Psalm 130 ~ Steadfast Love

Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.



When we think about all the time we have fought our battles with Prayer. I'm reminded of the Children of Israel waiting for 500 years. Not even being literate as a crowd of slaves with the name of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob's God, yet waiting for Him.

England began the campaign to end slavery in 1779 and completed the job in 1807. The Slave trade knew this and slavery in America knew this - And began to pray. Some prayers take time.

This nation was colonized from 1585 on indentured servitude, "controlled" labour through an exploitative debt-peonage system, formally developed in the late 17th century and continued through to the period of the American Revolution. Not all "servants" came willingly. It's estimated almost every and all of the indentured/enslaved people died in the 16 to mid 17th centuries. Several instances of kidnapping for transportation to the Americas and one of these unwilling participants in the new colonies was Benjamin Franklin.

We could go with this idea of waiting on the Lord - - - all the way back to not only the servitude of Goshen Children of Israel, we could continue waiting on the Lord - during - the Exodus. Moses certainly did not control the Lord God Almighty. We could guess Moses tried - knowing human nature. Moses, after all, did not again put his hand next to his chest inside his robe to show Pharoah (probably Seti II, 19th Dynasty, 1200 BC) Moses had Leprosy. Moses, based upon his retirement on Mount Nebo and not the Promised Land probably annoyed God from time to time. (Blessed, blessed, blessed to be Children of the New Covenant covered in the Name of Jesus!!!)

We know the Children of Israel were a difficult people. Don't bother Pharoah. What! Send us back to be slaves here comes Pharaoh and Army! We are Hungry. We are Thirsty. Don't have God talk to us. You talk to Him. We want to go back to Egypt. We need a Golden Calf. We won't fight. We don't want to find giants. A dear friend of mine saw images of the Exodus journey and felt so bad - she said she would complain. Certainly.

Yet God is always our Love because He is our Comfort and Comforter. When Alexander, our youngest son traveled to Russia, Siberia caught on fire. The heat in Moscow was at 100'. This summer Anchorage and fairbanks Alaska are having fires. We will pray for them as well.

When Father God took the Children of Israel into the desert, He is all capable in all environments. Father God provided cloud by day and fire by night. This is an Action of God, we can consider well if Alaska and Siberia can burn - the desert can be cool with rain and relief and bloom. More babies were born easily in the time of the 40 years of the Exodus. Manna, evidently, did Godly well.

Jesus, so at home in this life He calls, "Joy", Jesus sat to teach.

How would we relate all of this waiting on Jesus Christ? With some difficulty, the Word "immediately" was near Jesus all the time.

Jesus did say this to the people He would spend time with during His Ministry of Grace upon Grace: Even to the little children, Jesus would give His Word of what we are able to do, Jesus said to little children, "Come unto me." Jesus intended small children to seek Jesus. Move their feet.

Jesus said what we do to the least, we do to Jesus. Children died too often to be considered the greatest prizes. Functioning men were "Bar" "Son". If Jesus told the least, the little children, to seek Him, we should do this.

Jesus told the paralyzed man, the man at the Pool of Siloam, many healed people first, after being part of a crowd and waiting on Jesus, "Your sins are forgiven."

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is
steadfast love,
and with him is
plentiful redemption.

8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.


Waiting on the Lord would include: Sent to the Pool of Siloam. Sent to see the Priest. Go home, don't go into the village. Put the people out of the daughter's death bed mourning. Have faith. Pick up your pallet. Walk.

Even in the Exodus, the people walked across the Red Sea.

Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

His Grace is our Promise.

Abba,

Blessed be You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

You have blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

You chose us in Jesus before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before You, covered by Jesus.

In Your love, You predestined us for adoption in Jesus as sons according Your will and good Purpose.

We thank You for Your glorious grace, with which You have blessed us in the Beloved. Shower our dear friend with healing from cancer. Bless Alaska with Showers to stop the fires and all along the West Coast. Bless Hawaii to send rain quickly as the Hurricane departs.

Because of Jesus, we have redemption through Jesus' blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of Your grace, which You lavished upon us.

In all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of Your will, according to Your purpose, which You set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in You, things in heaven and things on earth.

We give Thanks for the Glory of God - Your Love. Covering us, the people we Love, our Nation, the Children believing in You, the Nations trusting in You. In Your Word You tell us to ask for more Heaven on earth.

In Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen and Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

Revelation 1:9-18 ~ The Living One

Patmos front yard for John's house, a cave. Rather lovely and like Capernaum.

Revelation 1:9-18

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Patmos in winter






We can surmise John had last seen Jesus about 63 years earlier based upon his exile and the Emperor who exiled John to Patmos.

At some point in the decades of life - we decide something important. We decide we have lived a life worth living. And in having this gratitude - we blaze a candle held for the Path of Jesus for ourselves, friends, loved ones, family and people yet unborn.

And we have arrived at Revelation 1!!! We have found Joy.


With a glimpse of what John found in finding Jesus.

Ephesians 1:10
A plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.

Ephesians 3:16
I pray that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Abba Father

The Blessing of God, our Willing Father God. Thank You.

When we rejoice - we are happier.

When trouble in life comes - with You - we overcome.

When we see life multiplied - we Rejoice.

Thank You, Your blessings fall on us and the ones we love. Upon the people You have given us.

All over our culture, all over our nation.

Soak is with the Steadfast Love of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.


Worldwide we pray this and have the joy of thinking as we go to sleep -

Our Father God - You - cover the planet with the prayers of the believing hearts.

For the prayers we hold to us so closely. For the prayers of good health.

To know each day - we have opportunity - to have meaningful life - building our soul - to You.


In Jesus Christ. We Love Jesus and Bless Him. Thanking You for our Blessings and asking You to

uphold and heal our concerns.


We abundantly lift up our friends and the people who have asked for prayer in Jesus for healing and Your Blessings.

Jesus is Willing. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

Psalm 30 ~ O Lord, You have drawn me up

Psalm 30

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up

and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,

and you have healed me.

3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;

you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,

and give thanks to his holy name.

5 For his anger is but for a moment,

and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,

“I shall never be moved.”

7 By your favor, O Lord,

you made my mountain stand strong;

you hid your face;

I was dismayed.

8 To you, O Lord, I cry,

and to the Lord I plead for mercy:

9 “What profit is there in my death,

if I go down to the pit?

Will the dust praise you?

Will it tell of your faithfulness?

10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!

O Lord, be my helper!”

11 You have 

turned for me my mourning into dancing;

you have 

loosed my sackcloth

and clothed me with gladness,

12 that my glory may sing your praise

 and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

David has used Psalm 30 as the Thanksgiving of David's house being built.

Jeremiah 32:10
I signed and sealed the deed, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales.

This house is where Jeremiah was held in jail by David's descendant. Released by Emperor Nebuchadnezzar. Deuteronomy promises to listen to God is to be blessed.

Consider some of the choices of David's life to bring him to this day of giving Thanks:

David was asked by his father, Jesse, to bring his brothers food for the battle of the Philistines. Israel was in dire need of help for the army, not a prosperous nation when David heard of Goliath.

The Jewish Virtual Library is an online encyclopedia published by the American–Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. It is a website covering topics about US-Israel relations, Jewish history, Israel, the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and Judaism.

According to Professor Aren Maeir, Chairman of Bar-Ilan University's Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, “...this (inscription) appears providing evidence the biblical story of Goliath is, in fact, based on a clear cultural realia from, more or less, the time which is depicted in the biblical text, and recent attempts to claim that Goliath can only be understood in the context of later phases of the Iron Age are unwarranted.”

The tiny shard was unearthed at the site, near a destroyed Phoenician fort, where the Bible says the shepherd boy David killed the giant Goliath. The pottery shard, written in the language used by the Hebrews at the time, has been dated to as early as 975BC, based on burned olive pits found nearby that have been carbon-dated at Oxford University. Researchers have not yet been able to decipher the full text of its five lines but they have translated the words for "king", "judge", and "slave," suggesting it was written by a trained scribe in the king's court.

The Daily Wire reports this beyond the Goliath Shard.
The Story Of David And Goliath Gets Archaeological Evidence Backing It Up
https://www.dailywire.com/news/37279/story-david-and-goliath-gets-archaeological-hank-berrien

"Scoffers beware: the Biblical tale of David and Goliath just got more real than ever, thanks to an archaeological discovery that fits the Biblical description of Goliath’s armor.

In the Biblical tale, roughly 3,000 years ago, David, when he was still a young shepherd and not yet the immortal king, engaged in single combat on behalf of the Jews against Goliath, the huge champion of the Jews’ arch-enemies: the Philistines. The story read like this:

A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.”

After David volunteered to fight Goliath, David confronted him: “As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.”

As Haaretz reports, in 2017 archaeologists found shards of pottery in Philistine Gath that were inscribed with names similar to Goliath’s. In the first book of Samuel, it states, “He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze ... on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.”

Haaretz notes, “Now, if the story had been 7th or 6th century B.C.E. fiction, written hundreds of years after the event, the author would have had no idea how warriors had been garbed in the earlier Bronze Age. … To sum up, Goliath seems to have worn contemporary Bronze Age gear, scribes did exist shortly after his time and possibly within it, and the biblical descriptions suit other ancient texts referring to armies led by champions, rather than as the impersonal institutions of later texts. … The accurate description of a Bronze Age warrior’s equipment opens up the possibility that a memory was handed down over several centuries, embellished to be sure, but with a core of truth.”



Choices -

David, because of his anointing, felt he would defeat Goliath.

Ran after King Saul was afraid of him and his first wife was suddenly cold as the political cold held on.

Did not kill the unpopular King Saul.

Ran for his life and found safe hiding for his father's family.

Went to work while a mercenary and found his wives and children were kidnapped. Did not write them off and did rescue them as his own personal rag-tag army wanted to kill David.

Suffered three separate coronations because the anointing of God appeared to disappear and relatives of Saul's kept appearing as mini-kings.

Refused to work against Israel.

David made wrong decisions as well.

David chose unlikely choices.
It's probably apparent there was not always a distinct Plan - other than God's Plan.  David's own mercenary army doubted him. David knew dissent all his life. And in finding David trusted the Mercy of God - David found his reasons to Give Thanks.

We find David built outside of the City Walls - secure and security - to be able to see God's earth, to see approaching danger, to find what the lives were of God's people. David's House was found by examining Scripture.

Jesus sailed the Sea of Galilee a few times all day. Jesus could be found, we know this from scripture. When we find our lives in the same waters day after day, we can rely with faith - God is Working. Finding each day we make choices to please God and God, Himself the Almighty, will be Pleased. In finding Peace with God, David found Joy.

Psalm 59:16
I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 88:13
I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.




Abba,

We trust Your Willing Blessings to see us in Your Plan each day.

Psalm 19:2
Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

Bless us to remain in Jesus Christ. Bless our family and Loved Ones to have the Joy and Encouragement being our Faith, Hope and Love. Bless those who do not yet know yet and the generations unborn.

Bless our cares to be lifted so high we are able to care for the Nation trusting in You - for Your Willing Blessings.

Bless our cares to be so Loved by You, we rejoice knowing Your Good Creation is filled with the prayers of Your Beloved Children. The Good News of Jesus Christ is Good as many times as You called Your Creation Good in Genesis. Ongoing Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Jesus is Good. Our righteousness in Him. And He has blessed us to ask for more Heaven upon earth to give us Your Good Will. Our Hope and our Future.

Jesus has called us to Pray with Belief. We place the needs of those we love to be healed of cancer and dire concerns.

We will find our Thanksgiving in the Glory of God. And we will shine forth in Jesus Christ.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

Philippians 2 ~ Encouragement in Christ

Philippians 2

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, 
any comfort from love, 
any participation in the Spirit, 
any affection and sympathy, 

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that 

at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.




12 Therefore, my beloved, 
as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, 

among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life,

So that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, 
I am glad and rejoice with you all. 
18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.


19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, 
so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 
20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 
21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 2
2 But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 2
4 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 

27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 

29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Philippians 2 is - jaw dropping.
 Astonishing. Paul has just admitted he swims with the circumstances God gives him. 

Real Scripture for real life.

Riding the waves of life. He has anxiety. He has burn out - a liquid poured out. And he continually looks for the blessings our Willing and Good Father send him. Finding Joy upon looking.


And in Seeing and Knowing and Loving Jesus we find Father God asks us for this;

Encouragement in Christ,
comfort from love,
participation in the Spirit,
affection and sympathy,
complete joy by being of the same mind

Paul is the highest of the Christian world. as the New Testament is being put ink to papyrus.
Brightest Shining Light of God.  Literally.

Paul admits he has worked hard to tell of salvation. Really put his all here. Hold Fast to the Word of God. Sending his best and sending his best person - hoping to come see you too.


Look at this list :

Giving his all.
Hoping.
Glad and rejoicing. (Paul writes when he is not as well, he is sincere.)
Mercy received from God.
Seeing how it will go with Paul.
Worker, soldier, messenger, minister.
Eager, rejoice, anxious.


Never again - self worry to be anxious is a sin. Paul has just admitted Anxiety. He sees grumbling around him and disputing. Tells of his worries. Explains his life.

 He wants to put the people he loves with people he loves. He sends the faithful he loves to cater to the faithful. Telling us of this being the person who attends to the emotions of Paul the most.

 Paul intends  to join in the Celebration of God's Love daily.






Abba,

We ask You for Your Willing Blessings. Thank You for Your Abundant Blessings! Drawing in my heart, the Love Your Willing Blessing has been for me.

Therefore, being Your beloved, God who works in us, both to will and to work for Your good pleasure. Sweeping all things to Good.

Children of God held in the Light of Christ, held fast in the Word of Life.

Praying with all Love, Sincerity, Certainty in Your Willing Love for our friend with cancer. To perfectly heal to long life and old age. The prayer requests presented recently on our hearts and the blessing of  daily walk with Love and Joy.

Blessing You for Your Son, Jesus, who asks us to only ask for Heaven on this earth. Jesus who blesses us to ask for Your Good Will to be done.

Blessed knowing the Beloved Children of God cover Your good creation asking for more Heaven on earth. Lifting all our cares so high, we ask for the Nation to be blessed Trusting in You.

Asking in the Name of Jesus for our loved ones covered in Your Love and encouragement, to all the Nations brought to the Bright Love and Word of Jesus Christ.

AMEN!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

John 1:1-18 ~ in Him was life

Sistine Chapel, Vatican. The ceiling was painted by Michelangelo, who painted 12,000 square feet. Some other artists including Raphael, Bernini, and Sandro Botticelli painted the walls. This painting is by Hendrick van den Broeck - scenes from the Life of Christ - entitled The Resurrection of Christ.

These images made possible by: Christus Rex a private, non-profit organization dedicated to art preservation in Churches & Cathedrals all over the world. Collecting images as a visual representation of the Bible - ad maiorem gloriam Dei! (for the greater glory of God!)

Wonderful 360' interactive views of the Sistine Chapel . A must see.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

Romans 14:12-14
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.¹³ Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2

He was in the beginning with God. 3

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4

 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, [to his own domain, or to his own people] and his own people did not receive him. 12

 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14

 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16

And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, [the only One, who is God; the only Son] who is at the Father's side, [in the bosom of the Father] he has made him known.

  Let me read John 1 even on a cloudy day - I am lifted instantaneously and perceptibly. My favorite chapter. Light in the darkness. Witness to the light. Born of God. All who have received, who believed. We have seen His glory. And from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Chose to dwell among us! Chose to. He has made Him known.


Love still conquers all. We wonder if tough stances and harsh words with selfish interests win. And we find Love will carry us through almost all times and seasons. The Light does shine in the darkness and the darkness has not understood.

Billie Graham made this understood by a single candle held up for all in a huge football stadium to see. The place was Dallas, Texas and the light carried on to Alabama - to disperse violence and cause Love. The Life in Jesus never stops and never quits healing.



Abba, Father God,

The blessings of Jesus Christ dwell in  our heart richly. Provide us with His love, His grace, His enduring Love. 

May our lives be blessed by Him each day, dwell on His love. In the grace and fullness of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †