Tuesday, April 6, 2010

April 6, 2010; Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20, Luke 11:37-12:7, Psalms 78:1-31, Proverbs 12:19-20

Reflections on Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20

The Thongs of the Throngs Deuteronomy 29:1-15

The oldest people to whom Moses spoke in the wilderness of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho represented the Children of Israel who had been 20 years old or younger when they left Egypt 40 years before.  Only Moses, Joshua and Caleb had been older.  Little did they know that sandles and clothing were not made to last on hot desert soil for 40 years as theirs had.  The miracles in their lives may have easily taken for granted.  Perhaps few understood that the signs and wonders the Lord had shown were not common to man.  Many of the laws Moses had set out were about things they did not know as there was not ample grain or vineyards within the desert lands where they had been wandering.  What we may consider the awesome power of God, they often experienced with fear and trembling and dreams in the night.  I can only imagine how difficult it would have been for them not to have imagined they were not the only people God cared about.  Today, we should have grown to know better. 

But do we?  Do we yet understand what it meant for God to choose Israel?  Do we understand what it meant for God to choose the Levites?  Do we understand why they have suffered such persecution?  Do we understand why it was that Jesus loved mankind, yet remained hostile to the Pharisees?  Does it help to correlate verses like Malachi 3:3; "he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver." and Matthew 5:20 "I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." Do we understand that God forced righteousness upon this people that all might recognize His holiness and the importance of righteousness?  Do we realize they were called so that the world might come to know its Creator?  Do we realize, whether they like it or not, they were chosen to bring forth the promised child and that all their records spoke of what they did not understand?  Can we fathom that we are still coming to understand that the Love we experience through Jesus Christ was and is there all the time through God the Father for all of His Children?  God the Father, whose Awesome and Powerful Love were on display for all the world to see through the chosen child of Jesus Christ,  is the Alpha and Omega of Perfect and Triumphant Love!  His Love has been constant yesterday, and today and shall never change forever!

Did you realize that Love when those sandals did not wear out for 40 years in the Hot Dry Desert when the manna came down day after day and He removed people or secured people by the word of his mouth as a sign and a seal?  Did you comprehend that when our world went to war and oppressed the alien that the economy crashed and His blessings were removed and the people cried "My God, My God, Why?"  Did you recognize in Deuteronomy 28 that all this comes of natural law when man turns away from Love for one another, granting power once again to the adversary and d'evil between brothers?

None of us represent ancient Israel.  None of us must enter the Promised Land of Canaan; choose Jerusalem; establish a royal line of David and a Royal Priesthood; or produce books of history, poetry, and prophecy as a result.  We do not have a clue if we believe the purpose of the good book is for us to play war games with our sons and daughters lives and continue the nightmares.  We live in the 21st century and serve a Prince of Peace - a King of Peace - an Everlasting Father - who proclaimed Peace to Men on Earth with whom He is well pleased over 2000 years ago.  Not peace to Hindus, not peace to Jews, not peace to Buddhists, not peace to Baal, not peace to cultures yet to be such as the Christians or the Muslims! Peace to All Men on Earth with whom He is well pleased!

Luke 19:38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! (see Psalm 118:26) Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" And when He taught us to pray in Luke 11:2 "He said to them, "When you pray, say:  'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'"

Children of God, go ye into all the world and preach this gospel!  When you run you will not grow weary and when you walk, you will not faint.  And if you are as blessed as those children in the desert place, your shoes will not wear out.  You have been sent on a mission from the King! (Mark 16:15, Isaiah 40:31)

Little verses are very telling.  In reading the Penteteuch, it has been difficult for me to imagine there were not great flocks and herds for the 40 years in the wilderness.  I have come to imagine grasslands and prairie - especially perhaps as they wandered close to the gulf of Aqaba.  It was tough to imagine Moses was not setting rules for their very existence during the 40 years.  Yet Deuteronomy 29:6 states: "You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God.  Indeed, they did not have a wheat or barley harvest - they did not harvest the vine until they crossed over into the promised land.  The children of the desert lived the vow of a Nazirite by necessity.  They learned to love the Lord their God intimately as He cared for them and provided their needs and disciplined them in our infancy as the people of God.

Did you notice your presence mentioned in Deuteronomy 29:15?  "also with those who are not here today."  Verse 13 "to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he promised" Have you accepted the title, the priviledge, and the responsibility of being a "Child of God"?  Join a happy throng.

Secrets and Revelations Deuteronomy 29:16-29

When I was 14, my family visited friends in Mexico City.  We ventured further south into Teotihuacan and visited the Pyramid of the Sun. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_the_Sun. This was the first time I had seen idols, little souvenirs of beautiful jade and obsidian creation.  Naturally I bought one to remember the visit as this was something uncommon to my American heritage.  Yet, as I have grown older, idol worship has come much closer to home.  I remain fascinated by these cultures which are as revelatory to me as archeological digs confirming Biblical teaching.  I see people seeking peace with God.  I see ancient rituals of incense burning, not unlike what I have experienced in more ancient Christian ritual.  I have seen a history of man's relationship to God.  I must say that the unexplained problems which occurred within my parent's house within a year of the idol's entry caused the banishment and destruction of this seemingly small edifice in short order. A well learned lesson of youth to take the Word of the Lord seriously.

As I perceive Deuteronomy 29:16-29, I can place myself in the mindset of that boy of 14 who now was growing up in one of the first cultures of its type within that era of earth's history.  The idols their parents had taken from Egypt had long since been discarded as evil under the devine rule expressed through this leader, Moses.  This was part and parcel of what He claimed was a true worship of this God who had chosen me as His child!  There was this distinction of my culture that set me apart from the rest of the world as these idols were present in each of the cultures we met. 

Into this mindset, Moses spoke these words.  It was part and parcel of their being after 40 years in the wilderness that idol worship, common to man and to their own parentage, was against God's law!  It really upset God, the creator of all that was.  It is demeaning and deflecting of His Love for man. 

Moses also speaks to that man who would imagine that honoring God were not important.  God knew the poison one individual could cause to the morality of the community at large, turning them away from the true Love between God and man.  Notice the judgment of God against the ungodly does not mention a hell beyond the hell on earth that man would experience on earth until even his name were blotted out from under heaven.  We may remember this curse when tribes are mentioned in Revelation 4:7-8 when Dan is not mentioned, but my thinking is that this represents earthbound punishment.

Truly, little is known about the afterlife and I am certain that for the unbelieving and the ungodly, there is a refinement that takes place in some spiritual dimension of pergatory or sheol, both mentioned commonly within the Bible.  Hell appears to be a new age teaching not reflected until Jesus refinement of the Levites takes on a new age twist in the interpretations of His followers.

Needless to say, there is much theology to be taken from Moses' first hand account of punishment for the ungodly in Deuteronomy 29:16-29.  Earth bound tragedy and misfortune and the end of your line.  Sounds pretty easy to believe with everything else I read in scripture!  Follow the law of Love or experience misfortune and sorrow and death.  Good luck in the next dimension! Hope you find God soon.

Only in my recent study for this commentary did I come across the realization that there were 5 cities involved in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Here we have 4 recorded in Deuteronomy 29:23 including Admah and Zeboiim.  Even here the words Moses used of God's anger and wrath seems a bit out of place given the calculated affect of the story of the three men having casual conversation with Abram in Genesis 18:20-21.  "Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."  The outcry came from the witnesses against the region.  Their destruction and reputation have become a sign and a seal to all of mankind who hears of the story.  Their justification and salvation in light of the evils of mankind - as represented in the fall from righteousness of Israel is recorded by Ezekiel chapter 16:43-63.

Through Deuteronomy 29, Moses has spoken to the Children of the desert of the things they knew well.  Perhaps the secrets of the inherent Love of the Law remain hidden from their view - yet their understanding of the righteousness required of them in separation from the religious and cultural practices of the world around them is paramount within their minds - and many of our own.  Read the Bible again and truly see what the Lord thy God requires of you: Micah 6:8 "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."  Matthew 13:52 ""Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."

Moses The King, the Priest, the Prophet Deuteronomy 30:1-10

Moses began his life a Hebrew.  He was snatched up into Egyptian royalty and felt a passion to lead the Hebrew people in revolt at a reasonably early age.  Realizing his secret was out (Exodus 1:14 "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known.") Moses fled to the Midianites where God sent Him back to Egypt to be leader of His chosen people.  From Exodus 19 through Numbers, Leviticus, and into Deuteronomy,  Moses disctated the law and the religious customs to be followed by the Israelites as judge and in the setting up of the priesthood through Aaron and his sons and the ministry of the Levites.  Now it seems quite apparent Moses not only acts as Prophet, speaking forth the word of God, but also forcasting future events.

The difficulty of interpretation lies in the fact there have been numerous returns to the Promised land.  Various interpretations will claim different periods of time imagined within the prophecy.  Even through the Judges, the people would be displaced and return.  The people of Judah returned from Babylon according to the prophecy of Jeremiah of 70 years.  Following various conquests during the era of the Maccabees, there were conquests and returns to the Holy Land.  Following 70 AD, the Jewish nation was dispersed once again to return in 1948 following the tragedies of World War II.  The Muslim peoples of Arabia and the surrounding countries would like nothing more than to see the nation dispersed again, but must realize that all this must take place according to the prophets of which Muhammad claims to be one.  Indeed, to discount the prophecy of one would be to discount them all.  Therein, the prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy 30 carries serious weight for world peace in that the country of Israel never fully returned from Assyrian captivity until the modern age.

Daniel represents a good reading in reference to Deuteronomy 30:1 "you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations," in that the righteousness and holiness of Daniel and his friends served to change an empire.  Due to these seeds of the Kingdom spread through the refining fires of conquest and deployment, the God of the Israelites and Christianity has spread throughout the earth.  This Bible we are studying has long been the best seller of all books of all time.  Being that it also represents the oldest library of history, its claim on academia should be desired above all else.  Yet, its reputation of wrath and judgment has scared mankind away.  They see not the purity of the Love within, but the hell fires of wrath and judgment which is what God's loving Children have felt it prudent to portray.  Thank goodness times are changing - and right on schedule too!  The most amazing thing will be that not one word within this Holy book will have to be changed, only the ideologies of man.

Verse 4 may change the entire perspective of this prophecy.  However iterpretations struggle with the meaning of the words.  Although the Revised Standard Version, the King James version, the Darby translation, and the English Standard Version speaks of gathering the peoples throughout the heavens, the New International version, the New American Standard Bible, and the New Living Translation choose to speak of gathering the peoples throughout the earth.  The Wycliffe translation does not include Deuteronomy 30.  Regardless, it would appear this passage may well be speaking of last days theology, and not just a small time gathering. 

In verse 6 Moses also speaks to these people as though their heart will be circumcised together with their offspring so that finally, they will love the Lord their God the way God had envisioned and desired from the beginning of time.  And yet, as the passage continues, so does the test and the chanced extent of the blessings and curses as though we remained on earth.  The cycle continues, the future remains a mystery, and we still live by faith, hope and love, living out our lives within His glory.

The Word Comes to Life Deuteronomy 30:11-14

One of the beauties of studying scripture is all the little surprises that come to life.  Such as realizing as I read Deuteronomy 30:11-14 that the author was studying this same passage when He wrote Romans 10:6-8.  Check out the comparison bethween the two:

Deuteronomy 30:11-14; "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

Romans 10:6-8 "But the righteousness that is by faith says: 'Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down) or 'Who will descend into the deep?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? 'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:"

Jesus Christ knew the word of God!  It is quite probable that He was cultured within the Rabbinical schools due to his reputation of early aptitude and the location of one such school nearby.  Certainly He was divinely inspired, but to what extent, we may never know.  We do know He had the calling of God to be well gifted in this area, even as referenced by this prophecy by Moses which the author of Romans also attributed to Him.  The apostle, John, praises Jesus' one-ness with the word in His beautiful introduction to the fourth canonical gospel by the same name.

And yet, with all that being said, the message of Deuteronomy 30:11-14 speaks as much of the Holy Spirit as it does of Jesus Christ.  He is not within a church or within another culture!  This Spirit is standing at the door of your heart and wishes to commune with you.  Chances are you have already invited the Spirit of God into your heart and Mind due to the very fact you are reading these words.  Knowing His Love, putting His will into action will become a natural part of life as you seek Him with all your mind, with all your soul and with all of your strength.

Joy or Despair Deuteronomy 30:15-20

So, there it is.  The Law can bring blessings or cursings within the Land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.  Much of mankind has taken these blessings and cursings and imagined that if we just believe in Jesus everything is going to be fine.  Most of us find that this is not the case.  In fact, Dueteronomy 28 as summarized by Deuteronomy 30:15-20 appears to make a lot more common sense!

Now we can't yell at God when things go wrong, we just pick up our bootstraps and get back on our horse and attempt to follow the rules all over again - praising God when the rain falls and when the sun shines.  If anyone disagrees and feels that anger improves one's life, feel free to be angry.  I have found it just makes everybody else angry and life falls apart.  If I fill my glass with Love and start splashing it around, people around me tend to appreciate my company!  If I don't judge my kids, but begin with love, they actually listen to my advise when I don't Lord it over them. 

Love God + Love Man = Peace on Earth.  Write that on the chalkboard at school and see if they kick you out!  I'm certain God won't either.

Reflections on Luke 11:37-12:7

Thank God For the Pharisees! Luke 11:37-54

Why is it that everytime we see discipline in the Bible we think of Hell?  Eternal damnation wasn't my intent as a Father when I was disciplining my children!  I have quoted Malachi 3:3 several times regarding the refining of the Levites, so today I will quote from Isaiah.

Isaiah 1:24-26; "Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: "Ah, I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies. I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.  I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City."

I heard recently from a loved one that they felt if you were going to step in front of a bus you would want someone to tell you.  Therefore, in consideration of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" they felt it was their responsibility to tell others that they were going to Hell if they lived in sin!  My greatest problem with that argument is that I have seen how Children of God, myself included, generally respond when you tell them that what they believe may very possibly be wrong!  I have found that few people respond positively when you question their judgment!  Nearly everyone positively does respond when you question their judgment - most often in a fit of rage before they leave you!  And yet, often your words are taken to heart and the heart is changed and refined.

The same is true here with the Pharisees.  I sense that they were as proud and confused and indoctrinated in their religious belief system as you and I.  They sought after God and became jealous of the wickedness of man just as Children of God do today!  Then along came this man who was so obviously blessed by God, exemplifying powers they could only dream about! And yet, He associated with those people from whom they had withdrawn in their purity and righteousness!  To top it all off, even now, when they attempted to befriend Him by inviting Him to their dinner party, He spent the evening challenging them and outright condemning them and their faith!  Indeed, if the world could hear the words He said to them, they too would stand in judgment, condemning their manner of seeking God, causing them to be seen in an unholy light!  I too would have been offended!  Yet, through it all, Jesus is refining all of our Hearts toward our fellow man.

As much as we might condemn the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, we all stand guilty of condemning the very Love and Peace our Savior so righteously preached to them that day.  Against our better judgment, we judge our fellow man for their sin instead of focussing on their own.  Even in writing this, I continue to find I am thinking of others instead of internalizing my own condemnation.  Home is where the heart is.  When I am going to clean out the closet and dust the furniture, my reputation depends upon the upkeep of my own house!  The good news is that Jesus said the words all of us needed to hear.  The impact of the fires that burned within that room that day continue to burn throughout the world as Children of God are purified from within.  Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." 

As we walk in Love and internalize such harsh words of Jesus, His Spirit will prod us when it is appropriate to share these teachings with our fellowman.  Even in sharing the Love of God, it is not our job to anger our brother, thus mutilating the body.  Christ's discipline is displayed on the pages of the Bible for all to see and His Spirit will perform that duty.  Our job is to join the body back togeter as we read from Ephesians 4:14-16; "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." I pray that He would grant us wisdom and meekness as we thus fellowship with one another and seek our Lord together, loving one another in spite of our own Pharisaisms and praising God for them.

Quickly now regarding the traditional teachings of this passage; (note my use of you includes me as I read)

1. Repent of your own sin within and you will be forgiven (vs 41)
2. Tithing is good, but don't forget to show justice, mercy, and love for your fellowman (vs 42)
3. Pride goeth before a fall.  Don't set up your own traps. If you judge, you will be condemned. (vs 43-44)
4. Don't oppress the ungodly with salvation requirements even you fail to keep (vs 46)
5. Through our Pharisaisms, we've justified their behaviours and share in their condemnations (vs 47-48)
6. Man stands united in the guilt of all men from that first sin of Adam through that final sin (vs 50-51)
*** Breaking News from Romans 5:21 " just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
7. Focus on this Good News! Live in it and share it with your fellowman! (vs 52)

Because the Son of God condemned them, the Pharisee's and Lawyers ears were closed.  They missed the greater story as they boiled with anger.  Through such hostility, the will of God was fulfilled at their hands, and Christ spoke mightily into the traps they set for Him.  Thank you Lord for this teaching from our brothers! Help us to learn not to anger our brethren, thus stopping their ears from hearing the good news of your Gospel of Love, Joy, and Peace.

Wages of Forgiveness Luke 12:1-7

Luke 12:3-7 sheds a different light on Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18!  Our secret sins - our judgments of hypocrisy will be held against us in Heaven!  Within the multitude, we too trod upon one another!  Yet, our actions are not hidden by God.  Forgiveness, then, is the key to eternal life!  Forgive so that you might be forgiven!  For whatever you bind on earth, you will be bound in Heaven! Truly, what can man do to me?  What does my hostility gain? What I must fear most is the Love of God who has the power and authority to remove that Love from me if I remove my Love from my fellowman. 

The term hell in verse 5 is referenced in the Greek as Gehenna. For more information on this refuse dump in Jerusalem which had earlier been a sacrificial grounds for Baal worshippers, check Wikipedia's website on Gehenna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gehenna

Perhaps if I refused to forgive my fellowman during the life and ministry of Jesus Christ I could drop by the temple and buy a few sparrows to receive my own forgiveness.  The cost would be minimal, just a couple pennies, and I could be free and hold my grudge.  And yet, for free, I can offer up my brother in forgiveness and Love, therein finding unity with God and man unto salvation and redemption and peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H9IlXKNCuk&feature=related

Reflections on Psalm 78:1-31

Faith's Merry-Go-Round Psalm 78:1-31

Psalm 78 provides a recap of much of the people's of Israel's history.  Their story of faith and disobedience is not unlike our own.  We know the truth which can set us free, but we get bogged down in the worries of life and lose our faith on numerous occasions.  We go through periods of refinement and find our way back to Him.  If we are lucky, we can escape the cycles of life and hang on to the Love of God.  Allow me to highlight Psalm 78:1-31 and then share correlating verses from throughout the Bible exemplifying the messege of the Psalmist.

(vs 1-4) Stay grounded in the word of God and teach it to your children.
(vs 5-8) God gave the law and the prophets to the Israelites to share His Love with all man. Read and share so that you can keep the faith and to help your fellowman.
(vs 9-16) Despite power and great glory shown in their own time and perevious generations, man has the tendancy to lose faith and purpose.
(vs 17-20) Despite their rebellion, God showed mighty works (see Exodus 16, Numbers 11 and 20).
(vs 21-31) Despite mercy and grace, man imagined the wrath of God and certainly many were blotted out from the face of the earth in mortal death.  But, that is not the end of the chapter, nor the story!

Isaiah 51:3-5 "The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the sound of singing. 'Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm."

Matthew 13:34-35 "Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world." (See Psalm 78:2 from today's reading)

Isaiah 55:3-4 "Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples."

Psalm 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (vs 175) "Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me."

Isaiah 38:19 "The living, the living - they praise you, as I am doing today; fathers tell their children about your faithfulness."
Mark 9:24 "Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa4VJUsEL_o

Exodus 33:17-19 "the Lord said to Moses, 'I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.' Then Moses said, 'Now show me your glory.'
     And the Lord said, 'I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.'"

Esther 1:4; "he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty."

Numbers 21:4b-5 "the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

Ephesians 1:7-10 "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Galatians 4:9 "But now that you know God - or rather are known by God - how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?"

Romans 5:6-9 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
     Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!"

Reflections on Proverbs 12:19-20

John 14:6-7a "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well."

Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,"

Why speak of d'evil, he shall only last for a moment.  Choose to speak of the truth!  Speak of Love, Joy, and Peace!  These things will last forever - they are of the Father from whom all blessings flow.

Until tomorrow

Rick