Romans 8:14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Present Suffering and Future Glory

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 “Junior Geologist”…

One of my grandsons is signed up for a junior geologist group, which meets once a month…there was so much interest in the group that they opened it up to ages 10 to 110 instead of just youth…

There was one of the meetings yesterday at the Murphy museum in Murphy, Idaho.(one of the best historical museums in the area, well worth the drive, several buildings filled with history, well displayed, and a nice park next door).

 We live in a world filled with minerals and gems…I live in the Gem State of Idaho, “there are 280 mineral species known to occur in Idaho, 72 varieties of precious stones, and nearly every county in the state bears an abundance of materials…”Oakrock.net

We use minerals and gems everyday of our lives…our bodies depend on them to survive…whenever I go in for blood tests, they check my iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium levels. Our very structure is made of Calcium …

We use them in our everyday life, toothpaste, paints, computers, chair foam, windows, floors, walls, cooking utensils, driveways, …even our  writing paper can have “rocks” in it…to name a few…

“There are several thousand minerals in nature (with estimates ranging from 2,000-7000), but fewer than a hundred are considered gem minerals. Of these, only about a dozen or so are actually valuable enough to,be important gemstones on the world market”. Encyclopedia.com

When I think of the creativeness of God, to create stones for value, color, beauty, etc…for building, to use in our bodies, to keep the soils right for growing… for so very much, it is amazing…just the amount of them, it boggles the mind and that is just one piece of his creation…

Thank YOU…

Genesis1:10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Job 38-39

Job 28 :1There is a mine for silver
    and a place where gold is refined.
2 Iron is taken from the earth,
    and copper is smelted from ore.
3 Mortals put an end to the darkness;
    they search out the farthest recesses
    for ore in the blackest darkness.
4 Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,
    in places untouched by human feet;
    far from other people they dangle and sway.
5 The earth, from which food comes,
    is transformed below as by fire;
6 lapis lazuli comes from its rocks,
    and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
7 No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
    no falcon’s eye has seen it.
8 Proud beasts do not set foot on it,
    and no lion prowls there.
9 People assault the flinty rock with their hands
    and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
10 They tunnel through the rock;
    their eyes see all its treasures.
11 They search the sources of the rivers
    and bring hidden things to light.

https://christiananswers.net/dictionary/mine.html

Rock of ages…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PScfs1T6H28

Martha…

 

Martha….

Definition of her name…

• 1.
a woman who keeps herself very busy with domestic affairs.

I was reading a book recently about a woman named Martha. She hated her name and upon leaving home, gave herself a nickname…

She was always doing things for people and wanted to have more “freedom” and thought that having a new name would free her up to other things and not be soooo responsible…

After several months went by, she felt so unhappy…she wasn’t doing the things she was meant to do…God had gifted her with service and she found joy in that gift, changed her name back Martha…

I am not saying we are all named for our gifting, but fulfilling our  gift that He has given us does brings us joy…being obedient brings us joy….we may not like it all the time,but…

John 12:2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

Luke 10: 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

We know that believed in Jesus…she showed it in a different way than her sister Mary just by her actions…

John 11:17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Thank YOU…

God is always working things out…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO8jgLbKvBM

Nard…

 Nard… 

I never really knew what nard was, except as described in the Word….expensive, fragrant, used infrequently…I have always imagined that Jesus still smelled of nard at his death and burial…that he carried that scent through all the events from this time forward…

Do we carry the “scent” of Jesus?

John 12: 12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 

3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

The following references were interesting, so included them…make your own conclusions…

What is nard?

https://bibledictionarytoday.com/words/nard/

*****

Practical Ministry Lessons

1. Costly Obedience: Genuine discipleship is measured not by minimal compliance but by lavish surrender. 
2. Fragrance of Christ: Saints are called to spread “the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:15). The believer’s life, like spikenard, must be broken to release its scent. 
3. Undivided Affection: Just as nard was kept for a single, climactic use, our primary devotion belongs to the Lord; lesser loyalties find their place only after Him (Matthew 6:33).

https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5373.htm

*****

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spikenard

AI summary…

Nard, also known as spikenard, is primarily used as an essential oil and not typically prepared as a food recipe. However, it can be incorporated into various wellness practices and DIY recipes. Here are some ideas for using spikenard essential oil:

1. Relaxing Bath Soak

• Ingredients:

• 1 cup Epsom salt

• 10 drops spikenard essential oil

• Instructions:

• Mix the Epsom salt with the essential oil.

• Add to warm bath water and soak for relaxation.

2. Calming Diffuser Blend

• Ingredients:

• 5 drops spikenard essential oil

• 5 drops lavender essential oil

• Instructions:

• Add the oils to a diffuser with water and enjoy the calming aroma.

3. DIY Massage Oil

• Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons carrier oil (like coconut or jojoba)

• 5 drops spikenard essential oil

• Instructions:

• Mix the oils together and use for a soothing massage.

•

Spikenard is known for its calming properties and can be a wonderful addition to self-care routines

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=spikenard+essential+oil&crid=3G5168N6FQWSN&sprefix=Spikenard%2Caps%2C1446&ref=nb_sb_ss_saint-nlq-prefix_ci_hl-bn-left_1_9

Thank YOU….

At the feet of Jesus…

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=at+the+feet+of+jesus+steven+curtis+chapman

 Trust me?????

I had my day’s list all made out, I thought, ready to get into the activities…

Then two messages changed the whole thing…

Never had a day like that? Ha!

“Well, it is a new day, I have a surprise for you, do you trust me”

“Yes, but sometimes I get scared”…

“Do you really trust me?”

“Where are we going? What are we going to do ?”

“Do you really trust me”?

“Where are we headed?”

“Do you trust me?”

I don’t think I am the only one that asks those questions….if I am the only on, then I have a personal Bible verse….

Proverbs3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

But, there are many trust verses….so I don’t think I am the only one that has “trust” issues!…

Psalm 13: 5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

Psalm 25: 1 In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.

Psalm 31: 14 But I trust in you, Lord;

I say , “You are my God..

Psalm 84:12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you.

Thank YOU….

I trust in You…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3YGczmlbV8


    

Beginning and end…

 Beginning and end…

The Word speaks of various seeking Jesus…at first to worship him as the Messiah…the shepherds, the magi, others…

Others were seeking Him not to worship but for death, jealousy…

At the end others still sought him for the exactly the same reasons…

Mothers wept…for their sons…

But, the job was done, and Jesus was victorious both at the beginning of his earthly life…and the end…

Thank YOU l…

Matthew 2:7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Matthew 2: 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”

John 11: 55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.

John 19: 28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Where I find God…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lzl8-_4qzyk

A quiet place,,,

 

A quiet place….

A nearby park, a couch ,  camping, a bed, the ocean, a hilltop….etc, a place we seek as our quiet place…

Jesus chose the village of Ephraim before the turmoil …he knew what was ahead, not years of peace but Passover, celebrations of the getaway from slavery to freedom to the promised land of milk and honey…

How do we prepare for the times ahead?…..do we seek quiet for contemplation or a madhouse of activity…

Jesus knew a battle was coming..he would fight over our souls, the sins  that entrap…death…coming out victorious…fulfilling a promise given ages and ages ago…because he loved us…

Thank YOU …..

John 11:54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples

“It represents a place of refuge and preparation, highlighting the humanity of Jesus as He sought solitude and time with His disciples before facing the culmination of His earthly mission.”

“By withdrawing to Ephraim, Jesus ensured that His ultimate sacrifice would occur according to God's sovereign plan, during the Passover in Jerusalem.”

“In summary, Ephraim serves as a testament to Jesus' strategic movements during His ministry, reflecting His awareness of the political and religious climate of His time. It highlights the tension between Jesus and the Jewish authorities and underscores the divine orchestration of events leading to the fulfillment of His redemptive work.”

https://biblehub.com/topical/naves/e/ephraim--a_city_in_the_territory_of_ephraim--jesus_escapes_to,_from_the_persecution_of_caiaphas.htm

“The city of Ephraim, while not as frequently mentioned as other biblical locations, holds theological significance in the narrative of Jesus' ministry. It represents a place of refuge and preparation, highlighting the humanity of Jesus as He sought solitude and time with His disciples before facing the culmination of His earthly mission. The retreat to Ephraim underscores the tension between Jesus' growing popularity and the increasing opposition from religious authorities.

Furthermore, Ephraim's association with the tribe of Ephraim connects it to the broader narrative of Israel's history and God's covenant promises. The tribe of Ephraim, as part of the northern kingdom of Israel, played a significant role in the unfolding account of God's people, often symbolizing both blessing and waywardness.

In summary, the city of Ephraim serves as a geographical and theological waypoint in the biblical narrative, offering insights into the life and ministry of Jesus and the historical context of the tribe of Ephraim. Its mention in Scripture invites reflection on themes of refuge, preparation, and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.”

https://biblehub.com/topical/naves/e/ephraim--a_city_in_the_territory_of_ephraim.htm#google_vignette

https://christholdfast.org/places-in-the-bible/ephraim-city-in-the-bible/

Quiet place…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KicY80RKBtQ