Hebrews 11:5 ~ Enoch Pleased God

Amie Stewart  Knock on Wood

It's like thunder, lightning

The way you love me is frightening

You better knock, knock on wood, baby

I'm not superstitious about ya

But I can't take no chance

You got me spinnin', baby

The Wonders of God's Creation. Today. God's Own Works.

vs 
Stop Hoarding Ancient Bones, Plead Archaeologists

My King was born King.
. He’s the King of the Jews—that’s an Ethnic King. He’s the King of Israel—that’s a National King. He’s the King of righteousness. He’s the King of the ages. He’s the King of Heaven. He’s the King of glory. He’s the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that’s my King.

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don’t try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.

My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure
- - - that can define His limitless love.

No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.


He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful.

That’s my King. He’s God’s Son.

He’s the sinner’s Saviour. He’s the centerpiece of civilization.

He stands alone in Himself.

He’s honest. He’s unique. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s supreme. He’s pre-eminent. He’s the grandest idea in literature. He’s the highest personality in philosophy. He’s the supreme problem in higher criticism. He’s the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He’s the carnal necessity of spiritual religion.

That’s my King.


He’s the miracle of the age.

He’s the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He’s the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He’s the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek.

That’s my King.


Do you know Him?

Well, my King is a King of knowledge.

He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the pathway of peace. He’s the roadway of righteousness. He’s the highway of holiness. He’s the gateway of glory. He’s the master of the mighty. He’s the captain of the conquerors. He’s the head of the heroes. He’s the leader of the legislatures. He’s the overseer of the overcomers. He’s the governor of governors. He’s the prince of princes.

He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords. That’s my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . . but He’s indescribable. That’s my King. He’s incomprehensible, He’s invincible, and He is irresistible.


I’m coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your hands. You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him. The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him. That’s my King.
He always has been and He always will be. I’m talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He’ll have no successor. There’s nobody before Him and there’ll be nobody after Him. You can’t impeach Him and He’s not going to resign.

That’s my King! That’s my King!

Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We’re around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God’s power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honor and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? Forever and ever and ever and ever. . . And when you get through with all of the ever’s, then . . . Amen


  ~   Rev. S. M. Lockridge

We give God Thanks for the Glory Rev Lockridge gave us. Amen.

The people of God have wonders and thoughts about the Works of God. We don't have all the answers - but we consider the Work of God - and indeed, indeed, indeed - we are far out of our earthly, mortal league.


Scientific American

Stop Hoarding Ancient Bones, Plead Archaeologists
Scientists call for wider access to rare samples rich in DNA
By Ewen Callaway, Nature on August 14, 2017

"The quest to chronicle the past using DNA from ancient humans and animals has become a cut-throat ‘game of bones’, in which a handful of genetics laboratories are hoarding precious samples, three archaeologists charge in a August 9 letter to Nature.

The scientists call for more careful stewardship of DNA-rich bone specimens to ensure that they remain available to multiple research teams to study. They point to the example of a newly established centre in Israel that will act as a national clearing house to curate animal bones from archaeological sites, so that many researchers can access samples for genetic analysis.

“There’s a lot of pressure on these resources right now, on this skeletal material,” says Cheryl Makarewicz, an archaeologist at Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany, and a co-author of the letter. “The problem is there’s not enough to go around.”


Lending an ear
Makarewicz and her colleagues are particularly concerned about a portion of bone in the inner ear, the petrous, that is especially rich in ancient DNA. “Competition for these rare specimens promotes hoarding, which, along with the destruction of samples for DNA analysis, makes it hard to replicate findings,” she and her colleagues write in the letter. “It also hinders research by scientists who are not connected to the few groups who dominate access to such samples.”

It’s important, too, to preserve samples for scientists in future generations, who may invent better methods to extract any DNA that remains in a sample after a first battery of tests, Makarewicz adds — as well as improvements in other techniques, such as isotope analysis.

In the past few years, geneticists have accrued hundreds of archaeological samples — many of them petrous bones — from sites around the world and used them for blockbuster ancient-genomics papers that have charted the spread of agriculture, languages and little-understood cultures.

“It’s been like the Wild West, with several ancient-DNA labs approaching museums across the world on a daily basis,” says Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary geneticist at the Natural History Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. In 2015, his team published the first ancient-genome study to sequence the DNA of more than 100 individuals1; it charted a massive Bronze Age migration originating in the steppes of Russia and Ukraine.

David Reich, a population geneticist at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, and another leading ancient-DNA researcher, says preserving archaeological samples is crucial. But Reich says that his lab samples bones to minimize their destruction and aims to return remains to archaeology collections within a year. He also notes that his lab is willing to share excess bone powder from petrous samples, and that the data they generate are freely available.


Centralized science
In Israel, a centre in Haifa that was opened in early 2017 will act as a clearing house for animal bones used in ancient-DNA studies, says Guy Bar-Oz, an archaeozoologist at the University of Haifa, Israel, and a co-author of the letter.

Researchers excavating sites in Israel won’t be required to deposit samples to the facility. But Bar-Oz says the fact that the centre is co-managed by the Israel Antiquities Authority means that most of the animal petrous bones recovered in Israel are already there. Scientists must apply for permission to sample material, and data sharing will be strictly enforced, Bar-Oz says.

Not all archaeologists are on board with the idea. “I do not support a central facility of some kind. I think that restricting the science at this point is not in the interest of anyone,” says David Anthony, an archaeologist at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, who has provided Bronze Age samples to Reich’s lab (and received them back after DNA extraction with no strings attached, he says).

Marc Vander Linden, an archaeologist at University College London who collaborates with ancient-DNA researchers, likes the idea of ancient-DNA clearing houses. But he is not sure that centralized repositories will work in all countries; many of them, he points out, do not have central organizations with authority over archaeological digs akin to Israel’s Antiquities Authority.

Vander Linden says that the onus is on archaeologists who dig up and curate samples to come up with ideas to tackle the issue. “Samples are a finite resource, and thus any way to improve their curation is more than needed,” he says. “Ancient DNA is a fast-moving field, which is exciting — but more care and less politics would be great.” "

Other sources have noted, it's not just animal bones missing from Israel.

There are a few Canaanite sites - so rare - national headlines were made in December of 2016 over a Philistine cemetery - actually Goliath's city.  There are several Canaanite ancient cemeteries.  We have bones from about 70 A.D. in the Roman invasion led by Titus. But sarcophagus and tombs are generally not filled with bones. Mere fragments, if any. And this is not explained away by the climate of Israel. Israel is dry enough to have ancient bones.

Human Osteological Database at the Israel Antiquities Authority:

Overview and some examples of use:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289872000_Human_osteological_database_at_the_Israel_antiquities_authority_Overview_and_some_examples_


When you look at the data. You will find there is data, it's far from being plentiful.

See the first Table. In the 1990s, there were 256 human bones sites and 221 were considered very poor sites for DNA. Only 8 sites were considered good for DNA.
Astonishing.





Where are the Bones from Ancient Israel? It's not entirely known. There was an excavation of a site of refuge and garbage where Kosher was seen to be very much observed.


So were are the Bones from Ancient Israel?


It's a Wonder of God to be sure

Hebrews 11:5

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death,
and he was not found,
because God had taken him.
Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.






Ezekiel 37

1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones.

2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

And I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know."

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD." 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.

13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD."

15 The word of the LORD came to me: 16 "Son of man, take a stick and write on it, 'For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him'; then take another stick and write on it, 'For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.' 17 And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.

18 And when your people say to you, 'Will you not tell us what you mean by these?' 19 say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph (that is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with him. And I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand. 20 When the sticks on which you write are in your hand before their eyes, 21 then say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land.

22 And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms.

23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

24 "My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. 25 They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever.

26 I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore."






Where are the bones of Ancient Israel?

Good Friday

Matthew 27:52-54

And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”





Abba, our Abba, our Father:

We pray with Your Holy Scriptures:

How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his dominion endures from generation to generation.

I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to Him: “What have you done?”


We cannot know Your plans or all of Your marvelous wonders. We can look upon the Works of God and wonder at Your Glory.

With John we pray:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

May the Glory of God's Love
Fill us.
Fill the people we love.
The People God has given us.
Our Communities, jobs, Churches.
Our States and Nation
All over the World wa ask God speak His word for more of the Holy Spirit
and the Gifts of the Spirit - increasing more Heaven on earth.

In Jesus we pray. Father God, You are Astonishing. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Colossians 3:23-24 ~ for the Lord +

The Hobbit was filmed in New Zealand mostly. Sometimes in the movie, you see a car drive by.






The Bible is about real people. And real people have real details about their lives. We are not turtles and we need homes.

See some of the Bible explaining about home. Home is a preparation. Heaven records families live together and the Bible records feasts like our Holidays.




The Garden of Eden is repeated in Revelation. Some of the same trees are seen. We can feel good about this when we grow attached to our yard and land. Do all trees go to Heaven? Probably!!!





The New Land of Israel - Freeing the Slaves.

Joshua saw the tribes of Israel begin Terrace gardens. This photo of this from the Mount of Olives.

King David's view would have looked at Terrace Gardens or Farming.

Terraces on the Mount of Olives.









Samuel was finally in charge.

He'd grown up being shaped by God and the High Priest Eli. Eli's sons were a problem, probably for Samuel growing up too. Samuel did all that God asked of him. Sometimes tasks like anointing David when Saul is probably going to seek Samuel out for this. Samuel had even allowed Israel to vote down Samuel's own sons for Saul and then David. Samuel didn't even want a king because the Lord is King. Samuel was a highly treasured man of God. God decided Samuel should have a reward.


The tomb of Samuel has not been proven archaeologically to be Samuel's. One of the historical proof's would be Judas Maccabeus, in 167 B.C., honored the site as Samuel's tomb. In 1 Samuel 25, Samuel was buried at his house in Ramah. Today Nebi Samuel and the surrounding archeological excavations are now part of a National Park. Samuel's house was also where Saul went to meet him for the first time.


Why does God reward?

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.



Samuel  is so real he is recorded in the Bible saying "Please God, do not let the words of Samuel fall. Samuel had not sought reward, this was purely of God to Samuel. Something we can all rejoice over. Samuel had a home on one of the hills overlooking Jerusalem and this has been held onto for millenniums of people wanting to rejoice in the Lord over Samuel.









David planned all of his 22 year journey to be acknowledged as God's Anointed.

We have talked a lot of King David moving his Palace out of the secure city walls to overlook views. David's message was God would keep David safe. Not any wall. David would be informed, happy, and secure watching God keep David secure.

God is Ancient of Days. All Knowing. God certainly knew Jeremiah really and truly wanted to not be "The Prophet of God." In the midst of war, hatred, false imprisonment, doom, certain failure. God promised Jeremiah a real home. Something to look forward to. God promised Jeremiah would live and prosper beyond the war and end of the Temple. We can be assured when people were forcibly removed to Egypt after Nebuchadnezzar II had his third raid ransacking all of Judah and the Temple - Jeremiah had God's Very own Promise. Probably a parallel to the wind and the waves themselves obey Jesus.


Jeremiah 32:14
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time.

Clay Jars in the Museum of Israel

Jeremiah 32

 At that time the Lord sent me a message. He said, 7 “Your cousin Hanamel son of Shallum will come and say to you, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else.’”

8 Then, just as the Lord had said he would, my cousin Hanamel came and visited me in the prison. He said, “Please buy my field at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else, so buy it for yourself.” Then I knew that the message I had heard was from the Lord.

9 So I bought the field at Anathoth, paying Hanamel seventeen pieces[d] of silver for it. 10 I signed and sealed the deed of purchase before witnesses, weighed out the silver, and paid him. 11 Then I took the sealed deed and an unsealed copy of the deed, which contained the terms and conditions of the purchase, 12 and I handed them to Baruch son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah. I did all this in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the deed, and all the men of Judah who were there in the courtyard of the guardhouse.

I'm in belief, Jeremiah was fine.





What about Nebuchadnezzar II ransacking Judah 3 times and finally destroying Solomon's Temple and carrying off 3 rounds of slaves to walk 1,000 miles to Babylon. And when they arrived - Emperor Nebuchadnezzar II, of the Chaldean and Babylonian Empire, decided  the Priest named Ezekiel - would have his own home by the Chebar River. God is Astonishing.

Ezekiel 3:12-21

12 Then the spirit lifted me up, and as the glory of the Lord rose from its place, I heard behind me the sound of loud rumbling; 13 it was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, that sounded like a loud rumbling. 14 The spirit lifted me up and bore me away; I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me. 15 I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who lived by the river Chebar. And I sat there among them, stunned





Jesus does not record owning a home. Yet He was at home at Capernaum. He did visit Nazareth and Mary during the wedding of Cana.

Jesus also tells us the irreligious try to take houses.

Mark 12:40
Who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.

Houses were important to Jesus.

Mary and some of Jesus' siblings lived in Nazareth. Isaiah 7 points to them being heavily industrious  home and land owners. Dairy products requiring time - curds. Growing crops. Using crops. Picking fruit. Small herds of animals and tending them. This is a group with things to accomplish.


Jesus is a single male. He is going to decide where His Life happens. Jesus picks Capernaum - a new town - a new agriculture town created by the need of a busy Empire. Agriculture and fish. The land of milk and honey. Jesus picks Beauty!!!

 Peter's house where Peter, his wife, Andrew, his wife, their mother lived. Jesus records the house. And this house was used for centuries as a house Church. A view of the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus is recorded in the Gospels as being at Home.


Mark 2

2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.

2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”


Jesus went on to tell a would be disciple He did not own a home. Foxes have holes. Yet clearly there was a house - Jesus was calling home. Aren't you glad??? I am so glad beautiful Capernaum held a Joyful Jesus. His ministry began with all of Capernaum coming to see why the incredible number of miracles were happening. Jesus our Father God's Only Son. Our Jesus.

Jesus told us about Home.

Jesus was with Moses. The purpose of the Exodus was God wanting His Children to have Freedom and expectation of happiness like Moses' Psalm 90.

Jesus said the Prodigal Son decided to come Home. Home was a place of safety. Of Comfort. A sure place. Home is where the Father would see us in the distance and Run to us. Home!!! We are longed for at Home.

Jesus told us in John 14, He is going Home to prepare a place for us to be with Jesus.

Jesus told us in Ephesians 2 families live in Heaven. Families. Home is a glimpse of Heaven. God prepares us.

God tells us Heaven is 12 Open Gates. And when we rejoice with Jesus as Father God is seen healing us all - as in the Scriptures - as in a Living, Working God - We are Home.







Father God,

We rejoice in You for the Blessings You give us. Help us to Live with grateful hearts.

For ourselves, to encourage those we love. To bless the communities of the people You have given us. To enjoy the Good You have Provided. To prepare ourselves to be active even in Heaven as Heavenly feasts continue. To remember the Holy Days of Harvests Gathered. To Rejoice You would run to us.

To Love. We cover our Nation and the World with the Love You have for us in Jesus Christ.

Amen in Jesus.

Revelation 1

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.

14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying,
“Fear not,
I am the first and the last, 
and the living one.
I died, and behold I am alive forevermore"

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

1 John 4 ~ Dear

Cute enough for the little ones, not so appealing at age 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and on.

1 John 4

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.

This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.


Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

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. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen (John tells us he is an actual eyewitness) and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.


16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.

Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.

20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister







So - this love business and the anti-love advice - What's it good for?


If you say to someone 'Eschatology' - we realize there is a level of worry in all readers to the news publications and newscasts. We are in uncharted waters of invention and time and space. No toga here. The absolute giggling relief of the population - thinking about Halloween candy fear is just about completely unjustified. And Ted Bundy. And red moons. And porn is the ruin of the internet. Except the statistics also reflect prayer and Bible verses are extremely sought after on the internet.

Do we talk about the weather? Na, we talk about the World Wide Wrestling event in the NFL. We talk about politics delicately at first and then with the zeal, fervor and tact of the 1st century Romans. I tell you what - win, lose or draw - President Trump is built for the backlash like a triple decker nuclear safety facility. I hope Barron, his son, has the same backbone. This is bravery to face this. Absolute sheer bravery. You don't have to like Donald Trump to see the bravery.




So Boston, recently, with 25-40,000 rally-ers  has caused Martin Luther, Jr. to cheer in Heaven!!! His dream is Alive.

Where are we - we have a national past time telling each other how deeply flawed and off track and sad the world is today. Good News - according to the Bible - God still has ownership of His Creation.

We are a nation looking at the times at hand. Continually. I was at the grocery store during the election and a Rapper was at the Pavilion with 70,000 ticket holders listening to him. (I heard on the microphones outside the Pavilion.) As he closed, he thanked the audience for their time, their money and his joy in performing and looking forward to each event like a child. His career, he related, is possible because the people want to pay their hard worked dollars to come to hear him. His Joy. Profound Joy for their interest. He went on to say - he wished the Presidential Candidates - this was during the election - would apologize for the absolute garbage they all put on the American people hoping their Government does right. The Crowd Stood and Cheered him for 10 minutes non-stop.

We are united!!! We want the people who lead the enforcing the Law to be good.







What does this have to do with the passage.

I have two neighbor stories to tell you. We had a quiet time in our loud neighborhood. All the kids grew up and moved away to be adults.

We got our first new neighbor in a long time. In her 30's, she moved in and ripped out everything. The house had been quite lovely before. And she snarled. Her face looked snarled up every time I saw her. I wondered what we would do with millenniums coming up in the world. Hey, now that's a sad commentary on the way we all say "millenniums." I struggled to speak to her pleasantly and she always acted as if she had dog poop on her shoe. Asked a few of our old neighbors, got vague back.

And like Joel Olsteen said, "God Blesses you, you drive down the street and BEHOLD - your neighbor has a FOR SALE SIGN!!!" (I like Joel Olsteen - my friend Michele offices across the street from him and his Church 'Routinely" floods from small rains. Put up job - cough, cough. (If you don't like Joel Olsteen - well, ok, you deal with that.)

So, the scowler moved. And the other new neighbor literally did a dance. Hands in the air and body moving down the road. She lived closer to her than I. And my mouth fell open and she said, "According to the departed, Houston is horrible, our neighborhood is horrid, the weather is horrible, the people here are horrid, our schools are horrible and she is leaving!!!!!"

ARRIVAL - we got 5 new millennial families and their kids and the neighborhood has flocks of smiling children, smiling moms, sidewalk chalk, toys looking like Nemo, Cars and Monsters Inc. and all are amazingly, amazingly, smiley, happy and FUN. Millennials - whatcha gonna do with 'em!!!



Now I told you that story, to tell you this story.

We have a man neighbor, for many years living here, who is impeccable. He is dignified, handsome and is always accompanied by his child. He speaks to his child as a very, very accomplished parent. Except, he can be tightly impatient with flaws. He deals with the passerby with complete disdain. He sneers. His face contorts. And it is - Hurtful. I ran into him a dozen times and he is most pleased I do not acknowledge him or his child, now. One day, a woman who was in her 40's, passed him and spoke. He gave her exactly what he gave me. I saw this woman looked shocked and gathered power in her face to possibly, really weep tears. He saw this, the child saw this and I saw this. She was in an audience of 4. She was now dead even with him on the walk. I said to her, "Don't worry about a thing! He does not SPEAK." What?  "Do not allow this to bother. Disregard. He does not SPEAK." Sunshine.

The man was most displeased. SCORE...!!!






So  - what will we do with this information?

We are not going to let the Scriptures pass us by. Yada yada love yada yada yada. No - hold on wait. Hear with the ears of your heart. Ok, we know the 'old phrases'. People. People. People. Who told us there is - yesterday, today and tomorrow - wheat/chaff? Chaff is the silt getting in the way of producing food - nourishment and nutrients. Chaff is SO Annoying - it blows in the way. BLOW IT OFF.


Jesus was not kidding. Let the dead bury their dead. Why... in the world... do you think the world is fixated on... Zombies?  Yep.







Now listen, Agggggggies I have another Story to tell you. Listen UP, AGGGIESSSS.

A man had a daughter. He spoke to her endlessly. He was fun, funny, genius. He sparkled. He cooked. He told jokes. He made meaningful stories. He was a rolling ball of entertainment. He loved to have parties and people. Boats, photography, antique cars. Model making of rolling objects. He made dueling pistols and carved the handles. He had loads of fun every week. Life was a party.

Until. The Passerbys wanted his polite attention. Then he could be the Iceberg of the Titanic. This was not on his planned agenda. Who was 'this person'? The child was embarrassed. I know - I was this child.

My father loved Jesus. When Jesus was convenient. He disliked Church - the people were so - so - so - perfect. Chilly. (Chilly? The things people point out.)




On New Year's Eve day - I walked into our acreage home with attached garage, as a 5th grader, and found we were being robbed by 15-25 very tall motorcycle team males. Taken: food, alcohol, alcohol, alcohol, all the contents of the freezer and probably, according to Police - just about anything else until they were interrupted by a child.

Coincidence. The man who is the cold neighbor (above story) was robbed for a week as he and his family were out of town for a week. Coincidence. Both neighborhoods are just about crime free. I was told in later years by a friend of a friend that my father was robbed because he was cold. Another neighbor, robbed, is routinely cold to his clients and after being robbed for 6 hours of robbery shopping - he said he knew it was his client. (Because a client had threatened him with this.)

This didn't work out very well for O.J.

The people who bother you - probably - bother others. Sadly, my father - whom I adore to this day avidly - did not end well. We are all - all of on this planet - building ... somewhere.





What would Jesus do?

Jesus - when He returned and defeated Death itself - Jesus is not recorded whining about what went on in Caiaphas' Temple. Jesus didn't go out to lunch and explain how Caiaphas was all messed up and troubled. Jesus forgave Caiaphas and moved on. Jesus let the dead bury their dead.

God is in charge. When His Son died - The Holy of Holy was revealed - the Curtain couldn't tear and yet the Curtain did tear. The floor of the Temple split open. A very - vast - statement when you consider the height of the foundation Herod had built. This is a God Sized Statement. Caiaphas had a very, very nice sarcophagus. Archaeology has found Caiaphas' tomb, sarcophagus and ruins of home. The dead were indeed left to bury their dead. God is in charge. Interestingly, there was more intact of Caiaphas forgiven than the building of the Temple.



Now what are you going to do not to bitter up? Jesus left us words He has spoken.


What's the response. Well, upon thinking about this - the response is this:

1, This is a perpetual, generations long opportunity to see the Word of God. Jesus fully and completely and by example and by worded advice - routinely faced. (The old phrases have a lot of meaning - when we are looking at them with fresh eyes, heart and soul.)

2. The Light is not overcome by the darkness.

3. Not bitter up. Not join up.

4. A Sure Defense = Prayer!!! Jesus has assured us - we have access to our Father. This Prayer is going straight past the 12 open Pearl Gates of Heaven right to Our Father:







Abba, Abba, Abba,

I am Your Child. Beloved of God.

Consider the one who has offended me:

Be kind to your fair feathered friends
for a duck may be somebody’s mother (father)
Be kind to your friends in the swamp,
where the weather is very damp.
You may think that this is the end.
Well - we pray.

Especially in October,
Dear Father,
From Ghoulies and Ghosties and Long Legged Beasties
From things that go bump in the night,
Good Father deliver us!!!

Our Father,
Who is in Heaven,
Holy is Your Name.
Jesus above All Names.

Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will on earth as in Heaven, we pray.
Give us this Day.
Our daily Living Bread Jesus.

Forgive me my sins,
as I forgive others who sin against me.

Lead me not into temptation,
Deliver me from evil.

Because as John bears eyewitness,
Thine is the Kingdom,
the Power
and the Glory.

We take the offender and place them in Your Loving arms.
In the name of Jesus, we gird up their loins with Truth, putting on the breastplate of Righteousness.
The helmet of Salvation. The sword of the Spirit - the Word of God. The shield of Faith. Clothing their feet in the Gospel of Peace. Praying trouble down and God's Love up.

Forever and ever in the Name of Jesus -
please cover the ones I love,
the people You've given me, increasing the Holy Spirit in our
Churches, cities, states, to the Nation and the world.
Covering us with Jesus, our Wonderful Jesus.
Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †