Man's Best Friend

Happy Birthday Patch.

This is our dog, Patch. He turned 1 year old yesterday. No longer a puppy.

Peace I give unto you

Photo taken of a mourning dove in our front yard on April 11, 2010

"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."

John 14: 27

Been awhile since I posted anything.. Just wanted to post this picture... with a little information.The dove is a universal symbol of peace and innocence. In ancient Greek myth it was a bird of Athene which represented the renewal of life. In the Bible it was a dove released from the Ark by Noah which returned with an olive branch to show that the flood was over. Ever since, the dove has symbolised deliverance and God's forgiveness. I thought this was interesting, according to legend the devil and witches can turn themselves into any bird shape except the dove.

ARISE AND SHINE for thy light is come.

Photo taken on morning of the Fall Equinox on September 22, 2010

A             ARISE,

B                   shine;

C                       for thy light is come,

D                           and the glory of

E                                 the Lord is risen upon thee. for behold

F                                      the darkness shall cover the earth,

F                                      and gross darkness the people:

E                                 but the Lord shall arise upon thee, 

D                           and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

C                      And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and the kings to the
B                 brightness of thy
A            RISING     

Isaiah 60: 1-3

I will write more shortly

Healing of the Dead Sea

Photo taken from on top of Masada over looking the Dead Sea in May 2010.

"These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert,

and go into the sea which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed."

Ezekiel 47: 10
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This is a continuation of the last post about the water flowing from the temple. This is an amazing promise that comes from the Lord. To think that the desert which is east of Jerusalem shall be "healed". Trees, life, fish.. everything.... shall live again. It seems almost impossible for those who have been in this completely desolate and lifeless part of Israel.

We read:

• behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other
• every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live:
• and there shall be a very great multitude of fish,
• because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed;
• and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.

Water flowing from the Temple

Photo taken on October 27, 2010 of the Salt Lake Temple

"He brought me again unto the door of the house;
and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward.
and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house,
at the south side of the altar"
Ezekiel 47: 1

In the above verses in Ezekiel, we read about the waters that issue out from the House of the Lord which will come and heal the Dead Sea. We learn specifically from where the water will come forth.  It states, the waters came down from under the right side of the "house" at the south side of the altar. In John 19: 34, we read about Christ  being wounded by the spear on the cross (on His right side)... and there flowed from His side both blood and water. Symbolically the Temple is representing the Lord Himself and that from Him, all will be healed by both His blood and this healing water than comes forth from Him... than comes forth from the temple.

Furthermore, In Ezekiel 47: 3-5,  we read about Lord bringing Ezekiel to the water. First he leds Ezekiel to the water, then he brings him through the water. Each time the water gets deeper than the time before.

And he brought me through the waters;
....the waters were to the ankles.
Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters;
 .....the waters were to the knees.
Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through;
.....the waters were to the loins.
Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over:
.....for the waters were risen, waters to swim in.

In the book, House of Glory, the above verses is liken to us today if we go to the temple often. The more you go, the deeper and more understanding you will receive... until finally you are totally immersed in it, as waters to swim in.

The East Door of the Temple: A chiastic center point

Happy Birthday Sarah.. LUCKY #7

Today Sarah turns seven years old.

What are we seeking after?

Photo taken of the symmetry (chaistic structure) of the McCune Mansion in Salt Lake on September 30, 2010

Seek ye me, and ye shall live
,,,,,,,,But seek not Bethel,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,nor enter into Gilgal,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and pass not to Beersheba:
,,,,,,,,,,,,,for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity,
,,,,,,,and Bethel shall come to nought.
Seek the Lord, and ye shall live;

…………………………………

The above scripture is found in Amos 5: 4-6.(not surprising…it also happens to be a chiasm... also that is why I posted the photo) The beginning and end of the verses (bookends) is a plea to seek the Lord, and if we do so.. we shall live. The middle verses tell us what NOT to seek, enter in or pass by… and specifically names 3 cities: Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba. I did some research on these cities and found what they all had in common. All three were important to the Lord and sacred. So why then would the Lord tell us not to seek, enter or pass by these cities? While these location where sacred places with righteous inhabitants, unfortunately over time, all three turned to the ways of the world and the people became idolatrous. Here are just a couple of bullet points about each city.

Bethel: (means: the House of God)
Abraham built an altar here and is still considered one of the most sacred spots in Israel.
Jacob had his dream here and called it the gate of Heaven and the House of God.
However, shortly after the time of Solomon who built the temple, Jeroboam, who was a mighty man of valor, turns to idolatry and worships false gods and this city became a place of calf worship.

Gilgal: (means: the circle of stones)
A sacred city in the time of Saul also a place visited by Elijah and Elisha.
12 stones from the Jordan River were set up here as a monument to the parting of the Jordan River and by the Power of God, the Israelites entered into the Promised Land.
Later, the children of Israel lose truth and the knowledge of God and this place became the scene of idolatrous worship.

Beersheba: (means: the well of the oath)
The home of Abraham.
God revealed Himself to Isaac and Jacob here.
Contained much rich pasture land.
However just like the other two mentioned cities, this city also turned to idolatry.
………………………………

We are to SEEK the LORD… so that we will LIVE.

To Seek the Lord means:
to go in search of the Lord.
to look for the Lord.
to inquire of the Lord.
to ask for the Lord.
to endeavor to find or gain by any means the Lord.

And Ye shall LIVE:
To abide, to dwell, to have settled residence in.
To continue, to be permanent and not perish.
To be inwardly quickened, nourished by divine influence.

The Fountain of Living Water

Photo taken below Doughnut Falls up Big Cottonwood Canyon on July 31, 2010.

For my people have committed two evils;

they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters

and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2: 13

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Fountain: The source or springhead of waters. (also the word "well" is also used). Metaphorically, God is called the fountain of living waters. Springs or fountains are called living, when they never cease, but are always sending forth their waters. All spiritual graces (revelation, inspiration) communicated by the Spirit are also compared to a fountain.

I will write more shortly.