#yes isaiah you are my favorite child

[deadgaytragedies]

do we fw this cocteau twins vinyl i edited on rooms?? i made it for my fav oc's apartment

[nelida-alvarez]

Tomorrow

@charliemwrites

I debated for some time whether or not I should post this, but in the end, my desire to share stories won.

Cw/Tw : mentions/discussion of losing faith (religious) & mentions/discussion of child death. Take care of yourselves <3

It was rare for Nélida to be uncomfortable. Sure, there were things that annoyed her, things that stressed her and things that made her afraid. She wasn’t ashamed to admit that- she was human, and it was in Men’s nature to feel, whether the emotions were positive or negative. Things that made her uncomfortable though? Things that made her skin crawl with unease and the desire to be anywhere else than where she was at the moment? Those were rare. Oh, they existed. And they made her soul tense up when mentioned.

“I don’t think that’s right, though…” Nova said, sprawled on the couch with Keegan as they argued. Nikto was sitting in a love seat, doing crosswords almost absentmindedly as he quietly listened to the sergeants talking. Castle was reading a book, not really paying attention. Meanwhile, Nélida was sitting on the ground in front of her Captain, her back leaning against his legs.

“No, I’m quite sure… It's like that thing with Adam and Eve, right? Banned from Paradise for touching the forbidden fruit or something.” Keegan replied.

“Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden to prevent them from eating from the tree of life, which would have made them eternal, not because they ate the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” Nélida absently corrected, shocking the two sergeants into silence. Noting the absence of talking, she blinked and looked up, meeting the bewildered gazes of her team.

“What?” She asked, a bit confused.

“I didn’t know you knew so much about… Bible-y things.” Nova said, tilting her head in curiosity.

“Oh.. yes, I guess I just… never talked about it.” Nélida tensed slightly, her hands playing idly with Castle’s shoelaces.

“Are you Christian?” Keegan leaned forward, eager to know more about her. A small pregnant pause followed the question, broken by a shuddering breath Nélida took.

“…was.” She whispered. Nikto frowned, shuffling in his seat.

“Oh.. well, what is, or was maybe, your favorite Bible quote?” Nova frowned a little at Keegan’s question, eyes darting between his oblivious self and Nélida’s crisped expression.

Castle had put his book down, lips pursing at the tense atmosphere in the room. He let one of his big paw-like hands slowly come down to rest against Nélida’s nape, the weight reassuring.

Keegan, realizing his mistake, opened his mouth to apologize, before being cut off by the older woman.

“It..” she started, clearing her throat as her voice broke.

Nikto crouched down next to her, presenting his gloved hand, palm up, to her. Nélida took it, taking a deep breath, before starting to speak once more.

“It is… or was, perhaps, Isaiah 41:10." She admitted, clearing her throat once more.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" Keegan started, before being cut off by Nélida throwing a small smile his way.

"It's fine, amor, you didn't know."

Silence reigned for a while, before Castle hummed.

"Well now, what do you all say we play a game, hmm? Anyone up for strip poker?"

As Nova got up to go take the cards, Nélida squeezed Nikto's hand in thanks and threw a grateful glance over her shoulder at her Captain.

~~~

Nélida prefered to be the big spoon when cuddling. She just liked that position better. But sometimes, she just wanted to be held, to feel like nothing could hurt her when she was safely cocooned in her lovers' arms.

Castle rumbled quietly, scratching at Nélida's scalp gently.

"What's bothering you so much, mamí?"

"...just.. memories.." The woman mumbled, her voice slightly muffled due to the fact that her face was burried in the older man's pecs.

"Wannna talk about it?" Castle gently asked, like she was a feral animal that was being cornered.

"...Perdí a mi bebé... Mi hijo- mi hijo sólo tenía dos años y- murió..." She erupted in cries, Nélida's body was wracked with sobs, the comforting weight of Castle's hands caressing her back seemingly ineffective.

"I prayed.. I prayed so fucking much-! And my s-son, my son still.. still-!" Nélida gasped breaths in as Castle grounded her, his voice in her ear telling her to breathe helping.

"Doctors said it was CNS tumors..that there was nothing they could do, that- that it was too late.. that I noticed it too late.."

"I just- I- I miss him so much.. I wondered, why God? Why my son?" Her voice broke on the last word, trailing off into whimpers and sniffles.

Castle hummed, pressing a kiss to Nélida's forehead. He didn't quite know what to say, but he knew that what Nélida had said had probably been weighing on her for quite some time.

It took a while for Nélida to calm down, her eyes puffy and red with her anguish.

"Thank you for listening.. I-.. it's probably not fair on you, but I really needed to talk about it.."

Castle smiled sadly, a thumb drying one of his mamí's tears.

"I know this was difficult to talk about, but I'm glad you let it off your chest, love. If you ever want to talk, know that I'm here. If you don't want to talk and just want someone to hold you, I'm also here." He said, gaining himself a wobbly smile.

"Thank you, Castle... I really appreciate it."

Thye both knew she would hide anything was wrong the next morning. That she would burry her feelings deep inside her heart until they rose to the surface again. But for now, they fell asleep. Tomorrow would be different.

"...Perdí a mi bebé... Mi hijo- mi hijo sólo tenía dos años y- murió..." : “…I lost my baby… My son- my son was only two and he-.. he died…”

~~~

Isaiah 41:10

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

[bishopkenneth]

Reflections on the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary

(My favorite depiction of the Virgin and Child, from the Catheral in Toledo, Spain)

For Victor Leal

January 1, 2025

The early Christians gave the Blessed Virgin Mary several different "titles" - actually allusions to various Old Testament references. She was seen as the Lily of the Valley, as the Ark of the New Covenant. But one of the most beautiful parallels is Mary as "the gate" through which God enters creation. Psalm 24 sings out, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.” 

“That the King of glory shall come in.” Just as an ancient king enters a city through its gate, God entered his creation through the gate who was the Virgin Mary. It was from her flesh that he took his own flesh; from her humanity that he took his own humanity; it was through her that God joined himself (not for a while, but forever) to human nature.

But we cannot stop there, marvelous as it is. God not only became human in the person of Jesus Christ, from the womb of the Virgin Mary, he also became matter. He joined himself not only to human nature, but to all nature. God, in Christ, became part of his own creation, became one with all created things. 

St. Gregory of Nazianzus (d. 390) wrote, “For that which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is united to His Godhead is also saved.” What is not assumed is not healed. In Christ, God assumed human nature, but in assuming human nature he also assumed nature itself, all nature, creation itself. So, it is not only humans who are redeemed, it is all creation. St. Paul wrote that in Christ, God purposed “to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.” (Ephesians 1.10) Not just souls. Not just people. Everything. 

This is the cosmic dimension of the Incarnation. The conception and birth of Jesus was God’s beachhead, the beginning of his operation to redeem the whole of his creation.

But back to the young Jewish virgin. On this Feast of the Solemnity of Mary I hope to draw attention to the fact that she was indeed the gate through which rode the King of Glory. And it was her flesh that joined God to humanity. But take a step back and look at the bigger picture: it was through Mary that God joined himself to all of his creation. 

The prophet Isaiah wrote, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isaiah 55.12)

This is a verse about the Jewish people returning from Babylonian exile, and nature itself rejoicing. The Virgin Mary is, in a very real way, the pinnacle of the Jewish people. God raised up the Jews to bring forth Messiah, and Mary is the vessel through which this is accomplished. But further reflection will cause us to see that nature is not only rejoicing in Jerusalem being restored, nature rejoices in this daughter of Israel giving her assent to God - “be it unto me according to your word” - to be the gate through which comes the King of Glory. To be the one through whom God assumes nature itself, in order to heal it. Of course the mountains and the hills break forth, and all the trees of the field clap their hands. There is much to rejoice over!

[amandak-to-mom-at-christmas]

2018

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices – “O Holy Night”

And still their heav’nly music floats o’er all the weary world – “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”

I have always loved Christmas carols and Christmas hymns – the traditional and the contemporary, the solemn and the silly. I know some eschew the newer, less reverent songs, preferring “the classics,” but I love the vibrant, bouncy drumbeat of “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” just as much as the soft, prayerful chords of “O Come O Come Emmanuel.”

As a child growing up in a Baptist church, it felt like an eternity every year as I waited for December to come and bring with it the Christmas hymns in the front of the hymnal, those pages we rarely turned to the other eleven months of the year. My mom was the organist and my grandfather the music director for many years, and I must admit I called in a few favors during December – requesting my favorite hymns for the morning worship service.

During those weeks when we sang the Christmas hymns, I was in my element. I knew all the words – to every verse! My singing, sadly, was no better than it was the rest of the year, but, boy, was my noise joyful in December. As a child, I couldn’t understand why my mom dreaded the hymns. Yes, she said they were harder to play on the organ than other hymns. Yes, she said she was always rusty because she played them so little throughout the year. To me, that was a small price to pay for the fun.

There are a lot of things I miss about being a child – namely not paying bills – but there is one casualty of adulthood that reveals itself more and more the older I get: the pure, undiluted innocence of childhood, that blissful unknowing. As an eight-year-old – even as a seventeen-year-old – I could sing Christmas hymns without really grasping what they were saying. Of course I knew the Christmas story: the story of Mary and Joseph fleeing persecution, seeking refuge, and being turned away by those who could not see the face of God in these strangers; the story of a new life, a new King, and a Savior. I knew all that. I got it.

But what I didn’t get as an eight-year-old – or a seventeen-year-old – was the way so many hymns tell the story of the birth of a fragile hope amidst utter despair, the way they reveal a glint of pure light amidst profound darkness.

The weary world. Those are the words that resonate with me now, now at thirty-six years old, when I listen to these hymns. How can a child understand the weariness of the world – a world exhausted of strength, a people tired to the point of collapse, a humanity that is disheartened, burdened, and weak? Most children cannot. As an adult, though, it is not hard to see, to feel, and to understand. The weariness is all around us: in our homes, in our communities, in our nation, in our world, in our very souls. We are tired. We are disheartened. We are, at times, hopeless, hopeless that things will ever change, will ever be better, will ever stop hurting.

From the time the prophet Isaiah wrote about the prophesied Messiah to the time of Jesus’s birth on that midnight clear, somewhere between 700 and 1,000 years passed. It undoubtedly seemed as though darkness had forever fallen, that despair was our lot.

Imagine, then, that night, that holy night. A thousand years of waiting. A thousand years of hoping. A thousand years of straining. And then:

a thrill of hope, a new and glorious morn

Then, as now, the weary world rejoices.

The winter solstice – the longest night of the year – falls just before we celebrate Christmas. It is my hope and prayer this year that you will find light, find hope, find peace, and rejoice.

[iamjassmine]

It's been a while....

Ecclesiastes 3:1

"For everything there is a season and a TIME for every purpose under heaven"

It is clearly said in this passage that there is a right time for everything. May it be personal, in your profession, in your goals, in your family, and in your life. There is a perfect and precise time for everything. Some may take a day or two, a week, a month, but some take a year or a decade to happen. And when our patience is being tested, we start to think "Why good things always take time to come to me?" "Why it's taking time for me to experience my ultimate goal?" And that's when we start to compare our lives to others. We start to feel pity towards ourselves and throwing questions everywhere. And we start to feel jealousy, unaccomplished individual, sadness, hopelessness that you think "Maybe God doesn't hear my prayers" and that God has favoritism or something like that. Well, I've thought about that a lot once or twice, even thrice whenever I see some people are more successful than I am, happier than I am, more accomplished and fulfilled people. As I compare myself to them, I feel sorry for myself........for a moment..... But then I realize a lot of things I have that other people don't have. I have a healthy family, we still eat nice food or even in restaurants during payday, we still have shelter that protects us, we have beds to lie on to rest, we have people who love us, and we have God who's always there when no one else was. We are blessed more than we can imagine and I realize the things that made me feel jealous, sad, or hopeless, are quite superficial, unimportant 'cause these things are only temporary, it's just for a moment and yes a memory to remember. But then I think about the promises of God, great promises that He will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19), “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). God surely bless us with our NEEDS and most of the time we pray for our WANTS. God does not always give what we want for a reason. It might make you or break you. But in every decisions you are making in life, right or wrong, if you come back to Him, He will let You through it. Oh! And I thought about death too... As the bible says from Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." So if your heart is in this world, you are a property of this world, but if your heart is after Him, you are absolutely a property of His, a child of God.

That is how I overcome jealousy, I constantly remind myself that I am blessed more than I deserve. That I am in the right place and when He wants to move me, He will in His perfect time. That I have some things that other people are not fortunate to have. When times I feel like God is not hearing me, I will always ask myself if I am listening to Him in the first place. Honestly, most of the time I don't because I do not allow Him to control my life. I always thought I am one step ahead of His plans for me and that I am hurrying things up. But I still thank Him endlessly for being so patient with the stubborn me. He always reminds me on Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" And that gives me reassurance and confidence that I am protected, I am in the right place, and I will be there in His perfect season.

Thank You Lord.

"I believe you're only getting started"

[poge-life]

The Cut } Finn Shelby chap. 1

introduction  prologue chapter 2

Never in a million years did anyone think Tommy Shelby, notorious gang leader, would be getting married. But here Penelope was, getting ready with Willow, Lizzie Stark, Ada Thorne, Polly Grey, and her mother.

"Willow, I swear if you pull my hair one more time, I'll cut you." Penelope threatened as her best friend was doing her hair.

The four older women let out a laugh at the two girls, used to their threats. Penelope and Willow had met after the boys came home from the war and had been best friends' sense; along with Finn and Isaiah. You never saw one without the other these days.

"I wouldn't have to pull so hard if you actually brushed your hair everyday." Willow defended, tugging on the blonde's hair again.

"Willow!" Penelope groaned, moving her head away from the girl. Audrey let out a chuckle, moving to stand behind her daughter, "Alright, Willow finish getting dressed. I'll do her hair."

Willow gave a final tug on Penelope's hair, quickly moving out of the way to avoid getting hit by her best friend. Audrey had gently brushed through Penelope's hair before pinning the front pieces back and bringing them together with a braid in the back. Audrey added a few hair pieces that Grace had loaned them and placed a kiss on top of her daughter's head.

Penelope looked at her mom in the mirror as Audrey wrapped her arms around her shoulders, "Had Finn seen your dress yet?"

Penelope let a smile make its way across her face at the mention of the red-haired boy. Her and the youngest Shelby were 6 months apart, the latter being older. They were thick as thieves growing up; as John and James went to school together and Tommy and Camden being the same age. Finn took pride in the fact Penelope chose him. Out of all the boys in Birmingham, she chose him.

"Not yet," She replied, "I've managed to hide it from him."

"I know he'll be speechless when he sees you." Audrey smiled at her daughter.

Audrey absolutely loved her daughter and Finn being together. Everyone often joked that Audrey preferred Finn over Penelope and Audrey has yet to deny it.

It was no secret to anyone that Penelope was Audrey and David's pride and joy. But that didn't mean they loved James and Camden any less. They knew it was because she was their little girl. Penelope got her mothers looks and her fathers brains. A dangerous combination. Penelope was often used as bait to get men to pay the money they owed her father and the Shelby's. She knew her father nor Tommy would let any guy touch her. And if they did, the would have to deal with not only her father, but her brothers and the Peaky Blinders as well.

A knock sounded throughout the room and Lizzie moved to answer the door, "Audrey. It's David and your sons."

Audrey motioned for them to be let in and Lizzie moved off to the side as they entered. David was followed by James and Camden as they greeted each lady with a kiss on the cheek before making their way to Audrey and Penelope.

"I do believe I am the luckiest man in the world." David smiled, wrapping his arms around his wife as Penelope turned to face her parents.

The Longfield siblings idolized their parents and the love they had for each other. Audrey and David met when Audrey's family moved from London to Small Heath and David had been the one to show her around the little town. Most women were expected to leave their jobs when they fell pregnant but not hers. David respected his wife. Treated her as an equal and higher. With him having many flourishing businesses, he stayed home for a while after Audrey went back to work after every child was born and he would stay home for as long as Audrey needed.

"We had to pay Isaiah and Michael to keep Finn away from here." James laughed, taking a seat next to Polly on the couch, sending her a cheeky smile as he wrapped his arm around her, "Boy is nearly going mental without you."

"They're in love," Polly smiled, nudging the blonde, "Leave them be."

"Besides, this is the longest they've been away from each other since they were born." Ada added as Polly and Audrey agreed.

"Oh come off it." Penelope groaned, walking over to the divider where her dress was. She signaled for Willow to come help her, as she wouldn't be able to do the buttons on her dress.

"I think it's adorable how much you two love each other." Willow smiled, nudging her best friend as she helped Penelope into her dress. The dress she would be wearing was from her mothers collection that wasn't out yet and Penelope was in love with it.

It was a velvet green dress that fell to just under her knees. It had a pink flower sheer lace over the entire dress and had slits filled in with green lace all around the dress and she paired it with white heels.

Willow and all the ladies were wearing something made by Audrey. Grace had even come to Audrey about making her wedding dress and Penelope was excited to see what her mother had come up with.

Despite everything that Grace had done to the Shelby family a few years back, they had all learned that Grace was pregnant and it was Tommy's. And two years later, Charles Michael Shelby was born and he was a beautiful little boy.

Willow helped Penelope fix her hair and her jewelry before they stepped out from behind the divider. The room had gone quiet, causing Penelope to look down at the ground.

"You look absolutely gorgeous, Penny." Lizzie smiled causing Penelope to lift her head. The other ladies agreed as David made his way over to the blonde, "Absolutely stunning, my shiny Penny."

David pulled Penelope into him as she wrapped her arms around her father. David Longfield was an exceptional man and an amazing father. He always gave to those who weren't as fortunate, offered hot meals and a place to stay for anyone who needed it. He played the father figure to the Shelby's after their father took off and David considered them his honorary kids. He was there when the three eldest Shelby boys and his boys were drafted for war and he was there to help them all find their way out of the dark.

"Alright," Audrey clapped, "the wedding starts in 15 minutes so we need to leave."

David placed a kiss on Penelope's head, pulling away from her as Penelope linked arms with Willow and Ada, making their way out of the room.

"I can tell you're nervous and there's nothing to be nervous about," Ada spoke, "Finn absolutely loves you. You could be wearing a sack and he'd still think you look stunning."

Penelope felt her face heat up at the older girls words. It was no secret to anyone on how much the two teenagers cared for each other. Even at a young age, the two were head over heels for each other. Penelope had made the first move, considering Finn was shy, but he was slowly breaking out of his shell.

They made quick small talk as they made their way to the front of Tommy's house, where the rest of the family was. Willow sent Penelope a wink and a smile before making her way over to her brother and father. Ada gave her arm a squeeze before making her way towards her brothers, turning Finn around to face his girlfriend.

Penelope took small steps as Finn did the same. He moved some hair out of her face, placing his hand on the side of her face, rubbing his thumb over her cheek, "You look...wow. You are so gorgeous."

Penelope let her eyes trail over his figure; he was wearing a dark brown suit under his coat with his peaky cap in his pocket. He had a red flower pinned to his lapel and she noticed he left his hair natural, his wild red curls were styled up with some gel, "You clean up well, Mr Shelby."

Finn smiled before leaning down to place a kiss on her lips. They pulled away with a smile and Penelope noticed the nervous look on his face, "What's wrong?"

Finn looked over her shoulder before looking back at her, "Your dad 'nd brothers have been watchin' me since I walked over 'ere."

Penelope groaned before turning around to throw a glare at her brothers, causing them and her father to walk over to the couple, "Any reason why you lot are terrifying my boyfriend?"

Camden shrugged, throwing his arm around Finn's shoulders, "Just making sure Finny Boy is being a gentleman."

Everyone knew Finn was terrified of Penelope's dad and brothers. Hell, so were the Shelby boys, well, they were scared of her father. Tommy looked up to David, as did his brothers. He had a beautiful wife, three wonderful children, and many successful businesses.

"Please," Penelope scoffed, glaring at her oldest brother, "You know Finn's a gentlemen."

Finn was the favorite Shelby, besides Ada, to the Longfield's. He was innocent compared to his brothers. He hadn't seen the troubles of war and he hadn't killed anyone. He always, well most of the time, used his manners and treated Audrey and Penelope with respect. But, there was a part of Finn that wished he could be like his brothers. Yes, he got respect only because of his last name but his brothers got respect because of the type of men they were.

"He better," James smirked, "because he knows what'll happen if he isn't."

Finn paled at his words and looked at Penelope, who elbowed her brother in the stomach, causing him to double-over, before looking over at her father, who was looking quite amused at his children. David chuckled before grabbing both of his sons, "Alright. Leave your sister alone. She can handle it."

Penelope stepped forward to straighten Finn's coat before pulling him down so she could kiss him. She pulled away when she realized he was stiff and shook her head, "At least act like you like me, Finn."

He placed a kiss on her forehead before offering her his arm. He led them over to the rest of the group before they all made their way to the church. Tommy and Arthur were already at the end of the aisle and Penelope smiled at the content look on Tommy's face. The same couldn't be said about Arthur's.

Penelope noticed the many red coats on Grace's side of the church and she quickly looked for her brother's and John. John, James, Camden, Arthur, and Tommy all held the same distaste for the red coats. When they went off to war, they were to dig tunnels to get into the enemies camp. The tunnels had collapsed and they waited for three days for the Calvary. For three days, they suffered in the dark, only with each other, waiting for the bloody red coats to help them.

Penelope made eye contact with her mother and motioned to the left side of the church, causing Audrey to look over before whispering to her husband. David looked around for his two kids before quickly grabbing them before they could leave the church.

Finn and Penelope made their way through the pew and Penelope stopped in her tracks when she noticed she would be sitting next to Linda. Arthur's very religious wife. She turned to look at Finn, who just sent her a cheeky smile. She quickly elbowed him before sitting next to her. Her parents were behind them with Isaiah, Willow, and her brothers sitting next to them.

Penelope put a little bit of space between her and Linda, sending her a smile. It's not that Penelope didn't like Linda, it's just that Linda had a very...strong opinion about the Shelby and     Longfield's lifestyle. Yes, David's businesses were 100% legal but he did start sending some of his whiskey out with Tommy's when they did business with Alfie Soloman's. And Linda had a very strong opinion about all of it.

John and Esme were sat with one of their kids next to Finn with Ada, Karl, and Michael at the end. John was staring at the red coats and Finn was mouthing off to them. Penelope rolled her eyes and turned to look at her brothers who were in the same state as John.

She turned her attention back to Grace's side of the church and narrowed her eyes at the blonde who was making heart eyes at Finn. Penelope put her hand on his jaw, turning him to look at her before she pulled him into a deep kiss.

They pulled away after a bit and Penelope wiped her lipstick off his lips as Finn stared at her. She heard her mother and Polly chuckle at her action as Isaiah and Willow let out loud laughs, no doubt noticing the blonde staring at Finn.

"What was that about," Finn asked, "Not that I'm upset about it."

Penelope pecked his lips before smiling, "Just letting them know neither of us are available."

Finn smirked at his girlfriend before setting his hand on her thigh. Jeremiah, Isaiah and Willow's father, made his way up to where Tommy and Arthur were and she noticed how appalled Grace's family looked.

Her and Finn turned to look at their best friends, knowing that was something that they dealt with more than they liked. The twins sent the couple a reassuring look, letting them know they were okay.

Penelope met Isaiah and Willow after her brothers came home from the war. Audrey, Polly, and David had thrown a dinner for the return of their families. Finn had dragged Penelope with him to introduce her to his new friends; the four being inseparable since.

The Wedding March played throughout the church as all the guests stood up. Grace was wearing a beautiful purple silk dress with a dark purple veil that went over her head. She looked absolutely stunning. Audrey really out did herself.

"Here comes the fucking calvary. Late as usual." John mumbled, causing Penelope to bury her mouth on Finn's shoulder to hide her laughs. Penelope had smiled at the sight of Tommy and Grace and she wondered if that's how her and Finn looked at each other.

The ceremony was beautiful and none of them cared at the looks they received from Grace's family at the loud cheers they let out as Tommy and Grace kissed.

They all made their way outside for the pictures and Penelope let out a loud laugh as Finn twirled her around before setting her down. She noticed that all the boys, including James and Camden, had their peaky caps on and she rolled her eyes at the sight.

A few of the girls from Grace's family were fighting over the bouquet and Penelope and Willow shared a look before laughing. Arthur ushered the girls away so that they could take the picture. Finn wrapped his arm around her waist as she placed one of hers on his chest as she looked up at him.

Finn had grown up in the last two years. His freckles had darkened and he had grown considerably taller than her. He filled out in muscle and was close to catching up with Arthur and her father in height. Penelope realized how handsome he was and how she was lucky to have him.

"What?" Finn asked, pulling her from her thoughts as she smiled, "You're just so handsome."

Finn smiled at her before placing a kiss on her forehead before turning to face the photographer. She blinked a few times as the flash went off twice, causing her to blink rapidly.

"Sorry Finn," Willow called, tugging the blonde away from said boy, "I'm stealing your girlfriend."

Willow and Penelope quickly made their way through the crowd as Finn chased after them. The girls let out giggles as they ran through the grass, hand in hand, holding up their dresses with their free hand. They slowed to a stop as they neared Tommy's drive way, waiting for everyone to catch up.

"What was that?" Penelope panted, looking at her best friend. Willow looked at the group of people before looking back at the blonde," Michael was walking towards me and I don't want to talk to him."

"I thought you two were together?" Penelope furrowed her eyebrows at Willow who just shook her head, "We are. I think. We argued the other day and we haven't talked since."

"What did you guys fight about?"

"I told him I loved him but he didn't say it back." Willow whispered. Penelope pulled her into a hug. Ever since Michael came to Birmingham, he was infatuated with Willow. She happened to be the only girl besides Penelope that didn't fall for him. But once Isaiah took Michael under his wing to show him the ropes, Willow started feeling something for the boy.

"I'm sorry, Will."

Willow let out a few sniffles before pulling away, " 'Saiah's been trying to get me to talk to him but I don't think I'm ready."

"You can be my date for the rest of the night. Finn can put his big boy pants on and deal with it."

Willow giggled at the blonde's word and intertwined their hands, leaning her head on her shoulder. The two were often seen holding hands and touching in someway but no one ever dared to say anything about it due to their connections to the Peaky Blinders and because of Penelope's family.

Tommy and Grace were the first to arrive and Penelope and Willow pulled the two newly weds into a hug. The two girls were the only people that Tommy would hug besides his family but he rarely did it in public. The newly married couple made their way onto their house as the rest of the guests arrived.

Finn was walking with Isaiah and John before he spotted his girlfriend and his best friends sister. Penelope and Willow gave him a big smile before they made their way into the house, ignoring the looks from Grace's family at the sight of the two holding hands.

Penelope was halfway through her first glass of champagne when arms wrapped around her waist, "You're hiding from me."

She placed her glass on a tray before turning to wrap her arms around Finn's neck, looking up at him, "And you found me."

"This mean I get a reward." Finn smirked, giving her waist a squeeze. Penelope lightly ran her nails over the back of Finn's head, causing him to close his eyes, "Mm, come find me at the end of the night and we'll see."

Before Finn could respond, the two were pulled away from each other by Willow and James, "Tommy's called a meeting in the kitchen."

The four made their way to the kitchens, taking a few wrong turns but eventually finding it. Finn and her brother made a beeline for the food while the two girls made their way over to Tommy.

"Where are they?" Tommy asked as Johnny Dogs came through the side door, "Where's John and Arthur?"

Finn made his way over to Penelope with Arthur, Michael, and her brothers in tow as John and her father came through the servants entrance. Finn moved to stand by Penelope but Camden put him in a headlock, pulling him in between him and Johnny Dogs as James stood next to Camden. Penelope shot her oldest brother a glare as she moved to stand between Isaiah and Willow, Arthur and her father sitting on the end of the table as Tom stood in the middle of the room.

"Alright, boys, Penny, Willow, you're all here," Tommy started, "Today is my fucking wedding day."

"Yeah," John spoke, "And you said there'd be no bloody uniforms."

David sent his two sons a look as they went to agree but quickly shut their mouths.

"Nevertheless," Tommy said, "Nevertheless, John, James, Camden. Despite the bad blood, I'll 'ave none of it on my carpet. Now, for Grace's sake, nothing will go wrong."

"Those bastards, out there, are her family," he continued, "and if you fuckers, do anything to embarrass 'er, your kin, your cousins, your horses, you fucking do anything-"

"Tom." Isaiah spoke, causing Penelope to groan

"What?!?!"

"What about snow?" Isaiah asked

"Oh bloody hell." Willow groaned as John grabbed Isaiah by the back of the head, "yeah, their women are sport, I'll give them that."

"No, no," Tommy spoke, "No cocaine."

"No sport. No telling fortunes." He pointed to John

"No racing." Next was Arthur. Tommy moved to grab Finn's face, "No fucking sucking petrol out of their fucking cars."

With a smack, he turned to face the two girls, "No gambling with them to get their money." The two girls shared a smirk before agreeing. The two girls were often sent into David's casino's to try and get money out of potential dealers for David and Tommy.

Penelope noticed the dazed look on Willow's face and followed her line of vision to see her staring at Michael, who was staring back at her with a smirk. Penelope just raised her eyebrows at him before nudging Willow, snapping her back into reality.

"And you, Charlie," Tommy had turned to face his uncle, "quit telling yearns about me, eh?"

"I'm just trying to sell you to them, Tom."

Tommy rubbed his eyes in frustration and Penelope leaned forward to look at her dad, signaling for him to say something. David moved next to Tommy and patted him on the back, "If Tommy or myself hear that any of you bastards did anything to make Grace or her family upset, I'll personally see to that you are dealt with."

Now everyone didn't even think about fucking the night up for Tommy and Grace. David Longfield wasn't someone you wanted to cross.

"Thank you, David." Tommy nodded his head in appreciation at the older man before looking around the room again, "But, the main thing is, that the bunch of you fuckers, despite the provocation from the calvary, no fighting."

Tommy immediately looked towards the eldest Jesus sibling and Willow snorted in amusement as their father covered his mouth.

"No fighting." He pointed to Isaiah, "No fucking fighting." John was next, "No fighting." Arthur raised his hands in surrender as Tommy just pointed at Michael as he always kept his clean since he dealt with the legal side of the business. Tommy then turned to look at Finn and Penelope's brother, "No. Fucking. Fighting!"

They all let out sounds of agreement as Tommy nodded. David handed Tommy his as jacket as a waiter made the mistake of bumped into him, "Get the fuck off me!"

With that, the waiter was on the ground, the wine bottle shattered and Arthur threw his half eaten carrot at him. David placed his hands on Tommy's shoulders and led him out of the room before he actually killed one of them.

Finn threw his arm around Penelope's shoulder as they made their way up to the dining room, "is that what you and Isaiah do when you two go out?"

"Don't know what you're talking about, Penny." Finn answered, giving her a smile.

Penelope was sat between Lizzie and Finn with Michael on the other side of him. Tommy and Grace were at one end of the table with Penelope's parents at the other.

Finn had one hand on her thigh and the other was holding his whiskey while Penelope had one hand around Finn's neck, lightly dragging her nails over the short hairs. Penelope often cursed Tommy for their ridiculous haircut as she loved Finn's wild curls. Up until this year, he used to try and tame his curls by gelling them down but ever since he, Isaiah, and Michael were no longer 'junior peakey's' he opted cutting his hair shorter, losing almost all his curls. Most days he just styled his curls up and on days he attended events with his brothers, he would gel them down.

"There's a blonde girl who keeps undressing Finn with her eyes sitting across from you." Lizzie mumbled, bringing her glass up to her lips. Penelope turned to see the same blonde from the church doing exactly what Lizzie said she was doing.

She threw the rest of her drink back, turning to face the women, "She was doing the same thing in the church and I practically made out with Finn to prove he wasn't available."

"Girls like her are used to getting what they want," Lizzie spoke, "And since she knows Finn is with you, she'll try everything to get him."

"Not if I have something to do about it. She can try but she won't get very far." Penelope mumbled causing Lizzie to laugh. Penelope turned her attention back to Finn as he seemed bored and would rather be anywhere else. She grabbed his hand in hers and intertwined their fingers, "What's on your mind, love?"

"Just thinking about my reward later." He smirked, giving her hand a squeeze as she rolled her eyes. She leaned her head on his shoulder, looking at the blonde sitting across from them, "That girl is making it really hard for me to listen to my dad 'nd Tommy."

Finn looked up to see what girl she was talking about and the girl winked at him and Finn felt Penelope's grip tighten on his hand, causing him to look back at her.

After the most weird toast given by Arthur, the guests made their way into the ballroom.

Penelope had her arm linked with Finn's as they made their way through the crowd; trying to find someone their own age. Willow pushed people out of her way as she stepped in front of the couple, "Who's the whore with Michael?"

Penelope and Finn both looked over to see a girl with short brown hair in a white flapper dress standing very close to the boy.

"She tried getting snow off Isaiah when we got 'ere," Finn explained, turning to face the girl, "she's very eager to get it off someone."

"She's never done it," Penelope smirked, looking between the two, "If she had, she wouldn't be so obvious about getting some. Let alone being obvious about it at Tommy Shelby's wedding."

The two just looked at her in wonder, causing her to roll her eyes, "My dad owns casino's and pubs. I know snow and peoples behavior."

Finn and Willow both nodded in realization. Penelope knew when people were using snow; considering her and Finn had done it a few times. But being at her father's establishments, she knew when people had never done it and when they had. And this girl had definitely never done it before; being so obvious about it.

John and James had walked up to the trio, John whispering in Finn's ear as the boy nodded. Finn pulled Penelope with him as she grabbed Willow, following the two older boys.

"What's going on?" Penelope asked as they walked through the house

"There's something going on and Tommy wants us to make noise. So, Arthur and meself rallied together the fucking calvary to some racing and Finn boy will be riding."

Penelope perked up at the sound of Finn getting to race. She knew how much he loved horses and he took care of Tommy's and her father's any chance he got. Finn was an excellent rider and almost never lost a race. She loved watching him race and everyone knew it.

"What's that got to do with me?" Penelope questioned

Finn, who somehow ended up with his peaky cap, shrugged off his coat, putting it around his girlfriend's shoulders. He pulled off his jacket and handed it to her, quickly followed by his waist coat and his button up. Leaving him in his suspenders and undershirt. He pulled Penelope to him by her waist and tilted her head up to look at him, "Yer dad doesn't want you near the house when it's happening, so, you're going to stand there and cheer for me, while I show the fucking calvary, you don't fuck with the peaky blinders."

He placed a deep kiss on her lips and pulled away, following after his brothers.

Penelope blinked a few times, trying to process the last 30 seconds as she turned to face Willow walked up to her, "What?

Penelope pulled Finn's coat tighter against her, looking over at Willow, "I think Finn turned me on without touching me."

[deepdonutkid]

Bonnie Gold, Finn Shelby, Isaiah Jesus, Michael Gray 💖

I’m answering this with a different game, because I can’t find the other thing xD

Bonnie Gold

How I feel about this character:

I think Bonnie is a super, sweet, young boy, who has a good relationship with his father. Even though, he seems so innocent, there is obviously a part in him, that can and will execute any order, without asking questions. This makes it very interesting to think and write about him. Also he is hot as fuck... C’mon... he is a boxer in the 1920, he could dick me down anytime.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Oh, well, he don’t have a love interesting in the show and I don’t know who I would ship with him. I love to read x reader stuff (especially by @bonniesgoldengirl ) Otherwise I would like to read Bonnie x Finn or Bonnie x Isaiah or even Bonnie x Michael, but with a weird stepbrother setting.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Damn, non-romantic gives me away. I would love to read/ write about Polly & Bonnie, Aberama & Bonnie, Bonnie & Esme, Bonnie & John, Bonnie and Arthur, Bonnie and Finn, Bonnie and Michael... the whole dynamic with the new family; Polly, Aberama, Michael, Bonnie, Esmeralda and maybe even Anna.

Then again, always popular and I love this as well: JUNIOR PEAKY BOYS! GIVE ME MORE JUNIOR PEAKY BOYS!

My unpopular opinion about this character

I would say, the fandom thinks he is so innocent, but I doubt that. He seems like he could do a lot of bad stuff and even be violent to some degree, because his dad is a murderer for hire and Aberame sure showed him to survive and to fight back and even torture someone. (can someone please write sweet gore with bonnie? )

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

First of all... I WISHED HE DIDN’T DIE!

Secondly, he could have gone away for boxing, or became a big star in the game or meet a cute little singer in his favorite pub for fucks sake.

He could have found a mother in Polly.

There were a shitton load of things they could have done with the character, but they didn’t and I’m still a little mad about it!

Finn Shelby

How I feel about this character

He is baby! I completely ignore season 5 and he is baby to me. Young, innocent, can’t do something bad, even if he tried, virgin, gentle or shy with girls, wants to get to know them, before he fucks them. Ah, sweet fluff for everyone! I should write more about him and I still have three ideas for one shots or blurbs, I might upload later. He is notably the youngest of five, but this also means he is the softest of them. During the war he was still a child, he hasn’t been to the trenches nor did he witnessed a lot around him, which makes him more vunerable than his brothers.

Nevertheless, he grows and becomes a young man though the seasons. I think he has Ada’s and Tommy’s sass, but he still wouldn’t be mean without a reason.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Finn and... reader? I wouldn’t really ship him with someone on the show, but I still hope they give him a love interest next season!

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Ah, now I have thousand ideas! Finn and his brothers, Finn and Ada, Finn and Polly. Finn, Polly and Isaiah? Finn and Esme? Finn and Jessie? Finn and Lizzie? Oh, oh! Finn and John?

My unpopular opinion about this character

He wasn’t really close to Tommy. I can’t really explain this one, but he could act different, if he actually talked more to Tommy. And I think their relationship gets worse over time.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Finn gets a girlfriend or he reveals that he is gay.

Isaiah Jesus

How I feel about this character

I love him and it’s a shame he doesn’t get much screen time! Why? He is a loyal member of the Peaky Blinders? And what does he get? Nothing! Isaiah is a really funny and charming guy and they could have developed this more after John died. This show needs a charming guy and I don’t mean Tommy!

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Michael? Also sometimes Ada? Bonnie in a threesome? Finn and they are childhood friends? With a reader? Hell yes!

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Bonnie!

Jimmy Jesus & his son!

Michael, again

Ada & Isaiah

Charlie Shelby & Isaiah

Polly and Isaiah, when he has problems with a girl and she gives him a good advice

My unpopular opinion about this character

I don’t have one! o.o He is perfect!

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Omg, I would love to know more about his family! His mom and the relationship to his father? Does he have siblings? Damn, I need answers!

Michael Gray

How I feel about this character

This is complicated! I love him, especially farmboy Michael in season 2! But he is drawn to the dark side so much and even his actor Finn Cole says he has sociopath tendencies. I can agree on this! Michael is definitely a sociopath and I think he has a hard time connecting to another person. He is very cold-hearted and dismissive, but if you crack his hard shell, you might find something soft inside. We rarely saw him vunerable on screen, but I think he is capable of this too!

But I also think, Sex is a problem for him. He saw how his parents fought a lot when he was a child and then he was taken away. He was also raped in orphanage and bruised for his life. And even when he got back to Birmingham, he still sees how his cousins treat women and it’s not respectfully. Of course, he wants to be like Tommy, rich so he won’t have to be hungry ever again, feared so nobody will attack him and cold-blooded so nobody can hurt him anymore. He pushes all his feelings down, because he is afraid of them and he can’t handle these. (good example was the whole thing with Charlotte getting pregnant)  I would love to see him developing a  platonic relationship with a female character, because it would help him heal. He sure miss his sister, she was part of his misery as a child and I think she helped him, no matter if she was younger or older than him.

I really wished, he wouldn’t try so much to be like Tommy. It would really help him dealing with his trauma.

And I think in the next season one of them has to die q.q But I hope it’s not Michael...

All the people I ship romantically with this character

None, he doesn’t seem like he would like to be in a romantic relationship. Even his marriage with Gina seems very practical. They fuck together and they scheme together. No romantic feelings involved. And somehow it works for them. 

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I would love to write a one shot about him and a sister reader, or him an Anna or his whole family dynamic! Or him and Aberama! And I could and would write a whole fic about John and Michael! I can’t wait for Michael to appear in my new series! (hahaha, self promo)

My unpopular opinion about this character

I actually like the mustache! And I will stay true to myself!

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Michael finds Anna well and alive! Please! I know this won’t happen and he will most certainly die in the end, but in his last minutes he still could find peace after everything that has happened to him! He is still my baby!

This was fucking long! Thanks for the ask, homegirl! 💞

[keeperoftheboys]

Beautiful and Deadly (John Shelby)

John Shelby X Female Gold Reader 

Warnings: Mentions of Death, attempted rape, murder, season 5 spoilers, cursing. 

A/N: Pretend that that thing in season 4 never happened. Esme Who?

“John Shelby you BASTARD!” Everyone in the Garrison turned to face me, rain-soaked and furious. I pushed through the doors of the bar and marched straight up to him. People moved out of my way quickly, they knew a man standing in my path of rage was a dead man. 

John looked up at me with a smirk 

“Yes darling, how can I help you?” 

“I asked you no- I told you not to buy me anything. So why did I find this when I got home?” I held the perfectly wrapped parcel in my hand. It was a necklace box with a now soaked satin bow. The wrapping still intact.

“Did you look inside?” 

“I don’t want your poisonous gifts.” 

“Open it, love.” 

“Don’t call me love!” I slammed the box on the bar next to him and went to turn away but he carefully caught my waist turning me to face him with a flick of his wrist.

“Sorry, I can’t help but want to spoil you. I want to see you wrapped up in silver and gold and the world’s finest silks. You deserve jewels and castles and fine china.” He drew a circle with his thumb on my hip.

“I’m not some woman whose love can be bought. A toy for you to play with. A woman to bear your children” I tore away from his grip and stormed through the bar. “Get back to your drinking you nosey fucks!” 

A few days later I was sitting at Tommy’s dinner table next to Ada and Finn. As the eldest Gold child, I had taken my father’s place after his death. Burdened with the task of carrying out the Gold and Shelby alliance. My people needed me to keep them safe and with the Blinders on our side, that was all possible. Of course, it hadn’t been my dream to be a gangster or part of a family full of lies and deceit. I wanted to go to school, I wanted to be a journalist. Tommy had asked me to join the family, whether it was out of pity or respect I didn’t know. 

Bonnie and I stuck together like glue, thick as thieves. I have sisters and we get along well but they eventually married or settled into gypsy life in a way that was different than mine. I was close to my father, his little fox. He, Bonnie, and I did everything together. 

John caught my eyes from across the table shooting me a dazzling smile. “Beautiful.” He mouthed. 

“No.” I mouthed back.  

He laughed and averted his gaze to chat with Arthur, leaving me alone for the rest of dinner. After a ride home form Johnny Dogs I decided to take a walk. I enjoyed the still of the evening when the street lamps were on and people were locked in their houses. I walked past the waterfront where the frogs called out in the warm summer air and the smell of coal subsided for a moment giving way to the musty smell of the water. 

It was one of my favorite places, it reminded me of a secret walk John had taken me on after one of Bonnie’s fights when we were both buzzing on Gin and lingering glances. The night where he reached for my hand, his fingers ghosting over mine and I fell for him.

As I walked I noticed the footsteps behind me.

“I suggest you leave me alone,” I said, without stopping or turning to face the man behind me. 

“What’s a pretty thing like you doing walking alone at night?” I ignored him continuing my stroll slowly reaching to make sure the knife hidden in my garter was still there. I knew this path well, if I made it to the tunnel ahead I could run through it and be only a few houses down from my door.

The man’s pace began to pick up, so I too walked faster, nearly making it to the tunnel entrance before he caught up to me.  He was of average size and height, clearly not from here. Most people knew I ran with the blinders, most people knew not to mess with me for fear of retaliation from Isaiah or Charlie or worse —Arthur. 

He pushed me into the brick wall of the building that lined the canal. 

“Let me go,” I said, locking eyes with the man. 

“No, I don’t think I will.” 

To be fair to the idiot he didn’t know who my brother had been, and that I had boxed, wrestled, and trained with him for fun. That my father had taught me how to shoot and kill and strangle a man with a necklace. The man had me trapped between his arms, he left my hands free assuming that I wouldn’t fight back. 

“Let me go.” 

“No.” He laughed in my face, breath stinking of rot and cigarettes.

“Fine.” In one swift movement, I kneed him in the groin, pushed his left arm out of my way, and moved from his trap just in time for his head to smack into the brick wall as he bent forward cupping his manhood with a yelp. 

“Bitch.” he spat, reaching for me. I dogged his hand hitting him with a mean right hook and a kick to the knee cap. He went down and I turned to run only to be caught around the ankle. I hit the ground hard. Skinning my hands and elbows as I braced myself. He pulled me toward him, roughly flipping me on my back and crawling over me with a snarl. He grabbed a fist full of my hair yanking it down. I grimaced in return but no sound left my lips. 

“You’ll pay for that.” 

“Don’t like it when your victims fight back?” I growled, spitting in his face. He released my hair to hit me. His palm was harsh against my cheek. He ripped my dress, buttons scattered across the cobblestones. I squirmed to get away and he dragged me backwards again forcefully gripping my thigh, his fingers digging into my flesh.  As he moved to unbuckle his pants I pulled the knife from my thigh. “This isn’t your first time doing this, I can tell, but it will be your last.” I cut his throat. His blood splashed across my face and chest. He gargled for a moment then went limp. I heaved his body off mine leaving it there beside the canal. 

I made it to my house two minutes later closing and locking the door behind me heading towards my bathroom to clean up. 

“What the fuck happened.” 

I turned to the voice in my living room, lifting my knife towards the intruder only to find John standing there with a terrified look in his eyes. 

“Jesus Christ.” I tossed the knife on the hall table and continued to the bathroom. 

“What happened, are you okay?” 

“I’m great John.”

He caught the door to the bathroom before I could close it. His eyes were ablaze. “Whose blood is that” 

“Some man attacked me near the canals. I left his body there.” I wet a rag and began to wipe the blood from my face. If John was shocked that I had killed a man he didn’t make it obvious, he turned on the bath filling it with warm water and oils.  

“Here, let me.” He took the rag from my hand and gently wiped the blood off my face and chest. We stood in silence for a few minutes as he worked. I gripped the porcelain sink behind me as the pain from my fight began to sink in wincing as he cleaned my palms. “What were you doing out there alone?” 

“Why were you in my house?” 

“You forgot your bag in Johnny’s car, he asked me to give it to you. What were you doing out there?” 

“That’s all you came here for? How did you get in?” 

“I have a key, and I wanted to talk to you.” 

“About what?” 

“Doesn’t matter right now.” He stepped away to turn off the water in the bath testing the temperature with his hand. “Get in. It will help with your muscles. Give me your dress, I’ll take care of it.” I stared at him until he turned covering his eyes even though his back was towards me. I slipped out of my dress and underthings quietly calling his name. He held his hand out and grabbed my dress shutting the door behind him as he left, his eyes never opened. 

After about twenty minutes I emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a robe. I made my way to my bedroom where John had laid out my nightgown. Once I was dressed he appeared in the doorway. 

“Uncle Charlie is taking care of the body. Tommy is finding out who the man was. Are you sure you’re okay?” 

“I think so.” 

“Why didn’t you call? I would have walked with you.” 

“That would have been more dangerous.” I shook my head sitting on my bed. 

“You do know who I am right? Nobody would attack us.” 

“I’m not afraid of others.”

“I would never hurt you.” He took a step back in shock. 

“John, I know that. I...never mind. What did you want to tell me?” 

“I wanted you to open this.” He closed the gap between us, handing me the box that I had scolded him for in the Garrison a few days ago. 

“John.” 

“Please.” 

I sighed, uniting the ribbon, pulling the box from its wrapping and removing the lid. There, in a bed of silk, sat a beautiful silver knife, its handle covered in beautiful filigree. It was a piece of art. The prettiest thing I owned. “John. It’s beautiful.” 

“Beautiful and deadly, like you.” his fingers brushed over my cheek where a bruise was sure to appear tomorrow. 

“Thank you.” I smiled, catching his hand with mine. 

“Of course.” He let go of me and turned to leave when he reached the door, I stopped him. 

“John. Stay with me.” 

[gaamagirl565]

Matters of the heart Season 3 Episode 3 A heart of thirst WARNING: this episode of matters of the heart contains heavy subject matters 

Matters of the heart Season 3 Episode 3 A heart of thirst WARNING: this episode of matters of the heart contains heavy subject matters {OPENING CREDITS} {Open to Corona castles throne room; Larkspur sits sideways on one of the thrones sipping from a golden goblet despondently} Vergus: Mistress? Why do you look so blue? we have everything we could ever want. Corona is ours. Larkspur:  not everything... those morons continue to fight us... and noremoth…. {Her grip tightens on her cup before she throws it across the room} Larkspur: I WANT HIM FOUND!.... Vergus: O-Of course mistress! Larkspur:  he betrayed us all...He betrayed me! {Vergus walks up to her throne; he takes off he cape and drapes it across her} Vergus:  of course he did mistress. did you expect anything less of the man? Larkspur:  to be honest I don't know what I expected of him…. more than this! Vergus:  for all we know mistress he could be dead.  our sweet vessel took care of him quite nicely the last time we saw him. Larkspur:  that is true... wherever he is I hope he's burning. what traitors deserve... what everyone deserves.  those privileged, underhanded… Vergus:  mistress if I may… {he hands her a small vial} Larkspur:  what is that? Vergus: a sleeping aid. you've been awake for more than 2 days. you must be exhausted.  for the sake of-!? {Larkspur snatches it from his hands and chugs the small vial} Vergus:....Right then….um... do call me if you need anything… Larkspur:  I'll be fine…. Go. {Vergus bows and leaves; Larkspur turns over in the chair tiredly and closes her eyes; fade to Vardaros where rain pours from the sky; a younger Larkspur dressed in rags watches with a cold glare as a coffin is being carried through the streets with a large crowd of people; a young woman steps on the stage in town square} Vex: Ladies and Gentlemen...We have….sorry...We have lost someone dear to all of us. Larkspur: pfftt… “dear”... Vex: Captain Quiad was an honourable and just man. He fought for what was right and whenever we needed him he was always right there.  whenever he thought he was out of the game he always searched for a reason to get back in. He cared for all of us. no matter who you are or who you were….He was a brave Sheriff who fought for every man, woman, and child... and it is with a heavy heart that we today say goodbye. {Thunder rumbles causing Larkspur to jump and go back into the alley} Larkspur: Fought for everyone...puh!  he was nothing but a tired old man running around with a sword.  if he truly did anything for our town then why am I still hungry!? Why are my brothers and sisters dead!? Why did I watch my family starve!? {She kicks a can but yells in pain} Larkspur: I hate Vardaros… I hate them all... {fade out to Larkspur asleep in the throne mumbling; Cut to the medical tent at camp; Noremoth breathes shakily as Hector looks over the wounds with the physician} Hector: Straight through… Physician:  yes unfortunately the blade went straight through him. it caused some serious internal injuries that I was able to repair mostly through surgery but I fear that infection is going to take him. Hector:  judging from the wound shape i’m going to say it was a straight single edged sword. Physician: I've done what I can to the wound as for the infection… Hector:  not much you can do for that... he's got to fight his own battle now. {Varian walks in with Eugene} Varian: how is he? Hector:  let's just say he's had better days. and if he doesn't fight off this infection he won't have any more days. Eugene:  we don't have much medicine left... kids we are able to learn some valuable information about whatever gas the cult used... it can be lethal  but we don't have an antidote. Varian:  I could synthesize one if I had my lab but it's too dangerous to sneak back into town. Hector: welp... better practice Your Grave digging boys… {Hector walks out of the tent} Eugene:  you know I was kind of hoping that after all these years he would have lightened up a little bit but clearly not… Varian: Isaiah...I know you're there you can come out now. {Isaiah walks in with Benny} Varian: theres my girl! {Benny runs over and is lifted up} Varian: what going on with you two? Sneaking around? Isaiah:  are the sick and injured really doing that bad? Varian:....ummm Isaiah:  dad come on… I need to know. {Varian sighs and puts benny down} Varian:  yeah... they're not doing good. Eugene: people are going to want to know what's going on... we might as well be honest.  we're running out of Medicine.  Hector and his family have been quite the help foraging for ingredients for remedies but that's not going to hold these people off.  if we can't find a way to cure them we're going to lose a lot of people. Isaiah: *gasps*...but...Nathaniel...he.. Varian: I'm sorry buddy but it's not looking good for him. {Isaiah runs out of the tent and Eugene places a hand on Varians shoulder; Cut back to Larkspur groaning in her sleep; Fade into her dream; Younger larkspur sits outside a shop begging for coins} Larkspur:...please...coins? I just want some bread… {A child stops by her and reaches out before being pulled away by his mother} Mother: Don’t speak to beggars! They probably have the plague! {Larkspur growls in anger before shivering} Larkspur: Pathetic whelps...what makes me less than you?....one day you’ll be the ones begging… Unknown woman: Oh is that so? {Larkspur jumps surprised and looks up at a young woman with golden curly hair} Larkspur: ...and you are? Unknown woman: You cut right down to business don't you? Larkspur:  I don't like speaking unless I know whom I'm speaking to. Unknown woman: Fair enough...I’m Chiara, and you? Larkspur:....Larkspur… Chiara: like the flower? Thats so pretty! {She sits next to her} Larkspur:....You're not from here are you? Chiara:  is it that easy to tell?  I just moved here!  I heard there was a huge demand for bakeries!  I want to set up my own shop here. Larkspur:  well lesson number one little miss Chi-chi... I'm a beggar you're supposed to avoid me and pretend I don't exist…. Chiara:...that doesn't sound right.  if you're so down on your luck shouldn't we be working together to help you? {Larkspur laughs} Larkspur:  oh you're really not from here. Chiara:...hmmm...oh! Here! Have some!  it's going to be my bakery’s special! {She hands her a muffin; Larkspur looks at her suspiciously before rolling her eyes and taking it; she takes a bite and her eyes practically glow with amazment} Larkspur: it...IT’S AMA- {She looks at Chiara’s beaming face} Larkspur: it’s good… Chiara: Oh!  I'm so glad you like it! I'm good at baking all sorts of treats but muffins are my specialty.  this one is specifically an apple cinnamon one! {She leans in real close to whisper} Chiara: they're my favorite too! Larkspur: *snerk* Chiara:  oh dear I'm supposed to meet the movers at my new shop!  it was lovely meeting you Larkspur!  I'll see you soon! Larkspur:...yeah...um...thanks...bye. {She sits back against the wall and takes a bite of the muffin before slightly smiling; Fade out on Larkspur smiling asleep; fade back into her dream; Chiara sneaks into a back alley} Chiara: Larkspur? You here? {Larkspur jumps down from a roof onto a wooden crate making Chiara jump} Chiara: OH! Haha! You startled me! Larkspur: How's business? Chiara:  it's been doing great in the past months! I brought cake by the way! Larkspur:  you know I don't have much of a sweet tooth. Chiara:  I know but who doesn't like cake!? {Larkspur smirks and sits next to her; Chiara takes out the cake to show it has larkspur and rose flowers on it} Chiara: Ta-daa! Larkspur: huh? Last time I checked flowers didn't exactly taste very good. Chiara:  no silly!  they’re just decoration! Your name is Larkspur so that was an obvious choice but roses are my favorite!  this is to celebrate several months of friendship! Larkspur:.... Chiara:  you don't like it?  chocolate not your thing? don't tell me you're allergic! Oh i’m sorry! Larkspur: N-no! it's not that at all... I'm just confused. Chiara:  confused? Why? Larkspur:  I'm a beggar..people avoid me...it’s always been that way...people despise me. {Chiara sets the cake down} Chiara: tell me about it? Larkspur:.... my parents died when I was young. plague. I didn't have any next of kin so I was sent here to a poor house.  I don't know what you are living situation was but when you're all alone in the world you have to find allies.  a group of children in that poor house... they were my family… Chiara:....were? Larkspur:...Vardaros was taken over at one point by powerful man. the baron.  he’d pay you good if you worked for him. So my siblings and I decided to work for him. Of course I never got to meet him personally mind you he always had his little big-nosed henchmen do everything for him. that included paying us. I'm not going to sugarcoat it the stuff I did for him... it was bad. not stuff for the faint of heart. you do what you can to survive. Chiara:  what happened? Larkspur:  some people from Corona came and overthrew him… once he was gone that spineless little weasel decided he didn't need us.  he tried to take over the town. he lasted maybe a few days before those people from Corona overthrew him as well.they had Quiad return in “glory”... as if he hadn't been gone for over a decade already.   with our steady pay gone we had to look for other means of survival. nobody wants to hire beggar children…. they all started getting sick… Chiara: larkspur… Larkspur:   there was nothing I could do... I stole whatever I could to try and feed them... but no matter how much I stole it was never enough.  and none of those self-righteous people would ever help.  I watched them all slowly starve to death. they were so much younger than me.  sometimes I would think of them as my children. {larkspur gasps as she feels Chiara wrap her arms around her} Chiara:  I'm so sorry…. I can't imagine that pain. Larkspur: To this day I still don't understand why nobody would help... they think they’re so much better than us... I swore on the day that I saw the last of them starve that I would make everybody in this town feel the same pain and Desperation that I felt. that one day everybody around me would be the ones begging while I walked over them. Chiara:... and would that make you feel better? Larkspur: of course it would! they need to suffer as I have suffered! this whole the innocent and meek shall inherit the earth is garbage!  I didn't do anything to anybody and I suffer day in and day out!  yet these people treat me like I'm garbage and they have a full belly every night! Chiara:  Larkspur... would you say that you felt happy when you were with all those children? Larkspur:... they were my family... course I felt happy with them. Chiara:  and now that you're alone you feel miserable and angry. Larkspur: what is your point? Chiara:  you don't want Vengeance you want love. you miss them. you miss having someone care for you the way that they cared for you.  losing them broke you.  but just because you're broken doesn't mean you can't be put back together. {Larkspur leans into her and Chiara strokes her hair} Chiara: You know I think I have an idea! Larkspur: hmm? Chiara:  there's a spare room in my house. I've mostly been using it for storage but I don't have many things of my own so it's pretty much just an empty room.  but it's warm!  downstairs is the bakery and I could use the help! Larkspur: Are you giving me a job? Chiara: Of course!  you'll get paid and free room and board! Larkspur: why?... Chiara: when something's broken it's easier to have help to put it back together. {Larkspur smiles and hugs her; cut to a few months later as Larkspur enters the shop wearing a simple dress and apron} Chiara: Hi! Welcome home! Larkspur: I just put the horse back and there's new bags of flour in the storage room. Chiara: you’re the best!  thanks for doing that pick up. Larkspur:  it's my job. Chiara:  I know but it's still nice that you do it. {The door jingles as costumers enter} Chiara:  can you handle this one? I'm about to take a fresh batch of sourdough out. Larkspur: don't lie to me you were experimenting with the cakes again weren't you? Chiara:  I will perfect a cake with the best strawberry cream filling! you will see yet! {Larkspur gently shoves her into the back} Larkspur:  just make sure you are trying to use gunpowder to cook faster I don't want another explosion like last time….How can I help you sir? Villager: one sourdo-....... Larkspur:.... Sir? Villager:  you were that beggar… Larkspur:... yes I was a beggar.  but I don't appreciate people prying into my personal life so I'll ask you again, how can I help you sir? Villager:  please tell me you wash your hands before touching the dough! Larkspur:  excuse me? Villager: you were a beggar! you were exposed to all sorts of illnesses weren't you!?  and now you're working in a bread shop!? Disgusting! {Chiara walks in} Chiara:  is there a problem out here? Villager:  you hired a beggar!?  you know how disease-ridden these people are!? Chiara:  sir, that's not very polite. Villager:  who cares about being polite when you could infect the entire town! Chiara: I care about being polite!  now sir if you don't mind I respectfully ask that you leave my establishment and seek business elsewhere. Villager: Oh i’ll leave!  but I'm warning you it isn't good business to hire a beggar! They’re filthy! They have lice! Chiara: Leave now! {Chiara pushes the man from the shop and closes the door} Chiara:  are you okay? Larkspur:  it's nothing that I'm not used to.... in this town once a beggar always a beggar. plus I'm sure some of the people who come in here recognize me from my old work. Chiara:  don't think like that!  sure that guy was a jerk but that doesn't mean all people are bad! once more people start coming in and tasting the delicious bread that we bake they'll forget all about the past!  Promise! {Larkspur furrows her brow for a moment before sighing and nodding} Larkspur:  you have so much faith in people… Chiara:  no I have faith in good food! {She sticks a bun in Larkspurs mouth and she laughs; cut to Isaiah giving water to the sick as Varian watches and sighs} Varian: I have to do something… Eugene:  Varian there's nothing you can do you said it yourself it's too dangerous to sneak back into town. Varian: But there has to be something we can do they're all getting worse! Lance:Well maybe if worse comes to worst we can go to a nearby Kingdom and get some supplies. of course then we'd risk leaving everybody defenseless and possibly leading some people back to the camp… Varian:  you're both just rays of sunshine today aren't you? Rapunzel:  haven't seen this many injured or sick since the Great Fire of Vardaros… Varian: the what? Eugene:  oh right, Varian wasn't here for that, sunshine… Rapunzel:  oh that's right he was on his little Adventure! Varian: AY! Scientific Expedition! Rapunzel: riggghhtt… Lance:  it was this great big fire that spread all over Vardaros… Eugene: yeah apparently it spread in the middle of the night. Vex wrote to us asking for help.  when we got there the entire place have been ravaged by the fire. Rapunzel:  I had Corona help with whatever rebuilding that needed to be done.  unfortunately turns out a lot of people didn’t survive that fire. just find it weird how it started in the middle of the night and nobody seems to know how. Eugene:  a lot of people died sunshine maybe they just didn't want to talk about it. {Varian gets up and starts walking away} Rapunzel: Varian?  where are you going? Varian:  I have to do something to help! Coronavirus faced many bad things throughout history but it's not going to end with us. I'll be sure of that. {He walks off; cut to Larkspur shivering in the throne with her lip quivering; fade into her dream; Larkspur is driving her wagon full of flour, yeast, and sugar home; at first she is calm then she sees an orange glow getting bigger} Larkspur: What on earth? {The bakery is on fire with a crowd of people around it; Larkspur gasps in horror and signals the horse to gallop; once she gets close enough she sees Vex yelling at the small crowd as the bakery is engulfed} Larkspur: ��..What...h-happened…? {She hops off the wagon and stumbles over to the burning building; Vex runs over and pulls her back} Larkspur: W-Wait! Chiara! WHERE’S CHIARA!? Vex: Who? Larkspur: The baker! My friend! Vex: ...the bake-.... {Vex sadly looks over at the covered person on the ground; Larkspurs eyes dilate; for a moment all that is heard is Larkspurs heartbeat} Larkspur: AHHHHH!!!! {She runs over and pulls the sheet off her friend to reveal Chiara’s soot covered face} Larkspur: Chiara! Chiara please wake up! Don’t leave me alone again! {Larkspur holds her and sobs} Vex: I..I’m so sorry… Larkspur: WHO DID THIS!? Which one of you monsters did this!? Villager: I did… Larkspur: ….y-you!? Villager: someone in town who frequented you shop caught the plague… Larkspur: SO!? You can catch that anywhere! We were both clean! Villager: as I was just explaining to our lovely Sheriff here we were doing our civic duty and burning the infected business Vex: And as I was telling YOU- you can’t just burn down a building! You didn’t even have evidence they got sick here! And you set it a blaze with someone inside! That’s murder! Larkspur: you...you set fire to the shop and let her die!? {A small explosion rings out; everyone turns to the flames} Larkspur: th-the gun powder… Vex: Gun po-EVERYONE DOWN! {A large explosion erupts from the shop blowing people away and blasting out the display window; Larkspur groggily sits up before looking around and crawling back over to Chiara and holding her close} Larkspur: Chiara… Villager: Help! {Larkspur turns to see the villager pinned under some debrisas the fire spreads to other buildings} Villager: Please help me! The smoke is becoming too thick! {He coughs and sputters as larkspur lifts Chiara} Villager: Please i’ll do...anything..please help… Larkspur:...Shut up you filthy beggar… {She turns an begins walkin out of Vardaros carrying Chiara as the fire spreads further; fade to a hillside over looking Vardaros; Larkspur lays down some roses on a makeshift grave; she looks over at the smouldering town} Larkspur: Never again...I Swear Chiara...I'm never going to let this world bring me down again...I'll show them all... I'll show them what happens when you kick people around. Eventually we're able to kick back.  that's what I'm going to do. If I'm not allowed to have love... I'll have fear... I'll be the one on top... people will follow me. I'll make them pay for what they did to us. all of them. {Cut to Larkspur jerking awake with a gasp} Vergus: Mistress? Are you alright? Larkspur:...y-yeah...yes..I’m fine.. how long have I been asleep? Vergus:  almost the entire day.  you needed the rest. Larkspur: Vergus?... can you cook? Vergus:  mistress? ummm... yes I can cook fairly well why? Larkspur:...  could you please cook some apple cinnamon muffins? {Vergus cocks an eyebrow} Vergus: I..uhh..Y-yes... of course mistress I'll get right on it… {larkspur stares off at the sunset coldly; cut to camp as Isaiah is carrying in a stack of logs; he trips} Isaiah: YAGH! Bjørn: Whoa little man! {Juniper catches Isaiah and Bjørn catches the logs} Bjørn: Don't over exceed your own weight. Isaiah:  I could say the same to you whenever the Soup pot is done Juniper: PFFTT!! Bjørn: why you little- Hector: Bjørn! Juniper! Bjørn: Coming father! This isn’t over. {Isaiah yawns and stretches as he walks over to his families tent; he stops once inside an smiles; Varian snores on his bed  surrounded by various books about healing. Herbology, and alchemy; Isaiah throws a blanket on him and blows out the candle} {END CREDITS}

[iseenoev1l]

Do you have any favorite verses for comfort/reassurance during hard times

Yes...

Psalm 23

Isaiah 66:13 "I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child"

2 Corinthians 1:4 "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."

Psalms 94:19 "When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer."

2 Corinthians 1:5 "For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ."

[galit27]

In his arms// Isaiah

In his arms// Isaiah // Peaky Blinders WARNING: Explicit sex (LIME)

I’m so sorry in advance for my english. I’m a lazy girl and I have translate the original text thank to World translate. So I hope you understand. If a nice person wants correct my mistakes, its ok !

The sun filtered through the curtains of the room... He came to light, the torso of the man lying next to you... Your man. You were having fun caressing her bare skin... He opened his eyes and looked at you with a big smile:

"Good morning Honey!

-Good morning Isa'!"

With his arms he brought your naked body closer to his... Your head on his arm, one leg on him, your ear against his torso. You breathed calmly, savoring the peaceful silence... He strokes your hair before he comes to peck at your neck. Uncontrollably, your laughter rang out in the room. And his lips on your neck straightened, it was his favorite melody...

He dominated you, he was sitting on you, balancing his weight with his knees next to your hips. He stroked your cheek with tenderness, he took one of your hair curls lying on your face. He leaned over your face, and you couldn't help but smile with amusement. His nose touched yours. He kissed you softly and then his tongue came to meet yours. With his hands he tipped you over and you found yourself sitting on his lap, he took his mouth into your neck, licking, biting... Your hands pulled his hair, you stretched your neck, breathing hard, your moans guessed more important when with his hands he began to move your hips on his sex. You felt it harden and your desire go up according to his... He removed his underpants, and also removed from you the last fabric that prevents you from continuing... He lay you down in a long kiss in the middle of the bed. You stood up on your elbows and saw him staring at you...

You blushed and asked him shyly, "What is wrong With Isaiah?" He reconnected his gaze to yours and smiled at your carelessness. Unlike him you had lived in a rather well-to-do family and your meeting is a matter of destiny.

"Nothing, don't worry... It's just that you're ... magnificent... You deserve so much more than a criminal like me....

I could never offer you the life you dream of. ».

He walks away from you going to light a cigarette. You got up from the bed and you found yourself in front of him.

"-Look at me Isa'... -You put his face in a cup forcing him to look at you - I deserve nothing except all the love and happiness that life can bring me, and guess... There's no one better than you to do that, okay!? The life I dream of is waking up every morning in your arms, and that's what I live, every morning I ask for nothing less, nothing better. Yes... You are a criminal, you stole my heart, and you sold me a dream in a bottle... »

He looked at you with tearful eyes... He gave you a chaste fuck, before hugging you, your naked bodies unites, as do your feelings and your mind. He whispered in my ear:

"-You are my whole life Y/N ... I love you so much. »

He kissed you delicately, his arms drew you closer to him embracing you again... That's why you loved him, between you, sex was just a plus... Before he met you, they were just one-night girls, he told you. But since he met you, it's only you and your well-being that counts... He did not hesitate to kiss you in public, to hold your hand in Birmingham, he had even introduced you to his father, he had welcomed you almost immediately into his family. He knew, he had seen in his son's eyes, a thing... A new thing, happiness. He told you about the gang he was a member of, but he never introduced you to the Shelbys...In the streets he made it seem busy, the business he did during the day or at night when he was away was completely unknown to you. You knew that one day he'd tell you everything, you're not going to argue for so little. Suddenly the door opened abruptly letting in a man of the same age as Isaiah. Isaiah hid your body from the sight of the intruder. They knew each other that did not draw a shadow of a doubt ... The stranger did not seem to bother in the least he sent a shirt lying on the floor to Isaiah, like a real gentleman he covered you with... It was obviously too big for you... You were tiny next to Isaiah. The stranger nodded to you. Isaiah grabbed a clean shirt and picked up all the clothes left on the floor since last night... Isaiah was visibly upset at the man's intrusion:

"-Fuck Michael! Do you ever hit!? " You were not there at the meeting set half an hour earlier, excuse me for being concerned. ».

Isaiah swore and went to the adjacent room, the kitchen where his pants and shoes were located. Michael watched me amuse:

"Then it must be you, the mysterious Y/N. I'm Michael Gray, the cousin of the Shelby boys. ».

He reached out to you, and you will be:

"-Enchanted, happy to finally meet a friend of Isaiah... - Likewise. You should get dressed, Thomas doesn't like to wait...

- 'Isaiah came back to dress in the room ' How does that 'Thomas doesn't like to wait'?

- Isaiah, your father came to brag about your happiness, and ... Thomas, Polly pretty much everyone was hurt that you don't introduce us to Y/N, they just want to get to know him. Polly has known you since you were a child and Finn feels betrayed that you don't even give her the honor of introducing her...

- Isaiah, it's good, everything will be fine stop overprotecting me it is not because I lived in a well-to-do environment that I do not know how to defend myself ... You wouldn't even imagine half the scandals and low blows committed by all the people I met as a child... Please Isa'!

- Reluctantly - Ok will dress you up... ».

He kissed your forehead and made Michael pass through the kitchen while you changed... It is your life now, so it was time for him to introduce you into his world... Nothing could separate you from him, not even your parents... Isaiah didn't know it yet, but they had driven you out, disinherited, they don't want to hear from you anymore. You had left the family home with your head held high, you had let a few tears flow... But now the real life started and nothing could make you happier and more alive....

The sun filtered through the curtains of the room... He came to light, the torso of the man lying next to you... Your man. You were having fun caressing her bare skin... He opened his eyes and looked at you with a big smile:

"Good morning Honey!

-Good morning Isa'!"

With his arms he brought your naked body closer to his... Your head on his arm, one leg on him, your ear against his torso. You breathed calmly, savoring the peaceful silence... He strokes your hair before he comes to peck at your neck. Uncontrollably, your laughter rang out in the room. And his lips on your neck straightened, it was his favorite melody...

He dominated you, he was sitting on you, balancing his weight with his knees next to your hips. He stroked your cheek with tenderness, he took one of your hair curls lying on your face. He leaned over your face, and you couldn't help but smile with amusement. His nose touched yours. He kissed you softly and then his tongue came to meet yours. With his hands he tipped you over and you found yourself sitting on his lap, he took his mouth into your neck, licking, biting... Your hands pulled his hair, you stretched your neck, breathing hard, your moans guessed more important when with his hands he began to move your hips on his sex. You felt it harden and your desire go up according to his... He removed his underpants, and also removed from you the last fabric that prevents you from continuing... He lay you down in a long kiss in the middle of the bed. You stood up on your elbows and saw him staring at you...

You blushed and asked him shyly:

"What's wrong with Isaiah?"

He reconnected his gaze to yours and smiled at your carelessness. Unlike him you had lived in a rather well-to-do family and your meeting is a matter of destiny.

"Nothing, don't worry... It's just that you're ... magnificent... You deserve so much more than a criminal like me.... I could never offer you the life you dream of. ».

He walks away from you going to light a cigarette. You got up from the bed and you found yourself in front of him.

"Look at me Isa'... -Tu put his face in a cross forcing him to look at you - I deserve nothing except all the love and happiness that life can bring me, and guess... There's no one better than you to do that, okay!? The life I dream of is waking up every morning in your arms, and that's what I live, every morning I ask for nothing less, nothing better. Yes... You are a criminal, you stole my heart, and you sold me a dream in a bottle... »

He looked at you with tearful eyes... He gave you a chaste fuck, before hugging you, your naked bodies unites, as do your feelings and your mind. He whispered in my ear:

"-You are my whole life Y/N ... I love you so much. »

He kissed you delicately, his arms drew you closer to him embracing you again... That's why you loved him, between you, sex was just a plus... Before he met you, they were just one-night girls, he told you. But since he met you, it's only you and your well-being that counts... He did not hesitate to kiss you in public, to hold your hand in Birmingham, he had even introduced you to his father, he had welcomed you immediately into his family. He knew, he had seen in his son's eyes, a thing... A new thing, happiness.

He told you about the gang he was a member of, but he never introduced you to the Shelbys... In the streets he made it seem busy, the business he did during the day or at night when he was away was completely unknown to you. You knew that one day he'd tell you everything, you're not going to argue for so little.

Suddenly the door opened abruptly letting in a man of the same age as Isaiah.

 Isaiah hid your body from the sight of the intruder. They knew each other that did not draw a shadow of a doubt ... The stranger did not seem to bother in the least he sent a shirt lying on the floor to Isaiah, like a real gentleman he covered you with... It was obviously too big for you... You were tiny next to Isaiah. The stranger nodded to you. Isaiah grabbed a clean shirt and picked up all the clothes left on the floor since last night... Isaiah was visibly upset at the man's intrusion:

"-Fuck Michael! Do you ever hit!? " You were not there at the meeting set half an hour earlier, excuse me for being concerned. ».

Isaiah swore and went to the adjacent room, the kitchen where his pants and shoes were located. Michael watched me amuse:

"Then it must be you, the mysterious Y/N. I'm Michael Gray, the cousin of the Shelby boys. ».

He reached out to you, and you will be:

"-Enchanted, happy to finally meet a friend of Isaiah's...

- Likewise. You should get dressed, Thomas doesn't like to wait...

- Isaiah came back to dress in the room - How does that "Thomas does not like to wait"?

- Isaiah, your father came to brag about your happiness, and ... Thomas, Polly pretty much everyone was hurt that you don't introduce us to Y/N, they just want to get to know him. Polly has known you since you were a child and Finn feels betrayed that you don't even give her the honor of introducing her...

- Isaiah, it's good, everything will be fine stop overprotecting me it is not because I lived in a well-to-do environment that I do not know how to defend myself ... You wouldn't even imagine half the scandals and low blows committed by all the people I met as a child... Please Isa'!

- Reluctantly - Ok will dress you up... ».

He kissed your forehead and made Michael pass through the kitchen while you changed... It is your life now, so it was time for him to introduce you into his world... Nothing could separate you from him, not even your parents... Isaiah didn't know it yet, but they had driven you out, disinherited, they don't want to hear from you anymore. You had left the family home with your head held high, you had let a few tears flow... But now the real life started and nothing could make you happier and more alive...

[itsyourchoicedevotionals]

Place Of A Name Change

“And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.” Isaiah 62:12ESV

If Isaiah was the only book of the Bible written, I believe readers could find Jesus, salvation, healing, restoration, and the love of God. Yes, Isaiah is one of my favorite Bible books. The richness of those promises in Isaiah has delivered family members, healed me, returned what was stolen and the list goes on. Chapters 32-66 have led me through miracle after miracle.

Through the twelve verses of Isaiah 62, I believe God has shown me a prayer strategy for our nation, our church and our families. To me this is very important. I hold to the old-fashioned teaching— our children (aka families), our government, and our society go the direction of our prayers, actions, and words.

— V1 “Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. …I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.” Set an example with intercession and DON’T let go of God

— V3 “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” Talking the end from the beginning, as God does, is called ‘faith-talk.’ V2 through V5 display ‘faith-talk.’

Once again our words give death or life, see Proverbs 18:21. Many preachers dislike ‘faith-talk.’ I question then: why did God put so much into the scriptures about words, faith-talk, such as:  “…—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” Romans 4:17ESV Which is wiser— tell your child, nation, spouse, loved one, ‘you’re stupid and cannot?’ Or declare ‘you’re awesome and capable, through God you can do anything?’

— V6 “…watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest,” See bad happening? Intercede for mercy. Once my son complained to someone, ‘In the morning Mom’s praying, then at night too. I’ve always taken those words as a compliment, because I was interceding for his salvation.

Examples of reminding God of His faithful promises are seen in V8-9. The promises you could use are as vast as the objects of your prayers. I’ve stood for years, regarding my entire family, on Isaiah 54:13— “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.

— V10. “…build up the highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples.” Isaiah declared actions— something others will see our faith through. James 1:22 said to be “doers of the word.” Each request before God has an appropriate faith response of some action, we can individually make.

— V11, “…say…Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.” The point comes where what we’re praying for and about becomes real, so real the mind’s eye actually sees the reality. Isaiah through the Lord God visualized his prayer answered.

— V12 “…called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; …called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.” The Lord changed Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul signifying a passage into a more intimate place with Him. Those who follow the prayer example through V1-11 come to a point of such a name change.

I wonder, will I arrive at the place of a name change? Striving to arrive is my lifelong project. And you, will you arrive there? It’s your choice. You choose.

PRAYER: Lord God help us to become a people ready to stand in prayer, doing what You’ve called us to do to bring our world back to You, in Jesus’ name I pray.

by Debbie Veilleux Copyright 2020 You have my permission to reblog this devotional for others. Please keep my name with this devotional as author. Thank you.

[hesmellslikefreedom-blog]

Christmas Spirit

Lil drabble by me about our favorite brothers and Christmas. Summary: Sam tries to get Dean to celebrate Christmas with him. Dean, as per usual, is stubborn.

No pairings or warnings.

Inspiration: #30 from @writer-w-magic ‘s 100 winter prompts edition: Supernatural (“Can you shut up? Hellhounds sing more quiet than you!”)

************************************************************************************************

The peppermint coffee creamer sat on the shelf, front and center, when a bleary-eyed Dean Winchester opened the fridge early one morning in late December. He groaned and shoved it out of the way, blindly groping around in the fridge.

A take-out box found its way to his fingertips eventually. He opened it and sniffed the contents, judging them to still be good. He was eating the cold cheeseburger when Sam, bright eyed and bushy-tailed, appeared.

Sam raised his eyebrows at his brother. “Cheeseburger for breakfast? Really?”

Dean opened one eye lazily. “Peppermint low-fat sugar-free coffee creamer, Samantha?”

Sam opened his mouth to retort but thought better of it. He simply shook his head and went to the fridge, retrieving the scorned creamer. Dean watched as he poured himself a cup and poured a generous helping of the creamer into it.

“Want some?” Sam offered.

Dean grunted noncommittally in reply.

Sam poured some for Dean and set in front of him. Dean gave the coffee a sniff, before taking a cautious sip. He shrugged and set it down to finish his cheeseburger.

Later, Sam watched Dean swallow down the last gulp of coffee. “So.”

“s’ alright.” Dean admitted grudgingly. “Awful sweet, though.”

*

*

Then it was the music. Sam had managed to fill the bunker with Christmas tunes non-stop, and yeah, Dean could appreciate some Twisted Sister rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful, but for crying out loud, Michael Bublé and the likes were getting real old.

Sam was always humming some tune, when they were driving in the Impala, or cooking dinner, or even sorting through stacks of books. He rarely sang, and when Dean was awakened early one morning, he found out why.

Muttering obscenities under his breath, Dean kicked the covers off and made his way down to the showers. The music got louder as he approached- Mariah Carey… All I Want For Christmas is You.

“Jesus Christ, Sam.” Dean swore and knocked on the door loudly. “Can you shut up? Hellhounds sing more quiet than you!” Sam’s yodeling stopped abruptly.

Dean nodded in satisfaction and he shuffled on down the hallway, back to bed.

* * “Alright man, what’s up with you and the Christmas?” Sam looked up from the book he’d been reading. “Nothing.” “Sam.”

“What? Not allowed to celebrate around here?” Dean considered this, taking a sip of the whiskey. “No, it’s just… last time you acted like this, I was taking the fast lane to hell. Why now?” Sam shrugged. “We don’t really celebrate Christmas. I thought it would be nice to celebrate for real once.” “Why start now?” Sam sighed. “Why do you have to be so negative about everything?”

Dean finished his glass and poured another one, watching the amber liquid as it shone in the lights of the Christmas tree Sam had put up earlier. “Never liked Christmas.” He said quietly. “We don’t…” He trailed off.

Sam kept quiet, waiting for him to finish.

Dean sighed and bit his lip. “I dunno, man, Christmas just never is a good time for us. It’s supposed to be for family and shit, and…. we’ve lost a lot,Sam.”

Sam nodded. “Yeah.” “You go ahead and celebrate.” Dean looked across at his brother. “Don’t let me stop you.”

“That’s not the point.” Sam said resolutely.

“What?”

“I’ve been doing this for you, Dean, trying to help you out of this funk you’ve been in.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “I’m fine, Sam, give it up.” “No.” Sam replied sharply. “You can’t just fix everything with alcohol.” “You can fix a helluva lot.” Dean finished the glass and walked out. * * The next few days leading up to Christmas were quiet. Sam played very little Christmas music. Dean ignored the decorations hung around the bunker and they avoided any talk related to the subject.

Christmas Eve came, and Sam rapped on his brother’s door.

“Yeah?” Dean’s reply was muffled. “I’m going out.” “Where?”

“Church.” Sam replied pensively.

Dean opened the door. “You’re going to church?” Sam nodded. “Service is at 7. If you wanna come…”

Dean scoffed. “Why would I do that?”

“Okay. Sorry. I’m going.”

The click of Dean’s door echoed down the hallway.

 Sam accepted his candle from the usher and found a seat near the back of the small church. Yeah, things had changed throughout the years. Maybe his faith wasn’t like it had been. Even so, Christmas was still important for Sam. It was something to hold onto. He settled in comfortably as the program began with the words of the prophet Isaiah: “For unto us a child…”

The service drew near its end with a final scripture reading. The door creaked open quietly behind Sam. He remained still but tense, listening as footsteps drew nearer and nearer-

“Dean?” He whispered, surprised, as his brother slid into the pew next to him.

Dean shot him a be-quiet look. “Needed some supplies. Figured I’d drop in.” He shrugged uncomfortably, fidgeting with the candle in his hands.

Sam hid his smile.

The music for “Silent Night” started, and one by one, the candles were lit. The small church was illumined with a soft golden glow as people sang.

People began to sing quietly, their faces warmed by the tiny lights of the candles. Mothers hugged their children, and fathers held them in loving arms. As Sam looked around, softly singing with the congregation, it was as if love and light shone warmly in the faces of all in the small church.

“Hey.” Dean whispered.

“What?” “Remember that time when we sang for that old alcoholic fart who dressed up as Santa was a demon?”

Sam chuckled lowly. “Yeah.”

Dean grinned and turned back to his bulletin. The organ swelled and music filled the church to its brim as the last verse began.

“Silent night, holy night, Wondrous star, lend thy light…”

Sam started in surprise as Dean sang. His brother’s baritone voice was actually quite tuneful and pleasant. Yeah, the pitch was a little shaky, but it was damn better than anything he’d ever heard in the Impala. And Dean had a bit of a smile on his face as he stared down at the hymnal.

Sam smiled to himself and joined in the chorus.

* * The smell of cinnamon wafted through the bunker early Christmas morning, making its way into Sam’s room. He stretched slowly and got up, sniffing the air. “Cinnamon? He questioned aloud. Tossing a shirt on, he followed the scent to the kitchen, where Dean was pulling a pan of cinnamon rolls out of the oven.

“Merry Christmas.” Sam said, walking in.

“Hey. Merry Christmas.” Dean said, poking at the rolls.

Sam blinked in surprise. “Cinnamon rolls?”

“Mom made ‘em every morning for Christmas… figured I could whip up a batch.” Dean said noncommittally. “That’s…impressive.” Sam said to his brother’s back.

“What, you doubt my culinary skills?’ Dean jested.

“Uh, no?”

Dean pulled the mitts off his hands. “They’re done. There’s some frosting in the fridge- get it out, will ya?” Sam obliged and watched as Dean spooned it over the rolls. It melted slowly, dripping over the sides of each roll. Dean smiled triumphantly and licked off the spoon.  

“Want some?” He offered the frosting bowl to Sam. Sam shook his head. “I’ll get some eggnog.” He offered.

“Spike mine!” Dean called.

Sam chuckled. “Merry Christmas, Dean.”

“Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!”

 THE END

[miajolensdevotion]

September 30, 2021

Verse: Isaiah 7

Copy God’s word:

7 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. 2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. 3 Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; 4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, 6 Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: 7 Thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. 9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. 10 Moreover the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. 13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. 17 The Lord shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria. 18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. 19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes. 20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep; 22 And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land. 23 And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns. 24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns. 25 And on all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.

Write your favorite verse:

14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Explain verse by verse:

Ahaz was a wicked king of Judah, worshipping other gods and even sacrificing his son to Molech (2 Kings 16:1-4). The only good thing Ahaz seemed to do was to father Hezekiah, who became a good king of Judah.

Lesson that you learned from these passages: (summary)

The alliance between these two nations and their unsuccessful attack on Jerusalem is described in 2 Kings 16.

What will you do? I will attack on Jerusalem was ultimately unsuccessful, but the war against Judah greatly weakened the kingdom southern tribes

[livingmybestfakelife]

Chadwick takes his son to get his vaccination shots.

Isaiah can hear the crying of another a much younger child from all the way in the waiting area who was also getting his shots, it was needless to say that the five in a half year old was nervous but his dad explained to him that it was important to get them to prevent him from getting very sick in the future, that the pain will be over quickly and afterwards he’d get a lollipop, and if candy was involved then who was he to complain...even though that was his favorite thing to do, “Isaiah Boseman!” a nurse called out when she opened the big wooden door, the little boy grabbed onto his dads jacket and Chadwick reached over and rubbed his sons shoulder “It’ll be alright son, I’m right here” they both stand up and head to see the nurse. She checks his blood pressure, weighs him and measures him “He’s eating regularly? Eating enough fruits, vegetables?” the nurse asks and Chadwick nods “Yes ma’am” he answers, after she writes everything down she directs them to a room to wait for the doctor.

After about ten minutes passed Dr. Harper comes in a greets them both “Good afternoon Mr. Boseman, and little Mr. Boseman, it says here on my chart that Isaiah is here to get twenty five shots right?” Isaiah gasps and the doctor quickly informs him that he’s just kidding which eases Isaiah a little “It’s gonna be alright sport, did your daddy tell you that this will help prevent you from getting sick when you’re older?” the little boy nods and responds with “Yes, so did my mommy and every grown up” the doctor chuckles and nods “And they are all telling you the truth, we all want you to grow up to be a strong and healthy boy and these shots are one of the things that you need to be just that , okay?” Isaiah nods and the doctor calls in a nurse to assist him. Once everything is set up the nurse goes to rub the alcohol swab on his arm, and before she puts the shot in she gives Isaiah a “1...2...3″ then pokes him with the need as gentle as possible, he jumps a little and his other hand squeezes his dads hand “Good job sweetheart, okay just one more and you’ll be done”, he sighs and sucks it up, the next one doesn't sting as bad as the first and he's able to keep still without digging his nails into his dads hand "Alright, we're done here", Chadwick thanks them and shakes their hands, the doctor and nurse say their goodbyes leaving the father and son in the room "See, that wasn't so bad right?" Chadwick asks and Isaiah rolls his eyes "Easy for you to say Black Panther, nothing harms you" he mumbled making his dad laugh and give him a kiss to the side of his head "So dramatic, just like your mama, come on lets go get that lollipop, and...some McDonalds?", his son perked up at McDonalds "Well, I was a brave man so I think I deserve it" he gushed, Chadwick helped him down from the table "For my brave little man, McDonalds it is".

[audarkmist]

Christ the Messiah.

So I took the time to read a list of reasons the Jewish populous do not believe Christ as the Messiah. It was kindly provided by a Jewish person themselves. I want to answer these doubts. I am not answering them in the chronological order given rather in a more coherent order. I will use a Jewish Old Testament (Tanakh) I was provided for part one unless it says “(in the bible)” or it’s the New Testament. I am not Catholic so I will not refute anything Catholic in nature.

#One: Trinity. 

Old Testament.

So the trinity is just a way of describing the dynamic of the distinct person-hood of the one God. The Old Testament itself speaks of the special distinctive nature of God. 

1. God uses the word “our”. Who is He referring to?

Genesis 1:26 And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth.”

2. God uses the word “us”. Who is He referring to?

Genesis 11:7-9 Let us, then, go down and confound their speech there, so that they shall not understand one another’s speech. Thus the LORD scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there the LORD confounded the speech of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Genesis 3:22 And the LORD God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and bad, what if he should stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever!”

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of my Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me.”

3. Why is God acting as if He is either talking in the third person or talking to Himself? That or just odd statements about God? 

Psalm 110:1 Of David. A psalm. The LORD said to my lord, “Sit at My right hand while I make your enemies your footstool.”

1 Samuel 3:21 And the LORD continued to appear at Shiloh: the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh with the word of the LORD. 

Isaiah 54:5 For He who made you will espouse you— His name is “LORD of Hosts.” The Holy One of Israel will redeem you— He is called “God of all the Earth.”

Hosea 1:7 (But I will accept the House of Judah. And I will give them victory through the LORD their God; I will not give them victory with bow and sword and battle, by horses and riders.)”

Amos 4:11 I have wrought destruction among you as when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah; You have become like a brand plucked from burning. Yet you have not turned back to Me —declares the LORD. 

Isaiah 13:19 And Babylon, glory of kingdoms, Proud splendor of the Chaldeans, Shall become like Sodom and Gomorrah overturned by God.

Genesis 19:24-25 The LORD rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire from the LORD out of heaven. He annihilated those cities and the entire Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation of the ground.

Isaiah 50:40 It shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors—declares the LORD; no man shall live there, no human shall sojourn there.

2 Samuel 23:1-3 These are the last words of David: The utterance of David son of Jesse, The utterance of the man set on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, The favorite of the songs of Israel: The spirit of the LORD has spoken through me, His message is on my tongue; The God of Israel has spoken, The Rock of Israel said concerning me: “He who rules men justly, He who rules in awe of God”.

4. No one lives if they see God the Father. Why are people astounded they did not die when they saw God (unless it’s God the son)? 

Judges 13:22 (In the bible) And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

Genesis 16:13 And she called the LORD who spoke to her, “You Are El-roi,” by which she meant, “Have I not gone on seeing after He saw me!”

Genesis 32:24-31 After taking them across the stream, he sent across all his possessions. Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob’s hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn is breaking.” But he answered, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” Said the other, “What is your name?” He replied, “Jacob.” Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.” Jacob asked, “Pray tell me your name.” But he said, “You must not ask my name!” And he took leave of him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, meaning, “I have seen a divine being face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

5. Why is God synonymous with this one special angel who keeps appearing with the likeness of a man (angel just means messenger)?

Joshua 5:15 The captain of the LORD’s host answered Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I am sending My messenger to clear the way before Me, and the Lord whom you seek shall come to His Temple suddenly. As for the angel of the covenant that you desire, he is already coming.

Judges 2:1 An angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up from Egypt and I took you into the land which I had promised on oath to your fathers. And I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you.

Genesis 48:15-16 And he blessed Joseph, saying, “The God in whose ways my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd from my birth to this day— The Angel who has redeemed me from all harm— Bless the lads. In them may my name be recalled, And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, And may they be teeming multitudes upon the earth”

Genesis 16:11-13 The angel of the LORD said to her further, “Behold, you are with child And shall bear a son; You shall call him Ishmael, For the LORD has paid heed to your suffering. He shall be a wild ass of a man; His hand against everyone, And everyone’s hand against him; He shall dwell alongside of all his kinsmen.” And she called the LORD who spoke to her, “You Are El-roi,” by which she meant, “Have I not gone on seeing after He saw me!”

Exodus 3:2-5 An angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire out of a bush. He gazed, and there was a bush all aflame, yet the bush was not consumed. Moses said, “I must turn aside to look at this marvelous sight; why doesn’t the bush burn up?” When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him out of the bush: “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not come closer. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.

Judges 13:7-8,18-20 The woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me; he looked like an angel of God, very frightening. I did not ask him where he was from, nor did he tell me his name. He said to me, ‘You are going to conceive and bear a son. Drink no wine or other intoxicant, and eat nothing unclean, for the boy is to be a nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death!’”Manoah pleaded with the LORD. “Oh, my Lord!” he said, “please let the man of God that You sent come to us again, and let him instruct us how to act with the child that is to be born.” The angel said to him, “You must not ask for my name; it is unknowable!” Manoah took the kid and the meal offering and offered them up on the rock to the LORD; and a marvelous thing happened while Manoah and his wife looked on. As the flames leaped up from the altar toward the sky, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flames of the altar, while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they flung themselves on their faces to the ground.

6. Why does the Old Testament talk about his “son”?  Why does the “son”  commend worship?

Proverbs 30:3-4 I have not learned wisdom, Nor do I possess knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hand? Who has wrapped the waters in his garment? Who has established all the extremities of the earth? What is his name or his son’s name, if you know it? 

Daniel 7:13-14 As I looked on, in the night vision, One like a human being Came with the clouds of heaven; He reached the Ancient of Days And was presented to Him. Dominion, glory, and kingship were given to him; All peoples and nations of every language must serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, And his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed.

Psalm 2:8-13 (In the bible) Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

New Testament.

Jesus Christ had a few answers to give when people were questioning him. He gave detailed accounts of his divinity. Jesus describes himself as the “word and son of God”.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Philippians 2:9-11 (Referencing Isaiah 45:23) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Matthew 16:15-17 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 22:41-46 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

John 5:37-43 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

History.

There have been Jewish people in history who have through differently of monotheism. The idea of “the son of God” has been around even before Christianity. 

1. Sonship and Jewish Mysticism by Moshe Idel. Moshe is a Jewish man who studied Jewish philosophy. 

“Christianity of both the centrality and cruciality of sonship understood in diverse forms of incarnation, it seems that Jewish authors belonging to rabbinic circles attenuated and in some cases even obliterated the role of sons as cosmic mediators. Nevertheless, some of these earlier traditions apparently survived in traditional Jewish writings that were subsequently transmitted by rabbinic Judaism. Yet there is no reason to assume that only the literary corpora adopted by rabbinic Judaism mediated the late antiquity views of theophoric sonship to the more extensive corpora written in the Middle Ages, or that sonship survived only in the written documents surveyed in the following chapter”.

#Two: Prophecy.

Of course Jesus Christ does has a second coming. He plans to return as the conquering king. I can speak on behalf of some of the prophecies mentioned. 

Contested Prophecies.

A) Rebuild a Third temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).

Ezekiel 37:26-28 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

This verse does not even say “temple”. All it says is that God will dwell among his people. Jesus Christ fulfilled this... Jesus Christ is with us always through the Holy Spirit. This happened because of the works of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Hebrews 9:11-12 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle [Jesus], not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

1 Corinthians 6:16-19  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

B) Gathering all Jewish people to their land (Isaiah 43:4-7).

Isaiah 43:4-7 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

I don’t see anything about gathering “all” Jewish people. Still we can say it’s implied to be the majority. I don’t really see it saying “the messiah will fulfill this immediately” unless I’m missing something. I understand just celebrated it’s 70th year anniversary of having been reborn in one day. No messiah was “on earth” when the prophecy came to pass. 

Isaiah 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

Nevertheless I want to clarify that Jesus Christ the messiah is still alive right now in heaven.The messiah is not in the grave for he has his resurrected body. He is on the throne right now reigning just waiting for the last of us to be saved. In heaven he is ruling his spiritual kingdom that dwells in every believer. It is not a visible kingdom but a spiritual one.

Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Luke 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Ephesians 1:20-21 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

C) His rule brings peace among the nations.

The exact order of end times can be debated all day long. I don’t see anywhere in scripture that said “the messiah cannot fulfill his promises after resurrecting from the dead” or anything similar. My point is that God reveals prophecies at different times. Jesus Christ promises to bring in a new era of peace in the resurrection. All of creation is groaning for the day the messiah returns to accomplish the rest of his purpose.

Romans 8:19-23 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Revelation 21:2-5 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men [Jesus], and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

2 Peter 3:3-8, 12-13 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

D) One world order?

Zechariah 14:9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

Well first a human lead non divine one world order may be part of the coming anti-Christ system. The verse says the Lord shall rule over the earth and that is God. Why would a mere man rule under his name alone? Unless he is the son of God. A false counterfeit messiah destined to come and fail is prophesied. This one world order of the anti-God spirit is even professed in the Old and New Testament. 

Matthew 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Daniel 7:17-28,21-23 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

Revelation 13:2-4,7 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 

As I said before God is conquering his kingdom right new through spiritual means in the hearts of men. He is subduing all the earth with the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

Revelation 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And LORD Of Lords.

Revelation 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Fulfilled prophecies.

There have been mathematical calculations done on the probability the prophesies in the Old Testament could be accidentally fulfilled by Jesus Christ. I know many would agree the words of the Old Testament have been well preserved by the Jewish populous.

The probability that just eight prophesies could be fulfilled by one man by accident is “1 in 10^17 or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. That’s one in one hundred quadrillion. So the point of course, is that when people say the fulfillment of prophesy in the life of Jesus was accidental they not know what they are talking about. Keep in my that Jesus did not just fulfill eight prophesies. He fulfilled a hundred and eight”.

Calculation sample:

Jesus being born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). The average population of Bethlehem from the time of Micah to the present day divided by the average population of the earth of that period is 2.8 x 10^5.

The eight most known recorded fulfillment of prophesy.

1.      Jesus being born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

2.      Jesus being foreran by another man (Malachi 3:11).

3.      Jesus being on a donkey presented as a king on entrance of Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9).

4.     Jesus getting betrayed by a friend suffering wounds to the hands (Zechariah 13:6).

5.      Jesus being betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12).

6.     Jesus’s betrayer trying to return then money then when refused buys a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13).

7.      Jesus remaining silent despite being innocent when afflicted (Isaiah 53:7).

8.     Jesus will die while having his hands and feet pierces (Psalm 22:16).

There are many more prophesies such as the way he will be buried in a new tomb that is purposed for a rich man.

Psalm 8:2 Fulfilled.

Matthew 21:15-16 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Isaiah 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9 Fulfilled.

Matthew 21:4-5 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

Isaiah 42:1 Fullfilled.

Matthew 12:16-18 And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 53:4 Fulfilled.

Matthew 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

One might say “Oh he must have fulfilled them on purpose”. It is a valid to point out he may have fulfilled them on purpose. It just does not cover all the prophesies. How does one purposely choose their birthplace? How does one chose the method of execution? How does one chose how much money it will take for a friend to betray them? How does one choose what their enemy does with their money after being killed? How does one choose where they will be buried?

Decent of David.

The decent of David might be a bit confusing at first glance. I found someone mapping the genealogy from the bible in a way that makes sense. Archived.

The Promise Of God Against Jeconiah Nullified That The Messiah Would Be As A Result Of His Bloodline.

Jer. 22:29-30 ~ “-O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. -Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.”

This scripture is used by many critics in effort to refute that the Messianic promise was upon Jesus. You will notice in the Mt. 1:11 the son of Josiah, Jeconiah (aka: Coniah) appears. With such a strong condemnation against him and his seed, the critic is positive that no messianic promise can arise from the seed of Jeconiah. Notice that the “seed shall not prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah” What are we to make of this?

Not much, as it is easily explained that Jesus was the “seed of David” in a physical sense through his mother Mary bypassing Jeconiah’s lineage (as we will explain later, but also see #1 previously) and only in a “legal sense” through his adoptive father Joseph. As stated, Jesus’ parental descent wasn’t through Jeconiah. In other words Mary was his mother and Joseph was only his adoptive father.

The scripture was clear in saying “for no man of his seed shall prosper” it cannot go without note that Jesus was not the “seed” of Jeconiah’s lineage he was only the heir of Jeconiah’s lineage. In any manner this scripture would have no bearing or prohibition on Jesus being the Messiah. The right of succession passed to Jesus “legally” but there was no need for a physical succession to pass to him, as God is the Father and Jesus is the only “begotten” of the Father and Joseph had nothing to do with Mary’s pregnancy.

Do The Genealogies Validate Jesus’ Claim To Be The Messiah?

Most certainly. In fact there is no other individual who can ever make the unique claim that Jesus made and certainly no one who can demonstrate such both with a sinless life, miracles and a resurrection. Jesus stands at the fulcrum of history alone as the only possible Messiah of Israel. Unless one can demonstrate that the lineage of Solomon yet exists or that the lineage of Nathan yet exists and is leading to another sinless deliverer born of a virgin, one is best served by looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith as he has demonstrated the power over sin and death.

National revelation.

I’m not sure about the exact meaning by insinuating it always being a national revelation. In the Old testament single prophets are continuously ignored. Christianity is not a individual revelation. It’s a revelation to the entire world. God promised to attach himself to many nations. This is a worldwide revelation.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Zechariah 2:14-15 (Zechariah 2:10-11 in bible) Shout for joy, Fair Zion! For lo, I come; and I will dwell in your midst—declares the LORD. In that day many nations will attach themselves to the LORD and become His people, and He will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that I was sent to you by the LORD of Hosts. 

Violating the Torah?

Jesus Christ did not “abolish the law”. He says quite the opposite. He just leans towards mercy. A simple misunderstanding of the works of Jesus Christ can be overlooked.

Matthew 5:18-19 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Did he violate the Sabbath? I think saving someone is the most interpretation of the laws of God (since love is the greatest command). I heard in Israel even ambulances will save a person in a heart attack on the Sabbath. 

Saving > Sabbath.

Mark 2:27-28  And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Luke 14:5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

Luke 13:15 The LORD then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

Mark 3:1-6 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. 

Converting?

In the book of Joshua there is actually Jewish conversion going on. I know mass conversion it did not happen often. God states He overlooks past human ignorance now commanding all to repent.

Acts 17:30-31 And the times of this ignorance God overlooked; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

#Three: Desires of God.

Finally Jesus Christ fulfills the deep desires of Almighty God 

1. Ending animal sacrifices with a final sacrifice.

Jesus Christ ends animal sacrifice by being the last sacrifice once and for all.

Old Testament.

Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire- but my ears you have opened- burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

New Testament.

Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Romans 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Hebrews 10:5-9 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am-it is written about me in the scroll- I have come to do your will, my God.’” First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”-though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second.

2. Giving people a new heart and spirit.

Old Testament.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

New Testament.

Hebrews 8:11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

Romans 2:15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.

John 4:24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.

3. Reveals knowledge about God.

Old Testament.

Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

New Testament.

Matthew 9:13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.“

Matthew 12:7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Romans 16:25-27 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith- to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen. 

End Notes.

At some point sooner or later many will see the messiah has already come and will come again. It might have to wait until the counterfeit anti-Christ messiah messes everything up. I invite anyone to come to the son of God.

God bless!