Philippians 3:12-16 ~ Christ Jesus took hold of me

Philippians 3:12-16

2 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.

14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Papyrus 46, 1 to 2 generations from Jesus. Near perfect condition for 1,900 years later.

Why have Philippians 3? What is God saying?


This is another aspect of the Holiness of God - reaching to us in our human frailties.


Paul could have stood saying how he was just that strong. He could have talked about his background. Paul choses to say that in life there are times of strength and weakness.

Would we place bets on the longevity of the Bull,
 the Bear or the Papyrus?

The Prophets die off or are killed.

Israel was deconstructed.

Jesus was always in trouble with the Governing of Temple Guards.

Jesus was killed and died.

Israel was deconstructed.

The Christians refused to scatter and quit.

And the Work of God continues. Past Anti-Popes and Empires. When the pendulum seems stuck.




Daily we are part of the stock market. The vast unpredictable emotions, events, good news, Glee, sorrow, memories of good, memories of bad. Hopes for Today.

We face the grizzlies of life - by being honest.

We lived in Cameron County, Pennsylvania for 4 years when I began High School. The Black Bears of the entire State are relocated to this excellent and beautiful county and the great Game Warden Country. My father's co-worker Bob, as a child, loved to scare his friends by screaming, "Bear!!! Run!!!" At believable intervals.

One day, they were on a ride up South Mountain on bicycles.  And the boys exactly repeated to Bob, "Bear!!! Run!!!" Bob laughed and said he was not falling for that old trick.... Something this time seemed - different. Bob, it is told, picked up his Bicycle and ran up South Mountain with his bicycle over his head. The Black Bear decided Bob was just too wound up tight to eat. Bob would later admit for decades and decades this was not strategy, so much as pure terror.

... Be like the Bible, don't be like Bob...

Jesus called this, "In this life, you will have trouble."

Appropriately this quote:

James 1:11
For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.


I love this. We are from the South, so, heat - check. We have all loved our gardens and yards - check. My grandmother and her sister, Eloise, prayed for decades to die like Camellias and fall whole to the ground, beautifully intact. Don't we all want to fade quickly away in the midst of our pursuits?

The Bible tells the truth, explains life is difficult (for north and south) and gives immeasurable Hope.

My first cousin, once removed,Maxine, was my Ward in the State of Texas for 12 years. We generally are a long-lived group of people and when she went into the Memory Loss Building of CC Young in Dallas - she was 81 years old - with her aunt still living at home in Louisiana. Maxine was an only child, who had no children. All 5 of her first cousins had tried to take care of her fiercely guarded wish for independence. Most of our family has died doing what they like to do in their 9th decade.


Well, her mother and father loved their home from 1931 and in the year 1999, my first cousin and Ward, Maxine, was living in the house after - 23 - twenty-three strokes. In life today, it's rare when we get to see a house deconstruct. But when you live alone and 5 first cousins are trying to help a family member in the 8th decade - things get pushed aside. My Ward was strong, strong willed and she dismissed Adult Protective Services - 5 times. (We called Adult Protective Services.)

The yard man died. And my cousin grew old, the grass became a forest. The driveway was always in full view of the house. No more. No view. The plumber was charging too much so the kitchen floor fell into the basement. (Food was being brought in daily.) And all of the family was very, very sad to see their childhood memories decay with our cousin.


The house today is on the 3rd owner since 1931. A family fixed it up. Enjoyed it. Got overwhelmed at more to do and after fixing it up, sold to house enthusiasts. The house looks as good as when Eloise and Cary and Maxine where young. I'm sure someone let them know in Heaven. Back in the 1930s, they broke a car axle on family vacation - bringing back as many boulders as a car couldn't quite carry.


After having been a witness to the family aging. The house falling to loved and then terrible decay, I'd have to say the Mercy of God is Quite a Gift.

The story of the house, rather mirrored some of the old age.

My Newlywed first married neighbor was 80 years old when we moved into our total fix up cottage. She had to have a professional painter come in when we had lived there the first 5 years. After 41 years of perpetually fixing her house, painting her own house, she hired the first painter the house had ever seen in it's 4 decades - she had worn the texture off the walls with so many coats of paint. There was never a ladder this 80 year old lady didn't like. Doris collected all her pecans and sold them for about a thousand dollars back in the 1980s.

I watched Doris fall into sadness when her second husband had died of old age. And then rise again.

That very brittle papyrus of 1,900 years is quite correct. Daily, we fall and rise with glee and joy and sad thoughts. Yet when we find God giving us His Willing Daily Blessings - we find we have the Strength behind the Very Word of God.


If this set of Papyrus from the long life span of John the Beloved Disciple can tell the truth, believe in the mercies of God and endure this long - I'd have to say God is still in the Answering Prayers With Steadfast Love Action.


Abba,

We Thank You for Your Blessing of Jesus. Today. In the Nature of Jesus, we are given Your Exact Nature.

Finding You Alive and Loving. Discovering again how 'for' us You are. God of Love.


Bless us to see You more clearly. Love You more dearly.
Bless our family. Bless our Loved Ones.

Let Your Glory sweep our Nation Trusting in You.

Let Your Majesty put all of Creation bringing more Heaven on earth. Bless the nations living in Your Brightness. Uphold, Bless, Keep Safe, Strengthen Encourage and Build up the Kingdom of Heaven in Your Beloved children all over Your Good Creation. More Jesus.

We are praying for Elliott to find his life is Blessed to be healed by Jesus and cancer is gone forever.

Let the Light of Your Love far outshine the darkness, to see the Victory of Your Son Today.

In Jesus, the Lord, God's Only Son, Alive, Working, Loving, Guiding us to Live.

Jesus God, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

Colossians 3:15-16 ~ let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body

Colossians 3:15-16

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.


Got conflict? Smile. Life is the adventure of "Give us the Day" tempered with "Our Daily Bread." Bread is good. Warm. Inviting. The aroma of I want that. If you eat rye bread every day, or 'sour' dough, you can get pretty underwhelmed.

The Serenity Prayer by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr.

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Jesus, I'm glad to say did not always smile and wave. Go with Him on a warm day and see... one of the nice things about picturing Jesus - we see WARMTH

Luke 6
On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grain-fields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” 5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”


The nice thing about God, HE doesn't have to be politically correct. One of my most adored, beloved people in life used to moan and proclaim life just 'isn't fair.' Solomon said the Hand of God bestows blessing and hardship. Deal with it. Jesus was providing Conflict in the above Paragraph. It's His Privilege.

Oddly enough, the New Testament agrees and says Whatever your circumstance, be filled with finding gratitude or thanks because this is HIS will for you to grow up and go Home.

1. Are you dealing with someone who wants the same goal you do? Can you change that? Nope. Well, you have exactly one alternative. Pray. And adjust your life to move like - the Mississippi River. Because God is Sovereign. Yay. I'd trust my life to... HIM. Delta is the a symbol for any changeable quantity, in mathematics and the sciences. We change our attitudes to those pleasing to Him.


Best Practices for Effective Conflict Management - University of Iowa. They make California look sunny. However, we are called to be - One Body. If they aren't against you, they are for you.

Conflicts include differences of opinion and perceptions at all levels of interaction including supervision, shared work and living spaces, teaching and learning. When conflicts affect the ability to work productively, learn effectively, or live in a comfortable environment, they need to be addressed. The following are some best practices that can contribute to effective conflict management. As with most conflict management skills, these practices are common sense but can be challenging to put into practice.

As an individual:

• Address conflict early to prevent it from escalating.

• Discuss the issue directly with the person involved. Effective people communicate. I heard that from family.

• Communicate with respect. For assistance with an effective conversation, ask a supervisor, HR representative, or other UI resources for support. (Look Higher...Fast...that's a joke...have humor)

• Seek to learn and understand the other point(s) of view. (Don't do the you tube video of the man who had his parking place taken.)

• Address perceptions and assumptions.(With the idea the Son will Come Up Tomorrow).

• Listen to understand the interests of the other party, and not just their position on the matter in dispute. (They might be interesting, if they try not to whine.)

• Focus on the issue, not the person. (Are you kidding me, the person wants to be understood. As issue rests within, upon a Person.)

• Find ways to move past your differences; agree where you can find common ground and agree to disagree if necessary. (See the last sentence, repeat, this is GOD wants to Save the ... World.)

• Focus on the present and future, and be willing to put the past behind you. (See Recovery from Conflict.)

Jesus had colleagues, He got to pick (mostly) and 72 co-workers. Even in the Boss' Son's group, there were people who spoke one direction and went mainly another. The competition was terrible.

Jesus didn't over Word things. And He did not do Drama. Jesus recognized in dealing with People - Forgive them and move on. There are some people and some situations - you have to Pray about and leave up to Him. Jesus believed in people. Even while He knew what was in them. And He Expected the Best from them and if you look at His Record - He received blessings for His belief in them. And allowed time to let people grow up.

As a colleague or co-worker:

• Encourage parties in conflict to address each other early and directly. (I have been encouraged to leave my hammer at the door. And speak with words not involving labels. My father was a great believer in being Polite.)

• Encourage the parties to focus on common interests and work to resolve their differences in order to move forward. (Fence sitters are told they have a better view and are possibly closer to Heaven. Jesus gave time and said if they aren't against you, they are for you. And HE is God.)(Sometimes you have to dig for the humor, people.)

• Direct colleagues and co-workers who are in conflict to UI (Higher) resources. Taking sides will not help resolve the conflict. (Now that's just NOT reality, but nod and agree. You might nod that this is not the battle you pick right this second.)

• Do not be drawn into conflicts in which you are not a party. (TADA)

• Do not escalate the conflict by giving it undue attention. (TADA)

• Treat both parties in conflict with respect. TADA)

(Ta Da is actually Scottish for Teaching Assistant of the Father, ask a seminarian.)

Continuing Luke 6

12 In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.


17 And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him 
and 
He healed them all.


However, if only we could get along like the Early Church...Um. Read the last chapter of the Gospel of John. Luke disagrees with Matthew 5

Matthew 5
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Perhaps they were speaking of the same thing and didn't connect the communication. Jesus was so comfortable - HE sat to teach. And the people were so comfortable - they didn't care if Jesus was sitting or standing. Knowing HE stood for the higher, more important things.


As a supervisor dealing with colleague or co-worker conflict:

• Practice the individual conflict management skills listed above, and encourage others in conflict to do so as well. (Pray. God can move the Red Sea - He could certainly have whisked people to the Promised Land. He chose the method of Pray and Pay the Electrical Bill. God cared how His people were treated. He waited until it was impossible to move that many slaves. Sometimes God uses weakness to make His point. Sometimes we listen to the complaints to see how the person's mind works.Listen. Care. Called to be one Body of Christ.)

• Manage the environment to support conflict resolution. (Marriage Counselors say get up and leave when Heavy Anger overwhelms peaceable solutions.)

• Be aware of the effects of power differences on conflict management. Be alert to worries about retaliation. (Expect the Best in People. Jesus did until HE decided there was no solution and just forgave and went on. GOD calls us to Peace. Not to dwell in this level of upheaval.)

• Use UI resources to assist in facilitating conflict management so that it does not interfere with productivity or the well-being of the unit or department. (Except that we have exactly two choices in life - Work on His Plan a) appreciating the blessings and conflicts He gives us to grow up and go Home b) b and work on His Plan. )

• The Conflict Description Template may be useful for supervisors in understanding a conflict situation and discussing it with others.

• In any conflict, issues of confidentiality should be considered. (Jesus believed in that, pushing people out of the Jairus' daughter's death room. Saying, "The Child is only sleeping.")

Pray
God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time.
Let His Will be Done. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

This is not your first step. It's your FIRST BEST STEP.

Effective Conflict Management Thinking
Past Present Future
We cannot change the past. We can act to help make the situation better now and in the future through shared agreements. We can use conflict constructively as a source of different ideas and perspectives.

Forgive me my sins and those who sin against me ~ teachings of ~
Jesus Christ, Son of God 

• Seek assistance from UI (HIS) resources if you need it.

• Make known your goals for the conversation. (Be Justice with Mercy in Truth)

• Discuss confidentiality.

• Use Respectful Communication so that each person will continue to participate and not leave, go silent, raise their voice or be defensive.

• Listen intently for the other’s perspective. Active Listening skills are especially useful in conflict conversations.

• Be aware of and try to understand your own and the other person’s feelings.

• Discuss perceptions and assumptions. (Seek mutual ground)

• Address the past as necessary.

• Focus on the problem, not the person. Address the problem instead of being defensive. (The Person needs to be addressed with such courtesy the issue is secondary.)

• Look for areas of agreement--your common ground—and build on those. (You say mutual, they say common, try not to smile broadly.)

• Agree on what you both can do in the future and leave the rest. (Nod a lot, pick your battles, don't nod too much. Be Sincere. )

Post-conversation: Implement and Move Forward

• Act with integrity to maintain your shared agreements.

• Recognize that change is difficult and sometimes we make mistakes as we change. Notice positive behaviors.

• Let go of past hard feelings and look for ways to work together productively, e.g. use common personal greetings, say thanks when appropriate, acknowledge and show appreciation for changed behavior, repeat common ideas and goals, etc. If you are having difficulty, visit Recovery from Conflict for further ideas to help you now and in the future.

Did you ever wonder why Norman Vincent Peale said - If you have conflict - Rejoice - You are ALIVE !!!


The Beatitudes

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
Jesus Pronounces Woes

24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
Love Your Enemies

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”



~ teachings of ~
Jesus Christ, Son of God

Abba,

Jesus Christ the Lord, we ask Father God

to Bless us and Keep us

and Make Your Face to Shine upon us.

To know our cares and compassions. To forgive our flaws and weakness.

We ask for Your Graciousness.

We want to be Blessing Seekers. To ask for Your Willing Blessings

on our infirmities and Heal us. We love to ask Your Blessings.

Help us to be a Blessing.

Thank You for Your Blessings. Our Hope and Future. Today, Yesterday and, also, Tomorrow. Bless those we love with health, healing from cancer and from illness - upset stomach and headache requiring antibiotics.

Lift Your Face and Smile upon us.

Carry our Nation to Trust in You.

Bless Nations who seek You and Your Light.

Bless the Children of God asking You for more Heaven on earth.

Give us the Amazing Gift of Peace.

Peace so Magnificent this is Your own Peace.

The assurance of You. God's own Peace

We ask with all our heart, mind and soul to be

Covered in the Name of Jesus.

And Your Blessing of more Heaven on earth.

In the Highest Name of Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

Micah 4:4 ~ Everyone shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the Mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken

Jesus told us Angels would arrive if He merely asked. The Heavenly Host arrived at His earthly beginning - we can well imagine God could call this out.

Nahum knew the Power of God.

Nahum 1:9
Whatever they plot against the LORD he will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time.

The Old Testament has a bold statement from God saying He can bring the end of conflict, to any conflict. It's difficult to find the exact verse because we live in a world with conflict resolution being a process. God the Almighty says He brings Peace. His Word. In Great Power of His Being the Lord.

Micah 4:4

Everyone shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.



Psalm 147:14
14 He makes peace in your borders; 
He satisfies you with the finest of the wheat. 
15 He sends forth His command to the earth; 
His word runs very swiftly.



Leviticus 26:6 
I will grant peace in the land, 
and you will lie down 
and no one will make you afraid. 
I will remove wild beasts from the land, 
and the sword will not pass through your country.


Consider this Gospel:

Matthew 22

23 The same day Sadducees came to him,
who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question,

24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”

29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong because you know neither

The Scriptures and the Power of God.

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 

32‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

 He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”


33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.

This passage is one of great importance and a favorite of mine:

The Word of God manifest applauds the Living Scriptural Word of God. We all might hope Jesus shook the earth as He said, "The Scriptures and the Power of God."

God gave us Jesus. Jesus gave us Salvation. 
The Word of God made manifest could have peace anytime He wanted Peace.

Jesus sets the witnesses for Resurrection in the son rising alive for the Widow of Nain and Jesus' Blessing.

Jesus sets the Blessing in understanding - God didn't have to have Jesus spar with Words. God's Word stood Alive and Active as Today.

Jesus is God's Word as Power.

Jesus is without fear.

The people saw Jesus and Jesus daily loadeth them with benefits.
Living Water reaching us two millenniums later.

The Word of God - the Disciples find  Jesus can end the storm and the wind
and we discover that believing in His Word we are part of this.

The Promises of God are sure.






Father God,

When Jesus prays with us, we have the results of His Love. We ask this Blessing.

When we ask You, You are present. And the meal is more nourishing than the food for the people living in Love.

When we consider the summer - we recall days of our life where summer would never end. The day lasted a long time and we have an idea of Heaven's days. We have a glimpse of Heaven. And our hearts remember Joy of memories You have given us of Abundant Life. These remembrances are Joy.

Cover our Loved ones with this Joy. Jesus tells us He had such Joy in this life.
Let the people You have given us know these blessings of Your's.

Help the Nation trusting in You to have the gratitude in them of God - guiding us.
Bless our employments, dreams, efforts and striving. In the Strength of God, we will go farther than we ask or imagine.

Bless the Bible and Jesus believing Churches to radiate the Love God has - and all are blessed.
Bless all the Nations trusting in You to have more Holy Spirit and more Heaven on earth. We build when we believe and trust - our words and deeds build us all.

Bless us in our hopes - that as we please You daily - our will rejoices in Your Will. Our Father's Gracious Will for our heart, hearth, family, health with Joy and Love.

Let us Bless us renew from vacation and to rest and to be productive. For security. For our friend dealing with cancer to be healed.

Returning home from vacation to find our 25 year old Magnolia - fall over.

Amen and Amen and Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

Exodus 3 ~ Here I am

Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mt Sinah is habitable. See the city way in the distance!

Exodus 3

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”

When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” 

And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Vintage Photo of Shepherds in front of Mt. Sinah

Was this the appearing of the Heavenly Host or the Bush on fire?


Luke 2


8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”







Let's ask a question. If our Father God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow; Why is Moses afraid, while the Shepherds are told to "Fear Not"? The Shepherds encountered the Heavenly Host of God - the angels.Same story. Fear Not!!! Moses went on to have a conversation with God and Moses felt "Yar" Respect - Very Heavy Respect. God the Almighty does not need fear.


God has told the Angels to cut to the point - not a discussion - fear overcome by,  "Fear Not

The Shepherds and Mary and Joseph behold God made flesh dwelling among us.

The emotional response to Jesus?

18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.



Moses yearned more from his relationship to God. And asked to see the Glory of God.

Exodus 34

5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,a forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”


The path of the Lord is preferable to the Frank Sinatra Song "I did it my way".


The Exodus did repeat for the birth of Jesus, this time God relied more upon His Angels to create more Joy. The Father was preparing the path of His Son. And Father God did descend in a cloud, as He did for the Dedication of Solomon's Temple - in the Transfiguration. God the Father was clearing a path for His Son, ,again, in the Transfiguration.

 Jesus would ascend to tell us exactly where Jesus is. We did not need to wonder.


Abba, 

The Blessing of Being Your child. Your Mercies Renew. Dwell in me, Lord Jesus Christ.

No longer do I call you servants.

 We are the Beloved of God. And ask His Help and Blessings.

Thanks be unto our Father God for The Lord giving His Word to Abide in Jesus. And so we ask His help. To have His Peace knowing the Holy Spirit dwells in us. The Blessing of the Kiss of Peace.

Amen in Jesus Christ.

 

Bless our friend to have good health in Jesus. Your Willing Blessings!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †