Judges 17:6 ~ right in his own eyes †

How does the desert look after 40 years of Exodus?

It wasn't just Charlton Heston out there. Or even just Moses. God's census Numbers 1:17-46 says over 600,000 men.  Not even just 600,000 men. A cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. 

 The Children of Israel desert wasn't just fed, it was comforted.

Now, you might be tempted to say, "No, no, no Biblically the Exodus was filled with hungry, angry, bad news, bad travels." Yes, true. I'm thinking about after 40 ish years had passed. Around Mount Nebo, after battles had been won. And 40 years had gone by, learning about what had been overwhelming. Being Comforted and Helped by the Holy Spirit.

I once heard a Sermon about the women of the Bible compared to traits of Disney Princesses. No, I'm not saying the Exodus became a technicolor Barbie's Adventure. I'm saying the Desert was sheltered with the Children of Israel.  Instead of a harsh, overwhelming horror, Comfort, work, teaching, Love, God had rounded the corners.  It was nice enough to not cause the Children of Israel to mutiny at beautiful, oasis like Jericho. God had nurtured them to being in His Plan.

The Children of Israel arrived looking for a Land of Milk and Honey. Today, when a traveler moves from Egypt to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Israel looks like a Land of Milk and Honey.  Pilgrimage trips to Israel return home to say Israel does not, not, not look like This:

In fact, this Photo is people walking the desert of the Exodus without, minus, lacking 40 years of Cloud by Day and Pillar of Fire by night.

Today, the Jezreel Valley is the route Mary took to visit Elizabeth. Joseph walked with Pregnant Betrothed Mary.  Jesus went about Healing, Loving and Being the Grace of God.

... Winter...

Autumn Jezreel Valley

Yes Rain, maybe prompted by vast time in irrigation

Early Summer 

40 Years in Comfortable Shoes and Clothing that looked ok. Yes, this is the God of Abraham. God calls Himself Helper and Comforter. The Book of Revelation tells us hell will not be an ongoing torture. Hell ends as a plop into the Lake of Fire.

God isn't about relentless suffering.  Only Cotton Mather thought that human beings should be made to suffer to obey. 

The People of Israel had decades to experience life, thinking about who they truly wanted to be. What they really want, God to believe in them and to Honor the Lord. They reached a rare place. Not manipulating life or God.

Judges 17:6

In those days 

there was no king in Israel. 

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

I wrote a Bible Study for one of our Bible Groups.  Let's look at the time of Judges, it helps to establish the framework.

Judges 17:6

In those days there was no king in Israel. 

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

We always ask, was Jesus a Republican, a Socialist, what form of government would Jesus prefer? 

When God established Israel, He preferred self-government. Unfortunately, man being man turns self-government into the cafeteria plan. Which means then we need a government. And then people disagree and there is war and social upheaval, unions, insurance, house payments.... not the Garden of Eden.

Why didn't Samson's parents spank him when he was a child?  Why was this one allowed mayhem and murder. Far from Kosher. What happened?

From God's perspective - maybe they did. Or possibly, they treated him like God's own wonder child. The point that is repulsive in Samson and explains a lot of why the world still works like this - everyone partially believes they are right. They just are doing their level best. And compared to God and His Holiness - it falls far short. What happened next, and always happens? 

God's plan. When we've left our eyes open for so long and we've seen the evil and the good - what happens? God's plan. The evil produce God's plan, the good produce God's plan. It's just that when the pendulum swings to the selfish, sinful, evil - whatever word you use for wrong - portion of the pendulum - everything becomes confusing and unclear. Until it's apparent

what is Right and what is Wrrrrrong. 

So - what does Samson mean to us today. 

We are not God. We do our best to be His Child, His Servant. In each of our large actions, our small actions -  ... We please the Lord Father and Jesus, the Holy Spirit,  when we do what we can. When we fall short, we pray for grace. When the people around us are doing - get her for me, tearing animals to pieces, jumping in the cage with lioness named Delilah, living unclean habits they aren't aware of, providing thirty companions to be with him, bribing/enticing others, hate for love, love for hate, giving riddles that cannot be solved - what can we do???

Jump out of the way!! If you saw someone jumping from a cliff - would you Do it? NO!

Get yourself to the place where Love has a place to Dwell. Away from haters, plotters, where the Commandments of God are followed allowing Love to Dwell and make a way, truth and Life.

And here is another good one - the little frog sat in the water so long - he didn't notice the warm water was heating up, he was being boiled to become frog leg lunch. LOOK OUT!!

Today, we can view our world easily as living in the not-so-usual desert. We can be the people who take the deep breath and do for one another. No skin off my nose to encourage and move past the upset. Live where Love dwells. Be the Light Jesus gives us in Salvation.

Colossians 1:3

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

when we 

pray for you

Micah 6:8

He has showed you, O man, what is good. 

And what does the LORD require of you? 

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Jesus gave us the Commandment of Love.

Put our Lives where Love 

is allowed to encourage

and flourish.

 

Abba, Father,

What a strange, historical, weird time in the world it is. 

Your Good Creation

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Help us each day to see what You would have us do. 

Help us to help others in a humble manner. 

Help us to help ourselves, loving ourselves as You would have us to, 

in diligence and hope. 

Help us to be like Paul and see life as the adventure it is - and short. 

We were Not built to be here forever. 

Dwell in us.

Dwell in those we Love.

Help us to always Seek You First.

To see and bless our Blessings.

To be joy bringers.

We want to bless those in our Lives.

Help us to remember the goal - to grow and to go Home. 

To You. In the Highest Name of Jesus Christ. Let us rest in You and Hope in You. 

Give us this Day

to bring more Heaven to this earth.

Forgive and be forgiven.

Knowing our Father in Heaven

dwells within us.

Loving Jesus with our whole heart.

Holy, Holy, Holy

is our Savior.

Life lead us in Father God's Plan

seeing Thy Kingdom today,

The Power of God,

Looking for God's Glory.

Letting the Daily Bread,

Jesus Christ,

be an aroma of Life

and not our grind.

Alleluia to be the Easter People

and say Amen 

in Jesus Christ.

Amen and Amen and Amen.

More Heaven upon earth.

Grow the Kingdom

with

Love.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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Psalm 44 ~ You are my King, O God †

 

Edward's mom is still with us.

So Glad.

We were visiting family and missed

Spectacular Fireworks.

And then.... Steadfast Love!

Lavender, Purple, Blues of all colors, Pinks,

Glowing and Beautiful White Clouds of Incredible Volume.

Then running to golden glowing clouds, 

bathing us in golden Light.

Thank You, Father!

Psalm 44

O God, we have heard with our ears,

    our fathers have told us,

what deeds you performed in their days,

    in the days of old:

2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,

    but them you planted;

you afflicted the peoples,

    but them you set free

For not by their own sword did they win the land,

    nor did their own arm save them,

but your right hand and your arm,

    and the light of your face,

    for you delighted in them.

4 You are my King, O God;

    ordain salvation for Jacob!

5 Through you we push down our foes;

    through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.

6 For not in my bow do I trust,

    nor can my sword save me.

7 But you have saved us from our foes

    and have put to shame those who hate us.

8 In God we have boasted continually,

    and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us

    and have not gone out with our armies.

10 You have made us turn back from the foe,

    and those who hate us have gotten spoil.

11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter

    and have scattered us among the nations.

12 You have sold your people for a trifle,

    demanding no high price for them.

13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,

    the derision and scorn of those around us.

14 You have made us a byword among the nations,

    a laughingstock among the peoples.

15 All day long my disgrace is before me,

    and shame has covered my face

16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,

    at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

17 All this has come upon us,

    though we have not forgotten you,

    and we have not been false to your covenant.

18 Our heart has not turned back,

    nor have our steps departed from your way;

19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals

    and covered us with the shadow of death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God

    or spread out our hands to a foreign god,

21 would not God discover this?

    For He knows the secrets of the heart.

22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;

    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?

    Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!

24 Why do you hide your face?

    Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?

25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;

    our belly clings to the ground.

26 Rise up; come to our help!

  

  Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

God Himself must have read Psalm 44 and applied this to the Daily Lectionary for us. 

Having read all the conflict in a Pandemic Recovery World.  Or He is applying the test to godliness, hope and faith when we are constantly assailed to find Hope.

Who feels like their rights are upheld after a Pandemic? 

Women? Healthcare? Infants? The pre born? Children? Police?  Military?  Men? The Supreme Court? Immigrants?  Athletics?  Churches? Rosary praying people? Those who hope for Peace worldwide. the Peaceful?  Those who hope for mass transit and climate accomplishments?  People who work in Aviation? Those working in Schools? Water?!?!?!  Jackson, Mississippi, hasn't had any National or Federal Trillions in infrastructure to have drinkable water for weeks! This was a nationally known infrastructure Problem.

Ed Young, the Huge 2nd Baptist of Houston said in His Sermon, vote out the bums who don't do their Job! 

2005, 2nd Baptist asked all the Churches of Houston and suburbs and smaller towns to make a grid during Hurricane Katrina. The grid brought homemade food on their grid days to the Katrina refugees. This is how the Church Feeds.  This is the CHURCH. (MSN ran the National Article on 2nd Baptist Houston) Ask yourself, who feeds the Homeless?  Support Jesus Christ's Church.

These days are challenging. Historically remarkable. Days the next generations will ask us about.

Where will we put our Hope, our Dreams, for ourselves and those we Love?

Jesus The Messiah.

Saving the world in Himself.

Remaking Lives.

Renewing the hearts of Fathers and Sons.

Encouraging Women.

Healing.

Rejoicing.

Opening eyes to see Blessings.

Making the Way.

Encouraging.

Redeeming

Building Hearts for the Body of Christ.

 

 Luke 14: 25 -28

Now great crowds accompanied Him, and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me 

and does not hate his own father and mother and wife 

and children 

and brothers and sisters, 

yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross 

and come after me cannot be my disciple. 

28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost

What is Jesus saying, Jesus comes first.

John 9:10-34

10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 

12 They said to him, “Where is he?” 

He said, “I do not know.”

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” 

But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 

17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” 

He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 

20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”

 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confes Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 

27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 

28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 

30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 

34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

Luke 14: 25 -28 and John 9:10-34. If the parents had upheld Jesus and His Mercy, they would have traveled with the crowds, seeing all His Love and Glory.

If the son hadn't been in Awe of Jesus and His Mercy.  We might never have heard of the Blind Man's Love for Jesus Christ. The Glory of God.

The son didn't say his parents came first. And we have God's Glory for his bravery. His loyalty.

The son's Love.

Let us be the people who bring Jesus Joy in our prayers. Let us Delight our Father.

We are the generation who understands Love is Care. We believe Heathcare is for ALL. And Life is for the Living. Love is Love.  Prayer and our Hope in Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth

and the Life. 

Jesus is the Way even when the path is narrow.  The Journey is Life Eternal in His Loving Kingdom. Invited by Jesus.

This week, create something green. Pleasing to the Lord. Clean out a closet, give from what we have. Gift. Fill the Christian Recycle. Take a dinner. Give a baked pie or cake. Be a Joy Bringer.

Luke 7 

3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 

6 And Jesus went with them. 

When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, 

and turning to the crowd that followed him, said,

 “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 

10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Abba, Father,

Blessed are You, Lord Father our God,

Blessed is Your Son, Jesus.

We ask You to put Your Name,

"Jesus"

upon us

and say, "I will Bless them."

The Lord bless you and keep you

The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you 

and give you peace.

Let Your Heavenly Kingdom come,

Let Your Will be done,

on earth

as in Heaven.

Thank You for Your Son's Life,

He has given us immeasurably more 

than all we ask or imagine, 

according to His power that is at work within us. 

To our Father and Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit,

 be the glory in Your church 

and

In Christ Jesus throughout all generations,

 forever and ever. Amen

John 6:29 ~ Jesus replied, "The work of God is this: To believe in the One He has sent." †

 

Genesis 1:3 

 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †

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