Daniel 1 : 5-13 ~ So he listened to them in this matter

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Daniel 1 : 5-13

They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
Daniel's Faithfulness

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king." 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 "Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see."


 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.



In many ways - we are Daniel in our own lives. Using our experiences to do the challenges our lives present.

Daniel had ideas on his own life.

We learn as we listen.







We are living in a unique time. Something new to the earth and the history.

My grandmother's life began in 1898 and she and her six brothers and six daughters rode in two covered wagons to see grandparents. And Grandmother saw the landing on the moon with real joy. Mother saw the polio vaccine steady the planet and parents watching over children. I saw the internet in the early nineties unfold a story about Cardinal songbirds and the time to load up was 30 minutes. I said call me when the water warms up. And my children explained video games and computers to me that we use effortlessly now.



Something New. The Donny Doberman says a lot about today's college indebted for 30 years generation. They don't count on company retirement. They are unsure of our government systems. They don't know if they will marry. And children? 







Christianity has been changing since the end, or the duration, of World War II. Where the liturgy was just read and at the end of the war people said well, we survived and that ol' liturgy didn't help much. Leaving the congregations to be older people today.

Bringing us... To Evangelism Today !!!


Myself included, We get into Bible Studies and we do just like this post, complain the good old days are gone. We judge ex-Presidents on their souls - like we are informed. We expect us all to pony up to one opinion.

And... the result is evangelism of the newbies - has them exiting as soon as they can find people who want to know them as they are.

We aren't told that they are worried to death the spouse is an alcoholic porn watcher.
We aren't told the child is flunked out of 4 universities and likes cocaine with a pot chaser.

We aren't told that they are worried to death the spouse is an alcoholic porn watcher.
We aren't told the child is flunked out of 4 universities and likes cocaine with a pot chaser.

We aren't usually told the child has a prison record.
We can't share if there is a new car - the tithe machine might happen.

We can't say too much about cancer. It's depressing.
We don't share the child is mentally ill.

 We don't hear - kids are living with their significant other. And now, we say that and don't say, "Let's pray they get married."

We can't say the child is in-debt for college and will never own a home.

We can't say that the medical bills are eating us alive and bankruptcy is the largest case for medical bills.

Will we help someone at Church get a job? What if they bring in a host of tell the others who I really am stories.









I'm dealing with a mother who is in dementia and a husband with a terminal diagnosis of 3 damages brain lobes - with stories of my ability that could go on and on - he is 6/4" and is sometimes angry and a lot of cussing and cussing. Edward is my beloved one who houses the soul of Edward.  Even when all day there is not a kind word. And yet, if you ask for support and don't talk too much - Edward is loving. And now on loan to me. Edward worked harder for my mom to go home from the hospital than anyone expects of a spouse.

We have learned not to engage into a culture of "I Am Over You." That is sheer death in bringing the culture into Christ sharing times.







What the HECK IS EVANGELISM???

It is when you and I say, "I'm going to pray for you." And if they are delighted, you say "Let's pray Now." And generally you are going to get - "Please!"

What the Heck is EVANGELISM?

SO GLAD YOU ASKED, It's when your Grandmother says when the Uncle is a r a t - that she "is Never Going To Stop Praying for MY SON !!!" And unlike Eli and Samuel - My Grandmother got results when the R A T was in his 70s and Jesus told his heart "I Love You." And a heck of a lot of the trauma there - was solved.


My favorite Bible Study on the Planet is Bill Hybels' "Just Walk Across the Room." We give back our gratitude to God - who gives us Eternity. And we explain "I love Jesus because of ..."

No one can doubt our life lessons - our experiences

1. My eyes have seen Salvation. And no one is going to personally debunk my real dreams of seeing Heaven like Isaiah - but God had stepped out of the room - I am not Isaiah. Where I was asked to "sell chairs" and now realize these are Heaven's seats.

2. My eyes have seen the down fall of the wicked. Yes. I am in my 50s and see bad habits have shown me real and spiritual death. Living Parables.

3. My eyes have seen God goes before me. My Bible and my Church Going have taught me - I depend on God for my strength and my joy and my delight and my security and HE WILL. People - even the ones we love - come and go - but God beckons us to live in Love forever.



What is Salvation?

A Work of God the Father. Learning to single out one person you love. Salvation comes from love. When the heart is open. Surely pray for many. But we live in this Generation.


What is Evangelism?

We live in a world where God said this about this generation...

"I will put my covenant in their hearts to know I am God." Jesus says that the Light of God shines in all of mankind. If you talk down to someone who has opinions about God - you are shutting down the fact that the Body of Christ has many talents and functions and ideas.

Evangelism is LISTENING. And this is gentle. We find a thought of scripture and we share not a herd of cattle but one pearl. Because the Truth is - God Saves. We do one thing - WE PRAY.

What Works.
Studying Prayer. People are comfortable to pray for others.
Time spent in Prayer works.
When we study the Bible and we pray for the needs of people we all collectively know - we are doing the meeting and praying Jesus asks.

We have to listen to each Person's unique soul tells their Unique Father God Creator.

John the Disciple wandered around, like you and me, saying "What?"

And in the decades passing, he realized he did really well to support Jesus to the very end. Because John knew something we need to Sing Daily in our Hearts.

GOD IS LOVE.

And when we love GOD. We are seen as righteous in the Eyes of God.

And that ... is where we want to be. Eternally today the gates of Heaven are open to us in Prayer.
The very seat of Father God is available to us in Jesus.




Father God,

All sparrows are known to You. Every single one. Because in Your unlimited Creation and Ideas and Solutions and LOVE. You love all of Creation.

And just like the Doberman in the video - each Child of God relates and reacts to You in exactly the way a Vast God reacts to us.

You are the God of Love.

Unfurl and surround, uphold and uplift each loved one we have. Each prayer request we know. The desire of the Nation of  extreme worriers now. Bless the voting to Bless Your Name and Your Heaven.

We need You, We expect You, We will see You.  Thank You for Your Work. Amen Amen Amen
Alleluia Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

1 Corinthians 4:1-6 ~ Regard the Lord

1 Corinthians 4:1-6

 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. 

It is the Lord who judges me. 
Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written

Who wrote 1 Corinthians 4?

Well, a very young copy of the entire Chapter of 1 Corinthians 4 is found from the late 1st or early 2nd A.D - intact at the University of Michigan. And no one disputes 1 Corinthian 4 was written by Paul.

Christian doctrine accepted in the Bible fits together. We might explain Year A, B or C or perhaps Year 1,2 or 3. Yet the Ideas and Words of God flow. We are all going to the same Banquet of God in Heaven.

If we wander down the Road of Wonder...
we could say Timothy - in later years  -would advise later-in-life loved ones  with 1 Corinthians 4

Timothy was given to in his youth:

Timothy 4:12 
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, 
but rather
in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.


The two principals flow.

Life - is flowing. Pushing us on in God's Plan. We are sorting fiercely in just about all we do.

Some people say the Scriptures are very harsh. Terrible.

And others are pushed out by life rushing them by - other things are more pleasing than listening to "The Good Word."

This is true when we approach Scripture feeling not very loved or nourished by Father God.

We have assailed ourselves with doubts of our self esteem - our worth - in Father God's Eyes, Mind and Heart. This is all of us.

Paul said Fight the Good Fight. Realize how astonishing God truly is. God placed His only Son in His Creation just as wealth swept rural Israel. Foreign Culture. The Jews were mocked and attacked in their own Proud Nation by money. BIG, BIG MONEY. The World would not see this prosperity again until the Renaissance was well, well past first bloom 16th Century.

Mary well understood culture and class and religion and ideas and modernization - war on earth.

If we allow one Scripture to be all our Scripture - we are limited. We have to stand on the Foundation of Jesus.

Jesus is the Light of the world. Jesus is the Light of mankind.

All things are made of Jesus Christ.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Our God is the fire in us - not consuming. Our Light. The Image of God Himself, our Father dwells within.


1 Corinthians 6:11
You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

John 1

12 To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, 
he gave the right to become children of God,
 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, 
but of God.

How did we go from being Born and Blessed of God to Fighting the Good Fight.

The path, and the birds came pecking and eating.

The path was rocky without deep refreshing soil to grow and nourish into.

The Glory of day, turned to be brilliantly about moi..

Others crowded out the Light. Shallow, scorching, withering.

Continue traveling with Love and the Light - a hundred, sixty or thirty times Hope what was sown.



To hear the Word of God in all it's Glory
we must realize

How Very Precious we are to God.

A Loving Father provides lessons on maturity and growth. Assuring us of His Complete Love. He tells us about David doing all he could and finding Mercy. Needed Mercy. Telling us of trial and failure. The Glory of Hope to try again.

Some of the lessons will be for us. Some will be stored to remember in later days.

And in our ability to Learn Father God.s Mercy  and Wisdom , we sort the Living Word of God to apply the right part of the path and the seeds to our day.  Allowing the Word of God to dwell in our Eternal Richly.

Realizing we are on all different steps in the path of life going back and forth. Allowing God's Living Water to rush past to reveal what God is giving us yesterday, today and tomorrow. Letting the Wisdom of God help us learn our own comfort and the comfort we must provide others to make life meaningful and worthy with the Riches of His Goodness.

Our doubts worry us.

Our Father, our Abba,

Each day we seek Your Blessing.

Help us to remember the truthful Word of God. The forward of Life, the fail, the re-group, the Victory of God.

Remembering the Prodigal Father had Joy.

And we place the ones we love in Your Hand and Love.

Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God
and the exact imprint of His nature,
and He upholds the universe by the Word of His Power

We will rest with trust in our prayer requests. God is God.

And for all our prayers, we Rest in Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Isaiah 49:15-16 ~ engraved on the palms of His Hands

Isaiah 49:15-16

 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet 
I will not forget you."

 "Behold, 
I  have engraved you on the palms of my hands"




John 10:29
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

Isaiah 41:13-14
For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand;
 it is I who say to you, 
“Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Isaiah 48:13
My hand laid the foundation of the earth, 
and my right hand spread out the heavens; 
when I call 
to them,
 they stand forth together.

1 Peter 1:5
Who by God's power 
are being guarded through faith 
for a salvation 
ready to be revealed 
in the last time.

John 10:28
I give them eternal life,
they will never perish, 
and no one will snatch them out of my hand.


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.

Matthew 28:20 
Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 
And behold, 
I am with you always, to the end of the age.

In Loving Remembrance 

Isabelle Claire Gardere

September 23, 2008

Romans 14:17

For the Kingdom of God is

of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

Matthew 6:21 
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also

Joshua 1:9
The Lord your God 
is with you 
wherever you go

Abba, Father God,

Where You are, the Great I Am, we will dwell and have our Joy with You Forever in Jesus Christ.

I have seen my loved one smile as Joy unbelievable in the sleep in death

We do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.

We Believe Jesus died and Lives

And so we Believe God will bring with Jesus.

So many people are told misfortune, life, death and grief end our lives.
No. We have the sweetest of all expectation in the Fulfillment of God's Word.

For the Lord himself will come down from Heaven,
with a loud command,
with the voice of the archangel
and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

... for this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

We pray of the riches of His glory
He may strengthen us with power
through His Spirit in our inner being.

Covering us in Jesus. Our Loved ones. The People He has given us.
Our Nation trusting in Him.
The Nations of the world trusting in Jesus.
And His Children
covering His earth
with their prayers of more
Heaven on earth.

In Jesus we ask. And will have our Joy
and Blessings each day Renew.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Luke 2:48-51 ~ He went with them

Luke 2:48-51

49 And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 

50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 

51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. 

And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

Jesus Later Life -

Jesus wanted and planned to live over on the other side of Mt. Tabor - right beside the Sea of Galilee - the life of Jesus shows us. We saw the Valley of Jezreel in yesterday's photo. And we learn of the walk Jesus went on to Nain, so really, Jesus stayed in the neighborhood.

Jesus and His Childhood Years

Mary and Joseph seemed pretty convinced regular life and ordinary life is going on. Jesus tells us Life is a test of our soul's fiber. Their usual life is our regular life and - - - yet - God has a different idea and is pointing us in His Direction.

If we want a small taste of the life of Jesus before His Ministry - we, yes, read the early life of Jesus in the Gospels. And - an important and - you may read Luke 1:44-55 and see many of Mary's lifelong viewpoints. With Scripture being real, honest and true - you will find the family lived together for decades - the viewpoints are so similar in the Books of James and Jude - both follow Luke 1:44-55. Indeed, indeed, indeed Jesus, James and Jude were children of Mary.

The Book of James
Jude

 1800s Vintage photo of Nazareth - didn't really change for millenniums.

 Interior of a typical house.

Families added on and lived in Family.

 Most homes would have a sheepfold - a place the sheep slept.

Typical Kitchen for the time in Nazareth.

Abba, Father God,

We welcome Your Blessing. Come, please, and find our heart, soul and mind open to You. Bless us with Jesus Christ, Your Son's Love, Joy, Peace and Salvation.

Find the words of my mouths and the thoughts of my heart to be pleasing to You, I pray. You are welcome in all aspects of me. Come to my eternal being and bless my life to be in the Joy of You. Let me Live and move and have my being finding You load us with Blessings daily.

Bless our homes. May our homes be places of Love and encouragement. May this dwelling bless all the family living here and living in our heart and mind. As we have our family memories, encourage our soul to remember the days of warm blessing. We ask this Blessing to be carried in our Nation. Trusting in You.

We pray for our cares to held as You'd want us to do. Knowing the Comfort of Your Holy Spirit to guide our lives. And know the homes and cares of Your Children all over the world carry the prayer of Bringing More Heaven to earth - in The Holy Spirit.

Thanksgiving for our answered prayers of health in our family and healing we are asked to pray for.

The Blessing of Jesus is ours. Amen and Amen and Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Ephesians 1 ~ He chose us

Ephesians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

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, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.



15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Verse 15 to 21 is One Entire Sentence.

Why? Paul is completely taken up with the Extraordinary Plan of Jesus Christ.

Paul has a lot of insight.

Paul says his generation is the first to Hope in Christ to the Praise of His Glory.

Verse 15 to 21 is the most heartwarming run on sentence in the History of All Things.
As Paul considers the amazing blessing of being given Life Forever - Paul is recorded in every and all of his Books - to show so much love for the people he explains Jesus. This Love spills out and Paul just has to testify and raise his voice to explain how lavish is God's Love for the people He has named and called His Children. Everything Paul touches to explain - dissolves into Love.

Paul loves the people in front of the Unknown God Statue.

Paul loves Priscilla and Aquila as they make tents and speak of Jesus.

Paul loves Titus. Paul loves the people he prays for. Paul calls Timothy his son.

And all this Love is for the Praise of God's Glory. Paul says he has learned to be happy in good circumstances and bad situations. Paul anticipates today will have Blessings. Paul is certain in God good circumstances will be seen again. Paul wrote this suffering will not compare to the Glory to arrive. Paul can remember overcoming shipwrecks and bitten by snakes and Lived to Enjoy Overcoming.

When you talk to Christians, they smile about uncertain circumstances because we agree there is more Hidden Goodness than any of us anticipated. We have Hope. And this is a little of being blessed in the misfortunes we all gasp to think might land upon us in the Beatitudes. Rarely does someone say, "And the Blessings of the Beatitudes Be Upon You!" Jesus is not recorded as having said that. Thank God.

Jesus always, as God, says something more rich and enduring. Forgiveness, Healing and Heaven have Arrived!!! We are reassured knowing Jesus knew where every single person was He set out to find.
In being Zacchaeus, we Know Jesus Knows right where we are. Today.




We are able to give God a gift He has not given us.
We can be slow speaking, quick hearing and slow down when in anger. Meek. Solomon had another word for this - "Wise". We can be Merciful. And obtain many more pathways leading to the fulfillment of being with Father God. We can be Merciful and show our gratitude to what and whom God has given us. Gratitude. Peacemakers are assured they will see Father God - assuring us this - Peacemakers are Children of God and Therefore Invited Before God Himself. His Written Word has issued the invitation to - you.

Father God,
Cover us in all weathers and all seasons, that we will grow in Hope, Faith and Love.
In Your Goodness, Righteousness and Mercy. We will rejoice as we see prayers answered.
Knowing with gratitude, these Gifts come from Your Love. Thank You, Father God and Your Son, Jesus.

We are still praying for rain on the West Coast and for help in North Carolina and the Hurricane Recovery.

We give all our cares to You and say Your Will is Good for our lives. 
Praying and being glad for my dog's ear infection recovery and for Jackson.
Praying for Edward who has not felt well.

We trust in You and fling ourselves, 
the ones we love, 
the people You give us and this Nation in Your Goodness. 

The Nations trusting in You
and More Heaven on earth as the Children of God cover 
His creation in expectant Prayer.

Amen in Jesus.

Jezreel Valley, Israel

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †