Matthew 16:13-20 ~ “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

Matthew 16:13-20

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi,
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Peter and Jesus, according to the bones and the Bible, were about the same birth year. When we see art of Peter, he is an old man. For most of his ministry - this is not quite Peter's lifetime look. Peter approaches his ministry as a rather youthful man.


John 20

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.



Peter - friend, Disciple and Servant of Jesus Christ - begins His Ministry...

Peter, is a smart man with good financial intelligence, a family man, good to his wife's mother. Andrew told Peter in John 1, the Messiah has been found. Peter observes Jesus to decide.  Peter and Andrew ask Jesus to return to their original hometown and to heal those in need of God's Messiah.  Peter is compassionate and caring. Evidently, Peter doesn't run very quickly.

Peter is going to Build God's Church. He starts when he is middle aged as the Roman Republic fell to becoming the Roman Empire. Rome is adjusting to cultural changes.

Peter arrives fairly soon in Rome with an enormous task. And finds he has willing souls to hear him. Questions surround Peter and his son in Jesus Christ, by ministry, begin.

Peter contemplates with Mark - where will they begin?

80 feet underneath the Vatican altar, is the Vatican necropolis - originally a burial ground built on the southern slope of the Vatican Hill, adjacent to the Circus of Caligula/Nero. This is where Caligula and Nero trained racing with four horse chariots. In 65 AD, the first fist public persecution of Christians happened in this circus. In accordance with the Roman law, it was forbidden to bury the dead within the city walls. For this reason, burial grounds sprang up along the roads outside of the city cemeteries. One of these streets, the Via Cornelia, ran north along the Vatican hill.

And as you look under the Vatican, you find a Roman street 1st and 2nd century Romans would recognize. Complete with door frames. This street not only held the cemetery, it is a slum, where foreigners would live freely. It's an area of Rome Peter would have known well.

Peter would begin, where he would begin to teach about Jesus. Mark's gospel is not very long, but these are the events Romans had heard of and wanted to learn and speak of. What would be Peter's starting point to tell about Jesus?

Mark 1

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.


The Starting Point is interesting...
Taming the Wilderness. Peter is starting where he sees others needing.

It would be fair to say Peter, as a Jew, would feel he was in the wilderness. And Peter, probably did not feel like wearing a toga or Roman attire with ready glee. Homespun Judea probably wasn't 'exactly the thing.' Romans ate a lot of pork, sausage, eels (fished them to extinction), molluscs and shrimp - a great after Kosher workout.  The Roman gods and cultural upheaval - a spiritual trial.

Peter 'probably' spent time remembering why all this upheaval was necessary. And would remember exactly who Jesus is as the Son of God.

Would Peter be able to do what Jesus had given him to do? Baptized with the Holy Spirit, yes. But not without the clear delineation of vast changes. Why was Peter good at what God had appointed him to do? God gave Peter the gifts and abilities God knew he would need!

Maybe Peter was explaining how many others have faced challenges of a changing world, just at the Romans were facing so many changes as the Roman Republic ended and the Empire began - all of family life changed as divorce was easy and free. Women, children and men had to face their lives as inessential to the ones they had held dear. Just as John the Baptist faced his own God call in His Journey. And Peter could relate this well.




Peter was answering “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 
And we are doing this daily as we move and live and have our being in His Journey.

Abba,

Give us this day, our Daily Living Jesus Bread. The aroma is pleasing to You!

Bless us and Keep us, make Your Face to Shine upon us and Thank You, You have been Gracious to me, to us. Bless this Season to be more gracious.

Lift up Your Face and Smile upon me. And those I love. Give us Peace, Your very own Peace.

Surround, uplift, know us before and after in the Name of Jesus and we will be Blessed.

Blessed to hope for more Heaven upon earth in Your Good Will. For me. For you. For our loved ones. For those facing supreme challenges. For those having Good News. For all of the people You have given us. For the Nation Trusting in You. For Peace and having You Sing Joyfully over us. We will trust in You as all of Your Good Creation does.

Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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Luke 13:10-17 ~ glorified God +

Do you remember this on Television or on Radio??? We now have a family dog named Tonto. My cousin/ward, her husband,  Maxine and JT Price - he was the President of The Jack Wrather Company producing the TV Lone Ranger Show. Maxine and JT had photos of the Lone Ranger at dinner with them and he forgot the mask. The actor tended to forget the mask, every time they had dinner.

Luke 13:10-17

¹⁰ Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 

¹¹ And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability." 

¹³ And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.

¹⁴ But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day."

¹⁵ Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? ¹⁶ And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?"

¹⁷ As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

Recently a FB friend, having knee surgery, said his doctor told him, "Pain is fear leaving the body." His comment back was a 3 letter text abbreviation. It was pretty amusing.

When the Scripture is picked for this blog, it is chosen, in prayer from several Ecumenical sites before the Scripture is known. That way we travel through all the Scriptures, easy and difficult.

Today this came from The Methodist Church in Britain. And the questions were given:

"How do you react to the thought that the woman's illness was caused by Satan?

What do you think people today, including yourself, need to be 'set free' from?"

Many times we are putting ourselves at a distance from the Word of the Lord by subconsciously inserting, "The Golden Days of Yesteryear."



Today - we still live in a world where illness still exists. Cause and Effect.

We wonder what has caused Alzheimer's to Double in less than two decades.

What if we really pull the lead out and ask why...

What causes Alzheimer's?
We could say it's the Aluminum cooking pans the USA has used since World War II. Or soft drink cans. Or Television, being entertained not requiring a response.

No one wants to consider TV is the cause of Alzheimer related illnesses.

Dr. Frank Adams' career was something like the movies. He went from Canadian High School to journalism. After several years, The Newspaper suggested that his marvelous writing would be more worthy of a salary increase with a Master's Degree. Frank, having a unique ability, applied to Grad School and was, in a year or so, eligible to graduate. Suddenly The University was going to withhold his degree for not having an undergrad degree. The Newspaper was dumbfounded, due diligence had not been done on someone they had enjoyed favorable reviews from. Newspapers do what they do and the events were published. Readers were intrigued. Frank was assisted, cajoled and Directed into Medical School. Long story short. Then he became Chief of Medicine at M.D. Anderson.

Dr. Frank Adams has some intense views of brain health.

DO UNTO OTHERS is actually a good advice for Brains. Our own brains.

1. Your Brain works for you.

If we give into compulsive language, action, in-action, and lack of response required, this organ will react.

A. Language and cussing.

If we give into cussing, we are actually cutting off our vocabulary. Remember Shelby Foote reading the Letters from the Civil War??? Excessive cussing is truly an indication of loss of brain function.

"B" Control. Self-control.

If we do not how to control our responses in anger, we have lost control over our brain making new pathways. If you go bizerk in parking lots, or traffic,  in frustration without self control -
your brain will not make new pathways and your brain organ controls you. Control your brain.

"B 2 Bomber."   Self-control.

Idiot. Loser. What were you thinking? You drive me crazy.
You are crazy. You did it again? Do you have a brain?
Can't you exercise any self control? Of course, this happened again.
What's wrong with you? OMG. (&&^&*%^%$%@#$@!^*&()__)(^$#!!

Compassion and language choice is an example of brain control. The Frontal Lobe is the seat of compassion to be exercised.

C. See  Food is Medicine and Medicine is Medicine.

When Autopsies are done on Alzheimer's sufferers, plague is found. The same kind of plague found in most people in Ethiopia, who have not suffered from Alzheimer's. What causes this difference? Theories include: Tooth care, sugar intake, alcohol becomes sugar. Alzheimer's is sometimes referred to as Diabetes 3. When someone suffers from Dementia due to damage, under the Alzheimer's umbrella - the types of medication restrictions include about 34 Trillion no-take-medications. We all will have some form of brain shrinkage causing our brains to rest more heavily on our brain stem. But it's alarming to find out that Benadryl and Acetaminophen are considered to be brain shrinking. As well as Bladder Suppressing Medication, Antidepressants, Tranquilizers and Anti-anxiety medication.

D. Duh Blood Flow!!! Exercise!!!

A University of Pittsburgh Study shows People who exercise with increased Heart Rate for 30 minutes or more, have almost zero Alzheimer and Dementia. Requiring a body to work, seems to clean out the brain. Tired people tend not to exercise. Sad people tend not to exercise. This is a control your brain to do the hard work event.

E. Every Day Games of Math and Word Association. Creative Thinking. Fun!!!
Turn off the TV - it requires no brain response.

A to Z
Alpha to Omega
On the 7th Day God Rested. Sleep. The Goal is 8 hours.

Keep an internal alarm night bedtime.


This would be the end of Dr. Frank Adams advice.

Take Sleep Seriously. Try your favorite: mattress, or mattress topper, try your favorite pillow, try your favorite blanket, try your favorite fan, try your favorite heating mattress pad. Heated Blankets make wonderful Mattress covers. At night if your shoulder, neckbone, hip, arm, leg or funny bone is hurting, just flip the switch and relief will happen. And especially make sure your windows are blocked for incoming light. Try the Bose eliminating noise Headphones online. Or Try Mack's Silicone ear plugs from Walmart or Amazon.

(+ We have had discussions with people on the nesting aspect of life. After trying this out, we like Tempurpedic Toppers from Amazon. 2 year life - start again, new topper. With very, very thick mattress pads to make this cooler. We like fake eiderdown blankets and cotton blankets to make a hug you feeling, from Amazon. Our sons favor Tempurpedic pillows and swear by them. We like a bunch of eiderdown pillows and fight over the thick ones first and the plush, squashy ones last. We have a ceiling fan, a rotating fan and travel with electric blankets. Electric blankets - travel - to double up and make hotel mattresses all that.  Edward is just absolutely in love with Bose eliminating noise Headphones which has relieved about 8 years of insomnia.)

The rest is going to be my ideas:

And consider this if our brains are going to die and not be carried under our arms, like football helmets into Heaven, who - what - how is running our life?  Your soul. Your soul is working your brain. Feed your soul.

Consider, even if we say cancer deaths have been reduced, we have to realize in the same time span Alzheimer's has doubled, we have employed Carbohydrate Deficit.  A famous diet of nutrition replacement has been employed. Bread has B group vitamins thiamine (B1), Niacin (B3) , riboflavin (B2), pantothenic acid, inositol, P-aminobenzoic acid, folic acid and vitamin B6. Niacin is considered by some nutritionists to be of ultimate importance.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Exodus carried flat bread. Not raw sugar. Manna is called bread in Exodus 16.


The Scriptures also include this New Testament after Paul has seen All things are Kosher with dietary advice.

1 Timothy 4:3b-5
require abstinence from foods 
that God created to be received with thanksgiving 
by those who believe and know the truth.

4 For everything created by God is good,
and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.


Matthew 6:16-18

16 “When you fast,
do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

17 But when you fast, 
put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Fasting from 6 pm until Breakfast lowers the body dealing with the sugars foot breaks down into. Everything but meat has sugar.


1 Timothy 5
23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

Web MD reports several reports confirmed the glad tidings that wine -- in moderation, of course -- reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. In the September issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, for instance, Swedish researchers at the Karolinska Institute reported light drinkers who consumed wine cut their risk of dying prematurely by almost one third, and wine drinkers as a group had significantly lower mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Gut microbiome and cardiovascular health. Resveratrol. Raising levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Diabetes 'might' be helped, wine plays a key role in metabolizing glucose, and that the nonalcoholic ingredients may also contribute. Call your doctor for more research to confirm the findings. Anyone with diabetes should check with their doctor before consuming alcohol.

Jesus didn't say, well, pray if you have to. Jesus said Pray with Hope. Belief. Faith. Expectation. Heaven on earth. We live in a generation millennials are surprised to find 1970 movies and TV indicate an underlying faith. True. However, this is the generation - is the generation - where we all have prayers we know were answered by our merciful Pappa, our Abba, our Father God.

We pray knowing God is hearing us.

Today, there are Churches and ministers with very active healing ministries. Glorious things that were done by him still continue. We can still be freed by Jesus today.  Free to know in adversity, in miracle, in suffering - He reigns.  Free to know He does answer. Jesus cut through all the blah, blah of every day and today, people still rejoice. In Him.

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness;he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Psalm 1:2
Delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 43:3-5
Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Why do a post on health? The Nation's Health?

The World is God's Good Creation.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Or do you not know that your body is a temple 
of the Holy Spirit within you,

whom you have from God?

You are not your own,

for you were bought with a price.

So glorify God in your body.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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Acts 27:27-44 ~In this way everyone reached land safely.

Acts 27:27-44

27 On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29 Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 

31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.

33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 

35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41 But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.

42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.

So did Paul have a choice in all of this?

Apparently Paul had a gift of prophecy. Did that desert him?

Philippians 2:23
I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.


The answer is the same for Moses as Paul. And Samuel. Moses spoke rashly and watched the Children of Israel go into the Promised Land 40 years later. Very sad, but very necessary. The Exodus was not an action of Moses. This is a Complete Work of God.

90 Minutes in Heaven has a very, very important point. The same as the Exodus, in fact.

Jeremiah 32:27
"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"

The Exodus could easily have had Father God not only part the water for the Children of Israel, but fly them like the Rapture to Israel.

The answer is the Process. Life has a purpose.
What part of the Prodigal Son will you play?

Samuel was tested. His faith was tried. Samuel was tested???


1 Samuel 3:19
The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground.

Samuel begged the Lord not to have him anoint another king and none of the villagers were glad of Samuel's visitation.

So did Paul have a choice? Was he doomed to martyrdom on a cross for participating in the martyrdom of Stephen?

God was Boldly giving Paul chances. Boldly.

Recall with me, many people testified to Paul to stay out of Jerusalem telling him this was his doom.
Paul did not put off their information as incorrect, Paul agreed and said this is his Love for Jesus.

Are we doomed to see Christianity in America die
and are we all preparing ourselves and grandchildren for the end of our faith?

Are we all Paul in our styles of Evangelism?

Do we all truly hope for our loved ones to live with us in God's Eternal Mercy and Favor?

No - God is in Charge and our Jesus loving and Bible believing Churches are teaching us to think of speaking up about Jesus. And GOD is still in Charge and God doesn't worry. 

I remember one of the best message of Evangelisms I know:
A nurse, Tricia, saved her husband from heart failure. God had made her able to understand all the medical explanations of heart failure. He underwent just the right procedure and his heart was fully healed. He had been bed-ridden and failing.

Salvation is still - a Work of - GOD.


Did Paul have a choice to be an Evangelist?
Yes again and again and again. He escaped the Caesar's Prison in Rome one time. He was imprisoned in Caesarea as well. He was told what would happen in front of the Prophetic many times.

Are we Paul? Was Paul Barnabas? Did Jesus ever point to a Disciple and say "Be more like Peter.." Or why can't you be more like John?

How will we answer our obligation to Jesus for our salvation.

We cannot create salvation. We cannot earn our salvation. We can share the delight God brings us in comfort, answered prayer, His Goodness, the Joy in seeing Blessings. The idea we want our loved ones in our Heaven. We can forget to be embarrassed and self-centered to speak of His Promises. Love wins our soul, we are just sharing Love.

The truth is, we are told we are all unique in the Body of Christ. Some will do medical research. Some will help in the kitchen. Some will proclaim the joy of the Christian Radio station and a recipe for Joy every day. Some will provide good teaching skills by encouraging and affirming the People God has given them.


This applies to all of us - regardless of our talents - and leans into baseball "Wait for the Good Pitches" and teachers might say "Wait for the Teachable Moment!"

Because this is so important - we wait for this with prayer and expectation -

1 Peter 3:15
In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy,
always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect

Psalm 130:7
Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.

Ephesians 3:12
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Luke 18:1
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Father God, Dear Father God,

We pray for each other so that we may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. When we ask for forgiveness of our wrongs and sins, You forgive an earnest soul. And when we believe You, You count us as righteous.

Father God, we lift up to You the continued faith of those who believe You. We give You gratitude and praise for the One's we love. We will pray for the people You have given us. And rest, knowing that You are the Father and we live by Your Word that supports all Life, here and eternally.

We will rejoice, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and all 12 Gates are Open. We are praying for Elliott to be healed.

Thank You, Father God, that Edward enjoys each day and has peace and joy and comfort. 

Praise You, Father God. 

We ask for more Heaven on earth. Amen in Jesus and Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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