Are the Heaven's as Brass or the mountains? God grant us favor for Christ's Sake, in that day.

Zechariah 6:1 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. Zechariah 6:2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; Zechariah 6:3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. Zechariah 6:4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? Zechariah 6:5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. Zechariah 6:6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. Zechariah 6:7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. Zechariah 6:8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country. Zechariah 6:9 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Zechariah 6:10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah; Zechariah 6:11 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; Zechariah 6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Zechariah 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. Zechariah 6:14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD. Zechariah 6:15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.

Jesus' Respect for women is certainly remarkable.

I am meditating on John 3:16 Today. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever...believeth?" Jesus gave Nicodemus fuel for his budding faith. Jesus word became alive in his soul, we find out much later. Who couldn't believe after hearing those words come from the Savior's own mouth. The instructed and orthodox mind would be turning those words upside down for their meaning everyday, I think.

Jesus didn't get into whether or not he washed his hands here or there or other simple arguments that had been brought to him. He got to the heart of the matter with Nicodemus, "Where's your heart, man?" "Are you loving God in all of your study?" Are you loving God with all of your ceremonialism?

And then, A woman at a well with a sordid past and unclean to the Jews; He draws her into a biblical discussion. He doesn't rebuff her entering into a discussion of faith as though she had nothing of faith to discuss. Your life is suspect, it is true. Jesus came to seek and to save. There really could be a true faith in your heart.

Is this holy water? Are we allowed to drink from it or not? Jesus gave provision of truth along with the knowledge that God provides water and sustenance for all of His creation. Don't miss what God is doing for you here at the well. Don't miss what God is doing in your soul to draw you to Himself.

Lord, I trust your care and love for me as your creature and as your redeemed. Help me to learn of You. In Jesus'Name, Amen

QUESTION: Dost any get to Heaven, Dutch? Hast the Lord for me what is'st for Me?

I thinketh that what the Lord hast for me is'st not only for me? I thinkest that none of us est much or est alone on our path to heaven. I thinketh that if we hast not won our city of destruction to God, we hast not won our own souls. It is just my opinion that if we can be content to get to heaven alone and our city in shambles we might'est not have the root of the matter in ourselves. Dutch is a term meaning to pay our own way to go our own selves alone. I think if not in "mass" than perhaps we are among the ones who are not at all. We are won or we are not won into "the beloved". "The beloved" a mass of won souls.

The devil went not to Hell alone and the kept and unfallen angels went not to Heaven alone. He {the devil} attempts to win in "mass". We must have made up mind to be won and to win souls along with us. He, Jesus blood is efficacious for ourselves and for others. He paid the whole price for our untoward souls. We have no rights to grace and the others who have no right to grace can and may at end be won to Heaven, perhaps by us and perhaps inspite of us. God's Word is not in suspect. Our individualistic "Babylonian" everyman for himself perspective is suspect!

God, Almighty, win us to Thyself, in Jesus Name. Amen.

Give us Grace to Be Blessed by Your Word, Lord!

Prayers and thoughts from the reading of Zechariah. Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?

31 Reference(s) Found. Genesis 25:4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. Exodus 16:36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah. Leviticus 5:11 But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering. Leviticus 6:20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night. Leviticus 19:36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. Numbers 5:15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance. Numbers 28:5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. Judges 6:19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. Ruth 2:17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. 1 Samuel 1:24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young. 1 Samuel 17:17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 1 Chronicles 1:33 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah. 1 Chronicles 2:46 And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat Gazez. 1 Chronicles 2:47 And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Geshan, and Pelet, and Ephah, and Shaaph. 1 Chronicles 7:25 And Rephah was his son, also Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son, Isaiah 5:10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. Isaiah 60:6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. Ezekiel 45:10 Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath. Ezekiel 45:11 The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer. Ezekiel 45:13 This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley: Ezekiel 45:24 And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah. Ezekiel 46:5 And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah. Ezekiel 46:7 And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah. Ezekiel 46:11 And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meat offering shall be an ephah to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram, and to the lambs as he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah. Ezekiel 46:14 And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the LORD. Amos 8:5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? Zechariah 5:6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. Zechariah 5:7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. Zechariah 5:8 And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Zechariah 5:9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Zechariah 5:10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? when the moon.... Amos 8:5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? Amos 8:6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? Amos 8:7 The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. Amos 8:8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. Amos 8:14 They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.

Katherine Hepburn quoted Amos in Desk Set???

Prayer for the nations in our day? Bless us Lord!

Arthur's Kingdom discovered and embraced that there are curses upon the earth that we enter into or repent and turn from us. He pulled the sword out of ignorance of this truth. As it were...Dear God Let us not enter into the death of the earth in our souls. Let us be the turning of the curse in Christ. Let us build for Christ's upbuilding and not for our own judgment. How hard our heads are, like that mythical rock, Lord. We can't pull ignorance and right out of our mental blocks. We consistently do what is only in our own best interest and not in the interest of others or our neighbors around us. Help us learn to be right, Lord. Help us grow in grace in "mass" and individually. Unify our hearts to glorify Your Great Name and Grace! Let us not be chased in our souls, eternally by the fire of Your great wrath against our disobediences. Help us build a kingdom where right is added upon and wrong is trampled into dust. the balances equalled on accounts on earth and in heaven. The pound of flesh that might be exacted here and there on our watch, give us grace to see them as before your eyes. For the sake of Christ's great witness upon the earth the Church. In Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen.

Magnified self examination or magnified God examination?

I was unusually profited by the magnified self examination of the ladies' Bible study yesterday. I say unusually because my ordinary way is self examination which leads to a fainthearted spirit. I must be growing in grace in that area or this church is a mature distributer of the aged tools that grow special graces when it comes to self examination.

It is my conviction and biblically established that self examination is a necessary pain and discipline of following after the Master. God's Word and the study of men's writings and meditations of God in their self examination is a well worn tool in my spiritual engagements. I have nearly always perceived this painful process as a surgical invasive procedure. The spiritual battle that I had getting to church to endure such a pain was always emotional and it was yesterday. When I got there, however the feeling of fellowship and blessing was more of dear young friends on the playground learning needed motorskills, than a doctor or dentist visit. I felt that we were on the junglejim and it was nearly impossible for me to go across the bars, or of ladies discussing different spiritual makeup techniques to beautify their expressions of their hearts. I simply cannot get away from that slavish fear to get to childlike fear{those were quotes from John Calvin that I was blessed by}. Rather than feeling, as was often my conclusion, that my relationship with my Heavenly Father is suspect for such a state as I am in; I felt physically inept and incapable and must do exercises to develop that muscle area in that spot. It is true that I may never get away from the slavish fear that I have in my soul in some spots of my development. But I will never lose my Heavenly Father's love. I have grown to know that as perhaps I couldn't have known it previously.

To change the imagery from scripture; the magnifying glass of application of my spiritual makeup that will help me to know that my adorning must be of the inward person of the heart and not of the external woman of the cosmetic does not make me any more or less human. Thank you Lord for sweet fellowship in Christ to learn to lean on Jesus and not even on the blessedness of the study. Thank you for ladies fellowship in this area. Amen.

Make us one, Lord!

In Heidi, I find it ironic that they call him "AlmUncle" {Uncle of my soul?} Soul-Uncle? Still, their considerations were that his sins had found him out, in his grief and that he had received some just deserts for his earlier sins that they weren't privy to. What a horrible direction in grief? Still, it often is the case that the Christian position is to remind the grieving soul of their ultimate consequence.

I hardly think it the focus of the soul to itself in grief. But, on the goodness and mercy of God.

It is of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new, like the dew... Great is Thy Faithfulness!

I have found in my grieving, that even though my conscience is instructed on this from earliest of life, that is the first truth to vanish in grief. The goodness of God, the mercy of God and the love of God vanish under the severity of God, in grievous conditions.

So many times I awoke in post-partum to look at the baby and think that they were changing color before my eyes and going septic, like baby Benjamin did. The Holy Spirit would minister to my soul, but everytime I would see another person the fear would be that they would touch the sensitive area that would cause the tears to start, which I couldn't stop, once started. I am sure that AlmUncle had such a fear. Thus the curmudgeonic cycle. There is no way to know what of their unwitting conversation would spark the tears. You simply cannot wrap your entire body to show your grief. You cannot close your ears to their supposed comforts and many a comforting beginning conversation travels quickly into a crushing blow about some other sin or transgression that might have drawn God's wrath upon your head, as your own conscience supposes.

God is sovereign. My comfort, by the time I was grieving in Enoch's birth, was that God doesn't always kill, sometimes he has not allowed some to die at all.

Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him.{not enduring death}

That was some comfort, for a while.

There are awful, spiteful thoughts of God that encrust the grieving, bereft heart. They are certainly a fountain of spiritual pollution. I can imagine that God's mercy to AlmUncle and to the deserted community of grief that lived around AlmUncle would get some comfort from the innocent and simple eyes of little Heidi. She was the look of a time when faith in the soul were new. Her heart wasn't yet full of the pollutions of soul that had become the daily swamp of living for that poor deserted soul.

God's Church can reach to the heart of grief, because God has given it liberty into those forsaken regions. Lord, grant comfort, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Praising God for the development of grief ministries. When I remember Heidi...Great is Your Faithfulness!

25 years since I lost my only son and I am grateful for the real comforters. I thank God for the development of Psychology in the neuthetic counselors. When I hear how Christianity had crushed many a grieving spirit and how I had often spoke judgment to the grieving and encouragement to the pompous. Discernment is the fruit of the grieving process mixed with the tutelage of the Holy Spirit.

God promises to make all of your bed in your sickness and I have seen him do that for me. I am grateful for that. Part of the restoration of sons and daughters back into my life was also a sense of sympathy that God can grow maturity in the midst of the grieving process

I always understand the "Almuncle-curmudgeon". I can see how each wound and crushing word tore any semblance of faith from that poor lost soul. I haven't experienced that level of personal attack, by God's mercy, but, even with the wonderful comforts that God poured, the grief could send a person under the bed. I know that God is good, but when I look at real bereavement, my heart groans and wants to hide, even from God. I know You are good, I say, but what a painful providence that is, here and there.

I am thankful that there are people who have studied painful providences and know how to speak peace into the grieving soul. People will always wonder is this or that providence a deserved thing. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." "It is of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed...""He makes all our bed in sickness..."

When hard times come and a person's ways please the Lord, He enters in. Even if they are not God-pleasers, the ministries of the church have developed to such an extent that God has entered the grief process with us. Don't let the "Almuncle" live without faith. "The goodness of God leads to repentance." God sent Heidi as a comfort to the Almuncle. He is touched with the feelings of, even his infirmities. Raise up Your Church to do right in this difficult area of ministry, Dear Lord! In Jesus' Name, Amen.