Psalm 149 ~ making melody to Him

Shout to the Lord (in Hawaiian)

Psalm 149

1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!

4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.

5 Let the godly exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
7 to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with fetters of iron,
9 to execute on them the judgment written!
This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the Lord!

When we read verses 6 to 9, we'll be tempted to dismiss this as ancient barbarism. It would be a mistake, it really is about human nature. We all grow and fall back in our Christian journey as selfishness and events press us.

The Woman Who Changed A Kingdom
by Betty Fullard-Leo (paraphrased & condensed)

Queen Kaahumanu, the favorite wife of King Kamehameha I, transformed the foundations of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Not without human frailty (vengeance), self-interest (two-edged sword), and a Christian journey that grew and fell back.

Kaahumanu was born in 1768, from a family of Hawaiian kings, on the island of Maui; moving with her family to the Big Island, her father, a chief, could join the army of the young King Kamehameha. She witnessed a lot of terrible violence.

When she was about ten years old, she married the 30 year old King Kamehameha. The king married about 17 times, but Queen Kaahumanu was his favorite. Queen Kaahumanu understood politics, violence, and helped defeat the other chiefs allowing Kamehameha to reach his goal to conquer, to unite. During those years she was frustrated and held back by the strong taboos of the Hawaiian gods. Women could not eat with men, eat certain foods basic to the Hawaiian diet, but were allowed adultery for all, but the queen. Hawaiian women freely offered themselves to the sailors, hoping for pregnancies. STDs were abundant.

The foreigners broke the taboos. They ate with women. Kamehameha went along with foreigners; Queen Kaahumanu noticed, for the first time, the taboos broken had not caused the gods to strike with lightning and death.

As time swept on, Queen Kaahumanu was no longer the favored wife. Younger women, including her younger sister, became favorites with the King. Kaahumanu could not become pregnant. Kaahumanu took a lover, Kamehameha killed him. To have a reconciliation, he gave Kaahumanu the godlike power of "puuhonua". She alone had the power to spare from death, to protect women and children, to save criminals from prosecution. Kamakau wrote about the royal couple, "He dealt out death, she saved from death."

Women, wives, pregnancies & children borne to other wives further pulled the marriage apart, Kamehameha honored puuhonua, he gave his wife a shared throne and public respect. Kaahumanu was appointed as guardian to the heirs of the throne.

Kaahumanu ate with the sailors, ignoring the taboo. She smoked a pipe. On May 8, 1819, when King Kamehameha died, her new tattoo was the date of his death on her arm.

Chaos did away with all the taboos. Queen Kaahumanu demanded & received a co-reign with Kamehameha’s heir. Together they changed Hawaii, the sacred sites, the priesthood and the temples - all were destroyed. There were no beliefs and no morally.

In 1820 the missionaries arrived, Hawaiians were eager for good and evil, right and wrong. Kaahumanu loved Christian commandments and strong code of ethics, righting the wrongs she has suffered under. The missionaries were wary of her motivations, but enjoyed her zeal, if not her methods. She was reported to take lovers and force marriage upon the heirs to the throne, all the while fighting against adultery and prostitution.

When she requested to be baptized, the missionaries declined. She was "Not yet born from above, with the power of the spirit of God."

In 1824, she fell ill, thinking that it would be fatal, she told the missionaries: "I will do all the good I can before I die." When Kaahumanu was baptized, she took the name 'Elizabeth'. She no longer railed and ranted to her people, she only asked her people to obey God. She recovered and continued to spread the Word of God.

By December 1827, three of the commandments, those against murder, theft and adultery, became enforced by law. Kaahumanu continued to spread God’s ways showing genuine and compelling love.

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Father God, let us dwell on the good blessings You give us. Put a song in our hearts as we praise You. Help us to encourage others in their faith walk. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Psalm 102 ~ You will remain

Psalm 102

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you!
2 Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!

3 For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
4 My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl of the waste places;
7 I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8 All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9 For I eat ashes like bread
and mingle tears with my drink,
10 because of your indignation and anger;
for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11 My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.

12 But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations.
13 You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her stones dear
and have pity on her dust.
15 Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16 For the Lord builds up Zion;
he appears in his glory;
17 he regards the prayer of the destitute
and does not despise their prayer.

18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
19 that he looked down from his holy height;
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
21 that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

23 He has broken my strength in midcourse;
he has shortened my days.
24 “O my God,” I say, “take me not away
in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
throughout all generations!”

25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
their offspring shall be established before you.

It isn't that God needs us, it is that we need God.

It isn't that we love God, it is that He loved us first. It is the nature of God.

Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.


Isaiah 55:11
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.


1 Corinthians 2:9
9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—


Eternal God, You are the sword of righteousness, You are the strength of love. Send your Spirit; gather us under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as Your children. To You be the dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

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Jeremiah 42 ~ act according to all the Word which the Lord your God sends

Jeremiah 42

1 Then all the commanders of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, came near 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the Lord your God for us, for all this remnant—because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us— 3 that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do.” 4 Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the Lord your God according to your request, and whatever the Lord answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you.” 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us. 6 Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.”

7 At the end of ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. 8 Then he summoned Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest, 9 and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: 10 If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. 12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. 13 But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God 14 and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’ 15 then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, 16 then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. 17 All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them.

18 “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. You shall see this place no more. 19 The Lord has said to you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day 20 that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the Lord our God, and whatever the Lord our God says declare to us and we will do it.’ 21 And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God in anything that he sent me to tell you. 22 Now therefore know for a certainty that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live.”

Jeremiah 7:16
So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you.


Jeremiah 11:14
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

Jeremiah 14:11
Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.


Jeremiah did as King David did; asked for God's mercy after God told him it would not be possible. God does not change His mind about His promises to Jeremiah. God specifically promised Jeremiah, in the beginning, Jeremiah would not be defeated and overwhelmed. The Scriptures don't record the end of Jeremiah - but I am trusting he ended well.

It isn't difficult to imagine - in those 10 days - the people were unwilling to wait upon the Lord. Too many discussions of actions needed & a plan formed. God offered them mercy. Again. But they wouldn't take it. Fear was more important to them, than their promise to obey.

There are different types of fear. Jesus was kind to His disciples over uncertainty. God makes allowances for the people who have been afraid at His mighty acts. There is fear that has a reverence & seeking component - if not understanding. This passage has fear and disobedience, not looking for Godly direction.

God doesn't want us to stand in a marriage ceremony, make a vow, and then not honor it. All vows to God are important. We could talk all day about the importance of marriage vows. Yet, think of all the people who have committed to be a Godparent, in a vow, and have not honored it. Rarely in life are we asked to make a vow to God. For all the Godparents out there, time to start praying daily. You can pray for a non-praying Godparent or ex-spouse. Praying never hurts. A world in need could find this out.


Numbers 30:2
If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Ephesians 4:24-25
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

1 Timothy 1:18-a9
18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith.

Father God, help us to strengthen feeble arms and weak knees. Let us be healed from discouragement & forgetfulness. Let our prayers to You, our hope in the LORD, renew our strength. Help our prayers soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Father God, be our helper in prayer, like Jeremiah, we know our prayer is a two way conversation. In You is our faith, our hope and our love. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Ezekiel 36:23-28 ~ you shall be clean

The Vision of Ezekiel, by Francisco Collantes (1599 – 1656)

Ezekiel 36:23-28

23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.[my just decrees] 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

This is the Good News. Accompanied with the signs of God Himself.

In the middle of the Babylonians' 2nd push, sweeping the people of Judah into slavery, Ezekiel is taken captive, with the entire court of King Jehoichin. Ezekiel's name means "whom God makes strong" was a priest God raised to the status of prophet. It seems odd that a prophet would predict the destruction of Jerusalem, to us it seems like "an of course it happened", yet it is a prophecy - Ezekiel was in captivity with the Davidic line's true king in Babylon, while in Judah - Nebuchadnezzar's puppet king was on the throne - all seemed to be going according to Nebuchadnezzar's peaceful plan to rule.

Instead Ezekiel tells them of the coming destruction of the country, city & Temple, in Chapter 33. Perhaps an astute political person could have seen the coming devastation. And almost immediately, the last of the Judea is brought in as a defeated nation into slavery. Their homeland in ruins.

It would seem odd that hope would come in the middle of God's judgement, but God does not abandon His people. Ezekiel tells God's people in the midst of despair, their story does not end in tragedy! God will raise them up in freedom, as a nation, physically and of a coming New Covenant! God's people don't deserve the mercy of God, but His steadfast love is, once again, bringing slaves into freedom, back to their own country - blessed by God. There is not another nation in the world, so swept apart, in such chains, and put together again and again. At least 4 times, spanning millenniums.

Nebuchadnezzar had plans to just use the Kingdom of Judah as a puppet/revenue state. He didn't plan to tear it all down - but he did. (These are not the actual photos... )

Ezekiel had no reason for this hope, only the Word of God. Jesus also told us about setting our hopes on the Word of God.

John 5:45-47
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

The rising of the Second Temple is also a sign of Jesus:

Luke 16:22-31
22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "

The nation of Israel, does not just rise from the defeated - it rises from the dead. From slavery, from far flung exile - when travel was dangerous - from complete despair. It rises just as God promises, His Word is truth.

Help us Father God, to always put our faith in Your promises. Thank you, God, for Your Mercy! Helping the undeserving, rescue forever - it is what You give us! It is in Your mercy, we have been washed clean. To Your glory, Father God! In the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

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Matthew 22:1-14 ~ the King was angry

Art from "Jesus of Nazareth" in the book, The Greatest Adventure Stories of the Bible

Matthew 22:1-14

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants [bondservants] to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Anger, Judgment and Consequences are not buzz words guaranteed to attract people. But if you are in a crowd of people in a line, or at a party, and someone emphatically begins to tell a story loudly of something making them angry; People are going to be riveted. Why Aren't We like that about the LORD?

Why wouldn't the Creator of the Universe be allowed to feel anger? And really... why would we, or even should we, say to the Father...... no, not that emotion.

I got good use out of my tonsils today. And yes, the reading was already picked out before I knew the subject was anger. We took my youngest (living) child to Baylor University, today, to start as a Freshmen. We had a confusing situation, with only partial information being available. I felt my child's safety was in question over unclear information given at the last minute. I made my husband angry, my son probably fearful and his girlfriend unhappy. All these emotions were being pushed into a drinking straw and anger ensued.

So, we know when God is angry, He has the situation correctly figured out. No matter how it appears to us. I don't know how your universe project is doing, but my universe couldn't be created because, lately, I am having trouble creating DNA, water/ice/steam from the same molecule, and my gravity creator seems to be on the fritz.

Jesus, telling us to be salt - not meek and mild food, was known to display anger. When Jesus and God are angry it is called Righteous Anger.

So, because God has these emotions what does He tell us about Our Anger (which is rarely Righteous):

Ephesians 4:26,27
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

God must feel people often are angry because they feel something is taken from them (their ipod, their phone, their peace, their friends, their girlfriend, their position):

Ephesisans 4:28-32
28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

God feels we will come face to face with the thief. Who is to say if it is in this life or the next? He is concerned what we will say. And it shouldn't be a pat, little rehearsed bit. Something real. Something kind. Something forgiving.

Jesus spoke about us teaching the Kingdom of God in these situations:

Matthew 23:13
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in."

Pretty serious.

Matthew 23:8-12
8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

So... here I am writing about forgiveness in the midst of anger... looks like I could be out mending a fence or two. We will need all the help we can get in forgiveness from the Lord.

Father God, we will need all of Your help to do as we should. We live for Your mercy. You've given us Matthew 10:19. God will give you the right words at the right time. Help us to please you, when the time comes. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Psalm 146 ~ Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Psalm Project - Psalm 146 - sung by Applegate Fellowship

Psalm 146 ~ (Revised Standard Version)

Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have being.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
When his breath departs he returns to his earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the sojourners,
he upholds the widow and the fatherless;
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The LORD will reign for ever,
thy God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!

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Romans 16 ~ greet brothers and sisters who are with them

Romans 16

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant [deaconess ] of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert [first fruit] to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, [Junias] my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, [messengers] and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers [brothers and sisters] who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, [their own belly] and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you. [The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

It's that time of year again. Many hellos and new opportunities. We just had the goodbyes at our house - we usually have 2 or 3 extra (big) kids around our house. Our youngest is going off to a Christian University. 4 adult kids standing in our front hallway, looking a little stunned, the anticipated moment was here, "Good-bye until the Christmas break - 4 more months."

Lots of opportunities for these young people, more than they can imagine. Lots of God Bless You's for all the road ahead.

I have been good. I have not whined to my husband or my sons about the empty nest. But I will rely upon the Lord to fill my need to nurture and be useful to young people. And there is going to be a twang when I tell Him. Father God, here are my hands, fill them, please.

So, voi·là! Here is the article God put in front of me today:

Keys to a Useful Life
By Ward Williams


· Illustration: Thomas Huxley said, “A feeling of uselessness is the severest shock that a human system can endure.”

· The secret to a happy life is not in keeping busy, but in being useful.

· The Good Samaritan is a good representation of what it means to be a useful, caring person.

· Big Idea: The ultimate standard of a useful life is not what you think and expect of yourself as much as what you are willing to do for those around you.

Transition: Applying this story to our lives requires concentration on three keys to a useful life.

Avoid the danger of generalities.

· Christianity is not a philosophy; its approach to life is concrete.

· The gospel calls us to test our belief by acting upon it.

- Illustration: A cemetery headstone in England reads, “Here lies Thomas Cobb, who mended shoes in this village for 40 years to the glory of God.”

· Neighborliness is not a generality; it is serving the needs of individuals.

Be aware of what is important.

· Jesus implied that all the religious rituals in the world were not as important as the fellow who lay bleeding beside the road.

· Jesus’ choices were always made in terms of people and their needs.

· The Samaritan did not act out of an expectation for reward or thanks.

· The Good Samaritan was motivated by a good conscience, a sense of satisfaction, and a desire to be able to say he had led a useful life.

Help others help themselves.

· The Samaritan’s intentions were to get the wounded man on his feet, not to make him dependent upon charity.

· Illustration: Williams works with a nonprofit organization that finances cottage industries in Venezuela to teach skills leading to financial independence.

Conclusion

· Jesus lived the model of usefulness.

- Philippians 2:7;
but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

- Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

· A useful life is not defined by knowing who our neighbors are, but in demonstrating neighborliness.

· he said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

(Luke 10:37).

Light our way, Father God, help us to walk with anticipation of Your Holy Spirit for You to guide, provide, and lead us. We'll pray for all the kids - the Lord would be with them each day in their schools & universities. For prayer to be welcome again & still is, in our souls. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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John 5:30-47 ~ the testimony

John 5:30-47

30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

A shining lamp, glory, hope - powerful images of goodness.

Look at all the times Jesus could have put Himself forth. He could have told every single soul Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish council & ruling class was coming to Him for Religious discernment. Jesus could have told Peter to keep repeating when Peter announced Jesus is the Christ. Instead, most of the time, Jesus gave the opposite advice after someone was healed.

Jesus and John the Baptist have something in common. John said:

John 3:27-30
27 To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.

Jesus and John live for God. They are content with God's plan, God Himself will lift them up. The Book of Proverbs, John the Baptist, the Scriptures say all good things are from God. If we do not believe the words, what shall we hope in?

Father God, let the light of the Holy Spirit shine brightly, each day, in us, for Your glory. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Psalm 92 ~ You, O Lord, are on high forever

Orion Nebula - Hubble telescope - 1,500 light years away. Hubble Panoramic View of Orion Nebula Reveals Thousands of Stars

Psalm 92

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Amazing, amazing advances have happened in science and medicine. We have yet to create life. It is not the human forte. How great are Thy works......O Lord!

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Mark 9 ~ were afraid to ask Him about it

Mark 9 ~ (New International Version)

- Audio link - Mark 9

¹And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

²After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." ⁶(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

⁸Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.

¹¹And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

¹²Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? ¹³But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him."

¹⁴When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.

¹⁷A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."

¹⁹"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

²⁰So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

²¹Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"

"From childhood," he answered. ²²"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

²³" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

²⁴Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

²⁵When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil [unclean] spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

²⁶The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

²⁹He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer [prayer and fasting]"

³⁰They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." ³² But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" ³⁴But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

³⁵Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

³⁶He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

³⁸"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

³⁹"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

⁴²"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. ⁴³If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.['their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' ] ⁴⁵And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸where
" 'their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted with fire.

⁵⁰"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

Ever have a prayer request you were worried about placing before the Lord? Sometimes the Scriptures have two different opinions on the matter on your mind. Jesus says here - whoever is for you, cannot be against you. Jesus also says in:

Matthew 12:30
He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters

The Scriptures are not double minded, it says life has twists - turns & situations can be unclear. When Jesus was asked for (another) sign, in Mark 8, He'd already shown many signs - He wasn't there to be directed by the religious - living off their own power. The Apostles were convinced Jesus was very holy and went with Him, with the one verbal invitation. They stood with God of All & spent a lot of time confused, uncertain and afraid. Mankind is recorded again & again in the Scriptures being in awe at the great works of God's hand. They didn't leave Him, more were gathered to Him, Jesus sent 70 disciples ahead of them speaking of God & the Kingdom of Heaven. We know Jesus loved these people. How?

Mark 3:35
Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.

Jesus placed them as His family. Frequently, He addressed them as "beloved".

Uncertainty, when we address Father God, in the depths of our being, is something God takes pity on; His compassion is great. Remember, when Jesus prayed He said, let Your will be done. God is still God, even when we don't completely understand. Jesus trusted God in all things. Our greatest prayer conversations tell Him of our desires, our questions - as it really is. Uncertainty and confusion is not sin. He knows.

Look at the compassion of Jesus:

~ "will not taste death"
~ Jesus did not abandon the unbelieving generation - He healed them.
~ Jesus helped the boy's father overcome his unbelief.
~ Jesus didn't leave the boy after he was healed. "Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up."

~ Jesus asked them about arguments and discussions they had. He was very involved with them. Rarely did Jesus rebuke them.
~ The disciples pushed small children away - these were important matters for fully informed people. Jesus welcomed and blessed the children.
~ Salt isn't meek, mild food. Jesus encouraged people to be themselves, but knowing mankind, He encouraged peace in the same breath.

Remember Peter fell in deep waters when he felt his own faith slip. Jesus didn't abandon Peter, He loved Peter and asked Peter to love others. We can always let the Lord know when we feel unsure.

Father God, knows. Jesus loves you, He will not fail you.

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Mark 8 ~ He sighed deeply in His spirit

Mark 8

Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version

1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha [ Magadan, or Magdala].

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” [the Herodians] 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”


When the New York Times Bestseller author, M. Scott Peck,M.D., wrote the 'The Road Less Traveled" he was still on the infancy of His Christ relationship. He'd begun as a Christian/Buddhist/Carl Yung enthusiast, but as he really broke bread with the Gospels (he said if he was going to refer to the Bible -he felt he should know something of it), he met Jesus. He remembers thinking, why didn't anyone tell me Jesus had personality? Every page of the Gospels brought him closer to Jesus. This was God, this was a man.

If we put this passage on a daily planner for Jesus, what would we see?

We'd see actions & emotions God chose.
~ Compassion for the hungry at several levels.
~ Provision for the people who've put Jesus first.
~ Repetition of the great Acts of God - 3 days for Jonah, 3 days for the Resurrection.
~ Daily strife (with co-workers, or the religious) without a reaction of hatred. Instead a deep sigh = prayer. And Jesus continues in God's direction for Him.
~ Explanation of leaven - the Pharisees, Herod, Herodias, all have risen - but with the steam from themselves and the will to compromise - at great cost to themselves.
~ Patience - Jesus isn't just putting up with the clueless to find something more fulfilling to himself, Jesus knows He is there for them. This is why He is here.
~ Jesus heals without asking for public aggrandizement. Jesus feeds without waiting for the acclaim.
~ Jesus is acknowledged by his friends - Jesus does not use his friend's praise to promote Himself. He will wait upon the Lord.

This is the man God chose to be.

Father God, teach us each day to be grateful, merciful, diligent, wise. Help us each day to walk the walk you have planned of us. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be pleasing to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Hebrews 10:26-31 ~ will be deserved

Hebrews 10:26-31

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The Scriptures wade right in and are not politically correct. Why? It is God. This isn't the kind of message we are used to receiving straight to the point.

Let's discuss this passage viewed as the moral pendulum swings; a bit of history and then a comparison.

When we look back to the years 1716-1780 - we see a renaissance still going on in the Church were people are filled with hope for the sweeping reforms of the new idea of "Sunday School", a new country - new fortunes to be made and religious tolerance (not religious abandonment), even in Europe, Christianity is turning around the Gin Operations which were a lot like Opium Dens. A massive "drug" problem was being conquered, by hope, a movement of the Holy Spirit created by the new energy of the Church. These are the days of John Wesley. William Wilberforce is about to come into the mix with John Newton, to abolish slavery.

No one had seen this Great Renaissance about to occur. Cotton Mather was one of the most famous men in America; this preacher lived, ate and fed his people with this passage. Hebrews 10:26-31.

On the other hand, this is the "Golden Age of Piracy" and no one glamorized pirates at the time.

July 12, 1726, William Fly ascended Boston's gallows to be hanged for piracy. He was smiling. He showed no guilt, no shame, no contrition. Indeed, as Cotton Mather, the presiding prelate, noted, he "look'd about him unconcerned." Suddenly William Fly took charge of his death. He threw the rope over the beam, making it fast, and carefully inspected the noose that would go around his neck. He turned in disappointment to the hangman and reproached him "for not understanding his Trade." Fly then "with his own Hands rectified Matters, to render all things more Convenient and Effectual," retying the knot himself as the multitude who had gathered around the gallows looked on in astonishment. He informed the hangman and the crowd that "he was not afraid to die," that "he had wrong'd no Man."

Cotton Mather explained that he was determined to die "a brave fellow."

Samuel Cole, Henry Greenville, and George Condick, other pirates, caught with Fly - stood and repented of their crimes. What were they? Mutiny - They began as shipmates. April 1726 to sail with Captain John Green to West Africa in the Elizabeth, a snow (two-masted vessel) of Bristol. Green and Fly soon clashed, and the boatswain began to organize a mutiny against his command. Fly and another sailor, Alexander Mitchell, roused Green from his sleep late one night, forced him upon deck, beat him, and attempted to throw him over the side of the ship. When Green caught hold of the main sheet, one of the sailors picked up the cooper's broad-axe and chopped off the captain's hand at the wrist. Poor Green "was swallowed up by the Sea." The mutineers then turned the axe on the first mate, Thomas Jenkins, and threw him, still alive, after the captain over-board. They debated whether their messmate, the ship's doctor, should follow them into the blue, but a majority of the crew decided he might prove useful and decided instead to confine him in irons.

The rest of their activities were the usual surrender or die terrorism pirates usually do.
Certainly, William Fly knew what he was talking about for harsh punishments at sea. Up until William Fly, pirates usually asked for pardon and gave testimony to the fact they deserved punishment. William Fly's case led to more unrepentant pirates giving a mystique to "walking the plank with nary a tear."

This event started changing a culture, it became famous - repentance at a death wasn't considered "manly'. The response to Fly didn't bring down our culture, but it's an example of mankind's flightiness.

Slowly the story gained major fame & changed from Cotton Mather giving his time to condemned men, to stuffy, overbearing, posturing Cotton Mather recruiting another conversion. William Fly's story picked up and Cotton Mather was seen as a foaming at the mouth, member of the stiff-upper lip, controlling aspect of the authorities. It was as if Cotton Mather was now "the man" striking down a hard-working laborer.

Yet isn't this the same situation as something similar to the massacre at Columbine High School? Just as the killers at Columbine had experienced the harshness of humanity, they didn't need to jump into becoming the worst of it. Fly was probably exposed to some extremely terrible punishments at sea, but is creating murder and mutilation isn't something we would hope would glorified.

When we, as a culture, applaud defiance from repentance, when we look to excuse and glorify the sin. The sin becomes more and more outrageous. Why would we ever get to the point were we glorify someone who kills,mutilates, steals and is a terrorist? When we turn to accepting a glorious tale, because the crowd likes it, we are swept down.

The Pendulum swings slowly, but it swings wide.

John 7:24
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.

Father God, help the human population understand wrong is declared sin for a reason. In order to live better lives, we must say no and repent when we don't. Help us realize repentance gives new hope. Let the joy of Your Holy Spirit shine brightly even in the subject of renewal. Amen.

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