Lamps…

 

Lamps…

Several years ago, we toured a replica of the tabernacle…one of my takeaways was the candle stand inside, burning with its light in  the Holy Place outside of the Most Holy…the whole room was glowing from the light…

Reading through the gospels, Jesus speaks of lamps…Their light is not to be hidden…in our lives we are not to hide our light…our reflection of Jesus…to bring glory, not to ourselves, but to our Father in heaven…

In Psalms, He speaks of the Word being our lamp…he lights our lamp, He lightens the darkness for us…Jesus, in the gospels, tells us to consider carefully how we listen…nothing is hidden…

Thank YOU…

 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matt.5.15-16

 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 

 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 

For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 

If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” 

“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Mark.4.21-25

 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 

Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Luke.8.16-18

 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;my God turns my darkness into light.NIV

Ps.18.28

 For it is you who light my lamp;the Lord my God lightens my darkness.

Ps.18.28ESV

 Your word is a lamp for my feet,a light on my path.

Ps.119.105

 For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light,and correction and instruction are the way to life,

Prov.6.23

 The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one’s inmost being.

Prov.20.27

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet..

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

Weeds…

 The weeds…

Let those who love the Lord hate evil,for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. 

Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,and praise his holy name.

Ps.97.10-12

I heard of another credit card fraud this week…someone had stolen a friend’s credit card number and was using it the charge for items…unbeknownst to my friend…leaving my friend feeling victimized and upset…

I know this goes on everyday, but we still don’t like it…

My husband started his geology business early on in our marriage, it grew and shrank, grew and shrank according to the economics of the years…there were famine years and fat years and there still are…we used the fat years to plan ahead as best we could the service the lean years… at times we had a multitude of employees and other times we shrank to a minimum…

Over those years we had great, good and not so good workers…

We trusted those whom we worked with to carry out their work faithfully…the majority did…but, there were times of fraud and embezzlement toward us…times we wondered how come, sleepless nights working through problems, praying for wisdom…laying down those hurts and victim feelings only to pick them up again…finally to lay them at the cross…there are bad people among the good…and God will take care of each in His time…

I love the parables that Jesus taught…

The one about the weeds was my today’s reading…reading this brought to mind the times we, as a business and a family, had to let God do his  work, lay aside our questions…and move forward…

Thank YOU…

 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 

But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 

When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. 

At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” 

Then he left the crowd and went into the house. 

His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 

He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 

The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. 

The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. 

The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 

They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. 

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Matt.13.24-30, 36-43

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2tKVqZZiI4

Erosion…

 Erosion…

A while back, one of my grandsons was learning about erosion…

Taking different soils, he ran water over each to find out what would happen to each…

Rocky soil, silty dry-summer-road soil, soil held together with plants roots…

 As one can imagine, the water ran through the rocky soil taking whatever soil there was there away….the silty soil either turned to clay or ran away as well….the soil held together with roots, experienced little erosion….

I thought of this in reading the parable of the sower…

All four gospels record this..

Matthew 13:1-24

Mark 4:1-20

Luke 8:1-15

John 8:1-15

Seeds were scattered by the sower along the path, rocky places,  among the thorns, and good soil…

The first two did not grow well, the next was too cluttered , but the last grew the seed well…roots firmly planted into it holding the water given…no erosion…

The Sower=God scatters the seed=Word on various soils=people…those who accept it =the good soil are planted firmly with no erosion…the Water=Jesus nourishes them and they are planted well…their roots run deep….

 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,and who meditates on his law day and night. 

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

Ps.1.-3

 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,whose confidence is in him. 

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.It does not fear when heat comes;its leaves are always green.It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jer.17.7-8

 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Jas.1.21

The rooted soil holds the water…living water…

 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Isa.12.3

 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John.4.10,John.4.11,John.4.13-14

I know I am not putting this well…

My point being, we want to be that good soil…we need that living water….we need to be rooted in the good soil…our roots (foundation)accepting the living water so that we are not eroded away with the cares of the world, false teachings, or whatever adversity is sent our way …

Rooted in Christ…

 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Eph.3.17-19

 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Col.2.6-7

Thank YOU…

Get back to the basics…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGkPtT3i7Nk

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of…

 

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of….

 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 

For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matt.12.33-37

Cringe-worthy…totally my judgment here…there are people who when they speak, just make me cringe, either their attitude, their delivery, their choice of words…it just grates like a fingernail on a chalkboard…and I can’t hear them or my mind turns them off…I shut down to whatever they may be saying…I am not trying be offensive toward them…but something in my spirit just cannot handle them…I try to be attentive and I may look that way, but I am somewhere else…I have to admit that, confess it…

Looking up the word, “mouth”, the books of Psalms and Proverbs have much to say about what comes out of the mouth…

I want my mouth/ heart to reflect what Jesus would have me think and say…

Thank YOU….

Psalm 10:7 (ESV)

His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.

 

Psalm 17:3 (ESV)

You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

Psalm 19:14 (ESV)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. 

I open my mouth and pant,longing for your commands.

Ps.119.72, 131

 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;keep watch over the door of my lips.

Ps.141.3

 Keep your mouth free of perversity;keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Prov.4.24

 All the words of my mouth are just;none of them is crooked or perverse.

Prov.8.8

 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. 

The wise store up knowledge,but the mouth of a fool invites ruin. 

From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,but a perverse tongue will be silenced. 

The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

Prov.10.11,Prov.10.14,Prov.10.31-32

 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. 

The discerning heart seeks knowledge,but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. 

The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

Prov.15.2,Prov.15.14,Prov.15.28

 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,and their lips promote instruction. 

Gracious words are a honeycomb,sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Prov.16.23-24

 The words of the mouth are deep waters,but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream. 

The lips of fools bring them strife,and their mouths invite a beating. 

The mouths of fools are their undoing,and their lips are a snare to their very lives.

Prov.18.4,Prov.18.6-7

 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

Prov.21.23

 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Prov.26.28

 She speaks with wisdom,and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Prov.31.26

Bless the Lord…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSxocnIaN0A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt7SGmo3gqQ

Your faith has saved you…

 Your faith has saved you….

 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.

Prov.16.6

I have a friend who is part of ministry to prostitutes here in the states…they visit local brothels once a month, offering friendship, counsel, the Love of Jesus…they take books, goodies, gifts each time…they encounter the bartenders, the working girls, even the owners of these places …taking prayer requests, praying with them…making an indent with Jesus’ saving grace into lives on the edge…

As I read this passage,  I thought of this ministry…it doesn’t say what this woman has done, but, only that she was a sinner…she felt the powerful pull of Jesus, his authority over sin as none of the other guests did…her faith in Him saved her…and she went in peace, like no other…

We all have that same choice to make…do we have faith in Christ or not for forgiveness of our sins…no matter the amount of sin…there is forgiveness…

Thank YOU….

 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 

And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 

And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” 

And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” 

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 

Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” 

And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? 

I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 

You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 

You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. 

But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 

And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 

Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 

And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke.7.36-50

Romans 3:23 (ESV): 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 (ESV): 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 (ESV): 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9 (ESV): 9 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 10:13 (ESV): 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 5:1 (ESV): 5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

 Eph.2.89

https://www.gotquestions.org/Romans-road-salvation.html

forgiven…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ZWEO36jok

I surrender 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j04Bx9pKwpU

He sets the captives free…

 He sets the captives free…

Day after day of cold, dark, dreary…many begin to feel gray, depressed themselves…a ray of sunshine feels so good… longer daytime hours help the grayness of our minds and souls…

I know several  people who suffer from SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder…my husband suffered from it…we didn’t know that until we  moved back to his home town in the Willamette Valley of Oregon to go to school. Each winter got rougher and rougher, his office had huge windows to let in as much light as possible. When we finally returned to Nevada, his moodiness went away…he was a captive of the  dreary grayness of winter…

Various pictures depict what a Jesus era prison looked like…none had the ambiance of comfort…holes in the ground, caves-dark and dank, stone rooms with chains attached to the walls for captive prisoners, no sanitary conditions, little food…darkness…

I have wondered what John the Baptist felt while he was held in prison….maybe some doubts, did he sing as Paul and Silas later did, did he write as Paul did…we know he had visitors, his disciples, those who followed him…did he question his stance he took against the rulers at the time…did he know he would die there…

He wanted to make sure he was following the right man…

while John was incarcerated, he sent some of his disciples to question Jesus..

 “Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 

And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 

What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 

This is he of whom it is written,“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. 

Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 

For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.”

Matt.11.2-14

I think in the dark times of my life, those fraught with pain-both physical and mental… when I felt I was held captive by various events, circumstances…doubts would come …was I following the right truth…I had to go and read the scriptures, the Word, the Truth, finding  my answers as well…dispelling doubt, solidifying my following of Christ…

John the Baptist didn’t come out of that prison…he died there…but, I am sure he ended well,  believing the Truth…knowing he had fulfilled his path in preparing the way of the Lord…

Did he remember the verse from Genesis… But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Gen.39.21

Thank YOU that You lead the way…giving us the Truth in darkness…

I know whom I have believed…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y94OX71YM-8

https://ebible.com/questions/21354-why-was-john-the-baptist-in-jail-and-for-how-long

https://www.biblewise.com/bible_study/questions/johns-imprisonment.php

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/april/prison-ministry-history-visiting-prisoners-in-jesus-day.html

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/684237

The centurion…a faith like no other…

 The centurion….a faith like no other

Entering the ruins of  Capernaum, …the sea is off the the right…Peter’s house is straight ahead, safely hidden under a viewing structure….the town is left and ahead, cobblestone streets, bumpy and irregular, made of black basalt-like stone….the synagogue is left, sitting on a rise, pillars starkly standing against the sky, carved white stone…huge chunks of ancient buildings line the various walkways…an olive press off to the side,  built into the ground, at the ready for the harvest of those rich olives, you can almost smell the oil seeping out into the trough…

Oh, and here comes the Elders on a mission….pleading earnestly the cause of the local centurion…his valued servant is sick, they say…”…”He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 

The centurion feels unworthy even for Jesus to even enter his home…he recognizes Jesus authority…his saving grace…” just say the Word and my servant will be healed.”

Jesus responds with healing and admonishment and Declaration…”When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 

And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.”

The people to whom Jesus came to, the Jews, did not have the faith that this Roman had…they didn’t recognize the authority that Jesus had…but they came at the asking  of the soldier whom cared for them…

The books of Matthew and Luke recount the servant’s healing , the centurion’s faith…

I thought of this story as I was praying through our women’s prayer list…do I have the faith of this centurion, that prayers would  be answered…would others plead my cause , do I plead others’ cause, enough…do I ask, knowing Jesus has all authority under heaven to listen, to answer…do I run out and meet Him…do I wait expectantly for his answer…am I humble before Him…

Thank YOU…let me believing, humble, waiting before You…

 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 

And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 

And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 

Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 

For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 

And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Luke.7.1-10

Speak,oh Lord

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

https://thewisebeliever.com/centurion-faith-lessons-sermon/

https://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/forbiblestudynerds/2014/12/matthew-85-13-the-faith-of-the-centurion-theological-commentary.html