But God

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  (I Corinthians 15:57)

Title got your attention didn't it!
I am the butt, but God is...
He is my help, hope, deliverer and I am once again very grateful

"You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to . . . save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

“Their beauty shall be consumed in the grave . . . . But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave” (Psalm 49:14-15).

“My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm. 73:26).

“Because the patriarchs (Joseph’s brothers) were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and his all his palace.  (Acts 7:9-10)

 “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8).

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard . . . the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

Go Tampa Bay Lightning!

The World Cup is tied with the Chicago Blackhawks 2-2 meanwhile outside …. more Lightning

Lightning is a sudden electrostatic discharge during an electrical storm between electrically charged regions of a cloud between that cloud and another cloud or between a cloud and the ground.

And it happens a lot did you know?  Cloud-to-ground lightning bolts are a common phenomenon—about 100 strike hit the Earth's surface every single second—yet their power is extraordinary. Each bolt can contain up to one billion volts of electricity.

Although lightning is always accompanied by the sound of thunder, distant lightning may be seen but be too far away for the thunder to be heard. 

Do you find it electrifying? Terrifying? Inspiring? All of these are valid responses, and indeed, hints to deeper symbolic meaning of lightning. Lightning is a metaphor for human emotions such as: Fear, Reverence, Creativity and much more. Witnessing lightning has a tendency to churn up a whole slew of internal reactions. In essence, lightning ignites our deeper selves. These bolts of energy can potentially tap into our basic emotions. In many cultures, lightning has been viewed as part of a deity or a deity in and of itself. How does it make you feel when you see that powerful voltage crackling in the skies?

Thunder and lightning announced the presence and power of God.  Exodus 19:16-18.

Power of God: "He made .... a way for the lightning" Job 28:26; "He directs .... his lightning" Job 37:3; Ask the LORD…. who fashions lightning Zechariah 10:1

Bright and/or shining: Daniel in his vision saw a man and "his face (was) as the appearance of lightning" Daniel 10:6

Figuratively and poetically: David sings of Yahweh…He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them. Psalm 18:14; used for speed: The chariots .... run like the lightnings Nahum 2:4: His arrow shall go forth as the lightning Zechariah 9:14; The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning Ezekiel 1:14. The coming of the kingdom is described by Jesus as the shining of the lightning from one part of heaven to another, even…from the east to the west Matthew 24:27; Luke 17:24

 

Judgement and wrath Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. Revelation 16:18

 

Wonder and awe:  From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5

 

In fact, the Bible says that once man has seen the magnificence, the intricacies, and the beauties of what has been created, and light shows in the sky….we then have no excuse for not knowing that God exists. And if God is for real, then we should be very excited, appreciative, interested and humbled in what He has to say about where we are now and where we are going.

 

For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.... Romans 1:20

 

Go outside and stand in a severe thunderstorm and think about where you stand with the God of the Universe? 

 

 
 
  

Hands Held High

Lift your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.

Psalm 134:2
 

14 different reasons lifting hands in church and worship
is the best response you can give the Lord!
 

CHEER & CELEBRATE:  as in a hockey game… GO BOLTS!
EXTEND:  to give a gift
FEEL the breeze
GIVE UP: finished, done, can’t do it anymore
GREET:  to signal, to hail, to get the attention of
HELP:  for rescue, desperation
LOVE:  child running to dad for hug
OATH:  I swear, “I promise to tell the truth”
OPEN:  I come in peace, I have nothing to hide
QUESTION OR REPSONSE:  classroom or vote – “all in favor”
REACH to grab or get something
RECEIVE: an award or gift
SURRENDER: “reach for the sky”
VICTORY it is finished, touchdown, score

 

3

Jameis Winston will wear No. 3 for the Bucs

Cleric: And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it.
Brother Maynard: Amen.
All: Amen.
King Arthur: Right. One... two... five!
Galahad: Three, sir.
King Arthur: Three!

Day by Day" is a song from the 1971 musical “Godspell”
Day by day, oh, dear Lord, three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly, day by day

The number 3 is used 467 times in the Bible. It is a symbol for completeness
3 in 1, the Trinity – I John 5:7
3 strand cord is not easily broken - Ecclesiastes 4:12
3 men at the transfiguration – Matthew 17:1
3 times Jesus prayed in the garden - Luke 22:39-46
3 days Jesus in the tomb – Matthew 12:40
3 gifts of the wise men – Matthew 2:11
3 blessings of the Old Testament – Numbers 6:23-24
3 times a day that Daniel prayed – Daniel 6:10
3 greatest – faith, hope and love - I Corinthians 13:13

What are 3 things I can be on a quest to honor the Lord today?

Gird Up Your Loins

IN THE BIBLE
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;. I Peter 1:13 KJV

Now, gird up your loins and arise, and speak to them all which I command you. Do not be dismayed before them, or I will dismay you before them.  Jeremiah 1:17 NASB

LEARN FROM THE BIBLE TODAY

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — The blue sneakers were the subject of the crime. But it was a Long Island man's red underwear that led him into the hands of police.
Police tell Newsday that 18-year-old Taykim Ross stole $200, electronics and Air Jordan sneakers from an apartment Monday and stopped in the backyard to try on the new kicks. That's when a neighbor snapped a photo of him with red boxers visible above his jeans.
Hempstead Village Officer Russell Harris says he was returning after a canvass of the neighborhood when he noticed someone taking garbage out in his mirror. Harris says he saw someone bending over with "bright red underwear." Turns out, it was an exact match of the photo.  Ross will be arraigned Tuesday. 

APPLICATION

• God is relevant
• Read the Bible
• Do what it says
• Pull up your pants!

People who make music out of carrots

Check out the linsey pollak, carrot clarinet youtube video

QUOTES

Music and food go well together

Make me an instrument of Your peace… St Francis

Be a useful tool in the Master’s hands

Veggie Tales….veggie tales…veggie tales… veg gie tales

 

SCRIPTURES

God created everything good I Timothy 4:4

God created for noble purposes 2 Timothy 2:20

Make a joyful noise (with everything, anytime, anywhere, with what you have) Psalm 98:4

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. Psalm 34:1

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord Psalm 150:6

We are all the work of Your hand  Isaiah 64:8

Creation praises God  Psalm 148

The trees clap their hands Psalm 98: 8

If I don’t praise Him the rocks (carrots) are gonna cry out Luke 19:40

God makes everything beautiful in His own time Ecclesiastes 4:1

Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.  Psalm 150:4

 

APPLICATION

What can I do, use, make, be… to make music to and for the Lord today?