SLA

And another week has begun.

We are into our third week of Summer. A summer, I am hoping, to be packed with learning and sweet memories for my GRANDS to carry with them through their lives.

There is a skill to learning, don’t you know? A most valuable skill, wouldn’t you say? And my GRANDS are not the only ones needing to learn the skill of learning.  And I know just the Teacher!  And I believe the steps to learning have been revealed to us. THE TEACHER used them Himself. Here let me share with you what I have found.

Luke 2

Remember the account of JESUS at twelve? Joseph and Mary left Jerusalem thinking He was within the caravan with some of His cousins. And when it came time to make camp for the night, naturally they went looking for Him. And when they did not find Him they returned to Jerusalem. Can you imagine the horror of not finding Him for three days?? I mean think of it! You have been entrusted with GOD’s SON and you can’t find Him?!  Seriously, what Mother’s heart would not be in a gut-wrenching panic even for a moment of not knowing where is her child – much less THREE DAYS?!

Finally, they go to the Temple and there He is!

Learning! 

46 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. via Luke 2 NASB – Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem – Now in – Bible Gateway.

Three words, in particular, are my focus for this message.

Sitting. Listening. Asking

The steps to learning.

SIT.
To learn anything. Scripture. Math. Science. How to cut hair. You name it. Learning requires us to POSITION ourselves. To be still. Sit! Put ourselves in an environment conducive to the art of what we wish to learn. 
JESUS was in the Temple. Smart move. We could learn a lot from this 12-year-old GOD-BOY!

LISTEN.
JESUS was not sitting there checking His Facebook, or playing a game on His iPad or iPod.  He was listening. He gave the teachers His attention! He heard their words. He considered what they said. He played the words, the concepts, the ideas in His mind examining them. He listened. We have to LISTEN if we expect to learn.  JESUS did. And if GOD did. Who are we not to?

Perhaps we don’t like the concept of JESUS learning; because learning denotes there is something we do not know and didn’t JESUS know everything?  As the GOD-INFANT, GOD-TODDLER, GOD-CHILD, GOD-BOY?  No, He didn’t. HE LEARNED. He allowed Himself to be limited because we humans are limited. He learned.  So can we, following His practice – Sit. Listen.

ASK.
If we sit. If we listen. We will surely have questions. Sometimes I have questions but I don’t ask. I don’t ask because I don’t want to appear ignorant. There’s a word for that kind of ignorance – PRIDE. I need to learn better.  :)  And I will.  JESUS modeled the pattern for us. The least we could do is use it!

Sit. Listen. Ask.

Simple isn’t it? And there is no art of schooling to which we cannot apply it.

Sit. Listen. Ask.

I am glad to be learning this — aren’t you?

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Thank You, JESUS, for this simple and profound tool of learning; help us practice it well for Your glory and our good. Thank You, Father, for each soul who comes here to read and to pray. I am asking You to bless them for coming; whatever their needs I pray they will find You faithful today.  I pray for strength and courage, wisdom and discernment, peace and security, and for our sick and afflicted I pray You will heal them and for the wayward and rebellious I am thanking You that You will not give up on them and You are continuing to pursue them. I pray, HOLY SPIRIT, for You to help them repent.  And we remember Israel, praying for peace and safety, and for America, we pray for a great awakening unto repentance. Thank You, Father, for perfecting Your saints in JESUS’ name. Amen and amen.

Lovingkindness

Psalm 136.

The Lovingkindness Psalm

26 verses and 26 times we read:

For His lovingkindness is everlasting

Another translation (21st Century King James) reads – 26 times:

for His mercy endureth for ever

If you have not read this Psalm lately, HERE is a link for your convenience to read it.

Even in the Hebrew lovingkindness pretty much means what you think – mercy, grace, love, kindness – all that in GOD proportion!! AWESOME!!

As I was reviewing the Hebrew word from which we derive our word ‘lovingkindness’ I noticed one of the characteristics of lovingkindness is “deeds of devotion”. 

Daily, forever, EVERLASTINGly  GOD does DEEDS OF DEVOTION toward us!! Even a secular dictionary gives devotion as this: Love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person

Think of it!

GOD ALMIGHTY is enthusiastic about His devotion to YOU today! 

And today and forever – everlastingly

for YOU – every man, woman, boy and girl who has come to Him placing faith and trust in His SON, JESUS CHRIST, HE will be doing Deeds of Devotion – Deeds of Lovingkindness for YOU – today!

Would you, would I commit ourselves to looking for those deeds today and give Him praise for doing so?!

23 Who remembered us in our low estate,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

24 And has rescued us from our adversaries,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

25 Who gives food to all flesh,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

via Ps 136 NASB – Thanks for the LORD’S Goodness to – Bible Gateway.

ABBA, again today we give You praise for what You have done and are doing for Noah and his family. Thank You for Your lovingkindness to him. And I praise You, LORD, for the others, for the lovingkindness You are doing for them. And Richard comes to mind in this moment so I know You desire that we pray for him  –  You know his condition. The infection that has become so stubborn and relentless, wrecking havoc on his body. I am asking You, ABBA Father, to remove the infection completely from all his cells and tissues and for You to set him on his feet again; to restore him to his wife, family and friends who love him so much.  And there are others, so we come bringing all our sick and afflicted to You this day, asking that You heal them. Asking too that You rescue our rebellious and oblivious Ones; that You have mercy and give the grace and space to repent; that You woo them with Your lovingkindness, showing them the misery of their ways and turn their eyes and hearts to Your better way.  All this we ask, ABBA, in the Mighty and Holy Name of JESUS, Your Son and our Savior and LORD. And, ABBA, I dare not forget to pray for the peace of Israel and the subduing of all Her enemies and, ABBA, for each and every Dear Soul who comes here to read and pray today, I ask for grace for each of them to see and experience Your lovingkindness; for them to experience YOU today, to enjoy Your Company; that we will give You pleasure today, that we will bless You and bring smiles to Your Face and Laughter to You Holy Voice as You sing over us today.  Amen and amen.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

Verse 25

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. via Acts 16 KJV – Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, – Bible Gateway.

What can we apply from verse 25?

It was midnight.

What is midnight?
First, I think DARK.
Life experiences from time to time are dark.
What else?
Mid-way through.
I like that! At midnight we are mid-way through. We have come a ways and we have a ways to go BUT we are going through.  That in and of itself is worthy of some praise. :)

If you read the surrounding Text of 25 you will see that Paul and Silas are in prison. Not just any prison. The darkest of darkest prisons.  Let your sanctified imagination paint that picture for you – smells, creatures, etc. etc.

And what were Paul and Silas doing?

Praising!

And who was listening?

Others!

What’s the message?

You got it! Praise in the dark and others will see the LIGHT!!

Love to you my Dear Friends!

ABBA, thank You for Dear Friends, many I have not met face to face, in JESUS name I speak peace into their dark places. Your peace, Your comfort, Your discernment and much to their advantage the will and ability from You to give You praise in the DARK so others will see the LIGHT. And not just for them, ABBA, but me too. Me too. We come bringing our sick and afflicted asking You to heal them.  And giving You much praise that Noah is on his way to recovery! Thank You LORD Thank You! And for others, particularly the rebellious and oblivious, please have mercy, ABBA. Give them grace and space and the will to repent for JESUS sake.  Bless and protect Israel, subdue their enemies, I pray. Amen and amen.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!