From Gary... Compassion, action and love

Even without the title, everyone would understand what this mere dog is doing- Consoling someone in need of a little understanding (and obviously, a lot of love). When I saw this picture, I thought of the following  chapter from the gospel of John...

John, Chapter 11 (WEB)

  ¹ Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha.  ² It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother, Lazarus, was sick.  ³ The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, “Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick.”  ⁴ But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God’s Son may be glorified by it.”   ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.  ⁶ When therefore he heard that he was sick, he stayed two days in the place where he was.  ⁷ Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.” 

  ⁸  The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” 

  ⁹  Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world.   ¹⁰  But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.”   ¹¹ He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.” 

  ¹²  The disciples therefore said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 

  ¹³  Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep.  ¹⁴ So Jesus said to them plainly then, “Lazarus is dead.   ¹⁵  I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let’s go to him.” 

  ¹⁶  Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him.” 

  ¹⁷  So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.  ¹⁸ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away.  ¹⁹ Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.  ²⁰ Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house.  ²¹ Therefore Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.  ²² Even now I know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”  ²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 

  ²⁴  Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 

  ²⁵  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.   ²⁶  Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 

  ²⁷  She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.” 

  ²⁸  When she had said this, she went away, and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, “The Teacher is here, and is calling you.” 

  ²⁹  When she heard this, she arose quickly, and went to him.  ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha met him.  ³¹ Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” ³² Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” 

  ³³  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,  ³⁴ and said, “Where have you laid him?” 

They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 

  ³⁵  Jesus wept. 

  ³⁶  The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!”  ³⁷ Some of them said, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?” 

  ³⁸  Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” 

Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

  ⁴⁰  Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?” 

  ⁴¹  So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said,“Father, I thank you that you listened to me.   ⁴²  I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude that stands around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me.”   ⁴³ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice,“Lazarus, come out!” 

  ⁴⁴  He who was dead came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. 

Jesus said to them, “Free him, and let him go.” 

  ⁴⁵  Therefore many of the Jews, who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did, believed in him. 

Jesus loved Lazarus and that love was reflected in the tears that he shed for him.Jesus loved Lazarus so much that he raised him from the dead and as a result many people believed in the Son of God! Jesus loved Lazarus while he dwelt in this world and loves us now from his throne in heaven!!! Jesus loves ME, because he went to the cross to save me and everyone else who will believe in him. 

Jesus wept for Lazarus when he saw his condition and it makes me wonder- when Jesus sees all those who will not believe in him, does he weep for them? And if everyone could see those tears would they still disbelieve?

Just sayin...

From Gary... Bible Reading April 21

Bible Reading  

April 21

The World English Bible

Apr. 21

Numbers 33, 34

Num 33:1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Num 33:2 Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

Num 33:3 They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,

Num 33:4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahweh had struck among them: on their gods also Yahweh executed judgments.

Num 33:5 The children of Israel traveled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.

Num 33:6 They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

Num 33:7 They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon: and they encamped before Migdol.

Num 33:8 They traveled from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness: and they went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.

Num 33:9 They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim: and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there.

Num 33:10 They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.

Num 33:11 They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.

Num 33:12 They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.

Num 33:13 They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.

Num 33:14 They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.

Num 33:15 They traveled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.

Num 33:16 They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah.

Num 33:17 They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.

Num 33:18 They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah.

Num 33:19 They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez.

Num 33:20 They traveled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah.

Num 33:21 They traveled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah.

Num 33:22 They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah.

Num 33:23 They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher.

Num 33:24 They traveled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah.

Num 33:25 They traveled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth.

Num 33:26 They traveled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath.

Num 33:27 They traveled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah.

Num 33:28 They traveled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah.

Num 33:29 They traveled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah.

Num 33:30 They traveled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth.

Num 33:31 They traveled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan.

Num 33:32 They traveled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad.

Num 33:33 They traveled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah.

Num 33:34 They traveled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah.

Num 33:35 They traveled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber.

Num 33:36 They traveled from Ezion Geber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin (the same is Kadesh).

Num 33:37 They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

Num 33:38 Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of Yahweh, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.

Num 33:39 Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor.

Num 33:40 The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

Num 33:41 They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah.

Num 33:42 They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.

Num 33:43 They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth.

Num 33:44 They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab.

Num 33:45 They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad.

Num 33:46 They traveled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim.

Num 33:47 They traveled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.

Num 33:48 They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Num 33:49 They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.

Num 33:50 Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,

Num 33:51 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

Num 33:52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places:

Num 33:53 and you shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for I have given given the land to you to possess it.

Num 33:54 You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance: wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.

Num 33:55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you dwell.

Num 33:56 It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so will I do to you.

Num 34:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 34:2 Command the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders),

Num 34:3 then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward;

Num 34:4 and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh Barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar Addar, and pass along to Azmon;

Num 34:5 and the border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

Num 34:6 For the western border, you shall have the great sea and the border of it: this shall be your west border.

Num 34:7 This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for you Mount Hor;

Num 34:8 from Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad;

Num 34:9 and the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar Enan: this shall be your north border.

Num 34:10 You shall mark out your east border from Hazar Enan to Shepham;

Num 34:11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

Num 34:12 and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders around it.

Num 34:13 Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which Yahweh has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;

Num 34:14 for the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their fathers' houses, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to their fathers' houses, have received, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received, their inheritance:

Num 34:15 the two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise.

Num 34:16 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 34:17 These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Num 34:18 You shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.

Num 34:19 These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

Num 34:20 Of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.

Num 34:21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.

Num 34:22 Of the tribe of the children of Dan a prince, Bukki the son of Jogli.

Num 34:23 Of the children of Joseph: of the tribe of the children of Manasseh a prince, Hanniel the son of Ephod.

Num 34:24 Of the tribe of the children of Ephraim a prince, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.

Num 34:25 Of the tribe of the children of Zebulun a prince, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.

Num 34:26 Of the tribe of the children of Issachar a prince, Paltiel the son of Azzan.

Num 34:27 Of the tribe of the children of Asher a prince, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.

Num 34:28 Of the tribe of the children of Naphtali a prince, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.

Num 34:29 These are they whom Yahweh commanded to divide the inheritance to the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Apr. 20, 21

Luke 12

Luk 12:1 Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Luk 12:2 But there is nothing covered up, that will not be revealed, nor hidden, that will not be known.

Luk 12:3 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner chambers will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Luk 12:4 "I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

Luk 12:5 But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Luk 12:6 "Aren't five sparrows sold for two assaria coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God.

Luk 12:7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don't be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

Luk 12:8 "I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God;

Luk 12:9 but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

Luk 12:10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Luk 12:11 When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don't be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say;

Luk 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say."

Luk 12:13 One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

Luk 12:14 But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"

Luk 12:15 He said to them, "Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man's life doesn't consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses."

Luk 12:16 He spoke a parable to them, saying, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.

Luk 12:17 He reasoned within himself, saying, 'What will I do, because I don't have room to store my crops?'

Luk 12:18 He said, 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

Luk 12:19 I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry." '

Luk 12:20 "But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared-whose will they be?'

Luk 12:21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Luk 12:22 He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, don't be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.

Luk 12:23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

Luk 12:24 Consider the ravens: they don't sow, they don't reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!

Luk 12:25 Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?

Luk 12:26 If then you aren't able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest?

Luk 12:27 Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Luk 12:28 But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?

Luk 12:29 Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious.

Luk 12:30 For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things.

Luk 12:31 But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.

Luk 12:32 Don't be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

Luk 12:33 Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don't grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn't fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys.

Luk 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luk 12:35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning.

Luk 12:36 Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.

Luk 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them.

Luk 12:38 They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so.

Luk 12:39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Luk 12:40 Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don't expect him."

Luk 12:41 Peter said to him, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?"

Luk 12:42 The Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?

Luk 12:43 Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes.

Luk 12:44 Truly I tell you, that he will set him over all that he has.

Luk 12:45 But if that servant says in his heart, 'My lord delays his coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken,

Luk 12:46 then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn't expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn't know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.

Luk 12:47 That servant, who knew his lord's will, and didn't prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,

Luk 12:48 but he who didn't know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whoever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

Luk 12:49 "I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled.

Luk 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

Luk 12:51 Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.

Luk 12:52 For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

Luk 12:53 They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Luk 12:54 He said to the multitudes also, "When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it happens.

Luk 12:55 When a south wind blows, you say, 'There will be a scorching heat,' and it happens.

Luk 12:56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time?

Luk 12:57 Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?

Luk 12:58 For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

Luk 12:59 I tell you, you will by no means get out of there, until you have paid the very last penny."