And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 

And He said to him, "'You SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'"

"This is the great and foremost commandment.

"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'

"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Psalm 139:13-14 NIV

Blessed [happy] is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the eat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

-PSALM 1:1-3, NIV

Psalm 27

I've been canning a lot lately!  At times it is an exhausting process.  Other times I enjoy it.  Today hasn't exactly been one of those days.  Sis is sick on the couch.  Daddy and Bubba have been out of town for a while.  Scooter is worn out.  Howdy is rowdy.  And, Posie is being nosey.  She's into everything while I'm trying to get things done.

I was almost through making six quarts of "hamburger dills" when I noticed the size of the mustard seeds that I use for various recipes.  They are so tiny.  I was reminded that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains.  I thought to myself, "I have more faith than the size of a mustard seed."  It really cheered me up.  And, I was able to get through the canning and look forward to all the cleanup.  I also realized that getting through the days of canning, laundry, sick kids, rowdy kids, moody kids, traveling husband and/or kids, gardening and homeschoooling all require faith to get through.  Just knowing that faith the size of a mustard see can move a mountain or more really helped me realize that I have to remember that I have more faith than a mustard seed in the first place.  So, these challenges are nothing for me to handle with God's help!

WHEW!  What a small thing to do. 

Hebrews 10:36 NIV

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

James 1:4 NIV

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anythinng.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

Do not be anxious about anthing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We finished our study of Romans this afternoon.  We've decided to study Proverbs next.  Wise choice. 

I'm also reading In the Footsteps of the Rabbi from Tarsus, by Dr. Jeffrey L. Seif.  It's excellent.

Psalm 119:165 NIV

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

Neh. 8:10 NIV

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.  This day is sacred to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

John 15:8-12 NIV

This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:13-14 NIV

You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command:  "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Galatians 5:5-6 NIV

But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.  The only thing that count is faith expressing itself through love.

Acts 1:4-8 NIV

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave tehm this command:  "do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will baptized with the Holy Spirit."  So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"  He said to them:  "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Philippians 2:5-7 KJV

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon himthe form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

John 3:16-17 NIV

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

1 John 3:11-18 NIV

This is the message you heard from the beginning:  We should love one another.  Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother.  And why did he murder him?  Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous.  Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.  Anyone who does not love remains in death.  Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.  This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

John 13:34-35 NIV

"A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

"THE wilderness and the desert will be glad,

And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom;

Like the crocus

It will blossom profusely

And rejoice with rejoicing

and shout of joy.

The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,

The majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They will see the glory of the LORD,

The majesty of our God.

Encourage the exhausted,

and strengthen the feeble.

Say to those with anxious

heart,

'Take courage, fear not,

Behold, your God will come

with vengeance;

The reompense of God will come,

But He will save you.'

Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,

And the ears of the deaf will be

unstopped.

Then the lame will leap like a

deer,

And teh tongue of the dumb

will shout for joy,

For waters will break forth in

the wilderness

And streams in the Arabah.

And the scorched land will

become a pool,

And the thirsty ground

springs of water;

In the haunt of jackals, its

resting place,

Grass becomes reeds and

rushes.

And a highway will be there,

a roadway,

And it will be called the High-

way of Holiness.

The unclean will not travel on

it.

But it will be for him who

walks that way,

And fools will not wander on

it.

No lion will be there,

Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;

These will not be found there.

But the redeemed will walk

there,

And the ransomed of the

LORD will return,

And come with joyful shout-

ing to Zion,

With everlasting joy upon

their heads.

They will find gladness and

joy,

and sorrow and sighing will

flee away."

Isaiah Chapter 35, NAS

"NOW we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 

For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, 'THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED THEE FELL UPON ME.'

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 15:1-6

"Consider this:  You do not support the root, but the root supports you." 

Romans 11:18b

"You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household." 

Ephesians 2:19

"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised."

Acts 1:4

"They called the apostles in and had them flogged.  Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go."

Acts 5:40

"Anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue."

John 9:22

"'Do you see all these great buildings?' replied Jesus.  'Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.'"

Mark 13:2

"I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars-I will make them come and fall down at your feet."

Revelation 3:9

"From infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."

2 Timothy 3:15

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Psalm 1:2

"He must  hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it."

Titus 1:9

"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD."

Proverbs 18:22

"When I see the blood, I will pass over you."

Exodus 12:13

"The whole land of Canaan...I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you."

Genesis 17:8

"Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life."

Proverbs 4:13

"Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

1 John 3:18

Verses from Our Father Abraham:  Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, by Marvin R. Wilson

When Peter and the apostles wouldn't keep silent about Jesus, they found themselves being told to "hush up."  I was reading about it in Acts chapter 5:27-32 NAS.

"And when they had brought them, they stood them before the Council.  And the high priest questioned them,

saying, 'We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.'

But Peter and the apostles answered and said, 'We must obey God rather than men.

'The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hangining Him on a cross.

'He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

'And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.'

Then, I read from verses 33-42.  What amazed me was that a Pharisee (perushim or Chaberim, the first meaning distinct or separatists, the second which they chose for themselves meaning associates) actually acknowledged for all time that these men would either disappear on their own, OR would be proven to be telling the Truth.  Guess what?!?  It has become obvious by this Pharisee's own accurate observation that one of those options was the Answer and that it was that they were telling of the Truth!

"But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and were intending to slay them.  But a certain Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time.

And he said to them, 'Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men.

'For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody; and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him.  And he was slain; and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.

'After this man Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away some people after him, he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered.

'And so in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown;

but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.'

And they took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them to speak no more in the name of Jesus, and then released them.

So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."

By his own counsel, Gamaliel explained to the rest of us that these men did speak the Truth as Christians HAVE NOT DISAPPEARED! 

Father, help our children to be alert and self-controlled in all they do.

"Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

While they are saying, 'Peace and safety!' then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and  they shall not escape.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 

For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.

But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. 

Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing."

1 Thessalonians 5:11 NAS

Rain, rain, come again,

We want it to rain again!

Our little garden needs to win,

Rain, rain, come again!

GOD is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,

And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

Though its waters roar and foam,

Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.  Selah.

There is a river whose streams make gad the city of God,

The holy dwelling places of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered;

He raised His voice, the earth melted.

The LORD of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.

Come, behold the works of the LORD,

Who has wrought desolations in the earth.

He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;

He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;

He burns the chariots with fire.

"Cease striving and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Selah.

     -Psalm 46, NASB

"I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the LORD."

     Psalm 122:1

"Simplicity should never be confused with lack of sophistication."

     -Alexander Foges