Matthew 27:51-66 ~ “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Exodus 26

Representation of the Temple Curtain by A. Gardere 

2 Chronicles 3:14
He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it.

Matthew 27:51-66

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 


52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 

55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. 

 57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.

 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. 

62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 

65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard

.If you ever wanted to own a Roman coin, they sell on ebay for not much money. The coins come from Roman soldiers frequently burying their treasure before war, the coins come with instructions to wash millenniums of soil away. Roman soldiers faced death all the time, if not from war, then in decimation from discipline.

 Why doesn't the history from the Scriptures, Josephus, from Sanhedrin Council records say the praetorian guard was killed? There was too much going on, if Pilate was frightened having judged and flogged Jesus (John 19:1) ; how must Pilate have felt when all of these events occurred? Even the soldiers surrounding Jesus must have reported to Pilate saying among themselves Jesus was the Son of God. Eclipse, earthquake, Temple steps, Temple curtain, dismissing His own spirit, forgiveness and early death. 

The tombs opened and bodily resurrection reported, not just of the Lord, but the holy. Pilate's own sign proclaiming in three languages Jesus was King of the Jews. Did Pilate stand on the steps to see the sky become dark and feel the earthquake on the Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs, transferred from the archaeological ruins of Pilate's Palace to the Vatican? (Scripture for Today Link)  

Pilate was later fired, struck down in his military standing, for his inability to rule in orderly methods with the Jews. There were many examples of Pilate and his extreme tactical mistakes.  In later years Jesus' trial was known throughout the Empire, his wife had warned Pilate not to have anything to do with that good man. Pilate became known for being unjust.  


We praise you, Father, for the events surrounding Good Friday & the reasons people saw and believed as You sent Your Holy Spirit to dwell in us. You are Amazing, Father God. Bless our loved ones.  We pray for this Nation and visiting Pope Francis. Blessed are You, Father God, in Jesus.  Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

 

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 ~ indispensable

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slavesd or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts,yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

 


A beautiful young woman sat with me last week to say she Loves God - just not the Church in its judgments. This is purely what we have turned from concerning personal growth to just plain ol Judgment. The Churches in her past might not be what God asks of her, yet Jesus is Living in this Church doing the good work of His Church - in looking to the Bible and proclaiming Jesus as Lord - is offering the Salvation of Jesus.

It's acceptable to praise God in belief and prayer - why do we feel we can offer Judgment on a Church left behind?

Life offers us such an interesting walk. One person wants to hear from us and our opinion. And we treat them gently, but not to coddle them. Or to be without a lack of humility.

The next person wants to belittle us - and will we blindly accept that judgement and create more disharmony or we will find a way to make something positive.

Jesus was Yeshua - a name very similar to Joshua. healing the Exodus gap - finding our balance in what pleases Jesus.

We are so used to a new idea of our determination of good and evil. Like Eve. And really the Bible says we live by determination of the way we will live. Our decisions govern our actions. This is something we adapt to - our decisions govern - ourselves!

One of my favorite Bible Studies - Walk Across the Room - is letting people know the richness of God's love. The best friend finally told - I'm going to Heaven - I want you there with me.



Look to find what is good.

This is a pendulum of right and wrong. We are so applaudable in this generation - most of the Church going population has changed denominations looking for Church to grow their God given gifts and talents - this is wonderful in thoughtful Spiritual growth. Personal and determined Spiritual maturity.


And this creates in us an addendum falling far from pleasing Father God. Just as we change Churches, we hear again and again - joining chorus with the non-Church attending - we Love Father God - just not this particular Church. Judgment. The Body of Christ will always have various spiritual abilities and varieties of service. The foot will not say to the ear - there is no need.

We work out our personal salvation with serious emotion and internal reflection.
Our Journey is Growth finding the Bible believing Church and Jesus as Lord proclaiming Church regularly feeds and encourages the only part of us continuing - soul.

What is not our gift or talent does not mean this is not gift or talent of the Body of Christ.

One Church focuses on classes of wellness. Divorce recovery. Wellness support. Parenting help. Addiction recovery.


Another Church focuses on Bible Study and Youth Group. Acts of Service in the Community like Meals on Wheels and Support for the home-bound and aged. Hospital visitation.


Another Church focuses on all types of Community Outreach. Apartment Dwellers, Freedom from the Sex Trade and Trafficking, Pro-Life and Pregnancy Assistance. Foster Children.


Another Church brings in the athletic with volleyball courts, Disc Golf on the Church lawn, amazing Pumpkin Patches involving the community - reaching to the unchurched. Easter Egg Pageantry.


Another Church acts more like a Civil Theater with Broadway Musical Talents - reaching a new level of community.



This is the Broad reaching Church of Jesus Christ !!!

We know, if we study Loving Jesus - That God Almighty opens His willing arms to become our sin - dying for us - a gift we can never earn. We can never earn this - we can besmirch this - and we must never take His Grace as our due.


We need another image of Jesus for This Century.

Our Living Jesus - our Hero - Opens His Arms In Victory.

Jesus goes where human beings fail to go. Jesus sits where a woman is is openly humiliated. Jesus allows the broken hearted to Love even His Feet. Jesus accepts the foreigner who goes to Him in humility.

We seem to forget.

Jesus is God sized. Jesus wants to save - The World.

Who can save the World? Only God. Only a Father would do what God is willing to do.

May God bless us, in Jesus, all of us. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Luke 6:1-31 ~ The Son of Man is Lord

Luke 6:1-31

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

3 Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

 
9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
The Twelve Apostles

12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Blessings and Woes

17 He went down with them and stood on a level place.
A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.


Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.


Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.

 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.


“But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.


Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.








Today we traveled through Texas to a small hometown to see a my godmother's life remembered, celebrated, and in faith - restored.

My first memory goes way back to a late night ride going home from a happy evening - my first word (now perhaps this is an oft told event, but maybe, just maybe the oft told event evokes real memory of my first word repeated and repeated to the delight and consternation of my parents on the ride home from my godmother's house) "Light, Light, Light" at every street light.

Bringing us to the near death event of a rowboat ride becoming storm, wind, wave, adventure, escape, horror and incredulity on Possum Kingdom Lake - making the voyages of Jesus across the Sea of Galilee very real to me - involving a 5th grader, a 4th grader and a 2nd grader. With two extremely large and dangerously angry, 6', broad-shouldered fathers intent on saving life and then putting the Fear Of God Almighty into their children - who instead became intent on escaping angry fathers by rowing faster the other way.

Which brings us light year speeds back to today. Two adult men leave their mother to rest in a beautiful cemetery surrounded by a century of people, who lived pretty well to Jesus Christ. This is still two adult men leave their mother behind. When in the eternal realm - this is their mother is renewed and redeemed and going to Jesus Christ, Who prepares a place for them - with their Mom- now free from age, decay and has returned to youth.

Jesus said, "Today you will be with me in Paradise."  A lady returns to her broad smile, her sense of fun and adventure. Her joy, her hopes return and are fulfilled.  Love.

Jesus, as God, would not say this is true were it not Truth.





Funerals are like very good telescopes. Useful to see very, very far away and if turned back around - a good telescope can be used as a microscope. Making the funeral an emotional remembrance of a day anticipated, with sheer dread, and flavored with unreality.



We become so used to the Words of Jesus - we make platitudes of attitudes. The United States anticipates a funeral being over like dinner arrives in a cellophane wrapper. Complete at the end of the event. A tradition surely we must alter as the population ages and is not renewed so readily. Grief must be looked at, relief for the end of suffering - celebrated, allowing the ebb and flow of emotion to be allowable and understandable. Each day a grief is observed - as personal need requires. There isn't a time table for healing.


Jesus is the same Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. In Jesus - we will heal - completely.





Salvation! Father God -  in Your Good  Work, send me with the help of Jesus the Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

 

2 Timothy 1 ~ The promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus

Prayers for nights and days. Revelation tells us God inhales our prayers like incense. The candles represent lots of prayers. Days in prayer.

2 Timothy 1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,²  
To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³ I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. ⁴ As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷ for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

⁸ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ⁹ who saved us and called us to^[with] a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,^{[before times eternal] 10} and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, ¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ¹² which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.^{[or what I have entrusted to him] 13} Follow the pattern of the sound^[healthy] words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

15 You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.



The Scriptures have so many intimate details bringing the millenniums closer. Like Acts 12, when the Angel of the Lord has to tell Peter, "Get your coat." Peter was confused at the time, was he was having a vision or in actual time. Prison would be disorienting.

So Paul is telling us of suffering, egads these saints whine. Okay maybe not, see verse 16, Paul is in chains.

Is there any doubt these are Paul's chains? No. This is Mamertine Prison in Rome and the prisoner records are available - even as to which cell Paul was in. The Prison was horrid and quite small.

I was looking at family pictures of Rome, my mother was telling me about seeing Paul's Chains, in his Church namesake, where his remains are, in Rome. St. Paul's Basilica Outside the Wall. I was skeptical, asking if she felt anything seeing the chains, she said yes and she had done some research. They knew for certain what prisons operated during the time of Paul, these were the chains, as chains do not wear out. People wear out, chains don't.


The details. Paul tells us about his prayers for Timothy, the one Paul calls his child in the LORD.

I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day

Well let's think about prayer as a constant conversation. Paul also says this, in Philemon:

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:

and tells Philemon, not only how Paul loves him, but the prayers about Philemon:

4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ

Now that is realistic prayer. We don't remember to pray for everyone, even loved ones.


Paul is a Jewish Christian, yet he does not feel cut off from his loved ones.
I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.

Paul is in prison proclaiming, 
God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

If you needed one brief explanation to find out why Paul has given up a prosperous career; Why?
Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us

~ to light through the gospel

Ephesians 2:20
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone

He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me


Dear Father God,
Last week I prayed for one loved one to have housing. I prayed for another loved one with trouble between him and another person that looked on going. I prayed for a loved one to have support and assistance. We faced an illness issue that has been going on for about two years. For about 7 nights I slept fitfully. I pictured that my cares were too large for me to solve. And placed a white thick robe or blanket around each loved one mentally in prayer covering them with the name of Jesus. I felt so much better with the Name and Grace of Jesus on each person. I slept. We had found prayer communication together.

That week my housing was found, the trouble between the two people ended. The support and assistance had been found. The illness issue was relented and resolved. Another issue was given in faith to You, Father God. For all our cares can fit well in Your Hands, Father God. You fill the universe. Your Love never ends.

We lift our concerns to You. Another situation of a long time found a soul solution. So many prayers are answered. I lift my cares to You, Father God.

We lift up the three people who have passed on recently in their sleep. Joyous to wake in the Lord Father God. The comfort of their families. I'd like this end for the ones I love, for peace.

For Father God's ability to reach out to comfort each other. This week I looked for my godmother's obituary and found our good, long-time family friend's anniversary of passing to give to his widow. Reminding us - Father God, You are the God of the Living.

Thank You Father God. Thank You, God. Thank You, Father. For all our loved ones and this Nation in Jesus. In Your Glory; Thank You for Your Mercy.  You are still hearing us and giving us Your Love. Amen. Amen. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

some amazing Sermons for these days

In all Seasons, Christians are called to Love.

Right after Jesus spoke of His Church, walking His Disciples to Caesarea, the CHURCH for Whom Jesus gave His Life - has blazed a path tragically overlooked. Certainly, the Church has challenges and difficulties, but there is NO denying two millenniums of Grace and God's Favor.

We live in a time where saying "God bless you" is difficult even after sneezing. And yet, we must reach out to those God places in our lives to share what upholds a tiny planet, where skies are blue, in the middle of a Vast Universe.

We are upheld by God's Very Word.

John, the disciple, walked, struggled, rejoiced and was in awe of God's Word Manifest - Jesus.

Saying what we can hold on to - God is Love!

1 John 1

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes,
which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

4 We write this to make our joy complete!


This is Bishop Clark Lowenfield 
explaining the complete concept of Church. The Church Jesus spoke confidently of before He gave His life for us.

RADICAL COMPASSION

God's Word is Our Way, Truth and Life 

CARING FOR OUR FRIENDS WITH SAME SEX ATTRACTION

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Psalm 89:1-18 ~ They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness.

Psalm 89:1-18

1 I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.

2 Your unfailing love will last forever.
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
3 The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.
I have sworn this oath to him:
4 ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’”
5 All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord;
myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
6 For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord?
What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?
7 The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.
8 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies!

Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord?
You are entirely faithful.
9 You rule the oceans.
You subdue their storm-tossed waves.
10 You crushed Rahab.
You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
everything in the world is yours—you created it all.
12 You created north and south.
Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
 
13 Powerful is your arm!
Strong is your hand!
Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
 
15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
They exult in your righteousness.
17 You are their glorious strength.
It pleases you to make us strong.
18 Yes, our protection comes from the Lord,
and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.

How will we rejoice all day long, all the time? Well, in Heaven!
What about in times of severe illness?
The changes of children grow and change?

The Bible is so very real. In times of trouble we all wonder if we made God angry or if we are bad children of God just for worrying.

We can trust Father God. As Abba. Understanding, challenging us, strengthening us.

Psalm 103:1
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who honor Him

We see through a cloudy mirror. Father God sees us clearly. Father God is working out All Things. What we can't see is vast - God sees and understands, creates, fixes, heals, solves, rejoices in seeking Him. Father!

When we are not rejoicing - We can Rejoice knowing God knows what He is doing.

Isaiah 49:16

I have engraved you on the palms of My Hands!

Life is a test.


2 Corinthians 1:8-9
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.



You are their glorious strength. It pleases You to make us strong.



Father God,
When we call on You and Your name and Mercy - You are with us.
We ask Jesus to be present in us and the ones we love. You are life and the life was the light of mankind.

In the name of Jesus, will walk in the light of your presence, Lord Father God.
You are for us in Your name and righteousness and mercy- Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved us.
Sing and shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

Jesus,  we lift up our cares, all of them to You. We lift up in Joy - our Loved Ones.
We lift up this Nation. And You hold us gently. We look to You. Amen in Jesus the Lord.
Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Psalm 138 ~ On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased

Psalm 138

1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise!

2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word!

3 On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased [you made me bold in my soul with strength].

4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,

for they have heard the words of your mouth,

5 and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

for great is the glory of the Lord!

6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,

but the haughty he knows from afar.


7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

you preserve my life;

you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

and your right hand delivers me.

8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;

your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

Do not forsake the work of your hands!



When we read the Scriptures with our hands and souls open in prayer, we should notice as we read them, they speak to us. Sure some passages have a phrase containing a favorite verse and we will look to it as our favorite spot in our home or yard. Yet sometimes, you read a passage, and part of it leaps to you, your eyes are opened to the Scripture.



When I've read Psalm 138, sometimes it Is the joy of God. Or another day, the thrill of a situation solved. In times of difficulty, the promise of the LORD who says to me, He would never forsake me, I am the work of His hands. This is the Scripture being living and active to us.



Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.


Let me share part of this true and good sermon with you:


You made me bold in my soul with strength


Matthew 5:15
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.


This is a true story. Susan opened her door one day to find her next door neighbor, Betty, there. Her neighbor said, "We've lived next door for some time, we haven't known each other well, but I've come to tell you we are moving away."


Susan asked if it was a job transfer. No, replied Betty, nothing like that. Susan was filled with concern with the look on Betty's face, Betty was staring at the floor with a woebegone, stricken look. Susan asked if Betty would share the trouble with her.


Betty said, "I guess the main trouble is my husband and I are hopeless alcoholics. We've tried therapy, but really don't have the money for years of help. We've tried Alcoholics Anonymous, but we can't find the strength to stick with the program. We are loosing the house, they are coming to take away one of the cars today. We will divorce. We just aren't good for each other." Betty's voice cracked. "If it weren't for my son, I don't know if I'd care, but I don't know what will become of him to be from such a broken home."


Susan said to Betty, quietly. "There is a solution."


Betty looked up to see Susan, "What solution would that be?"


Susan said, "Jesus heals people. Jesus saves people."


Betty replied, with some scorn, "Oh, religion. We've done that from time to time. Well, I mean I believe in God, but He hasn't been around much or seemed to care much really."


Susan said, "Well, you really want to change is what you are saying. Isn't it? You want help with all of your heart. You want the solution, isn't that the truth in what you are telling me?"


"I've never heard it put exactly that way, but yes. Yes, it is what I am saying." Betty said.


Susan asked Betty to ask Jesus into her heart. Betty said she didn't know how. Susan and Betty got down on their knees together and this is what they prayed, "Father God, I am a sinner and an alcoholic. I need You. I cannot give up alcohol on my strength alone. I need Jesus to come and live in my heart. I am about to loose my marriage, my house, my car and I don't know what to do. Please help me. Please help me to see a way forward. I ask for your help in Jesus' name. Amen."


3 nights later, their neighbor Bill, Betty's husband, came over. He said I understand Betty came over here. She is completely different and things are changing in my household. I don't know what you did to her, but I need that too. That night Sam, Betty and Bill knelt to pray on their hard kitchen tile and prayed for Bill to have Jesus live in his heart. Bill surrendered his life to Jesus.


And what happened? The marriage was saved. Their son did not grow up in a broken home. The house was saved. The job was saved. Betty and Bill were saved. Forever. Eternally.


That is what Jesus does. He saves the broken, the bruised reed. The undeserving. He is the Light that Shines.


John 5:17
Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."


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


For great is the glory of the Lord

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 15:1-20 ~ Listen and understand

Matthew 15:1-20

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah [Chapter 29] was right when he prophesied about you:

8 “‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’”

10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

15 Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

Isaiah was 700 years before Jesus and knew the atmosphere of the generation of Jesus.

Jesus came to this life with joy. Eating and drinking. Enjoying people. Healing.

Isaiah ends the message well!!! 
Still in Chapter 29, Jesus flooding His light in all of mankind. His Glory grace and truth filling the generation blessed to see Him. His Word Fulfilled!

Isaiah 29
2 Therefore this is what the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, says to the descendants of Jacob:

“No longer will Jacob be ashamed;
no longer will their faces grow pale.
23 When they see among them their children,
the work of my hands,
they will keep my name holy;
they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob,
and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
24 Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding;
those who complain will accept instruction.”

Acts 5:12-16
The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.



Worry comes out of us so many times.

Egad even Wall Street Worries! 
Worriers out there - Unite!
We wonder about this generation. We worry about the news.

Jesus knew about storms in life. 
When a physical human body dies, suddenly and inexplicably, I believe this is our soul's energy, our Light going Home. Life guarantees us very little. What we make of our lives is our metal. Or to put this more aptly - our life's work - a shining Light of His, we hope.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow God is the same. Jesus tells us He is still working. See this with faith.


Luke 8
24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”


Jesus will ride this storm to completion with us. 

We prayed for Cal so hard - Edward and I saw a bumper sticker that said, "He knows your faith." I told Edward, I feel like God has spoken to us and we returned home to find Cal was much better. My mom said she thought it was miraculous of God.  God even answers prayers in the car on the way to the grocery store.

This compelling study -

The Independent out of the UK reports the largest-ever study provides evidence that 'out of body' and 'near-death' experiences actually have real findings. Speaking about the evidence provided by a 57-year-old social worker Southampton, Dr Parnia said: “We know the brain can’t function when the heart has stopped beating." And yet...

2,060 patients from 15 hospitals in the UK, US and Austria, and has been published in the journal Resuscitation

Experts currently believe that the brain shuts down within 20 to 30 seconds of the heart stopping beating – and that it is not possible to be aware of anything at all once that has happened.

But scientists in the new study heard said they heard compelling evidence that patients experienced real events for up to three minutes after this had happened – and could recall them accurately once they had been resuscitated.

Dr Sam Parnia, an assistant professor at the State University of New York and a former research fellow at the University of Southampton who led the research, said that he previously that patients who described near-death experiences were only relating hallucinatory events.

One man, however, gave a “very credible” account of what was going on while doctors and nurses tried to bring him back to life – and says that he felt he was observing his resuscitation from the corner of the room.

Speaking to The Telegraph about the evidence provided by a 57-year-old social worker Southampton, Dr Parnia said: “We know the brain can’t function when the heart has stopped beating.

“But in this case, conscious awareness appears to have continued for up to three minutes.

“The man described everything that had happened in the room, but importantly, he heard two bleeps from a machine that makes a noise at three minute intervals. So we could time how long the experienced lasted for.

“He seemed very credible and everything that he said had happened to him had actually happened.”

Of those who survived, 46 per cent experienced a broad range of mental recollections, nine per cent had experiences compatible with traditional definitions of a near-death experience and two per cent exhibited full awareness with explicit recall of “seeing” and “hearing” events – or out-of-body experiences.

Dr Parnia said that the findings of the study as a whole suggested that “the recalled experience surrounding death now merits further genuine investigation without prejudice”.

Dr Jerry Nolan, editor-in-chief of the journal which published the research, said: “The researchers are to be congratulated on the completion of a fascinating study that will open the door to more extensive research into what happens when we die.”


1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


Father God, thank You for being Love. If we fear, You heal. If we cry out, You answer. Life tests us, and multitudes will all be with You in the Valley of Decision. Decide for us in Love, Mercy and the Fulfillment of Your Word in Jesus Christ the Lord we pray. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †