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Category: love
Dread, Daring, and Dominion
The scripture for today, September 30 (9/30), is Luke 9:30f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”
Hebrews 5:7 says something very startling to most people. “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.”
Jesus did not look forward to going to the cross, even though many thousands of others had died that way. Why was it different for him? Because he had to take on all our sins as though he had committed them himself ~ every lie we ever told, every gain from cheating, every insult, every slander campaign against another, every adultery, every murder ~ everything. He had to take the blame for ALL our sins! How could he bear it?
Not only that, but he had to experience both physical and spiritual death. Spiritual death means being separated from, being forsaken by God. What a terror to experience ~ even for a moment.
And so, a few weeks before his crucifixion, as he prayed on the mountain, Moses and Elijah appeared to him, and they spoke about his death. They surely gave courage to Jesus’ human side to do what had to be done to save you and me who deserve hell.
The crowning glory of this conversation with Moses and Elijah is that the Father himself ~ the Will of God ~ reassured him by announcing, “This is my son! Whom I have chosen! Listen to HIM!”
Jesus was to nail the Old Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14). He had promised people, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets: I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).
On the cross, he said, “It is fulfilled.” Indeed, by the time Jesus returned to heaven, he had lived the Old Law introduced by Moses perfectly ~ something no man had ever been able to do. And by the time he returned to heaven, he had fulfilled every prophecy about his birth, life, and death, the first such full-time prophet being Elijah.
Oh, the things Jesus went through for us. We fall at his bloody, pierced feet and worship.
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SHADOW OF DEATH is biblical historical novel #7 in the THEY MET JESUS series. This book has a child’s version; the chapters on the crucifixion have been toned down, but do explain what children hear about but do not understand. In the adult version, each chapter ends with Life Application discussion questions. The adult version has Think & Do at the end of each chapter. Come along, now, and witness those days of dread, daring, and dominion. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: http://bit.ly/Death-Resurrection
Futility or hope?
The scripture for today, September 29 (9/29), is Matthew 9:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith will it be done to you.’ “
Sometimes when we pray for healing during sickness, a well-meaning friend will say, “Well, you haven’t been healed because you didn’t have enough faith.” But Jesus did not always heal people according to their faith.
The boy in Nain he brought back to life (Luke 7:14-15) did not have any faith at all. The girl in Capernaum he brought back to life (Luke 8:51-56) did not have any faith at all. When Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana (John 2:1-9), the hosts did not have any faith at all.
This is encouraging, because often we pray for the healing of non-religious friends. It would be futile to ask God to bring them back to health if it depended on their faith all the time.
He is not a God of futility. He is a God of hope. And we love him for it.
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HEARTS AFIRE is book three in the THEY MET JESUS biblical historical series. Word is spreading in villages, on highways, at city wells that a carpenter is healing people of diseases impossible to heal, growing back limbs that are impossible to grow back, making useless ears and eyes fill with delight. Who is he? Could it be he’s the promised Messiah? Dare people hope for the impossible? To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: http://bit.ly/3HeartsAfire
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Faith in us
Ah, God of Creation, you made all this for us ~ for my delight, my provisions, my protection. All this to delight in while I try to live a life that proves love is superior to hate, good is superior to evil. Love is all might and all mighty, all power and all powerful. You put so much faith in us to help you win over Satan. Working together with you? We can do this! How incredible that you chose frail humans to help you in the race. What a grand and exciting Plan! You have never changed and never will. Satan cannot change you any more than darkness can become light. You, mighty God, are my fortress, my shield of faith, my sword of Truth. The demons and their leader fear you. The universe praises you.
Thank you for all these ways of communicating electronically that did not exist when I was a child. To project my voice and image to someone on the other side of the city and even the other side of the world is astounding. I could have never imagined such a possibility. When some people spoke of it, it was like a fairy tale or science fiction. But today it is a reality. Thank you for these new inventions. And for the air I breathe, the food I have to eat ~ so many things I tend to take for granted. May I never take you for granted. You are my heart, my soul, my life. And you love me. How can I thank you for all this? I fall at your feet and worship.
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A CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES: ADAM & EVE. How could these two scoundrels be heroes? Counting Adam’s age when he had Seth, and allowing for two older brothers, Adam and Eve were in the garden over 100 years. One hundred years of not sinning! Can you or I go one day without sinning? They were not all bad; no one is all bad. Large print for early readers. Understood ages 3-12. “Think and Do” at the end of each chapter. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/BibleHeroes-AdamEve
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You dote on me
I revere you, my God. You created such a beautiful garden to be the cradle for mankind when you first made us. Everywhere around me, when I see darkness, I remember that is the soil you use to bring me flowers to fill my senses. When I cower from thunder and lightning, I remember out of those you bring me showers of blessings and rainbows and bubbling brooks. When I grow tired, I remember how you use it to slow me down to rest in your everlasting arms. You dote on me, guide me, and never stop thinking of me. You are everywhere I go. You are in the air I breathe, the warmth I feel, the sense that perhaps you are touching me. You are gloriously everywhere because you are greater than all things. And I worship you.
Father, I know I need to get out more to find seekers. I second guess people and decide I would be wasting my time going to see them. Help me leave that up to you and just keep trying.
Ah, my God, how can I thank you for sending a part of yourself ~ your Words ~ to enter a human body, be our perfect example, then allow yourself to be tortured and killed in my place. You laid down on the altar of the world and sacrificed yourself for all of us who who you made and who reject you each time we sin. I cannot grasp it all. There are worlds unseen with spiritual battles going on I am not aware of. But, what I do know, is that you did everything necessary to save me from that ghastly trinity ~ Sin, Satan, and Death. And now my soul rests in you. I bow before you in sacred gratitude.
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375 SILVER-WINGED PRAYERS is book three in the TOUCHING GOD SERIES. The others are GOLDEN THOUGHTS and PEARLS OF WISDOM. Beautiful gift set with original art on the cover. Or use it for your own personal devotional time. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://bit.ly/SilverPrayers
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Blood streaming through the veins of my soul
I lift up my heart to you, my God. I ache so much for the lost. But my puny efforts are nothing compared to you. You did so much more than I ever dreamed of doing and for longer than a thousand lifetimes. You paid the death ransom, then overcame Death itself. You put up with our sins while you did everything necessary to destroy our greatest enemy ~ Satan. Satan must be destroyed and you have given mankind the privilege of working with you to that end. So, amidst my paltry efforts I praise you, my majestic King. You are so incredible. Beyond finding out.
Father, sometimes when I talk to people about your love for them and ask them to return to you, I think I come across as controlling. That is not what I want to do. Help me know when to back off and let them think. Help me be patient and calm and respect the free will that you gave them.
My Lord, thank you for not getting so angry you would give up on me. You are a high and great mountain that cannot be moved. You are the deepest ocean that cannot be emptied. As the river of life, you offer to give me your blood so it will stream through the veins of my soul and give me life without impurities of sin. What more could anyone ask than that? You offered to me your blood and your Spirit. The sacrifice was too great, but you made it anyway.
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SHADOW OF DEATH takes the reader through the trials and beatings and lashings. Nearly lifeless already, the soldiers carry him up that dreadful hill so he can live long enough for them to kill. Two chapters cover the agony and ecstasy of the cross of torture saved only for traitors. Then the funeral. Two old men, some women, and his mother. Washing his lifeless body with tears, surrounding him with spices only the rich can afford, wrapping him in the flimsy shreds of broken hearts. Then going home to agonize over what could have been and never will be. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: http://bit.ly/Death-Resurrection
Today, it is hard to thank you.
You, Almighty God, are all powerful. You hold the world in your hands. You lead mankind forward and people follow you kicking and screaming because Satan convinces so many that you hate us and do not want us to have fun. You do not let Satan’s accusations discourage you and stop you. You are more powerful than him. You never forsake us. For thousands of years you have worked out your master Plan to permanently disarm Satan. Even now you limit what he can do to us. You send your angels to stand between Satan and us in battles in other realms, other worlds, we are not even aware of. You are the Lord of all the lords Satan controls. You are King over all the kings Satan manipulates. Your divine majesty resonates around your throne, encircles the world, and comes to rest in my soul.
Lord, it is hard to thank you for things today. Yes, I have a decent place to live, nice things, my health, the weather is still warm. But what is it all for if I cannot help save the lost and help them stay saved? Sometimes I can hardly stand it thinking about friends and even strangers who are bored with you or resent you or even hate you and do not realize what Satan has in mind for them. How can I see them self-destruct like that? Today I am struggling. I need to thank you for…what shall I thank you for? The sun is shining, the corn is harvested, a bird is singing to me outside my window. Over there is a butterfly and in that direction is a squirrel scavenging for things to store over the coming winter. Songs. I thank you for songs. I shall now sing you a song and will feel better. Yes, thank you for songs. And that butterfly.
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HEARTS AFIRE is biblical historical novel three in the THEY MET JESUS series. They’ve been dreaming and praying for the God-King to come for thousands of years. He’s not quite what they expected, but at least he’s here. Now, perhaps the impossible can become possible. With hearts afire, they dare to hope. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:
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If I knew a thousand languages
If I knew a thousand languages, I would use them all to praise you. I would travel the earth from obscure village to obscure village where only their own language is known and proclaim your majestic goodness as long as they would allow. And when I had traversed the world, I would begin again. Only this time, I would teach them about you who loves them beyond their understanding. And I would teach them how you ransomed them from Satan’s clutches. And I would teach them about heaven and how you left the gate open for them. Well, it is not so. I can only speak one language. So, with what I have, I will travel the earth and proclaim your majestic goodness anyway. Somehow, I will. You alone deserve the praise of earth.
Lord, thank you for taste and smell. If it were not for the taste and smell of food, I don’t guess anyone would eat and refuel their bodies. When you created us, you knew what it would take to lure us to the table and take time to feed our bodies. Yes, I know there are bad smells and taste too. But thank you for those also. They warn us to stay away from them. And thank you for gardens and farms that grow the food that keeps us alive. Ah, the smell of the soil newly plowed up. And the smell of flowers, and spices and even newly mowed grass. Thank you for all of it.
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Give me my cross
You bore a terrible cross for me, my Lord. It is I who should have taken my place on that cross instead of you. You were holy, pure, sinless. I deserved the cross, not you. But it is not too late, Lord. Send me my cross. Make me not just brave; make me bold. Send my cross that I may suffer for you as you suffered for me on that day long ago. Send me my cross. Do not withhold it from me. And, if I die clinging to my cross, at least I will know that my death was not without meaning and perhaps in some way my death will bring souls to you. Just like you brought souls to yourself on your cross.
Lord, thank you for music. Thank you that I can lift up my voice to you in rapturous joy or lamenting sadness. Thank you for making music possible. Centuries ago, Plato claimed the stars sang. I wonder if he got hold of a copy of Job in the Bible where it says the stars sang together. Today, people talk about the angels singing when Jesus was born, but they shouted it, they didn’t sing. I guess people are influenced by Christmas carols that say they sang. Why is singing reserved for humans? Is it because we have been saved by the blood of the Lamb? I can only guess. But what I do know is how grateful I am that you have given music to humans. Thank you that I can praise and worship you in song
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SHADOW OF DEATH begins with his trial, takes two chapters to go with him on the cross, then watches as his followers wallow in hopelessness. It was all for nothing. Jesus, why did you have to die? Where are you, Jesus? Why did you leave us? He comes back to life in the next book and surprises the daylights out of everyone. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. http://bit.ly/Death-Resurrection
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The dome of the universe
Your throne, oh God, rises above and far beyond everything I know or can comprehend. Glory greater than the brightest star radiates from you. The dome of the universe is your mantel of holiness. Rays more dazzling than the sun shoot out, penetrating the darkness surrounding my soul and bringing me into everlasting day. A path of mercy you make for me lighted up with love. I tread that path day by day knowing it leads to you. With all my filthiness, you allow me near. How I worship you.
Thank you, God, for a good summer. We had somewhat of a drought, but my plants were strong and most survived. How I love walking through my garden and pulling up a radish to nibble on, a strawberry to devour, a handful of peas to feast on. I did nothing to make them grow except keep the weeds away. You are the one who took my tiny seeds and turned them into delicious food for my table. That’s when I feel a little like a creator with you. Thank you, my Lord, for all this.
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