On the way..l

 On his way…

 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

Luke.17.11

It started with the phrase, “on the way or on his way”….at first I was thinking about Magdala…a village in Israel on the Sea of Galilee, north of Tiberius….but as I looked it up…it became much more…it was a teaching and sharing time…

 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Deut.6.6-7

Jesus was living out the Word from Deuteronomy…using every possible moment to impart what they had seen and heard…walking through the wheat fields, walking along path, healing…Paul’s life direction changed on the way…the Ethiopian’s as well…and many more…listening, encountering Jesus “on the way”.

Each day we are “on the way”…are we listening, hearing, using, aware of those teachable moments in our lives and those around us…

Thank YOU for the “on the way” times…

 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Matt.20.17-19

 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”

Mark.8.27

 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Mark.10.52

 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem.

Luke.13.22

 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,

Luke.19.37

 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.

John.4.50

  And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Acts.8.39

  Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

Acts.9.3

Deuteronomy 5:33

33 You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.

Step by Step..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H9E0cduub4

Simple things…2023…

 

It’s the simple things…2023…

I keep rereading the parables of the lost..sheep, coin, son…simple stories… they don’t take up many verses to relate…they all end similarly…

 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 

Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” 

It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Luke.15.7, 10, 32

Simple yet profound…there is rejoicing over sinners who realize their need of the Life that only Christ can give them…can’t you just hear the angels clapping…

 Can you imagine looking for your lost sheep in the wilds of the rocky hills…or looking for a coin in the cobble stones of the floors…or watching over the valley for a son to return…all a cause to rejoice at the “found”…small stories to tell a profound truth…

 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke.19.10

Thank YOU…

Simple things…written after trip to Israel…2019

“It was finding a shepherd with his sheep in a field deep with flowers and deep green lush grass....simply standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where fisherman still fish or Jesus fixed a meal of bread and fish....it was looking at the city of Jerusalem, seeing it as Jesus saw it and wept...it was sitting inside a Bedouin tent receiving their hospitality as Abraham might have done for the visitors...it was walking down the narrow streets of the cities surrounded by crowds of people like Jesus did...having communion in the garden under ancient olive trees...seeing a 2000 year old sycamore tree in Jericho where Zacchaeus may have climbed to better see the Savior of the world...walking on ancient stones uncovered  where Jesus may have walked...the dry parched desert of the Engedi where David hide from Saul....seeing the skull in the rock formations on the hill of Golgotha...it was seeing an empty tomb where Jesus may have been laid....none of these worthy of worship...but it was just glimpses of history...written in God’s Word that came alive…”

Found…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1Yn1RtfCDc

Dogwood…

 Dogwood…

The painting project for today is a dogwood blossom…not sure how that will turn out, but going to try…

This blog was written, May of 2019 in Washington DC…while visiting. A friend and I were at a conference at the Bible Museum…but we walked and walked, took as many local trips as we could…

It was beautiful, the cherry blossoms has finished and the dogwood was in full bloom…

Blessings…

“Dogwood...Washington DC 3...

The cherry  blossoms have vanished giving way to lush greenery...here in Washington DC...souvenirs from cherry candy to cherry scented soaps to tee shirts of all designs are for sale everywhere...depicting the beauty of the pink blossoms which lined the streets...some of the trees were a gift from Japan in 1912...thousands of trees have been planted here in the DC area...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cherry_Blossom_Festival

Now the dogwood trees are in full bloom...along with flowers of all kinds...

The Arlington National Cemetery has the dogwood trees dotting the hundreds of acres...mixed with the white gravestones of fallen soldiers...so a brilliant contrast of lush lawns, white stones and white and green dogwood...adds to the somberness of the place...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church_(Alexandria,_Virginia)

We traveled to Alexandria by water taxi yesterday, and then rode a trolley up and down King street to see sights of this old town...stopping at Christ Church where George Washington attended...a beautiful brick building...again an old graveyard to the side with evergreen trees, abundant flowers, and a dogwood tree in full bloom...the grave stones dating back to the early 1800’s crookedly scattered here and there..

What beauty amongst the somber again...

The Dogwood Tree

by Anonymous

When Christ was on earth, the dogwood grew

To a towering size with a lovely hue.

Its branches were strong and interwoven

And for Christ's cross its timbers were chosen

Being distressed at the use of the wood

Christ made a promise which still holds good:

"Not ever again shall the dogwood grow

To be large enough for a tree, and so

Slender and twisted it shall always be

With cross-shaped blossoms for all to see.

The petals shall have bloodstains marked brown

And in the blossom's center a thorny crown.

All who see it will think of Me,

Nailed to a cross from a dogwood tree.

Protected and cherished this tree shall be

A reflection to all of My agony."

Dogwood in spring always reminds me of this poem and my mother...first the poem...reminds me of the cross on which my Savior died, his agony...but His resurrection...a praise

Second, my mother, who loved the first blooms of spring...my dad would bring a bouquet home from the woods when he could...

Thank YOU for the memories....Your beauty of spring and reminder of life after the “death” of winter...”

Did Martha have a Pharisees’ attitude? Do I?

 Did Martha have a Pharisees’ attitude? Do I?

 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. 

And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 

And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 

But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? 

Tell her then to help me.” 

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. 

Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke.10.38-42

 While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 

The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 

And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 

You fools! 

Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 

But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

Luke.11.37-41

Luke 11:42-52, woes to the “experts of the law”

Wow…legalism crops up,again… Martha…Mary…Pharisees….experts of the Law…the outside…the inside…heart attitude…

These passages can be soooo convicting…is my heart attitude that of Martha or Mary? The rule followers…the experts of the Law?

Am I constantly cleaning up the “outside” so that I look good? Do I put down those who follow Jesus’ heart?  Am I working my way to heaven, following manmade rules rather than looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith? Hard hearted versus softened toward the gospel?

Do rules supersede the Over-powering redemptive Love of Jesus?

Am I always busy preparing? Am I too busy to listen?

 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

1Cor.11:28-32

 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

2Cor.13.5

 Create in me a clean heart, O God,and renew a right spirit within me.

Ps.51.10

 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Jas.4.8,10

thank YOU…

Create in me a clean heart…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFe4r3qe1x0

Abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…

 

Abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness….

 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Exod.34.6-7

In the early 1990’s, eons, light years ago and yesterday it seems, 5 women set sail on a journey of writing a women’s Bible study…our chosen verses, the preceding ones were prayed over, and diligently taken apart and put together, written about, lived and breathed for several months…

We came from different backgrounds…our children were various ages, our husbands had different vocations…our giftings , love languages and personalities were very different…we brought a variety of life experiences…all to mesh into a close knit group with a goal of building up, encouraging one another and handing that off to a group of leaders and a multitude of women wanting a closer walk with Jesus…

We wrestled over questions, wording, applications of each lesson and the whole of the theme…until one day it was ready for the publisher and finally ready to facilitate in small groups of women…It was like birthing your baby into the world…what an amazing experience…

We have all moved since then, our children have grown, grandchildren have come…good things and bad things have happened…there has been pain, death, joy, aging parents, books published, a worldwide ministry started…and just day to day living…we can pick up the phone and continue a conversation with one another like there were no ensuing years…

Those words, “ abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness “ that the Lord promised still stand fast…

Thank YOU…

“Gentle and Lowly”, by Dane Ortlund, chapter 16…

The Steadfast Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo46VTYtvD0

Mercy ….the Good Samaritan…

 

Mercy…and the Good Samaritan….

In 2019, I was honored and humbled to visit Israel with family and friends…a whirlwind trip with whirlwind stops, explanations, history…I still go back to those pictures I took, to places we visited, to the words spoken to sort through impressions made and what God was teaching…in the simple and complex…I look for pictures to tell a story…

One such stop was “The Good Samaritan Church “, a traditional spot of the story of the Good Samaritan…dry, dusty, non-descript,  little vegetation, a bit deserted, sitting along the road… a few local looking people standing about, a puppy,in desperate need of food, looking for a handout… the puppy, kicked away from the others, seeing us, another potential food supply, ran over eagerly looking for food, even a pat on the head…

This pup, such a visual of the place we were visiting, needed that mercy shown by the Good Samaritan. Someone to care, to dress its wounds, to be shown compassion, to give it food, to pay the price of its care…instead of beaten, kicked and thrown aside for dead…mercy…

Mercy is used throughout the Word…and Jesus spoke of it in this story of the Good Samaritan…an example of how we should act toward others…as God has shown us, His mercy…

I have often wondered what happened to that puppy…was he there just for that lesson to us?…did he get the care he needed?…was he my visual to remind me time and time again of my need for mercy and my need to show it?…only God knows the answers…

But, thank YOU….

 “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.

Zech.7.9

 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. 

They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 

So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. 

Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 

The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 

‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke.10.25-37

 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Neh.9.31

 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;the Lord accepts my prayer.

Ps.6.2,9

 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercyand to walk humbly with your God.

Mic.6.8

 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Rom.12.8

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2Cor.1.3-4

 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Eph.2.4-5Eph.2.8-10

 …..Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Jas.2.13b

 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Jas.3.17

(Saturday, May 25, 2019- another reference to this same story..)

 

Journeys…

 

Journeys…

I have been reading a short version of the settling of the city of Seattle, with its interactions of Illinois immigrants and the local tribes, the beginning industry of logging and export, the people, their hardships and vision…some stayed, some left for other adventures…each sought their destiny …

I first saw Seattle in 1962 for the World’s Fair…oh, yes, we used to have World’s Fairs where people from all over the world would work together to create an exposition celebrating new technologies, foods, new buildings, museums, etc…they were held all over the world every few years…amazing places to visit…

Seattle built the Space Needle and the monorail among other things which still draw people from all over…

My parents, a friend and I saved our money to attend, we stayed in a 16’ travel trailer in a gravel lot, temporary housing for fair visitors(one of the freeways now passes over the “luxurious” spot now). We marveled at the sights…the dome shaped energy efficient house, ate Belgian waffles, went through the science exhibition…etc…the. We journeyed to Victoria, B.C. and saw the beautiful Buchart Gardens…what an adventure… 

As I turned the page to today passage, this is what came up…

“Jesus’ final journey “



The Chronological Study Bible, Thomas Nelson, NIV, 2014

The phrase, “a destiny, of which he was well aware and which he faced willingly “…caught my heart…Jesus came with a purpose…He met it with joy, courage…He came with us in mind…the World of people in his heart, because He loved, loves us…the journey was planned, looked forward to…he didn’t stay in luxury, or wealth, which he could have claimed…he walked among the sights he created with people he loved…he came with vision to build, to save…

We each have journeys, be they near or far…destinations for we which we plan (or not)…there are journeys all through the Word…but, I am so glad Jesus made this journey for each and every one of us…

Thank YOU…

 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

John.19.17-18

 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

2Tim.1.9-10

I have decided…

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

 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

John.19.17-18

 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

2Tim.1.9-10

https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2080.html