Isaiah 43:1-13 ~ I have redeemed you

Mississippi River

Isaiah 43:1-13

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
⁴ Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
⁵ Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
⁶ I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
⁷ everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

⁸ Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
who are deaf, yet have ears!
⁹ All the nations gather together,
and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
and let them hear and say, It is true.
¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me.
¹¹ I, I am the LORD,
and besides me there is no savior.
¹² I declared and saved and proclaimed,
when there was no strange god among you;
and you are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and I am God.
¹³ Also henceforth I am he;
there is none who can deliver from my hand;
I work, and who can turn it back?”

Amazing Mercy of the LORD Most High. Life swirls us in so many eddies. Yet God is like the Mississippi River. His purposes push us Up, water flowing to the original source. The Bible gives witness to powers and principalities. Tempests in a tea cup. The purposes of God are for us. With God for us, who can be against us.

How can we live the joy of God's promises. There is only one way. Expectation. Hope. Faith. Love.

Psalm 81 is a twin for Isaiah. It puts faith forward and hope ahead. Yet without faith, it leaves us without wind in our sails.

Psalm 81

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ Sing aloud to God our strength;
shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
² Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
³ Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.

⁴ For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule of the God of Jacob.
⁵ He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
⁶ “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
⁷ In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.
Selah

⁸ Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
⁹ There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
¹⁰ I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

¹¹ “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
¹³ Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
¹⁴ I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
¹⁵ Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
¹⁶ But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

2 Corinthians 2:14
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.


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John 14:27-31 ~ Peace

John 14:27-31

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

If you Google peace images, wow, so many of the symbols look like violence is going to happen next; sort of a militant peace. Like my dad used to say on car vacations, " Oh, Yes, You are Having A Good Time." Worldly images of peace, look a little bit like half-time between events.

When we think about Jesus before His death, we remember He really prayed for the cup to pass from Him. This sacrifice was terribly difficult for Him. What Jesus said at the Last Supper, before His death, was John 14 to chapter 18, & Jesus had a lot to say. When Jesus tells us about peace, He isn't speaking from a peaceful place in His own life, the night before his betrayal & death. Jesus is telling us God's peace isn't temporary and it doesn't have to do with happy events. Jesus is telling us, regardless of events, He has a place for us. Regardless of events, we are loved. Regardless of events, God has not forgotten, His will is being accomplished.

I think God's peace can present the Christian with guilt. No.... Guilt. If we aren't in our happy place, then we aren't letting God's Holy Spirit work in us. That isn't it. Jesus was in relationship with His Father; He didn't pretend to grit his teeth, look supreme & aloof, and march to His death. Jesus was able to live His life with Joy. Jesus could have dinner with the people Jesus declared were his mother, brother & sisters doing God's will and let the New Covenant be a celebration. Sure, the disciples were confused, but Jesus knew exactly what He was saying about Peace, then telling Peter about desertion and the rooster crowing 3 times.

Imagine the joyful celebration of the new covenant. Jesus is telling them a supreme message of hope. He tells them... He will never leave them orphaned. Jesus would cry out to God in just hours that He felt forsaken. Peace isn't about the stiff upper lip, peace is being rescued by God even when it is faith - the substance of the unseen.

My maternal grandmother lived a hard life with a lot of gratitude. She had God's Peace. She used to say," You have to rise above it." Not the grit your teeth, look supreme and aloof, and march forward type. The Rise, let us go from here variety Jesus lived.

May God bless and comfort the people looking careworn. Let the Peace of God give them times of rest and assurance. To find a blessing in each day, to be assured of God's love. That the Helper might lift them and guide them. In Jesus' name. Amen.



Reposted Scripture for Today Blogspot
May 4, 2010

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Mark 1:40-45 ~ stretched out His hand and touched him

Mark 1:40-45

⁴⁰ And a leper ^{[a term for several skin diseases]} came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” ⁴² And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

⁴³ And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” ⁴⁵ But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

Moses. Son of Pharaoh. Shepherd for God's people. Miracle Maker.
The First Plague (Exodus 7:14-24) water turned to blood.

The Second Plague (Exodus 8:1-15) Frogs infestation.

The Third Plague (Exodus 8:16-19) Infestation of swarms of gnats

The Fourth Plague (Exodus 8:20-32) Flies and disease.

The Fifth Plague (Exodus 9:1-7) Disease of Egyptian horses, donkeys, camels, livestock. Children of Israel are untouched in the plagues.

The Sixth Plague (Exodus 9:8-12) Boils on people and animals.

The Seventh Plague (Exodus 9:13-35) Hail destroying the crops, people, animals killed.

The Eighth Plague (Exodus 10:1-20) Locusts complete starvation pattern ahead.

The Ninth Plague (Exodus 10:21-29) Darkness for Egyptians.

The Tenth Plague (Exodus 11:1-10, 12:1-42) Death passes over Children of Israel. Death of firstborn Egyptians.

Miracles of Cloud by Day and Pillar of Fire by night. Parting the Red Sea.

How many people would have approached a leper, much less healed by stretching out a hand and touched? Not even Moses. When Moses met the LORD, he was given a sign to use - to throw down his staff and it would become a snake.

Exodus 4:1-9
¹ Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” ² The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” ³ And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. ⁴ But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— ⁵ “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” ⁶ Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. ⁷ Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. ⁸ “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. ⁹ If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”

Moses never did perform the second sign. It must have shaken him up a bit. Even more than meeting the Lord God Almighty.

Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers and sister, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, ² who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. ³ For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. ⁴ (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, ⁶ but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

When has God so stretched out his hands for us? When He willingly became our atonement. Our Advocate. Each time we speak to Him in prayer.

1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.


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Matthew 8:18-27 ~ follow Me

Wind Mitigation

Matthew 8:18-27


David Cochran, English Standard Version

The Cost of Following Jesus

¹⁸ Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. ¹⁹ And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” ²⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” ²¹ Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” ²² And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms a Storm

²³ And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. ²⁵ And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

In the Christian life, coincidence collides as God's planning causing both wonder and consternation. Our last priest, Allen Hughes, left a message for his good friend Dusty Bryant to come and be our Worship Leader. Dusty returned Allen's message and said he didn't want to move to Houston and he told Allen, "No." Allen started to wonder where he would find a Worship Leader and his co-pastor Mike told him to call Mike Breen, who is sometimes referred to as the U.K. version of Billy Graham. Mike Breen said he had an American interning with him and he'd get him to take the job. Mike Breen had a staff conference and told his staff they'd be traveling to The Woodlands and the Worship Leader position would be filled by the American intern because the visit idea came from the Worship Leader position phone call. The American intern said he had a friend who'd offered him a job, but he'd turned him down. A few questions later, Mike Breen was putting his feet up and telling Dusty with the LORD, there are no coincidences, just marching orders.

Neither Dusty, Allen, Mike McDonald or Mike Breen knew at the beginning of the phone calls they were all connected by the Holy Spirit leading the way. Allen never knew Dusty was in the UK, he thought he was returning a phone call left in SC. Dusty was our awesome Worship Leader for over 4 years.

In serving the Lord, there is a cost. We serve a Living God. Who has opinions and makes His way known.

We had a great time with the Brits. The discussion that stays with me - the beginning of the end of the Church of England. It seems during the bombing in WWII, people attended Church the way they always had. But they were angry. Under the fear. And they asked as the regular liturgy was read Sunday after Sunday, why didn't the Church address the fear, the need, instead they continued to read the liturgy and people felt their needs were not met. And being people, they probably felt it more than they communicated it.

So when the war was over, the people began to stay home.

An important aspect of God was ignored.

1 John 1: 6-10- 1 John 2:1
⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 2

¹ My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.


The aspect is this - Jesus lived his life in the center of the storm. Jesus did not live His life in comfort like King Solomon, the life God chose was to really live in the middle of the storms created by people.

So much so that Peter.....

Luke 5:8
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

So many times when the famous quote of Jesus' not having His own place - we think Jesus was talking about a physical place and Jesus' poverty by choice. But there is a deeper aspect here.

Mark 2:1
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.

Jesus is saying He is an Advocate for others and their storms; And Jesus is saying He Knows what it is to feel Tossed About. Unsettled. All of Jesus' ministry is all about Mercy. For others. At great cost to Himself.

We always say to ourselves after not-the-best-events occur - it could have been worse. And we are right. No one ever asked us to be their personal sacrifice. It is amazing to remember what Jesus' ministry was ..... and to be grateful. There are larger storms out there. And a free gift of salvation offered by One who only came for Good.



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Titus 2 ~ all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Christmas Day Lunch group in Melbourne

Titus 2

¹ But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. ² Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. ³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴ and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ⁶ Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.
⁷ Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, ⁸ and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. ⁹ Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³ waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

¹⁵ Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Pierre Auguste Renoir's Luncheon on the Boating Party, in 1861

One of the interesting points of reading the Scripture is - the people around you are constantly teaching you something. Applying the Scripture, "Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened" means..... fruit from the tree identifies the tree. Or to go non-biblical - birds of a feather wing together.

My son is experiencing his 5th (ugh) year of college, came home for the Christmas break & was doing what he does best - meeting and greeting - and he met two new females. After a date with the first one, he became interested in finding out about the other one and several opinions of her were easily found. The word 'hipster' appeared causing every one to leave the subject of "that girl" to have a different opinion of the word hipster. ( Try explaining to the younger generation who Marlo Thomas is and ... it becomes a glum deal.) Some people use it casually and some people are offended by it. My husband said it meant with it and fun to be with. My oldest son said it is defined musically to personality and hipster people are offended by it. My younger son said some people enjoy being hipster. Trevor said hipster describes itself.

Being the seeker sort, I looked it up in the Urban Dictionary - and voila - what is old is new again. Anti-establishment isn't always a bad thing - it is forging a new path. And ha, ha - this is found in each generation. My grandmother's generation would have said "hep cat" and people would have been offended by that sometimes. My childhood generation would have them wearing earth shoes and work shirts. And maybe a VW bus would be involved.

I enjoyed hearing the Scripture today and I encourage you to listen to it. With the listen button.

Of course it applies today. And the bottom line isn't 'fuddy-duddy'. Or dry and staid. But, but, but, but.... it can be. It really depends on what we are looking for in people. People have so many facets, like a diamond. It is up to us to Want to See the Best in Them - With Truth and it's inseparable component - Mercy. My son decided 'hipster' was great to be with if time and opportunity allow. My son is growing up. He had a prior romance where the heart lead first and the brain followed later. None of the common sense guidelines were followed and we still discuss "the last one" in tones of wistfulness and anger.

There is a principle to Titus 2 - Hipsters can be Titus 2.

Kind, Love, Self-controlled, Good Works, Integrity, Dignity, Not Argumentative - you understand the list and it explains - doctrine of God our Savior
You have to love the media... sometimes. Several recent movies have Christians actually cast as the "good guy" relief. I enjoyed the last Pirates of the Caribbean Movie - recently Christians are getting good press and why? We saved the Roman Empire to give it another, extra 200 years. Christians are worth the effort to cultivate and know. You know what you are getting. Treat Others the Way You Want to Be Treated. Titus 2 is good for us. Prayer is great for those unmarried children.

God knows.
Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

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Psalm 132:6-10 ~ we found it in the fields of Jaar

Psalm 132:6-10

6 Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7 “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”

8 Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one


Bethlehem "house of bread" is a town, near which Jacob buried Rachel, then known as Ephrath (Gen 35:19; 48:7). It is also called Bethlehem, Ephrathah (Micah 5:2)


Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days

Daniel 7:22
until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.


When my oldest son was in preschool, we sent him to a very expensive parochial school. They sent home letters saying children learn, not just from musical lessons, language lessons & sports, but from free time.

The Psalms are unique. It isn't just the history of the Scriptures, but David expressing how close he became to the Father. David spent his 'free' time looking out for his flocks in the fields of Bethlehem and Jaar. Plenty of time to think. He became anointed of God. In our culture, we need to remember to have time when the TV, computer, phone are shut down. We need time to think, pray and cultivate our own 'people' flock.

1 Samuel 16: 7
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

When we compare the First and Second Temple - we see important similarities, but vast differences. There isn't a lot of archaeology left of the First Temple, but we have the descriptions of Solomon's Temple from the Bible. No description of a Temple mound.

Amazingly, the Temple Tools were the same built at the time of Moses. 3 different kings reigned over Babylon during the Babylonian captivity, but the Temple Tools returned with the now free slaves back to rebuild the Second Temple, for about 600 years.


Notice the walls around the First Temple are built on the level ground.



The Temple was always beautiful. Below - Court of Priests with Sacrificial Altar.
Look at the size of the Menorah. Built by the Temple Institute waiting for the 3rd Temple.

The Second Temple was almost always, for 600 years, in a state of improvement. See how the walls are now a complex mount.

Alec Gerrard, a 78 year old retired farmer, from the United Kingdom, spent 3 years researching his 1:100 scale model of the Bais Hamikdash, 33,000 hours to date and measures 20' x 12'. Mr Gerrard hand painted every clay brick and tile and sculpted all of the 4,000 half inch, correctly dressed figures to populate his creation.

'It's now recognised as the most authentic version of the temple in the world." His version is so impressive that some of the world's top archaeologists and experts from the British Museum have come to view it.

The Second Temple with 600 years of building, re-building, becomes a more impressive architectural building. The Second Temple always was missing the Ark of the Covenant. Probably because God's sorrow over people who'd lost their genealogy were excluded and the Samaritans, the remnant keeping the services worshiping God, were excluded. DNA studies later proved the Samaritans were 3 of the 12 tribes of Israel. The Ark of the Covenant was hidden by Jeremiah, recorded in 2 Maccabees 2:4-9.

Yet God's Son only visits the Temple during His lifetime to worship and teach. God could have chosen His child to be born anywhere, He chose the tiny town of Bethlehem.
We can see Jesus' point that we are God's Temple.

Israel had the same formidable enemies during the reign of David as the problems ending the 1st Temple and the 2nd Temple. The same problems facing Israel today with the revolt in Egypt. God deals with all of mankind in Jesus. Not just the building, the politics, the majesty of the Temple. It is far more important to God -the grass roots of existence.

Isn't it interesting to our faith - God chose the Shepherd boy with faith. Over the Temple. The boy who grew in the Lord. Same problems with different variations for each generation; with faith there was - and is - a different result.

Isaiah 7:9
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.




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Psalm 113 ~ Who is like the LORD our God, Who is seated on high

Psalm 113

David Cochran, English Standard Version

¹ Praise the LORD! Praise,
O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD!

² Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore!
³ From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the LORD is to be praised!

4 The LORD is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the LORD!


The year is still New. Ball drop in Time Square... wouldn't it make more sense if the ball went up to the New Year. It makes sense to me. Still .... we should have Expectation for this Year.

If you have a good party, you want to have another one. We are starting again. It was wonderful. With unexpected memories.

Our Church Family started the New Year off this time last year with gathering with 28- 30 Jesus Christ honoring, Bible believing, different denomination Churches in our area for a get together. One of the Pastors said he hoped about 40 people would show up. We thought it would last about two hours & we all stayed past 3 hours with 600 chairs filled and the room overflowing to standing room. More than 700 people in our 220 + Church home. It was one of the most memorable evenings in my Christian faith journey since I was 16 years old.



There was a repeat saying - One of the phrases drawing laughter was the phrase, "All is not right behind the trees." Living in The Woodlands, referred to as 'the bubble', there is a certain pressure to appear to always have our perfection on. To strive, to achieve, to be perfect. Not to be lonely, or worried, or afraid. Church should be the place your real self reaches out to the Living God. Come as you actually are.

Father God has a unique way of using words for His beloved ones. We all could empathize with the emotional needs of an upwardly mobile community - we live here. But we had no way of knowing we would experience amazing sunsets from the worst drought, forest fires seen in recorded history for our area of Texas.

Three of our area, bordering counties - here in Texas - drew fire fighters from all over the USA. The wind can be like tornadoes and a spark can float for many, many feet and start another fire.

One of the most amazing things were the number of homes saved. Sure the walls were marked and scorched. But God Almighty, how the wind didn't carry away so many of the homes. I, personally, attribute this to prayer and the January effort of 30 Churches praying for our community in January of 2011.

So... with that much love in one place and so many hearts touched - we are beginning this celebration again. 21 days of fasting and prayer. Fun huh? Fasting can be lots of different aspects. Clark, our priest, is giving up two of his favorite television shows. Fasting can be missing a meal. Or giving up a food item. Adding exercise into life. Prayer is for the Christian Community or any other thing that moves you.

We, as the Bride of Christ, the Christian Community - did not show up unprepared. Last year we fasted and prayed for 21 days. Let me tell you, after our praying group prayed for all of the Pastors by name and the Churches and the parents and the children - I think that our Deacon Lisa and Karen and I were just about like the ink blot tests, because finally prayer just becomes a mind wandering to pray. Not a bad prayer conversation - I know it blessed me.

This year - the party is bigger. Each Wednesday will be a different Church gathering together to pick up momentum for the Big Sunday Night 21 days from now. And a Thursday night covered dish. And like last year, this will not be any newspaper or television show. I asked Clark why and he said the media draws too much negative attention. This is purely for the joy of honoring Jesus.

Why tell you this? This isn't a secret event, if you went to these 30 Churches you'd hear of it. This is your New Year. Expectation. Hope. Faith. Love. Join us. Wherever you are. Believers are the Body of Jesus Christ. Look up to Him.



Revelation 19:6

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns."

MIDWEEK WEDNESDAY WORSHIP SERVICES

for the next three weeks

ONE MISSION

is worshiping together

7:00 - 8:30 p.m. at these locations:

January 11th

at The Church at Alden Bridge

January 18th

at HopePointe

January 25th

at Faith Bible Church

ONE MISSION

21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING

January 09 - 29th

Join Christ-honoring congregations in the greater Woodlands area

in 21 Days of prayer and fasting for a "consecration process" in our region.

The prayer and fasting is for "committing ourselves to His purposes"

and "walking in the fullness of His Spirit" in three areas:

Our Personal Lives

The One Church in Our Area

Reaching Our Community for Christ

A guide and devotional available at One-Mission.net

COMMUNITY-WIDE WORSHIP SERVICE

January 29th at 6:00 p.m.

at WoodsEdge Community Church

Hallelujah - Alleluia - Michael W. Smith. So beautiful, quiet and sincere.

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Prayer Request - my son Alexander & I are having a lot of dental work today. We both had our front teeth repaired over Christmas twice. And we both were twins, missing part of our front teeth for the Christmas holidays. So today is the beginning of the big fix. 6 caps and veneers for me and one for Alexander. I've had 6 years of orthodontia work & I know I'd really appreciate your prayers for healing, lack of soreness, appearance for the temp teeth and lasting endurance, beauty of the new teeth. Blessings for the Christian dentist and his staff. General bravery. Well, you get the idea. Prayer would be appreciated. Thank you.






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1 Corinthians 7 ~ For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband

1 Corinthians 7

David Cochran, English Standard Version

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you [us] to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a slave [bondservant] when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 So, brothers, [brothers and sisters] in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

25 Now concerning [Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1 ] the betrothed, [virgins ] I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present [impending] distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman [virgin] marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, [virgin] if his [her] passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

When my younger son came home from the hospital, I wanted to write something wonderful about brothers in my older (by 2.5 years) son's baby book, with a photo of them both. I looked for about an hour and a half, in the Scriptures, for a quote on brothers who love each other. Finally I found Paul, in Philemon, saying that his brother had refreshed his soul. Not his biological brother.

Norman Rockwell believes it turns out all brothers love each other. The Scriptures take a more limited view. Peter and Andrew were brothers. James and John- sons of Zebedee, were all biological brothers and they followed Jesus.

What does this tell us? Families have bumps and bruises.

I've heard people look at this chapter as an archaic viewpoint on chastity. This, my friends, is the Good News about peace. It is an absolutely fabulous Chapter!

Do you feel husbands should not beat their wives? Or wives not beat their husbands? Or verbally abuse a family member?

God feels that way too!

15b God has called you [us] to peace.

Families, good families have years where the children are little; the children are visions of hope and wonder. Suddenly, they are teenagers exploring the world. What happens to them? Praying parents shouldn't give up hope on the "cave years". (Like yesterday's reading in Job 8:4-6) Look at this ... God's Promise:

14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

Remember when people believed that marriage was for two people (male and female) who were bound spiritually in sexual relations? Yeah, it was believed that sex actually made them bound by their souls together... God remembers it, because He invented it and wrote it. He likes the idea so much it is actually a huge "loop hole." We would call it a loop hole, God would say Love is the fulfillment of the law. He still believes it. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow - as He breathes out Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Samuel 23:2


The promise is:,
For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.

Of course there are ways to give up your salvation. But God believes so much in the unification of souls, He says one married soul can offer salvation to the other soul. That is a flat out astonishing idea given Hollywood standards of purity. And this chapter indicates God - who had the idea in the first place - thinks there should be abundant sexuality within marriage.

God is generous.

32 I want you to be free from anxieties.

So, if we honestly look at the entire Bible for loving families - we are honestly going to find people struggling to get on with life and irritating and feuding with each other. God knows this and He wants us to be at peace. He's got us covered.

Blessed be You, Father God Almighty. You give in amazing abundance. In Your love we are blessed and fulfilled. And blessed be Your son, Jesus. Amen.

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1 Timothy 4:11-16 ~ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress

White Mountain Photography of Napa

1 Timothy 4:11-16

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. ¹⁶ Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Luke 13:19
It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.

Which Bible verse to choose.... to symbolize growth and progress. The mustard tree or the vine....

John 15:1-11

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.


There is a unique change in vineyards today.

Vineyard owners plant mustard for beauty and practicality - making a perfect cover crop for the dirt between rows. It improves water penetration, fertilizes by capturing nitrogen out of the air and contributing to the soil once plowed under. Best of all, functioning as a "biofumigant" warding off nasty pests.

What Biblical analogy are we drawing here: Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity - - - Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching

Galatians 5
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

In a word - to act with Love


Galatians 5
4 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word:
“You shall Love your neighbor as yourself.”




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