Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. The Almighty.
I said this to our 17-year Church community one day and everyone fell over. The next week we gathered, I was asked fairly thoroughly about my wit, in great detail. It's just when you travel in the car and you write your impromptu remarks. Then, we had to discover, seriously, if, when I said, "flip-flop," if this was detrimental to the people in the group, who might wear.... flip-flops. I kid you not.
A lot of language is unspoken. And I had absolute hilarity over bringing offense to the flip-flop group of America. Do you remember the Addams Family? Click Click. The joy of bringing joy is contagious.
I promise not to make a corny joke about hand off or ... anything.
The conversation then became, "Don't you slam that screen door again." My High School speech class had to reveal, to a new group of High Schoolers, the most Embarrassing moment. The winner was the teen girl who said, one Thanksgiving, her family decided to allow the 4-year-old to say the prayer. Everyone bowed their head. "Ok, GOD, if you don't sit down right this minute, I swear, I'm going to tear your legs off and put them on backwards, and, Oh GOD, when you go around the house backwards. Then, Oh God, I will tear off the legs of your dolls, too. So Help me, God. Amen."
And we discussed what lethal device our mothers used to put the fear of God in us. Mine was a hairbrush on bare legs with summer shorts on. Yard sticks, we discussed, do snap and are only good for 2 or 3 swats. The famous board of Education applied by High School Principals. And really, I learned a few times, not to taunt my sibling because what I was caught saying was fairly reprehensible.
Put your hand up if you want to be a Saint!
This is what happened to the Disciples. And the Prophets who spoke up to people like Herod. So, remember, Only The Good Die Young. Did you know people who go into the Paris Catacombs sometimes never recover?
Yet, the truth is Catherine of Siena did as many wonderful joys as St. Francis of Assisi. And this hand probably held St. Francis, warm and living hand, many, many times. She may have seen St. Francis talk to birds and rabbits. Feed and teach the lonely and ill. Comfort the afflicted. Brought Joy, Comfort and Love to many lives.
How will we convince people to get in the water with Jesus. To find Him Love?
By the time we reach 60 years old, we have seen some wonderful and God Given moments. Heard all the arguments about God and Salvation.
And some, we wish we could get in a time machine and do again. And all things are possible with God, but He gets to decide. I've seen grown, grown people not go to a deathbed, who told me if they didn't go, they might live longer.
I've seen good friends part at Assisted Living, Rehab and Nursing Homes for the same reason.
I've seen Neighbors of 35 years suddenly become friends because one Neighbor was in The Memory Loss Unit and after all these years, she might need Roses on her Birthday.
I've seen divorce split up groups of friends after 25 years.
I have seen Houses bought recently in Dallas, to help the homeowner get to Assisted Living.
The Truth is our Priest's wife, Episcopalian of the 1970s was from Charleston. And she always said, Margaret said, in her Charleston voice, "If peeeeople knew Bedddar, they would DO Bedddar."
I've seen my grandmother cope with her special needs son. And stayed home, nigh on to 90 years, because of his assistance.
I've seen a Priest fired for not pleasing a congregant. Who later became a Priest and said this was the biggest shame of his life.
I've seen a gay man denied morphine at the end of his life. And a Christian, not so thrilled with his choices, work, call all day long to find the more compassionate Doctor.
We don't get by without hearing, things like this: you are manipulative, you are too slow, you are too compliant, you don't speak up, you don't shut up. You are too regimented, you are too impulsive, you are Aspergers, you are smart, stupid, wise, foolish, liar, a boy without any shields. Unloved. Loving.
No one gets through life without being told falsehoods about.
The TRUTH.
We Do Not Get By With The Help of Our Friends. We get by with the Light of Jesus Christ. We find His Love will give us the Grace to Love, to Hope, to have Daily Bread and Joy.
We are Saved By Jesus Christ.
Why aren't we better at saving the world? Because we aren't God. We just pray and wait on His Good Will. Not everyone will Love Jesus. They love their own plan and don't want anyone getting Buenos Dos Zapotos on them.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
Salvation is a work of God. We don't open the gates of souls and we don't open the Gates of Heaven. We do the best we can not to close up the Gate, by our bad ideas, bad actions and worse examples.
Yet, when you really look at Scriptures, this is always, yesterday, today and tomorrow, about conflict. How we will endure, pray, overcome and allow God's Grace to grow us all to His Forgiveness, His Grace and our hope to get out of the All Mighty God's Goodness, not block His Love. To point to His Goodness.
Only God saves us.
Mark 7:37
And they were beyond measure astonished,
saying, He hath done all things well.
No one is truly confused with Jesus the Messiah after Jesus walked Grace upon Grace.
God's Provision.
Philippians 4:19 19
And my God will meet all your needs
according to the riches of His glory
in Christ Jesus.
We can pray for those we love. We can pray for those in our lives. We can listen to their hurts and even listen to their plots. To deal with them kindly. And being a Child of God, to allow boundaries to exist to plan self-respect and polite behavior.
When God gave us all of the Pentateuch, we found this hard to do. God was trying to give us a framework to allow people and nations to find a path forward past hurt feelings and mistakes, flaws, sins, weaknesses and failures. Why? To give a Home and a Way to put Love first.
We see failures in marriages and in relationships, then we find a space where Grace is given.
And then, in this place, we dance with certainty and Joy. A Place for Love.
John stood when others fled. John ran to the Tomb. John was eager for Jesus. Loved Jesus. Saw God as God of Love.
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
John believed Jesus as Messiah.
Early mosaic of John writing Revelation, near the entrance of the cave.
John 10:9
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.
They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
Entrance to the Cave of the John - who is historically recorded by local historians as living here even in the second century.
Now this is what John watched from his door.............
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
View from the cave - now, now, now - we know why John lived in this Cave
Was John rewarded with an easy and cush life? John lived near Timothy with Mary, Mother of God. The town had ups and downs with faith. We can't say all of John's life was easy or trouble free having seen Jesus die. John continued to be the good seed in God's good soil.
Was John rewarded with an easy and cush life? John lived near Timothy with Mary, Mother of God. The town had ups and downs with faith. We can't say all of John's life was easy or trouble free having seen Jesus die. John continued to be the good seed in God's good soil.
Matthew 7:15-29
everyone who hears these words of mine
and puts them into practice is like a wise man
who built his house on the rock.
Abba, Father,
My laptop is broken with a Virus.
It's so difficult to work with.
I hope to take the Laptop in tomorrow
and pray for the photos not to be demolished.
All Things are In Your Hands.
In Jesus Christ is
Our Love, Joy and Hope.
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
Yes Bless The Lord Jesus
Yes Thank You Father
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