Do we get it yet?...

1 John 2:15-16

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.


Revelation 19:1-5

Heaven Exults over Babylon

1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! 2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” 3 Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” 5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”

Wonderful words from Micah!

These words apply to Israel, but can be applied to believers I think.

Micah 7:7-9


7 Therefore I will look to the LORD;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.

8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;
When I fall, I will arise;
When I sit in darkness,
The LORD will be a light to me.

9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD,
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He pleads my case
And executes justice for me.
He will bring me forth to the light;
I will see His righteousness.

The first two lines of verse 9 rehearses the fact that we are under condemnation from the LORD because we have sinned against Him (Romans 3:23, Psalm 51).  But...

What a wonderful word UNTIL is!

Until He pleads my case ~ Revelation 5
And executes justice for me. ~ Acts 2:22-24
He will bring me forth to the light; ~ Acts 2:31-33
I will see His righteousness. ~ Galatians 2:20

Christ's righteousness, my worth.

a time to...

Isaiah 2:4

He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Joel 3:10

Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’”

Micah 4:3

He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Ecclesiastes 3

1 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

So, who is Saint Nicolas??

Linda S. shared this link on FB and I really liked it.
Saint Nicolas lived in what is now Turkey and was born in the last quarter of the 3rd century, dying in 343AD.
Benjamin Britten wrote the wonderful Cantata ~ Saint Nicolas in 1948.
You can hear the entire Canata right here!!  Rather nifty!!

Witnesses to the reality of faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Abel's sacrifice through which God confirmed that he was righteous.

Enoch,  a testimony that pleased God: "he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him".

Noah "believed that He is" and on the strength of that built an ark for a rain and a flood that had never happened before in the history of the world.

Abraham obeyed in faith and went out not knowing where he was going. 

Sarah believed she would give birth to a son for multitudes of descendants to come.

Great Spangled Fritillary hanging out

on a yummy butterfly bush. The afternoon sun is delightful on these 'wings of velvet'.May the wings of a butterfly kiss the sun

And find your shoulder to light on,

To bring you luck, happiness and riches

Today, tomorrow and beyond

~~Irish Blessing

We surely know that his wings kiss the sun and if you go to visit a 'butterfly house' one of these little wonders may light on your shoulder.

However, luck happiness and riches today or any day are beyond his capabilities!

Psalm 107:1-2, 8-9

Oh, give thanks to the LORD,

for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,

Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,

Oh, that men would give thanks to the

LORD for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the

children of men!

For He satisfies the longing soul,

And fills the hungry soul with

goodness.

Fish

See if the little fish can catch your cursor!