Mark 8 ~ Deeply in His Spirit

Blessed are the Eyes that see with Liz Lemon Swindle - artist

Mark 8

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, to test him. 12 

And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” 13 

And he left them, and getting into the boat again he departed to the other side.


 Now they had forgotten to bring bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.

 Nicodemus, in "Jesus of Nazareth" Movie

Our Father Lives in Heaven. He created and gave us glimpse of Heaven.
Hallowed be thy Name. Jesus the Lord.
Thy Kingdom come to make earth better during our time here.
I bet, Father, if You show people how, they would each day. Mostly.
Thy will be done on earth as Your Word has shown us to be. Amazing.
Give us the Day. Help us to use this with Gratitude, Verve and Good Cheer seeing what we need from each day.

Our Daily Bread. To earn this, be given this as a gift, to have the gift of work, to be pleasing to You in Balance.

To put in our spade and find gratitude and work with that task in joy. Be our Bread of Life, please, Jesus.

Forgive me my sins. Mostly self first. And having the thoughts that defile from within. I have overcome before in Jesus and will continue to ask His help.

Forgiven. To give forgiveness. As I have been blessed. Knowing that when I don't want to, part of me does. And that part is the road to discernment, to peace and bridges of the future. To want to put down the offended upset. To see error or to see giving that to God.

Lead me not into temptation. Seeing that God provides an exit.

Deliver me from evil. Because HE has and does. Forever in Lord Jesus.

The Kingdom I want and rejoice in - is The Kingdom of Jesus. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, the Glory. In the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.






You ever heard some one swear "Jesus". I grew up that way. Which was a strange combination of Parochial Episcopal School and my Daddy loved Jesus but also enjoyed saying "Jesus." No matter how you say that Name, there is Power in the Name. And sometimes my deepest sympathy went to Daddy to see him sweating and hollering.

So, go gently with me when I say. Jesus. The Lord.

Poor Jesus. He has so much work cut out for Him. I can see Pharisees raising their hands and looking like white chickens in those robes. My Daddy pointed that out to me once, which I thought - oh man - he does not get this. And you know, if I'd been willing - I'd have heard.

Can you see Jesus in the warmth of the day looking at the Pharisees in their garments with their hands up in the air - He might have even thought they did look like chickens.

Matthew 23:37
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."


 

 
So, this looks like they get in the boat, sail away and that's Paul Harvey "The Rest of the Story". God always gets the best, greatest, most heart warming, if you look for it "seek find" moment. They forgot the bread. The story is going to continue.

We call this blog "Scripture for Today". How does this relate to your life - Today? God has humor. Today - or this week - your going to have to turn around - repair an "I forgot" or "And I need to do this." And you will wonder, I am I getting older, am I always going to do this. And the point is - that in all our moments of our lives - God is there. Like not having bread in the boat.

If we have this thought of mental chastisement and then we throw in God in our thoughts and prayer - He is going to be pleased. And Jesus is "That Guy", the one in the Boat with the clue. And HE isn't going to leave us chickens.

Even if they stomp back to the shore, to pick up the dang bread.
Morosely sail forth, wondering, if the bread is always going to be forgotten.
Study the horizon with a squint, wondering, if they are doomed to be without bread.
Huddle down, wondering, who has good bread right this moment and yank the shawl tighter.
Jesus - the Man with the clue - knows where the bread is and whether you need the bread.
And Jesus might even smile a little as you think this out.
Because

Really.


God has put humor in the Bible. I'm going to share with you this truth. It's timely and true. And it's part of Mark Chapter 8. Jesus is God.

22 And they came to Beth-sa′ida. And some people brought to him a blind man, and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men; but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and saw everything clearly.

My Brother John called me from an Airport almost beside himself with glee that Jesus had to live this because this is what brain surgery requires. And you had to "live this" because medicine two thousand years ago couldn't "Know this"...

The humor is in the next sentence. And is Jesus the Lord !!!  (Well since you see clearly now...)

26 And he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

Which is pretty dang funny. Because the man didn't have bread, so...

Jesus the Lord, is, for every soul created - "The Rest of the Story!!!"

 ♔  Lord Jesus Saves  †


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John 2:1-12 ~ stone jars

Ten Years ago June 25, 2004 and some bells did ring - cousin Mandy (Miranda, Mom!) did meet Jeff.

So today... we are headed to the Evangelical Lutheran Church to see us all see this EVENT -

GOIN TO THE CHAPEL OF LOVE.... you can sing along!

The Groom takes some amazing pics of Beautiful Mandy with Pam's (Sister of the Bride) son Logan!
While Jeff, reticent, shy (cough) and camera able, takes this pics - know  - Mandy is 6 feet tall and did modeling in Milan!

How far back does family go? I can tell you, I remember when I towered over Mandy. She was a little thing. And those where Mighty Fine Days.

 How far back does family go...
Well, we could argue that all DNA mitochondrial originates from the same woman outta Africa.

Instead, I think I will take the time to saying our great-grandfather J.L. Wilson lost his Augusta and inscribed on her tomb only one fact - she was his wife Decades later he would sum up his life saying he was her husband.. He missed her and wrote lovingly of her to his children. For decades. She left behind "The Munner lives in Heaven" photo of her. A beautiful photo the photographer had artistically arranged clouds behind her.  Pop then planted Crepe Myrtles from their home. The iron fencing is from their home, as well, Pop said,"That look's well." Romantically, when Pop died, Hospice would tell you we get some say in the matter, he died on Munner's Birthday.

And I can tell you that they do not live below, but would Say To You - Pop and Munner have Gone Home.

Speaking of Love. 

Now, we all have read John's Gospel of Jesus, whom he personally did walk beside. (See Ryaland Papyrus of John's Gospel 60 A.D. and I'd sign up to live in the Patmos cave with the amazing views!) Mark, Peter's son, did cover that, saying, "They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe!"

My mother is visiting, she would say "Jesus did the will of His Mom." However, we are going to look beyond the usual and go with the oh - I see that now - factor...

Jesus is attending a Party. With His Family. With His chosen friends and it's going to be memorable. By Paolo Veronese.

John 2:1-12

On the third day
there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there!

Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with His disciples!

When the wine gave out,
the mother of Jesus
said to him, “They have no wine.”

And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me?!
My hour has not yet come!”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.

Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.

He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took it.

When the steward of the feast
tasted the water now become wine,
and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now!!!”

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His Glory; and his disciples believed in Him.

After this He went down to Capernaum,
with His mother and His brothers and His disciples; 
and there they stayed
 for a few days!!!

1st Century Jar from the Second Temple in Jerusalem

Notice with me. Jesus is fulfilling John's first chapter in the second chapter. This is Good News!

Jesus spoke the Word of GOD over water and the water became more desirable and praised. Jesus is the Word of God made manifest.

All things were made through Him! With Him all things are possible!

In Him was life! A Wedding! A Party! A Vacation with Family and Friends! A Miracle! Good Wine and Lots and lots of that! The Spirit of God descends as a dove from heaven, and remains on Him. John explains Jesus by telling us Jesus did not grit His teeth and do life - Jesus is Joy.

Light is Shining! The true Light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. Wow.

This event was born because not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

And from His fulness have we all received, grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ!

“Behold, the Lamb of God!”

The One we knock and seek to find. Leave the herd. And find the Way, Truth, Life.

May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. This quote is from Genesis - and pray this with me for this clan and for His blessings upon all of us, in Jesus we have the privilege of calling upon Him to ask. Amen! Let us go forth equipped to do His will with joy, verve and gusto. Amen and Amen!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<>< !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Esther 4 ~ a message

Esther 4


When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry; 2 he went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he would not accept them. 5

Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why. 6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, 7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people.

9 Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying, 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.” 12 

When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, 13 Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.” 15 

Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Isn't it great people always know what God wants and they set out to accomplish that task.

Like Samuel. A Prophet of God.

1 Samuel 16
I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”

6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest,[a] but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.



We know today - indeed Esther was placed to act bravely and save her people. And Esther sat and pondered and worried and eventually gathered steam to act for God.

The Scriptures are much more real. People act trying to please God and rarely hear trumpets, have angelic announcements, and sort of struggle to go forth. It's when the Holy Spirit goes with these actions the circle is completed to great effect for God.

How refreshing for the People of God to realize what great company we can understand they, also, struggled to know how to act and behave.

Hebrews 12
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us also lay aside every weight,
and sin which clings so closely, and let us
run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2
looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted


Romans 8:19
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

And we, just put one foot in front of the next, wondering - is this the way - and even the desire to please God - does.

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Matthew 18:10-20 ~ listens to you

Matthew 18:10-20

10 “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.

For the Son of Man came to save the lost. 12

 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 

And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14

 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

15 “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18

 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 

Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Reason out your responsibility.


So. A sheep is not worth as much as a cow. 
And if a cow is lost in the old time stampede to market - well you go and look and after a time - you give up. Because you can't endanger the herd for a few. A few of the herd are not going to make it to market.

We get so caught up in the mercy of God to us - we forget the message.

Jesus did not stand outside the Temple and flap His arms daily because the Sanhedrin Council was unhappy with Him for three years. Jesus didn't rush from His Resurrection to the Temple to stand in front of the Holy of Holies and Yell "TADA."

The Point is. Sort of. David was by himself
as the Shepherd of his family flock 
when the Prophet Samuel showed up and began to look how to do God's will...

David was that sheep out in the field about to be - Overlooked.

David was a young boy, and if he had gone home to his father Jesse and said, "Aww, I saved Baby Lambkins, but soo sorry the herd got eaten by the lions." (Archaeology says existed and David fought.) His Jesse Dad would have said, "Saved Baby Lambkins, that's Terrific, Son!"


No. This passage is about nicey and personal responsibility. Seriously.

If you look at Zechariah 11 - it gets pretty tangled - like Life Really Can Get.

1 Open your doors, O Lebanon,
that the fire may devour your cedars!
2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,
for the glorious trees are ruined!
Wail, oaks of Bashan,
for the thick forest has been felled!
3 The sound of the wail of the shepherds,
for their glory is ruined!
The sound of the roar of the lions,
for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

4 Thus said the Lord my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. 5 Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them. 6 For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand.”

7 So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep. 8 In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9 So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.” 10 And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. 12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter. 14 Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd. 16 For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

17 “Woe to my worthless shepherd,
who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
and his right eye!
Let his arm be wholly withered,
his right eye utterly blinded!”

Let's study something we have yet to "platituded" - really put the algebra equation with our ducks in a row.

1 Open your doors, O Lebanon,
that the fire may devour your cedars!

(This has happened. The Sequoia forests of Lebanon are gone - for taking liberty with a forest filled for centuries with grace and abundance.)

2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,
for the glorious trees are ruined!
Wail, oaks of Bashan,
for the thick forest has been felled!

(Yep Gone and only existing today because Queen Victoria rushed in to wall around a Lebanese forest she said must exist again.)

3 The sound of the wail of the shepherds,
for their glory is ruined!
The sound of the roar of the lions,
for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!

(Zechariah got that right - the fleet of Tarshish - built from this is - done. And the wood from the Temple. David's Palace.)

4 Thus said the Lord my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. 5 Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them. 6 For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand.”

(How we truly treat people and our responsibility to them 'Be Warm and Go Well'. Even when the game is on. Jesus dealt with very complex people.)

7 So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor
(tism - who it is happy to serve and there is a reward).

the other I named Union.
(They Will kick up a fuss to get their rights - so I better under punishment.)

And I tended the sheep. 8 In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me.


(My Uncle Tate said Hell is a car trip with the ones you love in a small car.) (This was an analogy - he had a small family in the days of large cars!)

9 So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.”

(That's sometimes called the inevitable and sometimes called "Work harder")

10 And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord.

12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.”
(This is the twirled version of self-martyrdom, give up and call you the meanie, lack of communication, it's too hard, I never win, and some true - turn the other cheek.)

And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.

(Think upon that. It's very sobering.)

13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter. 14 Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.


(Before Democrats and Republicans start to argue about health care, amnesty, whistle blowing and immigration - let's consider - what we do with what we could do and replay play one another, pity me, I'm The One On Top, nourish me - i'm weak and this is our usual routine.)

17 “Woe to my worthless shepherd,
who deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
and his right eye!
Let his arm be wholly withered,
his right eye utterly blinded!”

Jesse was not going to thank David if Baby Lambkins survived, while the flock was Lion Dinner.

Subtitles are great for simplification - but not when we let Jesus take the fall for what we need to do TODAY.

The lost need help. Not to the extent that we carry Baby Huey and his feet bleed because he needed to find his feet. Case in point. Jesus did not rush to Caiaphas and plead with him to repent.

I'm on Top.
Case in point. Jesus in the Old Testament - recognized that Pilate and his wife - wanted to help Him.
The quote goes - "I received these blows in the house of my friend." Pilate begged Jesus to have Jesus tell him how to get Jesus out of this mess. Jesus told Pilate - there are other people more to blame. Pilate did still sin. Pilate saw Truth and Claimed Jesus forever as King.

Pilate did not stay on top. That adventure was one of many that said - you are not thinking this out.
This Zechariah 11 says the government gets very muddled when the people cannot sort out what laws they truly will die to follow.

Roman Empire? Hezekiah threw out the Assyrian Empire by saying the Temple of God and Faith Comes First.

Seek the lost?
                    Jesus headed out to the wilderness - People followed.

Jesus
         Is
               The Lamb of GOD.

Bam.

We are so busy begging God to do for us. What are we doing for "when did we see you naked and needing help God?"

What Government did GOD set in place ? God does that - This is His Job.
GOD sets in place the Book of Judges.

What?

God believes in "Self Governance."

What?   Joshua - Balance - Centered on Jesus.
The Cross Jesus bled upon to have us worthy to enter His Salvation.
Centered.
At a Terrible Cost.

We are the herd.  At the Place where the upward portion of the Cross points upward
Where we zigzag right and left.


When the song of the angels is stilled.
When the star in the sky is gone.
When the kinds and princes are home.
When the shepherds are back with their flock.
The work of Christ(mas) begins:

The find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

Alleluia! Unto us a child is born.


The Lost? Jesus said in the Samaritan Neighbor - is the one who shows you - mercy - IS your neighbor.
Jesus didn't flap with the Saduceen Council.  Begging them.
Jesus said don't put down a flicker of Him. Jesus said feed, clothe, encourage.

Balance. Work hard to be kind and fair - when you simply Can NOT - Cry Out to Jesus.
Just don't stick a clip on tie on it and call it worked.

The broken - don't feed them till they can't feed themselves.
The hungry - what are you really feeding?
The prisoner - are you enjoying 3 square meals and a roof without helping the outside?
The nations - who appointed us to work away from home? How is your own house?

Bring peace among brothers? The Brothers of Jesus fought among themselves to have a true peace. Not polite
nicey 
that falls apart in a storm.

Music in the heart - who are you singing for ultimately?


Subtitles. Hum bug.

Work out your Own Salvation With Fear and Trembling.
And if your Salvation involves griping about someone else in Judgment - Work on Yours - Again.
Confessing the sins of someone else is pointless.

What are we to do?

Salvation is a Work of GOD - like McHammer - we cannot touch that. 

Jesus is GOD and HE is King of Kings. 

GOD saves people. Salvation is God's. God is going to figure out how to reach - HIS - People - HE Loves. God Is Father to the Beloved Children of His.

Approach Him with Gratitude, Honestly, Complain, and Ask for His Mercy.

We need that! In abundance. 

Jesus listens to you - Do what He says. Jesus is the sheep in the wilderness. We have to go out the narrow gate to find us finding Him.

God says Go to Church and Worship Him. He is the ONE feeding us.

Bam.

Lord Father GOD, help us find You. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

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♔Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 ~ whenever you pray

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18


6 “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

God takes mere sand, grinds, fires it and produces Beauty.

Luke 18
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

 Pray with the Angels, by John Chrysostom, 547-407 A.D.


"Whenever you pray,
        it is as if you were entering into a palace - not a palace on earth,
but far more awesome, a palace in heaven.

 When you enter there, you do so with complete attentiveness and fitting respect. For in the Houses of The King of Kings"

I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

"all turmoil is set aside,

and silence reigns.

Yet here you are being joined by choirs of angels"

 

 

"Yet here you are being joined by choirs of angels."

 
"You are in communion with archangels and singing with the seraphim, who sing with great awe their spiritual hymns and sacred songs to God, the Lord of all."

 
"So when you are praying, mingle with these voices, patterning yourself according to their mystical order.

It is not to human beings that you are praying but to God, who is present everywhere, who hears even before you speak and who knows already the secrets of the heart."

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God."

If you pray to this One, you shall receive a great reward."
He will come to Dwell with you.

For your Father who sees in secret shall reward you

Indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Don't be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

♔Lord Jesus Saves †