When I chose the lemons for this pie, they were actually gifted to me from our neighbor. It really was the best flavor for this particular confection.

When the King of Persia chose to honor Mordecai, he realized from his midnight insomniac reading that Mordecai had saved his life. (The beauty of documenting important events and God’s influence at work on a nation through the previous 4 days of prayer and fasting).

When God chose the nation of Israel (through Jacob and his 12 sons), He set up a Levitical (chosen family) priesthood and a sacrificial system of worship to reflect the beauty of heaven to the people of earth.

It is no wonder that when evil Haman wrote up a decree to annihilate God’s chosen people (the Jews) and the King signed the edict, God stepped in to save them. In the end, Haman and his family were wiped out. Mordecai the Jew and his family (Queen Esther) were saved. Haman’s friends recognized the power of the Jewish God in an ominous foretelling of the events to come.

Even so, with the new covenant God chose men, women, boys and girls from all peoples, nations, tribes and tongues. Colossians 3 reminds us that we have a responsibility to take off the old sin nature and put on the new nature given us through Christ Jesus (our Passover lamb, Jesus Christ the Lord).

Colossians 3:12 ESV

[12] Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…

Whether it’s lemons, reactions to heroic deeds or a people to honor God’s name…the choices are made. My husband read a quote this week about God “finding” us as a shepherd finds the lost sheep. How beautiful to pray: “Lord, find me” rather than “help me to find you, God”. It is His specialty to bring salvation and find those who recognize they are lost.- Teresa #chosen #holy #dearlyloved

Esther 5:9-14, 1-13 ESV* (bold added)

Haman Plans to Hang Mordecai

⁹ And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.¹⁰ Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. ¹¹ And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. ¹² Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. ¹³ Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”¹⁴ Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows^[g] fifty cubits^[h] high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

The King Honors Mordecai

6 On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.² And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana^[i] and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. ³ And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” ⁴ And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows^[j] that he had prepared for him. ⁵ And the king’s young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” ⁶ So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?”⁷ And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, ⁸ let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown^[k] is set. ⁹ And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’” ¹⁰ Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” ¹¹ So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.”

¹² Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. ¹³ And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him.”

*Oneyearbibleonline

God’s all-encompassing love for David is present and accounted for all in this one chapter: from David’s recognition of his sin, confession, forgiveness experienced, prayers offered, hiding place provided, being surrounded by shouts of deliverance, the promise of instruction, teaching and individualized counsel (with God’s eye on him).

David writes about it from personal experience and to remind all who trust in the Lord that His steadfast love surrounds us as well. Don’t be overcome by sorrow but be glad, rejoice and give shouts of joy!!!

It’s easy to take up the sorrow of the wicked, especially when it’s fed to us on every app and platform available. Being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1,2) means that we are able to see the “news” through God’s “app”- His Word. It becomes God’s work in our hearts (like what David experienced) that brings about deliverance.

Yesterday, I was tested on this. In light of the road I’ve been journeying over the past 5 years with my elder’s inability to make sound judgment about certain relationships (i.e. scammers), I was literally frightened about some information displayed on my computer screen. I had a visceral reaction and asked God to help me through the process of finding the truth.

God answered my prayer but I realized how vulnerable I was to what “appears” real vs. what truly is reality. The Psalm below comforted me as I had to confess my lack of faith in God’s care for us, because of those who target the innocent.

I had just taught the grandkids “David and Goliath” during our Star Camp Bible school this week. Be NOT afraid was the main point. God’s name (aka character) is trustworthy. He strengthens us to be victorious when “bullies” are shouting insults.

If we would make a shadow box (or prayer journal) to put on display in our front rooms, then we would remember as David did what incidents in our lives were critical. This would be a visual reminder and we could tell the story over and over of God’s deliverance. This is similar to the children of Israel placing boulders retrieved from the river bed of the Red Sea onto the shore to remind their children and grandchildren of God’s miraculous deliverance. #remember

How many times am I stubborn like a horse or mule, refusing to drink deeply of the water God leads me to? Instead, I’m picking up the “apps” of the world’s information and sipping from dirty mud puddles of sorrow. Help me, Lord, to stay near YOU, your word and your steadfast love. – Teresa #joyfulreality

Psalm 32:1-11 (ESV)*

Blessed Are the Forgiven

A Maskil^[a] of David.

32 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man against whom the Lordcounts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³ For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up^[b] as by the heat of summer. Selah

⁵ I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

⁶ Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
⁷ You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
⁹ Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.

¹⁰ Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
¹¹ Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

*Oneyearbibleonline

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)

A Living Sacrifice

[1] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Who of you are called by God to salvation?

Maybe you noticed in the Bible passage below there are some seemingly unlikely candidates for salvation …but God chooses those who are considered foolish in the world’s eyes: powerless, not wealthy, even despised or basically “nothing”.

Why? So that Christ’s wisdom, power and nobility can shine in and through us, He is “Someone” important. #makeroomforHim

Lord, we boast in you alone. For those of you born into wealthy, wise or powerful families- don’t despair. Paul specifies there are a “called” few (not many) in this category.

Lord, we are grateful to you. You love us all and have a special calling for those who are despised or don’t think of themselves too highly- especially the children. – Teresa #Christalone #thewisdomofGod #nowthat’sapowerfulplan

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5English Standard Version

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

²⁰ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach^[a] to save those who believe. ²² For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,^[b]not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸ God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹ so that no human being^[c] might boast in the presence of God.³⁰ And because of him^[d] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Proclaiming Christ Crucified

2 And I, when I came to you, brothers,^[e] did not come proclaiming to you the testimony^[f] of God with lofty speech or wisdom. ² For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³ And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, ⁴ and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men^[g] but in the power of God.

Footnotes

1. 1 Corinthians 1:21 Or the folly of preaching
2. 1 Corinthians 1:26 Greek according to the flesh
3. 1 Corinthians 1:29 Greek no flesh
4. 1 Corinthians 1:30 Greek And from him
5. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters
6. 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts mystery (or secret)
7. 1 Corinthians 2:5 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women

Being robbed/prevented from completing the building of an amazing plan last week, I felt there was only one thing worse and that was being hacked by scammers who also prey on the elderly (my focus this week).

Not to say that I’m elderly yet, but there are plenty of seniors who have fallen prey to those wily schemes. In the past, our “elders” would have the family’s and community’s honor. Nowadays there are no laws to protect seniors who willingly give to charlatans playing a “part” (for money).

Mid-19th century, the “scammers” were called snake oil salesmen, charlatans. My father was excellent at sniffing them out. Some would call the house (my dad would answer, set the phone down and walk away, until they got tired of talking). That was before the digital robocall problem.

Today, when an elder in your family is a victim, everyone is a victim. Why? Because the scammer has convinced the elder to trust him, not listen to those who truly love her. In the meantime, he can glean the whole family’s personal information through her. These men (and women) are professional criminals, working internationally.

I’ve had to learn the hard way to withhold information being asked me by my elder or withhold texts (to her “new” cell number) because of the connection to scammers who can enter your own computer if you click on their message (that has your loved one’s phone identifier/name on it).

The verse I’ve been reciting frequently over the past three months when dealing with the climax of this tricky problem is: “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised, His greatness is beyond our comprehension” (Psalm 145:3)

When you’ve been raised “right” by your elder but they have swallowed the message of those who are wily (hook, line and sinker), then you must outsmart the criminals who are trying to drain the entire river of all its resources. (Only through God -Psalm 145:3 again)

To my amazement, God is bringing resolution to all the concerns we’ve had in ways that I would not have thought possible. Although the past five years have been tiring, God has worked in ways that are beyond what I could have asked or imagined.

At every turn, God was testing my heart as well. Was I willing to give up my personal comforts to care for my elder (and the comfort/resources of my family although they were innocent and not connected to her bad judgments)? Was I willing to stand in the gap for her in prayer and with time, oversight, consults and documentation? Was I willing to listen, encourage, help her connect with good people?

Doctors say that brain changes can occur as early as in the thirties for some with a predisposition to these type of brain injuries (injuries that wreak havoc on judgement). If someone’s actions seem strange, then don’t neglect a neuro exam.

Just when the burden seemed too great, God opened another door. Now I’m rejoicing that I did not have to complete my “not so amazing” plan. I’m seeing the way that I was “robbed” intellectually and monetarily as God shedding light on the seriousness of the deception taking place. (Aka requiring warfare on a spiritual level- the battle is the Lord’s)

By outdoing one another with honor, I propose we take a fresh look at Paul’s instructions in Romans 12. Giving thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s sight, means not repaying evil for evil. It may look different for each situation and be especially unique for those who are protecting their vulnerable elder.

One excellent audible book that helped me was written and narrated by Marc Swift. He gave literal examples of what I was going through as he documented his journey with his elderly parents. The premise that he worked from was to find the place of love in their memories and reconnect. Tap into God’s love for them and for ourselves as caregivers.

I guess the lesson for today is by giving honor, we also treat ourselves honorably. We should not stoop to a level of anger or malice that heightens the actual problem being faced. -Teresa #love

Romans 12:9-21 ESV **

Marks of the True Christian

⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,^[g]serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.^[h] Never be wise in your own sight. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it^[i]to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰ To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. Romans 12:1 Or brothers and sisters
2. Romans 12:1 Or your rational service
3. Romans 12:2 Greek age
4. Romans 12:2 Or what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God
5. Romans 12:4 Greek parts; also verse 5
6. Romans 12:8 Or gives aid
7. Romans 12:11 Or fervent in the Spirit
8. Romans 12:16 Or give yourselves to humble tasks
9. Romans 12:19 Greek give place

pexels-maria-orlova-4916186.jpg*

**OneYearBibleonline

Humility is not easy. Especially when I feel robbed. For example, as a “builder”, I take great joy in planning, implementing and seeing the final product emerge. Not until the chimney is on am I deeply satisfied!

Have you ever met someone who sees the benefit of your plan? Only after the messy work of digging the foundation and putting in the plumbing, will they step up and even bully themselves into the place of “foreman” and take over the final steps.

In my humbling experience, not only did my idea become “used” by another but the satisfaction of finishing it was thwarted. Not so with Solomon. He had a father (King David) who planned and prepped for him to finish the building of God’s house, the Temple. It was all done as David planned and Solomon was the “foreman” who stepped in and gave glory to God, after following David’s instructions.

God saw Solomon’s humility and answered his prayer by coming down with great power and glory into the finished product. Lord, we pray for your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Whether it’s an abrupt change of plans or truly having your hard work robbed, I propose that by humbling ourselves before God we will be vessels of clay for God’s glory to descend upon.-Teresa

2 Chronicles 7: 11-18 ESV *

¹¹ Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the Lord and in his own house he successfully accomplished. ¹² Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. ¹³ When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, ¹⁴ if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.¹⁶ For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. ¹⁷ And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, ¹⁸ then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’

*oneyearbibleonline

Repentance becomes worship

Please enjoy this post from 2015 (with a few edits). Remember…being hidden in Christ is a beautiful thing. I watched my grandkids this week “hide” in an opaque “Paw Patrol” pop-up tent. They were sure I couldn’t see their adorable selves. They told me it was a lion, a pig, a bear making the tent crash around. God’s heart desires fellowship with us, we must just be honest about our need of Him. He will provide the rest.

In 2015 BY REGAL WOMAN@TRANSAMEAGLE

When David was terrified by the presence of the angel of the Lord, he repented at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite and God had mercy on the people.

This was the same place where many years earlier, Abraham willingly offered up in obedience his son, Isaac, who was then a young man. God saw Abraham’s heart of faith and stopped Him, by “providing a lamb” for the sacrifice (see Genesis 22:8).

Even so, this place of extreme repentance became the site of Solomon’s ornate temple, built for worshiping the God above all gods. Solomon had the wisdom and skills to make a profoundly intricate work, majestic enough to cause the glory of God to descend on it in a cloud (see 2 Chronicles 5:14).

Even today, we repent and worship at this site as it is also the mountain called Calvary where Jesus, the lamb of God, gave himself up for the sins of the world. This place of repentance, is where we picture our head being dripped on by the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord. He substituted His righteousness for my sinfulness as He provided atonement for me.

Lord, you terrify us with your presence because you are so holy. Purify us by the blood of your Son and our Savior so that we may worship You in Spirit and in truth. We rejoice because of your provision for us. -Teresa #hiddenbutfullyseen

Genesis 22:1-14 (NET) (bold added)

1Some time after these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham replied.2 God said, “Take your son – your only son, whom you love, Isaac – and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.”3
Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about.4
On the third day Abraham caught sight of the place in the distance.5 So he said to his servants, “You two stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go up there. We will worship and then return to you.”6
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together.7Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father?” “What is it, my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”8 “God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.9
When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood.10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter his son.11 But the Lord’s angel called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered.12 “Do not harm the boy!” the angel said. “Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”13
Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.” It is said to this day, “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.”

1 Chronicles 21: 18-30 22:1-6 (ESV) (bold added)

David Builds an Altar

18 Now the angel of the Lord had commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 19 So David went up at Gad’s word, which he had spoken in the name of the Lord. 20 Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. 21 As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground. 22 And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the Lord—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.” 23 Then Ornan said to David, “Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all.” 24 But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” 25 So David paid Ornan 600 shekels[f] of gold by weight for the site. 26 And David built there an altar to the Lord and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the Lord, and the Lord[g] answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. 27 Then the Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

28 At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. 29 For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon, 30 but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

22 Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the Lord God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

David Prepares for Temple Building

² David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. ³ David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, ⁴ and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. ⁵ For David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.

Solomon Charged to Build the Temple

⁶ Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel.⁷ David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. ⁸ But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. ⁹ Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. ¹⁰ He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’

2 Chronicles 3: 1-3 (NLT) bold added
3 So Solomon began to build the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to David, his father. The Temple was built on the threshing floor of Araunah[s] the Jebusite, the site that David had selected. 2 The construction began in midspring,[t] during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign.

John 19:16b-37 (NET) (first bold added)

So they took Jesus, 17 and carrying his own cross he went out to the place called “The Place of the Skull” (called in Aramaic Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him along with two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate also had a notice written and fastened to the cross, which read: “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.” 20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. 21 Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The king of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am king of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 23
Now when the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and made four shares, one for each soldier, and the tunic remained. (Now the tunic was seamless, woven from top to bottom as a single piece.) 24 So the soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but throw dice to see who will get it.” This took place to fulfill the scripture that says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they threw dice.” So the soldiers did these things. 25
Now standing beside Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, look, here is your son!” 27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time the disciple took her into his own home.28
Jesus’ Death
After this Jesus, realizing that by this time everything was completed, said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty!” 29 A jar full of sour wine was there, so they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a branch of hyssop and lifted it to his mouth. 30 When he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31
Then, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not stay on the crosses on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an especially important one), the Jewish leaders asked Pilate to have the victims’ legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who had been crucified with Jesus, first the one and then the other. 33But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately. 35 And the person who saw it has testified (and his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth), so that you also may believe. 36 For these things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled, “Not a bone of his will be broken.” 37 And again another scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.”

*The English names Calvary and Golgotha derive from the VulgateLatinCalvariae, Calvariae locus and locum (all meaning “place of the Skull” or “a Skull”), and Golgotha used by Jerome in his translations of Matthew 27:33,^[2]Mark 15:22,^[3]Luke 23:33,^[4] and John 19:17.^[5]*

*Wikipedia

Also, see the connection in this blog, “From Moriah to Golgotha” Penofthereadywriter

When Governor PorciusFestus accused the Apostle Paul of being out of his mind from all his learning, Paul was not offended but addressed him as “most excellent Festus”.

King Herod Agrippa II was invited by Festus to hear Paul’s case. Agrippa understood the complex political climate of that region. But it was Paul’s words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which delivered truth with convincing power. #almostpersuaded

If being out of my mind from too much learning means restoring God’s perspective, then I am fully persuaded to embrace Paul’s example and also witness about Jesus Christ the Lord, (v. 18) “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Jesus).

I am grateful for the great portion of the New Testament penned by the Apostle Paul while he was under house arrest in Rome. Because of this, I am persuaded that nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:39)- God loved and inspired Paul’s words to us. When the great mind of Paul was used to bring the simple gospel message to those in his company (guards, governors, kings, and now to us), I am inspired to also be a witness throughout the challenges of circumstantial suffering.

I may not be under lock and key, but there are pokes and jabs from those who purport friendship but do not hesitate to slander/spread untruths.

By yielding our perspective to God’s love, we can restore our mind. His purpose is amazingly intertwined with our heart, soul, mind and strength (Deut 6:5).

The Essence of the Covenant Principles
Listen, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!5You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.

. -Teresa #strengthfortoday #brighthopefortomorrow greatisthyfaithfulnesshymn

Acts 26English Standard Version*

Paul’s Defense Before Agrippa

26 So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

² “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, ³ especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. ⁵ They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. ⁶ And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, ⁷ to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! ⁸ Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

⁹ “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.¹⁰ And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Paul Tells of His Conversion

¹² “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.¹³ At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴ And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language,^[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷ delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you ¹⁸ to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

¹⁹ “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. ²¹ For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. ²² To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass:²³ that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” (Bold added)

²⁴ And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” ²⁵ But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. ²⁶ For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” ²⁸ And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”^{[b] 29} And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

³⁰ Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them.³¹ And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” ³² And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”Read full chapter

Footnotes

1. Acts 26:14 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)
2. Acts 26:28 Or In a short time you would persuade me to act like a Christian!

*Oneyearbibleonline

Do you need a new direction in life? Please watch this inspiring YouTube by Geoff Krieger.

*🚀 https://youtu.be/UTFMCEuykQs

Enjoy! Happy 4th of July.

-Teresa #liftoff #beautifulbeginnings

In our technological age of VR and AI, the possibilities are endless when it comes to communicating a powerful message. It reaches all our senses, but is their fruit?

This passage (below) illustrates that those who humbled themselves before God became the remnant. First the root (of God’s love reaching them) and then the fruit (of trusting the Messiah to save them). #JesusChristtheLord

There are times when we may feel like a remnant of cloth. Left behind after the garment is completed. Not quite big enough for much more than the scrap bag. God’s remnant, however, is referred to throughout the Old Testament in the context of humble people but symbolic of new beginnings. When all seemed lost, God’s remnant was left in the land to re-populate and carry on with a fresh start.

We too can represent this fresh mindset today in a world which is sometimes at odds with God’s values. With humility and faithfulness, our actions can reflect the One we worship. Like a fragrant aroma, the Holy Spirit moves in and through us for that very purpose.#fruit

It may take on a different form than we ever envisioned, alive with God’s vibrant color and love. Staying humble means we can try a creative approach. Being faithful means we can trust the results to God who is able to exponentially bless lives for His glory.

Just this week, I was challenged to think outside the box. When I felt my back was up against the wall, God surprised me with a new way to see the situation. Just like King Hezekiah who heard God’s heart for Israel’s future, I asked God to give me a “picture” of how things would look from His viewpoint. This brought me hope and even more surprising, it gave me a sense of deep-seated joy!

-Teresa #fruitoftheSpirit #love #joy #peace

2 Kings 18:14-37 (ESV)* bold added vv. 30,31

Hezekiah’s Prayer

¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. ¹⁵ And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. ¹⁶ Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. ¹⁷ Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands ¹⁸ and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. ¹⁹ So now, O Lordour God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”

Isaiah Prophesies Sennacherib’s Fall

²⁰ Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. ²¹ This is the word that the Lord has spoken concerning him:

“She despises you, she scorns you—
the virgin daughter of Zion;
she wags her head behind you—
the daughter of Jerusalem.

²² “Whom have you mocked and reviled?
Against whom have you raised your voice
and lifted your eyes to the heights?
Against the Holy One of Israel!
²³ By your messengers you have mocked the Lord,
and you have said, ‘With my many chariots
I have gone up the heights of the mountains,
to the far recesses of Lebanon;
I felled its tallest cedars,
its choicest cypresses;
I entered its farthest lodging place,
its most fruitful forest.
²⁴ I dug wells
and drank foreign waters,
and I dried up with the sole of my foot
all the streams of Egypt.’

²⁵ “Have you not heard
that I determined it long ago?
I planned from days of old
what now I bring to pass,
that you should turn fortified cities
into heaps of ruins,
²⁶ while their inhabitants, shorn of strength,
are dismayed and confounded,
and have become like plants of the field
and like tender grass,
like grass on the housetops,
blighted before it is grown.

²⁷ “But I know your sitting down
and your going out and coming in,
and your raging against me.
²⁸ Because you have raged against me
and your complacency has come into my ears,
I will put my hook in your nose
and my bit in your mouth,
and I will turn you back on the way
by which you came.

²⁹ “And this shall be the sign for you: this year eat what grows of itself, and in the second year what springs of the same. Then in the third year sow and reap and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. ³⁰ And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward.³¹ For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the Lord will do this.

³² “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. ³³ By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the Lord.³⁴ For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”

³⁵ And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.³⁶ Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went home and lived at Nineveh. ³⁷ And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes

1. 2 Kings 18:14 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
2. 2 Kings 18:29 Hebrew his
3. 2 Kings 18:31 Hebrew Make a blessing with me

*OneYearBibleonline

My first experience telling others about Jesus was traveling to various neighborhoods in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where our church members lived, teaching 5-day clubs to children. It was the summer I turned 12 years old and I had trained through Child Evangelism Fellowship.

My second, third and fourth journeys were also in the summertime, two with Teen Missions, International and the last with New Tribes Mission. These trips took me to Oahu, HI; Palmer, AK; and the hollers of Kentucky with wonderful teams of Christian believers from all around the country.

After my husband and I were married, we went on a cross-cultural journey together. With our first daughter, who was still a baby, we headed to Europe and North Africa for a year with a multinational group of single adults and married couples. Our daughter was adored by many “aunties and uncles”.

Reading about Paul’s second missionary journey (see the passage below), I was caught up in the travel involved and the way he met with people whose hearts were being called by God.

The generosity they experienced was a result of hearts being changed. The churches supported Paul and Silas as well as young Timothy (Paul’s “trainee”). Along the way, the old and new converts opened their hearts and homes to the love that God showed them through His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord.

Those who were changed were also encouraged to remain faithful. Although the church of that day did not promote women leaders (due to lack of education), Lydia may have been an exception as she eventually opened up her home as the hub for the growing church. #Philippians

Philippi was a great trade city in the province of Macedonia where Paul and his partners were “called” to minister. Lydia was a wealthy business owner involved in trading purple cloth there and her heart was touched by the gospel message as Paul preached the good news. She was used by God because she recognized in herself the desire to be faithful to Him and left it up to Paul to judge her authenticity and accept her generosity.

My prayer is to always be faithful wherever God leads me. His grace through me is sufficient even for the difficult tasks that seem too much. (I’ve been quoting Paul’s words all this week, 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”). -Teresa #faithful #fruithatwillast

Acts 16:11-15 (ESV)

The Conversion of Lydia

¹¹ So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the^[d] district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days.¹³ And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. ¹⁴ One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵ And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

Also…Please enjoy this informative paper (below), I found it on Regent University, http://www.regent.edu site (see this excerpt from “Lydia’s Story” written by Peter Foxwell) :

“Peter Foxwell serves as the lead pastor of the Cornerstone Church of Clyde, MI (www.FamousGod.com). He is also a student in the Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership program at Liberty University. “

“Lydia’s Story”

“THE ROMAN COLONY OF PHILIPPI”

“Lydia was the first convert to the Christian faith in the colonial Roman city of Philippi (Acts 16:11-15), located in the district of Macedonia. In that Roman administrative region, Thessalonica was larger, and Amphipolis was the capital; nevertheless, Philippi is described as a leading or principal city (Bock, 2007), perhaps because it was considered a crossroads between Europe and Asia (Calpino, 2012).”

“Philippi was administered according to the laws and constitution of the city of Rome (Bruce, 1980) and enjoyed the highest status a provincial town could have (Bock, 2007). All in all, it would have felt very Roman. The city’s religious life followed the imperial cult and was a center for the worship of a variety of gods.”

“THE JEWISH PLACE OF PRAYER IN PHILIPPI”

“Paul’s missionary strategy included visiting local synagogues (cf., Acts 13:14; 14:1; 17:1), but there was no synagogue in Philippi, perhaps due to a lack of Jewish men there (Bruce, 1980). However, there was an informal place of prayer (Gk. proseuchen, sometimes means a synagogue, but not in this case, Bruce, 1980) attended, it seems, exclusively by women (Acts 16:13). Among the worshippers was Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth.”

“LYDIA, A WOMAN OF STATUS”

“Lydia was from the city of Thyatira, located in Asia Minor in the region known as Lydia (Peterson, 2009). It was known for its “purple dye and textiles” (p. 460). Possibly Lydia sold cloth to wealthy clients in Philippi, and she should be considered a woman of status (Bock, 2007). Inscriptional evidence recovered from Philippi demonstrates that women undertook many leadership roles, such as offices in various religions (Calpino, 2012). They also paid for public works, such as statues on which they inscribed their names and status.”

“In the first-century Roman world, women owned and managed businesses, both large and small (Calpino, 2012). Mowczko (2018) notes that members of the senatorial (aristocratic) class were independently wealthy and did not engage in business, but members of the wealthy equestrian class did run businesses. Lydia sold a luxury item that would have required access to significant capital investment, which means she belonged to the equestrian class’s provincial equivalent, or she was “a relatively wealthy commoner” (p. 4). Lydia was very likely an independent business owner since women occupied “a prominent place in Macedonian life” (Fee, 1995, p. 27).”

“THE CONVERSION OF LYDIA”

“When Paul first met Lydia, she was a “worshipper of God” or a God-fearer (Acts 16:14). Her Greek background would suggest that Lydia was a former polytheist.”

“Now, she was “believing and behaving as a Jew without having become one” (Stott, 1990, p. 263). When Paul spoke, the Lord worked through his message to open her heart to believe in Jesus (Acts 16:14). Stott remarks that “the message was Paul’s, the saving initiative was God’s (p. 263). Acts 16:15 mentions her conversion to the Christian faith. There, she claims to be a true believer in the Lord, and she and her household were baptized. She then persuades Paul and his companions to stay at her home. Paul and his entourage remain based at Lydia’s house for the duration of their ministry in Philippi. The infant church also gathers there (Acts 16:40).”

“LYDIA’S HOME AND HOUSEHOLD”

“Details about Lydia’s marital status and home life are scarce (Barnes, 1995). We do not know if she was married, single, divorced, or widowed. However, it is possible to glean some helpful insights from the biblical text. Notably, the author of Acts does not associate Lydia with a man. In ancient Roman culture, women were known through their men (Barnes, 1995). Luke may be communicating “that the God of the Gospel is not interested in traditional social barriers of this world, particularly those associated with the pivotal value, honor/shame” (p. 181).”

“In Acts 16:15, the word translated household and home is the same Greek term, oikos. It does not refer to a building but an extended family under Lydia’s leadership and care. Spouses, children, household servants/slaves, laborers, even business associates, and tenants were considered members of an ancient Roman household (Towner, 1993). The house was held together through a bond based on “common economic, social, psychological, and religious factors” (p. 417). Belonging to the household gave its members “a sense of security and identity” (p. 417). Lydia’s offer to accommodate and support Paul and his companions within her household, “suggests she owned a villa” (Fee, 1995, p. 26).”

“The head of the household had authority over its members and a duty to care for them. Lydia may have been the head (Latin, domina) of her house either because she was a widower, divorcee, or a single woman of means (Peterson, 2009). She demonstrates her authority by leading its members in Christian baptism, offering hospitality to Paul and his ministry team in her home, and making her home available as their base of operations and as a gathering place for the church (Calpino, 2012). In this way, Paul and his team, as well as the church, came under her protection (p. 285).”

“CONCLUSION”

“Lydia was likely an independent woman, the head of her household, and the owner of a business requiring significant capital. How, then, would these qualities have translated into the Christian community in Philippi? Osiek (2009) suggests that women took part in all the ministries of the house church. Is this likely? The answer may lie in the customs and practices of first-century Roman society.”…’ (see more on Regent University website)

Author(s): Peter Foxwell  

Journal: Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership

Issue: 1  

Volume: 10  

Year: 2020