Psalm 69 ~ for God Will

Psalm 69

A Psalm Of David.


Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.

4 More in number than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
O God of Israel.
7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
that dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my mother's sons.

9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,
and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting,
it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
and the drunkards make songs about me.

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
and from the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or the pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Hide not your face from your servant,
for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies!

19 You know my reproach,
and my shame and my dishonor;
my foes are all known to you.
20 Reproaches have broken my heart,
so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food,
and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

22 Let their own table before them become a snare;
and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation;
let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom you have struck down,
and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
27 Add to them punishment upon punishment;
may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox
or a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 When the humble see it they will be glad;
you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the Lord hears the needy
and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36 the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall dwell in it.


Three different times in life - I have been accused of something I wasn't even in the same room, or same page with.

And what I realized it is, from working in a large organization for 10 years, is the bizarre amusement of people. People who find your wallet, spend money, make internet purchases and then return your wallet to you, asking for a reward. I actually had a co-worker tell me she and her boyfriend look for stray wallets on weekends and evenings out. This behavior was so ok with them, she told other people about their hobby. She was more than 'miffed' at the man with the expensive, expensive car who took the wallet and said, "I have your license plate and I'm going to run a background check on you - you are a thief." I said, totally taken aback - it was a publicly traded company - very professional, "Gosh, who do you think he was calling a thief?" She went on to tell at least 3 more people in the office and when 2 wallets went missing - she was fired.

I've been in office settings where you walk in and find the temporary worker with her hand in your purse. And to be told, "We have to be cautious about this"...???

I've had strangers walk up and do and say very weird things. Yesterday. Last January, my sons and I were very startled by a woman who approached our table in a restaurant. Then her other half got in on the act - scaring the people on the restaurant patio with an attempt at high speed with a large pickup truck and tight corners near parked cars. People on the restaurant patio gasped in horror. The offending woman started screaming at the BF/husband to 'Not do this." Weird.

To be in life - we encounter really weird people.

Some of it is a sexual come-on in reverse. You are falsely accused... because they are Weird.

We moved in our house 19 years ago and in early 2001, I received in the mail, a nationally known security company offering a discount. A substantial discount if we would have a new system put in that month. And the rates were great. So I called. My husband had gone to work, my kids were at school. This thin woman appeared and said she would have to see the battery and wiring of the system. I said don't you want to see the extensive wiring first? No take me to the brain of the system. So I'm going with this stranger through our rooms+ to the closet and she takes the lead and we are taking a tour. Of 'my' house. As we get to the living room she sits down and says to me, "You are looking at me like a lesbian." I have never in my life been so shocked.

I said, I think we have concluded our business and it's time for you to leave. She was shocked. She said well the tech will be out here and you will like 'him'. I thought about that - we had already scheduled the meeting with the tech from the beginning. I thought it's a huge company, I won't see her and she is obviously in a strange place to say this to a customer. Obviously, I'm in a family home and there are pictures of us everywhere. I have on a wedding band and engagement ring. This is not a happy person in my living room. Ok, never see her again. I stood up walked her to the door and said I will meet with the tech.

The appointment was in 3 days. The Tech did not arrive. And as I called the National Phone Number they said they did not have a branch in our area and i'd have to call to the other side of Houston. Now I was afraid, I had shown my security system to someone who was not pleasant. I called the Police. 3 cars showed up. 5 policemen. We all considered this to be important and frightening. My phone was scanned for the number. The Policeman said my wife has an appointment with you. He handed me the phone. The woman said she would be there in twenty minutes. I said, NO. The Tech is Supposed to Arrive." The Policeman took the phone and said whichever person arrived was fine. We waited. In 15 minutes, I had completed the story with the lesbian part. The Policeman said obviously you are in a family home and wearing wedding bands. It was awkward for us all. The Police told me this was good I had told the awkward part.

The woman showed up and started to march over to me. The police, 4 of them, took her to the street. They said she was completely calm until she heard that I had not remembered her name, only the Company and the location of the "office." Then she was extremely angry. The Policemen said she was a well known woman, in the remote part of the city, for being married to a very wealthy man. We all did agree we were sorry for the man. But evidently she thought this was the way to get her kicks. She was advised not to show up unless the office was open and functioning. She assured them she was looking for office space. The Police told her not to make or send advertisements until the facility was open.

Stranger Danger. Always be prepared to tell. Call the Police. My husband and I were glad we had called the Police.

Walk away from hysterics from odd people in public. Keep the Peace.

Eventually the story comes out. The Truth is told.

We had been in the home we are in for a year. And it was an October Friday about 5 p.m.  Suddenly the house shook with a noise we could not identify. All of us had a chore or activity and the Living Room was empty. We all met in the Family Room to identify the noise. It was a air-powered bb gun. A shot had been made and the window had made a crater with a hole in it. It had made a ferocious noise but the window was now with  2.5 inch crater. And the window in the next week made spider web veining and had to be replaced. Called the Police who said, "Teenagers. Will make a note of it."

Later in the year, my son was riding the bus home. And the kid in front of him was saying he knew if he took his air-powered bb gun to the pond that he would hit the ducks taking off. My son tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Oh the ducks on that pond?" Yep. "You owe us a new window and if someone had been standing in the Living Room, you'd be booked for murder." The one who had put a bb in our window had no clue that announcing this on the bus, would make trouble for him.


Eventually the story comes out. The Truth is told.


Is this unique in life? Not really. David lived a life feeling as if odd things happened to him unfairly. Since the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age - mankind deals with situations out of left wing. We tend to endure, survive, prosper and have Joy with reality. As God solves the Puzzle.

Even when your car is on a residential street and someone in the oncoming car lobs a tennis ball at your windshield with both cars going about 32 mph - Call the Police. Always be prepared to inform the Police of problems. We all stay safer.


 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36 the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall dwell in it.


Our Father in Heaven,
Holy is Your Name, Jesus the Lord,
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done
on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day
our daily bread
Forgive me my trespass, as I forgive those who Trespass against me.

Lead me not into Temptation.
Deliver me from evil.

For Thine is the Kingdom
and the Power
and the Glory. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

John 5:19-29 ~ Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing."

John Ryland Library in Manchester, UK has a Portion of John's Gospel dated to 125 A.D.

John 5:19-29

19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.

For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing.

And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He will. 

22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 

27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Ryland's Papyrus 52 is easily seen in this Manchester, UK Library.

Peter is remembered for writing about how pretty Rome was, Peter was giving thanks where God had placed him that day. Peter led the Romans and, later the Roman Empire, into Loving Jesus Christ. Peter was so busy, he asked John Mark to write the Gospel of Mark. Peter was asked over and over and over about the same things Jesus did. There was a hit parade of certain stories.

During this early part of world history - after Jesus was Resurrected - no one doubted Jesus did live. The marvel was centered more along the lines of Hellenistic Demigod. This was a Roman view easily understood in our understanding of the First Century Roman.


We could take the first sentence of the Scripture passage today and answer questions presented in entertainment today.

Marvel Comics. The Green Mile. The Umbrella Academy. Mankind isn't far from the Bronze Age or the beginnings of these Millennium's Structure. The Scripture points out to us the nature of mankind doesn't waver terribly. The Biblical Books of Kings 1 and Kings 2, Chronicles 1 and Chronicles 2 shows the way of the pendulum. Even within families. We understand this fully - our lives differ from our parents and grandparents. The next generation will differ from us.

Jesus was understood in the First Century to be "Blessed" of God.
Someone who would inspire the fake Books of the Bible (like the Gospel of Thomas - rejected by the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.) to delight our hearts as the child (fake stories) creates a dove from Clay. And breathes life into the clay and the bird flies beautifully off. We coo. The next chapter has the child Jesus (again fake story), same Jesus is angry with children teasing Jesus and Jesus calls down fire from Heaven to stop the children from ever bothering Jesus again.

Jesus "Blessed" of God is John Coffey. Doomed to die while displaying miracles. Unexplained. John Coffey wanders the earth a little clueless, but infinitely kindly.

The Umbrella Academy. 7 children are some of several born Immaculately. To save the planet. Clueless. Kindly.

Hercules. So many stories are told of Hercules, each story represents a different man. Sometimes kindly, sometimes self-interested. There is no real consistency.

When we read the Four Gospels of Jesus and look at Jesus the man understanding His Mission, we find only One Jesus.

We recognize Our Jesus. Jesus King of Kings. Jesus God of Love. Jesus the Forthright. Jesus the Merciful. Jesus the Brave. Jesus the Tender. We see Jesus in All of the Gospels. Man and God who understand He does not wander about doing Good. Jesus is living, moving and having His Being at one with God the Father.

The Word of God does exactly what Jesus says of the Word of God in this passage. We read what Peter discovered to be "The Words of Life" and we have more wonder, more peace, more Life, more Jesus and we understand the Word of God is Living and we have the 'understanding' within us The Plan of God is Good, is Hope, is Future and is for me as His Child.

Jesus is absolutely, beautifully correct the Word of God fills us.

How do we know
Jesus told us we would see more wonders than His time had seen.



St. Paul's Monastery at Mount Athos, Greece. Paul did not walk with trumpets. And everywhere he went to speak about Jesus, we can find buildings reminding us the Holy Spirit has blazed a path of amazement. The New World, this North American Continent is filled with St. Paul named places.

Now, we are going to bring this in. Jesus has traveled by foot, colt, donkey and boat. And, today, we would know how many for many millenniums know Jesus Lives within. Jesus fed the multitudes, yet Jesus feeds the millenniums before us and those with us today. Jesus is our King, our Savior and our Hope. Today and Tomorrow.


Abba, our Father,

Blessed be the Name of Jesus covering us who believe.

Blessed be the Name of Jesus enfolding those who believe - tomorrow.

Blessed be the Name of Jesus who diligently holds those who don't have the Faith today. Praying parents, spouses, family and friends.

Blessed be the Children of God praying for their nation. The Name of Jesus is alive in them. The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory will be His to give.

Blessed be the Nation trusting in Jesus. His Name upholds the Universe by His Word.

Blessed be the Light of the world. Blessed be our Father and His Glory and Joy telling us we please Him to pray for more of His Kingdom on earth and His Good Will.

Thanks be to God our Father, who Loves and is Pleased with His children covered in the Name of Jesus. We lift up Life in Jesus. We lift up our cares to Jesus. We are lifted. Daily.

In Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

1 John 5 ~ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him

1 John 5

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 

5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 

10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself.

Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 

14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

This Chapter has not always been comfortable to me.
John lives in a cave and talks about seeing Jesus in Heaven by vision. John has cared for an elderly woman of distinction - Mother to the Messiah. Fleeing their homeland to change nations. Being exiled by the Emperor to a nice island, but exiled. John never married and lived a very long and happy life. In the second century, people went to Patmos to visit him for his opinions on Jesus. John was unusual and put his life on the line to be there for Jesus on Good Friday. A kind man, but never married and in this Chapter he goes on about blood - seemingly a lot.


When Jesus healed the man at the Pool of Bethesda, where the man had been for 38 years, and Jesus forgave his sins and told him to take up his pallet and walk - there was no blood.

When 10 lepers were healed and one man turned back to give thanks - there was no blood.

When Jesus healed a man privately of being deaf - there was no blood.

We are certain Good Friday had blood. It's something people who love Jesus weep about. A man who caused the blind to see and the deaf to hear and even the poor had Good News - bled and gave His Life. God gave His own Life.

Why is the Blood important to John. Scriptures are clear a Covenant has Blood.

John makes a good point.
So many were healed during the life of Jesus - what were their names? Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus the one recorded and was ready to follow Jesus. The man at the Pool of Bethesda turned Jesus into the Temple officials for incorrect healing. Nine Lepers didn't bother to thank Jesus. The deaf man healed with such care - never was written in Scriptures, we know of, again.

The 10 Disciples of Jesus - Ran off and hid.
12 men were saved from shipwreck. One betrayed him, took silver, bought a lot which became a foreigner's graveyard and hung himself. Peter was freely given his tax money in a miracle. Peter was freely given a landslide Profit of unbelievable fish. Peter had a family member healed. Peter denied Jesus after telling Jesus He is Messiah of God. Peter told Jesus He has the Word of Life. Peter ran and hid and denied.

When Good Friday arrived, it looked like a great opportunity for the Disciples to donate life blood on Roman Government terms.

Jairus received his daughter back from death and never is recorded again. The widow of Nain is not recorded doing any extra mile of thank you's.

Blood.
One day the Disciples were remembering Elijah could call down fire and suggest Jesus might want to terminate some rude Samaritans.

Jesus knew something about the Samaritans. Not only was Herod a Samaritan, several tribes would show up in this century telling us Samaritans, while told to be outside the Law, were actually the remnant of The Babylonian Exile God said He would provide.

Jesus. Usually the one with the most skin in the game is going to be wearing Camel Skin, eating Locusts and Yelling about the Law and the Priests. And maybe having some panic at end of game in Herod's jail. When Jesus had the perfect, perfect, perfect opportunity to create the devotion for "Home Team Allegiances" Jesus decided not to bring down fire on the Samaritans as He headed for Jerusalem.

Didn't Jesus realize He was watering down His backup? We know He did.


Joy.
Mercy
Gracious Grace.

Jesus had three very poignant things to say about Mankind.

1. Proverbs 8 says looking into mankind - delighted God the Father and Jesus Christ.
2. John 2:24-45 Jesus did not entrust Himself to mankind knowing what was in mankind.
3. John 3:17 God wants to save the entire world in Jesus Christ.

Jesus overcame the world. Day in and day out. Blood was always on the line for Jesus. His parents made sure infant Jesus was allowed to be born and survive infancy and childhood trauma.

Jesus said Life Holds Joy.

John speaks of the importance of more than skin in the game.
 John was willing to put his own life blood on the line on Good Friday. John would come to realize all of the Disciples would eventually put their life blood out for Jesus, Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God.

Jesus did trust His Disciples. Jesus allowed them to be exactly who they were. Peter might be compared to Habanero.

Jesus expected to ultimately find Fruit of the Spirit. He was willing to see the flowers and fruit mashed down in the Seeds Parable.

James and John once asked Jesus to sit on the Right Hand of God. Mary was the one who rushed in through the watching crowds and would save God. It's probably pretty clear, if you are rushing in to Save God, where you sit in the hereafter Eternal.

God the Almighty, never once shut down the unique imprint of each part of mankind. God said let there be free will.

Because when The Fruit of the Spirit is collected, God expected to find and serve A Feast Worthy of His Son in His Kingdom. Jesus spoke of Vineyards. Jesus was said to be a Glutton. The truth is Jesus was allowing all to bear fruit and find their own Talents in God.

Jesus anticipated the Banquet of God.

And as God Provided the Banquet, He expected to bring a ring and a robe.

Jesus knew Covenant. Joy. In all seasons. Steadfast Love in all conditions. Jesus has looked into mankind.

Abba,
In the Name of Jesus Christ. We Give You our Thanks.
Amen in the Highest Name of Jesus.
Name above All Others. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

1 John 1 ~ The Life was made manifest

1 John 1

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—

2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us

— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.


5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 

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 cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

John never forgot the Transfiguration. He had seen Jesus talk with Moses, Elijah and had witnessed the Voice of God with Peter and his brother James. For John, all he had witnessed in the miracles had been clearly explained. John 1.

What had John witnessed?

Seen and touched. God.

God is manifested. Here before; now realized and solid. Fellowship.

What is Fellowship with God.
Joy. Complete Joy. Three Chapters of John has Jesus explaining being here has been - Joy.

John's Defining Moment?

LIGHT.

Matthew 17
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Like Isaiah to be near God is to realize How Holy and High God is. And how far we are from His Holiness.

Both Isaiah and John telling of God Himself making a bridge to His Holiness.


John 12:44-45

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.


God desired to reach out to John and his brother James. And Peter. Our God, God the Almighty was parting another curtain for these Disciples.  He could have done this with many, many messages and approaches. God our Father uses Light, His Voice and Joy. Inclusion. Life.

Just as Revelation 1  John's Beloved Friend, Jesus, returns after sixty years.

The message is simple. Joy. Love. Peace. Jesus changes lives.


Abba, Father,

You change lives. You save the world. You are Father, our God and You give us Jesus. We are blessed. In Your willingness, we are saved, redeemed and Blessed.

Joy to the World - The Lord has come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. And Heaven and nature sing.

John recognized the Lord God Almighty - God is Love. Thank You for what You have brought us.

Let the Light of Jesus Christ be in us shining brightly and in those we Love.

Let the Voice of His Word fill this Nation trusting in God. Let the Brightness of God to all of the Nations fill the good creation with Joy. And have all of His Children, pray with God's Love dwelling within, for more of His Beloved Eternity, Heaven dwelling on this earth and His good Will completed.

Blessed to be New Covenant.

Live, move and have our Being in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †