I Have Called You Friends

Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.  Proverbs 17:17  (The Message Bible)

A man who has friends must himself be friendly . . . 

. . .  but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24

Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man's friend does so by hearty counsel.  Proverbs 27:9

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.  Proverbs 27:17

He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, 

the king will be his friend.   Proverbs 22:11

  

Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend, nor go to your brother's house in the day of  your calamity; for better is a neighbour nearby than a brother far away.  Proverbs 27 :10

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, 

but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.   Proverbs 27:6

But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham, My friend.  You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from it's farthest regions, and said to you, "You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away.  Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:8-10

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  You are my friends is you do whatsoever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from my Father I have mad known to you.  John 15:13-15 

" . . . Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness".  And he was called the friend of God.  James 2:23

 . . . but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.  Peace to you.  Our friends greet you.  Greet the friends by name.  3 John 1:14

All His Angels



"And He will send His angels with the great sound of a trumpet . . .

 and they will gather together His elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other."  Matthew 24:31

"But he said to me, "The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you
 and prosper your way. . . Genesis 24:40

Bless the LORD, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word,
heeding the voice of His word. . . .

Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 
Psalm 103:20,21

The angel of the LORD, encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. 
 Psalm 34:7

Praise Him, all His angels, praise Him all His hosts!  Psalm 148:2

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the LORD descended from heaven , and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women,  "Do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for His is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the LORD lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed, He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you." So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. Matthew 28:1-8

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your habitation, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;  for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.  They shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.  Psalm 91:9-12

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying

"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,

who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him,

and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies,

that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!  Daniel 3: 28

In all their affliction, He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them, and He bore them and carried them all the days of old. 

Isaiah 63:9

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingodm of heaven?"  And Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever receives one little child like this in My name, receives Me . . . Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 18:1-5, 10

Photos

Samuel de Champlain Monument, Old Quebec City, Quebec

Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery, Montreal, Quebec

Las Vegas, Nevada

Hoover Dam, Nevada

Notre Dame Basillica, Montreal, Quebec

St. Georges Anglican Church, Fort Langley, BC

He Owns the Cattle

Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind;

. . . cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth . . .

. . .  each according to its kind; and it was so.

And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind,

. . .  cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind.  And God saw that it was good.  Genesis 1:24,25



Then He will give the rain for your seed with which you sow the ground and bread of the increase of the earth;  it will be fat and plenteous.  In that day your cattle will feed in large pastures.  Isaiah 30:23



And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried.  Then God spoke to Noah, saying;  "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons, and your sons' wives with you.  Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you; birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, so that they may abound on the earth , and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." Genesis 8:14-17

"Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.  And he urged him, and he took it.   Then Esau said,  "Let us take our journey; let us go and I will go before you."  But Jacob said to him,  "My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me.  And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die.  Please, let my lord go on ahead before his servant.  I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock and the children are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir."  Genesis 33:11-14

"Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgements, and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.  And He will love you and bless you and multiply you;  He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine, and your oil, and the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you.  You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock."  Deuteronomy 7:12-14

For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed you seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden;  but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.  And it shall be that if you diligently obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.  And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled."  Deuteronomy 11:10-15

Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths;

fire and hail, snow and clouds, stormy wind, fulfilling His word;

mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars;

beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl;

kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth,

both young men and maidens, old men and children. 

Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted. 

His glory is above the earth and heaven.  Psalm 148:7-13

For every beast of the forest is mine and the cattle on a thousand hills.  Psalm 50:10

Photos

Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ontario

Farm along 152nd Street, Surrey, BC

O Death, Where is Thy Sting?

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.  Psalm 116:15

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  Psalm 23:4

"O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55



I will ransom them from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death.  Hosea 13:14

 

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is as strong as death . . .
Song of Solomon 8:6

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 4:13,14



For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height. nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our LORD.  Romans 8:38,39



For I know that my Redeemer lives and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh, I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold and not another.  How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:25-27

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven.  2 Corinthians 5:1,2

For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide, even to death.  Psalm 48:14



A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.  It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting.  For that is the end of all men and the living will take it to heart.  Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better.  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning . . .  Ecclesiastes 7:1-4a

He will swallow up death forever, and the LORD God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. 
Isaiah 25:8

Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed  . . . in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet  will sound , and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this incorruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:  "Death is swallowed up in victory."  1 Corinthians 15:51-54

And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes;  there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.  Revelation 21:4

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

Photos:

Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery, Montreal, Quebec

Surrey Centrel Cemetery, Surrey, BC

It's About Time



Then the LORD appointed a set time, saying "Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land." 
 Exodus 9:5

 

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? Job 7:1a




Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.  Hosea 10:12




"Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time is."  Mark 13:33

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  Galations 4:4,5



But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble.  Psalm 37:

 

For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters, they shall not come near him.  Psalm 32:6




O LORD, be gracious to us; we have waited for You.  Be their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.  Isaiah 33:2



You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favour her, yes the set time, has come.  Psalm 102:13



Is anything to hard for the LORD?  At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son . . . for Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.  Genesis 18:14, 21:2

But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, in the acceptable time; O LORD in the multitude of  Your mercy, hear me in the truth of Your salvation.  Psalm 69:13

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish,  yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"  Esther 4:14

It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void.  Psalm 119:126

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven;

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;

a time to kill and a time to heal;a time to break down and a time to build up;

a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;

a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones;

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to gain and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away;

a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak;

a time to love and a time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. 

Ecclesiastes 3:11

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: 

 "Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. 

The LORD, your God, in your midst, the Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love;

He will rejoice over you with singing. 

I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly,

who are among you, to whom its reproach is a burden. 

Behold at that time, I will deal with all who afflict you;

 I will save the lame, and gather those who were driven out;

I will appoint them for praise and fame in every land where they were put to shame. 

At that time I will bring you back, even at that time I gather you;

for I will give you fame and praise among all the people of the earth,

when I return your captives before your eyes," says the LORD.  Zephaniah 3:16-20

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  Romans 13:11

Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.  1 Peter 5:6

Photos:

Downtown Vancouver, BC

Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, Ontario

Quebec City, Quebec

Boldt Castle, Alexandria, New York

Las Vegas, Nevada

Beatty, Nevada

White Rock, BC

Revelstoke, BC

Butchart Gardens, Victoria, BC

Rest For the Body, Rest For the Soul



Six days you shall do your work . . .

 

. . . and on the seventh day you shall rest . . .

. . . that your ox and your donkey may rest . . .

. . .  and the son of your maidservant . . .

 . . . and the stranger may be refreshed.  Exodus 23:12

 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things,

what they had done and what they had taught.  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  For there were many coming and going and they did not even have time to eat.  So they departed to a deserted place . . . by themselves.  Mark 6:30-32

Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised.  There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.  1 Kings 8:56

'Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the LORD,  'nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold I will save you from afar,  and your seed from the land of their captivity. 

Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, and no one shall make him afraid.  For I am with you,' says the LORD, ' to save you. . . '   Jeremiah 30:10,11a

For thus says the LORD God, the Holy One of Israel:

"In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." 

Isaiah 30:15

Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.  Psalm 116:7

"Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and your will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Matthew 11:28-30

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.  For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.  Hebrews 4:9,10

 Photos:

Surrey, BC

White Rock, BC

Shannon Falls, near Squamish, BC

The Lesser Light



Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also . . .



God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth  . . .

. . . and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness . . .

And God saw that it was good.

And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.  Genesis 1:16-19

Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

"Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon."

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jasher?  So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.  And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.  Joshua 10:12-14

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

the moon and the stars which You have ordained. 

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? 

Psalm 8:3,4

They shall fear You as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.  He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.  In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.  Psalm 72:5-7

My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. 

Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David:  His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me: it shall be established forever like the moon,

even like the faithful witness in the sky. Selah  Psalm 89:34-37

I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help?   My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.  He will not allow your foot to be moved,; He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold , He who keeps Israel shall neith slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night.  The LORD shall preserve you  from all evil; He shall preserve your s0ul.  The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this day forth and even forevermore.  Psalm 121

The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you;  but the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory.  Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself;  for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended.  Isaiah 60:19,20

Photos:

Surrey, BC