Sunday Bible Reading – Psalm 13

Psalm 13

How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord?
for ever?
how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
having sorrow in my heart daily?
how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God:
lighten mine eyes,
lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest mine enemy say,
I have prevailed against him;
and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in thy mercy;
my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

I will sing unto the Lord,
because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Amen
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Posted from Safeway in Goodyear, AZ
I’m enjoying our quiet vacation.
Internet about every other day.

Published in: on January 26, 2014 at 7:35 pm  Leave a Comment  

Sunday Bible Reading – Philippians 4:4-9

DSC_0035the Farmer’s Mother celebrated her 101st birthday Saturday,
she just finished singing ‘To God Be the Glory’

Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always:
and again I say,
Rejoice.

Let your moderation be known unto all men.
The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing;
but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God.

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

Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
think on these things.

Those things,
which ye have both learned,
and received,
and heard,
and seen in me,
do:
and the God of peace shall be with you.

Published in: on January 19, 2014 at 5:08 pm  Comments (1)  
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Sunday Bible Reading -Isaiah 25:1,4,9-26:1-4

June 4 046the Farmer’s citrus orchard,
June, 2013,
hopefully it survived the December, 2013, below 30’s nights.

Good Morning

Isaiah 25:1,4,9
O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Isaiah 26:1-4
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

Repeating Isaiah 25:4
For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

Amen and Amen

Published in: on December 15, 2013 at 10:33 am  Leave a Comment  

Sunday Bible Reading – Ruth 1

oct 19 nap in the sunA Nap in the Sun

Good Afternoon

Ruth 1:1-13, 19-21

1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

3 And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons.

4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.

5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband.

6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread

7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

9 The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.

11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?

20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.

21 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

We all have read the story of Naomi and Ruth.
My question is why did Naomi feel like God had forsaken her;
like He had plotted against her personally;
like He had it in for her?
Many husbands and sons had died.
There were many widows, young and old.
Why did she feel so singled out?

Was it not because she was far from the people of God?
Far from the every day rituals and ceremonies of God’s people?
Far from hearing the songs of praise?
Far from hearing the Word of God read weekly in the synagogue?
Far from the fellowship of people who worshiped the true God?

By herself among an idol worshiping people,
she had no encouragement to remember the ways God had blessed her.

Let us take heed.
Draw nigh to God and His people.
Receive strength from joining in worship songs.
Receive grace from hearing God’s word read and expounded.

He restoreth my soul Psalm 23:3

Let Him restore your soul .  .  . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on October 20, 2013 at 1:59 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Sunday Bible Reading – Matthew 27:57-61

october 21 dead zinnas & sunflowers 006An Autumn Sunflower

Good Morning

Matthew 27:57-61
When the even was come,
there came a rich man of Arimathaea,
named Joseph,
who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:
He went to Pilate,
and begged the body of Jesus.
Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
And when Joseph had taken the body,
he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
And laid it in his own new tomb,
which he had hewn out in the rock:
and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre,
and departed.
And there was Mary Magdalene,
and the other Mary,
sitting over against the sepulchre.

Were they . . .
waiting
in shock
grieving
weeping
trying to hold on to hope
like Mary and Martha sure Jesus would ‘rise again in the resurrection at the last day’ (John 11:24)
numb?

Jesus knew all about those feelings and fears,
remember He wept with the grieving.

Have compassion with the grieving  . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on October 6, 2013 at 9:46 am  Comments (1)  

Sunday Bible Reading – Romans 8:35-39

sept 27 001Cactus in the Farmer’s cactus garden in bloom.
Cactus is a start from my mother.

Good Afternoon

Romans 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written,
For thy sake we are killed all the day long;
we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay,
in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded,
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am persuaded my God is more powerful than any of these things.
Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on September 29, 2013 at 2:04 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Sunday Bible Reading – Psalm 68:1-9

sept 9 008Chinese Lanterns

Good Morning

Psalm 68:1-9

Let God arise,
let his enemies be scattered:
let them also that hate him flee before him.

2 As smoke is driven away,
so drive them away:
as wax melteth before the fire,
so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad;
let them rejoice before God:
yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

4 Sing unto God,
sing praises to his name:
extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah,
and rejoice before him.

5 A father of the fatherless,
and a judge of the widows,
is God in his holy habitation.

6 God setteth the solitary in families:
he bringeth out those which are bound with chains:
but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people,
when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:

8 The earth shook,
the heavens also dropped at the presence of God:
even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain,
whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance,
when it was weary.

confirm – assure

Being assured by the showers of blessings . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on September 15, 2013 at 9:35 am  Leave a Comment  
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Sunday Bible Reading – 1 Corinthians 13

may30 003

1 Corinthians 13

The Message (MSG)
The Way of Love

13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

2 If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.

11 When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.

12 We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

13 But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

1 Corinthians 13:8-10
Charity (God’s Love) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.KJV

Trusting in God’s Love . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on August 18, 2013 at 9:09 am  Comments (2)  
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Sunday Bible Reading – Matthew 21:23-32

121832563_Awvygvv2_b

Good Morning

Matthew 21:23-32
And when he was come into the temple,
the chief priests and the elders of the people
came unto him as he was teaching, and said,
By what authority doest thou these things?
and who gave thee this authority?
And Jesus answered and said unto them,
I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me,
I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say,
From heaven; he will say unto us,
Why did ye not then believe him?
But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people;
for all hold John as a prophet.
And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell.
And he said unto them,
Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

But what think ye?
A certain man had two sons;
and he came to the first, and said,
Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
He answered and said, I will not:
but afterward he repented, and went.
And he came to the second, and said likewise.
And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
Whether of them twain did the will of his father?
They say unto him, The first.
Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you,
That the publicans and the harlots
go into the kingdom of God before you.
For John came unto you in the way of righteousness,
and ye believed him not:
but the publicans and the harlots believed him:
and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward,
that ye might believe him. KJV

Matthew 21:32, Amplified
For John came to you walking in the way of an upright man in right standing with God, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots did believe him; and you, even when you saw that, did not afterward change your minds and believe him [adhere to, trust in, and rely on what he told you].

Believe on Him . . . Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on July 28, 2013 at 9:19 am  Leave a Comment  
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Sunday Bible Reading –

July 19 butterfly and signs 003Look who came for breakfast!

Good Morning

Matthew 20:29 – 34

And as they departed from Jericho,
a great multitude followed him.
And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side,
when they heard that Jesus passed by,
cried out, saying,
Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
And the multitude rebuked them,
because they should hold their peace:
but they cried the more, saying,
Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
And Jesus stood still,
and called them, and said,
What will ye that I shall do unto you?
They say unto him, Lord,
that our eyes may be opened.
So Jesus had compassion on them,
and touched their eyes:
and immediately their eyes received sight,
and they followed him.

He was moved with tender pity. The tender pity of Christ met the earnest cry of the blind men, and their immediate cure was the result. Clarke’s Commentary

Believe and follow . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on July 21, 2013 at 9:15 am  Leave a Comment  
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Sunday Bible Reading

july 1 veggies 001Cucumbers

Good Morning

Matthew 15:1-8

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees,
which were of Jerusalem, saying,
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?
for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
But he answered and said unto them,
Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God
by your tradition?
For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and,
He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother,
It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free.
Thus have ye made the commandment of God
of none effect by your tradition.
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth,
and honoureth me with their lips;
but their heart is far from me.
But in vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Seek God’s truth . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

(Underlining mine.)

Published in: on July 7, 2013 at 9:50 am  Leave a Comment  
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Sunday Bible Reading Job 23:1-10

P1020673Remembering Quebec

Good Morning

Job 23:1-10

Then Job answered and said,
Even to day is my complaint bitter:
my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
Oh that I knew where I might find him!
that I might come even to his seat!
I would order my cause before him,
and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know the words which he would answer me,
and understand what he would say unto me.
Will he plead against me with his great power?
No; but he would put strength in me.
There the righteous might dispute with him;
so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
On the left hand, where he doth work,
but I cannot behold him:
he hideth himself on the right hand,
that I cannot see him:
But he knoweth the way that I take:
when he hath tried me,
I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:6
Will he plead against me – He would not exhibit his majesty and his sovereign authority to strike me dumb, or so overawe me that I could not speak in my own vindication.
No; but he would put strength in me – On the contrary, he would treat me with tenderness, he would rectify my mistakes, he would show me what was in my favor, and would temper the rigid demands of justice by the mild interpretations of equity; and where law could not clear me, mercy would conduct all to the most favorable issue. ~~Clarke’s Commentary

Receive God’s strength . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on May 26, 2013 at 4:32 am  Leave a Comment  

Sunday Bible Reading – Proverbs 31:10-31

May 6 garden velma 015Ox Eye Daisy

Happy Mother’s Day to my Mother

Hymn to a Good Wife

A good woman is hard to find,
and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised
is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Festoon her life with praises!
~~~~the Message

Published in: on May 12, 2013 at 1:47 am  Leave a Comment  
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Sunday Bible Reading – Psalm 119:1-8

April 14 flowers 014

Good Morning

Psalm 119:1-8
ALEPH.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they that keep his testimonies,
and that seek him with the whole heart.
They also do no iniquity:
they walk in his ways.
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
Then shall I not be ashamed,
when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
I will praise thee with uprightness of heart,
when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
I will keep thy statutes:
O forsake me not utterly.

from Clarke’s Concordance:
Blessed are the undefiled in the way – “O the blessedness of the perfect ones in the way.” . . . By the perfect, which is the proper meaning of the original word, we are to understand those who sincerely believe what God has spoken, religiously observe all the rules and ceremonies of his religion, and have their lives and hearts regulated by the spirit of love, fear, and obedience.

Seek His ways . . .Today
With my prayers, desiring yours, Leslie

Published in: on April 21, 2013 at 9:14 am  Leave a Comment  
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Sunday Bible Reading

Feb 18 13 003Fig Tree, February, 2013

Good Morning

Although the fig tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vines;
the labour of the olive shall fail,
and the fields shall yield no meat;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The LORD God is my strength,
and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet,
and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:17-19

As for God, his way is perfect:
the word of the LORD is tried:
he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
For who is God save the LORD?
or who is a rock save our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength,
and maketh my way perfect.
He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet,
and setteth me upon my high places.
He teacheth my hands to war,
so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation:
and thy right hand hath holden me up,
and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Psalm 18:30-35

Published in: on April 14, 2013 at 4:36 am  Leave a Comment  
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