And we would say "Ash Wednesday is Solemn." And Valentine's is not. Not exactly. What we are celebrating are two events of God's Own Victory. In one day. We are 2 Homeruns for God.
Many times Jerusalem has wished all of Israel was an Island. Wanted a different set of circumstances. If only. God'd.
Psalm 91:6
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday
Jesus cried out, "My God, My God You have forsaken me."
I Love Jesus. He is so honest.
And now we know Jesus died before the two guilty men. In fact, the soldiers couldn't believe Jesus wouldn't suffer more. Jesus had died, according to the Mayo Clinic - of a broken heart. Heart failure.
Jesus knew and, yet, He was so broken for us. So broken. Jesus was overcoming. Teaching us to pour out our heart to God. Be Honest. Reach for the Hand and Heart of God.
Overcoming.
We have the trouble of the world. The dark.
We have God. The Light.
Romans 8:28
And we know
for those who love God
all things work
together for good,
for those who are called
according to his purpose.
Jesus is teaching us about the faith to have in overcoming in the most dire - direst of situations.
John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
1 Corinthians 8:6
There is but one God, the Father,
from whom all things came
and for whom we exist.
And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom
all things came and
through whom we exist.
through whom we exist.
We find the most amazing things come of the difficulties we place in the Hand of God.
What we learn.
From being surprised at the fiery trial. We learn. We learn in suffering, we find overcoming. And in overcoming - Hope! And in more overcoming - Joy! And in the next circumstance - more balance and trust. And in the next - reliance on God!!!. In the prayers of overcomers - you find - this:
"Bless my sister, her marriage is in trouble." "Bless my brother, I'm ok, but he suffers. He does not know the Love Jesus has. Help my brother to know Jesus." "Bless my parents, they have worked so hard. Help them to know we appreciate them. Help them to not worry." "Help my Daddy not to worry so much. Help my Daddy to know Jesus." "Bless my little boys, they are precious. Help them to know Jesus all their days and we will not be concerned for them. Help them never to let go of Jesus' hand. If you could see them, you'd pray harder."
The prayers of the faithful - are heart endearingly precious. Unforgettable. Gracious. Loving. Touching to a Father. Touching the Heart of a Good, Good Father.
Hezekiah stood looking at the Assyrian Army. Like a fire of Locusts. Like an army of ants bringing death. Surely Hezekiah thought himself a fool to have trusted. And yet, Hezekiah placed his hope in God.
2 Kings 19
As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord.
2 Kings 19:35
Then it happened that night that the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead.
Regroup and more war.
God decided differently.
2 Kings 19:37
One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.
Civil war for enemies. Then illness for Hezekiah. Then political misstep. And still - God protecting Hezekiah. Only Hezekiah quit. When told his sons would live in perilous times - Hezekiah did not go to the prayer mat. We would hope we would every day of our lives - provide prayer and petition for those we love. Surrounding them with Jesus every day of Life. My grandmother Anita prayed for all her days for her son. He was saved in his 7th decade of life. Never, never, never give up.
The Vast God we Worship
Solomon and all the Children of Israel had never seen a Cloud like the Presence of God in His Temple. Jeremiah said we would see unfathomable things of God. And we do today.
The Cloud of the Temple - might - possibly - probably - be -
The glory of God we know through the Hubble Telescope.
The Vast and Unfathomable Wisdom to be found in the Living and Active Word of God. Is Today.
Eilat Mazar is a third-generation Israeli archaeologist, specializing in Jerusalem and Phoenician archeology. A senior fellow at the Shalem Center, she has worked on the Temple Mount excavations, as well as excavations at Achzib. Heading the Shalem Center's Institute of Archeology, she is with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dr. Eilat Mazar: The Bible as a Blueprint "I work with the Bible in one hand and the tools of excavation in the other." And in reading the location of David's Palace in the Bible, simply looked at the geography - the other finds, and found the Palace of David.
The Vast and Unfathomable Wisdom to be found in the Living and Active Word of God. Is amazingly all encompassing.
Deuteronomy 32:24
They will be wasted by famine, and consumed by plague And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts I will send upon them, With the venom of crawling things of the dust.
If only the Plagues - brought by fleas had Dr. Eilat Mazar.
We can anticipate more of God's Wisdom found in God's Living Word.
Overcoming. Always involves dark being overcome, saved by the Light of Jesus Christ.
Having Faith - for 24 more hours. And finding we can do that again. Jesus gives us this strength.
Lent. Preparing for the Sorrow of Holy Week. And having Easter as a Celebration. To prepare for our own lives - aging - losing people we love. Their Easter. And then our Easter. Ephesians 3 God prepares His Beloved Children to Live as families in Heaven. And tells us do not be surprised.
Romans 8:37
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Abba,
We ask the Blessing of Your Peace. Your Peace trusts Your Plan, Your Path as Perfect. We ask Your Peace. With Grateful Hearts.
We know in Your Peace, with Your Word, You Create and Uphold:
More than our minds may grasp.
Thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities are Yours.
All things visible and invisible are Yours.
All things are created through You and for Your Glory as God Almighty, Our Father.
By Your Word Heaven and the Heavenly Host
The earth is Yours to call Good.
Because of Jesus. Covering of the Name of Jesus Christ.
We have been given not fear, not dismay to not rise fast and high enough,
but self-control to realize in Your Splendor
You Love us as Your children.
Delight to have us ask and enjoy the Holy Spirit within us.
God of Love.
In Jesus Christ, we know Your plans for us. Plans for welfare and not for harm.
Giving us Jesus today. Plans of Yours for a hope and future.
In Your Word is
death and life
angels and rulers
things past and present
things to come
powers
height and depth we cannot know
everything and anything of all creation
and You would Not have us separated
from the
Love
of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
With our God, our Jesus, our Holy Spirit,
Let our soul and those we love -
Let all of His Creation - to the Glory of God
Sing within our heart, Amen In Jesus Christ God.
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