JESUS SAID, "HANDLE ME.... "FEEL AND HANDLE ME (AMPLIFIED VERSION)

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard; which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have  HANDLED, of The Word of LIFE..." 1 John1:1 KJV what words the Apostle/Disciple John spoke as he preached on the resurrection and appearing of Jesus Christ. He wanted all who listened to know the ONE who rose from the dead, that HE lives and they touched HIM, ate with HIM and later watched HIM ascend into Heaven, home to THE FATHER, GLORY!!!!  Jesus Himself said, ..."HANDLE ME (FEEL AND HANDLE ME (AMP)) and see"....Luke 24:39. He looked faithless right smooth in the face, and spoke to it!! But it wasn't until He opened their understanding, that they could understand the Scriptures (v.45). Look at what Jesus is saying. Blessed are those who believe and have not seen (John 20:29). It is more so for us today than back then. To have our understanding opened by Him, we will have to HANDLE HIM.  How?  By relationship with Him, In communicating with Him, praying, talking to Him, and most importantly walking in love. Yes, walking by faith. Faith works by love, so you can not do one without the other. They are not independent of each other, each depends on the other, for the success of it. The WORD became flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld His Glory, the Glory of the only begotten of THE FATHER)  full of grace and truth, John1:14. As flesh, The WORD became HANDLE- able by any and all who made the choice to. Dwelling amongst us makes it easily available to HANDLE,  by choice of course. Those that chose to HANDLE HIM, did so by choice and received goodness, grace, healings, precious lessons learned, faith-filled promises, resurrections, love, guidance, being set free from life long, generational bondages, so much, from HANDLING THE WORD. We may not know  all that Jesus did in one lifetime, as the Apostle indicated (John 21:25)  but what we have in the Scriptures does make it clear that Jesus is to be HANDLED. He came to do the will of His FATHER.  Our FATHER, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Matt. 6:9-10. This prayer that Jesus taught tells us so much:  1. Our FATHER (God belongs to all of us),2. His will is for Earth - where His children are, 3.Like it is in Heaven - where He is, 4. There is no Name Higher than His Name (Philip. 2:9).  More can be said, but FORWARD I go. Some of the people that HANDLED  Jesus as He walked  this earth, expected and received from Him. He constantly said He came to do the will of MY FATHER.  So the receivers came and got the FATHER'S WILL for them. I want to write about a few who did  the unexpected, unheard of, unlawful, extraordinary, and sometimes, sneaky receivers who made the choice to approach Jesus with what they had, although they did not know they had it, but Jesus saw it and told them  that what is done is because of it; their FAITH.  Many came and received from JESUS  as they HANDLED HIM.  For this post, this list is no where near close to ALL, that He did as John said at the end of His book.  These  choices from the Scriptures serve a purpose for now (21st Century) to remind us that in a world where qualifications and approval determine success for earthly things, they mean nothing to GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.   Faith is what it takes to please GOD, and all humans were given a measure of it. Rom.12:3, Heb.11:6.  Accepting Jesus in your heart is all it takes for Spiritual success which overrides earthly success.  One of my faith favs  who HANDLED Jesus in an extraordinary way was Blind Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus)  sitting on the side of the road begging.  With all the commotion, he asked, what's up?  The crowd told him Jesus was passing by.  He immediately called out to Him for help. The thing that is extraordinary is that Bartimaeus called Him  Son of David  as he sought for Jesus attention.  He worshipped GOD  as he honored  Jesus knowing that the Scriptures were preached that the Messiah would be given the throne of David.  Calling Him the Son of David, told Jesus that this man, blindness and all, was a true seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and an heir to the promise. Deut.28:1-14.  He had a right to be heard (healed)  and he HANDLED Jesus with what he was taught as a seed of Abraham. His Faith made him be loud about it, even when the crowd said, "Be Quiet".  The crowd  thought him unworthy of Jesus and unimportant, after all he was begging.  But Jesus considered him worthy and valued,  as He does ALL GOD'S children, no matter their station in life. Mark 10:46-52.  Likewise, Zacchaeus, a rich tax collector, ran ahead and climbed a tree to get a look at Jesus.  He was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd.  He did what he could to get to Jesus and the goodness and kindness of Jesus made it easy for Zacchaeus to HANDLE HIM.  Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus' house for  dinner and Zacchaeus was delighted, and that encounter caused Jesus to declare that Salvation has come to this house, PRAISE GOD ALMIGHTY!!!  Jesus said, "I came to seek and to save those who are lost".  Thank GOD!! (What if Zacchaeus had not climbed that tree?...)  He  HANDLED  JESUS. Luke 19:1-10.  What about the crowds?  Everywhere He went, crowds followed Him.  Many were healed, delivered, set free, raised  from the dead, fed and taught.  The crowds HANDLED JESUS.  The disciples  HANDLED JESUS, Jairus, Mary, Martha , HANDLED JESUS.  The Samaritan woman and her entire village  HANDLED JESUS.  The Roman officer, the bleeding woman, the bent over woman all HANDLED JESUS.  So many  HANDLED JESUS.  But, there were those who would not nor did not  HANDLE JESUS.  The Pharisees  would not, in spite of all the good works He did right in front of their faces, they would not HANDLE HIM.  They sought to destroy Jesus from the 1st mighty work He did.  His hometown people would not HANDLE HIM.  They thought they knew Him therefore He could not be so important.  As a result , no one there could  receive any mighty work because of their lack of faith.  He wanted to do some mighty work there and laid hands on a few sick folk. Lack of faith shut it down.  It takes faith to please GOD, and when GOD is right in front of you, you will need to believe He exist and that He rewards those that diligently seek Him. Heb. 11:6.  Hometown folk did not meet any of those requirements.  Finally, Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader, also a Pharisee came to Jesus on the sneak - sneak or (at night).  He said a lot to Jesus as he  HANDLED HIM,  but he  received a teaching from THE GREATEST OF ALL TEACHERS ever.  Personally, I think Nicodemus could have wrote  many best sellers, based on what Jesus taught him.  None of them would out sell the Bible, of course,  but what a read he could have wrote.  Acknowledging that they knew GOD sent Him to teach them,  based on all the miraculous signs that point to GOD ALONE. Jesus begins to tell Nicodemus about being born again,  not by fleshly will but by water and the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit produces  Spiritual Life and that is the reproduction needed to enter the Kingdom of GOD. As a Jewish teacher,  Nicodemus did not understand the Heavenly things Jesus taught about and He told Nicodemus, "you don't believe me when I speak of earthly things, we have seen and know about, how can you understand Heavenly things.  I am the only one who came down from Heaven, so I have that kind of knowledge". (21st Century rendering of John3:13). "GOD so loved this world, He sent Me...I am the light, but this world loved the darkness and its actions are evil because of that darkness. But those who love the light will do what is right and come to the light". John 3:1-21.  Jesus is to be HANDLED.  He will never turn away anyone, no matter what.  He came for EVERYONE, but only certain people will willingly (or by choice)  HANDLE HIM.  When He grieved over Jerusalem,  that was the world, He wanted to gather together, "but you wouldn't let Me".  Matt 23:37-39.  We will have to let Him, by  HANDLING HIM on purpose as He said,  ...."HANDLE ME AND SEE; FOR A SPIRIT HATH NOT FLESH AND BONES AS YOU SEE ME HAVE". Luke 24:39 KJV. Praise GOD at all times and seasons in life!!
I Love You!!
John 3, 1John1:1...., John 20:27, Rom. 12:3,  Rom.10, Heb. 11.

THE WOMEN: COMPASSIONATE, KIND, HUMBLE, GENTLE, PATIENT:GOD STRONG

Scripture is filled with women and stories of their accomplishments, doings, misfortunes, failures, successes and just about all aspects of their lives. From Eve forward The Holy Word talks about all kinds of women of faith, even though they may not be titled as such.  In our times today, when we read about them in the Scriptures, we can see their faith and belief in GOD.   They talked to GOD, (think Hannah), became warriors for GOD's people,(think Jael, Debra), and of course, did what The Creator created them to do, have children. That  alone can cause this writer to write on that subject alone, but the spirit that is upon me is taking me in another direction. I will say this: There is only one way to come into this world, if you are a human being, and that is through the womb of a woman.  The process that GOD created before the foundations of the world has not changed, nor has it been altered in any form.  It is so, period.  But that is not what this post is about either.  The title tells the story:  The Women.... The Women. Which women? I am glad you asked.  I could have chosen any women out of the  scriptures to write about.  They all have a relevant, important place then and now.  It would be difficult to pick one of them  and talk about them.  When I wrote a past post entitled The Men, (see 2010) it was easy to choose them.  I chose my favorite ones.  But The Women are different.  All women in scripture would fit that description, even those that had  'issues', if I can call it that.  What can I say,  I am a full 21st century girl complete with catch phrases and all (lol).  Well anyway, the chosen women for this post are the 4 mentioned by name, title, or description in the family lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1.  Actually 5 if you include Mary Joseph's wife the mother of Jesus.  At this point before I go any further, let it be known and understood that all the begetting mentioned in the family lineage of Jesus had to be through women,  of course.  But  4 are mentioned  specifically and I will write of these 4.  I looked for commonality and differences about the 4 and found a few in each category. But the Holy Spirit said look at their lives and write from there.  I found women who wanted things badly, that they went to extremes to get it, women who said profound things, girls that behaved badly @ times, Faith - filled women, believers in GOD Almighty, strong and courageous. Women who kept their faith through hardships, the threat of death starring them in the face.  At times things may not go as planned or predicted but as long as we remember Romans 8:28, we will understand that it is ok if the plan goes left, or if I do this, that will happen, and it doesn't.  Give it all to GOD and step back and watch The Creator work it, Glory to GOD, Praise GOD!  So The Women I am fixin to write about are: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba.  What a group of women these are!  Sister girls were in it to win it at all cost.  Nothing got in their way despite making wrong choices, bad behavior, and being from the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak.  Or being too beautiful/ desirable, when you aint trying to be.  In order of appearance and as time goes, we meet Tamar first.  Tamar married 2 brothers, 1 after the other, both of them died leaving her childless.  The custom is to marry a brother's widow and have a child to keep the dead brother's seed line strong. 1st brother was evil in the sight of the LORD so the LORD took his life.  So brother # 2 married  her, and because he did not want his dead brother to be the noted father of his child, he refused to complete the necessary step to make pregnancy occur.  The LORD took his life as well for this evil act.  Well Judah said to her "remain in your father's house until brother # 3 is old enough to marry.  Well it wasn't happening, so sister girl took it to another level.  She disguised herself and lay with father-n-law Judah with out him knowing it was daughter - n -law and low and behold, pregnancy! One of the twins, (Perez & Zerah) she was carrying was what got the ball rolling later on in the lineage.  She may have behaved badly,  but  she got what she deserved to have, a child, two that is. Genesis 38.  Next up is one of my favorites in this important quad and that is Rahab, the harlot.  I like what she said and what she did, (not her job choice). These moves caused Ms. Girl to be among the few to be saved out of the entire nation of Jericho.  In fact only those in her father's household were saved. When the spies Joshua sent out stayed at her house, she told them the whole story.  She hid the spies from the searchers the king of Jericho sent  there.  "We  was scared every since we heard how your GOD opened up the sea so yall could walk through on dry land and about all the kings and nations yall completely destroyed along the way; now yall here in Jericho" (author's paraphrase, in 21st century, deep south lingo).   She knew what was going to happen to her nation and people and she wanted her family spared.  She had faith in what GOD was doing through the Israelites. This harlot's faith caused her whole family; brother's, sisters their families, mother/ father to be saved, before the spies agreed to it.  Joshua 2, 6.   She later married Salmon and they had Boaz.  Salmon was from Perez lineage, one of Tamar's twins.  See where this is going.  Rahab may have been a harlot,  but this was a  faith - filled believer.  She said,  "GOD was the Supreme GOD in the heavens above and the earth below".  RECOGNIZE!! So the Israelites crossed into the promise land conquering all along the way.  Countless nations were utterly destroyed and the land had new owners.  Soon to come was  Ruth a Moabite.  After her Judean Husband died, she decided to go with mother -n- law Naomi back to Naomi's hometown of Bethlehem. They left Bethlehem years earlier when there was a famine in the land.  So they returned.  Naomi's husband and 2 sons died and the 2 daughter -n- law, both Moabites were left without husbands. Daughter -n- law #1 decided to stay in Moab, but daughter -n-law #2 Ruth chose to cling to Naomi.  Naomi tried to persuade her to stay, telling her that she is too old to have more sons for Ruth to marry.  Ruth was not persuaded and said 2 mega  profound statements to Naomi that show deep love and compassionate commitment.  She told Naomi," where you go, I will go...your people shall be my people and your GOD shall be my GOD... let nothing but death separate us"...  Being a Moabite meant you worshipped a god that required the life of a child to be sacrificed in the fire.  Ruth had  little knowledge about Naomi's GOD, but she wanted Him.  She had no idea about the people or the land  she was about to enter but wanted to live there until she died.  Her faith made her  look deep and feel deeply for  her mother -n-law.  She saw this through a woman who just had her world turn up side down with the deaths of her family.  Ruth's compassion made Ruth cling to Naomi.  So much I could say about Ruth.  But this I will say about Ruth;  I have learned a deeper level of compassion from the book of Ruth. Ruth 1.  My last woman in this note  worthy quad is titled in the lineage, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite.  Bathsheba by name, she was beautiful and desire able.  At the time King David saw this woman, his manliness said "get this woman for me" .  Being a king, you don't refuse his requests, so Bathsheba went with the messengers King David sent to fetch her.  Well fast forward a bit and she became pregnant by the king, while husband Uriah was away fighting for David's army.  Uriah was very loyal to king David and would not allow himself any kind of pleasures while fighting the war. No delicate foods, fun recreation or spousal pleasures at all which the king gave him permission to do.  Uriah would not indulge while at war. King David in order to conceal the pregnancy arranged for Uriah's death, so that he could marry Bathsheba and have the child with her. His scheme worked but it displeased GOD so GOD sent the prophet  to David to tell him the child will not live after doing such a wicked act.  When the child was born, he was sickly and the King fasted, prayed and confessed his guilt and depended on the LORD's mercy.  After the child's death, the King and Bathsheba had another child, Solomon.  God told King David that it will be Solomon that will build my temple. In Bathsheba's time , she was both wife of a king and mother of a king.  Her beauty and desirability  captured the attention of a great King.  He had other wives, but he loved Bathsheba. 2 Sam 11,12. The Women in Jesus family line were people with "issues", and "drama" and yet they get honorable mention because they are family.  Much like today in our own families we have "issues" and  "drama", but we are family.  Scripture says that  some will need more care, love, attention, patience, and covering than others.  Jesus himself said that the sick need the doctor not the well.  Whatever the case may be,  Jesus is the answer.  His own family lineage indicated  early on that there will be issues, drama showing all  along the way the need for the Savior that is to come. This is only a small part of the family lineage, but an important part. Had I chosen the male members of Jesus lineage to write about,  I would be another 3 weeks on the rough draft.  Families are knit together by GOD Almighty and He knows each person intimately.  He is The CREATOR.  Celebrate, Talk, and Pray and trust our Faithful GOD at all times!!!   Jesus is LORD!!! Psalm 139.

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.

I  absolutely love when the scriptures speak to me and awaken my sometimes sleepy spirit.  Sleepy meaning lax in the Living Word and the Power of it.  I take the Living Word daily as medicine for my soul and flesh(Prov. 3:8,22). So this post is about the way my Holy, Heavenly Father takes His Word and takes care of me and those who choose Him and walk by faith in His Holy Word, Praise God!!  His promises in His Word are truth and it is up to us to take them, confess them, believe them and walk by faith in them (2Corinth.5:7, John 17:17).  As my theme for 2018,  I chose scripture from John 14:27:  "Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid".  Jesus said this to the disciples as He would soon leave them for a while. It was meant to comfort them and also empower them. They had the choice to let their hearts be troubled or not at this difficult time ahead. That choice was in their hands  to make much like the choice to choose life and the BLESSING or death and the CURSE (Deut. 11:26-28,Deut. 30:19-20), and the choice of what comes off the tongue, Life or Death (Prov.18:21) is to us.  Jesus wanted them to know and understand that they alone could choose to be troubled or not. I set this scripture at the head of my year this year (2018) because it too is power-filled.  Romans 8:28 is where this title post comes from.  Another Power-filled Word that is loaded with promises to those that take this living Word and walk in it.  All things, no matter what they are: good things, bad things, high things, low things, happy things, sad things, little things, big things, bright things, dark things, ALL THINGS work together for the good, to them that Love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. Look at the conditions that are attached to this scripture.  Let's unpack them one by one. "To them that Love God": Jesus has said that this is the first and greatest commandment: to love GOD with all your heart, mind and soul (Matt.22:37-38).  If you are not walking in this love for GOD, the "All things...." conditional part of this scripture  wont work for you.  This is a must in order for this scripture to work. GOD is Love (1John 4:8) and His love is true LOVE, not what this world calls love. I say THANK GOD  right here cause I have tasted this world's love, OMG!!!  This LOVE stood on the substance of what was unseen and called forth, created, spoke into existence all things seen and unseen and blew the breath of LIFE into everything we see and then laid the BLESSING on it all and gave it to the man He created in His image to be like HIM, GLORY TO GOD ALMIGHTY!!!  What a great and Mighty FATHER He is!! ABBA!!  Our Father in Heaven declares His great Love for us in that while we were sinners, He sent Christ to die for us. Christ became the sacrifice, before the foundations of the world, because GOD being The ALPHA  and THE OMEGA knew we as His beloved masterpieces would have to have a Sacrifice to wipe away, forever the sins that could otherwise doom us and separate us forever from the Father that loves us with an everlasting love (Rom.5:8-21, 1John 4:9-10). Understanding that makes my heart love the Lord God with all my heart, mind, soul.  It is unimaginable to me that not all people love GOD (a hard sentence to even type) my understanding  wont allow that statement to be true in my being.  So one of my prayers is that all living, beating hearts in creation will love GOD ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN, EARTH and everything seen, unseen, walking, running, flying, swimming, language, noised, muted, existing,  with all that is within. GLORY TO GOD ALMIGHTY!!SELAH! "And are called according to His purpose":  God put purpose (aim, goal, intention) on and in each person and animal He created. Focusing on the human, walking in a close personal relationship with GOD is every humans main purpose. Think about it. I didn't say it GOD did, read for yourself in His Word. In that He reveals more to the heart of His.  The enemy does not want their to be a relationship (ask yourself why) with GOD and to not ever know what the Life's call is. That is why he distracts, tempts, kills, steals, destroys, and throws stumbling blocks in the path.  Even so, walking with GOD is the only way to know His purpose and for the call to be revealed.  He said His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, neither are they the same as ours. God's plans and purposes are always good with a touch of mystery attached to them.  Faith and Trust are essentials in the progression of purpose.  God said through the Holy Spirit via Paul that we walk by faith not by sight (2Corinth.5:7).  And Scripture already tells us  to Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding...(Prov.3:5). All of this and His great commission to Joshua,  as the children of Israel went forth into the promised land,  is the best advice in this covenant and dispensation as well: (Josh. 1:7-9) "Be strong and very courageous.... This Book of the Law(Holy Bible) shall not depart out of thy mouth but meditate in it day and night doing all that is written in it .... Have not I commanded thee... Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid neither be dismayed (confused)"...  GOD is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So He is telling those who have made Jesus the Lord of their life to do like He commanded Joshua and all His people.  So, for the "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord, and are called according to His purpose for them," to work out good and perfect, we will need to meet the criteria and conditions in His Word for success. And He is a Good, Good Father and will help us do so. His Word tells us so!(Prov. 4)   Blessings on all GOD'S people!!  PRAISE GOD ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, GLORY TO GOD!!!!   Psalm 148, 149,145, 150.