Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

Jesus was SUBMISSIVE to a human woman and to a human man.  This blew my mind today.  First, he INVENTED authority and submission. Then, he chose to subject Himself to that structure.  He could have done it another way.  He could have never made Himself submissive.  Yet, Jesus chose to submit.  And here, specifically mentions, and I think, TEACHES it.

Why?  Well, it is a difficult, and for many THE MOST difficult part of being human.  Here, Jesus shows us that it is actually both a Godly and for us a godly thing.  

Join me today in wrestling and admiring this in Jesus.  Thanks for listening these 7 minutes.

Childhood of Growth, Strength, Wisdom and Favor

Jesus’ entire childhood up to age 12 is described in four words: Growth, Strength, Wisdom and Favor.The irony is that He invented all that stuff.  

For example, growth is the #1 characteristic of a thing that has LIFE.  How do you know something is ALIVE?  It grows in some way.  It is a big deal.  NASA’s whole budget seeks out this one thing: life (on other planets).  So here we have the maker of LIFE becoming subject TO life.  This blew my mind.

Strength:  Abundant, increase and good cultivating, curating parents.

Wisdom:  this is something that is only from God, just like the other 3 characteristics.

Favor:  I think we are glimpsing the TRINITY here.  I (Father), give You (Jesus) my favor.  I (Father), receive favor from You(Jesus).  I (Jesus), give you (father) my favor.  I (Jesus), receive favor from You (Father).

I pray all these thing be yours dear listener.  Thank you for listening.  www.bewithme.us

Mary and Joe are TERRIBLE parents...or... there is another explanation.

This is the story of the ultimate parental TERROR.  They are faithful Jews who regularly traveled the 80 miles to Jerusalem for the Passover.  Jesus had been to passover, maybe in Jerusalem, many many many times before the Great Week.

Jesus is an independent 12 year old.  He had likely earned it.  After all, he was a perfect 11 year old, and 7 year old, and 4 year old.  He was a unique child.  He also had the strength of community that we have trouble even comprehending in our cultures today.  

Of course, Jesus was about His Father's BUSINESS, in His Father's HOUSE with His Father's PEOPLE.  Jesus is marching to the beat of His Father's drum.  Please listen 7 minutes.  

Herod killed a bunch of little boys who he thought were Jesus.  Or at least he suspected them of possibly being Jesus.  Either way, he kills them in a foretelling of the sacrificial death of Jesus 31 years later.

And our good friend Joseph gets his third and fourth dream. One says go back to Israel, Herod is dead.  Unfortunately his monster son has taken his place.  Joseph is afraid.  The fourth dream says don't settle in Judah, likely Jerusalem, where your family is Joseph.  Rather go to nowheresville Nazareth and settle there.  He, for the fourth time rises and obeys.

Someday we will meet these babies killed by Herod in heaven.  They are the ones who were thought to be Jesus.  Thanks for listening.  See you tomorrow.  Write at [email protected]

Jesus was an immigrant, a refugee, a foreigner.  This is in addition to being poor, estranged, thought of as illegitimate, and His start is just plain strange.  Imagine being Joseph as provider and protector of this treasure.

Joseph gets his second angelic visitation telling him to get up and take the child to Egypt of all places.

Joe obeys immediately. In the middle of the night. He sets an incredible example for all of us who hear God in His word, telling us to do something.

My heart goes out today for all of foreign culture who may not know the language or the unspoken rules.  I wonder who there was kind to Jesus , Mary and Joseph.  Thank you for listening.  I'll see you tomorrow right here.

So Herod is sitting in his office one day when some guys come in looking for the “King of the Jews.”  Technically, that is Herod, as he was appointed so by the Romans.  But these guys want  the real thing.  They want the REAL King of the Jews who was appointed by GOD.  And who IS GOD.  This is the beginning of a VERY bad day for Herod.

We learn that these men have gathered together to learn and to travel.  They have “treasured-up” with valuables for tribute to this King.  What do you give a Guy who already HAS A STAR? They do their best in the stuff department, but they come ready in other ways.  They seem studied up, and ready to receive.  They appear to be the first gentiles to give a hearty “welcome to the world” joy.

They also FALL DOWN.  Not planned, careful, “those who are able” kneel down, but FALL DOWN.  Boom.  I don’t think they were planning that.  If so, it sounds like they got a treat of revelation.  In addition, then they get this wonderful dream confirming everything and foiling the great killer Herod himself, at least for today…

Join me this day in travelling to the guy who owns his own star.  We won’t be the first.  If you share this podcast, we won’t be the last.  Write at [email protected]

The CONTINUAL is the Soil of the MOMENT.  The CONSTANT is the soul of the INSTANT.

At a funeral, one hears of the actions and attitudes that characterize a person. Then, one hears in various stories how they are manifested in a particular instant. I just went to a memorial service of a friend and it was a real JOY to hear of those moments.  So it is today with the old, female, widowed, bad-tribed, faithful, prayerful, worshipful, fasting prophetess Anna.  She is constant, faithful, shows up everyday, lives at the temple, and is present day and night.

But then Jesus stops by for a dedication by his parents, and POW! She is ready.  She is present.  All that regularness manifests in readiness.

She was ready in the moment because of her continual faithfulness. The CONTINUAL is the Soil of the MOMENT.  The CONSTANT is the soul of the INSTANT. Listen 7 minutes and assess your soil, then be ready like Anna.  And share this podcast. www.bewithme.us or email [email protected]

Up to this moment, all the contemporary news about Jesus has been rainbows and puppies.  Then Simeon gives the 1st BAD NEWS about Jesus:  He will be opposed and will be revealing the thoughts of everybody.  It won't be pretty. (that's why a rescue mission was called for in the first place). 

Here's the super bad news for today:  One of those people who's heart and soul is exposed is YOU.  And that is where the trouble starts.  You too can oppose him in your soul, even if you are a believer; even if you are a devout person.

And there are consequences. Some Fall.  Some Rise.  God raised us up with him. 

Lord, what is there in my thoughts that needs to be revealed and agreed to and repented of and to be sorry for and not to oppose You over?  Thank you for listening and doing this hard work in your soul.   Retweet this.

The good news for Simeon is that he gets to say, "My eyes have seen your salvation!"
The bad news for Simeon is that he does NOT get to DIE IN FAITH.  Faith is assurance of things you have NOT YET SEEN.  So when Simeon sees Jesus, and knows Him as savior to the Jews and Gentiles, he "loses his faith", because it is now seen. 

I'm sure it was a very happy moment for him.  The first thing out of his mouth is, "Yea, I get to die!"  All his faithful showing up, which is the definition of DEVOUT, has paid off.  He likely went from seeing this glory on earth, to the heavenly glory in a short period of time. On earth, his faith became sight, and then in heaven, sight became sight.

Let's say, for argument's sake that Simeon is the FIRST person to SEE the salvation of the Lord and really understand it.  Scripture says that it will expand to that ALL flesh, ALL nations, and ALL people will see this salvation.  Today, we see afresh the 'first eyes.'  Listen and see with new eyes for 7 minutes.  Please share this podcast.

We have a faithful, not perfect, guy who stays in the game with God day after day.  He's been given a little TREASURE: he's not gonna die until he sees Jesus.  I hope he was 20 when he got the promise and then lasted until he was 80.  That would be 60 years of daily anticipation.  "Is today the day that the Lord shows up?  No?  Then I can't wait for tomorrow."

Your being here with me today is very similar.  This might be the best podcast in your world and may speak to you incredibly.  But if NOT, come back tomorrow!  That is the idea of the spiritual word DEVOUT.

The God he is waiting for is coming to comfort the world; fix a problem; enter with tenderness; declare peace; and especially pardon sin.  No wonder Simeon couldn't wait!

Like him, I am encouraged to wait well, actively, dynamically, cooperatively, and with the anticipation that the Lord is going to show up!  Thank you for being like Simeon today.  Like him, if you don't get what you really want, come back tomorrow ;-).  Share this podcast.