A Study and A Note (Jesus' Easy Burden)

 Today's Jerry Note- 

I know a lot of my Jerry notes revolve around food, but that's only natural considering we eat a lot, right? Breakfast, lunch, dinner or some variation of that happens every day for most people. That's a lot of food, food practically every day of our lives. By now those of you reading these little Jerry notes and such know that He liked a whole lot of things others of us in our family did not. Veering off onto another track for a moment, don't worry it meets back up with the Jerry track- some of you also know my mother made the best Spaghetti Sauce ever! (I know, a lot of moms do that.) Her sauce was a staple in our families, each of her kids learning to make some variation of her sauce- which she encouraged. If you liked a hotter sauce she told us to add jalapenos, if we wanted a cheesier sauce just add some parmesan right into the pot, don't save it solely for a topping later. My mom also made meatballs to go with her sauce and sausage. I'm not going to say all of us loved her spaghetti sauce, but the majority of us did and do. Now veering back on the Jerry track- Jerry also liked my mother's sauce BUT he liked his OWN mother's sauce more. His mother's sauce had things like mushrooms, big chunks of green pepper and onions, ground beef - not meatballs, ground sausage- not links, a different combination of spices.  So, in our family we would have both sauces but NOT every time we had spaghetti. When Jerry got a hankering for his mother's sauce he would ask me to make it, and sometimes I'd just surprise him with it.

One day during the last two months of his life for dinner I told him we were having spaghetti and he immediately asked- "With my sauce?" I nodded and told him I'd made his sauce too, and boy, he was happy. That night he had his sauce - plus a meatball and enjoyed it immensely.  He had it once more after that on another night that week and then guess what I did?  I froze the rest of the sauce. 

You know what's coming next… recently I gave the sauce away. My niece, Tisha took the two containers home with her about a month ago. Today when Tisha came over I asked her if she'd had a chance to eat it yet and she told me just this past week they did and they loved it!  

And yet again, you know what I'm going to say, Jerry would have been so thrilled to know that sauce did not go to waste, that others enjoyed it as much as he did. 

I know I keep telling you of these things that are probably starting to seem a little like the same ol' story, but I can't help it, I really can't. You see, I know that once all these sauces, soups, meats and so on are gone from that freezer, then a part of him will be gone too. Each time a frozen food that was meant for him is gone there is joy and tears because that's what life is right now- joy and tears. I will run out of food stories soon enough, but for now they are something I have and want others to know about so they too can share in a part of my husband's life- knowing him in a small way that they never did before. Sharing his love of food, his love of life, his love of me, his children and his family and friends.  

God blessed me richly with Him and God blesses me richly with memories of Him and a life filled with knowing Him. I can't tell you how many times I've said the words- "I know Jerry would have…" Because I know him. 

Another little thought just crossed my mind- I can remember my own mother speaking of my father in the same way, "Your dad would have…"  

Those we love in loving them, we know of them, so much of them. We are blessed. 

*******

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus did not have a wooden yoke in His hands when He told the multitudes to take His yoke. Even if He had, who of the many would have been the one to take it? The yoke He spoke of was figurative. The yoke symbolic of the burden Jesus was carrying. Take my yoke upon you, He says. And how do we do this? How do you take on the burden of another? You've done it before haven't you? Someone has a problem and they tell you their problem with the hope you'll be able to help them. They want you to share their burden, make it lighter, or if not lighter then at least bearable. Sometimes we do share our troubles with others without wanting their help, we share it just so another person knows what we are enduring. We might share it just to get someone to pray for us, or think of us with a bit of compassion. There are a lot of burdens that cannot be shared physically. I can't take the job interview my son has to take, but in knowing how heavy that burden is for him I can pray for him, I can offer my commiseration. Jesus told us to take His yoke upon us, take His burden upon us.  He also told us something else along with that. He said, Take my yoke upon you and LEARN OF ME. Take His burden and learn of Him.

Then He goes on to further say- that He is meek and He is lowly in heart.  He doesn't stop there, He tells us that we will find rest unto our souls. And that His yoke is easy. His burden is light.

Such amazing words! Such wonderful, awesome words!

Jesus DOES have a burden. 

Jesus' burden is LIGHT.

Jesus' burden is EASY.

Jesus is MEEK.

Jesus is LOWLY IN HEART.

Tell me, what do those last two things mean? What does it mean that Jesus is meek and lowly in heart?

Mat 21:5  Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass

Num 12:3  (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) 

Psa 131:1  A Song of degrees of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. 

Isa 42:1  Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 

Isa 42:2  He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 

Isa 42:3  A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 

Isa 42:4  He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. 

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 

Luk 9:54  And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 

Luk 9:55  But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 

Luk 9:56  For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. 

2Co 10:1  Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

1Pe 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 

1Pe 2:23  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Meek-humble, lowly-gentle, heart-thoughts and feelings. 

Jesus is meek, humble, lowly, submissive, without elevation, 

Who can read all the above and NOT comprehend that Jesus was the epitome of selflessness? 

Is it a burden to be selfless? It can be, especially in the world we live in today. We grow up with a lot of outside stimulus towards being self-focused, self-serving. We are inundated by a whole slew of entertainment that promotes the life of the self-serving, business men and women who thrive on serving themselves. It's sobering to realize that the men and women in our world who control the vast majority of wealth choose to keep the majority of that wealth to keep their own self-interests afloat. Our world is ruled by a system that dictates the wealthy are in need of being even more wealthy while the poor are  told to become wealthy- somehow, without help, just do it. Yet the world could not support all people being considered wealthy, or so that's what we are taught. The wealthy thrive, the poor suffer- history proves this to be the case since sin entered and took over the lives of mankind.

To be selfless is burdensome because the world fights against true selflessness in its supposed need to be so many other things. 

More on all of this tomorrow by the grace of God, by His will. We need to LEARN of JESUS! May we humble ourselves and learn! 

A Note and A Study (Jesus' Yoke)

 A little Jerry note. Most of those who knew Jerry, knew that he had a great love of venison. For as long as he was capable he would actually go deer hunting, belonging to a Hunt Club where they were guaranteed venison from any of the hunters who were able to make a kill. When He was no longer capable of going hunting he never passed up an opportunity to share in the spoils of other hunters when he could. My brother, Wesley, was one of those hunters and my cousin, Bruce, as well as other members of the family. Jerry was able to get venison from them more than once and boy, did he enjoy it immensely! Well, these last few years he hadn't been so lucky in getting any venison, that was until at the Rehab center one of the therapists mentioned her husband going hunting. Of course Jerry was able to talk her into getting himself some ground venison. 

Now comes the unhappy part, the plans we'd made were for him to have the venison as hamburgers when we grilled steaks in the middle of June, as JoAnna would still be here. 

Tonight in Jerry's honor, I made those venison burgers and both Matthew and JoAnna enjoyed them as much as he would have. Jerry would have been thrilled to know the venison didn't take on time capsule status in the freezer but was actually used and enjoyed.  It's these little things that mean so much right now.  Yes, there is the Borscht which was like salt poured on my bleeding heart, but today there was venison which was somehow healing to my heart. Yes, I've already made plans for the Borscht to go to my sister, Elizabeth, who enjoys beets- I hope she likes it when she tries it, that would be healing too. And if she doesn't like it, at least she will have tried it and that's something too. 

Thank God for today's healing. Tomorrow might bring salt, balm or both, but whatever it is, I know my Savior is going to be there going through it all with me!  

*******  Two Yokes. 

'There are two yokes,—the yoke of sin (Satan’s yoke), and the yoke of Christ. The yoke of sin is hard to bear,—Satan is a hard master; but the yoke of Christ is easy, and His burden is light. He sets us free from sin, that we may serve Him by bearing His mild yoke.' Matthew 11:29-30. (EG Waggoner)

A yoke. Mention the word yoke and people naturally are repelled by it. We prefer the word freedom. Yoke is a word of bondage, not freedom. We hold up the word free and want it to mean we should be able to live without anyone dictating to us in any way. When a person lives in a country where their lives are ruled by a dictator who tells them what they can and cannot do, who they can talk to, what they can read, what they're allowed to watch on TV, and even try to tell them what to think, they can feel oppressed. I don't know this first hand though, because I live in a place they call the 'Land of the Free.' There is a reason America took on this name. People from all different countries who lived under oppression in one form or another- poverty, religious persecution, and the like looked upon the United States as a place to come to be safe from persecution, a chance to live a life outside of poverty, they called it a place to be free, a place without a yoke of bondage. 

Jesus even says- 

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 

Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 

Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

The truth shall make you free, and Jesus was talking about being free from the penalty of sin. The Jews didn't consider they were in bondage to any but Jesus said that they were in bondage to sin if they commit sin. Freedom from that bondage to sin can only be found in Jesus. So when Jesus says…

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

…He is saying that He has a yoke and wants us to share it with Him, He isn't wanting to put us back into bondage.  This yoke He wants to share with us is one of us learning of him, and as we learn of Him we will find rest. Yokes usually are not associated with rest, but the opposite.  If we say we are under a yoke, we are telling others we feel burdened, not at rest. Christ's yoke is easy, His burden is light- but the FACT remains He has a yoke and a burden for us.

More on this tomorrow by the grace of God! All through Jesus Christ our Lord. I want His yoke, I want His burden. 

Choosing God.

 Daily bread. Have you asked for your daily bread yet today? Give us this day our daily bread. Daily. Not a single day is to ever pass in our lives when we do not recognize our Father in heaven. Not a single day is to go by without prayer. Daily we are to speak to our heavenly Father. And how often are we to ask for forgiveness? Daily. Our lives are to be filled with God. So many cite the cruelty of our world as reason not to believe in God, or a reason to hate God if they believe. Many cannot fathom the idea of a loving God who has their eternal life in His hand, letting horrors happen now. They envision a hard-hearted God, indifferent to the pain we endure. Far from indifferent, far from hard-hearted, our God could have wiped humanity from existence, but He chose to offer redemption instead. Annihilate or save? Destroy or give hope? God had the choice but chose rather to account us human beings as something worthy of salvation. God accounted us worthy and without the worthiness given to us by God we have none. Our lives are absolutely worthless without God. I did not say without religion, I will never say without religion, I will always say, without God. Don't confuse the two. God needs to be a personalize presence in our individual lives, we should not attach ourselves to a religion and expect that attachment is all we need. Too haughty to be God's? Able to give yourself eternal life? We mustn't be, because we cannot give ourselves eternal life. If ALL we are to have hope in - is this current existence- we are truly hopeless. Every single injustice in this world screams out at us to despise this sin ruled world. Every single evil we are witness to is a testament to the wrongness that can only meet its opposite in God's love. We are not left in the dark. We are told this world is NOT as it should have been. We are told that things went horrifically wrong, God hasn't tried to sugarcoat this world. God wants us to know it's NOT as He intended. God doesn't say He is love and then tell us we are living in a hopeless world. God is upfront about who the prince of this world is right now. God doesn't want anyone to love Him unwillingly. Man alone uses force in their version of love. We are sinners- each of us undeserving of our own accord. We recognize our powerlessness to save ourselves. We acknowledge that our salvation is given to us undeservedly. We have to accept the salvation offered because it will not be forced on us. If you choose not to be a part of eternal salvation through Christ's gift that is exactly what will happen, you will not be a part of eternal salvation. We are sinful and need daily forgiveness, daily a prayer must ascend to our Heavenly Father. May we seek our Father daily, choosing to live under His love for us His children. 

Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread. 

Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 

Isa 44:22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Psa 51:7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Psa 51:8  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 

Psa 51:9  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 

Psa 51:11  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 

Psa 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 

Psa 51:13  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 

Psa 51:14  Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 

Psa 51:15  O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. 

Psa 51:16  For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 

Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Mic 7:18  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 

Mic 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 

Rom 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Lord, Help Us Keep Our Treasures In Heaven.

 Job- I've heard his name more lately than I like. When we think of Job we think of the undeserved suffering he experienced as Satan did his worst against him. When things happen to us, not little things, not a few things, but a lot of big, awful things Job comes to mind. Job wasn't a sinless man, no human being is, but Job was complete in God. By complete I mean, Job was a man of God, he was upright, morally sound. We know Job sinned, he asks for forgiveness… 

Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 

You repent when you've sinned. Job was God's, Job lived for God. God could use Job as an example of a man who loved Him, and lived for Him. Satan believed the only reason Job could love God was because God had given him so many good things. God favored Job and Satan challenged that the only reason Job loved God so deeply was because of those things he received at God's hand. We know all about Job. We know that Satan was allowed to do his worst against him just shy of taking Job's life and still, Job held fast to God- but not perfectly, not sinlessly. 

When our lives are filled with horrors and we love God, we know that none of those horrors will take God's love from us. We aren't being punished by God, God doesn't hate us. Satan would have us believe that, but it's not true. Tested, refined, but not punished.

So maybe it's good to consider Job's life as the problems of our own accumulate and threaten us with despair. God loved Job, God loves us and nothing will stop that love as long as we love Him and put our faith wholly in Him, our God, our Savior, our Lord forever! We live for heaven's reward in Christ, not for any of this world's cherished treasures. We can only hope that no matter what our lives are or become that we hold fast to the love of Christ above it all. Some might say it's easy to say these things but much harder to believe them as life's problems crush us and they're right- it is easy to say them, harder to believe because Satan wants us to despair and come to hate God. Heaven is where our treasure is, our real treasure and Satan can never take that from us. In all the evil Satan can unleash upon us, He cannot take our Heavenly Treasure, not ever! Please, Lord, please, help us to keep our TREASURES in HEAVEN where they belong. Please, keep us from evil, keep us from despair. All in the name of our LORD, our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! Now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

*******

Job 40:1  Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 

Job 40:2  Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.  

Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 

Job 40:4  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 

Job 40:5  Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. 

Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 

Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 

Job 40:9  Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? 

Job 40:10  Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. 

Job 40:11  Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 

Job 40:12  Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. 

Job 40:13  Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. 

Job 40:14  Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. 

Job 40:15  Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. 

Job 40:16  Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. 

Job 40:17  He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. 

Job 40:18  His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. 

Job 40:19  He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. 

Job 40:20  Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. 

Job 40:21  He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. 

Job 40:22  The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. 

Job 40:23  Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. 

Job 40:24  He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares. 

Job 41:1  Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? 

Job 41:2  Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? 

Job 41:3  Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee? 

Job 41:4  Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever? 

Job 41:5  Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? 

Job 41:6  Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants? 

Job 41:7  Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears? 

Job 41:8  Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. 

Job 41:9  Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? 

Job 41:10  None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? 

Job 41:11  Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. 

Job 41:12  I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion. 

Job 41:13  Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? 

Job 41:14  Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. 

Job 41:15  His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. 

Job 41:16  One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. 

Job 41:17  They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. 

Job 41:18  By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. 

Job 41:19  Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. 

Job 41:20  Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. 

Job 41:21  His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. 

Job 41:22  In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. 

Job 41:23  The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. 

Job 41:24  His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. 

Job 41:25  When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. 

Job 41:26  The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. 

Job 41:27  He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. 

Job 41:28  The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. 

Job 41:29  Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. 

Job 41:30  Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. 

Job 41:31  He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. 

Job 41:32  He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. 

Job 41:33  Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. 

Job 41:34  He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride. 

Job 42:1  Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 

Job 42:2  I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 

Job 42:3  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 

Job 42:4  Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

Job 42:5  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 

Job 42:6  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. 

Job 42:7  And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 

Job 42:8  Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. 

Job 42:9  So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. 

Job 42:10  And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 

Job 42:11  Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. 

Job 42:12  So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. 

Job 42:13  He had also seven sons and three daughters. 

Job 42:14  And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. 

Job 42:15  And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 

Job 42:16  After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. 

Job 42:17  So Job died, being old and full of days. 

Never Again.

 A simple thing, an everyday thing really. Or maybe it's not an everyday thing any longer. How many people still use recipe books? Hard copies, not online, but recipe books that you can open up and look through to find a recipe- a new one or an old favorite? Several years ago, a few years before my mother died, she took the time to put together her favorite recipes into binders and she did this for each of her children and grandchildren I believe. This recipe book was in a thin binder and soon I was adding my own recipes to it and I needed a large binder. So over the next several years my mother's recipe book was transformed by me in more ways than one becoming something I would not want to be without. Before anyone suggests I should have all those recipes backed up on my computer, they are there and most of them (but not all) are online.

There you have it, a short history of my recipe book. Why did I feel the need to share that today? Because today I had to grab it up to find a recipe I needed and the tears welled up once again as I turned a page and saw one of Jerry's favorites- Borscht. 

My thoughts came fast and each one was a little dagger twisting in my heart. I would never again make Borscht for him. So many never again-s and each never again held its own dagger. Some of those daggers were only capable of tiny pinpricks and scarcely did more than pinch. Other daggers slip in silently, deeply and the agony of those cause my heart to scream unheard by all but me.

Today my heart screamed over and over as I continued to turn the pages of that recipe book in search of the recipe I wanted, and recipe after recipe that I made solely for Jerry, with ingredients only he enjoyed, went by. Never again, never again… never again… 

Then, as I found my recipe and closed the book, I wiped the tears away, and my heart while still stinging from grief's brutal attack, sighed heavily from emotions released. I took a deep breath, tucked the recipe book, minus the recipe page I extracted, back where it belonged.  I knew I'd have to open it again, and again and I'd see Jerry's recipes, recipes of his favorite foods that he'd never eat again, that I'd never make again, but it would get easier, at least that was my hope for the future.

Before I end this I have to add just a bit more. That Borscht recipe that struck the first blow upon my heart today, well, Jerry asked me to make it for him about a month before He passed. I remember his enjoying it immensely for dinner one day and for a snack on another day- the memory was a good one, a balm on the wounds earlier made. 

As the day wore on, I didn't realize that those heart daggers had retreated only to be sharpened. When I went to the freezer to take out things I'd needed, hopefully like most people - I had to do a bit of rooting around. I move this container, that container and then the long, thin knife blade was thrust hard into my heart with an added twist for good measure- there was a container clearly marked-- Borscht. You see, I'd made a whole pot of the Borscht Jerry loved so he could have it again at a later time, there will be no later time, in fact there is only…never again. 

*******

Isa 55:1  Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 

Isa 55:2  Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 

Isa 55:3  Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 

Isa 55:4  Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 

Isa 55:5  Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 

Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

Isa 55:10  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

Isa 55:12  For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 

Isa 55:13  Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. 

Peace In Spite of the Storms.

 Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, PEACE be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 

Joh_14:27  PEACE I leave with you, my PEACE I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Jesus said- 'My peace I give unto you.' Jesus gives us His peace. What is the peace of Jesus? Surely it isn't an ordinary peace. Do I have peace to give to anyone. If I said, my peace be with you, what am I giving you? You'd look at me and have to wonder what my peace is, what am I giving to you? What makes my peace special? And is it even possible for me to even give you something like peace which isn't anything tangible at all whatsoever. Peace is defined as being -

1.freedom from disturbance; tranquility.

2.a state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended.

Can I give you my freedom from being disturbed? Can I give you my tranquility? When a person (especially in the 60/70's) greeted someone with the phrase- "Peace." What were they indicating by such a gesture? They were generally meaning that there is a desire for nothing upsetting, a calmness in the exchange, they were wishing someone wellbeing. They couldn't give their peace to someone else, but they could indicate it was something they wanted- peace between them. Jesus has a peace to give, and it's a peace the world doesn't offer to anyone. Jesus knew that the world He came to live in, and did so for thirty-three years, was one of contention, filled with angst, anger, warring, conflicts on every side. Jesus knew that every human being had to deal with sin's resulting peace destroying attributes. On every hand there are peace destroyers. In our everyday lives we are confronted with the destruction of peace. Have you heard someone say (or say yourself) "I'd just like a moment of peace, just one moment."? How is it that our lives can be so disturbing we long for the peaceful moments because they seem elusive. Truly, every day we can be faced with upsets- tiny ones to huge ones. Jesus knew all this and witnessed it in His time upon earth firsthand. 

Jesus could leave us with His peace, how? It's a peace that passes understanding so why am I even talking about it as if I could understand? I'm talking about it because Jesus would not have mentioned if it weren't something to be studied, something to be thought about, something to desire. 

Joh_14:27  PEACE I leave with you, my PEACE I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Let not your heart be troubled. Oh, how our hearts can be troubled! Neither let it be afraid. Oh, how our hearts can be filled with fear.  Jesus doesn't want us to be troubled and fearful, but Satan does. Satan would have us constantly filled with fear and trouble. 

Are there things that are legitimately meant to be fearful? Yes! There are a lot of things that cause fearful reactions in us. I know if a stranger burst into my house intent upon harming me I'm going to be filled with fear. I know if I go to the doctor and they tell me they suspect something is wrong with me, I'm going to be filled with fear. I know if one of my children is struggling, I will fear for them. We know these are normal, everyday expected reactions to have. Yet, fear can be debilitating in many ways and this is what our Savior does NOT want us to have in our lives. Fear that blocks out hope. Fear can be destroying, it destroys peace! 

When people face situations that seem hopeless, and they do face them all the time. When life seems to be one awful blow after another hopelessness strives for preeminence with us. Satan wants us to despair completely of ever having hope. Jesus wants us to be filled with hope!

Peace. Jesus' peace is not the world's peace at all. Jesus' peace isn't found in absence of life's constant stream of struggles, one after the other. Jesus' peace is found in spite of the presence of all struggles. Jesus has a peace that He can give to us through the knowledge of the hope we find in the salvation He alone can offer us. No other can give us eternal salvation, no other. Some people offer a form of temporary salvation to others when they are in dire circumstances, but only Jesus can give us a permanent salvation. Jesus gives us a salvation promise for the future, not for peace and safety here upon earth. Jesus offers a peace found only in the eternal hope of Him, and the undeserved gift of life everlasting with Him. Jesus has given us the amazing hope that defies all despair, allowing us to find peace in HIM now. 

If we live for a struggle free life, if our focus is on an eventual life void of peace destroying attacks here and now during our life, we are going to be awfully disappointed time and time again. We have to live for peace within the storm, peace in spite of the storms, peace of knowledge we can cling to by FAITH, filling us with the HOPE of our SALVATION from this sin filled world. 

I do NOT know what new peace destroying attacks are coming my way. I do know that my life is filled with peace destroying situations right now. In spite of these situations I am going to cling to the PEACE only my Savior can give to me, His peace. 

I know this world will NOT offer me peace, it can't, it can only offer a pretended peace, temporary peace, it has no more to offer. Jesus offers me eternal peace.

Joh_14:27  PEACE I leave with you, my PEACE I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Jesus tells me- don't let your heart be troubled, don't be afraid- you have my peace, a peace this world and all its awfulness cannot touch.  

All by His amazing love and grace, through His forgiveness, I will cling to the hope I find in Him, claiming His peace! In His name! Thank you, my Savior, thank you Jesus Christ my Lord now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!

Peace verses- 

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 

Joh 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you

Joh 20:26  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 

Num 6:26  The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 

Psa 29:11  The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace. 

Psa 85:10  Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 32:15  Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. 

Isa 32:16  Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 

Isa 32:17  And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 

Zec 6:13  Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

Luk 1:79  To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 

Luk 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 

Luk 10:5  And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 

Act 10:36  The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 

Rom 1:7  To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Rom 15:13  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 

Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

2Th 1:2  Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

2Th 3:16  Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. 

Heb 13:20  Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 

Heb 13:21  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev 1:4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne

Don't Make Excuses, God Sees Through Them All.

 How often should we study God's word? Daily. Where will you be in eternity? If your hope is heaven doesn't it somehow seem appropriate that we should be studying the Word given to us by our God, daily. We will be living with Him for eternity and if we can't spare time to study His holy word now when we have access to it, what makes us think we'll want to spend eternity with Him? Don't make excuses, God sees through them all. Pray earnestly for a desire to seek Him daily in His word. We have to pray for this because Satan will give us all sorts of excuses to not study. 

Joh_5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica. Why were those living in Berea more noble? We aren't left to wonder, we are told. They were more noble 'in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so.' 

Act 17:10  And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 

Act 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 

What scriptures did they search? The only scriptures they had, the Old Testament writings. What were they trying to ascertain in their daily searches? They were trying to find the words being preached to them by the Apostles - in the Scriptures. They wanted to see for themselves the truth in the sacred word of God. They weren't going to be fooled into believing someone without searching God's word. They didn't want to be deceived. These Bereans wanted to know only truth. They heard these amazing words being spoken, a sermon they weren't used to, this was different, the message was different. How foolish they would have to be to simply take the Apostles word for things. The Apostles wanted the people to search out the truth for themselves.  Any person can tell you new and exciting things that you eagerly want to believe are true, but if there is no weight behind those things they are no good at all. We call people fools who believe everything they hear. Why? Because you could tell them anything, even lies and they'd believe them. When someone takes what is told them and searches for the truth in what they've heard they are being very wise. 

I never want a single person to believe anything I say without studying things for themselves. Study, find out whether I am speaking truth or lies. If a person dismisses things they hear without studying for themselves whether something is true then they are closing themselves off from truth. In reality they are putting blinders on themselves. They may be choosing the traditions of man over the truth of God. Many people simply do not want to study whether a thing is so. They might like their beliefs just the way they are without anything interfering. If the Bereans had that attitude would they have listened and studied, searching the Scripture DAILY? No. In fact many people did chose not to listen, not to study and Jesus wept over the hierarchy of the Jewish people knowing they were refusing to walk in the truth.

After Jesus rose he disguised Himself from being perceived as the Messiah and talked with a couple as they traveled along a road and He had this to say…

Luk 24:25  Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 

Luk 24:26  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 

Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 

Beginning at Moses and all the prophets - Jesus taught them from the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Jesus taught them from the Scriptures- the Old Testament was the only Scripture they had, no other whatsoever.  Jesus went to the Scriptures and pointed out every verses concerning Him. The Bereans were being told the gospel, the good news of Salvation in Jesus Christ, but they wanted to know more about this Jesus and salvation. They did not want to know by word of mouth, but in the books they believed with all their heart were written by God through Holy Men of His choosing as the Holy Spirit guided them. Was this Jesus the Messiah, truly? They had to find proof, and so DAILY they searched for the proof in the Scriptures.  They believed in the Messiah being Jesus Christ ONLY through the Scriptures-the Old Testament. Can you say you would believe in the same way? What Scriptures in the Old Testament do you know speak of the Messiah? Jesus, used ONLY the Old Testament writings to reveal the truth. Surely we should be able to search the Old Testament in the same way, right? If not maybe we should be searching DAILY for the truth. Daily- every day. There are so many things you do on daily basis, so many and yet searching the Scriptures daily isn't often one of those things- it should be. 

 

The “I Am” in whom Abraham rejoiced was Jesus (John 8:56–58).

The Lord who motivated Moses was Christ (Hebrews 11:26).

The Redeemer who brought them out of Egypt was Jesus (Jude 5).

The Rock in the wilderness was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).

The King of Isaiah’s temple vision was the Son (John 12:40–41).

Gen 22:18  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. 

Jud 1:5  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 

Joh 12:40  He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 

Joh 12:41  These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. 

And always remember Jesus told us to pray for daily bread… and He is the bread of life. Daily we are to search the truth of our Savior.