God’s analogy of choosing the nation of Israel is as beautiful and nurturing as a sommelier developing their vineyard.

Unfortunately, the word picture ends up with the heartbreaking reality of those running the operation having no respect for the owner’s son (aka God’s Son, Jesus Christ the Lord).

God’s purpose, however, was not thwarted as the good news of the gospel came through the facts of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. More precisely, this good news will restore the nation of Israel to God’s kingdom as well, in His perfect time.

In the meantime, we can rejoice in the opportunity to marvel at God’s tremendous gift to the Gentile world, bringing peace with God to all peoples, tribes, tongues and nations.

Finally, don’t stress over those who try to use hypocrisy to “catch you”. In the end, God’s truth will reign supreme.

When I give my life to Him, He can “redeem” or make good come out of every negative experience.- Teresa #Godunderstands #acquaintedwithgrief #Is53:3

Mark 12:1-17 (ESV)

The Parable of the Tenants

12 And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. ² When the season came, he sent a servant^[a] to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ³ And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. ⁵ And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed.⁶ He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’⁷ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹ What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Have you not read this Scripture:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;^[b]
11 this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

¹² And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

¹³ And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.¹⁴ And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances,^[c] but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” ¹⁵ But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius^[d] and let me look at it.”¹⁶ And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

Footnotes

1. Mark 12:2 Or bondservant; also verse 4
2. Mark 12:10 Greek the head of the corner
3. Mark 12:14 Greek you do not look at people’s faces
4. Mark 12:15 A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer

This week, I finally clicked on some of the You Tube videos from Asbury’s revival. It was such a shot of “good news” to see a University working in keeping with God’s hope for the world.

God wants my worship to be like a song of ascent drawing me nearer to His heart. It defies the trap of being lulled to sleep in “safety”. It may consist of a moment when the music crescendos with unforeseen boldness (fortissimo). This energy in turn helps me question and then break out of a comfortable mold that was incongruous with His kingdom come. #Lordisthisfromu #discernment

In Matthew Henry’s Commentary, for Psalm 121, the word for harm aka “evil”, is described here (emphasis added): “This psalm teaches us to comfort ourselves in the Lord, when difficulties and dangers are greatest. It is almighty wisdom that contrives, and almighty power that works the safety of those that put themselves under God’s protection. He is a wakeful, watchful Keeper; he is never weary; he not only does not sleep, but he does not so much as slumber. Under this shade they may sit with delight and assurance. He is always near his people for their protection and refreshment. The right hand is the working hand; let them but turn to their duty, and they shall find God ready to give them success. He will take care that his people shall not fall. Thou shalt not be hurt, neither by the open assaults, nor by the secret attempts of thine enemies. The Lord shall prevent the evil thou fearest, and sanctify, remove, or lighten the evil thou feelest. He will preserve the soul, that it be not defiled by sin, and disturbed by affliction; he will preserve it from perishing eternally.*

Psalm 121:1-7 (ESV)

My Help Comes from the LORD

A Song of Ascents.[1] I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? [2] My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. [3] He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. [4] Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. [5] The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. [6] The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. [7] The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

At the urging of a former seminary professor (during last weekend’s webinar), I dusted off my “Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon” for a more accurate Bible study. This was useful since after memorizing Psalm 121 years ago (in the NIV), I realized-following a short study of the Hebrew words for ‘keep’ and ‘harm’-that the ESV version (see above) is a more accurate translation of the Hebrew text.

My overall takeaway was… when God “keeps” me, (also preserves/protects me), it is from the direction of all evil (whether distress, injury, prosperity or the day of calamity/disaster as in Amos 6:3- see below).

Pursuing deeds that appear spiritually prosperous may not amount to more than idle songs or superficial leisure that pass away.

I was shocked to read that it is better to see the day of calamity come from God’s hand than to usher in the seat of violence in the name of man’s attempt to “keep us from all harm”.

Only God can truly keep us from the day of disaster, the result of evil’s consequence that ends in eternal punishment. That day is like no other day and starts with a capital D.

There will be no going back to relinquish our refusal of God’s way once the Day of the LORD dawns. How much better to surrender my spiritual “keeping” to the maker of heaven and earth today, while there is time.

Being kept from evil means submitting to the keeper of my soul. – Teresa #eternalife

*http://www.biblescopeapp.com/ (NET/MHCC)

Amos 6:1-7 (ESV) bold added

Woe to Those at Ease in Zion[1] “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes! [2] Pass over to Calneh, and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory, [3] O you who put far away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence? [4] “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, [5] who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, [6] who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! [7] Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.”

What is the desire of your heart? Check what delights you and then it is apparent!

Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

By faithfully entering into God’s work, we can feed on food that sustains our souls. (Similar to what Jesus spoke of to the disciples when they went to buy bread in the town near Jacob’s well but Jesus was meeting instead with a woman who needed him), see John 4:32 below.

When we move away from faithfully serving Him, we can be miserable. But remember all that glitters is not necessarily gold. I may think that selling all to serve others is serving God, in the truest sense. This was true for the man Jesus spoke to with great wealth.

However, what if God is developing faithfulness to Him by learning a profession and having a family. Those seemingly ordinary tasks take extraordinary faith when God leads us there.

His delight in us is showered around when we offer up our ordinary lives for His glory. I am delightedly communing with God by desiring His Word and living in accordance with His Holy Spirit.

Soak in His righteousness, His timing and remember when He moves it can be very quick.

Sure, the flesh gets in the way throughout the day. But forgiving others is the first step to being fret-free, releasing anger. A great book by Tim Keller, “Forgive”, helps take that practice to a new level.

David wrote this Psalm and I sense that he learned what it meant to wait on God’s timing. He did not rush the process as he wanted to be sure it was “right”.

Wait for God as you take delight in Him. He will make your desire show up in full force! – Teresa

Psalm 37:1-11 (ESV)

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

^[a] Of David.

37 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
² For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.

³ Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.^[b]
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
⁶ He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.

⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!

⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
⁹ For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

¹⁰ In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each stanza beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
2. Psalm 37:3 Or and feed on faithfulness, or and find safe pasture

John 4:31-33 (NET)

31Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 33 So the disciples began to say to one another, “No one brought him anything to eat, did they?”

Who am I listening to?

https://myreconnection.org/2022/11/18/who-am-i-listening-to/
— Read on myreconnection.org/2022/11/18/who-am-i-listening-to/

When Moses asked God to show him his glory, God hid him in the cleft of the rock before he passed by.

God assured Moses that he would have him stand near on the rock but Moses would not see the full glory of God’s face (for no mortal man who sees God’s face shall live). Talk about a heart stopper attraction. #gloryofGod v.20

Maybe a safer way for Moses to ask would have been, “cover me with your hand”. For how great and terrible is God’s holy presence in all His glory.

But Moses wasn’t playing it safe, he put all on the line for God. He desired to see this display of power as he needed a dose of courage to lead millions of escapees from slavery into the land promised them by God. It was not the Israelite’s goodness that caused the Canaanites to be belched out of the land. It was the wickedness of the other nations that made this happen.

Moses trusted God and insisted that God go with them, knowing that without divine intervention it was futile. #soldout #allhiseggsinonebasket

God knows our name and He wants us to desire His ways.

To Moses, He promised that His presence would go with him. Only in this reality, would Moses find rest. #knowingpeace

Grant us your rest and presence, Lord, in this daunting task called life. Help us to know when to wait for your presence and when to plunge forward, somehow still resting in Your presence. -Teresa #God’swork #God’sglory

Exodus 32:12-32 (ESV)

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ ¹³ Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” ¹⁴ And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” ¹⁵ And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. ¹⁶ For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” ¹⁸ Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” ¹⁹ And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. ²⁰ But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” ²¹ And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock,²² and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

I pray often for “guardian angel” protection over our children. Maybe it’s because my dad used to enjoy watching the show, “Touched by an Angel” with Roma Downey. There’s something familiar and comforting to me when I think of divine intervention in our human existence.

My dad was a great protector of his family and not afraid to show it. On the other hand, he was humble enough to say to one of his cousin’s on his deathbed. “It’s only through my savior, Jesus Christ, that I am assured a place in heaven.” That person said to him, “well if anyone will make it into heaven, Lennie, it will be you”. I overheard their conversation and was in awe of my dad’s conviction.

According to Dictionary.com. “Buckler” is defined as:

“noun

1. a round shield held by a grip and sometimes having straps through which the arm is passed.”

The King James Version describes the shield of the Hebrews as a buckler (see Psalm 18:2,30)

When God is our shield, how much safer are we in the presence of opposition. He provides a refuge that can help us advance a long way. Even in the face of evil, He secures our outcome and helps us stand in the day of battle. Enemy fire should not deter our progress when we trust in His help. Granted, this implies that we humble ourselves and ask Him for help.

Just as King David started as a shepherd and demonstrated great leadership when he was king, he writes as the Psalmist in this passage of how much he trusts God’s shepherd heart (the King of his heart).

Similarly, when God’s word is the source of our wisdom, our heart’s protection is secure. It not only protects from physical harm or adversity but will protect us relationally. The author of Proverbs describes insight as being like an intimate friend. #heartstruetoGod

The children of Israel were given God’s code of ethics through the Ten Commandments. These commandments were familiar to them. When they broke their covenant of faithfulness to God, God remained faithful to them by establishing a new covenant for all people (Jeremiah 31).

Staying close to all that is familiar is not bad when it involves knowing God’s truth for us. Remain in His love, that is a command that brings ultimate peace even in the midst of the storm.-Teresa

Psalm 28:6-8 (ESV)

⁶ Blessed be the Lord!
For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
⁷ The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.

⁸ The Lord is the strength of his people;^[b]
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
⁹ Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. Psalm 28:2 Hebrew your innermost sanctuary
2. Psalm 28:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength

Proverbs 7:1-5English Standard Version

Warning Against the Adulteress

7 My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;
² keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
³ bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend,
⁵ to keep you from the forbidden^[a] woman,
from the adulteress^[b] with her smooth words.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 7:5 Hebrew strange
2. Proverbs 7:5 Hebrew the foreign woman

When pain is at its worse, I may not comprehend good words that are spoken but if they are put to music, I’m all ears so to speak (listening more importantly with my heart and soul).

El Shaddai can mean God of the mountains, of the wilderness or simply the God who provides, His grace being sufficient. (See Wiki link below)

When the people of Israel (aka Jacob) were promised through Moses that they would be brought into a land of their own, they did not listen.

The “promised land” had gone beyond their ability to hope. Their taskmasters demanded things of them that they could no longer perform. (Make bricks from straw and now find the straw first but keep making the same quota of bricks).

God appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and established His covenant with them. He, however, did not make himself known to them as He did with Moses.

The children of Israel had become so numerous yet so enslaved, they no longer had the capacity to hope in God’s promises for them.

Moses was unique in that he was qualified to lead millions of people in a giant exodus out of slavery (brought up in Pharaohs house as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter).

Moses was also unique in that his biological parents were part of the priestly Levites with extreme faith in YHWH (the covenant God of the Hebrews).

What a tremendous undertaking that Moses agreed to (albeit not without resistance), acting as God’s deliverer for the children of Israel.

This unique deliverer was recognized as special by his mother even at birth when she kept him hidden, believing against all odds that he would not be slain with the other newborn boys.

As God made himself known to Moses and the people of Israel, they escaped servitude, witnessed miracles, endured wilderness wanderings and were provided God’s law (code of conduct) at Mount Sinai.

I watched the old, yet first of “The Fast and The Furious” movies last night. We were amused at the insertion of “saying grace” between murders and violence. Even the priest appeared to be bought by the criminal, but in the end allowed for his removal.

The best line of the movie, however, was when the FBI agent admits his respect for Dom because he had a “code” to live by.

In essence, the Ten Commandments that were given through Moses to the people coming out of slavery provided a code of ethics that not only saved their lives but helped them to re-establish in the Promised Land successfully. (Now comes the music and dancing that brings God’s promises home).

Listen to this fabulous song, “Promised Land” by Toby Mac and Sheryl Crow. I heard it this week and was captivated by how much God wants us to hear His hope for us and provision that He alone can bring to our souls. Promised Land -Teresa

Exodus 6:2-28 (ESV)

² God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. ³ I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty,^[a] but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. ⁴ I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. ⁵ Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. ⁶ Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. ⁷ I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. ⁸ I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’”⁹ Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.

¹⁰ So the Lord said to Moses, ¹¹ “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.” ¹² But Moses said to the Lord, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” ¹³ But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron

¹⁴ These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben. ¹⁵ The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the clans of Simeon.¹⁶ These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the years of the life of Levi being 137 years. ¹⁷ The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their clans. ¹⁸ The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, the years of the life of Kohath being 133 years. ¹⁹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their generations. ²⁰ Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father’s sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years. ²¹ The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. ²² The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. ²³ Aaron took as his wife Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ²⁴ The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the clans of the Korahites. ²⁵ Eleazar, Aaron’s son, took as his wife one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites by their clans.

²⁶ These are the Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said: “Bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt by their hosts.” ²⁷ It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this Aaron.

²⁸ On the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, ²⁹ the Lord said to Moses, “I am the Lord; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.” ³⁰ But Moses said to the Lord, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?”

Footnotes

1. Exodus 6:3 Hebrew El Shaddai (a)

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

A few years back, I heard a podcast about not taking offense at others. At the time, I was working on providing positive feedback when earned and not only complaining when service was poor.

Both take time, which seems to be one of our most valuable resources. After a few years of doing this (matching one for one), I transitioned to providing mostly positive reviews.

Since then, I have retired from my career as a registered nurse and started my part-time “gig”. Due to swiftly changing technical interfaces (for which I’m grateful), the learning curve can be steep when trying to obtain warp speed navigational skills. This applies to all levels of training in the workplace.

I spoke about my situation with several “millennial” friends (who are in the thick of the work force). I asked what to do with customers who “takes offense” at having to wait for a “newbie”. There is some great wisdom out there: don’t take it personal, don’t put yourself out there for others to trample on, get stronger, yell back at them, match their energy, say what you think they want to hear, let it go since you can’t change people who know better and still want to act childish or cruel. These friends all made me feel encouraged and empowered to be patient with myself as I navigate a learning curve.

In this passage, both Jesus and John the Baptist offended others. People in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth were offended at His claim to be the Messiah. King Herod’s “wife” was offended at John the Baptist. She was angered enough to have him beheaded.

Jesus and John the Baptist continued to speak the truth that God the Father had given them. They did not change who they were or what they were called to do based on offended people.

We may not know the reason or the outcome of our fiery trials. But we can rest assured that our God and Creator uses clay pots and many times “cracked” vessels so that His glory will shine through. Trust Him.- Teresa #takenooffense #takingoffense=lackoffaith

Like 7:18-30 (NET)

18 John’s disciples informed him about all these things. John called two of his disciples 19 and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” 21 At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind. 22 So he answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 23 Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” 24
When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?25 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are in kings’ courts! 26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,who will prepare your way before you.’ 28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.” 29 (Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. 30 However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

Matthew 13:53-14:12 (ESV)

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

⁵³ And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, ⁵⁴ and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”⁵⁸ And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

The Death of John the Baptist

14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, ² and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ³ For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^{[a] 4} because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. ⁶ But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, ⁷ so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” ⁹ And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. ¹⁰ He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, ¹¹ and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.¹² And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

Footnotes

1. Matthew 14:3 Some manuscripts his brother’s wife

As life-saving as silver is from dangerous microbes and as useful as it is for creating electronics in cars, it is also full of symbolism-including purity. (see references below)

The passage in Psalm 12 speaks of silver refined in a furnace as being purified, 7 times. The number seven in Hebrew is the same word that represents an oath. God’s word does not change, it is steadfast. When He keeps His word, His kingdom comes and His will is done.

There is nothing mixed in to change His meaning. It is authentic and true. When Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?”, he was verbalizing the question of human culture and society in general. Many things appear one way but come to find out, they were just the opposite of what was said. This is called reading between the lines or as my freshman college professors taught us, “situational ethics”.

The vileness exalted among children in our current age will not be unnoticed by God. He has set a standard that is unpolluted by fame or popularity. He will respond at the right time to take care of unjust gain derived from vile deeds, robbing the poor or needy. (Children are poor and needy as they rely on adults to care for them properly)

Who’s word is unchanging? Trust His timing.- Teresa #purified #likesilver

Who is the One who protects and keeps us? (January challenge: memorize Psalm 121)

It is the Lord, maker of heaven and earth!!!

A song of ascents. (Psalm 121, NET)
I look up toward the hills.
From where does my help come?2
My help comes from the Lord,
the Creator of heaven and earth!3
May he not allow your foot to slip!
May your protector not sleep!4
Look! Israel’s protector
does not sleep or slumber!5
The Lord is your protector;
the Lord is the shade at your right hand.6
The sun will not harm you by day,
or the moon by night.7
The Lord will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.8
The Lord will protect you in all you do,
now and forevermore.

Psalm 12:5-8 (ESV)

^‘5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
⁶ The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.

⁷ You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us^[b] from this generation forever.
⁸ On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.’

John 18:33-38a (NET)

‘Pilate Questions Jesus
So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 Jesus replied, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?”35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36
Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate asked, “What is truth?” ‘

Additional web- based references below…

According to John Rothins @USmoneyreserve.com, (July 1, 2019)

Silver might not always get the glory and attention that gold does, but it remains one of the most useful precious metals in the world. Solar technology, electronics, soldering and brazing, engine bearings, medicine, cars, water purification, jewelry, tableware, and your precious metals portfolio—silver can be found practically everywhere.

And from Mining.com (April 30,2021), a post from Rob Tyson states:

As a metal, silver is extremely pliable, elastic, heat resistant, conductive, non-corrosive, non-toxic in low doses, has low contact resistant, doesn’t readily oxidise and has proven antimicrobial and biocide properties. That means it can lend itself to a huge range of applications, some of them literally life-saving.

Of particular note are silver nanoparticles (silver NPs), which are tiny particles of silver. Studies have found they have excellent antimicrobial properties and are very effective against most types of bacteria. However, they’ve also proven to be a very handy tool in the fight against some viruses, notably HIV, hepatitis B, herpes simplex, mpox (abbreviation added) and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

It takes a good question to find the narrow way leading to eternal life. Have I asked to be given what I need?

It takes a bit of pondering to seek a worthy treasure. Have I settled for mediocrity or given up on excellence?

Energy expended in knocking at the right door of opportunity will not lead to destruction. Am I part of the few who persevere to find it opening?

I heard a young man describe a friend of his who followed Christ wholeheartedly as a quality person. He would surely consider her for a wife!

I found it refreshing to hear that it was not because she was someone who was easily seduced that put her in the “quality” category, but someone who reflected Christ.

Religion is different than relationship. One is “about” God and the other is “with” God. Taking care of orphans and widows in their distress is done “with” the love of God, only then considered “pure” religion that involves a true relationship (James 1:27).

I read a tweet from @CSLewis daily saying, “Of all the bad men, religious bad men are the worst.” – C.S. Lewis

I would say that is because a religious bad person is caught up with finding correct answers but not changing their humanly deceptive heart through the power of God. Correct answers only lead to knowledge which puffs up but as Paul the apostle states, love builds up! (I Corinthians 8:1)

If our right actions stem from a need to only be correct, then the power of love has not yet transformed our hearts.

Asking the difficult question (aka…I need something/asked with humility) is necessary in order to be given the rewarding answer.

Seeking the worthy treasure begins with discerning true quality.

Knocking at the door of God’s heart allows us to gain entrance into His fellowship, through His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord.

In so doing, we will begin to lose our insecurities caused by sin’s curse. Only then, will we be able to treat others as we would love to be treated.

I have struggled with feelings of being left out, over-giving to gain acceptance and jealousy/anger of those who attempt to take what I feel is rightfully mine. Reading this passage reminds me that it’s not other people’s job to make me feel included, I must ask the right question of the Lord for myself. Over-giving leads to being “used” by others or not valued as the quality person God has made me. Trying to “hold on” to what is mine only leads to achy hands. By opening my fingers, I can be released of bad feelings, knowing God will truly give every opportunity that is mine.

Have you asked, are you seeking, will you knock? Each season of life requires a different way of addressing these three questions. None is more rewarding than the present realization that He is waiting for our fellowship (questions). -Teresa

Matthew 6:7-13 (ESV)

Ask, and It Will Be Given

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

¹² “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy^[b] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.