Jude 1b – To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.
CALLED
2 Timothy 1:9 – He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.
LOVED
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jeremiah 31:3 – The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
1 John 4:10-12 – This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Romans 8:37 – No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
1 John 4:19 – We love because he first loved us.
Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
John 15:9 – “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.”
John 16:27 – No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
John 13:1 – It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
John 13:34 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
2 Thessalonians 2:16 – May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
When my sons were babies my first words to them, the first thing I sang to them (while still in the womb) was “Jesus loves you.” The second thing I told them was I love you. All of their lives I have told them that nothing is more important than the love of God through Jesus in their lives. The second thing I have always told them is that I love them. Surely there have been times that they doubted my love. I told them anyway. I kept telling them. To this day I sometimes text them, or tell them, “Did you know I love you?” It may have gotten old. I tell them anyway. I will tell them as long as I have breath that I love them. I tell my family I love them. I tell my brothers and sisters in Christ that I love them. I tell my friends on FB that I love them. I’m sure many find it odd. I tell them anyway. It’s nice when I hear it back, but really, it’s not necessary (well, maybe sometimes it is really nice to hear). But truly, it’s not necessary. I love them deep in my heart and the Lord said “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart…” (Matthew 15:18a) So from my heart and out of my mouth comes what is in my heart. If you haven’t heard me say I love you, wait, it will come. I only hold back not to “freak out” those who are not used to that.
God has loved us since before there was an “us.” From infinity past He has loved us. In His Word He has told us many times and in many ways that He loves us. The preceding verses are a mere sampling of His expressions of love to us. Love for us is what is in His heart. John 13:34 is not something that we make ourselves do, it is something that is within us because the love of God is upon us and within us. His infinite love brought Jesus to pay the price of our sins. His love resurrected Jesus. By His love Jesus is at His rightful place beside the Father. Our God the Father loved us in our mother’s womb, even then He sang His love to us. He was there when we were born and there He whispered to us that He loves us. Through all of the many hurts, disappointments and extreme pains in life, He has spoken to us His love for us to quiet our hearts and minds. Every step of the way in the history of humanity God has loved us. In fact, to an omniscient God who knew that so many would reject Him, and His love, it was an extreme act of love to even go ahead and create us. He did it because He loves us.
He called us because He loves us. He keeps us because He loves us. He will bring us to His home to live with Him forever because He loves us. He always has. He always will. So He calls to us “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) We exist because He loves us. We continue to exist because He loves. It has been said “I think and therefor I am.” Yet a stronger truth is that we are because He loves us. If He did not, there would be no us. We exist because of and in His enduring love. Praise God! Oh shout joyous praises to God who loves us! Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob withJames 2:1 – My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.
Matthew 28:19-20 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Acts 15:9 – He did not discriminate between us and them, for He purified their hearts by faith.
Heroism is not an act that is done, it is a quality of character that pre-exists and rises at the right time.
On FB I saw a post about two men who are heroic young black men. This did not surprise me. This happens every day. I know and have known many adult “boy scouts” and “girl scouts” from every race and culture. People of all colors do wonderful acts of kindness and bravery every day. This should not surprise us.
A few days ago I was taking the old truck out and it stalled on busy Western Ave., just before an intersection. It just cut off. There was no power. It seemed liked something shorted out. The truck is a big old 3/4 ton beast with big tires and a camper shell on it. The tow truck was immediately called. There were frustrated people honking and going around me. All of a sudden there was a young man, not so different from either of those two young men, who had run across traffic to ask me if he could help by pushing the truck. I told him that I wouldn’t ask him to try it by himself because the truck is so heavy. So he said he would get a couple friends to help and he ran off. Very shortly he was back with a couple friends. Before they started I told the young man that I would normally want to thank them with some money for helping but he smiled a big smile and he said something like “Oh, no worries man!” They then pushed me across an intersection so that I was parked safely next to the curb. I gave them the few dollars I had on me and wished I could have given them more. I so appreciated the help!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob withJude 1b – To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.
John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
1 Peter 2:21 – To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.
2 Timothy 1:9 – He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.
Philippians 3:14 – I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Family, we who understand that God has given to all mankind a free will, must know, and vitally so, that God is sovereign and His will is always exactly completed. Many ask how man can have free will and still the will of God will still always be accomplished. It seems infinitely more difficult than trying to herd a thousand feral cats. But there is error in thinking that it impossible for us to have free will and for the will of God to always come to pass. The error is ascribing human limitations upon God. We know we have free will. And we know that the will of God will always come to pass. How does God accomplishes that? Well, we don’t know, and for good reason. He is God and we are not. To say that something of God is not true because we don’t understand is tantamount to us rejecting that God is infinite, or that He is omnipresent, or omniscient, or a triune God. Family, we know many things about God that we cannot fully understand. We have free will and God is sovereign and because God is God and we are not, He understands and we do not. That does not lessen our God, but magnifies Him.
We are believers not through our own will but by the will of God. See the above John 15:16 where Jesus directly says that He chose us and it was not the other way around. We are called by God. There is great rest in that. See the above verses, it is clear that we are called by God. Since it is God who called us, will He not keep us? Since God calls us, don’t we know it is because He loved us and wants us with Him? We see the evidence of that in the Garden of Eden. And that is what He calls us to, only better. We have the Holy Spirit with us. So we have God within us. The Holy Spirit, God Himself, who is a deposit of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit who brings to us the tender, loving, kind and guiding nature of our God. He called us. Let us rest in that. And so we know that God loves and keeps us. And these two we will subsequently discuss, as God allows. In the meantime, let us rejoice in the calling of us by God to Himself. Let us enjoy the undeserved love of God with all that qualities that are intrinsic to it. Let us enjoy our God. Let us be aware and conscious of the comforting will of God towards us. And let us thank and praise God. Always may we praise God! With all that is within us let us praise the Lord! Praise God! We praise You our lovely God! We praise You!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob withJude 1a-2 – Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.” Jude was a humble man. Humble but sure of the blessing and leading of God. He was sure of his gifting and the leading of the Holy Spirit. He was sure of the call of God.
He identifies himself as the servant of Jesus and the brother of James. Family, if our hearts are right then Jesus is always the first priority. I hear dear saints of God, saying that the first thing they want to do upon walking throne the gates of heaven is to see their beloved who have preceded them there. I likewise have loved ones there, but I assert in the strongest manner that my dear ones who are there understand that they did not make it possible for me to be in Heaven, it was Jesus. (1 Peter 1:18-19, John 14:6) Jesus paid the way, with His own blood, for me to go to Heaven and live forever with God. It was He who prepared a place for us in Heaven. So, I desperately want to see my loved ones in Heaven, but none do I want to see more than Jesus, who shall present me to the Father. (Colossians 1:22) And to thank God the Holy Spirit for loving me, bearing with me, not leaving me and sanctifying me all the way to the gates of Heaven. If that will be our heart then, then it must be our heart now. Serving the Lord must be the highest priority for every one of us.
Some will say, as if they are the only ones “but I love my family so much.” They ought to remember 1 Corinthians 10:13a. We all sorely miss our family who are in Heaven, that feeling is unique to no-one. Let’s stop and consider, if we were able to talk to one of our loved ones that genuinely are in Heaven, if they could visit with us today, don’t we know that they would counsel us to have Jesus first in our lives. That first, and most importantly, we are to serve the Lord our God with all our hearts, all our souls, all our strength and all our might. This is the first of the two highest commandments. (Mark 12:30-31) And if God is the focus of our love and adoration then, then it will be evidenced because it is now so. So, though my heart is stirred by the opportunity to see my family, my first and highest hope is to see God. Nothing will be better than being in the presence of God, to see Him, to touch Him, and to hear His voice as He says “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matthew 25:21) That is what I live for. There is a sure day ahead. Jesus is always the first priority. Nothing comes between us and Jesus. Praise God!
Jude in his opening remarks notes that first and foremost, more than he is the brother of James, he is the servant of Jesus Christ. He loved and respected James, but Jesus was his priority.
Jude, and his brother James, were the half-brothers of Jesus. Acts 1:13-14 states that with the Apostles waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit were women, and also specifically states that Mary, the mother of Jesus was with them. V14 also states that the brothers of Jesus were also there. Now this was not talking about brothers as in fellow believers (though at that point they were) or else the Apostles could have been included in that statement. No, this was talking about his half-brothers through His mother Mary. Another example of Jesus having natural brother and that they were distinct (at that time) from his disciples see John 7:3-5. Furthermore, in Matthew 13:55 we see Jesus’s family being named by those in his hometown: “When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us?” (Matthew 13:53-56a) Family, it is clear in the Word of God that Jesus had brothers and sisters and that James and Jude were two of His brothers.
It is true that many of us may have (in introducing ourselves at the beginning of a letter) written that Jesus was our in-the-flesh brother. So why didn’t Jude do that? He did not with great reasoning. Yes, He was humble, but the fact of their physical relationship was secondary to the fact of their spiritual relationship. The fact that Jesus was Messiah, the fact that Jesus was Savior and Lord to Him and that Jesus is preeminent over all of creation, that was what was most important to Jude. That Jesus was his natural brother was an added blessing. While here on earth, the family of Jesus did not even believe that He was the Messiah. As for the Apostles and the brothers of Jesus the real understanding and power came after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Jesus even, and not with any disrespect at all toward His mother and siblings, stressed to a crowd that those who were His family by the Spirit were His equal, or higher priority. (Mark 3:31-35) Please understand that in no way diminishes his love and care of his mother and siblings. Jesus was stressing a truth that Jude understood well. That our relationship with Jesus as Savior and Lord supersedes our relationship with any family or friends here on earth. That is what Jesus expressed “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37) Yes, Jude was humble, but more than that He understood what our relationship with Jesus must be.
Brothers and Sister, let us remember that God has not called us to love our family and also God, but to love God first and foremost. Let us remember that yes, we were given life through our parents, but it was the Lord God who ordained it to be so. Our parents could not have been our parents without the blessing and ordination of God. So when we love our parents, as we should passionately and faithfully do, let us thank God for them even before we are grateful to them. When we assess our highest priority let it be found that it is God. If it is not, stop what is being done, fall on our knees and repent, for God must be highest in our lives and He allows no rivals. If our parents, or child, or any loved person is put before God, or even equal to Him, or even just a little below God, then we have made them an idol. And that would be abhorrent to any of our family who are now in Heaven. They would confirm this to us if they could. God has to be number one in our lives and so much so, that number two is out of sight. When we look to God, no-one but God should be in our focus. And that is not a burden, it is a blessing. A blessing the Lord gives to us because He loves us and knows what is best for us. So praise our God! Praise and honor our God who is above all else, and that beyond measure. Love God! Praise God! Love God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob with1 Samuel 16:14 “Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit tormented him.
Judges 16:20 “Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him.”
Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
Does our country, does our world, even recognize the presence of God. How about us as individuals? Samson did not know when the presence of God had left him, that is, until the consequences of his sin and the departure of the Spirit, were evidenced by his weakness and inability to overcome, which led to him being overrun. King David relished the presence of God. He begged with all that He was for the Spirit of God, for God’s presence with Him, to not be removed “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11)
So would we know if the blessings that God has poured out on our country been pulled back. Not because of consequences, but because we cherish and walk in the presence of God. Does our collective spirit even recognize God? Our collective spirit consists of all of us as individuals. We must ask ourselves if we, as individuals, know the presence of God and so we would know the withdrawal of it. If not, God has provided a simple answer. It is to humble ourselves before God and to willfully know Jesus as both our Savior and our Lord. It’s not too late, but there is only one way, God’s way. May we be so humble and soft of heart as to obey. Family and Friends, as always, God calls out to us and He is grace is available to all through Jesus. Let’s not ignore and so reap. Praise God for His mercy and Grace! Praise God
A Ringing Bell
The first time they heard the bell,
They stopped and thought,
They liked the sound.
It was the inaugural ringing of the bell.
On the second day they were,
Grateful and wondered,
How faithfully the bell would ring?
They stopped and thought,
They liked the sound.
After a month of the bell ringing,
Every day at the same time,
They no longer always noticed it,
But when they did,
They stopped and thought,
They liked the sound.
After six months of the bell ringing,
Sometimes, just sometimes,
It was an annoyance,
But still, mostly,
They stopped and thought,
They liked the sound.
They think that this bell
Is a curious thing.
They remember when it began,
And they did not believe it would continue.
Now they only sometimes,
Notice the ringing,
Having heard it so many times.
They probably wouldn’t notice,
If it stopped.
One, a prestigious one,
Said “please stop.”
Still, sometimes,
Most, some,
They stop and think,
They like the sound.
The bell has been ringing,
A very long time,
Some still stop and think,
“I like the sound.”
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob withGOD’S LOVE IS REAL 1 John 3:1a “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”
HIS PROTECTION IS SURE. Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
HIS LOVE IS ENDLESS. Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
IN THESE WE REST. Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Family and Friends, GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AND HE LOVES US. God blesses all, but the fullness of His goodness of love is found only in Jesus Christ. I pray that today, and forever, you all would know that reality. “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob withFor those who love the Lord, for those who daily look Heavenward and ask “Today Lord? Will You snatch us away today?” For those who cry out “Come Lord Jesus, come!” For us who call our treasure He whose throne room is in Heaven, even more so in our days, let us prepare ourselves.
Acts 1:11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Luke 21:28 “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
by Bob with1 Kings 17:7-24 – Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 17 Sometime later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” 19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”
“Sometime later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.” Job 4:4-5 “Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees. 5 But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart.” It is easy to brave and strong when woe is on another. Are we brave and strong when it touches us? It is one thing to counsel the grieving, and another thing to go through the same experience. Contrary to popular opinion, by the Holy Spirit it is possible to witness and understand the deep grief of another, even when one has not gone through it. But let our counsel come slow, let us be as prophets who speak truth from God so that we don’t misrepresent Him. Chastising the grieving is what the immature do. Loving, empathizing, comforting and encouraging is what the mature do. While we witness the deep pain of those who are suffering, let us also prepare our own minds, our hearts, and our very souls, for no-one is guaranteed that they will not likewise experience the same heartache. Be loving. Be God’s voice and hand, and be ready in case we suffer likewise. The wise man learns from experience, the wisest man can learn from the experience of others. Elijah hurt for this woman. So let us grieve for the grieving and hurt for the hurting. Jesus did. (John 11:33-35) And let us prepare our own heart by anchoring it to Jesus our Savior and Lord.
“The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”” Elijah was not a stoic man of God. There were times of fear and utter resignation (1 Kings 19:1-4). He felt the mother’s hurt and he hurt for her. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote of Elijah “Elijah was a human being, even as we are…” (James 5:17) We can be sure that he hurt for this woman. Can we imagine the joy he had as the Lord answered his prayer and the boy came back to life! Wow! It is easy to imagine that he scooped that boy up and ran down the stairs to present the boy, who was dead and now alive, to the grieving mother. Can you hear him shouting with joy “Look, your son is alive!” If I had been Elijah I think I would have been ecstatically laughing, or ecstatically crying, or both. Maybe he was? Let’s remember that this is the first time recorded that a person was brought to life. So Elijah praying for the boy to come back to life was deep, deep faith. As he, profoundly empathizing with her, cried to God for her, surely then he also felt her great joy and he and she together greatly rejoiced in the great loving kindness of the Lord. Praise God! Oh to have been there!
“Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” The woman had, with the perpetual replenishing of the flour and olive oil, seen that God was definitely in the miracle working business. Yet, when her son died, she, filled with grief, seemed to have forgotten the miracle that God had been doing for her and her son. Her emotion was behind her accusation at Elijah, but we would not chastise her for that. Elijah responded to her accusation with the love that God had for this woman. When Elijah was praying I believe that the mother was also praying. I don’t believe her faith was gone, it was just her emotion showing. I can almost hear her prayer as she prayed downstairs while Elijah prayed upstairs “Lord God, please revive my son. Surely keeping us alive is no harder than bringing my son back to life! Please have mercy on me and bring my son back to me.” So, let us not judge that the grieving mother had lost faith, after all, although in her shock and grief she accused Elijah and God, she did bring her child to Elijah the man of God. That in itself is in expression of faith. That in itself is evidence of her knowledge that God was the answer. Praise God!
Family, let us be the small light that illuminates the path to the great and true Light of the World. Let our hearts be open that the love of God we have so feely received be the love that we freely share with the world. Let the blessing of God within us be the blessing of God we share to the world. Let us, Brothers and Sisters, be obvious children of God so that those who are searching for Him in desperate times of need, come running to us with the cry to bring their exigent need before God. May we shine for God and testify that they can also have the Light within them. In that, we honor God. In that we have great joy! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob with1 Kings 17:7-24 – Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” 15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 17 Sometime later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” 19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”
““Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”” Elijah was as surprised as the widow. He knew what to do and immediately went into action. He did what he always did, He turned to God. He took the boy to his room, away from the eyes of the curious, and cried out to His God for the life of the boy. Elijah had been living with this little family and we can safely assume that He had grown to love this boy. His heart was pierced for the sake of the widow. The boy was her last treasure on earth and now he was gone. Elijah instantly pleaded with God to bring the boy back to her.
He took the boy to a private place to pray for him. This time it was a physically private place. It is good is we have a place, or places, to get alone and be with God. Yet, sometimes we need a private conversation with God and don’t have physical privacy at the moment. After pursuing God on a regular and persistent basis, one learns how to “be in the Spirit.” It is possible to take a breath, clear the mind, and to be instantly in His presence (here, without explanation to those who would cry out “God is omnipresent so we are always in His presence). Seek God in a private place until we are in His presence, with location being a secondary consideration. Alone with God, riches flow from His eternal and majestic being into our soul. We are in His presence and changed by it. Even when being physically in a public place we can be alone with God in a very intimate way. Once we know the path, it is easy to find, the Way is within. Travel the path often and the destination will never fail to delight the soul.
It is easy to see that Elijah prayed, stretched himself out on the boy, and continued in prayer, and then to think that if we do the same thing, then we can pray for the dead and they will rise. This is similar to being at the beach, watching the sun rise and having the presence of the Lord engulf us. It is a human tendency to then later return to that exact spot expecting the same experience, only to be disappointed. It is not the place that blessed us but the presence of the Lord. So we do not need a specific place to be in God’s presence, we need to seek God’s presence with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13), from within our heart, and we will find it. He must be the treasure of our lives, and if being with Him is our treasure, our heart will remain there forever in the present with Him. (Matthew 6:21) Communion with God can be a perpetual present if we truly desire that. Like we can be sad from worldly circumstances while never losing our joy in the Lord, so our conscious mind can be pre-occupied with present tasks while our spirit remains in the presence of God.
Elijah prayed three times. He didn’t pray once, he prayed three times before the Lord answered his prayer for the boy. Be persistent, but also listen for the Lord and watch for His guidance. The Apostle Paul prayed three times to be relieved from a “thorn in his flesh.” He was listening and watching for the answer. He got the answer, and it was not what he had asked for, but he accepted it and he learned that the thorn was a blessing. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) The point is that praying three times is not the solution to having our prayers answered as we have prayed. Rather the point is to yes, be persistent, but no, do not be formulaic. Reaching God is not a matter of being at a certain physical space or doing certain physical exercises, it is seeking God with all our heart and when we do, He has promised us that we will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29, Proverbs 8:17, Acts 17:24-28) The only method to being in the presence of God is to seek Him and once we find Him, to remember the path and spend as much time as we can with Him. For us His door is always open. We are family. We are welcome. Our company is desired. When our hearts, or our minds, need peace, it is found through knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord. He said He left His peace with us. (John 14:27) Since that peace come from the Lord, no-one and nothing can halt our reception of that flow of peace. No-one but us can halt our reception of it. We cannot stop the flow to us from the throne, but we can turn away from it, like a patient who will not open his mouth to receive sustenance. We need not be afraid or troubled, when Jesus is our Lord, the Holy Spirit is within us and is our comforter. (John 14:26-27) When our hearts truly seek, the Holy Spirit surely guides. Praise God who has every answer provided for us! Praise God who loves us so greatly! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob withJohn 14:1-3 – “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
How lowly, how despicable, how selfish the man who woos the woman, who receives her devotion, who has received her very heart and so many of her hopes, and then, after the “I do’s” are said, walks away and leaves her at the altar? She stands at the altar and waits. What is he doing? Where has he gone? When will he be coming back? Will he be coming back? Slowly her heart breaks and she begins to drown in shame and sorrow. The hushed voices of the wedding guests are a suffocating gas to her. The preacher offers a consoling arm. Her parents rush to her side. At that moment her whole future lays in ruins on the floor. How despicable that groom who would do that!
Jesus is our Groom and we are His Bride. He would never act in such a way. He has made a promise and He has never lied and neither will He ever lie. He has promised to love us for eternity and He does and He will. He has promised to never leave or forsake us and He will keep that promise. He has promised to prepare a position for us in the presence of the Father that will remain forever and He already has. Family there is nothing and no one on this earth that is incapable of disappointing or hurting us in some way, on purpose or by accident. Jesus, the Great Groom, will never, no not ever, hurt us or leave us. He loves us with an everlasting love. So when the world hurts us, or leaves us, or no longer considers us of any value, remember that there is One who would never hurt us and will never leave or forsake us. There is One who always loves, values and cherishes us. There is One who loves every moment of our company. He loves us sharing our thoughts with Him and He knows the answers to encourage our hearts and heal our wounds. The Answer is yesterday, today and forever the same. The Answer if Jesus! Let us love Him and hold fast to Him because He is the precious gift from God to us. He is the greatest treasure anyone can have. Be encouraged. Don’t let your hearts be cast down. Remember who loves us. It is Jesus, who is able to save and keep us all. Praise God! Thank you Jesus! Praise God!
Jesus does not lie – Isaiah 53:9
Jesus will never leave us or forsake us – Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 28:20
Jesus is above and greater than the world that brings us sorrows – John 16:33
God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit love us forever – Jeremiah 31:3
There is nothing and no one that can tear God’s love and presence from us – John 10:28, Romans 8:31-39
God created us to fellowship with Him – 1 Corinthians 1:9
God made a way, one way, to be fulfilled and saved, and that is only through Jesus – John 14:6
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”
by Bob with