one direction - Love, Goodness, Mercy, Grace. Jesus calls us to have sorrow and turn to Him and He lavishes us with welcome to His Goodness.

Jesus works only with one type of person - sinners. The Disciples were never fired from having anxiety. Never fired for running away. Jesus found them - that is how enduring, steadfast, Loyal and Loving - Jesus - is. Today.

John 21 tells us differently than the gods of the world who require food sacrifice and worry - after Jesus gave His blameless, pure and loving life - Jesus cooked breakfast of fish for the erring disciples. This is our God.

Father God,

As Your child, I place this day, my life, my loved ones, my work in the Lord's hands. There is no harm in the Lord's hands, only good. Whatever happens, whatever results, if I am in the Lord's hands it is the Lord's will and it is good. Above all else, Jesus is LORD. To our glory and to the Glory of Our Father God!

Amen and Amen, Jesus!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

John 1:29-34 ~ Lamb of God.

John 1:29-34 ~ (Revised Standard Version)

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' "

And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."


I watched a special on the 2,500 to 3,000 year old mummies found scattered in China. It was really well done, they documented the success and failure to obtain DNA from each mummy and told about the known history of each person. One was a 5 year old boy buried with beautiful blankets, woven with great care. The loss of the blankets to the family indicated how much the child was held in esteem. Another a young woman with beautiful skin clothing and jewelry. A man they thought might have been a king, buried with a horse. Everyone was surprised to find the DNA indicated a high level of travel, there was Eastern European, India and a blend of DNA from around the world.

It is human nature to come from the beautiful miracles of John the Baptist's birth and Jesus' to wonder how John can say, twice, he didn't know Jesus. Or Jesus came before John, when John is older.

 Jesus is the Word of God, with God, in the beginning of creation. Proverbs also tells us about the joy Jesus found in Creation. Jesus was... before John.

How and why didn't John the Baptist know Jesus - his cousin? Why can't we be more surprised by the rest of the 1st Chapter of John. Men meeting Jesus for the first time declared to each other "this is the Son of God" in both verse 41 and verse 49 of John 1. This is far more astonishing - Jesus has men leaving their way of life behind to become His disciples in a mere afternoon of listening to Jesus.

So why, why doesn't John recognize his cousin Jesus? It's pretty obvious when we add up what we know. It seems we must look at this question. John's parents were old when he was born. As people become very aged, they do not travel greatly. Traveling was difficult even for the young. John's parents lived 90 miles from Jesus. John surely heard, in his youth, about Jesus and the "funny circumstances" surrounding the quick wedding of pregnant, un-wed cousin Mary. When we see the Gospels record only cousin Elizabeth's support for Mary, we must also remember John the Baptist probably heard more of the rumors from more of the family - who are not remembered in the Scriptures.

So .... why didn't John recognize Jesus??? For the same reasons we didn't recognize Jesus until we invited Him to be part of us. Before we really knew Him: we heard about Jesus from other sources. Not all the sources were credible, John the Baptist would have found. Family (Church) is sometimes boring and the time it takes to get there and back is too long. Why put the effort into going when people aren't always nice? We missed the family get-togethers (Church) for so long, people hassle us about That too. If you don't remember the family stories correctly there is mocking. It's all a big tangle to sort out and we have other things to do.

The Bible relates from millenniums ago, to the problems in the culture today. Bringing in - not just the Church goers - but the stay-at-home too. When we see the Spirit work - we see inclusion.

Then, more importantly, it comes to the decision time. As John grew spiritually into God's plan for him, Jesus became important to him. John took the time to dwell and think about who Jesus is. God revealed not just family, a good man, but a Savior. John, bravely, and with certainty says, "And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."




Father God,

We give You thanks and bless the name of Jesus.
You have helped my mother recover from weeks of Pneumonia.
This is a blessing of Your hand.

Great is the Lord, and egreatly to be praised
The Lord gmade the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before You, God.

Strength and beauty are in Your Sanctuary.

Thank You to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

Worship the Lord in nthe splendor of holiness;
You will judge the peoples with equity.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let tthe sea roar, and all that fills it;
let uthe field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes wto judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Blessings Upon You, Lord Father God for answering Prayer.
Thank You for the renewed enjoyment my mother will have for going home since July 26th.

Thank You for assistance and joy.
We give You thanks, lifting up all our concerns.
The ones we love. The new people in our lives.
Prior thanksgiving, future thanksgiving.

The concerns of the Nation.
The blessing of knowing prayer happening all over the world.
We thank God for all His Love hearing all our prayers.
In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Proverbs 4:26 ~ Watch the path of your feet

Jesus cured the nobleman's son (John 4:46-47).

Jesus healed a leper (Mark 1:40-45).

Jesus healed the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13).

Jesus cured the paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8).

Jesus raised the ruler's daughter from the dead (Matthew 9:18-26).

Jesus cured a woman of an issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48).

Jesus opened the eyes of two blind men (Matthew 9:27-31).

Jesus opened the eyes of two blind men (Matthew 20:30-34).

Jesus fed at least five thousand people (Matthew 14:15-21).

Jesus fed at least four thousand people (Matthew 15:32-39).

Jesus healed a woman of Canaan (Matthew 15:22-28).

Jesus cured a deaf and mute man (Mark 7:31-37).

Jesus opened the eyes of a blind man (Mark 8:22-26).

Jesus cured a woman who had been afflicted eighteen years (Luke 13:10-17).

Jesus cured a man of dropsy (Luke 14:1-4).

Jesus cleansed ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19).

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46).


Not just the Centurion, not just the woman grasping the Hem of Jesus garment.

These were people who brought others, this happened again and again.

Proving, Prayer works. Proving Jesus, when sought, will answer.

More people saw Jesus so willing and they went to Jesus as well.

Maria: Dear Father, now I know why You sent me here. To help these children prepare for a new mother. And I pray this will become a happy family in Thy sight. God bless the captain. God bless Liesl and Friedrich. God bless Louisa, Brigitta, Marta and little Gretl. And I forgot the other boy. What's his name? Well, God bless what's-his-name. God bless the Reverend Mother and Sister Margaretta and everybody at the abbey. And now, dear God, about Liesl. Help her know that I'm her friend and help her tell me what she's been up to.

Liesl: Are you going to tell on me?

Maria: Help me to be understanding so I may guide her footsteps. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

Liesl: I was out walking and somebody locked the doors early. I didn't want to wake everybody, so when I saw your window open. You're not going to tell Father, are you?

Maria: How in the world did you climb up here?

Liesl: It's how we always got in to play tricks on the governess. Louisa can make it with a whole jar of spiders in her hand.

Maria: Spiders? Liesl, were you out walking all by yourself? If we wash that dress tonight, nobody would notice it tomorrow. You could put this on. Take your dress and put it to soak in the bathtub. 
Come back here and sit on the bed, and we'll have a talk.

Liesl: I told you today I didn't need a governess. Well, maybe I do.




Hall and Oates have been singing about needing "What is right for me, yeah. I need a drink and a quick decision.Now it's up to me, ooooh what will be' For some time. And most adults get this.

You would think Maria would still be receiving spiders and the ill will of her charges. So many times in life, we are the recipients of advice and direction. And sometimes for years and years the same advice is given and ruefully and humorously agreed this is the road to take. And planned. What turns the key?

Suddenly you see a report, an email, a wisdom, a loved one's advice. Or in the case of Liesl, deep waters rush in and even war. And the day arrives, unasked and a decision is made. God moves.

What turns the action or the work? Actually, when all the advice adds up to a renewed vigor and heart dwelling of the Word of the Lord.

Liesl is a minor character in this classic movie, and yet no one has forgotten Liesl ~ we have all been Liesl. I knew parents, as my sons grew up, with a dignified father determined his children would never be away from any movie or idea even as small children. And the challenge to never create a time of discovering deep water - is mistaken. We all will come to times where we must decide from the pulls and pushed of life - who we are - what we answer to - our soul development.

In fiction, Liesl decides as she sees Rolf fall into the Hitler Youth. She has been gifted to see the Seed Parable unfold in front of her. A passage of growing up.


Parents, like Father God, are wise to protect their children to have these moments. And even more wise to have all the sincere conversations they can have. Genuine.



Liesl is open - for kindness, mercy. This is actually a conversation God would sit and provide us with. Decisions are made from loyalty, love, integrity, honor. This is the way Liesl's new parent is going to respond. This is how Father God feels towards us. This is the best of news. The Good News God bends far down to show us His immeasurable Love, Grace and Salvation.

Liesl was really Agatha.  Who was so impressed with her new parent, she wrote a book about her parents at age 91. Worked with the Catholic Church in kindergartens and lived to be 97 years old. The real Maria held her family together 11 years before Nazi invasion. Maria felt the movie portrayal wouldn't have kept the family together. Yet Maria felt her personality was held forth. Their immigration to America was announced and the path planned.

How did Maria arrive at her decision to marry Georg. The best of all reasons. Love. The Path to follow. Jesus, it is written, was followed with awe and wonder. And the disciple who would put his own life at risk fully understood - God is Love. Maria married and said her husband, she loved him more than I have ever loved before or after.


The path of our feet should travel in the Word of our Father God, His Banner over us is Love. Asking each day to meet God's timing with Joy. Expectation.





The Path opened with Love. In? Chapter 16, of course, almost 17!

1 Corinthians 16

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.



Abba, Amen in Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Matthew 6:10 ~ Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

Matthew 6:10

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Charmian Carr has passed on. She had a Brightness.A Brightness we can all identify with. Reminding our soul, when times were more simple and life moved at a more traditional pace. A time when God seemed to say, Be honest, tell the truth. Trust in the Lord. And He would take care of you.

Heaven. Where more "Yes" will occur.

Where people unite. Differences are solved with our Father God of Love. When people move with Love in one accord.

Acts 1:14
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

When we see this earth has Heaven. And still ... we see glimpses.





True prayer unites us - we lean to Jesus, upon Him and say, "Jesus is our destination." And draw comfort.

Matthew 17
17 Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” 18 While Jesus was saying these things, a synagogue ruler came and knelt before Him. “My daughter has just died,” he said. “But come and place Your hand on her, and she will live.”…

The Fruit of God's Holy, Holy, Holy Spirit.

How do we know in the vast multitudes upon multitudes of Almighty God's Kingdom, our little shining soul makes a hill of beans? That is the intersection of a Real and Living God to you. If our Father and Creator of All Things calls life forth with His Word - we do matter. We are loved and we see and believe God's known hand in our lives will wipe tears away and settle disputes in Heaven.




There will be far more "Yes" in Heaven.


In our America, if you wanted to see President Abraham Lincoln, you went to the White House and asked to see the President. Now, why don't we do that today? Because of the fear of the unknown and safety. In Heaven there will be more "Yes."

I love to listen to Rev. Jesse Duplantis tell with utmost sincerity of his visit to Heaven. Who greeted him? King David. Now what Scripture would indicate this fact? David is God's example of an inclusive Shepherd who Loves. David was not widely held in popularity for the 22 years of his anointed quest. And when he began to reign, with four years of bump, bump, bump and bruises, and a wonder will -this- actually- happen series of events, David kept on in Faith, Hope and Love.


Lot's more "Yes" in Heaven.

I have people I want to meet.
I want to truly meet Ronald Reagan and not just glimpse this man with Nancy, Barbara and George 70 feet away. I want to shake his hand and have a conversation. And I will tell you - the elect will have fellowship.

I want to meet John John Kennedy and tell him, your brightness and your compelling efforts to ask people to combine efforts for goodness - has not dimmed. The fruit from your tree goes forth. Your example is remembered.

I want to sit with King David and ask him how he was such a loving, obedient and faithful man in the distress of his life. What he did each day to see and have the gratitude of seeing God's mercy in a trial of life. I'm hoping that Absalom is now a balm to David. Rather like Sally Field's movie "Places in the Heart."

I want to meet Ruth. So see that optimism. That endurance through the Desert. I want to hear Boaz laugh. And tell about Solomon naming the Temple front door pillar "Boaz". I want to hear Boaz tell about having a foreign mother and opening his heart to a foreign wife. I want to see Naomi tell of the joy of a grandson. And I want to hear that story for 10,000 years when we have no less days to sing His Praise.

I plan on getting to meet Pop. Grandmother Bit was introducing her father to me on the day she kept asking, "Father, I am ready to go Home now." In explanation, Pop is her Daddy, but Father is Abba. Dang. I got close - that go to Heaven day. I heard Grandmother tell of her neighbor who had been gone for a good 50 years and her good friend gave her current, earth events. "Father, I am ready, can I come Home today?" Grandmother said with joy.

And my Daddy told me so many, many times of his grandmother. I will meet Munner. And my 94 year old great-uncle Allen saying to my mother, "Today, I get to see my mother. The best day of my life was getting ready for her birthday and I was making a gift she'd love.  I was six years old. Today I get to see my mother."


I want to hear Job tell about the whole story of his life. And if he knew Jacob - since they were alive about the same time.

I want to hear Hezekiah and Isaiah tell the people of Heaven about keeping the Assyrians at bay and turning Judah into the prosperity of Solomon's reign. How they praise Jonah for setting the love in place for Nineveh becoming the Assyrian Empire - who showed replenishment of love and respect for God and His people.

I want to hear Jesus tell us about how so many, many situations in live connect. I want to hold the hand of Jesus, many, many days.

We are united. Our destination is this Wonderful Jesus. Jesus our Pillar. He says each day His mercies renew,come and place Your hand on Jesus, and we will live.”




Father God,

Amazing Grace. Amazing Grace. Jesus the Lord.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Romans 8 ~ God is for us +

Marvelous Light Chris Tomlin

Romans 8:30-32

These whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who is against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?


Today we went to Church and started our worship, after the music, with the Lord's Prayer. Suddenly I was struck by the reality of we all will fall to our death.

When I was in college, I began working for a company in Dallas during the summers and Christmas, and stayed for eight years. The second summer, I was dismayed because I'd really had a marvelous job the first year working on their magazine. The next year, the company wide magazine had folded. I was in the insurance department filing claims - in a drawer. The bright spot were the two women who were wonderful Christians. This was the summer of my parents divorcing after 25 years. We were losing my wonderful father to alcoholism and my mother's 25 year friend - also would die of alcohol related cancer before she was 70. And we were loosing our home, which was very lovely. My brother was ten and he would become a latch key child. My father's best friend from high school left him, and he and his wife would change houses, move, to be a block from us - to keep my brother after school. We went out to eat on Friday nights - 3 people splitting Nachos and having water.

I got - from the divorce - and loss of our home - a new/used nice car. As my dad departed. The car was not an adequate replacement for - Daddy. We all have one we'd like to save - and a swing and a miss.







Well the summer I worked in insurance, I adored the two ladies the same age as my mother. Delma had been divorced for 3 years and she spoke upward and able of Divorce recovery telling adventures how her college aged son's were always not respectful as their lives revolved around themselves in a college orbit. She was very Christian and very spirited and she was making sure her sons understood they would not have the motherly benefits of her attention without respect. We sometimes laughed at the ways Delma just didn't do what they ordered her to do and what their dumbfounded responses were. She'd divorced because her husband was an airlines pilot and directed the male household to his liking. And was gone all the time.

The other lady, Meredith, laughed along with us as this newly single mom set her house in proper order. Delma hoped this time to marry someone who would remain in Church. Meredith and Delma both were beautiful . Meredith has a very southern accent and very Baptist and oh, so sweet to me. I truly did adore her. And I had to go out of town to Mississippi the next week to see my grandmother. When I returned, my friend a generation ahead of me, Meredith, was crying. I went in to ask why. And Delma propelled me out of the room. I was told that circumstances had immeasurably changed for our friend. That first vacation Sunday Meredith and her 52 year old husband had sat in the same row they had sat for 25 years. He had had a pressing week at work and he nodded off. She held his hand and prayed for her wonderful husband, and she squeezed his hand and prayed for him to rest. As the service ended, he fell to her. He had a smile on his face, and was in Heaven.

You can't really tell someone 19, going through their parent's divorce, this story without crying. And I cried and cried. I was told to hush and not upset our Meredith. And instead, she came in to the filing room. We sat on the rolling footstools we sat on and cried and cried. And I told my friend, her husband was like Enoch. And she stopped crying and said how in the world would someone 19 years old know of Enoch. I reminded her I'd made a promise at age 16 to read the Bible. I said to her that her husband must have been that close to the Lord. And Meredith said no one has been as impressed as you at his death. She told me about the funeral I'd missed. I asked her how she could work - how was it possible and Meredith annouced and  said, "I quit, but I will come back in a week and give two weeks notice."

I was thanked for being so amazed at her husband's passing. And thanked and thanked for being with a reason of the Lord. And I said with all the people at that huge funeral, how could other people not be stunned. And she said, "I don't know." Now she had hurt feelings. So I suggested maybe the funeral and the luncheon were a blur. And suddenly she smiled, through her tears, and said, "I don't even remember the eulogy." We agreed later someone would tell her.


Two weeks later we had another conversation and Delma was asked to close the door to the filing room. So my southern friend told me she'd dreamed that I'd be blessed to pass away like her husband did. Let me tell you, I sat up completely straight and absolutely shocked. I was horrified. Meredith immediately was affronted and I just couldn't even speak, my mouth moved but no words came out. And she began to giggle. We giggled a lot. I couldn't laugh. I was concerned, puzzled and floored. And she said, "I'm sorry. I meant when you are very, very old."

That was 1982. And I forgot until recently this year.

So Church began and suddenly facing Edward's illness and my mom's, I realized this was probably, hopefully True. I have known a co-worker, a sister-in-law and a cousin, in recent times, to have had their God given and God told dreams - come to be part of the life revealed by the Lord. Many, many believers have dreams they know are from the Lord God, our Father. These brighten our faith to share. The more we trust God, the more we find God faithful.


Luke 11
 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
 
 
And I thought what would be a better gift from God ~ I will trust God. I will pray not to not fear passing on. To only step to Jesus in peace of old, old age. 

I pray for Father God to be merciful to all of us. And I count on Him. And believe Him.





Psalm 40:5
Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.


Psalm 8:3
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?


1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.


Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.


God does not act towards us without mercy. My southern friend, Meredith, remarried about two years later. She said she was sorry her late husband had not known her second husband, they would have been best friends. Her second husband said they would have time in Heaven. It was a huge Baptist Church and they did not ever meet, before. My friend smiled and she held her new husband's hand a lot.

Delma remarried and she said she was pleased to leave without burning down the insurance files and we all laughed.




With God all things are possible.

We will all have events in believers lives that strengthen us.

Jesus makes parallels. Jesus makes us aware Jesus is alive. Jesus will provide signs when we pray and look to Him. God is always God.  Only God is the One who is Good. We worship a Living God. Creator of All Things. And His son Jesus Christ. The Scriptures tell us there is a Book of Life. Psalm 139 says all of our days are written in His Book of Life before we are conceived.

From time to time, God assures us - His Plan is Living as well.

Jesus the Lord is our Hope and our Future.




We touch one another. Being uplifting - is never forgotten. Really.





Father God,

No one is Righteous before you. We know that none follow the law and where sin is increased, that Your Grace abounds. Saying rightfully so, that I know I am far from perfect in may ways. And yet, Father God gives me grace. And His Grace is marvelous to behold. Drawing us to Him.

With Jesus' help, we will be covered in His Name
an our righteous in HIm will flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

With God's grace we are planted in the house of the Lord;
we will flourish in the courts of our God!

We will still bear fruit in old age;
we are ever full of sap and green,
salt and light
to we declare with joy the Lord is upright;
He is our rock, and there is no unrighteousness in The Lord God Almighty.

We lift high our concerns to the Lord of Heaven and earth,
we lift high our loved ones to His Love and tender care,
we lift high our communities, and Churches, and neighborhoods.
We look with joy to the times ahead in Jesus.
He will answer our prayers and for our Nation
and for the people who with sincerity call on Jesus the Lord everywhere.

Praise God we are in Jesus Christ - forever and ever. Alleluia.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †