Psalm 126 ~ Shouts of Joy

 

What I love about the art below, unknown artist, before these movies about Jesus were produced, Google had Jesus Smiles Art about 2008. Lovely.

 

Psalm 126

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

We have been cleaning out, fixing, renewing and restoring my mother's house, out of town from our home, for 17 weeks. Today we reached the phase of rest and list her home. We have knocked ourselves out, travelling 400 miles 17 times. However, Edward and I have fussed at each other like never before. We have lived as if we were hoarders to clean out the home my mom has lived in since 1981. We have fussed over mess and dust and tired and want to go home. And today we cleaned it up, had the projects just about end and took the photos. A victory lap is a happy place. 

But even so, it's not a joyous thing to sell my mother's home.

And in the Plan of God, this is what was Planned by God and by my mother telling me her wishes.

Now is the time to find God's Joy. And be renewed.

Where are the verses about God laughing?

To read about joy even when not feeling all that jazzed,

is a good thing to remind us of the Joy of God.

John the Beloved Disciple explained about Jesus, using the narrative of
Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist.

John 1:29

9 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

Proverbs 8:23-31

 
Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

30 then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.

Luke 15:4-6

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

Nehemiah 8:10

Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Job 8:20-21

“Behold, God will not reject a blameless man,
nor take the hand of evildoers.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,
and your lips with shouting.

Psalm 19:8

the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes

2 Samuel 6:14

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might!

1 Kings 1:39-41
There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise.

41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “What does this uproar in the city mean?”

Matthew 12:18

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

88 Times Joy is used in the New Testament.

Matthew 13:20

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

Matthew 13:44

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Luke 2:10

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people."

Luke 10:17

The seventy-two returned with joy

Luke 10:21

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do."

Luke 19:37

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen.

Luke 24:41

And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

Luke 24:52

Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

John 16:20

Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

 

Colossians 2:5

For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Revelation 19:1

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out:

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God!

John 16:24

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.

 Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Abba, Father God,

Dwell in us each day.

Guide us and Lead us,

Bring our Loved ones to You.

We praise You for Your goodness and delight. 

We ask for the blessing of more of the fruit of Your Holy Spirit and the increase of Joy and Love and Peace. In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

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Romans 10:13 ~ For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

The narrow path

Wadi Moses outside of Petra. This is the road to get to amazing Petra, Jordan. The River of Moses, a path taken during 40 years of The Exodus. Normally beautiful and amazing to pass through. A long walk, my son rode here on hired Camels. But if there is a sudden rain, the mountains will fill the canyon up swiftly and the water becomes treacherous and even deadly in the last few years. Cell phones do not cover the remote desert.

Romans 10:13

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

If we read the Scriptures, know the famous verses and rely only upon the subtitles...
we have watched the Superbowl commercials and might not know the score.


The Call of God to Salvation is Amazingly God sized.
Father God wants to save - the planet - through Jesus Christ the Lord.


And where we are given a Great Gift in the Salvation of Jesus Christ through His broken Body and sin free Soul. Much is given, much is required.

Matthew 7

12 So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.





How do we correlate the two passages?

God puts His Words in Order.

1 Corinthians 14:33

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:40

But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.

God and the Gospels are not plunking down edicts. Thought is not randomly put forth. This is growth, this is development, this is relationship. Covered by Father God, who loves us more.

1 John 4:19

We love because He first loved us.

Father God puts forth His Words as the Creator of the Universe. Maker of all things.

The narrow gate is explained right after this:

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Jesus tells us we worship in Spirit and in Truth.

And He continues this thought:

Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

Years ago, I felt Father God tug at my heart to give a gift that, I felt, would be healing.

And I was embarrassed. I felt this looked 'slurpy'. Someone I like very well was limping. It was waved off. But I still felt off kilter to give this Tens Unit for healing, I felt preachy to someone who is wise. And I knew this for a week, brushed it off and went on.

I heard he was ill, afterwards.

Upon being told of serious illness, I told my small group about my feeling and left that with them, and God, and knew I was graciously forgiven.

I did not know. But I had a feeling to give.

Next I'm sitting with them in the Church atrium and we are praying for the next ailment. I said I felt I should have given you the tens unit for a week, but forgot. They were interested and we prayed in our healing class, the next day, the doctor declared for no apparent reason, the serious illness was gone. Life was restored to the illness.

I had confessed, we prayed, we all knew I had not known of the grave illness, but knew I was supposed to give, I was very forgiven, we all wanted him to be healed. Jesus acted. A healing occurred, surprising the doctor.

Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

Father God is not a bringer of fear, He is a God of Love.


Matthew 7:21-23

21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,
and cast out demons in your name,
and do many mighty works in your name?’

23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’


This looks like someone doing the Will of God. What was the trouble?

This is Loud work. 

A Pharisee loves to do Loud work. Not just "works" - "Mighty Works." Showy.



 

Here we have part A and part B.

Not caring for the other person - who is in their life - I have known people who didn't even want to tell someone ill, "I knew you had cancer." Instead, they want away from the trouble and the discomfort and can't even lift a card to the mail. "What cancer?"

If we see grief and can't take a cake. Take the gift.

Jesus said He came for the lowly, the ill. Jesus did. We can't save people. We can do what Jesus said in small abilities. He asks more for mercy than sacrifice. One of St. Augustine's quotes says the same thing.



What is a worker of lawlessness? 

I've sat so often in my volunteer work with the broken-hearted. A date. The way love works is you sleep with the one you want to love you. Right? No. This causes so much harm. The person who loved is harmed. This can go on and on. Lives actually change.

What is a worker of lawlessness?

I saw one man feel cold that women want him to sleep with them like he is a rollercoaster. He looks hopeless as he says, what is a man to do. Bless his soul. No one, no one, no one has told him, he can say no and be free.

The movies look easy. Life doesn't have a 90 minute plot.

The Laws given have all the blessings put around them. And Jesus tells us we can't do the law. We are not good enough.

When we are sure we can call upon the name of Jesus the Lord, the Messiah, the Savior to be our waiter. We...  are.... in a 'world of hurt'.

Luke 18:9-14 

9 Jesus also used this illustration with some who were sure that God approved of them while they looked down on everyone else. 

10 He said, “Two men went into the temple courtyard to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people! I’m not a robber or a dishonest person. I haven’t committed adultery. I’m not even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my entire income.’

13 “But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

14 “I can guarantee that this tax collector went home with God’s approval, but the Pharisee didn’t. Everyone who honors himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be honored.”

Remember the well-known prayers of the Pharisee and Tax Collector.

 The Tax Collector today might be - Someone in the medical profession refusing services to the dying when this is just a pill or something within reach. Someone who is paid four times what a job costs and doesn't ever offer anything that gives back. A Viking - a pillager. Jesus says once this is a lawyer who doesn't care one ounce for justice or mercy.

Ok, sure we know the story - The Pharisee says "I'm so good, thank God, I'm not the unsaved and the people with horrid people. I was smarter than That. Jesus loves the clean nose."

The first sentence says
"9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt."

And of course

13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.






No one in life is going to get out of this life without some hurt. Trouble. Just like the Prodigal Son story, we have to go to our Father knowing we have had some of this: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, arrogance and folly.


When we truly believe, we call upon the real Jesus. The Son of God. Innocent and placed as God in an animal feeder, wrapped up tightly. Healing the blind. The deaf hear. When we know God is there for us. When we want to please Jesus.

This happens in the howl of wild winds of life;


24“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”


Just like the Pastor said last Sunday. Just like Paul said in the Holy Spirit. We are going to find Jesus to help us.

Then we know. His Banner over me is Love. We can call on Jesus, for He cares this much for us. And we are profoundly grateful. Understanding the cost.

Abba, Father God,

When You Dwell in us, You help us find You first. Dwell in us. 

Help us all to speak up. and give tens units and pray. Forgiven is strength to carry on.

We want our First Amendment to be there. Help us to use this and use this and use this. 

Give us wisdom to discern Your will daily.  Be with us in Grace and Kindness as we approach Your throne with Jesus confidence.

We cannot earn. We cannot work. We cannot repay. For what You have given.

We call ourselves wise. We arrogantly hold up opinions on right and wrong. We do not create life. We do not last more than tree. Our opinions will not matter in a hundred years.

And what Jesus has done for me, a sinner. In the Highest Name of Jesus, I am eternal - today. I am redeemed for His Righteousness. I am Blessed.

Jesus, help us in this Nation to be in Your Word and see more Joy.

Covered in God's Love,

This Nation

President Donald Trump.

All of Our Families.

The Office of the President

Our Constitution and Rights, Earned and Fought

for by our Veterans.

Thank You, God, for our

ability to gather and worship You.

Our freedom of speech and ideas.

Governor Abbott and all Legislatures.

Senator Tim Scott

The end of Trouble.

Help this end quickly, safely

We rest in the Hands of Our Good Father.

Lord Jesus please heal, love, forgive, and heal us all

 in Your Love and Mercy. Amen.

We lift up Jesus to all His Glory

and ask for Elliott to be completely healed.

In Jesus Christ. Amen.

Thank You, Jesus. My God. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

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Mark 5:21-43 ~ told Him the whole truth

Mark 5:21-43

And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 

22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 

24 And He went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 

25 And there was a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 

30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 

31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 

32 And He looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 

34 And He said to her, 

“Daughter, your faith has made you well; 

go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 While He was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 

36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 

37 And He allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 

40 And they laughed at Him. But He put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, (as if a parent wakes a child, Agape) “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 

42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking, and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And He strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

This Gospel passage is one we all want to pray and ask, let us see more Heaven like this on earth today!

In thinking about this Gospel passage today, my heart was suddenly warmed by how many times Jesus has used the word, "Daughter."  And immediately I had to consider a son, we have all spent time wondering about, the Prodigal son's older brother. In Bible Studies, we've heard conversations wishing we knew what Jesus would say to the stay-no-cation son. The Prodigal Son is a process, what would Jesus say to the righteous and angry, non-loving, trying older brother's process?

How would the Prodigal Son's Older Brother turn out, do and become?

This is an excellent question for today. Statistics say the USA has two friends for every person. And we all talk about overlord attitudes and rude behavior - elbows out win the day. The News Media regularly disregards any form of dignity and respect, yelling over each other. My GP told me Covid is a regular cold, but is the mother of all colds and flues rolled into a virus triggering massive bodily over-reaction. We have just begun to overcome a gigantic Pandemic "Cold." Zombie movies have been seen as the way some people treat others.

What would happen to the entitled, bitter, overlooked, and self-proclaimed tireless older brother? What would Jesus do with this man who could be us in a traffic jam, acting like we all do?

Really, it would entirely depend on how this man reacts to Jesus the Christ of God. Mark 5:21-43 explains to us how Jairus treated Jesus on one of the worst days of his life. Jairus is a person of righteous importance.

Jairus had the most urgent request anyone can have. And he had to wait for Jesus to heal someone, who wasn't a Synagogue Official. Wasn't the Governor, wasn't Temple Authority, wasn't Roman Tax Collector, wasn't a Roman Tribune. Someone who could have waited and, merely, someone who was ceremonial unclean, unclean, unclean and could wait. Waiting on the Ceremonial impure during his daughter at the point of death??!!!

Luke 18:9-14 

9 Jesus also used this illustration with some who were sure that God approved of them while they looked down on everyone else. 

10 He said, “Two men went into the temple courtyard to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people! I’m not a robber or a dishonest person. I haven’t committed adultery. I’m not even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my entire income.’

13 “But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

14 “I can guarantee that this tax collector went home with God’s approval, but the Pharisee didn’t. Everyone who honors himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be honored.”

The Scriptures are real. 

Scripture records so many unbecoming conversations as factually recorded. Jairus never turned to Jesus and berated him. God was good to Jairus, like the father who had his son being cast into a fire. Jairus was seeing, first hand, a miracle. Jesus was assisting Jairus not to be the Prodigal son's older brother. Jairus wasn't waiting for Jesus and Peter to discuss fishing. Jairus was having God's own assistance at having humility. Exactly the same, as the father who cried for more faith. And Jesus helped. Helper. Comforter.

Jesus is the exact representation of His Father.  Jesus isn't setting up people to be foolish, embarrassed or fail. Our Jesus Christ is putting His Hand out to lift us all up.

Jesus is the Mediator given to us by our Father, our Abba!

God has given. God has given. God has given. Our God has been Gracious. Blessed us

and kept us. 

The Gospel of Mark, was written by Mark, the man who became a Spiritual Son to Peter. Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark to fully describe the events amazing and captivating the Romans. Jesus had given Peter Life to see first hand, as an eye-witness.

Mark's Gospel records a day Jesus was with huge crowds and takes time to heal a girl and a woman. Jesus even left the people who had purposefully left their towns and cities to travel to walk with Jesus tucked away near the Sea of Galilee. To heal women.

Judges 19 explains when the Emperor Constantine asked 1,800 Bishops to attend the First Council of Nicaea in August 325 A.D., why about 300 Bishops showed up. When Paul lists the problems of his travels - beaten, shipwrecked, law false accusations - he was explaining why travel was terrible.  And Judges 19, more famously known, tells of men saving themselves from travel perils by tossing out their women, a concubine, to be raped and saved themselves. It's only a woman. Cut her dead body up and show she was mistreated. Mail in parts.  Create a war over the potential harm to 'men'.

Never overlook Jesus changed the world.

Huffington Post lists Six ways Jesus Christ overcame the world.

""Yale historian Jeroslav Pelikan wrote, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western Culture for almost 20 centuries. If it were possible, with some sort of super magnet, to pull up out of history every scrap of metal bearing at least a trace of his name, how much would be left?”

It turns out that the life of Jesus is a comet with an exceedingly long tale. Here are some shards of his impact that most often surprise people:"

Humanitarian Reform

Women and Children

Forgiveness

Humility

Education

Compassion

Jesus has just given us a Gospel window into Jesus changing the world. 'Daughter' is mentioned and accepted, yet Jesus has just adopted Jairus on his worst day of life. Jairus is a child of God. Exactly like the Father crying out for more faith and finding Jesus to be Help. Helper. Comforter. 

The Woodlands United Methodist Church, 

4th Largest in the USA

Dr. Ed Robb retires after 43 years

Sr. Pastor Mark Sorenson takes up the Mantle.

The Beautiful Prayer begins 1hr 14 minutes.

Isaiah 40:31 

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; 

they shall walk and not faint.

Abba, Father God,

You have told us to always pray with Hope.

Revelation 1:6 

 Made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father

--to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! 

Amen.

Jesus, help us in this Nation to be in Your Word and see more Joy.

Covered in God's Love,

This Nation

President Donald Trump.

All of Our Families.

The Office of the President

Our Constitution and Rights, Earned and Fought

for by our Veterans.

Thank You, God, for our

ability to gather and worship You.

Our freedom of speech and ideas.

Governor Abbott and all Legislatures.

Senator Tim Scott

The end of Trouble.

Help this end quickly, safely

We rest in the Hands of Our Good Father.

Lord Jesus please heal, love, forgive, and heal us all

 in Your Love and Mercy. Amen.

We lift up Jesus to all His Glory

and ask for Elliott to be completely healed.

In Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! † 

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