Category Archives: A Quick Hello

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It is Sunday evening as I type these words. Our Soul Detox study is complete. Now what?

Where to now with THE WHITE STONE or more affectionately known by long time friends – IDOK Devotions?

Our Home page says THE WHITE STONE is A Gathering Place for Christian Devotions and Prayer. And so we are. Can we be more? Is there a need to be more? Is there a need to be less? Shall we ponder those a while?

A Bible exercise this morning. I trust you will play along. Please read the following (redacted for ease of reading) Text and list the similarities and differences then and today when we gather for corporate worship.

Nehemiah 8 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

1 all the people gathered with one accord in the open space in front of the Water Gate and asked ‘Ezra the Torah-teacher to bring the scroll of the Torah of Moshe, which Adonai had commanded Isra’el.
2 ‘Ezra the cohen brought the Torah before the assembly, which consisted of men, women and all children old enough to understand. It was the first day of the seventh month.
3 Facing the open space in front of the Water Gate, he read from it to the men, the women and the children who could understand from early morning until noon; and all the people listened attentively to the scroll of the Torah.
4 ‘Ezra the Torah-teacher stood on a wood platform which they had made for the purpose; beside him on his right stood . . . .
5 ‘Ezra opened the scroll where all the people could see him, because he was higher than all the people; when he opened it, all the people rose to their feet.
6 ‘Ezra blessed Adonai, the great God; and all the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted up their hands, bowed their heads and fell prostrate before Adonai with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites . . .  explained the Torah to the people, while the people remained in their places.
8 They read clearly from the scroll, in the Torah of God, translated it, and enabled them to understand the sense of what was being read.

via Neh 8 CJB;NASB – all the people gathered with one accord – Bible Gateway.

Blessings Friends + + +

ABBA, thank You for the privilege of reading Your Word and sharing it here in this forum. I pray we will have eager hearts to read, to hear, to pray and to obey. I pray for each one who gathers at this screen to read and to pray that, HOLY SPIRIT, You will encourage them, will give them answers to the questions they have and the quandaries they face; I pray You will strengthen them in their love for You and their trust in You. I pray You will heal their diseases and prosper their homes and their families as they seek You with their whole hearts — and me too, ABBA, in the Mighty Name of YESHUA, our Savior and coming King.  And in particular I pray for Leslie’s recovery and steady gaining of strength and practices for health; Kerri – always holding her up before You and Dylan too; Dori – she blesses me so, broaden her boundaries I pray; and I pray for those whose names I am not privy to but who are held close in the hearts of our Readers here; that You will make them whole, LORD JESUS. Amen and amen.

2:21

PM. A fine time to be saying ‘Good morning’ isn’t it?

Days don’t always shape up the way we want. Lots of things do not shape up like we want. Some things take on shapes we did not imagine. But it is what it is.

So today this is what I prayed just now:

ABBA, I cannot get skinny today. And I can’t get back the hours I have already spent, but I am willing for You to show me what You can do with me in the remaining hours of this day.

And with that if you are in a similar place as I am; bow your will to His and see what He can do with you!  DADDY GOD willing, see you again soon right here at The White Stone.  :)

Romans 8:37 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

via Romans 8:37 NASB – But in all these things we – Bible Gateway.

Joy to you,

 

 

Raw Notes

as I prepare for Sunday’s Bible Lesson.

Just like they are so far:   :)   (Text for Sunday is I Peter 4: 1-11)

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Above all things. Peter is saying here: the most important thing in all this that I have written to you is that you love one another. Because love does what? Covers the multitude of sins.

But not just any love – Both times Charity in this verse is agape. It takes agape to veil, hid from view, to take away that sin [meaning of cover] that offends and hurts your feelings and deprives you of what is rightly yours. Only agape will do that.

Now let’s go back to the word fervent.

Fervent: in this verse it is not used in the way we usually think of it. Here it means stretched out, stretched forth toward. And you can say what you want but stretched out, stretched forth toward is an effort. It requires muscle in the one doing the stretching. And sometimes it even feels good. What’s a good stretch do for you in the mornings when you get up?

Think about that and let’s dialogue. How do you visualize what Peter is saying in this verse now in light that it is stretched out, stretched forth toward agape that Peter is talking about?

Blessings to you Dear Friends    +++

Remember YOU have the God-given RIGHT to do right in this wrong world!

A Busy Week

here at the Thompson house. Good things but not much time for writing here at The White Stone.

Tomorrow is final night for ACES, Fall Session. Luke is our Man for study.

Luke holds a very important verse for me.

Luke 24:50 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

via Luke 24:50 NASB – The Ascension – And He led them out as – Bible Gateway.

My Baby Girl is named from this verse. The place of JESUS’ Ascension to Heaven after His Resurrection.

And how about the following verses?

51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53 and were continually in the temple praising God.

via Luke 24 NASB – The Resurrection – But on the first day – Bible Gateway.

And Luke’s continues recording – penning of the WORD as dictated by the HOLY SPIRIT in the Book of The ACTS.

In the first chapter of ACTS, the LORD gives parting words and instructions and then it reads:

9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.
11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

via Acts 1 NASB – Introduction – The first account I – Bible Gateway.

HE will come again.

Be encouraged. HE will come again!

Blessings to you Dear Friends    +++

Remember YOU have the God-given RIGHT to do right in this wrong world!

HOLY SPIRIT, as they come here to read and as they read, I ask that You speak individually to them in these verses, speaking the WORD to each as they need. Open our eyes in a deeper way to the glory of Your Ascension, LORD JESUS, and Your Return for us and the commission You commanded until You return for us.