Mark 4 ~ And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? "

Mark 4

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that

“they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.”

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”


21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”


26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”


30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

We are all so used to the Gospels. Old Good News.

Sure we all understand the seeds parable.

And look, look, look at the precision and the depth of Father God - Creator of the Universe. All Mighty God. He uses Life -  John 1:4 In Him was Life - to finish His parable.

Then Jesus demonstrates to the disciples the seeds thing. In the same Chapter. A real life event of the seeds.

What are you going to do when Jesus seems asleep in the boat?

Well, when Paul was on the ship during the ship wreck - i.e. life -  the voyage. No one really listened to Paul. In fact, they ignored Pau most of the trip. We all get to be Paul in our own lives.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

God puts in each of us a fight for our lives. God is Not merely asleep in the boat. There is a process going on to develop who we are. We are in the same small boat with our God. Will we trust Him.

Put this aspect with Jesus in command of all things:

Luke 12

22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!

29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.


God builds us to want His plan for our lives. Eventually the people going towards their eternal Home - want to see the eternal treasure waiting for them.

God intended this life to have troubles - and yet - when we worry less - we let life come to us - we are happier. Joy is a fruit of God's Spirit.
The Scriptures are filled with advice on anger and worry - Father God wants us to be real with Him. Father God says the goal is being carefree in God - and we attain that. And God comforts us in affliction as well ~ Peace God is for us. Peace His Will is good. All of the Scriptures have help for any season we are in. Saying God hopes for us not to worry. God says to put Him first alleviates a lot of Worry.The goal God has for us is to trust Him.



John 6:29
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Psalm 9
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

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Mark 8:14-21 ~ they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said

Mark 8:14-21

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread.

17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

When I think about the way Jesus might have asked them with such patience. I wonder, with the way we speak to our Parents, if the disciples weren't a little bit grumpy toned.

Twelve baskets of broken pieces. Martin Luther King was more interested in 12 - not as 12 disciples, but 11 disciples and Jesus. The 12 Days of Christmas were about the Protestant Reformation and this is what the number 12 stood for. 12 Tribes of Israel. Emmanuel is God with us!

In Genesis 2, we find God worked for six days and rested. God could have made our weeks last 12 days. Or 268 days. God chose six days of work and the seventh for rest.

To me the numbers are providing the nation of Israel hope for security in peace for their nation and daily life.  12 Tribes. 7 days a week. God can provide blessings.

Jesus - all things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1.

Every detail we see in the life of Jesus has meaning. God says we live in every Word of God. Father God knows the hairs on our head - Jesus knew how many baskets were collected. A God Opportunity to make a point.

John 21
25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Why would God want the baskets to represent something significant? He also knew on several occasions what people were thinking and what their names where. Mary was told hearts would be revealed to Jesus. Why, again, is this significant?

A really good reason!!! God wants to be trusted.

1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.

This is God. We can Trust Him.

Philippians 4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Father God, help us to bring Your Love to the people You have given us. Keep us on Your path. Guide us, Lead us, Love us. Please forgive us. We ask Your Protection. And Your help and mercy. In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

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Mark 8 ~ He comes in the glory of His Father with the Holy angels

The crowd is 4,000 people.

Mark 8

8 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” 

4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 

5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied.   <><

And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 

9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.


11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” +++

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”


34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when 
he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”


+++ This Scripture is my brother John's favorite Scripture - not until this generation can we see this is brain surgery requiring this type of healing. Not understandable except through a mirror darkly - until today - this generation.

Almost all Christians have sung, "It Only Takes a Spark to Get a Fire Going." We could begin with Mary saying yes to God's plan with courage and belief. Joseph showing mercy to obtain mercy in God's direction. Or Jesus simply calling the disciples to follow Him.


When scholars estimated the size of the last Presidential inaugural to be 1.8 Million people, the Temple Mount - Mount Moriah, the 36 acres of the Temple - were then estimated for size capacity during Passover. We know Jerusalem was usually populated at about 80,000 people. Using these numbers and assuming  75% of the surface area was usable, the Temple Mount could comfortably (10 sq ft/person) hold 100,000 people at one time; a more "tightly packed" crowd of 250,000 (4.5 sq ft/person) would also have fit; at "mosh-pit density" a crowd of 400,000 could have occupied the Temple Courts at a time. Passover sacrifices where done at several intervals throughout the day, so a much larger group used the Temple Services during all the day. Like our Easter Services today in Churches!


Josephus describes in The Wars Of The Jews, (Book 6, Ch. 9) a calculation used to estimate the number of people in attendance in Jerusalem during Passover,: "Upon the coming of that feast which is called the Passover, when they slay their sacrifices, from the ninth hour till the eleventh, but so that a company not less than ten belong to every sacrifice, (for it is not lawful for them to feast singly by themselves,) and many of us are twenty in a company, found the number of sacrifices was two hundred and fifty-six thousand five hundred; which, upon the allowance of no more than ten that feast together, 
amounts to
Two millions seven hundred thousand and two hundred persons.


Jesus did go to the Temple and teach when Holy Days did occur during His Ministry. Yet somehow, we really do want to know the number of people in the country of Judea who understood Jesus' Amazing Ministry going forth to Heal -the blind seeing, the deaf hearing and the times the Scriptures record, "He healed them all."

This calculation used allowed this Presidential administration to be able to plan the Inaugural. It holds water.


Luke's 7th Gospel -The Widow of Nain was a complete miracle where a young man was dead and, like Elijah, included many, many witnesses and resurrection from death to life.

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 

12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 

16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Jesus was not being merely a demonstrator of His own Glory ~ Jesus was explaining to many witnesses - about the Power of God. Victory over death. Witnesses could see and understand.

Job 33:29
"God does all these things to a person-- twice, even three times--"

John 5:17
But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

We know Palm Sunday worried the Roman and Temple authorities.

Luke 23:27 At the Crucifixion of Jesus -
A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.

What caused a large number to become multitudes?
 Jesus, the Son of God, in Victory.

Jesus said we live by every Word of God. The Holy Spirit did not record half or a quarter of the Temple. The Word of God Says - "Multitudes".



Matthew 27:52
and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

1 Corinthians 15:6
After that, Jesus appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

John 21
24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

And after innocent Son of God - Jesus died for our sins, the earthquake and the torn veil, the day turning to night caused the Roman Centurions to understand. And when He Rose in Victory. They became as dead men reporting the empty Tomb.

Acts 5
12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico [in the Temple Mount]. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 
15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.



We have learned this could be up to two and a half million people. Explaining why 1434 miles / 2307.8 km / 1246.11 nautical miles from Jerusalem to Rome would have the Emperors of the Roman Empire in panic mode in 16 years. For almost 400 years all New Testament Scripture was hunted to destroy all of this. The Bible in your hand was brought with great courage and sacrifice. Papyrus 46 is 300 chapters of Scripture produced, and wonderfully preserved - clearly legible all written while the Disciple John was alive.

 Two million people turned out on Times Square when World War ll ended.

Again, I'm saying, Jesus said we live by every Word of God. The Holy Spirit did not record half or a quarter of the Temple. Or a great number -  The Word of God Says - "Multitudes". 


 
We know from Scriptures thousands converted at a time. What makes this Salvation possible? Jesus of course - no written test - not complicated. Relationship with Father God. Believing God is so merciful to save those who believe and call upon Jesus.  God opening up His Kingdom to save the world. GOD. Jesus returns and the first thing He says to Mary Magdalene - what He said to John, last - chosen, loved, cared for, adopted - Jesus says "Your Father and Mine."

This is a God of Love .A Personal God, creating through His Word - all things. 
My Father. 
Because of what Jesus did for me. 
Forever.

Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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<>< Is one of my favorite Scriptures. Jesus put His Hands into fish, the aroma of fish, to feed His Beloved Children. Jesus - acting as Living Water - water going, filling, completing, nourishing - all places - all circumstances.  Soaking - reviving. This is Jesus the Lord.

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Psalm 96 ~ For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised

Many times Churches use a light swung from the ceiling to show Bread of the Presence. Consecrated Host. Living Bread.

Psalm 96

1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.


3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!

4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!

9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; [of holy attire]
tremble before him, all the earth!

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

I loved Bill Hybels' (Pastor of Willow Creek) book, "Just Walk Across the Room." The heart grabber of this - his friend decides he must look at Jesus' love after his own dad died and he was told he must look at Jesus because he would not go to Heaven without him. This lengthy friendship resulted in the Love of Jesus being glorified.

We should all look for the opportunities to share God's love with others. In the 5th week, the video was pretty hilarious and we laughed a lot in our group.

The main theme today is being more clear on having a one minute personal story - how God's love changed our lives. The video gave rave performances - not to be too long, rambling. Avoid being fuzzy, unclear, wobbly. Not to be weird and give God stories best shared in a small group who love you and know you. No to lots of esoteric Religious speak - i.e. too many thee's and thou's are not easy or comfortable. And flee from giving holier than you, speak downs.

Years ago, I went to a Christian renewal weekend. During this time, I realized the people surrounding me had a love for Father God causing them to glow with joy. We were in the very rural country - it was so dark outside. We were in the Chapel - the Priest said the Light in the lantern represented the Presence of Christ. Remember Jesus as the Light of the World. We were asked to decide, did we indeed believe or would this merely be a light. It was a question I had been asking myself. I knew I had a decision, I knew Jesus as Lord. Suddenly I was given a peace, a joy, a Love. I was filled with the Light of Christ. I'd never felt such Love wash over me.

Jesus has helped me realize. In all the trials, the joys, the love, the memories. The endurance, the perseverance - God has given me a life worth leading. The day will renew with Jesus every day. Forever.

Over the years, as I've journeyed as a follower of Jesus Christ, I've felt the Light - the free gift of salvation - given to me - strengthen me in times of need. Lift me higher in joyful times. Giving me more compassion to others. Growing me to go home to the Lord. The Lord is my rock. Blessed Be Jesus the Lord. Forever.


John 1
The Light Shines in the Darkness and the Darkness has not overcome that.

Thank You, Jesus Lord God. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Psalm 87 ~ And of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”; for the Most High himself will establish her."

Living in the internet age is a blessing when I am not able to put my finger on the Word, I look through pages on sermons & commentaries for the meaning I am looking to express.

St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland, the human snakes inciting war & human sacrifice. He did this without a-how-to-book, without a phone call to a spiritual guidance counselor, without visual aids. Patrick had his faith and the word of God. Led by the Holy Spirit of God, his life made a huge impact.

St. Patrick ~ Thomas Cahill, Catholic author of the best-selling book How the Irish Saved Civilization ~ "Some 1,500 years ago a teenage boy from what is now Great Britain was kidnapped and enslaved by marauders from a neighboring country. Not since Paris absconded with Helen of Troy has a kidnapping so changed the course of history.

The invading marauders came from fifth-century Ireland. The teenager they captured eventually escaped, but returned voluntarily some years later. In the meantime, he had become convinced that he was handpicked by God to convert the entire country to Christianity.

Apparently, he was right.

In the process of converting the primitive people of Ireland, however, the former slave experienced a conversion, too. In the years that followed, he not only shared God with the people of Ireland, but also grew in his understanding of God through them. Cahill says, "The early Irish Christianity planted in Ireland by Patrick is much more joyful and celebratory [than its Roman predecessor] in the way it approaches the natural world. It is really not a theology of sin but of the goodness of creation, and it really is intensely incarnational." His use of biblical quotations, Cahill says, "is far more accurate and appropriate than many of the Fathers of the Church."

It's hard to grasp just what an accomplishment that was, says Cahill. When Patrick decided to "willingly go back to the barbarians with the gospel," Cahill explains, "he had to figure out how to bring the values of the gospel he loved to such people. These were people who still practiced human sacrifice, who warred with each other constantly and who were renowned as the great slave traders of the day.

"That was not a simple thing. This was before courses were given to missionaries in what is now called inculturation—how to plant the gospel in such a culture," Cahill says. "No one had ever even thought about how to do it; Patrick had to work his way through it himself.

These two brief documents, Patrick's Confession and his "Letter to Coroticus," are the basis for all we know of the historical Patrick. The uncontested, if somewhat unspecific, biographical facts about Patrick are as follows:

Patrick was born Patricius somewhere in Roman Britain to a relatively wealthy family. He was not religious as a youth and, in fact, claims to have practically renounced the faith of his family.

When Patrick looked back at the end of his life on his service to Ireland, Cahill says, he must have been pleased with his accomplishments. By the time of his death, or shortly thereafter, "the Irish stopped slave trading and they never took it up again." Human sacrifice had become unthinkable. And although the Irish never stopped warring on one another, "war became much more confined and limited by what we might call the 'rules of warfare.'

"I think that though he probably died knowing that he had succeeded in his mission," Cahill adds, "he also died hoping that success would be permanent and not temporary."

In fact, Patrick's success couldn't have been more permanent. Not only had he accomplished what he'd set out to do—convert the nation to Christ—but in the process he'd retrieved from obscurity the primary objective set by Christ for his apostles: the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth.

And so it was that a young Briton named Patricius died an Irishman named Patrick. And neither Ireland nor Christianity was ever quite the same."

Psalm 87 

1On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. 3 Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. Selah 4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush — “This one was born there,” they say. 

5 And of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”; for the Most High himself will establish her. 6 The Lord records as he registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah 7 Singers and dancers alike say, “All my springs are in you.”Selah

John 7:38 
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Psalm 126 ~ Joy

Psalm 126
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad!

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.


The most played funeral song in the United Kingdom is "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."

So, that isn't a novel approach to a funeral in the U.K...

Restoration - God repeats events, aspects and situations too.

Abraham argued with God for lives to be spared.
Then Abraham was asked about an important life and did not argue...my opinion is God wanted Abraham to say No. God is God and is in charge of life and death. God wanted Abraham to argue God is Good.

Moses stood as God's ambassador to the Red Sea.
Elisha parted water for the Children of Israel.

Prophets cured outside of Israel during starvation
Prophets cured outside of Israel for leprosy as well.

Zechariah had trauma happen in the Temple.

2 Chronicles 24
20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’” 21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”


Two Gospels refer to Zechariah. Father God was indeed thinking of Zechariah. The next Zechariah is John the Baptist's father.

The next Zechariah failed to believe the impossible is possible with God. John the Baptist's father doubted God and did not grab hold of the horns of the Altar which as a Priest - he knew these were the mercy fail-safe part of the Temple - and he was seeing an angel in God's Temple. Perhaps God is reminding us Zechariah could have forgiven and also cried out for God to save him.

The Temple saw quite a few miracles. Once people get past doubt. Zechariah was very angry at being killed. Love up builds.

Joseph was a poor boy, of a Dynasty, who became the Pharaoh's Visor living by faith.
Joseph was a poor boy, of a Dynasty, who became God's Son's Visor living by faith.

Elijah did show up for the Transfiguration. Yet Jesus did say John the Baptist was a repeat conversation with God thinking of Elijah.

Why does God repeat things like the Samaritans tossed out of the Second Temple  - Well, Jesus found them in the Fourth Chapter of John's Gospel? God is thinking of these things. Like Jesus remembering Solomon in one Gospel during being shown the Temple the Day of Palm Sunday. Remember, Jesus was there. His Glory filled the Temple. The sight was a lot like what the Hubble Telescope shows us God is creating the birth of new stars. Isn't God fascinating?

God is Love. God wants to see His people up built.
He is reminding us of what HE has taught and what He wants to have happen better.

The Song - bright side of life???
Life is disparaged. When you stop to look at it.

What we do matters. To each other. To God.

Matthew 21
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

Believing makes a Path acceptable to God.

John 6:29
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."


Take the GLORY - of being Love.
THE STRUGGLE - with time, money, troubles and riches of the world.
THE OVERCOME - from embarrassment, repent, plain problems just given to us.
THE HOPE - God is for us.
THE LOVE - God is.
THE FAITH - All His promises are for us.
AND JESUS - Our Redemption and Savior. Son of God.

The bumps and bruises. take the events that still bring a tear to our eyes. And say - God has Fathered us. I am grateful. For what has been so difficult. We can be grateful to learn - God has brought me this far - that what He brings forth, we will do together. We expect the Goodness of God. Our Amen is in Jesus.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Isaiah 55:12
 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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