UPHOLDING THE GREATER GOOD

UPHOLDING THE GREATER GOOD

Today we read about

The COURAGE

And conviction=

Of John the Baptist

He admonished Herod

For his INFIDELITY=

In taking his brother's wife

And he LOST his LIFE=

His very head

For doing so

“When Herod heard

John the Baptist speak=

He was very

Much PERPLEXED=

Yet he

Liked to listen to him”                                                                                         Mark 6:20

Despite John's righteousness=

Herod could have

Had John

Executed IMMEDIATELY=

Yet he WAITED until he

Made a promise

To his wife's daughter=

His DAUGHTER-IN-LAW

Meanwhile John was

UPHOLDING the GREATER GOOD

Of God

He gave up his

LIFE=for the

People of GOD'S KINGDOM

Sometimes we have

To STAND for something

In this world too

We have to

UPHOLD THE GREATER GOOD TOO

John was=and we

Need to be

UPRIGHT men and women

“In the land of Uz=

There LIVED a man

Whose name

Was Job=

This man was blameless

And UPRIGHT=

He feared God

And shunned evil”                                                                                              Job 1:1

“The Lord detests

The sacrifice

Of the wicked

But the prayer

Of the UPRIGHT

Pleases him”                                                                                                Proverbs 15:8

Yes John was

An UPRIGHT MAN=

And his life=

Pleased both God and Jesus=

He prepared the way

For his COUSIN

We have to do

GOOD=with our lives=

We have to UPHOLD

THE GREATER GOOD

And stand up for GOD

And Jesus with our lives=

We have to be

UPRIGHT PEOPLE TOO

“Rather he must be

Hospitable=one who loves

WHAT IS GOOD

Who is self-controlled-UPRIGHT=

Holy and disciplined”                                                                                          Titus 1:8

That is what John was

That is

WHO we must be too

Like John=

We are called

To RISK

To RAISE our voices=

And protect

THE GREATER GOOD

Dear Lord=we pray=

HERE WE ARE=SEND US

In the name of Jesus=and our ever GOOD=God the FATHER

Robert P. Wallman

2-06-20  4-24-2025

Ps        INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE=by Deborah A. Meister

I FOUND MYSELF IN YOU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APRIL 24^th, 2012

 

                                                                                       

 

 

 

I FOUND MYSELF IN YOU

 

 

 

 

 

When I didn’t know what to do

When I didn’t have a clue

Yes I found myself in you

 

I found myself in love

I found myself in forgiveness

I found myself

Everywhere that there was kindness

 

I found myself

In the heart of a child

I found myself in the smile of a friend

I found myself in the stranger walking by

For God’s sake

We don’t even know

Where they might have been

 

When I didn’t know what to do

When I didn’t have a clue

Yes

I found myself in you

 

I found myself

In the so-called “losers” of this world

I found myself in you

 

You have to remember

There for the grace of God go I

I found myself in you

 

So when I didn’t know what to do

When I didn’t have a clue

Yes

I found myself in you

 

I found myself

In every other human being

In this world

I found myself in you

 

I found myself in you

 

Robert P. Wallman

5-02-06

 

Ps        If you are LOST on this highway of life-a great reading is Luke 15

            Where Jesus tells the Pharisees 3 parables when they ask him

            Why he welcomes sinners and eats with them

 

            He tells the story of ONE LOST SHEEP

            He tells the story of ONE LOST COIN

            And he tells the story of ONE LOST SON

            And his LOVING FATHER

 

And in Matthew 9:12—Jesus tells the Pharisees when questioned

About eating with sinners:

 

“It is not the healthy who need a Doctor

But the sick”

 

But go and learn what this means

 

“I desire mercy not sacrifice”

 

For I have not come

To call the righteous-but sinners”

 

No matter where you are on this journey we call life

No one is so far gone as to be lost to God

 

Don’t give up on yourself because

GOD WILL NEVER EVER GIVE UP ON YOU

            

OUR UNCERTAIN LIVES=DO NOT BE AFRAID

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR UNCERTAIN LIVES

(Do NOT be afraid!)

 

OUR LIVES ARE UNCERTAIN=None of us=KNOW what is=Going to happen=

From day to day=And least of all=OR MOST OF ALL=we DO NOT KNOW=

WHEN Our Lord=Is going to call us HOME=”……..DO NOT BE AFRAID”                            Matthew 28:10

 

And because of THE UNCERTAINTY=We face in our LIVES=We feel ALL

Kinds of emotions=We feel ANXIETY=We feel fear=particularly FEAR OF

THE UNKNOWN=But the Lord tells us=NOT TO BE AFRAID=because

Whatever we are FACING=Our Lord=and THE HOLY Father God=are right

There beside us=WALKING WITH US=Do not be afraid=Because of

THE UNCERTAINTY of your life!

 

ASSUREDLY=Mary Magdalene=and the other DISCIPLES=Felt all of these

Emotions=When they REALIZED=the Lord had RISEN!=As well as JOY=and

THE TRUST in him=NOT to be afraid=We should feel THE TRUST and the joy

Too=For the Lord is with us too!=”Command those who are rich in this world=

NOT to be arrogant=Nor to PUT their hope in wealth=Which is SO UNCERTAIN=

But to put THEIR HOPE in God”                                                                                                           1 Timothy 6:17

 

Jesus always said=”DO NOT BE AFRAID”=EASIER said than done=My brothers

And sisters=When we are facing=OUR UNCERTAIN LIVES=Our uncertain medical

Situations=Our uncertain finances==and our UNCERTAIN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS=

But we can BE SURE=Things will turn out =For the BEST=For we are walking with

THE LORD OUR GOD!

 

I am sure=THE DISCIPLES=were fearful for their FUTURE=as we are TODAY=But

This much is certain=Our Holy Father God=and Jesus=are with us=as WE EXPERIENCE

That FEAR=And Our relationship with them=BRINGS us=that INTERNAL JOY=every

Day of our lives=I feel the JOY=over the fear=as I am sure you do too=BE NOT

AFRAID=in this UNCERTAN LIFE!

 

“Be SURE=to keep the commands=Of the Lord your God=and the stipulations and

Decrees=He has given you”                                                                                                               Deuteronomy  6:17

“So this is what=The Sovereign Lord says’=’See I lay a stone=in Zion=a tested stone=

A precious CORNERSTONE==For a SURE FOUNDATION=The one who RELIES on it=

Will never=Be stricken with panic’”                                                                                                  Isaiah 28:16

 

That is RIGHT=My dear brothers and sisters=We can face=OUR UNCERTAIN LIVES=

With FAITH=with hope=and with LOVE=for the HOLY FATHER God=and Jesus=WALK

With us=No panic=Just HOPE AND CONFIDENCE=In our lives=Just like Mary Magdalene=

And the EARLY APOSTLES did=We are NOT AFRAID=of our UNCERTAIN LIVES=We are

LIVING with confidence in our GOD OF LOVE!

 

“For you have been my HOPE=Sovereign Lord=MY CONFIDENCE=since my youth”      Psalm 71:5

“This is THE CONFIDENCE=We have in Approaching God=That if we ask anything=

According to his will=He hears us”                                                                                                          1 John 5:14

 

That is right=my dear BROTHERS AND SISTERS=Our Lord God hears everything=

EVERY SINGLE PRAYER=So we don’t have to FEEL PANIC of fear=Because our

Lord Jesus=and His Holy Father=are with us=Do NOT FEAR=at the UNCERTAINTY OF

YOUR LIVES!=The LORD=is with us!

 

In Jesus’ name=and in the name of=OUR EVER LIVING=EVER LOVING=EVER FAITHFUL=

Holy Father God!

 

Robert P. Wallman

4-21-2025

 

 

Ps       INSPIRED=by an article=IN LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE=by Sarah Hart

UNANSWERED PRAYERS

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNANSWERED PRAYERS

 

 

One of my favorite songs                                                                

Is a song called, “Unanswered Prayers”

By Garth Brooks

 

It is about a man

Running into his old girlfriend

Many years later

 

“She was the one

I had wanted for ALL time”

 

And it is about the man

Being thankful

That his prayer was not answered

And him being thankful

That he was

With the woman he was with

His wife

 

Often times

GOD KNOWS

What is best for us

Even before we do

 

“Be still and know

That I am God”                                                     Psalm 46:10

 

Have you ever prayed

Like that-for someone

Or something

 

I have-SO BAD

That I thought

That my heart was breaking

That I thought

I was going to die

 

All I ever wanted

Was that special someone

To call my own

To BUILD a family with

 

BUT GOD SAID NO

 

“Oh Lord-you have searched me

And you know me”                                                        Psalm 139:1

 

I have ALL these friendships

With all these beautiful women

And men in my life

 

God KNOWS us

Better than we know ourselves

 

90 per cent of all marriages

Where one of the parties

Are disabled

Or has a severe chronic illness

End in divorce

 

“Sometimes I thank God

For unanswered prayers”

 

She was the one

I had wanted for all time

 

“Search me-Oh God

And know my heart

Test me

And know my anxious thoughts”                                           

 

If you are my friend

Woman or man-KNOW THIS

I am committed to you

And I love you

 

“Sometimes I thank God

For unanswered prayers”

 

Robert P. Wallman

1-9-13

 

5-1-15 and 12-10-2021

And 10-17 & 18-2018 and 3-01-2023 and 4-23-2025

THE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED

 

 

 

 

 

Just a touch of FAITH-the faith  of a mustard seed and we can CHANGE the world

 

 

 

WITNESS

 

 

7-16-13

 

 

THE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED

 

A mustard seed

Is tiny tiny tiny tiny

But once planted

It can grow in to

A large plant

Large enough

To provide

Food and shelter for animals

 

In Matthew 17

The disciples

Fail in their attempt

To heal a young demon possessed boy

They want to know---WHY

 

Jesus tells them,

“Because you have so little faith

If you have faith

As small as a mustard seed

You can say to this mountain

Move from here to there

And it will move

Nothing will be impossible for you”

 

How much faith

Do you have

How much faith

Do I have

I hope enough

 

In Luke 17

The Apostles ask Jesus

To increase their faith

 

Jesus replies,

“If you have faith

As small as a mustard seed

You can say to the mulberry tree

Be uprooted

And planted in the sea

And it will obey”

 

I believe

That if we have enough faith

You and I together

ALL of us collectively

We can

Change this world

 

If we do---have that faith

All we have to do

Is let it grow

And then we will see

The benefits of having

 

THE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED

 

Robert P. Wallman

3-6-11

 

 

Ps        “……..and if I have FAITH that can move mountains-BUT HAVE NOT LOVE

             I am nothing”    

            1 Corinthians 13:2

 

WITNESS        7-16-13

 

 

misc.        WITNESS        1-31-14 & 7-15-14 and 8-27-2021 4-22-2025

 

EZEKIEL 11 NOTES=for MVF and Bobby Boy

 

 

 

 

 

 

EZEKIEL 11 NOTES=for MVF and Bobby Boy

 

CHAPTER 11=

THE DEPARTURE=Of God’s GLORY=The PROMISE

Of a NEW COVENANT

 

LINES 1-4

 

PROPHECY AGAINST=The PRINCES=Of the People

 

THE SPIRIT=Lifted me up

Continuation of Ezekiel 8

 

Ezekiel=Is physically in Babylon

 

But a VISION of=THE spiritual corruption of Jerusalem=and

GOD’S RESPONSE to it

 

God’s glory=DEPARTS from the city

 

B.     To the EAST GATE=of the Lord’s house

God’s glory is MOVING AWAY=from the HOLY of Holies

 

C.     At the GATE=of the door=were 25 men

         Were 25 men=Mentioned previously in Ezekiel 8:16

         WORSHIPPING the sun=by the EAST GATE=with their backs to the Sanctuary

 

Theres 25 men=DEVISED iniquity and give WICKED counsel to the city

They INCLUDE Jaazaniah and Pelatiah

 

DESPITE=what the 25 men THOUGHT=It was not time to build houses

They were NOT SAFE=In the city

 

LINES 5 and 6

THE CAUSE of=The DEVASTATING Judgment of Jerusalem

 

GOD KNEW=not only the actions=but also THE THINKING of the LEADERS

And the people of Jerusalem

 

God REMINDED=the leaders and the People of Jerusalem=of  their  RESPONSIBIITY

On the Judgment=coming upon them

 

God’s RESPONSE=was to their PERSISTENT REBELLION=by the people

 

LINES 7-10

GOD’S dealing with Israel=will NOT END=when Jerusalem falls

 

They were the meat=and the city the CALDRON

 

Ezekiel TURNED this into a PREDICTION OF DOOM

Ie.   They would be cooked and devoured

 

THE DEVASTATION of Jerusalem=would be terrible=but Not the LAST WORD

Ie.   Israel and Jerusalem=Would NOT END the Babylonian CONQUEST

 

EVERYONE would not perish in Jerusalem

 

God would send many=INTO EXILE=and God would CONTINUE=to deal with

The people=AT the BORDER of Israel and beyond

 

LINES 11-12

GOD’S JUDGMENT=will EXTEND BEYOND the city of Jerusalem

 

-Jerusalem WOULD BE=no protection to them=Ezekiel quoted them

 

B.  GOD’S dealing with his people=AFTER Jerusalem fell=would be

ANOTHER WAY=Of how GOD REVEALED HIMSELF=to his people

 

Ie.  It was NOT God giving up on them=It was the discipline and PROMISE CONTINUING

 

C.    Since Israel=IMITATED=the surrounding pagan nations=it was APPROPRIATE

That God would EXILE them=among those nations

 

LINE 13

RENEWAL PROMISED=as the glory DEPARTS

 

Pelatiah=The son of Benaiah died

Ie.   In Ezekiel’s vision=earlier in the chapter He saw this

 

Ezekiel WONDERED again=IF a remnant would remain

Ezekiel 9:8

 

LINES 14-16

GOD’S PROMISE=to SUSTAIN the people=IN EXILE

 

The people IGNORED=the WARNINGS of Jeremiah and Ezekiel

 

They told the people Of Israel to leave=that they would BE CONQUERED

Ie.   Go and SERVE other GODS

 

God was down on the JEWS=but he HAD NOT FORSAKEN THEM

 

God would SUSTAIN his people=He would BE WITH THEM=In exile

(But not a SANCTUARY for them)

 

LINES 17-21

GOD’S PROMISE=to RESTORE Israel=and

RENEW them spiritually

 

THUS SAYS THE LORD

( Appears in Ezekiel some 200 times)

 

YAHWEH=is master and Lord=OVER his covenant people

 

I will GATHER YOU=from the peoples

God’s PROMISE=to sustain=His people in exile

 

He would gather and ASSEMBLE them=In Israel=Judgment assured

But so was RESTORATION

 

C.  Israel’s TIME of exile=would be A CLEANSING

 

TAKING AWAY their DEVOTION=to other gods=AFTER the exile

NOT the same as before=AFTER THE EXILE

 

TAKING AWAY detestable things and its abominations

 

God will give to the people ONE HEART=and put

A NEW SPIRIT within them

 

Ie.    RESTORATION and a NEW COVENANT

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Ezekiel 37:21-28

 

LINES 22-23

THE DEPARTURE of=THE GLORY of the Lord

 

CLOUD of God’s GLORY=was being CARRIED=by GOD’S THRONE

 

ATTENDED by the Cherubim

 

THE GLORY=of the God of Isreal=MOVED

With the Cherubim

 

The glory=WENT from the CENTER=of the city=to

STAND on the mountain

Ie.   PASSING by on=THE EAST SIDE of the city

 

GOD felt regret and SORROW=for the DEPARTURE

Jesus LOOKED with regret and sorrow=at THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

Ie.    THE CHOSEN PART 3=Ezekiel there

 

LINES 24-25

THE END OF THE VISION

 

In his VISION=Ezekiel RETURNED to Babylon=and the VISION ENDED

 

Ezekiel SPOKE to=and WARNED=the ELDERS=and the PEOPLE OF ISRAEL

 

Thet were SHOCKED=by Jerusalem’s DEPRAVITY

 

THE SEVERITY=was to come on Jerusalem=and

THE DEPARTURE=Of GOD’S GLORY WAS HERE!

 

RPW

Written 4-20-2025=and TYPYED 4-21-2025 4:04

 

For MVF CHERYL=and Bobby Boy

LIVING WATER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APRIL 20^th, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

LIVING WATER

 

 

 

 

 

Living water

The living water

Of God’s word

Let it flow

Through you

 

Let it flow

Through you

To your family

 

Let it flow through you

To your friends

 

Even let it

Flow through you

To your enemies

 

Living water

Let it flow

Through you

To everyone

 

Living water

Let it flow

All over the world

 

After all

Isn’t that what God’s word

Is supposed to do

 

Living water

Let God’s word

Flow through you

 

Robert P. Wallman

12-31-09