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John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Col 1:15 And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

3John 1:6 They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they have gone forth on behalf of "The Name," accepting nothing from the pagans.

Three possibilities (1) the name of God, suggested by the unqualified noun with the Greek article. In Rabbinic literature "the Name" is a frequent substitute for the Tetragrammaton YHVH, the name of God… (2) Some have understood "the Name" as the self-designation of the Johannine community, or as a reference to the Christian cause at large… (3) …that this is a reference to Jesus’ name. Rom 1:5, and in 1 John 2:12 the author wrote, "your sins are forgiven on account of His (Christ’s) name." John’s Gospel "in the name of Jesus" (John 1:12, 3:18).

Exod 3:13 Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" 14 And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

John 8:23 And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins."

John 8:28 Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."

John 9:9 … He kept saying, "I am the one."

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life…

John 8:12 ….Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world…"

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd…

John 10:36 … 'I am the Son of God'?

John 11:25 … "I am the resurrection and the life…

John 13:13 "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life…

John 18:5 They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." He said to them, "I am He." And Judas also who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 When therefore He said to them, "I am He," they drew back, and fell to the ground.

John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

Rev 4:10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 "Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created."

1Chr 29:11 "Thine, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Thine is the dominion, O LORD, and Thou dost exalt Thyself as head over all.

Dan 4:34 "… and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

1Tim 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Rev 5:13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."

When we read the Scriptures we often infer what they are saying by our background, our training or our preconceived ideas. There is also one other possibility - YHVH - the Creator is revealing to us something He wants us to understand, to implement into our life, to think on and ask for further direction. This may be one of them - What do you think?

Eph 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20 having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Eph 3:14 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

(* editing is done to shorten length - you are encouraged to read the full commentary where applicable)

Proverbs 25:27 It is not good to eat much honey, Nor is it glory to search out one's own glory.

Proverbs 8:14 "Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

Proverbs 15:33 …And before honor comes humility.

Proverbs 29:23 … a humble spirit will obtain honor.

You cannot be like Messiah "…until Christ is formed in you - " Gal 4:19

Proverbs 16:4 The LORD has made everything for its own purpose…

YHVH You are our purpose for living - That is being made in Your likeness - Amen

1. Who wanted Yeshua (Jesus) to tell her sister to help her?
2. What is the first book of the New Testament?
3. Lot pitched his tents near which city?
4. In the full armor of God, what is represented by the breastplate?
5. What was the ninth plague that God placed on Egypt?
6. Name the tentmakers who assisted the Apostle Paul at Corinth?
7. Who said, "I don’t know the man"?

(Lessons from humility and death to self.)

Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

Rom 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you…

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yeshua, Master, thank You for Your gift; the grace that empowers us to live righteously.

Consider the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s time. All the organization necessary for the proper worship the Creator; bringing glory to the Holy One of Israel.

Nehemiah 11:1 Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine-tenths remained in the other cities. 2 And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 11:17 and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the leader in beginning the thanksgiving at prayer…

Gill Commentary; was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: he was the presenter, or led the song at the time of the daily sacrifice, in which prayer was also made, as in many of the songs, hymns, and psalms of David:

YHVH, it is our privilege to glorify You with wholehearted worship.

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, unto which you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses. (1Tim 6:12)

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

Material in this section is based on various prayer diaries.

Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in magazines for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses? ...... What do you see?
What are you thinking ... when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man ...... not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .......... with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food ......... and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice ... 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice ... the things that you do.
And forever is losing......... A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not ...... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding …....The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? ...Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse ...you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am...... As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, ..... as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten ... with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters ....... who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen ..... with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now ...... a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty..... my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows.....that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now..... I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty....... My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons ...have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me ... to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more..... Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children .... My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me..... My wife is now dead.
I look at the future....... I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing.... young of their own.
And I think of the years ... And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man........ and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age ....... look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles..... grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone ... where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass ... A young man still dwells,
And now and again ..... my battered heart swells
I remember the joys ....... I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living....... life over again.
I think of the years, all too few.... gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact ... that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people........ open and see.
Not a cranky old man.
Look closer . . . . see . . . . . . . . . ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

 Papa

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Pop,
Whatever you do don't dig up that garden.  That's where the bodies are buried!
Regards Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area - but without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.

That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Pop,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.  

Regards,
Vinnie

Have a good day!

Eph 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Michael Boldea Jr.

Look at the doughnut, not the hole

What good is a nest egg if you only sit on it?

Keep words soft and tender, because tomorrow you may have to eat them

Its fun going to class reunions, but it’s strange seeing all those old faces and new teeth

One way to define health food is anything eaten before the expiration date

Wherever love is bestowed, it brings in great returns

The city of happiness is in the state of mind

Confidence
But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. (Jeremiah 1:17; ESV)

 
Jeremiah was called by God to speak messages that were most unpopular in his day. A terrible time in the history of the Jewish people, Jerusalem was on the verge of being destroyed and the people about to be exiled far away to Babylon. Calling the people back to God was something one would expect from a true prophet, but to tell them to submit to the conquest of the Babylonians is something else all together.
 
Jeremiah must have expected that being entrusted with such a message would put him in a most precarious situation with his people. Moreover, God himself told him that the people would "fight against him" (1:19; ESV). God's promise that they would not prevail against him must have helped, but it would not have necessarily made his job easy.
 
Regardless of how Jeremiah would have perceived what he was facing, God called him to a high level of confidence. That he was not naturally confident is evident by his initial response to God's call when he said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth" (1:6; ESV). In spite of Jeremiah's hesitancy, God insisted he conduct himself confidently. In fact unless Jeremiah resisted the temptation to be intimidated by the people, he would be undone by fear. In the way God put it to Jeremiah, he was not to be dismayed by the people; otherwise, God would cause him to be dismayed by them.
 
This is not the same as saying to someone, "Don't be scared, lest you be scared," which would sound so obvious to the point that it would hardly be necessary to say. Saying, "Don't be scared" would be enough. But there is more to this than that. God told Jeremiah that if he feared the people, God himself would cause him to fear them. Jeremiah's fear would not be due to the absence of confidence, but due to God's undermining any remaining confidence and security he may have had.
 
Perhaps God's dealing with Jeremiah in this way was due to his promises to him: "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you" (1:8; ESV); "I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant" (1:10; ESV); "I am watching over my word to perform it" (1:12; ESV). The God who called Jeremiah to deliver the difficult message also committed himself to stand with him through it all. Therefore for Jeremiah not to conduct himself with confidence was to disbelieve God - the foundational wrong that led his people into the tragic situation before them.
 
If you are familiar with the rest of the story of Jeremiah, you would know that his confidence to faithfully deliver the messages given him didn't keep him from the expected difficulties. The leaders and people were violently against him. He suffered much at their hands. Yet he continued in confidence, never wavering from his God-given calling.
 
What we see in the life of Jeremiah is that God gives us no neutral ground. It is not as if our choosing to disregard his word allows us to live disconnected from him as if we are free to do our own thing, so to speak. Either we trust him and his promises, resting in the confidence of his being with us in and through everything or we disbelieve him, resulting in his undermining our lives. To not trust God doesn't cast him away, as if we can be free of his presence and influence. Turning our backs on him puts him at odds with us.
 
Jeremiah's call to confidence doesn't just differentiate believer from non-believer, but is also a warning to those who claim to believe in God. Those of us who say we know him yet refuse to take confidence in him should not be surprised at the intensity of our fear. It's not necessarily that we are weak in faith, but rather our refusal to trust him as we should may be what is resulting in God's causing us to unreasonably fear.
 
If this be the case, we should not despair. Jeremiah shows us that in spite of our natural inclination to fear, we can take confidence in God. And as we do, even though we must go through very troubling situations at times, God will prove faithful as he has promised.

*(This document was edited for length)

1 Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in Thee; And in the shadow of Thy wings I will take refuge, Until destruction passes by.

2 I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me.

3 He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.

Blessed be YHVH (Genesis 14:20 And blessed be God Most High…)

They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, And talk of Thy power; To make known to the sons of men Thy mighty acts, And the glory of the majesty of Thy kingdom.

1. Martha - Luke 10:40

2. Matthew

3. Sodom - Genesis 13:12

4. Righteousness - Ephesians 6:13-14

5. Darkness - Exodus 10:21-23

6. Aquila and Priscilla - Acts 18:1-3

7. Peter - Matthew 26:69,72