John 9:24-41 ~ God listens to him

John 9:24-41

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”

28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”

30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.



Psalm 147:1-7

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!


Praise God and Pass the Ammunition. The practical, the probable and impossible. The mighty works of God. God put all under the feet of Jesus.

What did Jesus think at the end of this particular day. A day to Jesus, like others, when He announces suddenly He has a destination to His disciples. The Sea of Galilee to cross. A town to visit. Today - we see clearly, Jesus sought for the man who had been blind. Walking through the streets of Jerusalem, Jesus went to see a man who spoke wisely about the nature of God: finding, healing, loving the intentions of the soul.

Mark 12:28-34
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

Did the seeing man send for Jesus. No. Jesus went to him.

Luke 7:1-10
7:1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”

6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.


John 13:1
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Blessed be the name, the love and the will of Jesus Christ. Amen.



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Christian Eschatology in the News....... Rapture!!

The news rarely presents news in a cohesive manner. For instance, why the U.N. decided we would forge into Libya, and we 'followed'; when so many areas of the world are in riot and turmoil. The Economist Website has an interesting article that Libya - this oil rich, with significant oil reserves country, 17th largest in the world, very close in geographic area to Europe, with Italian (French and U.K.) history of being a well-placed 'port' in the Arabic world during WWII, ...... suddenly discovered - in the middle of the Sahara Desert - an aquifer with plenty of fresh water and a project to irrigate Libya. And... if we have a 'port' for ourselves in the Middle East region - will we need Israel, politically, militarily (forgetting spiritually)?

What tide is this blog post riding?

It would seem, if we want to know something - we have to think about it and want to know something of it, to study the subject. For news, or to know what God says in the Scriptures.

Harold Camping, speaking in 2008 (3 years ago!) in this photo, was born in born July 19, 1921. He is almost at 90 years old. I don't know if you've noticed lately, but in the movies, in media, it is not cool to be a Christian. Lots of Harold Camping billboards. Well, okay..... Dallas, Texas suddenly has lots of huge expensive billboards up in Downtown Dallas. Very expensive. Matching. Very Large. And they say, we are sinners, that Jesus Christ is the answer and we need to find out who Jesus Christ is to us today. Where is the media blitz on these lovely Christian billboards asking us to look to Jesus Christ without asking about the rapture?

The media blitz is covering fear. Fear that 2010 Russian fire wiping out lots of crops for a lot of people happened last year. Fear of flooding in the USA. Fear of earthquakes. Fear of weather. Fear of famine and rising food prices. Fear about rice shortages. Fear of riots. Fear of war. Fear of massive animal die-offs. The Google world was kept busy in February with people, some of them looking for the first time, to see if this is the end of the world.

How to displace fear - laughing .... we have taken a 90 year old man and we have turned him into a pet rock. Or an Edsel. We are not a biblically illiterate nation. Not yet.

Matthew 24:36
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Duh.

No one was too worried. But Harold Camping wasn't shown too often (or at all) with an updated image of his actual visage. A younger photo, by decades, with his finger up in the air, looking rather smug was used, when he was shown at all. It is more difficult to be honest and portray this frail man as a fool when showing his gentle, frail, elderly face.

What is the larger picture here? If we are going to worry about the end of the world, let's find something to laugh at. What........ oh! look over there..... that 90 year old Christian is predicting the end of the world. Never mind there is a lot of unfulfilled prophesy still to happen at the end. And that he is frail and NINETY Years Old !!!!!

So, the water has heated up. Christians are portrayed as prissy and set apart - not always in a nice way.

Last night, my son and I really enjoyed Pirates of the Carribean, On Stranger Tides. It was interesting, it was the first Pirates movie where it was examined - what is evil. Does it affect a soul? Are even the evil open for salvation? These questions were asked. Out loud.

Christians are set apart.

Interestingly enough. There was one poor soul literally tied to Mr. Blackbeard's mast. Who? The man who was a Christian. Why? Well.... they never really said. He was tied up because he was a Christian. But he was not only the only Christian on board....


My husband always likes the bottom line. He was an accounting major at Texas A&M. The bottom line is this..... it has been an extremely eventful news year. People are worried. No. They are Worried. Laughing at the Rapture predicted by a frail 90 year old man doesn't help anyone.

The Way, the Truth, the Life. Is this the end? Probably Not. But we have had a taste of riots, wars, earthquakes and one man claiming the messiah is here.

Matthew 24:21
For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.

The bottom line is this. How are you? If tomorrow, a bus changed lanes and your life ended... how are you? There is One who loves you. He gave His life for you. An unblemished Lamb of God came to this world to heal, to touch, to transform lives. Even to someone who has not looked to God, can see the Church has been here for 2,000 years, still at work - providing peace and hope to a busy, troubled world. The end has been predicted for the world, but no one has predicted a real end of the Church. The Churches growing, the millions accepting Jesus Christ see something important. Jesus Christ changes lives as we grow in Him. Not religion, relationship.

2 John 1:6
And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

Even to Harold Camping and the circus of media around him. Surrounding a vital question. How are you?




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John 15:1-8 ~ I am the vine, you are the branches

Espalier Grapevines growing on a house

John 15:1-8

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Vinography by Michael Regnier


Yesterday wasn't my favorite day. We had a busy weekend - jam packed with family flying in, a college event at our house, later a college graduation party for my son's girlfriend's family, then another big high school graduation party for family friends, the son did youth group with us, at our house, lasting 5 or 6 hours. Today, I went to my Church function and felt looked past, when usually I like our small group.

Don't we all feel overlooked sometimes? God tells us it isn't all about us - And our favorite thing, our feelings, our specialness, me. God doesn't tell us we are the star. God tells us we are part - not of the group thing - not of special closeness fellowship. God tells us we are part of Him. In fact, when we are shining the brightest - for ourselves - God says we are apart from Him.

Sure there are days of blessing in fellowship. The light falls fair on our head. There are also other days to listen and support others. A day to pray for others.

God doesn't say I will always feel connected to Him like an umbilical cord. Feelings don't always mean fact. Sure, our feelings are important, leading us how to discern and act, but we are fallible. Seeing with the eyes of faith. God says when I abide in Him, I can ask what I wish. Strong words. I believe when I reach out, earnestly, when I know He is my refuge, when I want what He wants in the love of knowing Him - I move His hand in faith, willingly. In God, we can rest in Him when the situation says He is our only refuge as well. Letting prayer rest with God's answer willingly. Sometimes He does love us to keep talking to Him with what we earnestly desire and need. I know a woman restored from hereditary blindness, in her sheer determination to seek Him for healing. God tells me, tells us, faith and love open His ears to our prayers. Always pray and have hope. God is perfectly willing to hear us complain to Him. Just as He asks us to abide with Him in our actions and words.

I abide in Him. Earnestly. In love, faith and hope. Faith, He means what He says. Hope, He means me. Love - all there can be - God loves me. I will be the Light, when there is not a open reward for doing so. I will not just be meek when God says to work at communication. I will put my hands out in faith and say, let me make this day - You have given me - matter and work for Your desire. God help me to be Light, when it requires compassion. God help me to be salt, when it requires courage. In Jesus' name. Amen.


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Luke 16 ~ a manager

Luke 16:1-13

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

1 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’

5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth [mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions], so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

We were talking yesterday about preparing a straight path, the path of the Lord. Today, we are speaking of entangling the desire for a higher path, with the shrewd desire to get ahead. The 16th chapter of Luke seems to condemn the higher classes and people of position. And it does. It also condemns striving to get ahead, middle management or middle class.

Nailed. We are all labelled as sinners. And forced to examine ... how would Jesus put it?

Luke 16;15
15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Jesus told us, the more comfortable we are.....

Matthew 19:24
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

Where is our straight path? In our lives? In the Kingdom of Israel divided into Judah? In the lives of Isaiah? Jonah? How easy it is to gloat when we strive and strive and someone suffers. Isaiah (8th century B.C.) served 4 kings of Judah, seeing the promise of Jesus - the Gospels begin to unfold. At the same time, Jonah is directed by the LORD to the Assyrians. While Jonah tangled with the nasty Assyrians, growing - willing to thrust under them - the current threat in the lives of the Kingdom of Judah. Isaiah is coming to realize the Babylonian Empire is the real and coming threat. The Messiah is coming, not just for the Children of Israel, but all nations.

A parallel to the parable of the shrewd manager - today - the worries of a United States President and the 1967 borders of Israel. For us the work a day world. Always getting ahead is the story of mankind. At that time, the challenge of the Assyrian Empire. Later, the culturally, ethically, religiously more tolerant empire of the Babylonians. Isaiah could see the defeat of all of them, foreigners would align themselves to the Children of Israel.

This is what man exalts and what God does with what we strive for:

Isaiah 14

For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. 2 And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the Lord's land as male and female slaves. They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them.

3 When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:

“How the oppressor has ceased,
the insolent fury ceased!
5 The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
the scepter of rulers,
6 that struck the peoples in wrath
with unceasing blows,
that ruled the nations in anger
with unrelenting persecution.
7 The whole earth is at rest and quiet;
they break forth into singing.
8 The cypresses rejoice at you,
the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you were laid low,
no woodcutter comes up against us.’
9 Sheol beneath is stirred up
to meet you when you come;
it rouses the shades to greet you,
all who were leaders of the earth;
it raises from their thrones
all who were kings of the nations.
10 All of them will answer
and say to you:
‘You too have become as weak as we!
You have become like us!’
11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,
the sound of your harps;
maggots are laid as a bed beneath you,
and worms are your covers.

12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!
13 You said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 But you are brought down to Sheol,
to the far reaches of the pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you
and ponder over you:
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
who shook kingdoms,
17 who made the world like a desert
and overthrew its cities,
who did not let his prisoners go home?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
each in his own tomb;
19 but you are cast out, away from your grave,
like a loathed branch,
clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword,
who go down to the stones of the pit,
like a dead body trampled underfoot.
20 You will not be joined with them in burial,
because you have destroyed your land,
you have slain your people.

“May the offspring of evildoers
nevermore be named!
21 Prepare slaughter for his sons
because of the guilt of their fathers,
lest they rise and possess the earth,
and fill the face of the world with cities.”

22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of hosts, “and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity,” declares the Lord. 23 “And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.

24 The Lord of hosts has sworn:
“As I have planned,
so shall it be,
and as I have purposed,
so shall it stand,
25 that I will break the Assyrian in my land,
and on my mountains trample him underfoot;
and his yoke shall depart from them,
and his burden from their shoulder.”

26 This is the purpose that is purposed
concerning the whole earth,
and this is the hand that is stretched out
over all the nations.
27 For the Lord of hosts has purposed,
and who will annul it?
His hand is stretched out,
and who will turn it back?

28 In the year that King Ahaz died came this oracle:

29 Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of you,
that the rod that struck you is broken,
for from the serpent's root will come forth an adder,
and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.
30 And the firstborn of the poor will graze,
and the needy lie down in safety;
but I will kill your root with famine,
and your remnant it will slay.
31 Wail, O gate; cry out, O city;
melt in fear, O Philistia, all of you!
For smoke comes out of the north,
and there is no straggler in his ranks.

32 What will one answer the messengers of the nation?
“The Lord has founded Zion,
and in her the afflicted of his people find refuge.”

Isaiah - poetry, prophet, seer. Isaiah sees so many subjects so quickly - he sees like the LORD. A thousand years are one day in the sight of God.

How will we see what Isaiah means for us? This is what man exalts and what God does with what we strive for:

2 Chronicles 36:22-23
22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 23 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him. Let him go up."





Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

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Mark 1:1-20 ~ Prepare the way of the Lord, make His path's straight

St. John the Baptist, painted by Leonardo da Vinci. 1513 to 1516, believed to be da Vinci’s last painting. Musée du Louvre.

Mark 1:1-20

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

1The 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.

~ Prepare the way of the Lord, make His path’s straight.

A famous biblical quote, when this passage seems to zig and zag from an amazing Spiritual baptism into denigrating into temptation in the wilderness. Why?

Jesus was both man and fully Divine. The temptation of Christ mirrors the spiraling ministry of Jesus. The vast crowds of people saw Good News! The blind -see! The lame - hear! While Jesus' siblings at first mocked Jesus, telling Jesus (in John 7) not to mind the Pharisees were looking for Him, but to go to Jerusalem for the festival to prove Himself. The Pharisees know, in probability, this ministry is not headed in Jesus' favor:

John 7:35
The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?

Another choice provided. Even Jesus' family changed their mind about getting Jesus to jump more into the fray and ask Him to leave with them, in Matthew 12. Another zig-zag.

The point I am trying to make is this - because Jesus was man, God gave Jesus choices in the beginning, the middle and even the end....

Matthew 26:53
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Even in the middle of Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, drinking from the cup of sacrifice - given to Him by the Father - Jesus heals.

Luke 22:51
But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.

Were the events making a straight path for the Lord? Yes, Jesus, being God, knew what was in the heart of man - and, yes, Jesus strove for us daily - placing mercy and sacrifice above honor. Our lives don't always make sense to us. We really don't see eternity - it is another reason to trust the Lord - His plan is at work even in our lives.

In faith we remember Jesus told His mother, His time had not come for wonders of God. But it was. In love and harmony, Jesus stepped forward to help His mother and His ministry unfolded.

The cross isn't a straight path. It is the cross section - the Upward Force of God meeting at the intersection of God taking our sins, flaws, mistakes, embarrassments, lukewarm-ness, indifference and washing our sins white. East becomes West.

God uses our welcoming attitudes & actions affirming love, and what is not what we would label as good to move His plan forward. In the life of His Son and in our lives as the adopted children of God.

Matthew 21:42
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'

Psalm 118:22
The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone

Isaiah 28:16
So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.

Blessed are You, Lord God. Blessed is Your Son, Jesus Christ. Forever. Amen.



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John 14:1-14 ~ Lord, show us the Father

Questioned Jesus, painted by James Tissot


John 14:1-14

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.


Mark 2:5
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Luke 5:23
Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?

Luke 7:47
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.

Luke 7:48
And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

Matthew 8:13
Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

Matthew 9:22
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

Matthew 15:28
Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Matthew 17:18
Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

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.

John 6:16-21
When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Luke 4:29-30
They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

John 10:37-39
Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

Father God, the Children of Israel cried in the desert for more of your wonders continually. Each day they had insecurity. The disciples saw so many proofs and still doubted. Help us each day to be strengthened in You, as You did for the disciples. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

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Mark 11:12-25 ~ He was hungry

Mark 11:12-25

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 And when evening came they went out of the city.

20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received [are receiving] it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Fig trees represent Spiritual fruit:

Galatians 5:22-23
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

These paragraphs are a living parable on The Temple being spiritually empty. The Essenes who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls correctly believed the world would end soon for them (they were killed in the 70 A.D. Roman invasion of Titus). The Essenes left Jerusalem and moved to Qumran, a plateau in the Judean Desert along the Dead Sea. Why did they think the Temple was spiritually void? Primarily because Herod placed all of the Priests in the Temple and Herod, living in adultery with his brother's wife, was a Roman educated, client-state king. The Essenes were correct about Herod, although it would be impossible to eradicate the Holy Spirit where God is praised and people look to Him in faith, hope and love.

Theology students study Ecclesiology - the theological study of the Christian Church. These three paragraphs are probably the cornerstone of Jesus' commentary.

Remember in Luke's Gospel, the Angel Gabriel chose to speak to Zechariah in the Temple. The infant Jesus' time came for purification presentation and sacrifice, Simeon was in the Temple to see with expectation the Consolation of Israel. The prophetess Anna never left the Temple.

Jesus went to the Temple, Himself, to teach, but primarily Jesus came to Display to the Temple - - they were not Feeding the people with their adherence to rigorous rules. Building a bureaucracy of another marketplace driven by position power, political power and rules to keep it all in line. Jesus was concerned: not only with someone like Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, Scribes seeking the Kingdom of Heaven, elderly widows with their two copper pennies, rich young men with too many possessions, the lame, beggars, the blind, wealthy tax collectors, sinners, even a Roman centurion, and a woman who just decided to be well by touching Him - just not rules to build religious pride and control. Jesus the Christ!!

As Christians we are called to be Shepherds for each other - not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
1 Peter 5:2-4.

Peter knew his Shepherd. After Peter betrayed the Lord during His trial, many would have slunk away permanently. Or gathered with the other disciples to further condemn Jesus for having placed them in danger.

Peter knew something important about his Shepherd. Peter knew he was loved. When there was a possibility Jesus had risen, Peter ran to him. When Jesus began to appear to the disciples, after His resurrection, Peter was willing to jump out the boat for Jesus again. This time, he swam. Peter wasn't convinced of his own goodness, but he was sure of his Savior.

As lay people, it's our Church theological cornerstone policy to realize Peter knew he was a flawed human and still wanted, turned towards, embraced, jumped in the water, hurried to Jesus Christ. Believing Jesus Christ is the reason, we want to be fed at His Meal.

John 21:15-19
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love (Greek word - agape - complete love) me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (philo -brothery love) you.”

He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (philo) you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love (agape) you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Jesus called Peter twice. Not because Peter was so worthy, but because of the Steadfast Love and Mercy of God our Father.

Thank You, Father God, for Your many deeds of compassion and mercy. Lord, You provide for us physically and spiritually. Thank You for Your willingness to bless us and answer prayer. We look to you expectantly and with gladness, just as your servants Paul and Peter did. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Psalm 101 ~ dwell with Me

Psalm 101


English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless.
Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
I will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
from the city of the Lord.

Lots of people thinking of the end of the world billboards. David Letterman wondering about Monday, 2 days after the world ends. Will the world will end in Eastern, Central or Pacific time? I have to spend time congratulating him for the joke - great minds think alike - we were wondering it in our ladies group on Tuesday.

Reddit website had an end of the world celebration releasing human shaped balloons.

All this talk about the end of the world made me think of Heaven. God is God of the Living. I was thinking today of the lack of good fiction about Heaven. We went to see the movie Thor last weekend, interesting Asgard - yet far from my idea of heaven. Some of the ideas of Heaven, in fiction, are chillingly limited to life experiences like "These Lovely Bones." Brrrr.

Christian books like "90 Minutes in Heaven"and "Heaven is for Real" all tell the same ideas of Heaven even listed in my family genealogy of the people from Richardson, Louisiana. With letters dating back more than one hundred years, people discussing entering Heaven as they enter.

Jesus told us about the Kingdom of Heaven, He said it is ... at hand. Now. Living and dwelling with us. We are the hands, feet, conversation, acts, words and work in the Lord's prayer saying Thy will be done on Heaven and on earth. Eternity doesn't start - when, it starts as we trust the Lord and believe in His promises to us.

We live the Kingdom of Heaven: Making music with a repeating chorus ~ in our lives of steadfast love, justice, blameless paths, pure hearts and faithful conversations. The world does not have to end for us to say:

Matthew 5:14
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.





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Psalm 115 ~ Trust

Precious in His Sight, painted by Greg Olson

Psalm 115


1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel [O house of Israel], trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the small and the great.

14 May the Lord give you increase,
you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the Lord's heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

Yesterday we looked at 1 Chronicles 4, the surprising genealogy of the sons of Judah where the prayer of Jabez shows up. It's no surprise - Jabez's soul, the intent of his soul is the reason God's hand was with Jabez and God granted what he asked.

Powerful words, God granted what he asked.

Our minister says when we have an earnest prayer request, it's best to explain why our prayer is heartfelt and how it honors the Lord. And to release our prayer into the hands of a loving Father. Trust is an eternally important issue to the Lord.

Read Psalm 81

1 Sing aloud to God our strength;

shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our feast day.

4 For it is a statute for Israel,
a rule of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you;
you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him,
and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

The nature of God is to want to bless us! In prayer, we are not supposed to be subjugating God to our will. God knows the heart of mankind, and still gave us His Son for our salvation. God knows our desire Before we ask. God willingly blesses us. So many times, Jesus healed. In almost every miracle, work of the Lord, wonder of God - Jesus was asked. The blind asked. Jesus could see. He knew they were blind. Consider Jesus healing the deaf man. He drew the deaf man away from the crowd and explained the healing to a deaf man before it occurred. An awesome God, who loves us.

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain [Jabez sounds like the Hebrew for pain].” 10 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm [evil] so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

May the Lord

Bless us and Keep us

and make His face

to shine upon us.

To be gracious to us.

To lift His Countenance upon us.

The Lord Jesus to Smile His Joy.

To give us His Peace.

His very own Peace.

To surround us in Jesus and His Love

Causing our path to give goodness

and mercy as our footsteps

We are Blessed to have

Jesus Christ

as our Savior.

Jesus bless us ALL to Overcome

Alleluia, Jesus has the Victory.

Alleluia!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves  †

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