He will be our peace…

  He will be our peace….

Turmoil, confusion, unrest…

That is what we seem to see on an everyday basis …and somewhere in the midst of it, we need comfort, peace to carry on everyday life… a lot of the world does not have that…they wait in food lines, find shelter in tents, bombed out buildings, harassed by various terror groups…no peace…

As Christians, we have a shepherd, we have a comforter, we can find peace when we seek Jesus…he is our peace…

Thank YOU…

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be our peace….

Mic.5.4,Mic.5.5a

 “‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

Num.6.24-26

 The Lord gives strength to his people;the Lord blesses his people with peace.

Ps.29.11

 For to us a child is born,to us a son is given,and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,establishing and upholding itwith justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Isa.9.6-7

 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast,because they trust in you. 

Lord, you establish peace for us;all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Isa.26.3,Isa.26.12

  The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

Isa.32.17

  But he was pierced for our transgressions,he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was on him,and by his wounds we are healed.

Isa.53.5

 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Isaiah .55.12

 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.

Mal.2.5-6

 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John.14.27

 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Rom.15.33

 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.

1Cor.14.33

 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

2Cor.13.11

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Gal.5.22-23

 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil.4.7

 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Col.3.15

 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Phlm.1.3

 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

 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

2John.1.3

“Historically, the loss of everything people knew, due to progress war or famine has been quite traumatic to those caught in the moment. In an instant, people begin to realize that everything they knew is about to change and they can do nothing but lament and grieve. In this place of sorrow and desperation we find people at the end of their rope. People at the end of their rope typically cannot see past the pain of grief in the moment. Those in the throws of grief are in need of a promise.

That promise comes to Micah in Chapter 5, when God declares the people of God will go from defeated ruler to conquering king. But the new promise does not come without the pain of letting go and mourning what was. Mourning what we were comfortable with, even when it has become so tainted by outside influence it doesn’t resemble itself, is still very real. Loss of what we knew, even when it is broken, is terrifying. The new promise is just that; new and unknown. Having the courage to move into something new, even if it is better can be traumatic unto itself.

. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thoughtsofamoderncelticwanderer/2021/07/micahs-lament-mourning-the-church-even-when-it-needs-to-die/

My peace…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls01XGV7oA0

It is well… new version..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wb_WD1emFQ

Father’s Day plus 1…

 Father’s Day plus 1….

I had the privilege of having a great father, grandfather, step grandfather, father in law, brothers in law…plus great uncles, cousins…men who were and are people of honor, trustworthy…

And then God saw fit to give me a husband who followed God, loved me, and our children…who are raising their children and grandchildren to be the same…

Now I have two sons, two son in laws, grown and growing grandsons, two great  grand sons…all who bless me in so many ways…

It has not been without problems or discouragement, down days, or hard times…those times when we can grow exponentially…

I sent my oldest grandson and grandson in law cards for first time fathers…which said so much from a child to their father…

Thank YOU…for these men in my life…

 As a father has compassion on his children,so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

Ps.103.13

 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;pay attention and gain understanding. 

I give you sound learning,so do not forsake my teaching. 

For I too was a son to my father,still tender, and cherished by my mother. 

Then he taught me, and he said to me,“Take hold of my words with all your heart;keep my commands, and you will live. 

Get wisdom, get understanding;do not forget my words or turn away from them. 

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;love her, and she will watch over you. 

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.

Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 

Listen, my son, accept what I say,and the years of your life will be many. 

I instruct you in the way of wisdomand lead you along straight paths. 

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;when you run, you will not stumble. 

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;guard it well, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wickedor walk in the way of evildoers. 

Avoid it, do not travel on it;turn from it and go on your way. 

For they cannot rest until they do evil;they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

Prov.4.1,Prov.4.2,Prov.4.3,Prov.4.4,Prov.4.5,Prov.4.6,Prov.4.7,Prov.4.10-16

Our pastor spoke on the Power of a Father yesterday…worth sharing…

Caldwell First Baptist, June 15, 2025…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XalJKvD71qE

Like my father does…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zrM4P-IfK0

Humbling ….

 

Humbling….

Health crisis’s are humbling…especially for adults…it one thing to change the diapers of your babies as they are growing…making sure they are clean and taken care of…but taking care of adults in their needs is a bit harder…I took care of my mother after her stroke, colon cancer and it was hard for both of us…not the physical part, but her complete dependence upon another for a time…she was such a strong person to be weakened so much…then came my husband after that, until I couldn’t physically do it anymore and needed help…then my father ….all weakened to the point of needing everything…. Then this last year for myself and my children helped me in my health crisis….helplessness…

A book came out in the 1980’s, “Love you Forever “, by 

Robert Munsch speaks to this cycle…caring through the years of. Life…it looks like a children’s book, but it touches the heart of all ages…caring for one another through time…

Isaiah writes about humbleness …as do other authors in the scriptures…

It is our attitude of humility or not…that is what the Lord looks for…those who are humble, with a contrite heart…who heart is responsive, teachable, seeking God’s guidance for our lives …

We have to realize that all comes from God’s hand…and humble ourselves to that…He is the author and finisher of our faith…nothing circumvents Him…and we are humbled before Him…

Thank YOU….

 This is what the Lord says:“Heaven is my throne,and the earth is my footstool.Where is the house you will build for me?

Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things,and so they came into being?”declares the Lord.“

These are the ones I look on with favor:those who are humble and contrite in spirit,and who tremble at my word.

Isa.66.1-2

 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

Num.12.3

 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.

Deut.8.2,Deut.8.3,Deut.8.16

 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;he humbles and he exalts.

1Sam.2.7

 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord.

2Chr.34.27

 Good and upright is the Lord;therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithfultoward those who keep the demands of his covenant. 

For the sake of your name, Lord,forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

Ps.25.8-11

  The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. For the Lord takes delight in his people;he crowns the humble with victory.

Ps.147.6,Ps.149.4

 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,you who do what he commands.Seek righteousness, seek humility;perhaps you will be shelteredon the day of the Lord’s anger. 

But I will leave within youthe meek and humble.The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.

Zeph.2.3,Zeph.3.12

 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke.14.11

 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Rom.12.3

 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Eph.4.2

 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Jas.4.10

 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

1Pet.3.8,1Pet.5.6

The matchless name of Jesus…

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

 https://starspangledflags.com/flag-day-history-and-meaning/

Job opportunity…

 A job opportunity …

Early on our marriage, the 1970’s, my husband was offered a job with a mining company working near Tehran…the economy was booming…the then government was trying to get foreign companies to invest, to help them expand, to train their people and be involved in world trade…one part would be mineral and oil exploration…

“During the 1950s and 1960s, Tehran saw major infrastructural developments as Iran’s oil wealth was used to build modern roads, bridges, universities, and cultural institutions. The city’s population surged as people from rural areas migrated to the capital in search of better economic opportunities.”

https://worldofhistorycheatsheet.com/history-of-tehran-iran/

We talked about, prayed about, fasted about it,  counseled with family and friends, we were excited about it, wrote out pros and cons…there were so many pros and only a few cons….but, as much as we drummed up excitement, we had no peace about it…and bottom line was, “no peace, no go”….and that was our contentment with our decision…we never regretted the “what ifs”…and went forward….

Little did we know, that the government would soon topple and be changed  so very much….

“Tehran and the Iranian Revolution (1979)
Tehran was at the heart of the political upheaval that led to the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Discontent with the rule of Mohammad Reza Shah, including widespread criticism of his authoritarian rule, pro-Western policies, and growing economic inequality, fueled protests in Tehran and other major cities.
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had been exiled by the Shah, became the spiritual and political leader of the revolution. Protests and demonstrations in Tehran reached their peak in 1978 and early 1979, culminating in the Shah’s abdication and departure from the country in January 1979.
Khomeini returned to Tehran in February 1979, where he was greeted by millions of supporters, marking the end of the Pahlavi monarchy and the beginning of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Isaiah speaks of a king, Cyrus, more than 140  years before  Cyrus came to power…Ezra, Nehemiah lived in Cyrus’ time…Isaiah 40…

“Historical Significance: Iran, known as Persia in ancient times, plays a crucial role in biblical history, particularly during the Jewish Exile and the return to Jerusalem facilitated by Cyrus the Great.

• Key Biblical Figures: Prominent figures such as Cyrus the Great, Darius I, and Xerxes I highlight the interaction between biblical narratives and Persian history, showcasing themes of governance and faith.

• Scriptural References: Although Iran is not frequently mentioned by name, passages such as 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Esther provide insight into its historical and spiritual relevance in the Bible.

• Theological Implications: The biblical narrative emphasizes God’s sovereignty over nations, illustrating how Iran’s historical events link to divine purpose and the fulfillment of prophecies.”

https://biblicalpathway.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-iran/

(Interesting article)

Now, present day, June, 2025, we can watch Israel and Iran at war, not just a lobbing missiles across the border as has been going on over time, but  a real campaign…

We are watching history making in action again…in biblical proportions…Only God knows the outcome of this…we have biblical prophecies, are they for now?, in the future yet…?

We know that God is the ultimate ruler of all nations, the world, the Creator of all…only He knows the times…we know that the gospel is being given out and believed  on by both sides of the border, and surrounding countries in turmoil, to God’s glory…

Thank YOU…

These are the days…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9LnzJnpjQ&list=RDca9LnzJnpjQ&start_radio=1

Rear guard…

 Rear guard….

 But you will not leave in hasteor go in flight;for the Lord will go before you,the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Isa.52.12

 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,and your healing will quickly appear;then your righteousness will go before you,and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Isa.58.8

Omnipresent=present in all places at all times…Merriam Webster…

The first things that comes to mind reading about 

God being our rear guard was the picture in my mind of the Israelites fleeing Egypt…and this verse in Exodus…He had brought them out of Egypt and continued to protect them in the desert even though the Egyptian army was following…thousands of people walking in the desert with an army with horses chasing them…it’s like the tortoise and the hare tale… but there is a “but, God” had a different narrative…He was  their rear guard…

 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

Exod.14.19-20

“In biblical terminology, the concept of a "rear-guard" refers to a protective force or presence that follows and secures the rear of a moving group, often an army or a caravan. This term is used both literally and metaphorically in the Scriptures to describe God's protective role over His people.”

https://biblehub.com/topical/r/rear-guard.htm

Then Isaiah speaks of the Lord being Israel’s rear guard again hundreds of year later…bringing them into their land again…had he forgotten them along the way? No, he kept his promises, his covenants….he still went before them and after them…filled with compassion…even in times of their wanderings…

https://godspeaking.blog/2015/05/01/god-is-our-rear-guard/

https://debbietaylorwilliams.com/whats-coming-up-behind-you/

In the book of Psalms, David adds this verse…

 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,and he delivers them.

Ps.34.7

I personally have to take heart in that…Not only does God in the omnipresence…all around me, before me, beside me, after me..he has an angel watching as well…and then far beyond that He has given me His Holy Spirit to dwell within me…as Christians , we are well guarded…

Thank YOU…

I know a name…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_wQonuDy-4

 

Cyrus…no …Mozambique…

 Cyrus…no…Mozambique…

I was thinking about Isaiah 45 yesterday and the king Cyrus…Ezra…Nehemiah….and God’s mercy and timing for the Jews return to their land…another day…

I have a friend who ministers in Mozambique to the poorest of the poor…she works with a mission organization called the Iris Project which was started many years ago…her husband and mine were business and geology partners until God saw fit to call each home, leaving two widows to manage their business…what a shock that was…we sold and gave away everything…she followed her calling and gifting into mission work…I stayed and followed mine…different paths with the same goals…using our talents to glorify God in what we do…

We talk via What’s App, visit when she is stateside with her family….

She suggested a new book the other day, stories about people and their lives who have been changed because of this ministry …ministering to the poorest of the poor…

It struck me with its contrasts of how God uses different giftings, callings of people….here I am working on furnishing a new home with new furniture, appliances, accessories needed for others to rent and use…I can order on Amazon…go to furniture companies, restaurant suppliers, Walmart, thrift stores, order pictures for the walls, etc to make people comfortable…using the incoming funds to fund missions all over the world…

Stories  in this book speak of the poverty, the life stories of children dying because of lack of food, medical help….building shelters of grass which  wash away in the floods, monsoons each year, or lack of schooling, or teachers…and so on…

It is amazing to read of lives all over the world changed by the Gospel, not necessarily from poverty to riches, but of the faith in the True God who saves…how He worked in their lives and those around them…

We each have a place, a plan, a gifting, a calling on our lives whether we live in the flood plains of Mozambique, the tropics of Colombia, the desert of Somalia, the mountains of Nepal…God can use us and wants to if we obey…the Gospel is for all, rich or poor, no matter the culture…if we just come to Him….

Thank YOU…

 I am the Lord, and there is no other;apart from me there is no God.I will strengthen you,though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other. 

I form the light and create darkness,I bring prosperity and create disaster;I, the Lord, do all these things. 

For this is what the Lord says—he who created the heavens,he is God;he who fashioned and made the earth,he founded it;he did not create it to be empty,but formed it to be inhabited—he says:“I am the Lord,and there is no other. “

Turn to me and be saved,all you ends of the earth;for I am God, and there is no other. 

By myself I have sworn,my mouth has uttered in all integrity-a word that will not be revoked:Before me every knee will bow;by me every tongue will swear.

Isa.45.5-7, Isa.45.18,Isa.45.22-23

Bible study notes…

“God is ruler over light  and darkness, over prosperity and disaster. Our lives are sprinkled with both types of experiences, and both are needed for us to grow spiritually. When good times come, thank God and use your prosperity for him.when bad times come, don’t resent them, but ask what you can learn from this refining experience to make you a better servant of God.”

Thank you for stories of people who have been impacted by the gospel no matter what mission organization…

Find us Faithful…

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MKT5BCmvmq0&pp=ygUXbWlzc2lvbiBzb25ncyBjaHJpc3RpYW4%3D