Isaiah 64 ~ our iniquities, like the wind, take us away

Come unto Me, by Carl Bloch

Isaiah 64

1 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
[in your ways is continuance, that we might be saved]
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have made us melt in [have delivered us unto]the hand of our iniquities.

8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
and remember not iniquity forever.
Behold, please look, we are all your people.
10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness;
Zion has become a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our holy and beautiful [holy and glorious] house,
where our fathers praised you,
has been burned by fire,
and all our pleasant places have become ruins.
12 Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord?
Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?

We are approaching Good Friday. Historically, Jesus, The Word, became flesh and made his dwelling among us (we have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth) this was the week the Pharisees, the Jewish ruling council, and the teachers of the law could tell the crowd was angry with Jesus. The Messiah was to come in great glory.

The people felt they had given Jesus great glory, hadn't they run out to the street and waved Palm branches at Him and hailed Him as King of the Jews? Yes, Jesus had healed the blind, the deaf could hear, the lepers were cleansed, but..... the poor were waiting. Rome had swept in, creating amazing fortunes in front of them. Oxford Historians said the fortunes would not be repeated until the 16th Century Anno Domini, so great were the fortunes created by the Roman Empire. That's right, the righteous poor were waiting. They had had enough of Rome, Herod, Pilate and the rest. Now it was Jesus' turn to triumph, throw out the baggage, gather the armies and let Israel shine.

Did the people wonder if Jesus was Son of God?

Yes, they asked Him. People who don't read the Bible ask, today, "Did Jesus ever actually say He was the Messiah?" This question isn't to be frowned at! This is the door open for Jesus! The answer is answered in almost every other chapter (letter) of the Gospels. The Scriptures repeat and repeat. Just as Jesus implied, said plainly, and gave great and amazing wonders proclaiming Jesus is the Son of God.

The Scriptures repeat. The Ark of the Covenant was put together after all the great plagues the scientists agree occurred in Egypt around 1250 B.C.. - this according to the National Geographic Channel program on Holy Week of this year. The people of Israel won battles and traveled safely through the desert for 40 years. They loved to take the Ark of the Covenant in battle with them. But when they sinned, the Ark & the hand of God went against them. Even King David was worried by the power and the stories of destruction from God's Ark. The people were happy to have a place for the Ark, behind a curtain, where only one priest with a cord tied around his waist (in case the priest died they could pull him out with the cord without entering themselves) would enter once a year. God in a box for them.

The people wanted Jesus to be a tool getting them the freedom they wanted. "Was Jesus the Son of God?" Did He say it. Really. Yes. (In your ways is continuance, that we might be saved!)


John 1:5 ~
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:49,50
Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

⁵⁰Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." ⁵¹He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

John 4:
²⁵ The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

²⁶ Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

John 7:
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, ²⁹but I know him because I am from him and he sent me."

John 9:
²⁵ He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

³⁶ "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

³⁷ Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

³⁸ Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

John 11:
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; ²⁶ and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

²⁷ "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."



Matthew 16:

¹⁶Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

¹⁷Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Why was Jesus killed? Because He was proclaimed as God, King on earth, King of the Jews.

John 7:45
⁴⁵ Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?" ⁴⁶ "No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.

Mark 15:
²"Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate.
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

Luke 22:
⁶⁶At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. ⁶⁷"If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us."

Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, ⁶⁸and if I asked you, you would not answer. ⁶⁹But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."

⁷⁰They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"
He replied, "You are right in saying I am."

⁷¹Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."

John 8:58
"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

Exodus 3:13-17
Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

¹⁴ God said to Moses, "I am who I am . This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Yesterday, the people saw amazing events, but could not comprehend Jesus. Look around you. The Church of Jesus Christ has existed for 2,000 years.

Matthew 16:

¹⁶Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

¹⁷Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ. And blessed be the people who proclaim You.

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Prayer Request

Please pray for our country, the Christians and non-Christians, during Holy Week. Last night we watched the National Geographic Channel on the Plagues of the Exodus, they did a pretty honest job of trying to discover a subject requiring faith with science. It was not a slam dunk for the faithful or the apostates. It presented more evidence for the faithful, saying science does not deny these events did take place, actually science agrees the plagues occurred. The next program for the Shroud of Turin left out the more recent evaluations, but still gave a chance for the faithful to speak.

My prayer would be for the media programs. Tonight we watched the Colbert Report, where the host began by saying he is a Roman Catholic and ended the sentence by saying Jesus came to life by the magic of the Easter bunny and marshmallow candy. This is so very inappropriate, especially for Holy Week. He continued the report by targeting the Pope and sex scandals of the Church from years prior. I am Protestant, but I know the news has not accurately reported the American Catholic people of the Northeast have begun their process of forgiveness for the Church. Tonight's report on the Colbert Report did not even touch on the fact this Pope has worked tirelessly to make sure justice is served by Christian Priests.

My prayer this week is Holy Week would draw the respect it deserves. It would be great if we had more biblical programs for Passover and Easter during Holy Week. It is a great injustice we see faith mocked instead. Father God, may the Love You have given us gather respect instead of derision and half-truths. Give Your childrens' prayers a voice in the media, Father God, to glorify Your Love and Your Saving Help. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

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Luke 5:17-39 ~ I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home

Luke 5:17-39

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

33 And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” 36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good [better].’”

There is an energy to the 5th chapter of Luke. Jesus knew what He was doing. He moves with certainty. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law debate and grumble endlessly. Jesus did not take the time to finesse the Pharisees into agreeing with Jesus' healing from God. Jesus is busy doing His Father's business. Jesus walked past Levi and asked Levi to follow Him. The Pharisees are puzzled why John the Baptist's disciples fast, pray, but do not have this deliberateness, this directness of Jesus and want to understand the difference.

It is interesting they see extraordinary events, but cannot comprehend Jesus.

So many of the paintings, particularly paintings of Jesus painted in the last century, portray Jesus as a man of intimate conversation. He took His time when the crowd wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery, in fact, He deliberately waited for the blood fever in the crowd to become moral, reasoned thinking. John ends the Gospel of John by explaining much more of Jesus occurred than books could hold. Jesus' longest conversations seem to be the hours He spent in prayer.

Jesus willingness to spend hours in prayer is More Good News for us. The gospels record Jesus as getting to the point in conversation. Yet we see Him spend time with His Father, for hours. Just as Jesus was always willing to give His time, His patience to the needs of the daughter of the Synagogue ruler. His time to Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. His patience for the woman caught in adultery. Forgiveness for the frightened woman who had reached out to touch the fringe of His garment. Patience and love to Peter for forsaking Him 3 times.

Let the energy of Jesus in the 5th chapter of Luke guide your time in prayer with Father God. The willingness to heal, to redeem is swift. Just like the Father running to His prodigal son. Jesus, our elder brother, knows His Father's Love.

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Proverbs 7 ~ now in the street, now in the market

Proverbs 7

1 My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from the forbidden [strange] woman,
from the adulteress [foreign woman] with her smooth words.

6 For at the window of my house
I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among the simple,
I have perceived among the youths,
a young man lacking sense,
8 passing along the street near her corner,
taking the road to her house
9 in the twilight, in the evening,
at the time of night and darkness.

10 And behold, the woman meets him,
dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. [guarded in heart]
11 She is loud and wayward;
her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
and with bold face she says to him,
14 “I had to offer sacrifices, [peace offerings]
and today I have paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with coverings,
colored linens from Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him;
at full moon he will come home.”

21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast [an anklet for the discipline of a fool]
23 till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.

24 And now, O sons, listen to me,
and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
do not stray into her paths,
26 for many a victim has she laid low,
and all her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol,
going down to the chambers of death.

I know a dear lady who has 2 handbags going to work with her each day. In one of them is a Cathy Comic Strip - it says - "I have It All & I carry it with me!"

The purpose of Scripture isn't just to connect with the history of this Holy Week, it is to place Jesus Christ with us. Jesus Christ dwelling between our shoulder blades.

Proverbs 7 isn't the dusty road, quaint market place with a veiled hooker at the side of a stall.
A market is any one of a variety of different systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby persons trade, and goods and services are exchanged, forming part of the economy. It is an arrangement that allows buyers and sellers to exchange things.

What is the First Commandment? Bible Quiz.... You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

Yes, I agree. This chapter is about adultery. But more than half of us will be fortunate not to face this issue in our marriages. Adultery is infidelity. Jesus said the most important commandment is:

Matthew 22:36-38
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.

What is your intimate friend? What pays your vows? If we do not put our priorities in order, life will pass us by. Do you have it all? Are you trying to?

We live in a world that hurries by. Time seems to move more quickly every day. We need a portion of the wisdom of Solomon to be the son (child) of God living a life of meaning, by faithfully setting our Godly priorities first.

1 Kings 4:29-34
29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 33 He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 34 Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.

When we look at the way God gave us the Commandments; He placed them in order of importance. He told us first to place Him first. Just as we are given four seasons, to mark the passage of time, He gives us seasons in our lives. Yet in all seasons, in all times in our lives, we are given Holy times to renew, re-adjust. Do not let smooth words ease your priorities out of place. Realize when your priorities have been seized.


John 10:10 (English Standard Version)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Jesus continues to proclaim to us today:
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

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Luke 19:28-40 ~ He drew near

Jerusalem, Jerusalem by James Tissot

Luke 19:28-40

28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.

37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

Today we celebrate Jesus hailed as King. It is honor due to Him. Our Sacrifice, who knew no sin and spread out His arms for us.

John 1:

49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

John 3:31
³¹ "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. "

John 4:
²⁵ The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

²⁶ Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

⁴² They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

John 5:
⁴⁴ How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?

John 6:
²⁶ Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

John 7:
³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

⁴⁵ Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?"

⁴⁶ "No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.

John 8:
Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. ¹⁶But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. ¹⁷In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. ¹⁸I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."

⁵⁸ "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

John 9:
²⁵ He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

³⁶ "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

³⁷ Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

³⁸ Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

John 11:
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; ²⁶ and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

²⁷ "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

John 12:
"Blessed is the King of Israel!" ¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
¹⁵ "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. ⁴⁵ When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

John13:
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

³⁴ "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 15:
¹ "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

⁵ "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

⁹"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

John 16:
¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

²⁷ No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. ²⁸I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

²⁹ Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. ³⁰Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."

³¹ "You believe at last!" Jesus answered.

³³ "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 18:
6 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

³⁷ "You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

John 19:
² The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe ³ and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.

¹⁴ It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.
"Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews.

¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁰Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."

²² Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

John 20:
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

²⁸ Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

³⁰ Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 21:
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

John 6:52-59 ~ truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you

The Synagogue of Capernaum. This one is the newer one built upon the one Jesus taught in. An Aramaic inscription on one of the broken columns records the name of the donor, "Halfu, son of Zebida". These names in the Greek form (Alphaeus and Zebedee) are mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus Christ's Disciples, James and John, were sons of Zebedee. The New Testament calls them "sons of Thunder".

John 6:52-59

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

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John 1:35-51 ~ Come and see

John 1:35-51

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Philip felt the definite need to share God's love. Philip probably was the first evangelist of Jesus Christ. The Church today is still built on a 20th century model, different in some important aspects from the 1st century Church. Today we build a church, place the sign in the front and we have a "if you build it, they will come" attitude. It is more of a go to church and be part of it. The joy and excitement of the first century church was like Philip's, "come and see". The first century church ached to to share God's love, it radically changed them. The "come and see" attitude was life changing.

As we leave our church parking lot, there is a reminder, you are: "Now Entering the Mission Field. " There is a new term to remind us of Jesus Christ's great commission, Missional. To be Missional is a term to live out come and see. Our church is going to a nearby apartment building, known to have many single moms with children. There will be an Easter Egg hunt for the 50 kids, with Resurrection Eggs - inside each egg it will declare the Easter story - Jesus is Alive!

It is a beautiful and important difference to live our lives looking for the God given opportunity to share the Love God has for us. An attitude of expectancy, God will give us an open door, an open heart to bring others to Jesus Christ.

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Psalm 119:121-144 ~ keep steady my steps according to your promise

Psalm 119:121-144

Ayin

121 I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Give your servant a pledge of good;
let not the insolent oppress me.
123 My eyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126 It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
127 Therefore I love your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every false way.

Pe

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.
133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from man's oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135 Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law.

Tsadhe

137 Righteous are you, O Lord,
and right are your rules.
138 You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
139 My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
140 Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
141 I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and your law is true.
143 Trouble and anguish have found me out,
but your commandments are my delight.
144 Your testimonies are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.

Psalm 119 is divided into 22 sections of 8 verses each. Each section has a title, such as "Aleph," "Beth," "Gimel," "Daleth," and so on. These titles are actually not words; they are the letters that make up the Hebrew alphabet which has 22 letters, so Psalm 119 has 22 sections. A Puritan Preacher, Rev. Thomas Manton wrote 130 Sermons on Psalm 119. The information in this one Psalm with 176 verses is vast.

This section has trouble finding the Psalmist & he cries out he has not done anything to deserve this trouble. A lot of life is looking for a solution to a tangled problem. This Psalm has the solution to all troubles. Patiently wait upon the Lord. Paul looked at trouble, with contentment, to see what Father God would make of tragedy, inconvenience, dire straits and weakness; he had curiosity to seek how God would use the situation to His Glory.

Psalm 107 is a great comfort when the wild winds of life howl. There is an analogy of men tossed on a ship in a ferocious storm having great fear. With Jesus Christ's name and faith in God, the ship is brought to a desired haven of peace.

Romans 13:11,12
¹¹And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹²The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

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Mark 1:16-39 ~ that is why I have come

Mark 1:16-39

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"

25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"

38 Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Meeting Life's Demands by Ray Stedman

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35).

After this full day—and what a full day it was, what a heavy ministry our Lord had that day with all the healing He did in the evening!—Mark records that early in the morning, before it was daylight, Jesus went out on the mountainside, and there, by Himself, He prayed. But even there He was not safe. His disciples interrupted this communion, told Him that everyone was looking for Him. And Jesus reveals the heart and substance of His prayer in what He says in reply: "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also." This is what He was praying about—that God would lead Him, doors would be opened, and hearts prepared in the cities to which He would go next.

Why did Jesus seek the Father's face like this, in these hours of pressure? The only answer we can come to is that He wants to make clear that the authority He had was not coming from Him. This is what our Lord is trying to get across to us so continually in the Scriptures—that it was not His authority by which He acted; He had to receive it from the Father.

I do not know any more confusing doctrine in Christendom today—one that has robbed the Scriptures of their authority and power in the minds and hearts of countless people—than the idea that Jesus acted by virtue of the fact that He was the Son of God, that the authority and power He demonstrated were due to His own deity. Yet He Himself takes great pains to tell us this is not the case. "The Son can do nothing by himself" (John 5:19). Why do we ignore His explanation and insist that it is He, acting as the Son of God? He tells us that "it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work"(John 14:10). And all the power that Jesus manifested had to come to Him constantly from the one who dwelt within Him.

Jesus stresses this because this is what He wants us to learn. We are to operate on the same basis. Our response to the normal, ordinary demands of life and the power to cope with those demands must come from our reliance upon Him at work within us. This is the secret: All power to live the Christian life comes not from us, doing our dead-level best to serve God, but from Him, granted to us moment by moment as the demand is made upon us. Power is given to those who follow, who obey. The Father is at work in the Son; the Son is at work in us. As we learn this, then we are given power to meet the demands and the needs that are waiting for us in the ministry yet to come.

Thank You, Father, that the same power is available to me today, making me ready so be your instrument in any and every situation in which demand is laid upon me.

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Genesis 47 ~ said Joseph

Sistine Chapel ~ Jacob and Joseph by Michelangelo Buonarroti. Painted 3,000 years after they lived on earth.

God's blessings are never finished. From 1508 to 1541, Michelangelo Buonarroti was commissioned by Pope Julius II to repaint over the blue sky and gold stars of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo was extremely unhappy about the commission, the size of the project & it was paint instead of his preferred marble sculpturing; the Pope allowed Michelangelo to choose his own biblical scenes to appease Michelangelo - he didn't want to paint the Pope's idea of the 12 Apostles.


Genesis 47 ~ (New International Version) Audio Link

¹ Joseph went and told Pharaoh, "My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen." ² He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

³ Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What is your occupation?"
"Your servants are shepherds," they replied to Pharaoh, "just as our fathers were." ⁴ They also said to him, "We have come to live here awhile, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants' flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen."

⁵ Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and your brothers have come to you, ⁶ and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock."

⁷ Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, ⁸ Pharaoh asked him, "How old are you?"

⁹ And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers." ¹⁰ Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

¹¹ So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. ¹² Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their children.

¹³ There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine. ¹⁴ Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh's palace. ¹⁵ When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, "Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is used up."

¹⁶ "Then bring your livestock," said Joseph. "I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone." ¹⁷ So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.

¹⁸ When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, "We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. ¹⁹ Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate."

²⁰ So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh's, ²¹ and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other. ²² However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

²³ Joseph said to the people, "Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. ²⁴ But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children."

²⁵ "You have saved our lives," they said. "May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh."

²⁶ So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh's.

²⁷ Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.

²⁸ Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. ²⁹ When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, ³⁰ but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried."
"I will do as you say," he said.

³¹ "Swear to me," he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

No wonder Pharaoh did well. Jacob/ Israel received God's amazing blessing for Abraham & then Jacob / Israel gave Pharaoh a blessing.

Genesis 49 is a blessing we can all appreciate. Joseph did not let selfish ambition and bitterness take away his ability to be a blessing:
22 Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches climb over a wall.

23 With bitterness archers attacked him;
they shot at him with hostility.

24 But his bow remained steady,
his strong arms stayed limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

25 because of your father's God, who helps you,
because of the Almighty, who blesses you
with blessings of the heavens above,
blessings of the deep that lies below,
blessings of the breast and womb.

26 Your father's blessings are greater
than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
than the bounty of the age-old hills.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

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John 8:1-11 ~ Neither do I condemn you

Jesus with the Woman Caught in Adultery, by Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov Russian: Поленов Василий Дмитриевич; 1 June 1844 - 18 July 1927

John 8:1-11 (Revised Standard Version written, English Standard Version audio)

[1] but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

[2] Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.

[3] The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

[4] they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.

[5] Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?"

[6] This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

[7] And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."

[8] And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

[9] But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

[10] Jesus looked up and said to her,"Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

[11] She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."

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Psalm 90 ~ satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love

Psalm 90

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place [refuge]
in all generations.in all generations.2 Before the mountains were brought forth,or ever you had formed the earth and the world,from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You return man to dustand say, “Return, O children of man!” [children of Adam]
4 For a thousand years in your sightare but as yesterday when it is past,or as a watch in the night.

5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,like grass that is renewed in the morning:6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;in the evening it fades and withers.

7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;by your wrath we are dismayed.8 You have set our iniquities before you,our secret sins in the light of your presence.

9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;we bring our years to an end like a sigh.10 The years of our life are seventy,or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span [pride] is but toil and trouble;they are soon gone, and we fly away.11 Who considers the power of your anger,and your wrath according to the fear of you?

12 So teach us to number our daysthat we may get a heart of wisdom.13 Return, O Lord! How long?Have pity on your servants!14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,and for as many years as we have seen evil.16 Let your work be shown to your servants,and your glorious power to their children.17 Let the favor [beauty]of the Lord our God be upon us,and establish the work of our hands upon us;yes, establish the work of our hands!

- Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

We are invited, always, to pray - in supplication - to our Father when life gives us "opportunities for solutions". Paul had such faith he looked beyond the point causing discomfort to see how Father God would inter-weave it for good. Paul wanted to see what glory God would bring from weakness.
In difficulties, Paul would rejoice.

2 Corinthians 12:9
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I give great thanks to a Literature Professor at Texas A&M. She gave me a life skill tool, useful 2 decades later and today. Instead of repeating a mistake, I look for a permanent solution deliberately. I had problems doing alter guild. And my sister-in- Christ Cindy stepped along side me and partnered with me.  Later, Cindy would go with Edward and me to see Judith MacNutt for Valentines weekend in 2015, where she, Justine, Donna and Steve would stay all weekend to worship and pray with Edward and me, and for Edward's health.


God provides a Professor who gave a good life skill. God provides a solution. God provides a kind sisters and brothers in Christ. God rules in an orderly fashion and gives us smooth worship. Just as Jesus sent 70 disciples out in pairs of two. Thank you, Father God, for our Church family & Your steadfast Love. In Jesus' name. Amen.


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