Jesus and His Disciples, James Tissot
Luke 16
16 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ 5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.
10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.
15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.
18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
A pretty exciting day when you feel as if you have seen something brand new in the Bible. And your eyes look back to the verse quickly!
And our grand-dog, a Husky, had a great day discovering what it is to be wild. He ran near, he ran far. Swam with the ducks scooting out of his way. This is his second time this week. He is 9 years old and can go about 2 hours of swimming and evading. He is a delight. He is running free. Tail High. Up to the dogs behind the fences. Around the 4 neighbors and 3 of us positioned around the 3 acre pond. He has this. Then the other duck flies and he changes his stately and grinning course. All dogs want days like this. They really, really do.
And having 4 neighbors all around the pond, truly is a blessing. It was a long time and we had one who stayed with us until finally he slowed down and my 25 year old son caught him.
Running wild.
Luke 16
16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.
Matthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.
John 3: 7
Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Force and violence.
Running wild. A man working at a Church I visit, for Disc Golf, told me the most violent of parking lots is the Church crowd leaving a peaceful service. Why? We force our way into God.
We see we are failures before God of the Universe and Jesus. And we deal with God exactly like we deal with a competing employee. Being born again is like birth, an awaking. A difficulty, a need for Light and Life.
Do not be like the Gentiles who lord over other people. And yet, we maintain the abomination (verse 15) of what God would see in this. Forcing our way into the Kingdom. Voiding the law - Love one another. We have to be honest about the Pew Report. 2%.
Born again - newborns are gentle.The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
This worked for my grandmother Anita. She lived with her son who vehemently hated Christian women. (He was adopted and damaged at birth, having about 95 IQ, unable to work.) She lead a 42 year Bible Study on Sunday mornings and paraded over no one. She was not worried about his salvation. She intended to love him and pray for him and not bemoan over him. He was saved in his 7th decade. Her quote on this was emphatic. "I will never cease to pray for my son."
Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him
Jesus the Lord.
Sometimes it's time to come back into the gentleness of the every day.
How often I have longed to gather you, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.
Fortunately, our Husky was regathered and has returned home to show us how the gate can be pried open.
James 4:5
Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.
And our dog spends the rest of the day with a smile. His day is full, the sun is bright, the adventures will continue, the many people look so funny chasing him, and the treats are plentiful. He is loved earnestly and loves in return.
Our Abba,
In our narrow gate, we find eventually we need someone to rush into the water to get us. Like Jesus did for Peter when Peter fell into the waters. (Thank You this time it was not me.) We bless those who give us direction. And as our love for You increases, we find Peter jumps in the water for Jesus. He has to see Jesus. Jesus has prepared him a breakfast.
Thank You for the knowledge Jesus had lost His cousin, John the Baptist, and really probably did not feel in the mood for being a life saver. We say with gratitude, Thank You God for never quitting. Thank You for reaching for me.
Help us to stay on Your path. Having your guidance, mercy, wisdom and Joy. And help us to stay in the swim of things - moving in the direction pleasing to you. Seeing blessings of the spring and of the family working together to make a home.
Pray for us, we are going to be a family of four again after a number of years. The oldest son is going to law school to do maritime law and is waiting to see what (The Lord) provides. My heart palpitations have ceased again. Started in 2005 and I have all the hope the Lord will heal this. Giving thanks for balance/ears and eyes. Give us the day! These have been joy. Blessings for Edward's DG as he won more in the last week than last year and is delighted. Alexander is still studying.
We lift UP our cares to You, Father. Knowing You know, before we do, what we need. Thank You for Your great Love and Care. We lift UP our loved ones to You. And sleep in peace, renewed for the next day. To stay where we are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God in Jesus Christ.
Thank You Jesus is Lord. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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