never saw this before

I don't know how many times I've read this psalm in the last 16 years - prolly 32+ times.

I don't think I noticed the words I underlined until today.

Juxtapose what the psalmist indicates about God's actions toward the poor with the current attitude that the poor are slackers, lazy, & working the system.

Curious...

Read the Bible every day without fail.

RTBEDWF



Psalm 113

1 Praise the Lord!

Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord.
    Praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
    now and forever.
3 Everywhere—from east to west—
    praise the name of the Lord.
4 For the Lord is high above the nations;
    his glory is higher than the heavens.

5 Who can be compared with the Lord our God,
    who is enthroned on high?
6 He stoops to look down
    on heaven and on earth.
7 He lifts the poor from the dust
    and the needy from the garbage dump.
8 He sets them among princes,
    even the princes of his own people!
9 He gives the childless woman a family,
    making her a happy mother.

Praise the Lord!

love

1 Corinthians 13

1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.[c] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

one body, many parts

1 Corinthians 12

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.

29 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.

It's interesting that preachers aren't in that list. hmmmm...

hmmmm...

Mark 10

13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. 

But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. 

He said to them, 

“Let the children come to me. 

Don’t stop them! 

For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 

15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 

16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Hmmmmmm....

greatness

Just think about what Jesus says here & what the ramifications of His words could be in your life...

Mark 9

33 After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, 

“What were you discussing out on the road?” 

34 But they didn’t answer, 

because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 

35 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, 

“Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

36 Then he put a little child among them. 

Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 

37 “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, 

and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

all things to all people

1 Corinthians 9

19 Even though I am a free man with no master, 

I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.

20 When I was with the Jews, 

I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. 

When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, 

I too lived under that law. 

Even though I am not subject to the law, 

I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 

21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, 

I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. 

But I do not ignore the law of God; 

I obey the law of Christ.

22 When I am with those who are weak, 

I share their weakness, 

for I want to bring the weak to Christ. 

Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, 

doing everything I can to save some. 

23 I do everything to spread the Good News 

and share in its blessings.

Paul talks here about being "all things to all people".

He did this himself for one reason only - to build a connection with people so as to influence them to follow Jesus.

It would seem these days we have forgotten this.

We seem to tell people they must "become like us" if they want to be "true" followers of Jesus,

thinking like us,

dressing like us,

belong to the same political party like us,

living at the same economic level as us.

There seems to be very little connection building,

with a lot of intolerant "you must be like me" for people to be ready to "receive Christ".

I wonder how many of us would have become followers of Jesus if the people who we encountered had displayed this type of middle class self righteousness rather than the loving & accepting attitude & connection building that drew us to consider following Him?

altogether

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Don't be afraid or discouraged,

for the Lord is the One who goes before you.

He will be with you.

He will neither fail you or forsake you.

So don't get tired of doing what is good.

Don't get discouraged & give up,

for we will reap a harvest of blessing

at the appropriate time.

Don't throw away this confident trust in the Lord,

no matter what happens.

Remember the great reward it brings you.

Patient endurance is what you need now,

so you will continue to do God's will.

Then you will receive all that He has promised.

So take a new grip with your tired hands

& stand firm on your shakey legs.

Mark out a straight path for your feet

so that those who are weak & lame will not fall

but become strong.

You chart the path ahead for me

& tell me where to stop & rest.

Every moment you know where I am.

Interesting when read altogether like that...

Those are my verses for 2019...

Hebrews 13:5

Deuteronomy 31:8

Galatians 6:9

Hebrews 10:35-36

Hebrews 12:12-13

Psalm 139:3

it's all in the emphasis

Psalm 139:3 (NLT, 1st ed.)
You chart the path ahead for me
& tell me where to stop & rest.
Every moment you know where I am.


You chart the path ahead for me
& tell me where to stop & rest.
Every moment you know where I am.


You chart the path ahead for me
& tell me where to stop & rest.
Every moment you know where I am.


You chart the path ahead for me
& tell me where to stop & rest.
Every moment you know where I am.


You chart the path ahead for me
& tell me where to stop & rest.
Every moment you know where I am.


You chart the path ahead for me
& tell me where to stop & rest.
Every moment you know where I am.


You chart the path ahead for me
& tell me where to stop & rest.
Every moment you know where I am.

19/20

All that stood out this morning as I read...



1 Corinthians 6

19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, 

who lives in you 

and was given to you by God? 

You do not belong to yourself, 

20 for God bought you with a high price. 

So you must honor God with your body.

then...

John 20 

1 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. 4 They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— 9 for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?”Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

16 “Mary!” Jesus said.

She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

endure

Don't know who this is for, but this is your word today.

If it speaks to your spirit or your need, heed it.



So

don't get tired of doing what is good.

Don't get discouraged & give up,

for we will reap a harvest of blessing

at the appropriate time.

Galatians 6:9

notorious

Mark 2

13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable, notorious sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”

17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

I guess the question for you & I is do notorious sinners like to hang out with us?

And if so, why?

And if not, why not?

Mark says "There were many people of this kind among Jesus' followers."

Hmmmmm...

So if we are followers of Jesus...

And are trying to be & live like Him...

Then wouldn't it follow that, well, you know...

Notorious sinners like being around us?

Why did they hang with Jesus?

Did He demonstrate a certain level of love & connection that was significantly stronger & more genuine than the regular person?

Then shouldn't we be & do the same?

wait for it...

Paul does an incredible job of building fact upon fact until he comes to an amazing & miraculous conclusion in verse 16.

Wait for it - it's worth the wait...

1 Corinthians 2 

1 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

6 Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
    for those who love him.”

10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,

“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to teach him?”

But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.