His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3.

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23.

And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 49: David’s Seed. 2 Samuel 7:12: When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. And, Matthew 1:1: The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Something amazing happens as we turn to Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. We see the beauty in His creation in a new way because He did that for us. We hear His truth in His word written so we can ponder things we never knew before we came near to Him who already knows us so thoroughly. We marvel as we begin to put things together in this incredible story being lived by all of us in our times and places. There are two choices always. The Tree of Life bearing the fruit of God’s Spirit within us. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil bearing the fruit of this fallen world that is suffering in ignorance of Creator God. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. And the amazing thing is the truth of what Jesus the Son told us – all of it. As we believe Him there is a breakaway from fear and worry – the darkness of the Deceiver who knows only lies and hate and glorifies in our death.

There is a nature documentary on Angel by biologist Dr. Gordon Wilson that we love watching. His saying in the introduction is that he wants to meet as many creatures as he can before he dies – and then he wants to meet more! And I love his enthusiasm and love for all that God has created in all their astonishing variety and beauty; and not just the creatures but the environments they inhabit. There is such joy in beholding all that God has created, including us. There is a spiky lizard in Australia that drinks water through his front feet – can you imagine? The most venomous snake in the world, the inland taipan, that even one drop of its venom could kill over 100 adult humans, is shy and there are no recorded fatalities, and lives in the outback of southwest Queensland and northwest South Australia. But as Wilson pointed out, in the garden of Eden because of the choice to turn away from trusting God, there were only 2 curses – for humans and for snakes. And yet, when God restores all things: And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Then in that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious. Isaiah 11:6-10. The root of Jesse, the son of David, The LORD of David…The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” Psalm 110:1. And this beautiful Psalm: Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the LORD; they are studied by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever. He has made known to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. They are upheld forever and ever; they are performed in truth and uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all who do His commandments; His praise endures forever. Psalm 111. Joy is found in our abiding companionship with God in this life now and in our journey with Him that will never end. And the joy we find with Him now is not easy to explain to those who have not yet found Him loving them and knowing them. It begins in our walk together with Him which is what companionship is all about. Knowing and being known. Companioning together!