Isaiah 25:1-9 ~ The LORD of Hosts will make for all †

 

Isaiah 25:1-9

1 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

2 For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigners' palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.

3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.

4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall, 5 like heat in a dry place. You subdue the noise of the foreigners; as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is put down.

6 On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will make for all peoples

 a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.

7 And He will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.

8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.

9 It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation." 

Psalm 71

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;

    let me never be put to shame!

2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

    incline your ear to me, and save me!

3 Be to me a rock of refuge,

    to which I may continually come;

you have given the command to save me,

    for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,

    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

5 For you, O Lord, are my hope,

    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;

    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.

My praise is continually of you.

7 I have been as a portent to many,

    but you are my strong refuge.

8 My mouth is filled with your praise,

    and with your glory all the day.

9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

    forsake me not when my strength is spent.

10 For my enemies speak concerning me;

    those who watch for my life consult together

11 and say, “God has forsaken him;

    pursue and seize him,

    for there is none to deliver him.”

12 O God, be not far from me;

    O my God, make haste to help me!

13 May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;

    with scorn and disgrace may they be covered

    who seek my hurt.

14 But I will hope continually

    and will praise you yet more and more.

15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

    of your deeds of salvation all the day,

    for their number is past my knowledge.

16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;

    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,

    and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

18 So even to old age and gray hairs,

    O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might to another generation,

    your power to all those to come.

19 Your righteousness, O God,

    reaches the high heavens.

You who have done great things,

    O God, who is like you?

20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities

    will revive me again;

from the depths of the earth

    you will bring me up again.

21 You will increase my greatness

    and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp

    for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to you with the lyre,

    O Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will shout for joy,

    when I sing praises to you;

    my soul also, which you have redeemed.

24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,

for they have been put to shame and disappointed

    who sought to do me hurt.

One of the reasons people didn't learn so much about Disciples, they didn't finish well

 - is the general perception. I had one of my family said this is the block in his faith. We don't discuss the Disciples finishing well. Lazarus finished well and his sisters Mary Magdalene and Martha. The Church histories in France of Lazarus and his sisters record their death in old age and their burial places with certainty. The Lord leaves a path of footprints filled with goodness and mercy all the days of their lives.

We wonder if people can live in redemption. 

Mary Magdalene surely and with great certainty did. The lives of the saints who surrounded Jesus isn't filled with stuffy and antiquity. These are vibrant people facing something larger than life, to encounter the Messiah and have seen His Wonders and Miracles. We want to see Jesus in their lives. And we do.

Mary Magdalene is the Poster Child of Redemption.

Many who followed Jesus did so because they had their own driven agenda

Yep. Simon the Zealot wasn't zealous for Good Friday. "Multitudes" of women showed up to stand with Jesus on Good Friday. And again, after Easter, still is the Good News in the 36 acres of the Temple.

Bartimaeus turned back to follow Jesus and, forever, the formerly blind man is known to have such heart, we see him. Today. Mary knew Judas and Simon the Zealot and many followed Jesus for the miracles and the bread.   Many followed Jesus to see if He would save Israel as physical Savior. And when Jesus failed to produce the miracle of political salvation, they were so very finished with Jesus in diabolical ways. Devious. With a kiss of death instead of love.

Mary Magdalene simply supported Jesus. 

She knew Love and Joy flowed from Jesus in His footsteps, goodness and mercy were His footprints. And followed Jesus.  Healing in all capacities. Except, perhaps, envy of Jesus. This would arrive later.  Mary simply provided Jesus as she could. A dinner, after a frank conversation, when Lazarus Lived. In her ability, she provided for Jesus, the Gospels tell us. And Jesus, in His Daily Choices, chose to visit Mary Magdalene first upon His Very First Return to Life.

Jesus brought a new Heaven and a new earth,

Jesus told the woman at the Samaritan well He is the Lord Messiah.

Jesus Christ, Son of God, chose Mary Magdalene first to visit.

Jesus accepted Mary Magdalene as a woman. A Child of God.

Consider Mary Magdalene, exactly compare to the widow with the coin.

 She gave within her means and with cheerfulness. She went and walked with Jesus. Mary appreciated His life and His Love and Joy. Mary Magdalene did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied herself from gain and her agenda by the form of Loving kindness, goodness and mercy. Walking humbly, obedient to the point of death even unto Good Friday.

1 Samuel 16:7

For the Lord sees not as man sees: 

man looks on the outward appearance,

but the Lord looks on the heart.

Mark 16:9

Now when Jesus 

was risen early 

the first day of the week, 

He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, 

out of whom He had cast seven devils.

Psalms 5:7

But I, by your great love, can come into your house; 

in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple.

Deuteronomy 7:9

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; 

He is the faithful God, 

keeping 

His covenant of Love 

to a thousand generations 

of those who love him 

and keep His Commandments.

Ezra 7:28

Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, 

I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me. 

Psalms 6:4

Turn, LORD, and deliver me; save me 

because 

of Your unfailing love. 

   

Ezra 9:9

Though we are slaves (in many aspects), 

our God has not forsaken us 

in our bondage. 

He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: 

He has granted us new life 

to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, 

and He has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem. 

Psalms 36:7

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!

 People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Abba, Father,

We pray this prayer for those we love,

we pray for ourselves,

we pray for this Nation,

and Your Good Creation.

The LORD of Hosts will make for all

Let my name be engraved upon Your hand. 

You are the Rock I stand upon forever. 

For I know that My Redeemer Lives! 

I place my life, my cares, my hope, the ones I Love into Your Hand. 

In Jesus. Amen.

Jesus creates a New Heaven and new earth

For All

and

Jesus the Lord apparently has a tender heart

for the women

in His Life

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus

1 John 5:14-15 ~ asked of Him

 Rain in the evening. Answered pray. The trees and wildlife rejoice. Change in Seasons. Rejoice.

1 John 5:14-15

 

And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His Will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.

Jesus is the Way maker,

John 1 points out He hears prayer

John 1 49

“Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 

50 Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you 

under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.”

Abba, Father,

Dwell in us,

Give us Your Blessing, we ask.

Let the Joy we have in You

be our Strength.

In Jesus, we want Your help to seek You first.

And we will finish well in Jesus Christ!

For my son Alexander to find employment locally.

For Cal, far away and his safe travel.

For my eye to continue to heal perfectly.

My ankles and feet are better

and to heal each day!

In this day, 

we will make Requests of Jesus.

In the Holy Name of Jesus,

We pray all those who have been

strengthened and encouraged

during the Pandemic

in their faith,

Will Remain in Your Joy and Love.

We Pray for this Nation

and the turbulence we see

we pray for truth.

We pray for Ukraine

and the end of Pandemic.

We pray for Strength.

We pray for our families

not to accept the unacceptable

for their Children.

A Nation protects their Children.

Now to Father God, Who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 

to Him be glory in the church and 

in Christ Jesus 

throughout all generations, 

forever and ever.

 Amen.

The Mercy of Your Touch, Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus!

John 17:9-23 ~ Your Word is Truth

 

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

2 Serve the LORD with gladness!

Come into His presence with singing!

3 Know that the LORD, He is God! 

It is He who made us, not we ourselves and we are His

we are His people,

and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving,

and His courts with praise!

Give thanks to Him; bless His Name!

5 For the LORD is good;

His steadfast love endures forever,

and His faithfulness to all generations.

 

Americans and a lot of the news are not on the same page. Autumn and some rain, or snow, has left summer behind, the change in seasons is most welcome. When 1 in 3 Americans say they are struggling financially, with basic needs,  this is different from the wrangling on some of the news stations.

We gear up to vote, there are very few surprises. And we hope. For our future and for the future of our children and grandchildren. We want divisions to seep into the past like pet rocks. Most people have tired of the outrageous.

Thanksgiving approaches. All of us feel better as Autumn brings crisp and cool.  We had a nation of drought according to the University of Nebraska maps on Agriculture. Yet food crops are down barely six percent Nationwide. There are Blessings to rejoice in. And let seep into our bones with gratitude. 

John 17:9-23

I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, 

 keep them in your name, 

which you have given me, 

that they may be one, even as we are one.

 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  

13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, 

that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  

14 I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  

17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth. 18 As You sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,  

23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, 

so that the world may know that You sent me.

And loved them even as You loved me.

Serving the Lord with gladness

Abba, Father,

The blessing of God - is indeed what we ask for in the  Highest Name of Jesus.

Upon us and the ones we love.

To seek God First

and in Jesus Christ to finish well.

For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
and so we believe God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

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.

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air. And so we will be with the LORD forever.


Encourage one another with these words.

“It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge and my job to love.”

“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.

The story does not end with the cross, for Easter points us beyond the tragedy of the cross to the empty tomb. It tells us that there is hope for eternal life, for Christ has conquered evil and death and hell. Yes, there is hope.

“I've read the last page of the Bible, it's all going to turn out all right.”

We believe, we believe, we believe.

Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus our Christ. 

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus!