Luke 1:39-45 ~ Leaped for Joy

Luke 1:39-45

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."


The Scriptures proclaim the Scriptures:


1 Timothy 3

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.



We are all certainly assured listening to podcasts and news report - we will never fix things.

And what we face with our core beliefs encouraged by the Light of the World in those around us - is - the mystery of godliness.

There are moments in every day
There are moments in the mystery of life
There are times of being downcast
There are times of facing real trouble life gives
There are times when the Door Opens
and we are given a real hope we are willing to believe and be warm and encouraged ~

Suddenly we are that father and his son in front of Jesus
and We BELIEVE

God and His Promises

And all of Heaven backs up our core beliefs in us.


We all know the Biblical phrase 'entertained angels unaware' as Abraham did.

And we, the Beloved of God, are fully capable of creating this Gate of Heaven opening.

Philippians 2

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

The Light of God continues to shine.

And not in Heavenly eyes alone -

The Words we Encourage each other with when we have the heart.



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


What God has Given us. And Jesus has told us in John 14, 15 and 16 - find life Joy.

The Work God gives us is to Believe. We daily provide and find the Joy. Light Bringers.

Father God,

We ask Jesus to dwell in us richly as we voyage in life and prayer.

Cover us with the Love and Name of Jesus to be pure in heart as we seek Jesus. We place our hearts and hopes before You, Father God.

We will take heart and draw very, very close to You and find all the Joy around us.

With true hearts open to You, we lift to You our cares, knowing how deep and how wide Your love for us. We lift up our loved ones to Your Good Care and Diligent, Steadfast Love. Wide, high, enduring true - Jesus Love.

Praying for Cal on his long camping trip. Safety and Love on the long walk.

Knowing our prayers join others and You are pleased. We bless You for Jesus and His Salvation of Mercy for us.

In Jesus. Amen.

Joy in the Journey of Life. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Mark 1:16-20 ~ And immediately He called them +

Mark 1:16-20

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

We always think the most pervasive style is knock on doors and tell about Jesus.

Jesus did, right?

Not exactly. Father God sent the Heavenly Host when Jesus was born to tell the Shepherds. He wanted the world to be convinced His Only Son, Jesus Christ, is born.

When Jesus began His ministry - God did about the same thing. All of Capernaum 2-3 thousand people knew the multitudes had seen a miracle. The blind - were seeing. The deaf - hearing. The lame - walking. Everyone knew this wasn't in the Bible. Except surrounding the Messiah.

When Jesus went to Simon and Andrew, James and John - consider this too -

Peter was married - he probably had a child or two to support. He had his mother-in-law to support. Zebedee is known to have contributed a pillar to the Synagogue - named after his sons.




Like us, Peter, Andrew, James and John - were real people. With real lives. Real families. Jobs. Peter's house in Capernaum, was the largest. Had a wonderful view of the Sea of Galilee and left plaster walls. For the people visiting Peter's home for the next 400 years to write Praise and leave a message of faith - we can see today.

How were these people going to fling down their jobs - to go with Jesus? Like the answering Heavenly Host for the birth announcement and the miracles to announce the Messiah - God had made the Jewish Homes into family communities. We see this as Peter's mother-in-law is healed. God had created a path for the families to have homes and food. And God had arranged for Jesus to be an utter jaw-dropping event. These men were not reluctant to go - instead - they were flinging down nets and going with Jesus.

Eugene Burnard painted Peter and John going to the Tomb - couldn't it be just as easily - their hurry to accept Jesus and see the Messiah of God first hand? Andrew and Philip already knew and had told Peter - Jesus is the Messiah.


1. God made the Path.
2. The Path was/is the Plan.
3. God furnished the desire to be part of the Plan/Path.

And there we have evangelism.

Not asking you to be something you are not gifted and not talented to do.

God saying to you His Child - what do you want to do? Can you do that? God is polite. He rarely enters our lives like Mary, Daughter of Heli, wife of Joseph and Mother to Jesus, James, Jude, Joses, Simon and Jesus' Sisters. And even when Mary had Gabriel appear - God had given her the cliff notes from observing Cousin Zechariah. (Zechariah being a Priest had all the papyrus he needed on the mercy of God and the horns of the altar.)

St. Augustine said - if you are given 5 people in your life and you do all you can to be the Light of Christ to these people given to you by God - feel your mission is accomplished.



Visa asks us what is in your wallet?

There was a gigantic Florida insurance company - founded on the idea of one man who was given the Midas touch - to give to Father God. Which he did all his life. In leaps and bounds -  not something to be dismissed lightly.

Father God would say what is in your heart and has your gifts?

Are you an uber? A friend. A grandparent. One of my most favorite people on this earth, given to me, was saved by his grandmother insisting study Jesus until he would Love Jesus. She sent him to Confirmation. She said she wouldn't go to Heaven without her grandson. I can tell you, because I was there the day this man passed to Heaven, that call to know Jesus held all kinds of water. Living water.

We should have a response in our heart ready - - -  for the teachable moments.

Billy Graham used to hold up one candle in a stadium and show the Light of Christ is easily seen. Lives changed forever. This Light of God continues in our lives today. We who Love Jesus have Jesus in us ready and willing as called.

Using the gifts God has given us, to make Jesus known.



Abba,

Emmanuel God with us. We have seen a Great Light.

Jesus gathered His Disciples who had seen His miracles for the Blind, the Deaf, the Lame and the Leper. Jesus' first Sunday all of Capernaum came to Hear Jesus. Archaeology tells us Capernaum was 2,000 people. Jesus did not just feed the 5,000, Millenniums of Believers have been fed.

Our King of Kings has arrived.

We ask You fill us, the people we Love. Knowing when Your Plan calls us Home - we want to be greeted by our Father. The Prodigal returns to Father God. As Elizabeth greeted the infant Jesus. Our Joy is in Your Love. Your Love saves us all. Your Good Will and Word. Your Promises eternally.


Gratitude and Love in our soul feeding our hearts, body and mind each day.

Great Thanks for the joy of Summer and need for rain conquered and healed.

We are new each day to carry us into all hope and expectation. The Light of Christ within us to bring us His Joy.

Jesus is Lord of All. Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Luke 19:1-10 ~ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

There is a tree in Jericho, preliminary tests say is many, many centuries old. Like the Abraham Oaks of Mamre, the Oak tree was re-seeded and re-planted. Some say this Sycamore tree is that important 2 millennium mark. Others - not so sure.

Luke 19:1-10

He entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”

6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 

8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 

9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

[Verse 1.The way Jesus did things - echoes of many, many Scriptures - Jericho is beautiful and just like the Children of Israel - The Exodus - Jesus will pass through Jericho. Jesus is about to give Zacchaeus an Exodus from only hopes.]




Zacchaeus is a Study - Faith in Reality - A Beginning.

Zacchaeus' goal - Zacchaeus wanted to be seen by Jesus. 
He sat up there - in faith.
Zacchaeus was seeing his huge hope - a faith - realized. 
The vast blessings of Jesus were becoming - his!
Zacchaeus was investing his life - to Jesus. 
Zacchaeus then was surrendering himself to the goal of being an Ambassador for Jesus.
Zacchaeus was going to have to be honest about his flaws.

Zacchaeus had detractors and grumblers - what we call problems.




 

Professor Eilat Mazar found David's Palace by reading Scripture and applying knowledge to her archaeology. Photo is of Jerusalem and David's view from 100 years ago in Jerusalem.

David is a Study - Faith in Reality - of Life. 

David spent 22 years waiting to come in to a portion of His anointing. Then it appeared Saul's concubine's son would be king. David was a soldier, a mercenary. David waited and waited. He was driven to distraction with delay. Not denial.

David is a study to us of waiting - and the results of sin.   David had detractors and grumblers - what we call problems.

David faced his Ambassadorship for God as well, at the end of his life. David saw his inconsistencies - with faith in God. Mighty David was going to have to be honest about his flaws.

2 Samuel 23

Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2 "The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; His Word is on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God,

4 He dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth

5 "For does not my House stand so with God?
For He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will He not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?

6 But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand;
7 but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire."



David was in awe of God. Always considering the compassion of God. David understood the exact nature of Jesus.

Hebrews 7:25
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.



Father God, we get to live having faith. According to our faith - we are allowed to pick how many blessings we will lean upon You to fulfill. All things are possible with God.

Jesus our Lord, open hearts. Expand our soul for You to fill. Be the Light in our lives. Be Salvation to our House. Help us today to realize the Joy You have put in today. To be grateful - open our mind to the blessings You provide Today.

The Vast Blessing - to You - we are all transparent - and You choose as Your response - to Love and save us as we call upon You in Faith. Amazing Grace - You bring Forth. 

We are all God Opportunities.

Father God! In Jesus Christ the Lord!  Amen!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Ezra 7:27-28, 8:21-36 ~ Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart

3D Tilt and Modify Van Gogh

Ezra 7:27-28

27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, 28 and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.


Ezra 8:21-36


21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen with them. 25 And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king and his counselors and his lords and all Israel there present had offered. 26 I weighed out into their hand 650 talents [75 pounds or 34 kilograms] of silver, and silver vessels worth 200 talents, and 100 talents of gold, 27 20 bowls of gold worth 1,000 darics, [coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams] and two vessels of fine bright bronze as precious as gold. 28 And I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy, and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers. 29 Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of fathers' houses in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the Lord.” 30 So the priests and the Levites took over the weight of the silver and the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.

31 Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes by the way. 32 We came to Jerusalem, and there we remained three days. 33 On the fourth day, within the house of our God, the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed into the hands of Meremoth the priest, son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas, and with them were the Levites, Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui. 34 The whole was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded.

35 At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 36 They also delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps [Persian official] and to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and they aided the people and the house of God.

What happens when Slavery and Babylonian Exile is Over?

You have to applaud the truth in the Scriptures. Not a golden fable where everything is always clear to people trying to live God's will. God's favored people have been freed from slavery, an amazing, rare thing. Not easy grace; God's children have experienced slavery first hand. Like Egypt, the children of Israel are leaving not just with the clothes on their backs, but laden with all types of riches. An amazing king, giving treasure and working God's plan. For the King, which came first? God's blessings to him, or his willingness to bless God?

This band of newly freed men don't rush to ask for Darius' willing protection, but immediately wonder, worry, if God will protect them. They worry for themselves, they worry for God's honor in their words, they worry about their witness. This anxiety is far from displeasing God.

In this glorious time, is it any wonder the Temple of the Living God would be built?

God says:

“The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.”


Isaiah 49:23b
you will know that I am the Lord;
those who wait for me shall not be put to shame

John 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 2:19
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."


John 14:13-18
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7

Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.




God
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow


2 Thessalonians 2

13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.





Father God,
In Joy and Expectation of Your Blessings:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

In faith we say, Thank You Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Jeremiah 17:19-27 ~ forever

Jeremiah 17:19-27

19 Thus said the LORD to me: "Go and stand in the People's Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, 20 and say: 

'Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.

21 Thus says the LORD: 
Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. 

22 And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers. 23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction. 

24 "'But if you listen to me, declares the LORD,
 and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it,  25 then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings and princes who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 

And this city shall be inhabited forever. 26 And people shall come from the cities of Judah and the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country, and from the Negeb, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the LORD. 

27 But if you do not listen to me, to keep the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter by the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.'"


The Gate was open to all people. The People's Gate.

The concept of rest is foreign to us.

Jesus said the Sabbath is made for mankind. We should consider this.





Remember Genesis 1 and 2 - God had Eden to rest in. Or enjoy seeing.

We have all encountered being tired and unable to sleep. The other day I wanted to rest and knew I needed rest. No sleep was occurring.








I pictured a huge umbrella covering me and I thought of His Word lining the umbrella, "And on the 7th Day, God Rested." Suddenly I felt I had permission to rest. As if I had walked all day with Jesus ministering and we all decided to camp out and rest in the beauty of God's Creation.

Suddenly I felt very peaceful.

I remembered the Garden of Eden. And slept beautifully.

Burdens used to be carrying trade. Making a living. Burdens are still about our living. It's difficult to fuss and worry and then relax. If we are in constant 'go' mode, we are not taking advantage of the Rest God tells us of. The difficulty is we embrace Forging into the Great Upward Sweep of God's Adventure and Doing our Best. Like Abraham. Abraham and Sarah were determined to 'help' bring forth 'God's Plan."


God did not ask them for their 'assistance.'

Jesus says His burden is easy, come to Him and rest. To believe God is God and we will do what we need to do, letting God worry out all the details. In this capacity, we can do our needed requirements for life's work, but also do this in a relaxed manner. Believing in Jesus - problems will arrive and then go.

Evil wants us to be upset and believe God's Word isn't the People's Gate. We hold on to Jesus and we will Rest. Evil will insist that we do not deserve God's Grace. We are a special 'case.' All people fall short.



Believers know we hold on to Jesus. God is God.

We believe God's Grace is for us. We are God's Beloved.

We tell Father God and we have had Renewal

We have Nourished our Eternal Soul.
A Filled Soul has Joy. The Holy Spirit.
We have Rest and feel Rested - a Vacation. Better - Renewal.

A Time to tell God - Thank You.
To Let us Love Father God.
To Appreciate our Jesus as God.

Psalm 150:1-6
Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; 
praise him in his mighty heavens! 

Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! 

Abba,

We ask You for Your Blessings - knowing Your Love, so we ask. More Life, More Love.

We have seen someone we love today - we know Joy.

We have the Comfort You have put in our lives today - we know Peace.

We have Your Love - so we Know we have experienced Your Patience.

We have done something today for someone else - we know Kindness in ourselves and from someone else.

We see Goodness is others. We have Goodness in us to see this.

We take care of ourselves and breathe care for the Holy Spirit in us. Love ourselves. Faithfulness.

Love another as ourself - Faithfulness. Especially in Matrimony Vows. Honoring God in prayer. Faithfulness.

Gentleness - taking one more breath and considering before answering.

Self-Control is easier when we are Grateful for God and Today.

Knowing God's Law of Liberty - Worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth. Loving Abba. Loving Jesus. Loving the Holy Spirit.

We ask this for the ones we Love. For the people - You have given us. Asking Jesus to bring us closer, The Spirit gives Life, and in this Life , we are asking Jesus to provide more Heaven on earth. More Life for the people who call upon Jesus. For our Nation. For Peace.

In the Name of Jesus, Amen!

  

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †