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Isaiah 43   Now this is what the Lord says— the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel— “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. 2  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, and the flame will not burn you. 3  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior. I have given Egypt as a ransom for you, Cush and Seba in your place. 4  Because you are precious in my sight and honored, and I love you, I will give people in exchange for you and nations instead of your life. 5  Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west. 6  I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’ Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 7  everyone who bears my n...

Isaiah 42    “This is my servant; I strengthen him, this is my chosen one; I delight in him. I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring justice to the nations. 2  He will not cry out or shout or make his voice heard in the streets. 3  He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not put out a smoldering wick; he will faithfully bring justice. 4  He will not grow weak or be discouraged until he has established justice on earth. The coasts and islands will wait for his instruction.” 5  This is what God, the Lord , says— who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it— 6  “I am the Lord . I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, 7  in order to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from t...

Well.  I believe in YHWH, the almighty monotheistic deity, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. But they tell me, maybe, to prove it, and don't we always get caught in some labyrinth trying to pull signs and wonders and so forth from news reports and what not. What if I asked, instead of openly trying to change the mind of the non-believer, what if I asked them to disprove God? What would follow, I would have a chance to address their proofs, through sound doctrine, as to what points to God.  I mean, really, as a believer, it seems to me all the time that pretty much everything points to the existence of God. Even discussing the matter, taking the time itself to contemplate the existence of God is a form of due diligence, kind of like, me washing God's car for him, or something: just another opportunity to give more praise to my maker. But however, there are these scholarly debates, people jumping over themselves.  It bothers, or seems to bother, some non-believers, to...

Observe nature; oftentimes nature can yield peculiar insights into the spiritual condition. Plants reach, higher and higher as they grow, usually. Paul says the believers at first need spiritual milk, then after maturity, spiritual meat.  So we grow too, spiritual, becoming more and more sanctified, more and more "formed by God". We grow spiritually.

Paul was writing a very cheerful, thankful letter to the Thessalonians.  In yhe first three chapters, its all love and light. He wanted them to know, as he said iy more than once, that he was thankful for the presence of the Thessalonica believers. Meanwhile, he had his own monumental task at Athens, where the philosophers were interested i hearing him just for the sake of an academic entertainment.  As Paul says, the stoics and epicureans delight in the hearing of any new thing. And yet some of those academics would not only hear, but then too believe. "I am thankful for you all." These chapters are in the Blue Letter Bible reading plan, amd also John Macarthur's Grace To You one year reading plan. Also consider donating/tipping a sum of 1$ for the site.  It really helps efforts here, and supports the backend operations here. Cashapp $origen1979 Paypal  @ origen84

While the world tears itself apart, let us all--the believers--praise God, who has something more for us after this. I was thinking hard earlier in the week, doing my regular stuff, but all the while, praying to God and contemplating His will for me. I took two or three days in mostly silence. Even in the midst of a slight adversity here at the office, I was mindful on God, and I knew it was only His will that would ultimately prevail. As one of my cousins said, "God is watching over me", through it all, never wavering in faith, crediting God for every ounce of the good in her life.

Imagine how it could be without faith in God, or love the brethren.  No wonder some of the unbelievers are so angry and "fatalistic". Thankfully, we have the promise, and we know every good thing comes from God. I cannot know Jesus through another person's acquaintance with him. No, I must know him myself; I must know him on my own account. It will be an intelligent knowledge--I must know him, not as the visionary dreams of him, but as the Word reveals him.   -Charles Haddon #spurgeon   Pray for our brethren, of course, but also include those out of belief, that they may come to faith and know the mercy of our Lord.

Are you really, the head or tail?  Are you in control? Nowadays.... yes, nowadays, we have, most of us, so many options, and we can feel like we're in control of some things, and yet, these options are just parameters, such as on the smartphone, a set of parameters that alter how others control what's inputted into you, before you're eyes and ears, into your mind. So many choices, and yet, it seems the most important things are dictates, are sort of preset, be it by law or social/peer pressure.  Pressure to conform to a group, to do what is expected. So maybe we have control minute-by-minute, but overall? Have we went to God about this? Do we dare put this in God's hands?  Do we ask His will?  Do we petition him, do we pray to Him for success in the things we need or want? Meanwhile, the illusion is sustained online, of free choice, when so much data is collected across platforms, just to tailor advertising to our preferences.  We could go to a particular websit...

I love the L ORD because he has heard my appeal for mercy. Because he has turned his ear to me, I will call out to him as long as I live. -Psalm 116:1-2    A sure sign from the Lord, a brief sprinkle on the local plant life, as I prayed over a personal situation here at the hill.  The sprinkle came and went, then did it all over again, giving the plants a brief feeding of nourishing rain water. Meanwhile, on the northern horizon I saw blue sky, even in the midst of overhead rain clouds.  Truly, forces larger than I were at work, and having their way. I continued to pray, and included some friends, various types, in various states of worry and even joy.  Some addicted, some downhearted, others doing perfectly okay. Sure, I am, that everything will come together as God wills it, and sure am I also that he will not ignore the petitions of those who believe on Him.   I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let ...

I certainly hope the weekend is going well for everyone, despite concerns all over the globe in various circumstances. In the EE UU this Sunday is Pastor Appreciation Day, in which various things are done by congregations to show their love for their leader. Often times, the believer is exhorted to behave as a gentle lamb, but its the leaders, often times that are bid to be put in the middle of varying kinds of situations.  The leader is often the focus of hostile efforts, of course, and the leader takes the "point" or the lead sometimes in other dangerous matters. Let's pray for them, and lift them up! Of course, in the field, often the faith-worker is the spiritual leader of a group, rather than an ordained minister or preacher or pastor.  These faith-workers then suffice as de facto pastors. Pray for them, my friends and partners, and lift them up, that they may be equal to whatever challenges they face; just as believers themselves, may their joy be full.

 

Some of the American tele-pastors equate faith with courage , such that fear is the opposite condition.  One particularly famous one mentioned having faith, yet being afraid, which contradict those others, such that when afraid and needing to act, don't pray away the fear, but simply perform the task while still being afraid.. .... Love is the impetus, perhaps, that which makes people display superhuman strength and courage at times, perfect love, and in the Bible, it is of course love that casts out fear. faith <----> fear (????) love <-----> fear  (right) Nevertheless, doesn't it seem like unbelief is less heinous than simple fear, which is an everyday emotion for some, depending on circumstances.  We could be stricken to a standstill by fear, but let us hear a family member shouting---we run towards it to help. "Perfect love casteth out fear ."  (from the King James Version of the Holy Bible)

May the Lord's blessing be upon you.   Today I look at Ecclesiastes, a statement that sounds dejected, sad, brow-beaten: "I have seen an evil that is too common..." He says he's seen the worker work hard, but not enjoy the fruit of his labor. Why is that? Consider, the words of the king, who receives tribute/tax from his subjects.  He takes a part, a legally-authorized amount. The priesthood would take a tenth(1/10) of the total, the "gross".  This was to help sustain the priesthood, maintain the temple, and so forth. Consider also, in sacrificial love, the worker wants others to benefit from his/her work, so often, and seemingly, at times, "works for nothing" or "works for free". We don't mind helping others, of course, but where is our own stuff?  What happens when we get nothing for our labors?  That's sacrificial love. When we love others, we often gift them our time, and sometimes our treasure, and yet time is the ultimate of...

So I started listening to podcasts early in the morning, sometimes before sunrise.  This is part of getting my mind in the proper setting to approach the day.  I have various subjects on my podcasting app, but the best, the ones that really do the most, are devotionals.  There's the Morning Mindset, a Christian app that recites some scripture and tries to be practical and positive about it, and there's the various TV people who post audio of their television programs as podcasts. These have done wonders getting me centered and all "hyped-up", bolstering my enthusiasm for spreading the Gospel throughout the day.  I've even started re-organizing my day for the purpose of supporting the page, and bringing new avenues of content. All for the glory of our mighty God. Also, the classic hymn line that many of us sing joyfully at Vacation Bible School in our youth: "This is the day that the Lord hath made; I will rejoice and be glad in it." This line is taken fr...

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  -Hebrews 10:36(KJV) No desechéis, pues, vuestra confianza, la cual tiene una gran recompensa.  Porque os es necesaria la perseverancia para que, habiendo hecho la voluntad de Dios, obtengáis lo prometido...  -Hebreos 10  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Bienaventurados sois cuando os vituperan y os persiguen, y dicen toda clase de mal contra vosotros por mi causa, mintiendo. - Matthew 5(KJV and Espanol Moderno) When you pray, wait on God, listen , be patient.  Trust in God's plan, trust in God's timing.  When the time is right, God is there.  God's time is always the right time, and when you are ready, his blessings will be there...

"....walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."  -Ephesians 4