This Sanctuary Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

Trying times? Then Rejoice!

With all of the seemingly bad news swirling around us these past days, we may have found it difficult to maintain a positive outlook toward the events of the future.  Whether in our personal lives or in the incoherencies of the current Demented Puppet, posing in his fairy tale White House T.V. setting, with all his failing attempts to destroy our Faith and our Freedoms, we are constantly being lured away from holding a joyful and confident expectation as heirs to the birthright pledged to us as God’s Children.

As I was reading this morning, I came across Isaiah 63, and at that moment it struck me as penetrating beams of God’s Light that dispel the evil dark clouds so prevalent in today’s brooding climate.

Isaiah 63 is a well-known prophecy of the coming of the Messiah.  It’s the passage that Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth, proclaiming Himself and His ministry as fulfillment of the prophecy.

Luke 4:16-21

So He [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

The prophecy in Isaiah 61 goes on to speak to the 2^nd Coming of the Messiah:

“to proclaim . . . the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Now, frankly, this is what I want to occupy my mind these days, not the evil-inspired actions of the devil’s helper in D.C.

And, finally, to put a cap on what we should be involving ourselves with during these trying days:

1 Thess 5:13-18, 23-24 . . . Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.  . . . always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Now may the God of Peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.

Amen.