Tag Archives: JESUS

Christian Living, Prayer Requests

Naked and Crazy

Gallery Leave a comment

I listened this morning as my beloved read the Text. A familiar passage. We in Christendom often refer to the account as the man in the tombs. Perhaps you know just where to find the story. The Gospels of Mark and Luke.  And as my hubby read this morning I watched the scene on the screen of my mind. And then he read the following and I was off and running with thoughts to share with you:

15 . . . He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane,
via Mark 5 NLT;CJB - Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man - So - Bible Gateway.

Fully clothed and perfectly sane!

Oh I would that people in this naked crazy world would go to JESUS to be fully clothed and made perfectly sane!

I encourage you to read the account afresh today. Click HERE for a link to two translations: The New Living Translation, from which my beloved read this morning; and a newer favorite of mine: The Complete Jewish Bible.

This is what the man was like before he surrendered to JESUS:

4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
via Mark 5 NLT;CJB - Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man - So - Bible Gateway.

Vivid description. Isn’t it?
Sad and frightening, wouldn’t you say?
Sad to be in such a state and frightening to those watching. Spiritually this scene is played out day after day, night after night all around us; people we love and care about. They scream and howl and mutilate themselves with sin and the darkness gets darker and darker. And we think: if only, if only they would surrender to JESUS they would be healed. They would be fully clothed and perfectly sane.

Why don’t they?

ABBA, my heart is heavy with this; I could name names and within the privacy of my heart, I am; and I am weary. Weary with watching the destruction, knowing You would heal and forgive and restore but so far they have refused to come out of their tombs. Thank You for Your mercy and long-suffering with us all. I pray for the clothed and the sane to keep sharing Your Message of deliverance and freedom. I pray we will guard our garments to keep them un-spotted by the world and our minds stayed on You so we can yet be a conduit of hope to them. Thank You, ABBA. Do a mighty work in Your CHURCH I pray.
We continue to bring our sick and afflicted with illness, disease and we ask You to heal them. We continue to give You praise for good reports for Terri and we unashamedly as You for more for her and her family. Kerri too. Leslie. Linda. Alyssa. David. Henry. And our much loved Jamie, please reveal the cause and a remedy for this condition, ABBA. Joyce as she grieves the death of her mother. Irene and these medical uncertainties. And there are Others. Thank You, for seeing their faces and their needs; for loving them and hearing and answering our prayers for them. And Israel: peace and protection. America: repentance and revival. And our Readers here: whatever the need, I pray for Your Provision to be received by them in YESHUA’s complete and worthy name.

A Quick Hello, Christian Living, Wisdom

Catch Phrases

Gallery Leave a comment

I am eager and excited to share some catch phrases of wisdom with you this morning from the book of Job. Now, I am aware these are taken out of context but taken at face value the stringing together of these words as is caught my attention; and perhaps they will yours as well.

so soaked in my misery.

via Job 10 CJB – “I am just worn out. “By my life [I – Bible Gateway.

I image somewhere along the way I will see such a soul – may it not be in the mirror! And may it not be you my Friend.

11 For he knows when people are worthless; so if he sees iniquity, won’t he look into it?

via Job 11 CJB – Next Tzofar the Na‘amati spoke up: – Bible Gateway.

Rampant iniquity – I see it. You see it. And HE is looking into it. So we can rest from looking at it. In HIS timing He will attend to it and perhaps if we stopped insisting He attend to it in our time and in our way, WE would get out of His way of attending to it. You think?

12 “An empty man can gain understanding, even if he was born like a wild donkey.

via Job 11 CJB – Next Tzofar the Na‘amati spoke up: – Bible Gateway.

This one is WAY RICH. I’m only giving a morsel in comparison.
Origin (of birth) and environment is NO EXCUSE for a miserable, failing life. CHRIST JESUS is available. 

10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the spirit of every human being.

via Job 12 CJB – Iyov responded: “No doubt you are – Bible Gateway.

Awe and comfort!

One more.

11 Shouldn’t the ear test words, just as the palate tastes food?

via Job 12 CJB – Iyov responded: “No doubt you are – Bible Gateway.

We taste food to see if it is good and acceptable before we swallow it. Likewise, should we not test words either from the mouths of others or within our own heads to discern if they are worthy of ‘swallowing’? :)

As I said catch phrases. They caught my attention. Perhaps they will yours as well.

ABBA, thank You. Thank You for more wisdom; for catch phrases to capture our attention, for us to hold and meditate upon, to give us quick and ready guidance in this fast world. Thank You for providing every resource of every kind that we need to live holy lives in this unholy culture. Thank You for knowing us and loving us. And in this moment I pray now for each one who gathers here. You know their names, their faces, their needs, their hopes, dreams and fears and You have every provision ready for them this very day. Thank You. HOLY SPIRIT, help them believe, receive, take hold and let go according to Your Plan for them. Thank You for good reports concerning Terri; yet still a long way to go all the way around and so we wait and we trust for Your Good Plan and Will to be seen. Kerri. ABBA, I am still asking You for a miracle for her. Pat & Rosalie. Alyssa and her family: time is drawing near for the trip; there must be so many details, so much we don’t even know to ask but I trust You ABBA to do ALL things well. David. Ray. Linda. Pam. Women’s Ministries,  in particular those set to rescue women from taking the lives of their babies in the womb; and all those enslaved in sex trafficking. Israel: peace and protection. America: repentance and revival. And we the BRIDE OF CHRIST: to live for Your glory alone, ABBA, these are my requests in this moment. HOLY SPIRIT, help me remain in ceaseless prayer till we gather here again in YESHUA’s name.

Christian Living, Foundation

Establishing ?

Gallery Leave a comment

You may have noticed foundation has been a theme of sorts for a few days with me. And this morning another thought was added.

Boundaries.

To properly build on the foundation JESUS has given, I must have boundaries. Life Way’s Journey magazine offered this pondering point for me and I’m passing it along to you if that’s alright.

“God has made boundaries clear to all of us–from the separation of night from day, to the Ten Commandments, to loving your neighbor as yourself.” 

How much more could we accomplish, if we had clear and active boundaries? Boundaries to establish our days in joyful purpose and to give rest to our nights; boundaries to keep the Sabbath holy, boundaries to deter us from coveting; boundaries to protect us from harm in relationships.

Just some thoughts.

(A: ii) 14 God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to divide the day from the night; let them be for signs, seasons, days and years;

via Genesis 1:13-15 CJB – So there was evening, and there was – Bible Gateway.

8 “Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God.

via Ex 20 CJB – Then God said all these words: א “I – Bible Gateway.

17) “Do not covet your neighbor’s house; do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

via Ex 20 CJB – Then God said all these words: א “I – Bible Gateway.

31 The second is this: ‘You are to love your neighbor as yourself.’

via Mark 12 CJB;KJV – Yeshua began speaking to them in – Bible Gateway.

Father, thank You for all the many sources offering Your Word for our edification and for building on THE FOUNDATION You have given. Thank You for these thoughts today. Boundaries. Boundaries to establish our days with joyful purpose and to bring sweet and peaceful rest even in our darkest nights. The holy boundaries You have spoken would do that, wouldn’t they? Thank You, Father. Thank You.
And so I pray for all of us gathering here that we will allow You to show us boundaries not yet active in our lives and I pray for strength and will to establish them. And, Father, I pray if there is a soul out there that does not frequently come to this page but would gain benefit from these words, I pray they will follow Your Lead and find themselves here. And as they do I pray they will be encouraged to draw the boundaries You direct.
And in the quiet of this moment, we are remembering Others to You. Terri and her family. Still a heavy need there, Father. Kerri. A heavy one there too. Dori. She is an encouragement to us all and yet a sister always needs strength.  And all those Dear Ones who sat to study Your Word with me on Sunday, HOLY SPIRIT, may they know Your manifest Presence today. And all my Friends here in this blogosphere, I pray for them, for their ministries, for their families; thank You for the encouragement they are to me and many others; increase their borders and prosper them in health and Spirit I pray in the Name of our Sweet Savior JESUS of Nazareth.

A Quick Hello, Just Chatty Today

Horizon

Gallery Leave a comment

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.