John 14 ~ Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe

John 14

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 

2 In my Father's House are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.


15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 

23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me.

31 I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. 
Rise, let us go from here.




Having a Ball with Social Media???

Enjoying all the fb you ever wanted???

Jimmy Kimmel did an amazing one week series on well known people reading the tweets expressed by fans; should we use the word 'fans' for what was tweeted? Ok, the tweets of twits. Wow. To see the hurt on the faces of "people". I won't forget.

 

I'm thinking based on the Social Media of alllllll the people who Refuse to Play for Trump's Inaugural - we might need to take count - surely, surely, surely not this many people have actually been invited. Wow. And some of the people who tell us they have turned down the President Elect, or commenting, have said they'd be living out of the country.



Today.
Yahoo news tells us NFL Jay Cutler's wife shuts down his body shamers for his NFL flabby. Kristin Cavallari has been there - done that - before - July 4th her children were very criticized for being starved. Starved. Kristin tweeted in July she had never before blocked so many people for saying her children were starved. We all feel a little sorry for someone being slammed both ways.

To the newly engaged couple - I hope this picture finds you! Congratulations!

Yesterday.
Reddit, yesterday, showed a couple getting engaged and the photographer wanted - the foggy NYC water surrounding the tea lights in the shape of a heart and the faces of Joy - to have reached the engaged couple. Man the 240 comments were - awful.. After reading about 50 top comments - I quit. I asked two really huge Reddit fans about this and they shrugged and said, "Meh, Reddit fans, Meh. Regular commentary." Ok, we get that - this is where we rail on each other - but - maybe this carries out into the permanence of what is 'ok'?






HGTV Stars Joanna and Chip Gaines Suffer Brutal Media Attacks headlines report.

Eventually Joanna and Chip said give us some slack, we won't be baited to respond with hate. Chip Gaines: Joanna and I ‘Care About You’.

“That’s all fascinating, but it cannot add or take away from the reality that we’re already pulling for you. We are not about to get in the nasty business of throwing stones at each other, don’t ask us to cause we won’t play that way,” he wrote.

Gaines said the past year was “tough” and he couldn’t “recall humanity being more divided.”




Kelly Clarkson Won't Be Fat Shamed, Tells British Twitter. This woman had the nurse delivering her baby saying she was fat, fat.







And what would Jesus do?

Well, I'd like to borrow Jesus' brain, because He would definitely know what to say.


Jesus says don't worry so much. Look John 14!!!   Well, we say - that's fine for Jesus. This bully part of life is actually pretty worrisome. And besides - really - honestly - who is going to get to actually, really, truly, brutally honestly - us - c'mon - this is me reading the Word of God and doing reality applying God's Word to - my - friggen - life CMON who is going to get to LIVE IN THE HOUSE OF JESUS???  Then we might say, not me, so forget this whoooole Chapter.


Let's look at that - go with that. 'Live in the House of Father God'.

The Bible records seven layers of Heaven. St. Thomas Aquinas famously said that the top level is for the Patriarchs of the Bible, the Martyrs and the infants who died very, very young and stillborn babies. Sooo - basically - not all us. Not exactly.  Jesus is saying that there are multitudes and multitudes who will live in the "House of God". His Kingdom. Jesus is saying this - this is important. Jesus is saying that you are more precious than sparrows and the GOD who Created ALL - knows when a Sparrow falls. This God, this Father, who gives us Wonderful Jesus is saying - the God who creates the Universe is - is - IS going to find you a place with tender love.

Is He able? Yes. God has named the Stars. Commanded the path of the Planets, Understands how Gravity Functions. Completed DNA. And says life is in the blood. God understands blood being made and the hairs on your head.

And your place in the "House' of God - His Kingdom is specifically designed for His Child - you. Recently I have been smiling over Revelation Chapter One. John is sitting in old, old age upon the beautiful hill Father God has provided him - looking at the harbor of Patmos. And suddenly John is in God's House. John's reaction is he does -  something very human - he is Terrified. And John throws himself on the floor preparing to faint with total fear. He records - I was sitting in my house on a Sunday afternoon.  I love that. I really do. Jesus says with completely the right amount of comfort - "Don't faint, John - this is me, Jesus." The Words and the tone and the comfort make John - understand the key has fit the perfect lock within John - to make John fruitful, happy, and comforted - to continue in Father God's Path.



Dying is far away - why worry about ol' God.

Well, really this post is about Life. No one is going to get out of life without being bullied. Jesus dealt with that. Donald Trump just really did poorly in the first Presidential Debate against Senator Clinton - she laughed and was poised and scoffed at him. Donald Trump went home looking a little lost that night.

Is John 14 about this? Yes. This is about the trouble we face in this Life.

Ok, you worry. Jesus had times where He looked at bullies and He said, "Never mind, no thanks." Jesus told His own brothers - No, thanks, not going to the Festival. Jesus went on His own terms. Jesus had times He knew to stay out of Jerusalem. Is this a good response? You betcha. If Jesus employs this - this is Jesus.

This worked for Joanna and Chip Gaines. They had time to let the emotions calm down. Smart people knew not to be baited.

I had this done to me on the job once, by the boss, who referred to herself as "The Queen". Smart people know to keep their mouth shut.

This worked for Donald Trump. He knew he couldn't win that debate and he did his best. (I have not always pulled for President Trump - like during the election with Jeb Bush - but I am praying for him - along with denominations who didn't pull for him - and we Believe in the Power of God and expect good things. The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Michael Curry says we are called in the Word of God to pray for our President. Believe the best of him and the power of God in prayer. Amen!)

Jesus was not really meek and mild.

Jesus said Try Not to Worry. This is Not Permanent. And I doubt Jesus thought causing a 36 acre stampede in the Temple was permanent.

We might picture Jesus asking rather softly to Thomas and Phillip about His Words in this Chapter... Really? Jesus took on the Sadducean Council regularly. Jesus was rather to the point with Nicodemus.

You know it's really possible to experience so much trouble in life - that life begins to - not be so bothersome. I know a Fortune 500 CEO who said that really the problems and situations of the day - are interesting.

It's not permanent. And Priorities of what really matters...


Jesus dealt with the Glory of John 1 - The Transfiguration and arrival of His Father. And then went down the mountain to deal with regular life. Jesus is good at dealing with the highs and lows of life. This is the same Jesus who lifted Peter back into the boat, securely. This is the same Jesus who called for Calm upon the Storm.

 


If we put God first and see clearly what is important - Life might not believe in a free lunch - yet Life wants to eat your lunch and lunch money - however - - - If we put God first. Look to Jesus. Read the Bible. Seek His Answers - we are going to end up with Love, Joy, Peace. Because in the ability to see God first - things that do not matter - tend to fall into place.

We could now spend time bemoaning the culture. But we are the culture. We are the Lights of Jesus Christ.

Be salt. Be Light. Be in expectation of God. Bounce.


Rise, let us go from here.

Our Abba,

Father God, You walk with us. Ethiopians know God walks with them. You are the God of All. Creator of All. Vast. Wise. Loving. Good.

Help the ones I love, the people You have given me - to find Your Love and Your Loving Words - the key to fit the Light of God You have placed in All of Mankind. Let us look at what is Noble and Good and rise from here.

John tells us You are Love. Paul tells us You are Love, Joy, Peace. Luke, the Glorious Physician, who stayed with Paul and Peter always in the love God has for us - tells us You are Encouragement. Help us bring all of You to our lives, words, work, faith, heart and soul - seeing more Heaven on earth - this day. Until we see Your Kingdom, Power and Glory. In the Wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †