Titus 3:5 ~ He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness

I woke up with back, rear aching and headache tired today. I wasn't enjoyable. And I felt suddenly old. I barked at the dog. I even meowed. I fussed and fretted - mostly internally. Until it was external. No blood was shed, no one cried. I felt miserable. For all of the evening - what kind of soul host was I...

Titus 3:5

5 He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,


1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.



John 3:5
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.


Ephesians 2
But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!



Abba, Father God,

I have not been the most pleasant soul to live with today. And I am sorry.

Please let Your Grace and Holy Spirit comfort my aching. And forgive my fussing.

Your Mercies Renew for us all each day.

Thank You for my blessings.

In Jesus. Amen.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Matthew 3:13-17 ~ "This is my beloved Son.”

If Father God was going to send the Disciples a Postcard about His Son - What would He say?

Matthew 3:13-17

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”





Suppose someone asked you, "What kind of Father is God?"

If God had one thing to tell Jesus' friends about Jesus...

This would be something Jesus would enjoy from His Father.

God did not say, "I hope you won't mess it up."

"Best of Luck."

Hebrews 1:3 

The Son is the radiance of God's glory 
and the exact representation of his being, 
sustaining all things by his powerful word. 

After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.



With Jesus, by Jesus and in Jesus we can say, "Father God - Jesus for us all - always. Amen"

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Acts 11:1-18 ~ received the Word of God

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Acts 11:1-18

11 Now the apostles and the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’

8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.

11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 

12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. 

These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.

13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?”

18 When they heard these things they fell silent. 

And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”





We went on the Original Dolphin Watch for South Padre Island today. Nothing puts your life in greater emphasis for size than to grasp the size of the ocean or to be right next to a huge Go-To-Ocean-Sized-Ship. The dolphins, up to 15 of them, rode the bow of the ship. It's the dolphin version of surfing. Usually, we had a set of perfectly paired teenager dolphins. And when the Larger Adult Dolphins joined in occasionally, then all the younger dolphins were so enthused as to begin to leap perfectly and play - joining in.

The Vastness of God.

The risk of faith.

Peter risked alienating the Jews. Peter risked his life near the Temple.

The three men were risking their lives.

The incredible vision risked the new Christian way. Just as the 72 disciples turned back from Jesus Himself when Jesus explained the future of Communion. The 72 Disciples were horrified at the idea of eating a body and drinking blood.

It's difficult for us to imagine how threatening the times were for these men. Did they understand how much they were changing the world and the faithful? We toss this out as the Book of Acts. How terrifying it would have been to have been part of the New Heaven and new earth Jesus understood to be happening.

Father God sent visions, angels, light for the path. How Lovely. The faithful believe this to be true. Ok, yes - this is true. God was holding the hand of these men.

Coincidence. Guidance. Help. Comfort. The mannerism of the Holy Spirit - sending His comfort for His Way. John 21. If we knew all the ways God supported Jesus in His ministry - the books of the world - would not be able to count all of the Help God our Father gave Jesus.




We all want to be part of God's Wonders. I know I do - every day. Probably as each of these men passed on - Hebrews 11 would agree - these men had an idea their lives had been part of a Godly blessing. And no idea how their lives and the Actions of God would be understood on the earth for millenniums.




St. Augustine gave such comfort. He told us our lives are small. We will care for the people God has given us. Yet, in being diligent in tired evenings, in evenings where we are worn out, when we feel feverish. In communicating with patience. When we don't put up with bad behavior in the idea of correction and righteousness - to make the path more for God earnestly - we are making a way for the generations yet unborn.

Just as Billy Graham stood in football stadiums - turning out the lights and demonstrating an entire huge football stadium can see one candle. When we are pulling for Jesus. When we want our people to have Jesus - we are doing something we have no idea what God could do with our small lives.





With God all things are possible. A day spent pleasing God - can bless our family for generations. Even in realizing we are quite small and God is Magnificent.





Abba, Our Father,

We ask You for Your Blessing. Your Spirit gives Life. You are able to do far more than we could ask or imagine.

Guide us to be on Your Path. In Your Love, we will be Taught and Strengthened. The Will of God is Hope and Future.

For us, for our loved ones, for the people You have given us.

Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Psalm 147:5
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

Revelation 4:8
And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Ephesians 3:20
Now to him
who is able to do far more abundantly
than all that we ask
or think,
according to the power at work within us

1 Corinthians 6:14 ESV / 5 helpful votes
And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.


In our God, we will be blessed to Trust. Amen in Jesus Christ.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 9:35-10:1 ~ Heal every disease and every affliction

Matthew 9:35-10:1

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

10 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction




Father God says we all have good works created for our gifts and talents.

Let's think on being Very Effective for Jesus Christ and having His blessings. Letting God be God and seeing His Plan, His work, His miracle.

EXPECT JESUS

Jesus Himself joins us in prayer and prays with us: Hebrews 13:21
May he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.
'
Life is a lot like the Movies "The Matrix" collides with "Mame".
There Is No Spoon and Life Is a Banquet.
Opening our mind to new things.

The 12 Gates of Heaven are Open - God has those Gates open for us.

How will we prosper in Father God?

If we are bringing forth the Son of God -

WE WILL BELIEVE GOD IN FAITH.

We will bring Words of Sincere Life.

Are we sincere encouragers?
Paul writes again and again and again and again and again of how much he loves his flock.

Ripe for prayer? The Early Church swept in. SWEPT IN LIKE A WIND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Prayer was Needed! We are ready to Pray. Offer up, "I will be praying for you."

Indications the Kingdom of God is at hand:

James 5:16
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Isaiah 35:5
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear.


Look through the Leaves to See ~  the Good Fruit of Others.

Jesus is Proclaiming - Loudly - Pray It Like You Mean It!!!

GRATITUDE - when we get together and pray - we are so privileged and grateful
participate in a room where God has placed us - The Kingdom of Heaven - the always open and His Throne - is - at hand.

A GRATEFUL SPIRIT TOWARDS GOD AND HIS ACTIVE PLAN IN OUR LIVES.
GOD IS A SOVEREIGN AND LIVING, GOOD GOD.

How will we look at God's Word and Effectively
Apply what we read to our specific lives, our specific path and draw all we need for the Fruit of God to bloom and grow and create Joy, Peace, Love, Patience, Goodness?

How to apply this? How will we listen to the Sermons, the small groups and draw the Goodness of God into all of our lives?

Ask the Lord to do something more than we could do or even think to ask for. God is the one who is the Spirit Who Gives Life.

We must do something Jesus told us about.

Not memorize the Scripture for our 'knowledge' - to be in God's Word to understand who God is and His attitudes and His work in Your Specific Life. God fills the Universe - The Holy Spirit IS A COMFORTER.

Satan will accuse us of our failures and leave us there.

Jesus is Father God running to you - as you get on His Path. Jesus is the Encourager. Jesus is the Strengthener. Jesus is the Builder. Jesus is the Goodness of God made manifest. Jesus is even indignant when we ask Him, "Are you willing?" Jesus replies, Kindly, Strongly, Affirmatively in indignation, "I AM WILLING."






Father God willingly has so much HE Desires and Delights to show us, but we must be willing to look into his Word with open eyes. The goodness forming - good news a hope and a future.

Ask the right questions for your life and your circumstance. Ask until the Road to Emmaus "your heart is warmed" by Scripture.

God has not lost your address -  Stay in the facts of God's Word given. This is the PATH and the Nature of God Himself.

Once you have full Understanding to the Height, width, broadness of God's Love - The deeper you dig, the more gold you’ll find. The Truth Will Set You Free in God's Meaningful Word. Read the Word of God - google phrases.

****** Write down your important observations. This is your heart to Father God and His answers.







ALWAYS ASK GOD FOR HELP FROM THE PEOPLE HE HAS GIVEN YOU.


Talk It Over - where you share life. With Godly, Godly, Godly people.

PRAY!

Eat together, bless the time and the people given. Give thanks! Nurture one another.

CONTINUE TO MEET TOGETHER.
THIS ONE IS ONLY HEALED WITH CONTINUED PRAYER.

Deal gently, generously, kindly together.


Ask the simple questions, always ask the simple questions. Start there.


1 Now ask why this interests you.


2 What do you feel? Ask Father God to help you. Feelings are ALL OVER THE BIBLE. This is the Go To In Honesty Place.

3 OK we know what Jesus did and how He RESPONDS.

4 How does this fit into Today. What possible event in the Bible Relates? The Bible is COMPLICATED and Messy and Helps us to find real life application.

5 How would you explain your answer to a non-Christian friend or neighbor? Always be willing to show others the goodness God sees in them. The delight God would have in the person - the sincere goodness and Joy, Love and Peace.

6  Start an argument? Discuss freely. This is Truth. Agreeing with each other, and with every word can be pretty boring. In real earnest agreement - well then - WE DELIGHT TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF JESUS. Do you really agree? Why? If we Confront Our Disbelief - We Grow.
We are too ready to conform and be polite - GIVE WITNESS TO THIS AND FIND THE ANSWERS.

7 Make sure the rubber hits the road. Effective Growth. Involves works that are good.

8 Encourage each other in Father God.

Love,  Joy, Peace, Patience.

How will we effectively see our prayers answered?

1. Expect Jesus.

2. Gratitude.

3. His Kingdom is truly at hand, you have Your Father's attention. This Scriptural Power says you have His blessings to bring more Heaven to earth - to your life. Jesus is answering prayers as God.

4. Believing all good and needed gifts are from Father God and He will continue to provide.
 In His Plan. Examine life to see His Goodness.

5. Being completely honest with God in our areas - we are not good in. Sin. Flaws.

6. And in dealing with others, agree that sometimes after forgiveness  - do not to live rent free in our lives, thoughts and troubles - give cheek to forgive, understand, move forward with a laugh with compassion and/or walk away. Remind yourself - this is a child of Father God's.(Compassion for Father God!) Let Go. Let God.

7. Temptation - circumstance, and in today's world - taking the Word of God to bring you Up, not to comfort you in being stagnant.

8. Protection and in Wisdom - Going where Jesus would go - in safety.

9. The purpose of Study of God's Word and Prayer - is His Glory and His Kingdom - where we dwell in Joy! Because our Father delights. He Delights. In Giving us - His Kingdom.

10. Saying the name of this Love - with Joy - Jesus the Lord.
Jesus The Lord.
Jesus The Lord !!!

Father God, In Jesus the LORD, 
We would delight in Your Good Will and Plan.

We pray for the ones we love AND the people You have giving us - for this Love. For this Nation and the World. 

Help us when we have God Opportunities - to see You. We ask You to guide, bless and protect us in each day. We will see Jesus working.


We lift up the Texas beaches and for Texas and dependable rain and water prayers - Padre Island and Texas beaches near Corpus Christi.  We ask Father God to send rain and a swift new current of clear water.  We ask health for the fish and the water and people depending on the tourism and fish for a living. 

Thank You We are Your Children Father God.

AMEN IN JESUS!!! 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Exodus 20:1-24 ~ God spoke all these words

Exodus 6:6
Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

Exodus 14:21
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.

Exodus 15:8
By the blast of your breath the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.

Exodus 20:1-24

1 And God spoke all these words, 
saying, 
2 "I am the LORD your God, 
who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 
out of the house of slavery.

 3 "You shall have no other gods before me. 4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. 

8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 

12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 13 "You shall not murder. 14 "You shall not commit adultery. 15 "You shall not steal. 16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." 

18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die." 

20 Moses said to the people, "Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin." 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.


22 And the LORD said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: 'You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.

This is part of the Bible we all are familiar with.

God begins His Word with Creation and soon the Children of God have Exodus. Creation to Exodus. God is not subtle.

And then again - Jesus took the deaf man aside from the crowds. He explained, so a deaf man would understand.

Mark 7:31-

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.



1 Kings 19:12
After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

The whole of the subtle passage is this:

11 So He said, "Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said


The words include : So - behold - great strong - after - wind - earthquake - fire - gentle blowing - a voice of God came to Elijah


We are told of the Great Strength of Father God.

Father and Almighty God Creator of All Things. Maker of the Heavens and of the earth. Father of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. His Desire is to save the world in Jesus Christ.

Father God's elevator is going to have to press the down button and wait quite a long time to meet us eye to eye. And Our God arrives to be mercy and grace upon grace.

Where is the gentle whisper here?

Matthew 10:29
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.


Ezekiel 1:10
Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion,
and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.


Revelation 4:7
The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.

The Old Testament God of yesterday, today and tomorrow:

Deuteronomy 25:4
Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

1 Timothy 5:18
For Scripture says, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."

Proverbs 12:10
Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

Right before mankind was created:

Genesis 1
24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind"; and it was so. 25 God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

 Moses tells us Life is a Test.

A Test. Verse appropriately in Exodus 20:20. Probably not a mere coincidence.

The Sacrifice of an Oxen is not a small thing. Blood will flow. The Sacrifice is meant to cause repentance. The Oxen is meant to be missed and mourned. Sacrifice.


Isaiah 55
8"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. 9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,."

Process. Just like the display of time in the process of the Prodigal Son.





Abba, Holy and Good Father,

2 Timothy 2:22
Pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

2 Samuel 12
The poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.

Tenderly like Jesus.

John 8
When they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood 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 from now on sin no more.”

Father, who would dare to add another Commandment to Your Word?

Our Lord God - Jesus Son of God.

John 13:34
"A new command I give you: Love one another. 

As I have loved you, so you must love one another."


Abba, fill us with Love. We Pray for those we Love. The people You have given us. The Nation. The Believers of today. The Believers of Tomorrow.

1 John 3
18 Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth. 
19 And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence

Love - You are able to do more than we ask or imagine. More Heaven on earth. Your will be done in Jesus Christ.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †