Operation Resurrection

Great to be back out doing what God has called us to do!

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
my God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised:
so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
The sorrows of death compassed me,
and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The sorrows of hell compassed me about:
the snares of death prevented me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD,
and cried unto my God:
he heard my voice out of his temple,
and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
Then the earth shook and trembled;
the foundations also of the hills moved
and were shaken, because he was wroth.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,
and fire out of his mouth devoured:
coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down:
and darkness was under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly:
yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his secret place;
his pavilion round about him
were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed,
hail stones and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the heavens,
and the Highest gave his voice;
hail stones and coals of fire.
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
Then the channels of waters were seen,
and the foundations of the world were discovered
at thy rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
He sent from above, he took me,
he drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
They prevented me in the day of my calamity:
but the LORD was my stay.
He brought me forth also into a large place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his judgments were before me,
and I did not put away his statutes from me.
I was also upright before him,
and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful;
with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure;
and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
For thou wilt save the afflicted people;
but wilt bring down high looks.
For thou wilt light my candle:
the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
For by thee I have run through a troop;
and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
As for God, his way is perfect:
the word of the LORD is tried:
he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
For who is God save the LORD?
or who is a rock save our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength,
and maketh my way perfect.
He maketh my feet like hinds' feet,
and setteth me upon my high places.
He teacheth my hands to war,
so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation:
and thy right hand hath holden me up,
and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Thou hast enlarged my steps under me,
that my feet did not slip.
I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them:
neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
I have wounded them that they were not able to rise:
they are fallen under my feet.
For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle:
thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies;
that I might destroy them that hate me.
They cried, but there was none to save them:
even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind:
I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people;
and thou hast made me the head of the heathen:
a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me:
the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
The strangers shall fade away,
and be afraid out of their close places.
The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock;
and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
It is God that avengeth me,
and subdueth the people under me.
He delivereth me from mine enemies:
yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me:
thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen,
and sing praises unto thy name.
Great deliverance giveth he to his king;
and sheweth mercy to his anointed,
to David, and to his seed for evermore.

Every Sunday night after the picnic we host a weekly laundry night for anyone in need of a wash!

At the laundromat tonight, we have a mom with 2 kiddos, in need of shelter support. Mary is short $39 to check in a room at the motel closest to here.

Laundry night, like the picnic, serves a few purposes. The obvious purpose is that people, regardless of economic status, need and deserve a way to wash and dry their clothes.

The other purpose is for situations such as this — to create a safe space that someone can go to get help when they’re not sure where to go.

The majority of our families today are now in rooms safe! Which is an insanely beautiful thing, so thank you, to everyone involved in this daily shelter effort.

We are just now getting back in contact with the mom we were connected to at QT a few nights ago, and she and her 4 kids, including an infant, our outside at a park right now in need of $80 to get back in a room safe.

In addition tonight Deseree’s family and Kristie’s family are still in need of shelter assistance — both short $80.

Any and all crisis donations possible are incredibly appreciated tonight. Thank you and peace and love ❤️

https://venmo.com/u/azhugs

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PTYMEP3U76L5C&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

https://www.change.org/p/declare-a-state-of-emergency-on-family-homelessness-in-arizona

Thus says the LORD,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
who brings forth chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.

The Value of Wisdom
My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you,
delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil,
men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.
So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words,
who forsakes the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
for her house sinks down to death,
and her paths to the departed;
none who go to her come back,
nor do they regain the paths of life.
So you will walk in the way of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it,
but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Proverbs 18 : Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh
and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
A fool hath no delight in understanding,
but that his heart may discover itself.
When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt,
and with ignominy reproach.
The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters,
and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
It is not good to accept the person of the wicked,
to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
A fool's lips enter into contention,
and his mouth calleth for strokes.
A fool's mouth is his destruction,
and his lips are the snare of his soul.
The words of a talebearer are as wounds,
and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
He also that is slothful in his work
is brother to him that is a great waster.
The name of the LORD is a strong tower:
the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
The rich man's wealth is his strong city,
and as an high wall in his own conceit.
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
and before honour is humility.
He that answereth a matter before he heareth it,
it is folly and shame unto him.
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity;
but a wounded spirit who can bear?
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge;
and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
A man's gift maketh room for him,
and bringeth him before great men.
He that is first in his own cause seemeth just;
but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
The lot causeth contentions to cease,
and parteth between the mighty.
A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city:
and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue:
and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing,
and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
The poor useth intreaties;
but the rich answereth roughly.
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:
and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

O God, why do you cast us off forever?
Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,
which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!
Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;
the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!
Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;
they set up their own signs for signs.
They were like those who swing axes
in a forest of trees.
And all its carved wood
they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
They set your sanctuary on fire;
they profaned the dwelling place of your name,
bringing it down to the ground.
They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;
they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
We do not see our signs;
there is no longer any prophet,
and there is none among us who knows how long.
How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?
Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!
Yet God my King is from of old,
working salvation in the midst of the earth.
You divided the sea by your might;
you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
You split open springs and brooks;
you dried up ever-flowing streams.
Yours is the day, yours also the night;
you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
you have made summer and winter.
Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,
and a foolish people reviles your name.
Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;
do not forget the life of your poor forever.
Have regard for the covenant,
for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;
let the poor and needy praise your name.
Arise, O God, defend your cause;
remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
Do not forget the clamor of your foes,
the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!
PSALM 74

The True Vine

Adapted from the John Volume of the Pillar New Testament Commentary Series

Throughout the Old Testament, God described Israel as His vine, planted with care, cultivated with patience, intended to bear fruit that would bless the nations. But as we who are familiar with the Old Testament know, the story kept ending the same way.

The vine produced sour grapes. Wild fruit. Nothing worth harvesting. The vine failed to accomplish its purpose.

The prophets returned to this image of a vine again and again. Isaiah sang of a vineyard that yielded only bad fruit despite every advantage (Isaiah 5:1-7). Jeremiah spoke of a choice vine that became corrupt (Jeremiah 2:21). Ezekiel warned that a fruitless vine was worthless and good only for burning (Ezekiel 15:1-8). The psalmist pleaded, "Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this vine, the root your right hand has planted" (Psalm 80:14-15).

It is with this backdrop when Jesus says to his fellow Israelite audience, "I am the true vine" (John 15:1).

Not another attempt at what Israel kept failing. The real thing. The vine that actually produces what God always wanted.

Where Israel failed, Jesus Christ succeeded.

Abiding in the true vine and meritorious work of Christ changes everything about how we approach the spiritual life. If you've ever felt the weight of trying harder, doing more, measuring up, hear this:

Jesus isn't asking you to succeed where Israel failed. He's announcing that he's already succeeded. Your job isn't to be a better vine. It's to be a branch, grafted in by the sheer grace of the master gardener and planted with life and vitality that can only be found in your union with Christ.

Branches don't strain to produce fruit through effort. They receive life from the vine, and fruit is a byproduct. What matters is connection, not performance.

This however, doesn't mean passivity. Jesus talks about remaining, abiding, letting his words make their home in us (John 15:4-7). There's an active receptivity involved. But the pressure is off in a profound way. You're not the source. He is.

Israel's repeated failure revealed something important: human effort and religious systems alone can't produce the fruit God desires. Only life flowing from Jesus can do that. And that life is available to anyone grafted into him.

Where are you straining to produce fruit in your own strength? What would it look like to stop performing and start receiving? The true vine has come. The life you need is already abundantly available to you. Your part is simply to stay connected.