Matthews Family Herald

Many of the photos here were taken on Resurrection Sunday or prior to. These are two of the most suave guys around. It's obvious but I like to state the obvious...









In contrasting age motif, I present you two of the finest examples of Matthews.











Micah continues working his guitar skills. He looks good with the guitar Rachel gave to him. He looks cool anyway!










We visited Victory International serveral times. In this photo below, Jacob was taking his turn batting out on PHV Middle School Field. Several of the families at Victory met there for some baseball and hang out time.
















Ken Klinner, pastor at Victory International, gave all the kids there rides in his cool motorcycle. Here Hannah and Nathan were enjoying their turn with him.

Proverbs 24:17-18 (King James Version)17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

These are the verses that came to mind as I dealt with the large number of feelings I associated with the news of his death. I definitely believe his death was a part of God's answer to prayers that He will sweep away everything against the exansion and establishment of His Kingdom here on Earth.

I also believe it's right to pray God help me be an adversary to those He has be an adversary to. But rejoiceing over his death; I think that's too far. However, rejoicing in a victory God has given is appropriate. See Exodus 15:1. "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea."

What's the difference in the two verses? I think one is about celebrating what the LORD has done in delivering His people and bringing justice. The other is about people mocking the misfortune of others. So, "Yeah! Take that you sorry so and so!" would be wrong. "God, thank you for Your faithfulness. I worship You" would be appropriate.

So, I don't believe Osama is dead because God loves America. I don't believe God is a respector of Nations. I think God is a respector of His own people and His own Nation; however. It's great when a political man-made Nation does acknow...ledge God but I think Osama's death is more about the consequence of sin, the consequence of those who do not "kiss the Son" as Isaiah says, the consequence of those who oppose Jesus Christ, those who attempt to hinder God's Kingdom being established, the consequence of the prayers of the saints, and so on. I am sorry Osama did not follow the Lord. I am saddened that he died without salvation as far as I know, I am appeased with the sense of justice for all the harm he caused to so many lives. I am confident even more that God hears prayers and that God carries out what He says, and I feel as sense of celebration as it concerns the mighty hand of the Lord and His works. God is no respector of persons. I would not want to be the person verbally opposed to the Lord's will and I would not want to be in the way of anything Jesus wants to accomplish or establish. In the last day or perhaps even sooner, those against Him will be next. The Lord's Hand is gentle but also very strong.

UPDATED BELOW ON 24 MAY 11 AD:

I've found another example of singing praises to God after a victory like this:


Judges Chapter 5:

1Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
2Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
3Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
4LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
5The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.
6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
7The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
8They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.
10Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
11They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.
12Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
13Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.
14Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
15And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
16Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
18Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
19The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.
20They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
21The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
22Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
23Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.
24Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
25He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
26She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.
27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
28The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?
29Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,
30Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?
31So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.