Dec 31….Psalm 31…

 Dec 31…Psalm 31….

That last day of 2025…

I had to read Psalm 31 just because….it is the last day of 2025…what a testimony….this may have been written by neither David or Jeremiah….both men had immense trials and trust in God…if we circle every positive feeling that whomever wrote it felt,

It would be so telling of their trust….

Was our year of 2025 a year of trusting? Or otherwise? Am I learning more or less…how can I improve? Do I want to improve…

When we think of the verse in Romans, 

“ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Rom.8.28

Do I think like Jeremiah or David…knowing that everything is for my good?  Do I find my real refugee….strength in Him?

.

 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;let me never be put to shame;in your righteousness deliver me! 

Incline your ear to me;rescue me speedily!Be a rock of refuge for me,a strong fortress to save me! 

For you are my rock and my fortress;and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; 

you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,for you are my refuge. 

Into your hand I commit my spirit;you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. 

I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,but I trust in the Lord. 

I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,because you have seen my affliction;

you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;you have set my feet in a broad place. 

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;my eye is wasted from grief;my soul and my body also. 

For my life is spent with sorrow,and my years with sighing;my strength fails because of my iniquity,and my bones waste away. Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,especially to my neighbors,and an object of dread to my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street flee from me. 

I have been forgotten like one who is dead;I have become like a broken vessel. 

For I hear the whispering of many—terror on every side!—as they scheme together against me,as they plot to take my life. 

But I trust in you, O Lord;I say, “You are my God.” 

My times are in your hand;rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! 

Make your face shine on your servant;save me in your steadfast love! 

O Lord, let me not be put to shame,for I call upon you;let the wicked be put to shame;let them go silently to Sheol. 

Let the lying lips be mute,which speak insolently against the righteousin pride and contempt. 

Oh, how abundant is your goodness,which you have stored up for those who fear youand worked for those who take refuge in you,in the sight of the children of mankind! 

In the cover of your presence you hide themfrom the plots of men;you store them in your shelterfrom the strife of tongues. 

Blessed be the Lord,for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. 

I had said in my alarm,“I am cut off from your sight.”

But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercywhen I cried to you for help. 

Love the Lord, all you his saints!

The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 

Be strong, and let your heart take courage,all you who wait for the Lord!

Ps.31.1-24

Thank YOU and you…

Happy New Year….may we each continue to  “be doers of the Word” and not hearers only…finding our life in Christ…

Thy Word….

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

Psalm 31 Song…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVlz4yv3DDI

 

Treasure….

 

Treasure….

I have various snapshots in my mind or on paper, times when they have become treasures of my heart….children, grandchildren and now, great grandchildren….things they did that were so precious that I really don’t want to forget….I look  at them or remember them with a deep joy or smile…

When Simeon and Anna blessed Jesus, Mary did the same thing…without the modern technology of cameras or phones, she “treasured up all these things in her heart”…..as well as so much more…angels, shepherds, even the long trip to Bethlehem, etc…

Now, when you ponder your life, I am sure you can think of treasures that you ponder…they are all parts of the precious gifts God has planned for each of us think about and praise Him …

Giving thanks in all things…

Maybe even listing them out or calling whomever and thanking them…or texting them for their place in our lives…wouldn’t that bless your life? Or theirs?

Thank YOU…..

 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

Luke.2.51ESV

 He went down to Nazareth with them, and was continually submissive and obedient to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Luke.2.51AMP

 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 

Luke.2.51AKJV

 So he went back to Nazareth with them, and lived obediently with them. His mother held these things dearly, deep within.

Luke.2.51MSG

 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Deut.14.2

 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,

Prov.2.1

 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matt.6.21

 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Col.2.2,Col.2.3

Pearl of great price…2 versions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-puVJ2oAeE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d6LHedAc9k

Jesus and Anna….

 

Jesus and Anna….

There was another person awaiting Christ’s birth, Anna….

 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. 

She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. 

She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 

And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Luke.2.36-38

 “Asher's food shall be rich,and he shall yield royal delicacies.

Gen.49.20

I thought it was interesting that Asher’s name meant “joy and happiness…” and Anna’s name meant “grace and favor”…

The tribe of Asher remained faithful throughout all the years …

Anna lead a life of devotion all her years….worshiping in the temple, awaiting the “redemption of Jerusalem “…Luke felt it was important to give her lineage, character qualities….he had given Simeon’s character qualities as well…

I can just imagine the two people comparing notes over the years, waiting expectantly for the Redeemer…would they have expected a tiny baby?….or like Samuel, a handsome man to rule…but, they knew when Joseph and Mary walked in, carrying Jesus…they knew that this child was the One…

When God speaks, we know…do we obey…surrender…

Thank YOU…

Simeon and Anna….

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

https://divinenarratives.org/ashers-role-and-legacy-in-the-twelve-tribes-of-israel/

Simeon and Jesus…

 

Simeon and Jesus….

I was watching one of the many portrayals of the nativity the other night…it was just a simple line by line portrayal…no added scenes or verbiage… near the end , the producers included the scene with Simeon blessing baby Jesus…it was touching…an old man thanking God for letting him live to see, “ a light for revelation to the Gentiles,and for glory to your people Israel”.

the wonderment of Simeon’s words…the humility of his attitude…the gratitude he exhibited….the peacefulness of his countenance…he had held the Savior of the World for whom he had waited….what a gift…

We don’t have to wait for the Savior…he has come…he has finished his work…we can “believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved”…

Thank YOU….

 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 

And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation     that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles,and for glory to your people Israel.” 

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Luke.2.21-35

Believe in the Lord…

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aT0FB6o7Jgk&list=RDaT0FB6o7Jgk&start_radio=1&pp=ygU4YmVsaWV2ZSBvbiB0aGUgbG9yZCBqZXN1cyBjaHJpc3QgYW5kIHRob3Ugc2hhbHQgYmUgc2F2ZWSgBwHSBwkJTQoBhyohjO8%3D

The joy of Christmas is far from over…

 

The joy of Christmas is far from over….

Interesting article…when Christmas Day becomes just a blip on the calendar rather than the celebration of Christ’s birth…of which the world over is blessed…

“ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost…”Luke.19.10

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/the-joy-of-christmas-is-far-from-over.html??aps=01f502bb5b256e47341c22f28f28b0e25da4602a6df486c467eead94366ff892&utm_content=1152686_20251226_669&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=lst_bst_todays_bible_breakout_2&utm_source=newsletter&bt_ee=AtmeX51a0Mkx38dOtMiQznwEonr8ZTl0BEZOtoeZcTRMRkMp9Nfr3aoP0Ttf6nCu&bt_ts=1766744856885

Joy to the World…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPA0jTQI2HM

Christmas songs…

 Christmas songs….

Some Christmas songs, that caught my heart…enjoy…

Angels we have heard on High….David Dunn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ij54sHTpx8

Christmas at the cross….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70H0PDwNDWE

Emmanuel, love has come….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7ZkF-b-4A4

As the year ends…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMetW3IzSRY

Baby Jesus….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-iSFdq4j20

Songs…2

 Songs 2…

Merry Christmas…

Glory…. Wickham

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UX0zrCGbjw

The reason for season- 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FHIr09QZto

Born is the king….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsnc0a_C-pk

A Christmas to believe in-Matthew west

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f_AO364zCHw&list=RDf_AO364zCHw&start_radio=1&pp=ygUmYSBjaHJpc3RtYXMgdG8gYmVsaWV2ZSBpbiBtYXR0aGV3IHdlc3SgBwHSBwkJTQoBhyohjO8%3D

All I really want for Christmas-Chapman 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=boZv6Pf7kEI&list=RDboZv6Pf7kEI&start_radio=1&pp=ygUoYWxsIGkgcmVhbGx5IHdhbnQgZm9yIGNocmlzdG1hcywgY2hhcG1hbqAHAQ%3D%3D

https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/holy-land-temple-lambs-and-the-social-outcasts/