What an Interesting Providence to have heard Pastor Ryken, this morning.

Here I raise my Ebenezer

Here I Raise My Ebenezer? Hither by Thy help I come, and I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home!

__________________________________________________________________________________ Ebenezer Balfour vs. godly Alexander who reared David, who went to his uncle in Kidnapped Ebenezer Scrooge Ebenezer Boston 2 Boston sons died in infancy---

Zechariah 12:7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. Zechariah 12:12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; Zechariah 12:13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; Zechariah 12:14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

In my observation of Zechariah in my devotions; The scripture here makes a real distinction between the mourning of family for the bereaving and the grief of the mother apart. The family of the LORD Jesus they were all. There is a grief of family loss and there is a grief of the mother apart. God boils us together in our griefs. Family grief and mother grief{apart}. This passage is ultimately fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ for the sins of His people and we enter into it when we come to Him and embrace His sacrifice as efficatious on our behalf.

In a very distant sense, there is an exaltation of those who have become one in Christ, as Gentiles, to exalt our pagan cultures above the Jewish Christians. That is abhorred. We are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and not expect our redemption to overshadow, in any way the drawing that God intends, in His providence, whenever in history that drawing may occur. We must be always willing to set our "pagan"perspectives aside for the truth of Christ. This is why we must submit ourselves to a joint effort of the Church Universal in its dominion on the earth. Christ's reign on earth is in and through His Church. We become one in Christ. No longer Jew or Gentile, but "ONE NEW MAN". The only head of the church is Christ and not our individual perspectives. Paul was saying this in so many ways in the New Testament, that if it was wrong for the Jews to exalt circumcision as another level of sanctification; it is certain that those pagan gnostic separations are abhorrent to God. The question in the New Covenant is how much of your cultural mores and systems will you bequeath, as it were, to God's Rule.

I can really imagine Thomas Boston almost losing faith altogether. Lord, I have come to YOU with intention to rear this one in the fear of God and You have given me the darkest providence. In my prayerlife, I have really struggled deeply with first questioning my ability to want to please God and then God's hearing of me in my devoted aspiration, perhaps. God is not culpable, ever! But can I believe in a God who would not hear me in this deepest prayer? Grief against God and grief against self and grief against those whose providences haven't been so very invasive.

Today, I pray for Pastor Ryken and others whose providences have endured the loss of only sons. God grant peace and hope in the rubble of the hearts. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Walking with God in the Providence of dropping your daughter back to college?

In the style and thought pattern that I have embraced in the Christian's Daily Walk"

I have grown to become thankful for the labors of the earlier generation of Puritans and for the Christian's Daily Walk. At first, it seemed a noose around my neck to destroy my soul entirely. I read it in the throws of the deepest griefs at the loss of my baby. I cannot say that I was personally directed to this discipline of danger, by anyone. I simply said to my Savior, "this season is the most dangerous spiritually and I don't want to displease you, is there any direction for me in this dark place?" I found that old treasure, which I have attached to this blog on the lower righthand corner on one of the pictures as a link.

After it scrubbed my spiritual skin raw and plunged me into an abyss of worse grief, I have found it to arrange my thinking so that as I walk through the joys of life and the lesser griefs that I experience, they jump into those categories that were engrained in my soul through that deep abyss of unbelief and sadness. Since, I still am not sure if I will ever come through this grief with my faith intact, I don't recommend the book to anyone, except the ones who would want to know a severest flogging.

I thank God that my traverse of 10 hours yesterday was to a good purpose and not to the darkest purpose of travel and separation that I experienced 25 years ago. God is doing a good work in my daughter's life and I believe that He will keep her and guide her soul for His good purpose. He is good in happy providences and in dark ones. This darkness of separation from my beloved one is for a good purpose and I must remind myself of this as we see the miles of distance that have invaded.

I am grateful that there is not some conflict of argument that distances us alongside the miles of distance. For, I am sure that this distance of conflict and argument solidify and become metallic and sometimes cannot be cut through with any earthly instrument. Many times, I see the reconciliation in the eyes of Grandma Ruth as she often reminded me that we were at odds with eachother through nearly all of life. She said do you remember that you wouldn't come into my house. I do remember, Gram. Only God can knock that kind of conflict down between people.

What is keeping short accounts with eachother in a family? What is it and what does it look like?

Many a childish, immature conflict is a question of whether we love each other or not. Let us not let time and distance invade the conflict, please God. Who will be the adult and who will be the parent? Today, I forgive you. Today, I ask you to forgive me. Today, I don't really need to understand the differences that made us angry, just to know that shortly we will be before our Savior and have to give an account for the most important stewardship:

Our Relationships!

God is not willing that any should perish---thoughts on Psalm 76

Psalm 76:1 In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel. Psalm 76:2 In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. Psalm 76:3 There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah. Psalm 76:4 Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. Psalm 76:5 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands. Psalm 76:6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep. Psalm 76:7 Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? Psalm 76:8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, Psalm 76:9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah. Psalm 76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Psalm 76:11 Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. Psalm 76:12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble

What is humble to God? How can we know that we are not exalting ourselves in His presence? Do we fear the God of the Universe? The higher that we are in judgement, Kings, Queens,Princesses, Presidents,etc. the more we must concern ourselves with the observation of God and not just of man's judgment. If it was David writing this, he knew this fulwell. God brought him from the humble disposition of 8th in the family and mocked and forgotten, into kingship. This is a huge promotion. He was able to see the distance, somewhat between the glory of God and the glory of man, an infinite distance. His distance of rising in ranks was miniscule in comparison. Still, he writes that the judgment of God is to be considered by all stations of life, in Psalm 76. God will do whatever it takes to draw men to Himself, but better it is for us to seek Him, while He can be found. Render your heart and your soul to Him in worship and the enemy of our souls, at last will not be our own enemy. Befriend the Lord, by humbling yourself in your life circumstance and living in whatever state, to His glory. God will exalt you to inherit His eternal presence, if you are seeking that. He is cutting and his cutting board is at the kings and the princes. They have the power of the sword to wield, but their souls will give an account of that power. The gift of mercy and longsuffering, when given to the Lord, by one most exalted is endearing to God. It says in His Word. He loves the spirit that is not hasty to bring down judgment on the earth. The gift of living to give light to the blind and strength to the weak is the judgment of kings and princes. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord... David sees and trains the usherboard of Heaven. The king who fears the Lord, will be one who desires to see the truth of God and the people of God, rightly led and instructed and equipped for every good work. As it were, the kings and princes line the stairs to Heaven and give of themselves to see the truth of God exalted by His True and Holy Church. David says that when things are in their right order the world is thusly ordered. God's Word exalted. Humble servants all, for God's glory. Not the fear of man, but the fear of God.

Even on the overcast days it is appropriate to make His Praise Glorious!

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.