Today I was looking at a Church in Brazil praying for a Pastor held hostage in the Middle East. And the article was discussing the prayers of the faithful are answered. I've been told in the last 25 years, it's difficult to travel in Brazil due to orphans and gangs. And our neighbor was teaching an International Law School living 60 miles out of Rio, with pure enjoyment of the freedom to travel and see the Beauty of Brazil.
I was very surprised to find this photo was a Large Church in Brazil.
The same with a Church friend and another neighbor who found how much they loved Cape Town, South Africa.
This is not just a Christian Revolution of Believers in the USA.
We are living a time of the Oscar Winning movie Mrs. Miniver. Searching a lifetime apart from world wars - what makes life meaningful. And in this prayer of the Holy Spirit - we are crossing borders Jesus told us we would.
The Church of England was in its Glory of 1500 years during World War II. The Churches were packed. The Liturgy was read and The Daily Lectionary or The Daily Office - a two year program to read the Bible worldwide and a good and joyful thing. But the reading was wooden to be reliable. We Understand.
Inside, with the stress - to live during the bombings. Put the children in the country for years. See the young men killed and maimed.
The woodenness created this in the 1960s and 70s. "Are you a Christian?" "Yes, I'm... Presbyterian/Catholic/Methodist/Episcopalian." Splendid. We understand. And millenniums who are interested in film and movie as a cultural/historical/entertainment/art form are stunned to see the movies represent a very ethical lifestyle.
Enter the years expressed pretty well by "Forest Gump". This would be when the establishment decided we could use a two income family for tax revenues and the tax dollar is WAY up over the luxury suits worn to work after World War II of $40. Gone was the housing a man could afford to pay for his house in cash for 3 to 5 years of income saved. Winston Churchill was Very Afraid the lack of farms for Europeans to inherit would drive the world to Communism.
So what's happened? When I went in to look at my Real Estate Taxes I found 8 homes in my area sold and one was a foreclosure. We live in a world where we have forgotten the loss of small-time farmers, but we don't even know a 30-year mortgage can be extremely frightening. The home isn't labeled: "Quarantine", "Rabid" or even "Deplorable." It's simply for sale.
Bill Gates said the loss of affordable College Education is a form of Serfdom.
Why are people rude and cold to each other?
There is a difficult world going on. Where the 20 somethings feel that housing is held by few people and rented out at rates that if you could afford the house - you'd buy it. We say Trade School is the New Modern. But the divorce rate for non-college is more than or about 50%. 2/3rds to life stay married with College Educations.
What are we doing?
We are denying the loss of freedoms. And the basket is on fire for the candle underneath.
How are we going to solve this?
We are solving this. Slowly. We are finding more of our Sermons address real life. We are not seeing wooden values that hammer so well into the familiar slot.
Jesus knew this about mankind from Genesis 1. The life put in us is from God when we are looking for His Holy Spirit.
God, Himself, has favored us with His Example.
Mark 2
"Follow me."
And he rose and followed him.
15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
Hammer.
So many times in an argument - this is my verbal weapon of choice. Pound out the argument win. Win. Jesus had a hammer inflicted upon Him as He gave us Life. Jesus did not hammer upon His people. His values did not require a Hammer.
James
The First Council of Nicaea did something so Spirit-filled. Something Jesus would applaud. In 325 A.D., the physical Brother of Jesus was given precedence over Peter in the Books of the Bible. Jesus and James discuss there the Magnificat of Mary is taught to the family of Mary and Joseph. James - The Book of the Bible we are privileged to see the home in Nazareth were the sons of Joseph and sisters of Jesus were raised.
James 2:12-19
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well.
We have the real flavor of the Household of Mary and Joseph. Not a stodgy place. A place of welcome. Where Love grows and meaningful life is a day to day reality.
When we fail to Hammer at each other. And find the Law of Liberty is looking to Father God, Living and Abiding in God - we are blessed to find the Mercy we can give each other. When we take less of a firm death, hammer hold on our worries, - We are able to give the Generosity and Graciousness of Favor God displays to us.
When we live Graciously - we find the ability to behave graciously to one another. We find we want all of the world to be blessed to see our own blessings. We govern differently. We educate differently. Our children have gracious expectations. We are able to give generously. Gracious people make a Gracious world.
Abba, Father God,
Jesus is where we want to be Blessed.
Jesus could take all of the Bible, all of God's Word and make summary for every situation. Jesus told us He needed no new Commandment to explain all of Your Word.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Love One Another.
Father God, We ask the Light of the world. The Way, the Truth and the Life to live in us. We ask Your Blessing of Life to be in the people we Love. We pray Your Holy Spirit in the People You have given us. We pray for the Nation trusting in You. Reaching to our schools, our employment, our communities. We lift up the Nation to You. We Lift up the Nations Trusting in You. We lift up the people of Your Creation - helping the Holy Spirit to search and know the Beloved of God in prayer. God is Love enfolding and encircling the Creation - God finds good yesterday, today and tomorrow.
The Blessing of Jesus Live in our hearts to give the Light of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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