Psalm 46 ~ God is our refuge and strength

Psalm 46

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Selah.
Mystery. Jerome was asked in the 4th Century to put the Bible into Latin. The Septuagint, Symmachus, and Theodotion translate διάψαλμα—a word enigmatically in Greek as is "Selah" in Hebrew. Jerome translates this as the musical direction for pause, stop and forever.  Always.


Always... the Alleluia we can mark in our lives when we have been transformed, redeemed, renewed, strengthened and changed as God's Spirit brushes ours.

Romans 12:2 is Selah. God will always be with us. Emmanuel!
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I listened once to a room filled with regular Christmas party-goers sit down and answer the question: "What is the most remarkable, memorable Christmas memory you remember?"

Instantly the Holy Spirit prompted the room to remember what Christmas and God's Child have brought to your heart and your life.

A 90-year-old gentleman recalled being a very young boy and with his great-grandfather. They were climbing stairs, going into Midnight Christmas Eve Service and the Great-grandfather gently squeezed the then young boy's hand and told him this was his Best Christmas Memory of the Delight of his life culminating to this joy and glory. His young great-grandson filling the joy in his life.

And a woman asking him the Church, which was far, far away. It seems they had attended the same Church many states away. And she remembered the Christmas Evening she knew to pursuit playing the organ for the Church and had done so for 30 years.

I recalled another little town where the residents all stayed up late to keep the Christmas Lights on, so those going to Midnight Services of different congregations would have the joy of a Christmas Lighted town going to Christmas Eve Midnight Service. Walking with my father to Church in the snow to see the Lights.

1 Timothy 3:16

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of faith:

He was manifested in the flesh,

vindicated by the Spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

believed on in the world,

taken up in glory.

These fill our lives when pressed down in this life, we will have our troubles, yet not overcome. Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

If we fill our heads with visions of dancing sugar-plums, we will end up believing the Hap, Happiest non Season of all. Where real Joy is not found as steadfast.

There is a definite feeling of 'outside' in Faith. God is our refuge and strength! People experiencing near-death report being 'outside.' A Visitation of Greater Glory. The pause that will become Always. Alleluia.

Christmas exists for this, His Glory. The Glory of Outside. Not of inclusion, instead the hard-won greater depth of Love. Then with Greater Understanding, not just inclusion but Eternal Love. The Glory of our Father, God of All.

A young couple begins with love. A marriage of advantage and expectation.

A problem of Life? Creation, new beginnings... Surely this would not be a problem? Instead, a young mother flees her family in great haste. To another remote location. The family left in great haste is not recorded again until a very heavily pregnant, young woman travels 80 miles, in winter, still unwed. Not the beloved child bride.

No room in the Inn. To record lineage and family, to travel alone and unwed. Surely this is not going well to deliver a baby, a small, innocent baby in a barn. Nothing appears to be hopeful.

Not something anticipated for millenniums. In come the Shepherds. More than barn decoration of career-oriented Shepherds! Shepherds proclaiming the Visitation of the Heavenly Host. To a yet unwed mother and her betrothed, a message His Mother would Ponder in her heart. Not Schooled, these Shepherds, by Gamaliel of the Temple.

Nations would come to His Brightness according to Isaiah.
Before the destruction of David and Solomon's Temple, Isaiah was telling about Noble men attending the Birth of the Christ Child. The Wise Men from far off Nations arrive. Dreams. Joseph has given up his dreams, is prepared to take flight where the Children of Israel were mere slaves. The Davidic Line in hiding in a Foreign world. Mary would sing of fame and of inclusion and exclusion. The Wise Men would dream about Herod's inclusion and change direction.

The Meaning of Christmas:
Great Joy. Nazareth asks - “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things? Surely this was the Son of God! Weren't our hearts strangely warm? Fear Not Little Flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Fear not.

Good Tidings of Great Joy for All People.

Families live on earth and in Heaven. They went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

Psalm 46 

God is our refuge and strength

Micah 6:8

"What does the Lord require of you? 

To act justly, and to love mercy 

and to walk humbly with your God."

In Christmas...

Luke 1

For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people

in the forgiveness of their sins

 Because of the tender mercy of our God,

whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:

Jesus gave us the advice for us to live in expectation of God's Mercy and Love. And He gave us the illustration of young virgins trimming their lamps. Surely Mary's father would just have fallen over. The Christmas story is believing in Selah - the pause is leading to the fruit of Always and Alleluia.

Holding human flaws and frailty to God. Allowing us to have the Strength to find mercy for ourselves and our expectations and for others.

Christmas does hold all the frailty life has and as many processes.

The process of life, waiting for the child to be born.

The process of engagement leading discovery in the path of Life to Love.

The building of a family in faith.

The Shepherds left their flocks to discover God's Glory.

The Wise Men looked unwise to travel great distances following a Star. And proving the wisdom of man, to knock at Herod's Palace.

Repeating Family history, Mary and Joseph return to the slavery of Egypt. Mary greatly wondered at the words of Gabriel. Mary's heart is recorded as pondering. When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”

Christmas

Becoming a time for every purpose under Heaven, Acts 1 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Merry Christmas.
Not conforming to this world.
Preparing the work of Christmas to come. Fighting the Good Fight of faith and remaining in the Steadfast Love Father God has planned for your hope and your future.

Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, 
that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Abba!

Our Merry Christmas! O LORD, for Your loving kindness is good; 
Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies!

We would dwell in the shelter of the Most High
and abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 

We will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 

For he will deliver us from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.

For by grace I have been saved through faith. And this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God.

Thank You for Your Great Mercies and Willing Blessings, Father God. Tenderly You hold us in Your Wings as a mother cares for her chicks.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

We ask Your Word of Your Prayers to Encourage us to Your Plan. Your Word to make us wise and strengthen us. Your Word to fan flames of Love and keep us tender hearted. Your Courage to keep us bold in the hope and future You have Planned.

Your Word to lead those we Love sealed in Jesus Christ. Our cares lifted far as You care for us. Strengthen the Nations coming to Your Brightness and trusting in Jesus Christ.

Our Refuge and Strength! To Your Glory we would live and have those we Love 
Live to Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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Hosea 1:10-11 ~ Great shall be the day

Hosea 1:10-11

Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.” 

11 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

The Jezreel Valley traveled between Nazareth and Bethlehem to the Birth of Jesus Christ. The Children of God would meet the exact nature of God in Jesus Christ.

Hosea was encountering Life offering promise and delivering life with troubles to overcome. As Hosea was understanding the Word of God was the ending of the Davidic Line on the throne, the exile into Babylon, Hosea was realizing God was moving the Goal Posts in the favor of His delight in looking into the hearts of mankind.

Today we learned that Death of a loved one is the highest Anxiety. Followed by divorce, moving and then Christmas.

Deuteronomy 7:9
He is a faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations.

Imagine the intricate Planning of the Book of Life. Fully leading to Ephesians 3 - where families live on earth and in Heaven.

Psalm 147:3-5
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.


Romans 8:28
For God causes all things to work together for good for those who Love the Lord and work according to His Purpose.

Isaiah 45:2
I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and rescue you.

Philippians 1:6
He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.

Psalm 91:14
Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him. I will protect him because he knows my name.

Lamentations 3:21-23
Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

Isaiah 66:9
I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born.

Abba, Father God,

Jesus has told us in Your Word, You are His Father and Our Father. Thank You.

When two or more are gathered, You are there. When we call on Jesus, He is there. And in John's Gospel Chapters 16 and 17, Jesus prays for us. When we seek You, Father God and Call upon Jesus - we always pray together.

Luke wrote of the prophets being long ago, You are as Vast as the Heavens and a Day to you is Thousands of Years. You are yesterday, today and tomorrow.


We turn again, to rejoice our heart, times of refreshing may come from the presence of You.

Christmas memories of what we would miss, will begin again. Eternity.

Lifting up Elliott for his continued wonderous miracle, You've given. And for Dee - her continued healing.

We lift up the people we love, the people You have given to us with Love and the Nations and world who call upon You. Knowing in the Power of Your Word, we are upheld.

 In Jesus the Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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Romans 8:1-4 ~ His Own Son

Romans 8:1-4

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.

By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

According to the Spirit - This is where we want to walk Old Testament, New Testament and Gospel. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow in Jesus Christ.

This week I've been part of conversations. One was about being Popular for being Loving. The other person said we have not seen anything Just in this whole process.

Another one was a long time friend of ours, has found God. He knows God in his soul. He has found God has something good and warm - struck by awe and wonder of God's Blessings - even looking up into the stars. Faith has surprised him as he has had a career and done well - but has seen mankind being busy and achieve with self thoughts. And in seeking as a total newbie - went to some Church and found the Sermon was about the Church being told that if he was not sufficient - then the Church would look bad. To a newbie - this is rigorous and feels unrelenting. It was a very blunt Sermon idea saying, "If you don't do right, we look bad." Our friend ran home shuddering. (I don't know the place, haven't been there, but evidently newbies were not expected that day.)

I have been asked to call my mother's doctor and fill out the DNR, Do Not Resuscitate Forms. I've signed Hospice Forms before and sat with family passing on more times than I want to really dwell on - and found comfort and peace. Haven't found myself doing this the entire week.

Right now, a lot of Chapters in my life seem to be reaching a new Chapter. We find peace, we find fear, we find reaching and searching for old capability not found and sorrow. We find Jesus and find acceptance. We find kindness from our sons, and reaching out to reassure us of Love. We find turmoil among siblings with lives rushing on with nieces and nephews from Junior High School children, High School Children out-of -state in boarding schools and new babies with grand nephews and nieces. One with a new wedding!


Is there a time in the Bible with Freedom and with so many changes?

You bet. The Scriptures will always be a Light to our feet.

After The Children of Israel were led to the Land of Milk and Honey, they had to grow into Freedom. Then God's picked His Favorite Form of Government - Self Governing. The Book of Judges is all about Self Governing. Filled with Life Changes. In every Chapter.

Everyone was having a HOLIDAY! FREEDOM! Some were Canaanites. So... there were a lot of Opinions. And Ideas. And in this Holiday of Freedom... we have people trying to figure out - is this good for me - do I want Peace. Do I want war.

Self Governing is what God especially had Chosen.

Judges 21:25
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

It was a time before the New Covenant. The Holy Spirit had not Given The New Covenant with the Light of Christ in all of mankind. God is Still Light of the world, but the people of God were looking out for themselves and in The Spirit of God hovering over the waters - so to speak.

What would happen with all the running high expectations, memories, disappointments - Holy Days of Freedom can cause - a lot - of introspection and turmoil.

Judges 9:8-16

8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 

‘Be our king.’

9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

10 “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’

11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, 

to hold sway over the trees?’

12 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’

13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, 

to hold sway over the trees?’

14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’

15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’

16 “Have you acted honorably and in good faith - in picking a king?"

Now on High Holy Days of Freedom - how to sort out the king, the thornbush, the vine, the fig tree and the olive tree?

God has a Plan! God knows His Plan! Father God is working today on His Plan with Jesus!

If we have the time to Pray Jesus Christ, His Name - we have prayed. God is Direction. God is the Truth, the Way and the Life. Thank God!!!

Jesus Christ tells us The Feast of Heaven has many at His Table.

Ephesians 4:11-13

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Blessed are the Peacemakers, They shall see the Kingdom of God.

Blessed are the Merciful, they shall obtain Mercy.

Cast your bread upon the waters - it will come back to you. Bible for:  Make words soft and sweet - you might have to eat.

Give Justice, with Mercy, walk Humbly with the Lord. This is what the Lord God has called you to do.

The Solution, of course is Jesus. He sorts it all out. We can't be surprised with slings, nor arrows nor outrageous fortune. Jesus said there would be days like this. We are God's Beloved, Believing God sorts things out. Paul's example was to be loving. To speak honestly. To give Justice with Mercy and walk Humbly with God.

Romans 5:1

Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

We will give Thanks for our circumstances. And do this with the Sincerity of Love. Genuine.

Finding Peace, Love and Joy:

Nehemiah 8:10

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve,

for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Abba!

If Jesus will Pray with us like John 17, we will have Amazing Prayer!

Good Christian Men Rejoice
with Heart
and Soul
and Voice

Give ye heed to what we say!
Jesus Christ is born to-day!

A Thousand years in Your Sight are as one Day to You.
Father God of the impossible
We believe darkness is not Dark to You.
Father of All, Creator of Heaven and earth
All Things are Possible with You!



We lift up our cares to You.
We are blessed to be Lifted.

We lift up the cares of those we Love,
We are blessed their Cares, Souls, Lives are Lifted as the Beloved of Jesus Christ.

All Seasons in life - we Thank You!
In You, we have a Hope and Future.
Love, Peace and Joy in and through Jesus Christ.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen in Jesus Christ!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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Matthew 22:23-33 ~ In the Resurrection

Matthew 22:23-33

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 nor 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.

If Christmas is celebrated in Heaven, I'd bet heavily yes,  believing on a Heavenly Christmas Tree to Celebrate the Birth of Wondrous Jesus.



We always see clearly God is God of the Living. And we should take some time to consider this conversation from 2,000 years ago is recorded -  Jesus telling us - very clearly - to think about death. To consider Heaven. To wonder about Heaven overcoming death. To know Father God is very serious about Life.

Good News.

Jesus told another story about Heaven we should consider in this context.
Luke 16:19-20 Lazarus goes to Heaven and meets Abraham. Or Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection. Or Lazarus and the Rich Man.

There are two observations in this Section of Scripture. In Heaven, names are remembered easily. Abraham calls Lazarus by name and knows his life. Family ties are seen. News of earth is discussed. And we find a great divide in communication is planned by God. Perhaps, maybe, it is to find the news of life on earth. Conversation starters.

And the next observation, Jesus tells His Disciples as He gives His Father a new Heaven, Satan is tossed out. In Jesus: The place of the dead is Not Heaven, the dead are out of Heaven.
Revelation 21:8 tells us hell ends with a lake of fire - the second death. God is not fond of torment - Abraham recognizes the rich man is his child - part of his family.


Our Good Father God.
Jesus is proving He was alive before Abraham - Jesus is telling His past memories of Heaven before Jesus gave His Father a new Heaven. This is astonishing to find activity Jesus casually and as a Great Teacher is revealing.

The Living Word of God.

Know the Scriptures and Know the Power of God.

The Scriptures are chosen before looking them up - daily. Today, this is the Liturgy of the Protestant World and the Catholic World. Saying this is Chosen to remember at Christmas time - this Scripture. Christmas is not just for this year, memories are made for an eternal lifetime. And we will have time, again, with those we Love in God's Heaven, His Kingdom, His Power and His Glory. The Joy of Expectation is ours at Christmas time.

Abba!
 Our Abba!

Let the Circle Be Unbroken.
Our Eternal Lives in Jesus Christ!

God rest ye merry Expectations

Let nothing us dismay

Remember Christ our Savior

Was born on Christmas Day!!!

You saved us all When we were gone astray

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Comfort and joy

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Comfort and joy

Oh tidings of comfort and joy

Fear not then, said the Angel

Let nothing you affright

This day is born

Our Expectations of Our Lives

in God's Holy Light

we will all live in

Jesus Christ

and have our families.

We Rejoice in Tidings of

Comfort and Joy.

Blessed be, You, our Father,

Lifting our cares and giving us this Day

to find Your renewed Mercies.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, Son of God,

Our Savior.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. 
Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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