Oblivious….

25 years ago, we were doing daily things…oblivious of the horrors that were coming within days…when evil against our country raised its ugly head inside our borders…

Last month, I went to the Washington coast for a delightful wedding … but we did a bit of touring as well…hidden in the trees and overgrown brush along the coast were bunkers built with a massive amount of cement and steel, rock and finally, the camouflage of trees and natural plantings…the WW2 Coastal Defensive System… I wasn’t around then, but it was defend our American soil from the enemy…probably most people did not know it existed…but a war was raging then on other shores…

Since then there have been others wars, but, fought in other lands…

 25 years ago it was coming to ours…and we didn’t know it…

We personally don’t realize when battles are coming for us…rebellious teens, death in the family , the words-cancer, heart disease, inoperable, etc are uttered from our doctors’ mouths, bankrupt, etc…..battles we have to face…and we are oblivious that they are going to hit…we aren’t ready…

But, as Christians we have a burden bearer, a refuge giver, a comforter and so much more…Jesus…

 Psalm 9:9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,

    a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 17: 7 Show me the wonders of your great love,

    you who save by your right hand

    those who take refuge in you from their foes.

Psalm 25: 20 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

 Psalm 61:3 For you have been my refuge,

    a strong tower against the foe.

Thank YOU…

Refuge…

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

 

 The search….

We have been searching for my husband’s Bible for an event coming up soon…I know it is in a box with other books, which we have lots of, I thought it was with his journals, of which there are also many…

So, getting into storage bins, one after another… then going through bookshelves in everyone’s homes…just in case…

The Funny and delightful thing is, we all know exactly what we really looking for…

“dad’s black Bible, you know, the one he always read…”

Psalm 139:23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Proverbs 2: 1 My son, if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.

9 Then you will understand what is right and just
    and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.

12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,

But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:8-9 ESV). 

We search and search for truth…and it is right before us in the Word…

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

We are planning on finding the “lost Bible”… it is somewhere, but, more importantly, we also want to seek the Word of God, to teach, admonish, challenge us….

Thank YOU…

Your Word…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9NEYy71lcU

 

Names of God…

These are just a few references to read about the names of God…there are Bible studies, books, sermons, YouTube classes, lifestreams, podcasts, etc. about this subject…

I was just thinking about it this morning as I prayed..what name or characteristic did this person or that person need right now that would make God  personal to him or her…if we believe that God  makes himself known to us, he does it in a personal way…knowing our needs , thoughts, words…He is there for us…

Thank YOU….

https://www.gotquestions.org/names-of-God.html

https://bibleislife.com/100-names-of-god-with-bible-verses-explained/

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

https://www.scripturalgrace.com/post/names-of-god

Names of God…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU2MLVrTc8k

 No more straw…

Several years ago, my husband and I were privileged to go to western China to “teach” English to Chinese teenagers…I use “teach” loosely ….they knew English very well, but the pronunciation was a bit off…so basically we had lots of conversations with them…about a lot of subjects…lots of questions…they watched reruns of old western movies or when they were allowed, games shows, anything they could watch about the West…we had classroom time with them or just wandered around their city…

One of the main manufacturing plants there was for making bricks…the buildings were built out bricks,the sidewalks , the walls around buildings, fences…all brick…would have liked going through a brick factory, but was not able to…

I took lots of pictures of old buildings, but the people would rather show you all the new stuff as it was finished much better…there was a decided difference…”no, no, look at new”, they would say…

The Israelites were making bricks for Pharaoh and his task masters during their captivity…what a hard job…

And then Pharaoh gets mad at the audacity of the Israelite leaders asking for “time-off”…then he says, don’t supply the straw, let them find their own…spiteful, anger, controlling…lets make them work harder…”are you sure God will rescue us?”…

Sometimes, Just when you think events are as hard as it will get, it gets harder….but, God has a bigger plan…we think the events are just about us, but He deals with a lot, maybe nations, maybe individuals…but they all meld together working for good those who love Him…he does it do it out of spite for us…He loves us…and we can learn from His teaching…in His timing….his path…

Thank YOU…

These are days of Elijah…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j63-J0GBG5c

Bits and pieces I found along the walks we took in the city, working with teens…

Pharaoh’s brick makers…

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-egypt/pharaohs-brick-makers/

The history of brick making…

https://brickarchitecture.com/about-brick/why-brick/the-history-of-bricks-brickmaking

Terra cotta soldiers…

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

 Divine ground or interruption….

Yesterday, I was dutifully getting ready for the women’s Bible study, checking the house, making sure I turned off the stove,lights out, etc…ready to pick up my purse and walk out the door….the phone rang…

“If I answer, I will be late…” but as I looked at the name, I knew I had to answer…and listen, encourage…their pain is deep and they needed a listening ear….

20 minutes later, we finished and I thought   “I will only be 15 minutes late”, so headed for the door again and there was a knock at my front door….doesn’t happen that often in the morning , so I better check….another one who needed to talk as recent widowhood is painful as well….

Needless to say I didn’t make it to Bible study…God had other plans…

But, it was a study in itself… 

Moses, whom I had just read about,  was “interrupted “ in the desert by a burning bush…holy ground, divine appointment…a call that changed his life’s direction…

We mostly likely don’t get such dramatic calls or interruptions…but, we still have to heed them…

Thank YOU…

Exodus 3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

“When people bare their souls to you, you are on holy ground, your responsibility is to listen and love ….”Sarah Young…

Psalm 143: 8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

    for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

    for to you I entrust my life.

John7:38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Teaching my heart to listen…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOeDg1K7z98

 

Treasured possession….

The Word speaks repeatedly about the Israelites being his treasured possession…as a New Testament believer in Christ, not an Israelite,…I wonder , “well, what about me?, where do we fit?”

We are chosen…set apart…for God’s purposes just as well…

I like the explanation in the quote from Bible hub…

Exodus 19:5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

Deuteronomy 7: 6 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

Deuteronomy 14: , 2 for you are a people holy to the Lord your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.

 Deuteronomy 26:18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.

Malachi 3:

17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.

“In the New Testament, the concept of God's treasured possession is expanded to include all who are in Christ, transcending ethnic and national boundaries. The Apostle Peter, drawing on Old Testament language, writes in 1 Peter 2:9 , "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." Here, the Church is identified as God's treasured possession, called to declare His praises and live out His purposes in the world…..

The theme of God's treasured possession is a testament to the intimate and covenantal relationship between God and His people, both in the Old and New Testaments. It underscores the privilege and responsibility of being set apart for God's purposes, inviting believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling as His cherished and valued possession…” 

https://biblehub.com/topical/g/god%27s_treasured_possession.htm

I liked this Matthew verse about treasures….when you look at the big picture, God’s heart is with his treasures…which include those followers of Christ…

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

Thank YOU…

Christ our treasure….

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

 Dwelling….

Dwell…to remain for a time, to live as a resident, exist, to keep the attention directed…Merriam Webster…

I know I have touched this topic before, but it keeps coming up…where do our minds dwell…

There are those whose minds are constantly dwelling on past hurts….they not only remain there for a time, but they live there, they have taken up residence in the negative,  hurtful thoughts…thinking of only the bad or past hurts they have either perceived or endured….they are stuck in the mud, sucked into the slimy gunk…

Oh, I have been there…the pit…of hurt….it feeds on itself, getting deeper into the mud…I can hear the sound of the camp song we used to sing about tromping through the swamp or deep mud…it feeds on itself, clawing at the heart strings, anxious thoughts, the “ if only”, the “what ifs”, the “shoulda”, the “could of…” as the acid of our stomach only increases…burning…

There comes a time when we need to make a decision….do we want to continue to live in that mind set or reach out to change residences…exist in another place…do we want anger, hurt, jealousy, greed, etc. to continue to overpower or do we want peace…joy…

Psalm 40:2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

    out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

    and gave me a firm place to stand.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,

Philippians 4: 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9b….And the God of peace will be with you.

Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation

    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Thank YOU…

Heal me…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj-1SmPthQI&list=RDfj-1SmPthQI&start_radio=1

Teach my heart to listen…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOeDg1K7z98&list=RDfj-1SmPthQI&index=9