Thousand

"You are a people holy to Jehovah, your God," Deuteronomy 7:6.

Holy. Set aside, exclusive for a specific purpose. A people for a divine will. God chose this particular people distinct from out of all other peoples on earth. God chose this people as his very own separate possession. As his treasure. Why? Not because they had so much to offer. (They had nothing.) Not because they deserved it. (They didn't.) Not because they were righteous. (They weren't.) So, why? Just because. Just because God loves you. Because God remains ever true to his promises. Because God stands faithful through a thousand lifetimes. Because Jehovah God is God. And none that trusts in him will be put to shame. Why not? Because the Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

We meet today with a brother or sister, qualified by our common confession: Jesus is Lord. And, together, he has joined us into that fellowship of praise enthroning our God.

Nestling

"Peace be upon Israel," Psalm 125:5.

Peace, by God's grace. Not all descendants of Jacob are Israel. The remnant faithful to you, O God, these make up true Israel. Yes. Those whom you called, both from the Jews as from among the Gentiles, these entail your own Israel. You called them in the gospel of Christ. All of your spiritual Israel, Jews and Gentiles, will be saved. These who trust in you, O Lord, like immovable mountains, abide forever. Yes! You, O God, surround us like mountains nestling the valley. You do good to us. You stop evil doers. Your peace endures for ever. All praise to you!

As we visit with a brother or sister today, we extend to each other the peace Jesus brought into us. And, together, as his Israel, we lift up our voices to glorify the God of the ages! Sky kingdom.

Elect

"God chose us in Christ," Ephesians 1:4.

Elect in the son. God blessed us in Christ. God blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Chosen in Christ. God chose us so that: so that in front of God's face we are holy and without blame. Yes. In Christ we are holy and without blame. God planned ahead of time for this very thing before the world had a foundation to rest on. God decided to make us his children through Jesus Christ before the cosmos was there. God pre-ordained this in keeping with his wishes. God predetermined such grace for the praise of his glory. God gave us this in the Beloved son. In the Beloved, we have redemption through his blood. In the Beloved, we have forgiveness of transgressions. In the Beloved, God lavished us with wisdom and insight - to know the mystery of God's will. Just because he wanted to move it forward in his Beloved son, God willed to unite all things. To unite everything in Christ. Everything in Christ. All in the skies. All on earth. In Christ. Nowhere else. God predestined. In Christ. Sky kingdom.

As we visit with a brother or sister today, we joy knowing that for ever ago God had already planned great things for us in Christ. And, together, we praise the glory of his grace. Wow! and, Wow!

Homage

"What pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God," 1 Corinthians 10:20.

The dimension in which we live, our world, includes a confusion of gods. All sorts of new gods created in the image of humans receive human homage. All sorts of demons, passing as gods, deceive human feelings. Yet, this realm in which we live, our world, also points to the One and Only, to the God of gods, Lord of lords, Creator of skies and of earth and of all worlds. And this One God calls his children to participate, to share, to fellowship, to commune with his Christ. And nowhere else. God calls his own to distinguish between the mess hall of idolatry's trash offerings and the Lord's table offering his cup of the covenant, his bread of life. No other fare offers eternity.

Meeting with a brother or sister today, we offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to our God. And, together, we live dining only at the table of Christ.

Reaper

"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man sowing grain," Matthew 13:24.

Jesus' parable here tells of a farmer planting good grain in his field, but a sneaky enemy plants weeds in it. Then, the farmer discovers a field of weeds growing with his grain. So, what's he to do? This: He keeps the grain safe by leaving the weeds. But. But at harvest, he orders the field hands first to collect and destroy the weeds. And, he orders them to collect the grain into his barn. So the sky kingdom is like Jesus. He places his kingdom's children into the world. Now, the devil places his children into the world, too. They grow together. But. But at the end of time, Jesus will send his reaper angels to extract all causers of sin, all law-breakers, from out of his kingdom to throw them into the fiery furnace. No happiness there. Then the good people will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. That's the reveal all creation awaits.

We visit with a brother or sister today encouraging each other in God's good ways. And, together, we give thanks as we engage the good deeds he planned for us in Christ.

Press

"Creation anticipates with eager excitement the reveal of God's sons," Romans 8:19.

Creation's waiting about what? Well, God had changed everything he originally created to become useless. The creation did not evolve its own futility. Rather, futility got pressed into the cosmos. God forced the world into slavery. He impressed it to decay and rot. But, too, God imprinted hope alongside that futility. Hope - confident expectation of a better tomorrow. (But the better thing isn't here now!) Hope for liberty from decay to thriving life. Creation's freedom, however, comes as a byproduct of something else. Of what? Of the glory of God's children, when on a certain day in the future, they are clearly shown for Whose they are. So, in our present sufferings, we wait, eager yet patient, for that reveal.

We press on today with a brother or sister, confident for the day when God makes our bodies whole. And, already having the first part of the Spirit's promises, we give thanks together to God for making us his children, sure heirs with Christ.

Thus

"Thus says Jehovah God, the King of Israel, the Redeemer, the Lord of armies!" Isaiah 44:6.

OK. So what is the thus that God said? This: I am the first and I am the last. (The first what? The last what?) This: Outside of me there is no god. (But what about all those gods people always talk about?) Thus says the Lord: Any god that's out there, Stand up! Say so! Foretell the future! And make it happen! That's the thus that says the Lord. And the Lord says this thus, too, to his people: You are witnesses to my provision and care. So, don't fear. Don't be afraid. I don't know any foundation god for you. Except for me: I am the One and the Only, the Rock. Thus says the Lord.

We stand today with a brother or sister on God, built upon the Rock our God declared we must follow. And, together, we praise his building of us into his holy temple whose cornerstone is Christ.

Hooray

"Guilt overwhelms me, but you forgive our sins," Psalm 65:4.

Dear God, we praise you! We'll keep our promises to you! You hear our prayers. Everyone on earth will come to you. You forgive us. The people you choose to live inside your courtyards find happiness. Good things from your house, from the very holiness of your temple, fill us up. Oh, you answer us in amazing ways. You! The God of our salvation! The hope of all peoples to land's end! Yes, of people over the farthest seas! We trust in you. Your strength built the mountains. Your peace calmed raging seas. Your serenity quieted disturbed crowds. You awaken dawn to unfold in song. You lull evening into tranquil bliss. Your wonders awe us.

We visit a brother or sister today, atoned for by God's own desire. And, forgiven together, we shout Hooray! to our God and his Christ: Hallelujah!

Gown

"Fine linen, bright and clean, was given for her to wear," Revelation 19:8.

Who's wearing this remarkable apparel? She is, of course, the bride. She's readied with such finery: it's clean, neat, pure. No spots or wrinkles or blemishes or anything like that. Oh, yes! Such attention to detail: finely woven, bright, silky. Elegant. Stunning. (And the occasion? her wedding, obviously - pay attention!) So what's the wedding gown made of? It is the visiting of orphans and widows. The feeding of the hungry. Giving drink to the thirsty. The clothing of the naked. The welcoming of aliens. The visiting of the imprisoned. The touching of the sick. The bridal gown is the righteous deeds of people made holy by Jesus' sacrifice. The bride is the sanctified congregation. The wedding: the joining of groom and bride. The groom: Christ.

As we visit displaced with a brother or sister (or kid), today we add to the seamless weaving of the bridal gown begun millennia ago. And, together, we offer real worship to our God.

Accuser

"The accuser of our brothers has been cast out," Revelation 12:10.

That's what a megaphone voice in the sky blared out. Who's been cast out? The accuser. Accuser of whom? Of the brothers and sisters who won. Who won what? Well. There was this war raging in the sky, you see, Michael and his angels battling Satan and his angels. Ah! wait, back up a little: Satan had always been accusing people to have them get God's raging punishments. Too, Satan had tried to kill God's own child, ruler of all peoples. And kill the child's mother, too. So, as you might imagine, civil war in the sky! Anyway. Michael won. Satan was summarily thrown out of the sky. And all people who gave allegiance to God by the blood of the Lamb (that's God's son) - they won too. No accuser remains against them before the sky's judgment seat. Just the Lamb's blood-bought forgiveness on the ark of the covenant. Infinite Good News!

We meet with a brother or sister today exonerated from all accusations by the blood of the covenant. And, together, we give praises to God for his eternal gospel.

Flashing

"This is the one who hears the word and understands it," Matthew 13:23.

So. Who's this one guy (or gal)? Who's this hearing and understanding person? It's the one who hears the word of the kingdom and gets it! Yeah. But how do we know they got it? Well, they're like seed planted in good earth. Yes. They produce lots of fruit by hanging in there no matter what. They set their minds carefully to the teaching so that it does not slip away from them. They root their minds deeply into the teaching rather than relying in flashing feelings of joy or of sorrow. They pursue the word tenaciously rather than caring about the choking paths of wealth. Yep. That's how. They hold on tight to the word of the kingdom of the skies. At any rate, that's Jesus' good message about the kingdom.

As we see a brother or sister today, we remind each other of the good word. And, together, we root thanksgivings for God in his word of grace that even we may understand.

Grammar

"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God," Romans 8:16.

Back to 7th grade grammar, here. And it's about prepositions. (Oh, brother! not that again! but Yes, God's in grammar details, too.). It's about the difference between *with* and *to*. Sometimes folks confuse the preposition in the scripture to say: The Spirit testifies *to* our spirit. But it doesn't. No, not at all. It says *with*. Understand first: The Holy Spirit dwells inside all in whom Christ dwells. These received the Spirit of adoption. Adopted by God! Putting to death the body's deeds, these live to follow the Spirit's leading. So, these people call God, Father or Abba (that just means Dad). And when these call God their father, it is the Spirit himself testifying (to God!) with their spirit that they are God's children. To God. The very Spirit of God's Christ, dwelling in them calls out to God as their father. Deep calling to Deep. And God hears the Spirit of his son united with their spirit's call. And God recognizes them as his own children indeed, heirs together with his Son, Jesus. Good News!

We meet with a brother or sister today, true siblings, true children of our Father. And, together, we praise God for adopting us into his family with Jesus. Sky kingdom.

Way

"All the trees of the field shall clap their hands," Isaiah 55:10.

If we listen carefully, right now, can we hear the thunder? The thunder of their clapping? Of the trees clapping their hands? Oh, yes! Too, we can hear the mountains and the hills bursting out in song. They're singing right in front of us! Do we hear the tune? Yes! God's Word's going out to do God's purpose! It leaves his mouth to succeed by God's own command. God's ways, so removed from our own, herald his abundant pardon to any who forsake their own ways. Who call on the name of Jehovah God. Who turn back to the Lord. God's making, right now, as we listen carefully, an everlasting covenant without money or price. God says, to those who listen: Come to me, and hear, so that your soul may live! Jesus' eternal gospel knocks on the doors of our hearts. Right now. Sky kingdom.

We join a brother or sister today along the Way to obey the call that the Lord makes on our hearts. And, together, we join all creation's song of praise to the glory of our God and King!

Twice

"God spoke once and I heard it twice," Psalm 62:11.

What did we hear again? (and over again? and again?) You, O God, own power! You own steadfast love! You do pay attention to us, you reward our actions! Our quieted souls wait for your salvation. You remain our fortress. Though we lean like unstable fences, nothing shakes us. Our hope rocks on you, our glory. We trust in you. We pour out our hearts in the face of your presence. When we trust in commoners, it's trusting in a wisp of breath. When we trust in the rich and powerful, it's trusting in a mirage. Only you have substance. In you alone, O God, do we find refuge! Thank you!

We visit with a brother or sister today to hear God's voice. And, together, we listen to his word spoken to hold the universe together and to lift up our souls. Praise you, God!

Own

"Into which he called you through our gospel," 2 Thessalonians 2:14.

Who called? God. Whom did God call? God called you, whom he chose. God chose you into what? God chose you into salvation. God chose you to be saved, how? Through the Spirit's making you holy, through your belief in the truth. (What truth? that God made Jesus Lord. Christ. Savior.) God chose you so that you could own Jesus' own glory. How cool is that?! But wait! By what means did God call you? By means of the Good News. The Gospel. The Glad Tidings. When did God call you? When you heard the gospel preacher preach the gospel message you heard God's call. That's when.

As we visit with a brother or sister today we share the good news of God's call on our lives. And, together, we give thanks for the hope of owning Jesus' glory!

Benightedness

"They did not cease teaching, proclaiming the Good News: the Christ is Jesus," Acts 5:42.

Evangelizing. That's what evangelizing is. Proclaiming the Good News. The Gospel. Glad Tidings! They evangelized. (Who evangelized? Those witnesses to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.) They told the gospel story of Jesus. That Jesus was God's chosen emissary. God's apostle. God's Messenger. God's Anointed. God's Messiah. God's Christ. God's Special. God's Savior. God's Redeemer. God's Lamb. God's sacrifice. God's Ruler. God's King. God's Son. That in Jesus was life, and his life is the light of humankind. That Jesus shines! Good News. They didn't stop telling it. Sky kingdom.

When we meet a brother or sister today we greet each other with glad tidings. And, together, we give thanks to God for Jesus who brings light into our benightedness.

Surprise

"You have revealed them to babies," Matthew 11:25.

Who revealed these things? God. To whom did God reveal these things? To babies, little children. From whom did God hide these things? From the skilled and the intelligent. And by what basis did God unexpectedly hide these things from the one and surprisingly reveal to the other? By the pleasure of God's own face - just by virtue of how God wanted, beholden to no one. OK. So what, exactly, did God hide here and reveal there? This: God handed everything over to Jesus. Jesus alone can show God to anyone. So. Jesus, Son of the Father, shows God to whom? To all. To every laboring, burdened soul. To whom? To any who will learn from him. To all who take up Jesus' own yoke, his burden. It's easy. It's light. And Jesus will give their souls rest. Surprise!

We visit with a labored brother or burdened sister today hearing Jesus' call on our lives. And, together in grateful quiet, we see God and find rest for our souls.

Unbounded

"Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord," Romans 7:25.

Why? because he delivered each of us from the deadly war raging within. Deadly? yes, a law had usurped our bodies to bend our minds to do its death-wish. What law? a death-wish fleshly law. Bend our minds? yes, in our inner selves we agreed that God's law was very good and we wanted to do good. But this other law, sin's death-wish fleshly law, took over our bodies and drove us against God's ways. So we were at war within our own selves! The battle ground? Our own bodies and minds. Desperate minds bending impotently to bodily wants instead of bodies yielding to mindful, spiritual desires. Graveyards filled with the remains. But God did what what his good law couldn't do for us. He gave us Jesus to battle, and die, and return to victorious life, for us. Sky kingdom.

When we meet with a brother or sister today we share in the unbounded liberty Christ provides us. And, together, we give eternal thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Donkey

"His kingdom shall be from sea to sea," Zechariah 9:10.

Whose kingdom? The king's kingdom. (Well, we sort of knew that!). What king? The king that rode in to Zion on a donkey. The humble king. The king who always did the right thing. The king who brought salvation. (Salvation from what? from the waterless pit. Where we all mucked around before, prisoners of hope.) The king who spoke peace to the nations. The king of Zion. The king who sits on the throne of David. The king whose blood sealed the covenant between God and peoples. The king whose God, Jehovah, set the boundaries of the kingdom: from the River to all of earth's ends. The sky kingdom pouring out upon the earth.

We meet today with a brother or sister prisoners of hope. And, together, we look to our king, Jesus, who has delivered, and will deliver, his kingdom into the secure hand of God.

Argue

"See my suffering and save me," Psalm 119:153.

Lord, Jehovah God: You do argue our case. You save us. (Thank you!) You bring us life by your promises. Your kindness overflows. (Thank you!) Wicked people don't seek your demands. But we remember your teachings. You bring life by your laws. (Thank you!) When adversaries increase, we still love your orders. You give life by your steadfast love. (Thank you!) From beginning to end your word is truth. Your every detail remains fair for always. (Thank you!) We trust in you.

As we meet a brother or sister today, we share in the sufferings of this age, and in the hope of God's tomorrow. And, together from our hearts we say to our God: Thank You!

Forgotten

"A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph," Exodus 1:8.

So this king came afraid of Joseph's kin and family. Rather than expanding God's blessings through Joseph's good service to the country, this king stopped the blessings and invoked hardships. Old people fade away, new people arise. People forget those who went before, and whom they do remember does no justice to the countless forgotten. So what's the point even trying to do the good? Nobody remembers. Except. Except, of course, God. Notices and remembers. Pays attention to finest detail. Recognizes a cup of water. Responds to tiny faith. So knowing this, we abound in the Lord's work knowing. Knowing. Knowing that in the Lord the labor of good is never wasted. Sky kingdom.

As we meet a brother or sister today we remember the one who forgets not. And, together, we give thanks to him who remembers and will call us by name out from forgotten graves.

Peculiar

"You are a peculiar people," 1 Peter 2:9.

That's the line given any number of times when kids (and other learners) might ask about some practice in their religion that is at odds with what folks in the wider religious community might do. The kids are to understand that God's people just do some weird things. Now, God's people indeed express uncommon loyalty and love for each other since they confess Jesus as Lord. Yet, the peculiarity in that line above nuances something else. It tells that people who once were nobodies, but who now believe in Christ, become a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. They become particular to God. God's own personal treasured possession. Peculiar to God. An extraordinary people. Sky kingdom.

When we meet with a brother or sister today, we recognize God, Maker of nobodies into extraordinaries. And, together, we give thanks to God, Maker of heaven and earth.

Least

"Whoever gives a drink, a cup of cool water, to one of these little ones just because they are followers, will not lose his reward," Matthew 10:42.

Who won't lose the reward? Whoever. Whoever gives a drink to the least follower. Follower? Follower of whom? Follower of Jesus. (God pays close attention to life details.) Yes. Whoever receives a good person because they're good, will receive a good person's reward. Whoever receives a prophet because they're a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward. Jesus insists on these truths. Yes. He had said: Whoever receives Jesus' missionaries, receives Jesus, and whoever receives Jesus receives who sent him. God. (What reward? Read that last line again.)

As we offer hospitality to a brother or sister today we participate in Christ's mission. And, together, we praise God's grace for his over-the-top generous rewards.

Another

"You have died to the law through Christ's body, to belong to another: to the one raised from the dead," Romans 7:4.

This is fundamental gospel instruction: God's very good law only sharpened awareness of and awoke in us sin's deepest reaches to bear its fruit - death. That was then. But now we belong to Christ in whose resurrection we now bear living fruit for God. We no longer belong to law's slavery. Yes, we died to the captivity of the law's written code. Oh yes! We belong to the living Christ. And now we serve in the Spirit's new life. We now obey Jesus, prophet of God, teaching us his word of life!

We visit with a brother or sister today knowing we belong to the Risen Christ. And, together, we live out thankful, Spirit-empowered lives bearing fruit through Christ for our God.

Words

 "Then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet," Jeremiah 28:9.

So. How to know that it's really God who speaks through some prophet? That's always the problem, isn't it? One prophet speaks peace, another speaks war, another yet something else. So. How do you know which one's God's real prophet? Here's what the Good Book says: If the thing the prophet spoke about comes true, then that was God at work in the prophet. (You get to know after the thing happens.) The Good Book also says this about that: If any one thing the prophets spoke about does not come true, then they're no prophets from God, but false prophets. Ancient Israel stoned such presumptuous prophets to death. The advantage we have in these last days is this: the Good Book spells out the words of God's ultimate prophet, his son, Jesus, whom he made Lord and Christ. And God said: Hear ye him.

As we spend time with a brother or sister today in the gospel, we listen attentively to our God-sent prophet, priest, and king, Jesus. And, together, we sing thanksgivings for God's wonderful words of life.

Name

"I will protect him because he knows my name," Psalm 91:14.

So says God, the All-powerful. Thank you, Most High God! Thank you, for deliverance! You have covered us with your wings. You have given courage in the middle of terrors. Of midnight disease. Of noon pestilence. Of wasting destruction. You are our dwelling place. You, yourself, O God, are our home. You have borne us up. We have learned your name, who you are. You are our refuge, our fortress! We hold you fast in love. We see your salvation! Praise you!

Visiting with a brother or sister today we find shelter in the presence of Jehovah God, and of his Christ. And, together, we express unutterable thanks for hope that will find justification beyond wildest dreams in the age to come.