Proverbs 14:10 ~ Joy!

 

 

Proverbs 14:10

The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.

In your 20s, it's a shock to find you are an adult. Usually employment does not come with applause for refrigerator art. Times are serious and your time is fully required. Not a lot of Church groups for this age group - really. You have to shop.

In your 30s, you are building to support your family. In Spiritual life. In Education. In nutrition. In material goods, with an eye to college and athletic development in your children teaching life lessons. This is a busy time. Filled with young dreams for your family.

As you enter into your forties, you realize you have nested.  Tada nesting accomplished. Life is usually busy with children and spouses and families with young grandparents. Life moves quickly and filled with joy and noise.

And as you enter into your fifties, people have decided to be themselves. Surprisingly so. A lot of people feel they are preparing to be old people. Some feel it's the time not be anyone but themselves - a few really need some kind of personality girdle! Forrest's mother might be right about that box of Chocolate. Honesty is a Goodness.


And in your 60's, you analyze your life to see if you feel your life has been well lived. Some fall into the trap of material goods rationalization.

In your 70's, if you have good health, it's really the first decade of age. Still time to exercise and be going forth for the Lord in the examples you lead.

My Mother wisely said do not worry about being too old - until you really are.

Really where we live - is the eternal. Our Soul. Eventually the applause of mankind is rather short lived. In times of stress, extreme stress we find our friends and family shift in priority. My mother lived through economic crisis and divorce. Her life-long friends changed in her late 50s. And she found her path again. And in her 80's is finding her path again.

The truth is when we rely upon God. Our Joy comes from Father God and we will continue as the circumstance and times change. The Light from within comes from God. This this hearth is the source of our Life.

Jesus is the Word of Life.

Father God,

We give thanks to the Lord, for You are good, Your steadfast love endures forever!

Giving thanks always and for everything to God our Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with Thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Jesus.

When we believe God, we have found Jesus. And in Jesus, we are part of the communion of saints. We are part of the Eternal Body of Christ Jesus. Sealed as Jesus' own. His Beloved.

We will walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love!

Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit—just as wewere called to the one hope belonging to our personal call— in one Lord, one faith, one baptism, in one God and Father of all. He is over all and through all and in all.

Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore the written Scriptures say,

“When He ascended on high He led a host of captives,
and He gave gifts to men.”

And we have found where the tombs that opened on Good Friday went. And what the living multitude found in the Holy Spirit.

This is Today. And we are the Easter People. Alleluia is our Song.

The Joy of the Lord is our Strength!

In Jesus we lift up those we love. Our concerns for many things. His answers and steadfast love. Our rest in Jesus. Our assurances in Jesus. For the people God gives us. Our communities, neighborhoods, Churches. The people we have known for years and pray for. The needs we remember even if we don't know the results. The daily thoughts of God's Goodness. His Continued Loving Work. His Promises to Us. And we will rejoice in being part of the praying Body of Christ Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

1 John 4:9 ~ He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.

1 John 4:9

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.




1 Timothy 4

4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

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.


Matthew 19

13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.





Don't we all love a wedding. True Love. Forever. When Prince William married his love, weddings went way up in the U.K. To see leadership of all given when the stakes are high. It would have been easier to have said if this works, in a few years, after kids - well maybe.

And instead the world held their breathe - to see high stakes gamble - a commitment for life - a real marriage with all the unbelievable trimmings. And they had waited to see if this was love.


Just what any father would want for their child.

Except our Holy God.

So Heavily Pregnant Mary is carted 70 miles from Nazareth to the hometown of Bethlehem - where archaeology has now found this census being required by Augustus. 

"Since the consuls caused a law to be passed soon after this that he should govern the provinces jointly with Augustus and hold the census with him" - Seutonius Roman Historian - Tiberias 21- Lives of the Twelve Caesars

"This contained the number of citizens, subject kingdoms and taxes. All these details Augustus had written with his own hand" - Tacitus Annals - Book 1 Roman Historian



And no room at the inn. You bet they did not want a pregnant woman keeping them all awake.

Why would God want unusual circumstances?

God is saying He goes where there is trouble. And in adopting us into God's Holy Family - He gives us this story of Mary, Joseph and Jesus - as our family story.

God says love has a cost. Joseph was provided a way to have an exit. Bloody death or quietly. In finding mercy - Joseph found a life of love.

Love had a cost. The Sadducean Council records Mary is a descendant of David through his child Nathan and not Solomon (like Joseph was). The Council knows Mary's family - and we are left to wonder. Knowing Mary sought refuge 70 miles from Heli her father, for 3 months. And at Jesus' crucifixion, Mary's sister came to stand and help. Love had a cost in Mary's family.

Matthew 10:37
"Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."

Mary had to pick God's plan over the peace in Heli's household.

Joseph's Biblical History shows Love has a cost. No mention of help to Bethlehem or Egypt. Joseph had to leave his town, his culture, his nation.

Deuteronomy 10:12
"Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

Jesus is brought for purification rites to the Temple. There is not a family celebration recorded beyond the Wonder of God providing magnificent people. Love has a cost.

Ephesians 6
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

John 3:16
For God so loved
the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.

God has given us a love story - bending down from His Magnificent Holiness - a set of events, the world can comprehend - the troubled circumstances - especially today - and see Real Love.

We rely on God to be Grace for our lives, flaws, weaknesses and sin. Jesus the Holy Sinless Perfection of God goes where He is needed. To bring us into God's Holiness - in the Name of Jesus.

God was giving us Jesus the Christ of God. And He says in the face of great love - hearts are revealed.

Jesus records all the distress pulled them together because of the permanent commitment to Love. God's example of marriage has very serious ideas of permanence.

God's example of Love shows a war is fought to continue as Love.


Matthew 13
54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”


Father God did not want something staged. God wanted hard fought authentic. God wanted clarity on loyalty.

Luke 7
He who has been forgiven little loves little.
48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven."


Romans 12

One body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!"




Our Abba,

Most important of all, help us daily to continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Love one another deeply, from a pure heart.

Father put Love upon our hearts, minds and souls - which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

You are able to strengthen us according to Your gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to Your Word. Help us to be Obedient to the Faith You call in each of us. We will press on to Jesus the Christ.

And with Joy lift up our Loved ones, concerns, prayer partners, Churches, Jobs, the news, our communities, states and this Nation. Knowing we join the community of the world praying with Jesus to Our Father.

Our Alleluia every day is from the Grace and Blessing of Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Proverbs 4:27 ~ Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Proverbs 4:27

Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

How will we please God who spoke and Life and Light were created by His Word.

We will Trust Father God that He is good.

Deuteronomy 5:32
So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left.

Romans 12:9
Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

Deuteronomy 32:36
The LORD will vindicate his people and relent concerning his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free.

Our God did this for the Children of Israel in the city of Goshen during the time of the Egypt Exile.

Galatians 1:10
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:9
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

Proverbs 16:7
When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Romans 12:12
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.


In believing God - we please God.


Psalm 32
Of David. A maskil.

1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.


Father God,

Help us each day to please You. Using gratitude for what is. Prayer for what could be. Responding to all things in the coming days with Your Pleasure first. Finding complete peace with Love and joy. Encouragement. Honesty.

We give thanks for the times were we worship freely. In Peace. We give thanks that the checks and balances of government are firm. We look to Our God to supply our needs in His Riches and Glories.

You are Good. Thank You Abba. For the Loved ones You provide. For knowing we can put our cares into Your Hands. You Love. We lift up the prayers of the people You give us. With longing to see Your willing mercies. Giving Thanks for Jesus who took our blame and sin. And in Jesus we pray for all these requests and for the Nation. Thanking Abba, for the people He provides to continue praying with us.

Father God, You are Good. Thank You Jesus. Peace and Your Comfort. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

John 17:1-11 ~ For I have given them the words that You gave me

John 17:1-11

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.


This Scripture is telling us we've believed and we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and not just soak in it this. Which we should rejoice in our Salvation. We are sealed with Jesus and Father God's own Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit

Because we can believe, permanently, we are sealed in the Holy Spirit; we can say this when the world is all we hope it can be and when the wild winds of life howl:

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me!

Which neatly brings us back to this passage Jesus told us about.

Luke 6:12-13
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles



John 6:68-69
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”


In Matthew 13 and in Matthew 3, Jesus gave us wheat analogies. It is God's plan the wheat and the chaff grow up together. And he gave us seed analogies about some people hear the word of God, some fall away, some let the seed wither.

Matthew 3:12
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

Now, importantly, Matthew 3:12 is Jesus. Not us. He is the only one who is good. We sometimes spend a lot of time in Christian circles figuring out who is the wheat or the weed or the chaff. We shouldn't. Proverbs says only that person and God knows the heart. Because we are not Jesus' head - He is. Alone. He is God.

This passage calls us to remember. We are like Jesus, our people in our lives are not always specifically chosen by us. Just given by Father God. Neither did Jesus change Himself for Pharisees or Disciples. Jesus spoke truth with mercy, day after day, at cost to Himself. 

Jesus is the LORD and Salvation.Jesus speaks God's words. Jesus lives God's promises. Jesus prays. Because we are not Jesus, we will not decide anyone's fate. We will do like Jesus, we will hold the people in our lives and lift them to God. Jesus told us He is the Prince of Peace. He decides. 

We pray.  Father God, I am grateful to be the chick under Your Wings. I abide in You. Willingly and with gratitude.

We are praying for rain all over Texas and the south. Not on the upcoming weddings!

Blessed are You, Jesus. I abide in You, Father God. I give You praise for giving me the tools to live the life You want me to have. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. I give You my gratitude You are at work and hear our prayers. I thank You, endlessly, You told us to pray and always have hope. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Hebrews 1 ~ draw near to the Throne of Grace

People have crisis and in recovery are more apt to share than in the deepest flood of Life Roaring White Water Experiences.


A husband of a cancer survivor praised his Church and all the people who prayed for his wife. And he  confided the Bible is flat and well known. Ok the Brits call this - stuck in a rut, stuck in a rut, stuck in a rut.

Reading known portions of Scripture with a new approach.

We can do this with a beautiful aspect - God given - aspect of life. And really if we cut off the man who is very, truly grateful to the Father God who accepted prayer healed, we have missed the point. God has a child named Buddha, we have cut off the man's sincerity and honesty. My Grandmother Anita loves Jesus. And she has said anyone on the other side of the world from the Temple of God and away from His Word who seeks the God of Love will be found.


Does this invalidate the importance of the Word of God. No. So let's talk about if the Bible is flat or Living Word of God.

Yes. The Bible is Living.

Jesus never quoted intricate fact as Wisdom. He quoted the ideas of God's Holiness, not how well Jesus could recite. How we are to see the stories of our lives reveal to us the Truth of God related to His Living Word.

Paul held the coats. He very well could have been the Simon the dinner host with no kiss. And why? Judas was insincere. However Simon and Paul were sincere.

Abused Salome, daughter of Herodias, and Salome arrives at the Cross of Jesus to mourn. Same lady - in soul - perhaps. Reflecting a child is forgiven for her role in times far beyond one person even if a Holy Man of God is killed.

The Widow of Nain. Her world is wiped out. Her family is gone. Her comfort is gone. The person to love is gone. The finances are gone. The framework of even respectability could be taken. God provides. She could have been alone.

The woman who grasped the hem of Jesus. In the Law, she is ceremonially impure and untouched for having 12 years of this life. And unlike the ungrateful, this woman told Jesus the truth of her faith. Jesus heals.

Is the Bible the stories of our childhood? Rather flat, yet holy. No.

In the eyes of faith, Jesus expects us to step away from nine lepers and live out the gratitude of reading the Word of God alive. How. We bring our experiences to the Word. Jesus speaks to you. Jesus is suggesting we find out the fullness of God. God's Love reaches to the Heavens. For you. In the circumstances He has provided.

Happiness is not a gift. Gratitude is being open to God's situations. Acknowledging Jesus overcomes the world, Father God finds His creation Good and as the Holy Spirit will look for gratitude from God's dust as clay, as people in process - in our Gratitude of being allowed to be the Prodigal Son (older or younger) - we find truly all of Scripture is True. God's Love explaining and using His framework and His Word for our journey to God.


God uses His story, our stories, history. God has let our eyes see Salvation. When we come to the Word of God with need and emotion - God is going to supply His Loving Solutions. In His Word. Our Father.

God uses today to show us we have overcome wickedness before. We can trust God to make Goodness of God - His Love - reign. We take our gratitude for today to live in His Framework and abide in God. Saying dwell here. I want my words, deeds and thoughts to make You God of Gods. Take this day and create meaningful life. My heart, my soul, Your Hearth.

My future, my destination is Jesus. Jesus the Lord. God lighting our path, one step at a time. I dwell secure saying I will take new paths our Father calls me to live within His Framework, I will be bold in Jesus to go where He needs me to go. I will use the esteem God gives me as abiding in His Love and Word to know God is directing my life. I will trust the Lord with the circumstances He gives. Yesterday, Today and Today.


Hebrews 4

9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 1 3And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.




Father God,

The saints pray and just as the friends carried the paralyzed man to Jesus, we pray with the Holy Spirit filling us and our bodily Temple. Receiving mercy and grace in the time of need.

Devout people are heard as they pray. We confess our need for Jesus and His righteousness to cover us each and every day. Dependent upon Jesus the Lord. We know the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective in Jesus' gift to bring us near God's throne of Grace.

We want to dream the dreams You'd give us. And fulfill Your Vision and Plan for our lives. We Call upon the Name of Jesus. We want You, our Father Lord always before us, with You at our right hand we will not be shaken. In Jesus the Lord God Almighty, Prince of Peace, our heart is glad, and our tongue rejoices. We will dwell in hope.

Father, You have made known to us the paths of life. Father, You will make us full of gladness with Your Presence.

And in this Joy we gladly lift up those we Love. Our concerns and needs. Knowing how You Love us. We lift up health in those with health concerns, in the joy of asking for continued health for those in good health. We give thanks for Life. We lift up our children and spouses and even unborn children. We lift up careers. We give thanks for Jesus filled Bible believing Churches adding faith, hope and love. We ask Your Loving help covering our communities, states and this Nation. Rejoicing with the saints for the prayers around the world - fellowship, rejoicing the Heart of Jesus and Abba's beloved. His Creation is Good to Him. Thank You, Abba. In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

James 1:19-20 ~ the righteousness that God desires +

Would Jesus agree with Voltaire? Yes. John 14, 15, and 16. Jesus was highly efficient. And effective. John agrees with this in Revelation Chapter 1. Jesus is patient. Enduring. Responding as Father God would want us to reply. Light. Speak Life. Salt. Be genuine and authentic.

James 1:19-20

19 My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. 




Many times anger is masking sadness. Or fear. What will we do with Jesus' advice to be Salt and Light. Desirable and friendly like a good potato chip. What about those cloudy days within? Stormy. We must be sincere. No path of God is about insincerity. Diligence to His Love, certainly. 

We will not always have internal peace - to be grown to compassion.

I had to decide today on mood. Stresses of change. And God will help us actively if we ask. This is my second weekend alone as my husband plays A tier National Tournaments away. Staying affordably with pals. We have seen 9 automobile accidents in a few weeks. We had a Bald Eagle where we voted. Feeling the comfort of knowing God would take care of our Nation. The discomfort of anger in the conclusion. My mother had 8 situations to solve for me this week from her recovery and continued recovery is needed from Pneumonia.  Stress of seeing how very, very active the Holy Spirit has been. In stress and in recovery work and in solutions. And in continual change in our family of four.

God leads us to feel uncomfortable. To tell Father God, I trust You in change. And in being overwhelmed. In the way God stretches me to go very new paths. Knowing God will hold us in the trials of life.

Father God teaches us we all have a task from God. I know God has let my eyes see salvation, I know the wicked fall. I know that my God is before me, even on cloudy days. I will be faithful were I am. I will be pleasing to God in the tasks He has for me. I will pray and hold on to my Father God, knowing how much more our Father holds us.

John 6:29
Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."


What is God to us in His promises? Our fortress. Our mighty fortress. And we have to believe God even on days of clouds.

Consider Jeremiah and the similarities of Joel 1.



Joel 1

1 The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel.
2 Hear this, you elders;
listen, all who live in the land.
Has anything like this ever happened in your days
or in the days of your ancestors?
 
3 Tell it to your children,
and let your children tell it to their children,
and their children to the next generation.
 
4 What the locust swarm has left
the great locusts have eaten;
what the great locusts have left
the young locusts have eaten;
what the young locusts have left
other locusts have eaten.
5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!
Wail, all you drinkers of wine;
wail because of the new wine,
for it has been snatched from your lips.
6 A nation has invaded my land,
a mighty army without number;
it has the teeth of a lion,
the fangs of a lioness.
 
7 It has laid waste my vines
and ruined my fig trees.
It has stripped off their bark
and thrown it away,
leaving their branches white.
8 Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth
grieving for the betrothed of her youth.
9 Grain offerings and drink offerings
are cut off from the house of the Lord.
The priests are in mourning,
those who minister before the Lord.
 
10 The fields are ruined,
the ground is dried up;
the grain is destroyed,
the new wine is dried up,
the olive oil fails.
11 Despair, you farmers,
wail, you vine growers;
grieve for the wheat and the barley,
because the harvest of the field is destroyed.
12 The vine is dried up
and the fig tree is withered;
the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree—
all the trees of the field—are dried up.
Surely the people’s joy
is withered away.
13 Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn;
wail, you who minister before the altar.
Come, spend the night in sackcloth,
you who minister before my God;
for the grain offerings and drink offerings
are withheld from the house of your God.
 
14 Declare a holy fast;
call a sacred assembly.
Summon the elders
and all who live in the land
to the house of the Lord your God,
and cry out to the Lord.
15 Alas for that day!
For the day of the Lord is near;
it will come like destruction from the Almighty.
16 Has not the food been cut off
before our very eyes—
joy and gladness
from the house of our God?
 
17 The seeds are shriveled
beneath the clods.
The storehouses are in ruins,
the granaries have been broken down,
for the grain has dried up.
18 How the cattle moan!
The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;
even the flocks of sheep are suffering.

19 To you, Lord, I call,
for fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness
and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.
20 Even the wild animals pant for you;
the streams of water have dried up
and fire has devoured the pastures in the wilderness.


Spiritual Battle. When you ask the people around you love Jesus most. When all of life shows all have fallen.  When you feel overwhelmed. When emotions press you, internally away from Love, Peace, Joy, Encouragement, Trust, Faith, Hope. When you encounter unkindness and selfishness. When you want more of Jesus the Wonderful for the ones God has given you.

An Academy Winning Film ~"Mrs. Miniver" living through the events of Joel 1.

Resetting our lives, realizing our priorities. Being pleased not to be in Joel 1, presently.

Realizing some day we will all experience a vast change in life. Being able in Christ Jesus, to have our equilibrium. The loss of a beloved parent. A child. A spouse. The loss of health. The battle to regain health. Life changing events. Overcoming to realized we survived before, we will go forth. Or even just anticipating Going to Heaven, Going to be with Our Father.

What is one of the most repeated phrase in the Bible?

God encounters man and man can repeat this to difficulties of all shapes and people.

"Fear not."
"Do not Fear."

235 Times as God speaks.

This is exactly what Joshua was told in the balance of accomplishing the Will of God.

Jesus explained what we need to pull up our faith and lean completely on Jesus.

John 5
47 "But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

We will believe Jesus Is God. Honor His Words. And in drawing up the strength of Jesus - we will know Joy.

Spiritual battles are meant to grow us. And no human being will win a Spiritual Battle. We trust the Lord. And Jesus' Will for us is Good.


This is what Jesus would tell us of Spiritual Battles in Jesus:


1 Corinthians 3:7b-17

Only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.


Titus 2:14
Jesus gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.


When prayer allows the clouds to part, I have found Peace. Gratitude brings Joy and even Happiness. I see how I have found my way, thinking through the test of faith. Jesus guides me and leads me. And when this journey leads me to find, not stumble into, Peace and Comfort of God. I have found a good path. I am led by the One who says I will never leave nor forsake you. Jesus the Lord,  is invited and dwells within me. And this process is for you. For all the saints who believe Jesus is Lord.


Our Abba,

Holy is Your Name. Your Will. Your Hope for us and Future. Your Kingdom - help us to know as we Pray, we come to the Throne of God Almighty. Welcome to Embrace our Father. We want to be Light and bring more of Heaven to earth.

What is this? The Joy of the Lord. Increasing awareness of the Goodness of God. Reliable Love. An invitation no one would want to marginalize. Placing Jesus as Joy within us all.

Lifting our Loved Ones. Our cares. The people we pray for. Lifting the good we do. Praying for health, asking Jesus. The children we love so, teaching us about our Father's Love. Praying for communities to bring more of God's Love forth. For Churches to be strengthened in the Will of God and His Love. For employment to be profitable, up-building. For our Nation to have God's help and blessing. And the communion of saints, asking Jesus His willing blessings pouring over us - strengthening each of us individually.


God of Truth. Telling us to be as we are, this is where You will find us. We are unable to reach the Creator of All Things. We rely upon You as Father. And this is Grace. Overwhelming Grace and Love.

Thank You, Father, for Wonderful Jesus. In Him. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †