Graves Like Seeds

The wrath of God is a natural occurrence because He is both Life & Perfection. (I.e. to be imperfect is the opposite of life.) But since He brought it about by endowing thinking ability, He built in the rescue/reconciliation from the beginning. This life is His teaching drama, proving you cannot wander from life and live. To die still in your sins/imperfect is not as joyful a resurrection, but after belief, will catch up. God can-only be perfect. Therefor the 'end' result can only be the best one possible. Can we mortals dream of, or envision, something better than God can?

The ancient Holy Days were built around two harvests, the grain harvest (of which Jesus was the "firstfruit") and the fruit harvest. The grain harvest of course involved the Spring Holy Days. And the fruit harvest, the Fall Holy Days.

Two harvests.. graves like seeds. Two harvests, the first resurrection and the second resurrection. If the millennium is 1000 years, then 'Judgment Day' (surprise, Day of Atonement) will surely be 500 years. The days between the first Fall Feast (Holy Day) being 10 days, and between the second and third Feast days being 5 days.

At the end of that 500 year long day "those not believing will go to the second death".j

The Ancient Holy Days Of Israel Describe Universal Reconciliation

I've been thinking on this (and talking about it) for a long time. I'm so happy, finally the words have come together into some sort of cohesive sense [1 Corinthians 14:7,33]. I hope!

The ancient Holy Days of God (Leviticus 23:1-44) describe UR! Otherwise known as universal Reconciliation and Redemption. [Jonah 2:9]
Each Holy Day represents Jesus (Messiah).
The Spring Holy Days:

[#1] He was and is the Passover (Lamb). [Leviticus 23:5, New King James Version - "On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover."

[#2] He is the Unleavened Bread. (The oven was "the grave").

[#3] After three nights and three days, "at even" as the weekly Sabbath day was ending...
        He is the "First Fruits unto God". [1 Corinthians 15:17,18 and 20] "First Fruits" is Thanksgiving for the entire (grain) harvest. [1 Corinthians 15:20,21,22]

Then fifty (pent) days later (was) the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, wholly dependent upon the first three Holy Days earlier in the season. [Leviticus 23:1-22, the Spring Holy Days [#1-4] fulfilled by Jesus, it would seem, as His First Advent.]

There were two harvests in the land. The fruit of the land harvest is in..

The Autumn Holy Days:

[A] On the first day of the seventh month [Leviticus 23:24].. a blowing of Trumpets (also called New Year's).

[B] 10 Days (1000 yrs?) Later, The Day Of Atonement (DOA) - "Any person who is not humbled in this same day, shall be cut off from among his people." [Leviticus 23:29] "I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it.. ..And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and scrolls were opened, and another scroll was opened, which is that of the life, and the dead were judged out of the things written in the scrolls. -- according to their works; and the sea did give up those dead in it, and the death and the hades did give up the dead in them, and they were judged, each one according to their works; and the death and the hades" (place of the dead, the grave) "were cast to the lake of the fire -- this [is] the second death; and" (then?) "if any one was not found written in the scroll of the life, he was cast to the lake of the fire." (Who's, not going to "believe" after having been resurrected, etc?) [Revelation 20:11-15] "Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all." [1 Corinthians 15:28]

[C] 5 Days (500 yrs?) Later, The Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles/Tents) - the joyful observance of the vintage and fruit harvest. "Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine." [Deuteronomy 16:13] "And you shall take for yourselves, on the first day, the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days." [Leviticus 23:40]
   "..a statute forever..." [from Leviticus 23:41]
   "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.. and..`Lo, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will tabernacle with them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them" [Revelation 21:1-3]
   "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles." [Zechariah 14:16]

"..I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle or dwelling place also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people." [Ezekiel 37:26c,27]
The Fall Holy Days, A-C, fulfilled by Jesus' long 2nd advent, like His 1st fulfilled the Spring Holy Days(?)

In the middle of writing this, I found myself thinking about Ultimate Reality, God's blueprint, how things will be after all is accomplished. In my mind's eye I saw the family I married into blending with, becoming family, with the one I was born into. (Barely at all have the two met.) Now this may seem obvious, but I don't remember ever realizing it to this degree before. It started when I found myself thinking of my mother in law, who passed away a little over thirty years ago. I thought if my family likes my husband, which they do, they will just love.. my mother in law. Then in my imagination I started to think of some dear aunts.. and sisters in law. Brothers, sisters, cousins.. And so on... all the beautiful branches of families and races, all God's family.. All safe. All beloved of God.

Fuzzy Memories Of Eve?

Adam called Eve "the mother of all". The very oldest artifacts found by archeologists are rough hand held size carvings of a rather heavy woman. Found in all lands, some have been found as simply torsos, perhaps what a small babe would see if held under their mother's garment. Or perhaps the head and limbs of these fell off easily during the centuries before they were unearthed. These ancient hand held 'gods' could cause one to wonder if perhaps Eve didn't become a big lady during the course of her long life.

The mother of us all,
the oldest of all,
hard,
splendid as rock.
Whatever there is that is of the land
it is she
who nourishes it...
             ... A Homeric hymn (approx 750-800 B.C.?)

When Adam called Eve, "the mother of all" perhaps unknowingly he helped to create one of the first man made 'gods' for the Mother Goddess is a tale and religion which has been found in all lands, and which later became a major deity of Babylon, Semiramus, which eventually spread to other lands as the India Indus goddess, Isis in Egypt, Kwan-Yin in China, Aphrodite in Greece, and the Venus of Rome.

See more ancient artifact images here:
http://www.lunaea.com/goddess/creativity/ancient.html
http://www.arden.com/theartifact/aprehist1/
With some later images:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_goddess

THOSE PESKY INVADERS Part Two

Did you know there are highly invasive weeds whose mission in life is to be the only weed?

It seems most unfortunate, but throughout human history, there have been human beings who seem to have the same code imprinted upon them! And has made itself seen ever since Cain slew Abel. (A good reason to keep government powers in check, we always say.)

As I mentioned earlier, the community of "Inner-Monastery" (me, myself and I) began our annual scouting of he grounds for invaders of the vegetative kind. This always makes us think about certain truisms of life - like keeping the weeds of life in check. Don't let them grow huge.. nor take deep root!

After lengthy discussion, interspersed with a bit of debate, we decided to ascend to the ramparts and see if we could spot signs of encroaching invasion from on high.

I forgot the binoculars of course, being of an age of increasing forgetfulness. It was left up to Me to run back down and get them. After that it took us no time at all to spy a healthy crop nestling in the back corner.

So out we went armed with gloves, long sleeves and various gardening utensils and that old standby, the trusty shovel, ready to wage war against the most invasive culprit. We were later very happy for the long sleeves, having been reminded by Myself, as we were traversing the front hall toward the out of doors, how a few years back we had neglected this simple precaution, and came across a virulent case of wild rose menacing the blackberry bushes, and had to make the long trek back indoors to arm ourselves with long sleeves before risking life and limb to carry out our assault upon these hostile counterfeits. We slew dragons that day!! Yes, it's best to catch these ones early too! Very early!

After this days work we had to reflect upon the possible futility of our efforts, for looking up from our land clearing we noticed in the distance, the farmer who owns a field nearby, had many Garlic Mustard flower blooms blowing in the breeze! If these are allowed to seed, we will have to carry out our assault anew...

THOSE PESKY INVADERS Part One

Yesterday, one of our first warm Spring days of the year, the community of "Inner-Monastery" (that unruly bunch, me, myself and I) began our venture outside to scout the grounds for any of those 'malevolent' weeds we like to keep ahead of. At the top of our list, of course, were those weeds if left alone and allowed to multiply, will be very fruitful indeed! Until you will see them absolutely everywhere!

This is the varmint (highly invasive plant) we set off to find:

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata)

                        ...To be continued..

Comparing Leaf To Leaf

So many people think that God is a myth. But if you really look at the so-called science of man's popular theory, there are a whole lot of loose ends.

If the second most held law of science, "the Second Law of Science", is the Law of Entropy, which means all matter is falling apart, how did matter do the exact opposite and improve to a level so much higher, namely life?

Some evolutionary scientists have answered that by saying "well, the sun entered the system long enough to suspend the Law of Entropy, we can see all plants and trees, etc. utilizing sunlight this way and improving/growing".

But, good fellows, (say the non evolutionary scientists) pluck a leaf off the tree, give it 24 to 48 hours, then compare it to a leaf still attached to the tree. In other words, as long as it is living and "alive" it can make use of sunlight to grow and make improvements. But when it is not alive, it cannot do this, indeed it burns up. This is why farmers and gardeners put their compost pile in the sunlight. Besides, how did the "system" come about in the first place, the highly organized, so perfectly balanced, it hangs on nothing, universe?

Newest Addition

Mission Statement / End Times in Brief Story Form
so I can move on to other things more often..

Finding The Quietness

It's not always easy.. finding the Quietness.. but it is in "entering His rest" that the God filled life is fulfilled. Jesus said "the scriptures speak of Me". Jesus, is our rest. Not only does our faith "rest" in the "finished work of Jesus" (we are declared righteous and innocent, setting us free to grow in the Lord, He is the vine, we are the branches). But we rest - in Jesus Himself. "Let God do what seemeth Him good.." (Let God do..)

Reading about King David, while he was still just a shepherd, it says "the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.." (1 Sam 16:13)

It takes the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost of God, to bring about in our lives the spirit of being an overcomer. As the world heads more and more towards, well, where it is rushing toward, it will require this Spirit all the more so. It's the key to the treasure! And it's the key to overcoming, and to the fruit of the Spirit maturing within us and within our life.

It's also "in His rest" that we most easily hear the still, small voice of God Almighty speaking. ("Be still. And know I am God." Psalm 46:10) And this is the rest which God's people enjoy. And all of us, like the psalmist says, thirst for this stream, as the deer thirsts for running water. Sometimes there are Goliaths in our way. And it's in this Rest of God that we can defeat them and vanquish them from off our path.

Joel prophesied a dark and smoky day.. Keeping with the spirit that the scripture is both literal and metaphor - having a spiritual meaning that lasts always.. As the days mature, the clouds of darkness and deception will become (surely?) thicker and thicker. Believers of the day will need to abide, live, tabernacle (often) in God's Rest, not just for peace and joy, but for survival and perception. (Of course our goal is to always abide in that rest.)

It's the mighty sWord of the LORD which cuts through all things, all clouds, darkness, and the untruth they rest upon. And it's the Spirit of God Almighty which opens our eyes and seals our forehead (to go along with the seal of God on our heart, which cries "abba, Father!" (2 Corinthians 1:22, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 1:13,14).

"Let God do what seemeth Him good". (1 Samuel 3:18)
Jesus tells us, "my yoke is easy, my burden is light". (Matthew 11:30)

"The works were finished from the foundation of the world.. Let us therefor be diligent to enter that rest.. for we have a great High Priest.. ..therefor come boldly to the throne of peace.." (from Hebrews 4:3,11,14,16)

Three Things To Prepare For Part One

A  STORY (Rev 12)

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman... being in labor to give birth..

[cross-ref - The Lord God then asked the woman, “What have you done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” And Jehovah God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed [art] thou above all cattle and every beast of the field: upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her-seed, He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” [Genesis 3:13-15]

[cross-ref - Therefore the Lord Himself gives you a sign, behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel, which means, “God with us”. [Isaiah 7:14]

...And there was seen another sign in the heaven, lo, a great red dragon.. stood before the woman to devour her Child as soon as it was born..

[cross-ref - When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. [Matthew 2:16]

And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to shepherd all the nations with a rod of iron ..the son was caught up to God and His throne ..

[cross-ref  - And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. [Matthew 1:21]

[cross-ref  - I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, "You are My Son, today I have begotten You, ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. Thou dost rule them with a sceptre of iron, As a vessel of a potter You shall shatter them like dishes of clay." [Psalm 2:7-9]

[cross-ref - The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,” the Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. [Psalm 110:4,5]

[cross-ref - The Lord says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” [Psalm 110:1]

[cross-ref - So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. [Mark 16:19]

[cross-ref - In many parts, and many ways, God of old having spoken to the fathers in the prophets, in these last days did speak to us in a Son, heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages.. ..when He had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. [Hebrews 1:1,3]

[cross-ref - Jesus said to him, “..hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” [Matthew 26:64]

[cross-ref - Then Stephen said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” [Acts 7:56]

[cross-ref - ..where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [Colossians 3:1]

And the woman did flee to the wilderness #1. And there came war in the heaven; Michael and his messengers did war against the dragon, and the dragon did war, and his messengers, and they did not prevail, nor was their place found any more in the heaven; and the great dragon was cast forth -- the old serpent, who is called "Devil," and "the Adversary," who is leading astray the whole world -- he was cast forth to the earth, and his messengers were cast forth with him.. And he pursued and persecuted the woman who had given birth to a son..

[cross-ref - For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us.. [Isaiah 9:6]

[cross-ref? - ...tortured.. and others ...mockings and scourgings did receive trial.. and imprisonment.. sawn asunder, they were tried..  [Hebrews 11:35-37 w/ Rev 13:2]

...but she was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly (sail?) from the serpent into the wilderness, to her place #2, where she is nourished a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. Then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood, and the land did help the woman, and the land did open its mouth and did swallow up the river, that the dragon did cast forth out of his mouth.

[cross-ref - And as they led Him away, having taken hold on Simon, a certain Cyrenian, coming from the field, they put on him the cross, to bear it behind Jesus.. Jesus turned to the women and said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, for, lo, days do come, in which they shall say, Happy the barren and.. to the mountains, fall on us, and to the hills, cover us; for if they do these things when the tree is green, what will be done in the dry?” (Joel's smoky day? aka, drought)  [Luke 23:26-31]

So the dragon was enraged and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, those keeping the commands of God, and having the testimony of Jesus (by now?)

[cross-ref - (Jesus' Lament over Jerusalem) - O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord'! [Matthew 23:37,39]

[cross-ref - ..the spirits of demons, doing signs -- which go forth to every king on earth, to bring them together for a war against God All-Powerful, to the battle of that great day of God the Almighty.. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. [Revelation 16:14,16]

Just One Thing

Sometimes I feel like the Lord taps me on the shoulder (metaphorically of course) and reminds me "it's the fruit of the Spirit I'm after.. my fruits of the Spirit in you, is all I want.."
- Lack of the fruit of the Spirit upon Earth is what lets the iron grow.. the hard stuff, the lack of human kindness things..

No More Death Nor Graves

COLOSSIANS 1:20 - "..through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven.."

JOHN 12:32 - (Jesus said) "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to myself.."

1 TIMOTHY 4:10 - "God is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe."

1 CORINTHIANS 15:22 - "..as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."

REVELATION 21:4,5 - "..God will wipe away all tears.. there shall be no more death.. Behold, I make all things new.."

Jesus Prayed Earnestly

Christians are losing the battle (Christendom? the culture? what has been Western Civilization) because we're so divided. All behind our doctrinal fences. And Jesus prayed so earnestly (on the eve of His crucifixion, no less) that we would all be one.. That we would be close.. Even "as He and the Father are one". But look at us! We see all the differences, rather than common ground. When perhaps unity would rub off some of those rough edges!

Truth Will Win

I don't know why untruth (untrue things) get such a deep hold within people and within institutions. Why?

If Christians (the churches) think they are going to, or are supposed to "subdue the world" they're wrong! Jesus said His kingdom was/is not of this world"! Yes, I'd like to see the mad dash toward collapse,etc slowed down (my interest in politics). But that's about all I can hope for. This world is going to, and actually is supposed to, collapse! Why? So God can be proven right! God is life. A person (or angel, or any other rational creature) cannot wander away from God. That's the whole thing/lesson in a nutshell, this chewing upon the knowing of good from evil (life from death, true from untrue).

Yes, God could have spared us all this! Himself too! He being Life, lives through and experiences it all! Why'd he put Himself, and all of us, through all this? I can only assume, through logic, that it's because He's not creating robots or an ant farm. And this life is a unavoidable journey and lesson, if there's to be thinking ability or rational creatures that is! Because, thinking ability sooner or later includes being able to choose and make choices, etc.

"It pleased God to reconcile ALL things to Himself through Him (Jesus), all things whether in heaven or on earth" Colossians 1:20

"For even as in Adam all die, so also in the Christ all shall be made alive, 23 but each in his proper order, " 1 Corinthians 15:22

Resurrection of all - Contemporary English Version (CEV)
"22 Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us. 23 But we must each wait our turn. Christ was the first to be raised to life, and his people will be raised to life when he returns. 24 Then after Christ has destroyed all powers and forces, the end will come, and he will give the kingdom to God the Father." [oh! 1st, Jesus was resurrected, then 2nd, the resurrection of all believers at His return, and 3rd, another raising to incorruption and immortality at the 'end' when ALL things are made new.. after the millennium and its purpose, and what is commonly called judgment day, and its purpose.]

"25 Christ will rule until he puts all his enemies under his power, 26 and the last enemy he destroys will be death. 27 When the Scriptures say that he will put everything under his power, they don't include God. It was God who put everything under the power of Christ. 28 After everything is under the power of God's Son, he will put himself under the power of God, who put everything under his Son's power. Then God will mean everything to everyone."

"God is the savior of all, especially those which believe" 1 Tim 4:10

God's Awesome Plan

For some reason I ended up reading about rebellion under Moses, in Numbers, and rebellion against David, in Chronicles, all in one day. I'm struck with how the message was 'if you rebel against my King, you cannot live' and how that is ultimate reality! (Psalm 2)
- God is life itself, the life force. To rebel against Him, to wander from Him, (surely?) is to wander from life and living. After both resurrections and the long day of 'judgment' (of all human history, etc) perhaps there might be some hold out, who says 'no, I choose not to believe, keep my name out of that book of life!'
- Maybe someone will have hardened their heart so hard against God, and hate Him enough to choose non-existence for their self. And all the crowd that does live, both heavenly and earthly, would mourn deeply. And no one would mourn more than the Father and the Son.. But wait! There's the Lake Of Fire! Put him in the lake of fire for an age and even another age if need be.. for cleansing by God's spiritual fire. For our God is a consuming fire.

They Are Just Plain Wrong

Surely the 'judgments' of God are nothing more than results? Or so I am prone to think. But every once in a while you happen across someone who says God is cruel or hardhearted, why just look at the flood (of Noah's day) they say! How could God do such a thing! Well they completely overlook the verse which says the thought of every person was only continuously evil.
- And I still think, even this, was a natural result and consequence. For how could it continue? And if it were to continue on and on, how would that be merciful?

HEALING

A lot of people believe in God - it's not that hard, well perhaps a little for some, in these days of modern invention and busyness. But to see the Great Spirit and Presence of Life (often perceived in moments of quietness) is to receive some portion of healing just in the perceiving.
- Add to this, that he sent a son (a unique first Son) to gather all things back to God and perfection. What was done was done, and now this Son says he has the keys to life, death and the grave.
- "Grave" is the proper translation of what some have translated 'hell', a preChristian idea and far cry from the "Sheol" of B.C. and the Old Testament.
- Jesus said "it is finished". After the consummation of mankind's history (or did we think man's empire, "house of merchandise" and self seeking could endure and smother the planet forever?) We are told we "will be like Jesus" ..who healed everything he touched. Just read the Gospel (testimony) of Mark! The chapter begins with Christ's introduction by wild man, John the Baptist. And by the end of that first chapter, Jesus has healed so many that great crowds are following him everywhere he goes, so much so that he can no longer enter the towns but remains outside the towns. (Which he seems to prefer anyway!)
- Jesus is "the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature." Hebrews 1:3.
- "The cow and the bear shall graze.. together; and the lion shall" (once again) eat straw like the ox." Isaiah 11:7
- "..they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; Everyone will find rest beneath their own fig trees or grape vines, and they will live in peace. This is a solemn promise of God All-Powerful." Micah 4:3,4
- "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.^"  Psalm 22:27
His Spirit Heals each of us, the whole planet.. and life. 
There is creative POWER in our thoughts and WORDS, and also of course, in our prayers for one another... 

True Peace

 Everyone will find rest beneath their own fig trees or grape vines, and they will live in peace. (Micah 4:4)

Scattered Over The Earth

Genesis 11:6-8

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

⁶ And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.

John 11:51

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, ⁵² and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. 

~ "The City" with its mean streets, dark alleys and bright avenues - man's power - "responsible for all slain" since Cain slew Abel. [Revelation 18:24 "all slain"]

What A Long Day!

Can I even remember what was in my mind to blog this morning..?
I came across this sort of, well known saying, recently, "Once abolish the God and the government becomes the God." --G.K.Chesterton.
- And I thought of it later when I read "..the hireling when he sees the wolf, leaves the sheep and flees.." John 10:12,13.
- I hate to leave it at that, after all I don't want to focus on the negative! It's simply preparing just a bit 4 the negative.. and maybe not even us, but maybe our kids and grand kids..
Matthew 24:29-31 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days.. shall they see the Son of man coming on the clouds.. He will send His angels with the great sound of the trumpet and they shall gather His elect from the four winds.."
- "The cow and the bear shall graze,
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox." Isaiah 11:7
- He will settle arguments
between distant
    and powerful nations.
They will pound their swords
and their spears
    into rakes and shovels;
they will never again make war
    or attack one another.
 Everyone will find rest
beneath their own fig trees
    or grape vines,
and they will live in peace.
This is a solemn promise
    of the Lord All-Powerful." Micah 4:4
                   (Contemporary English Version)
- "...from the four winds.." Some versions read "from the four corners" (of the world) and some have used this verse to claim Jesus thought the world was flat. (Rofl! North, South, East, West! dah.. Oh well, I wasn't born believing either!)
-  "The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.." John 10:11. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.." John 10:27. ["..the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." John 10:11]

Goofy Account Of My Morning

I had such a funny morning this morning. It was morning Quiet time and I was feeling very blessed. (I've been out of sorts lately and the Lord has been straightening me out. Thank Goodness.) So I was just sittin' there reading and contemplating, etc, feeling very wealthy. (I'm very rich in the people I know and get to go through life with! We're second only to the Lord in this, don't you know!!)
- I heard such great preaching (messages) on the radio the other day when I ran to town for weekly errands.. One being "the Seal of God on our heart, which, as we know, is the down payment and ``pledge`` of what shall be and all that is to come.. the Seal (loving thumbprint?) of the LORD on our heart-which cries 'my Father!' ..The Spirit being in our life proves we are His and all that brings" and the other message on Philippian's verses "rejoice in the Lord always! ..And again! I say rejoice! - It had been midnight, Paul and Silas were in jail (chained in jail) after having been beaten, and they were singing joyful songs to the LORD, when the earth shook and all the doors and chains of the jail opened.. the jailer and all his house was saved/believed, and it was to these folks/this 'church' the teacher on the radio said, who Paul wrote these words to: rejoice in the Lord always! And again - he said - rejoice!"
- So there I was this morning, in my recliner watching the birds eat out the window, with the cat all comfy beside me on the footrest part of the recliner, when I noticed the big spread wings of a bigger bird, or rather one wing, was all I saw of the bird. One of the big birds which fly higher.. and of course I thought of the "birds of midheaven" in the Book of Revelation. After a few moments I saw the top of the pine tree rustle. I had been looking, trying to see where the bird, likely a 'turkey buzzard' had gone. Although it's possible it was a hawk, but the color looked pretty dark. (I'm going to google 'turkey buzzard'. They have to have another name than that!)
- I can't help it, whenever I see a deer or other wild animal, or a big bird soaring, I always think of it as a 'hello' from 'above'. And I had just been particularly blessed.. Felt like I could almost see the peaceful stream of God's peaceful and joyful Spirit, the Holy Ghost (I love to call it!) His presence like a fountain of light and rich love, or stream from 'above' which fills us. I wanted to get up for a moment, but the cat was just so comfy! But it was right then she decided to try to sneak into my lap, don't you know, so I decided to get up. I was closing the footrest very slowly, giving Tipper a chance to get down, but even so, when I closed it, there she was with her tail softly trapped in the fold of the footrest. She looked at me like "what!" so I laughed, upon which the dog, big ole black lab, jumped up with a snarly bark, ready for whatever. Well now, the dog and cat are mortal enemies. (Tipper's not too friendly even after they've been living in this place together for three years or more now.) So she's very paranoid right about then! But we avoided calamity. I released the cat and she ran behind the other recliner and the dog laid back down after I laughed at him and told him too. (By this time Tipper knew I hadn't for some reason deliberately trapped her.. yes, we had that pet/person eye to eye thing going on and had reached an understanding.)
- Okay, so it's not as exciting as a blockbuster movie or anything, but I thought it was kind of kool and a bit funny ..and I've been neglecting this blog a bit lately.. (Have a Good day!:)

Pentecost

Pentecost (the day of) was the Opening, or beginning, of the Holy Spirit being poured out upon believers. A Greek Parallel New Testament I have says it like this, "and it will be in the last days, is saying the God, I shall pour out from the Spirit of me upon all flesh, and will prophesy the sons of you and the daughters of you..."
- These verses (surely?) Acts 2:17-21, prophesied by Joel (2:28-32) apply to every generation since that first outpouring in Jerusalem, at Pentecost. We know for sure, or so it's commonly accepted, that it fits the often occurring pattern of Bible prophecy, having an immediate escalation or peak, and a 'last' days peak. In this instance, the 'immediate' of what Joel prophesied, occurred forty nine days after the ascension of Jesus (as Peter claimed and was saying in Acts 2) and of what Jesus said when He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, saying, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem.. ..and to the ends of the earth".

Little Things

I prayed.. I asked God, "please.. if I'm wrong about these things (warnings and signs relating to the trend of fulfilling Bible prophecies of a coming world governing gone tyrannical, what the Bible calls worst time ever, but plain and specific signs given so its worst days, 45, can be avoided) please let me know.. don't let me teach in any tiny way, anything which is not true.."
- The Lord 'speaks' to me (if you're a believer, you know what I mean) sometimes, quite often, actually, using my birth date in various ways - 5,5,55. It's amazing how many times I wake up at 5:55 or look up at the clock and it's 2:22 or 3:33, or something :55... Silly perhaps, to some.
- I like to relax by reading a short romance or adventure story written by Christians. My favorites are old world, simpler life style settings of settlers or other old fashioned, reverent type stories where good triumphs, etc. and faith is common to the culture and the families. My latest one was an adventure set in the days of the rising of Hitler in Germany... It all started out sort of slow, those days, and all the while the news reported how good things were. And Hitler did actually rise to power by doing some very good things. Promised prosperity for all, education for all, fitness programs for all.. And he resurrected their very ailing currency and economy. The nation went from chaos to order, and the people idolized him. He was great, he was for the common person, they lauded him with rapture and spellbound faces. But the heroine of the story stumbled upon the ugly truth of the first ghettos where the Jewish citizens were imprisoned after much of the nation was stirred up into hatred of them (first beginning as condescension and disdain?). Every problem of life and society the nation had experienced was their fault, so the party line went, first they were ignorant, against progress and then they were evil intentioned and finally "vermin". They were forced from their homes, and government confiscated their businesses. And soon they were to be trucked off to death camps. At a pivotal moment in the story, our heroine noted the time, 5:55.
- The hero and heroine of course went on to live happily ever after, having rescued one such ghetto of residents from being ex-terminated. And at the end of the story as grandparents they visited the Holocaust Museum. As they left that place they said "I can barely stand to think of the holocaust, but thank God for this memorial". And, "God willing, the world won't forget, so it will never happen again"....
- A touching moment in the story, after the daring rescue and escape, an elderly gent said "Baruch atoh adnoy, elohaynu melech ho-lom shee-osoh li nays bamokm hazeh. You are blessed. Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who performed a miracle for me in this place."

Destiny And Trinity

Father, Son and Holy Ghost..
"In the beginning, God.."
Father and Son are One,
But are also Two..
"Father" Jesus prayed, "let them be one, as You and I are one.."