God's beauty

As I am walking down Division Street I see around me God's beauty.

Trees stretching their branches into the heavenly realm, grass deep living green.

A sky that can change from shades of blue to gray, to mixes of orange red yellow and gold.

All to behold.  

God's beauty surrounds me, not just with the reflections of nature, but in the diversity of the people around me.

Step children growing and changing every day, a mother in law dedicated to spiritual liberty, a wife who has deep passion in her heart, and my homeless brothers whom I live with in the shelter.  We look out for each other with a sense of sincerity and honesty that is in a way a real miracle.

Cats are a gift from God, their soft fur and their gentle purr, how they snuggle freely and are loving willingly.  If we humans could love so honestly as the cats, life could be so much simpler.

So God's beauty is always around us, we just need to stop and see it with our our own eyes.

She looks at me and what do I see?

Eyes that look into my very soul, that know the inner me.

Eyes that show mixed emotions, heart ache and pain because of being divided in her love and wanting to love completely and sincerely.

A smile that can make a gray day be bright as a majestic sunrise.

She is my wife, my beloved whom I miss dearly and deeply.

Whom I pray that I will be reunited with shortly to be back as one, as we are meant to be.

Time heals all wounds and I pray this is so, that we may be together again and our love will deeply flow.

The power of God and his Son

As a Jesuit, a follower of Jesus, I am always looking for things that show the presence of God in the world, and show how he does love us.

I was on Youtube and I found this video.

It is an amazing testimony of transcendence and transformation and proves Miracles do happen

I hope you will look at this video with an open heart and mind.

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A-Z Challenge Part 21 Z is for Zee end #atozchallenge

Zacchaeus: Was a Tax collector in the Gospel of Luke book 19 Verses 1-10.
Jesus was coming to Jericho and Zacchaeus had heard of him and wanted to see who this man was.  He climbed a fig tree so he could see Jesus, and Jesus saw this man and called to him.

Zacchaeus came down from the fig tree and after being told that Jesus must stay at Zacchaues's home 

Zacchaeus told Jesus the following.“Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Jesus talking to Zacchaeus whom is up a tree.

Zachariah  name is also spelled Zechariah: Prophet in the Old Testament, wrote of the Messiah's coming, his betrayal, and crucifixion.  Along with inspirational text to draw people back to God, after 70 years in exile in Babylon.


Zacharias: In the New Testament he was the father of John the Baptist and had been visited by the archangel Gabriel.
The archangel Gabriel telling Zacharias that he and his wife would have a son to be named John.

Zadok: A high priest in Israel during the time of Solomon and David.
Zadok the High Priest in Israel.

Zebulun: He was the tenth son of Jacob and ancestor to one of the 12 tribes of Israel.
 Jacob and his sons.

Zedekiah: This was the last King of Judah.


Zibah: Mother of King Joash, King of Judah.
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Zimri: King of Israel, who ruled only seven days.


Zipporah:  Wife of Moses.



Zuriel: At the time of the Exodus this was a name of a chief of Merarite Levites, in the book of Genesis.
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A-Z Challenge Part 21 Names and Places in The Bible U is For and... atozchallenge

Uriah: First Solomon A Hittite warrior who was in King David's army.  David desired Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, and put Uriah in the front lines so he would be killed and David could claim Bathsheba.
King David and Uriah his trusted soldier.

Uriel: One of the Seven archangels.


Uzziah: King of Judah.


Vashti: Name of the first wife of King Ahasuerus of Persia, before he marries Esther.
King Ahasuerus and his Queen Vashti.














 

A-Z Challenge Part 20 Names and Places in The Bible T is For #atozchallenge

Tabitha: From Acts of the Apostles.  Tabitha is a follower of Jesus whom has brought many into his church.  She died, Peter was called upon; he prayed and brought her back to life.
Peter about to pray over Tabitha.

Talmai: Name of the father of King David's wife Maacah.
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Thaddeus: From the Gospel of Matthew.  He is believed to have been referred to by four different names in the Gospel.  It is believed that he was a missionary and was also a martyr.


Theophilus: An unknown individual who Luke wrote to in both the Gospel of Luke and Acts of The apostles.  Theory presents that Theophilus was either a person of wealth or a high ranking Roman official because of how Luke addressed him in his writing.


Thomas: The disciple who doubted that Jesus had risen from the grave until he touched the wounds in Jesus's body.


Timothy: Paul's chosen successor and student.
   

Tiras: Grandson of Moses.
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A-Z Challenge Part 19 Names and Places in The Bible. S is For #atozchallenge

Salome: From the New Testament, she was the daughter of Herodias who danced before King Herod and was awarded with the head of John The Baptist.


Samson: Old Testament Hero, blessed by God with super strength that came from his hair.  His lover Delilah cut off his hair, making him powerless and allowing the Philistines who bound him and took him prisoner.  In one final act of strength and rebellion to his captors he broke his bonds and brought down the pillars of the temple upon himself and his captors.
Samson misrepresented about to tare down the temple, at this point he was hairless.

Samuel: He was the last ruling Judge in the Old Testatment, who annointed Saul to be the First King of Israel and later annointed David.


Sapphira: Wife of Ananias.  Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold land and gave all but a portion to the Apostles.  Both lied about the total made from the sale and both were struck down for their deception.


Sarah originally Sarai: Wife of Anraham and at 90 the mother of Isaac.
Sarah at 90, mother of Isaac.

Satan: One of many names given to the enemy of humanity and archenemy of God.  He who wished to eusurp Gods place and rule over manking.  The great deceavor and destroyer by use of lies and illusions.
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Saul: In The Old Testament, the name of the first King of Israel, who destroyed himself because of his eventual hatrid of David, whom had been his closest and best friend and warror.  


Saul in the New Testament was the name of Paul, before he changed his name.  Saul had been a persecutor of Christians, until being blinded on the road to Domascus. 
Saul becoming Paul at time of conversion from persecutor to apostle.

Sela:In the Old Testament this was the capital city in Edom. 


Seth: Book of Genesis, Third son of Adam and Eve.
Adam,Eve and Seth.

Shadrach: Babylonian name given to three Israeli captives.  Shadrach Meshack and Abendego refused to bow down to King Nabuchadnezzar and his Gods and their images.  The three men were put in a blazing furnace and delivered by God.
Shadrach Meshech and Abendego in the firery furnace of Nebuchanezzar.  With the Son of Man as well?

Solomon: Born as the second son of King David and Bethsheba, he became the third King of Israel.  He was gifted by God, but allowed his lust to lead to his downfall upon which he fell away from Yahweh and worshiped idols and false Gods.

A-Z Challenge Part 18 Names and Places in the Bible R is For #atozchallenge

Yes we have no Q's in The Bible, so we move on directly to R.

Rachel: Favorite wife of Jacob, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
 

Rahab: From the second book of Joshua, Rehab is a woman of virtue.  Joshua had sent forth two spies to do reconnaissance upon the city of Jericho.  The spies stayed at Rehab's residence and she hid them from the kings men.



Raphael: From the book of Tobit, Raphael is identified as an archangel.


Rebecca  alternate spelling Rebekah: Wife of Isaac and mother of Esau and Jacob.
Isaac and Rebecca.

Rehoboam: Son of Solomon who succeeded his father as King of Israel; however his subjects eventually revolted due to high taxes, this splitting the Kingdom into Israel and Judah.
Rehoboam the King, son of King Solomon.

Reuben: Eldest son of Jacob and Leah.  He becomes one of the ancestors of one the the 12 tribes of Israel.


Rhoda: From the New Testament/ Acts 12:13, Name of a servant  in the house of Mary, whom was the mother of John also know as Mark.  Peter came to this residence where other disciples were to escape and Rhoda announced his presence.


Ruth: A Moabite woman who was redeemed, she had been motherless and poor, she accepted the challenges that were put before her and became a wealthy woman and eventually she was the ancestor of King David and Jesus.



Sometimes you find few womens' names in a Bible list, and some days you find tons.  Today was one where there were more women mentioned the archangels or Kings.










  

A-Z Challenge Part 17. Names and Places in The Bible, P is For #atozchallenge

Pallu: From the Old Testament, the name of a Son of Reuben.
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Paul: Originally a Roman who persecuted the Christians, at this time his name and title was Saul of Tarsis.  When on the road to Damascus he was blinded and left to parish.  The Holy Spirit of Jesus descended upon him and he was reborn.  He took the name Paul and wrote many of the epistles in the New Testament.


Perez: Twin brother of Zereh from the Old Testament.
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Peter: From the New Testament, Simon Peter was one of Jesus's favorite disciples, Jesus felt that Peter was so strong he would carry forth and be the foundation of the early church.


Phanuel: In the New Testament, father to the prophetess Anna.
No image of Phanuel, this was his Daughter Anna the Prophetess.

Philemon: Paul sends a personal and pastoral epistle to Philemon, a fellow "Brother in Christ" and a coworker in the faith.  The epistle was concerning an escaped slave from Philemon, who had come to visit Paul, as a recent convert to Christ.  Paul addresses Philemon in kind terms to please accept back his slave, but as a new Brother in Christ.
Philemon and his returned Slave, being greeted back.

Pontius Pilate: Roman Governor of Judea, who offered to set Jesus free for the death of Barabbas.  The crowd rejected this and Pilate was forced to put Jesus up for Crucifixion. 





















 

A to Z Challenge Part 16 Names and Places from The Bible. O is for #atozchallenge

Obed: Grandfather of David


Oded: In the Old Testiment he was  a prophet from Samaria .


Omri: In the Old Testament, Omri is a 9th Century Military Commander, who becomes King of Isreal.
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Onesimus:  In the New Testament, Onesimus was a runaway slave that Paul convert to Christianity.  He had met Paul, while Paul was imprisoned.   Paul sent Omesimus back to Philemon, where he presented Paul's epistle.


Onesiphorus: He was a Disciple who appeared in Paul's second letter to Timothy.  Onesiphorus was martyred by the Romans, he was stretched and torn apart by horses.


Ophir: From the Old Testament, this is the son of Joktan.  This is also a place mentioned in The Bible.
Ophir as it appears on a Biblical map.

Othneil: In the Old Testament, he was a nephew of Caleb, who became  the first ruling Judge of  the Israelites.




Yesterday a reader wondered about the reference to Strange Fire in reference to Nabad.
This was because how Nabad and his brother prepared the fire pans.  They had added Incense to the mix, and present the Fire to the Lord without his request.

Because they violated how the Fire was presented, with the addition of the Incense, and they did this without the Lord asking, they violated the construct of showing respect to the Lord.

Here is a link with more information on this.

http://biblehub.com/leviticus/10-1.htm