Psalm 12 ~ Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord

Jerusalem, the City of David, he conquered to reclaim for the Tribe of Judah and Israel

Psalm 12

A Psalm of David.

Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone;
for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man.
2 Everyone utters lies to his neighbor;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail,
our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
6 The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.

7 You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us from this generation forever.
8 On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

 What our Savior Jesus Christ Saw from the Cross, painted by James Tissot

Isaiah 59:21
 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”


There is Scripture you will lean forward to look upon. Just as Israel looked for the Messiah for over 700 years.

Why did the Lord choose to send the Messiah to such a time? When Israel was broken into Judea, a suburb of Syria. For one thing the Davidic line was being reclaimed by the Herodians, who struck images of themselves, and called themselves King of Israel. Or Judea.

Would the Lord see Psalm 12 as HIS motivation for the birth of His Son?

John 2:24b -25
He knew all people,and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

How did Jesus see this time frame ?  Remember the Messiah was not born to live in Jerusalem or dwell constantly in the Temple.

Matthew 23:37
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!"

Luke 23:27
And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.

Luke 23:28
But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."


There are a few ideas, in Scripture, of Jesus' emotions upon the Cross and the road to the Cross. Perhaps one of the over looked ideas is of Jesus speaking to the multitudes of women who turned out to weep for Him. They did not have any agenda other than sorrow to see Jesus condemned. No flattering lips. The needy groaned. The people were poor; the government was taking Jesus from them.

Jesus understood the power of His Word very well. How many times did He call the women 'Daughters of Jerusalem'? Only in the Song of Solomon is this recorded. Jesus, I believe, is addressing them not just with prophecy of this day, but in appreciation the daughters of Eve, would try to comfort Him on His road to the cross.

How would this add to this day for Jesus?

Luke 23:34
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us from this generation forever.



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Luke 10:1-24 ~ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Luke 10:1-24

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.^{[for so it pleased you well] 22} All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
 
²³ Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”



2 Timothy 3
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Jesus asks a lot. And in His day, things were easier and more difficult to be a follower of His. Not really. It was more difficult. This verse from the Second Book to Timothy Chapter Three, would be the same for the Temple during the life of Jesus.

Behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

Did Jesus ask Judgement of HIS Disciples?

‘Peace be to this house!

Do not go from house to house. Jesus was saying don't let your evangelism look for a better return upon the investment of time, judging we know the person. Seeing the outcome - guessing the outcome - to bless ourselves.

In our kindness to others - we can be glad in this -
‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’




Jesus also recognizes that people tend to think the same in cluster of people. He speaks to two cities, Jesus was known to acknowledge people tend to be like sheep to herd.

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

If our efforts don't give us a great reward, wipe the dust off the feet and keep going.

Matthew 9:36
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.


Jesus was able to say to Thomas, although you doubt, you must have faith. Jesus wants people, wants you, to have faith. Faith God means what He promises and is able to deliver. Hope the promises are for you. Love that all that can possibly exist loves you as the person God created you to be.

23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”




John described Jesus as Love. The goodness of Jesus, we see in this passage, creates currents in the world. Jesus said on the cross, "Forgive them, Father, they do not know what they do." Jesus is telling us to do His Father's work should create in us love and care without so much concern for negative comments.

Rejoice that your names are written in heaven

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”.

Hebrews 12:2
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus has done the hard work for us. We should stretch our faith to believe He is there for us. Working today.




Jesus tells us about Salvation.

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Rejoice in Salvation and allow the mystery of fulfilling salvation to be HIS, in His determination.

Deuteronomy 4:31
For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.



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Proverbs 18 ~ From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.

 

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Proverbs 18

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.

2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.

3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.

4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked
or to deprive the righteous of justice.

6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.
7 A fool's mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.

8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.

9 Whoever is slack in his work
is a brother to him who destroys.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

11 A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.

13 If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.

14 A man's spirit will endure sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?

15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 A man's gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.

17 The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.

18 The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.

19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

20 From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.

22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing
and obtains favor from the Lord.

23 The poor use entreaties,
but the rich answer roughly.

24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.


Pilate once asked Jesus, "What is Truth?"


Jesus told us He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

And He told us He came to give us abundant life. When we think of abundant life, we remember in the Easter season - this was men overcoming fear and constant questioning to finding purpose in their lives.

Each day we make judgements:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Finding abundant life reading - learning- seeing love - being love -  in the Scriptures. A Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Jesus does not abandon us. He did promise this. And His Words work, are living, active, effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

We are building. Or we all should be. Every day. A life of meaning, being salt and light. Well done good and faithful servant. Fight the good fight.

We have Truth to make judgements and decisions in our lives. Jesus told us to invite Him in our hearts in belief gives us the Light that Lights every man.

John 10:10
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

I heard today from different sources there is subjective truth - which changes based upon emotion, and situations. Objective truth - which is just and applies evenly over all. And simple truth - which is rare.

Jesus would say Truth, in us, is like this:
Proverbs 14:10
The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.

I would offer the Truth is fairly easy to understand. For good reason. God expects us to look to HIM. Look up.

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?

Subjective Truth. Life throws situations and issues at us. In each verse in the 3,000 pages of God's Word, the events require Truth being ascertained and acted upon. We can not always turn the other cheek. We can not always demand what we believe to be our rights at that time. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

For these quotes alone - we learn what Paul lived - life is an adventure - listening to others becomes something intriguing. An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Objective Truth.
Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

We can always look at the Word to see what has occurred to others to see what He says in the events in our lives. It is in studying the Word we see, ascertain and are able to apply HIS wisdom to our lives. We have to read the Word. Believe the Word. And work the Word. One of the huge benefits of Christianity, we are in Jesus learning His purpose for our lives. He helps us understand the meaning of our lives.

Fools -
isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.

2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.

6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.
7 A fool's mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.

12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.

13 If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.

Laziness-
9 Whoever is slack in his work
is a brother to him who destroys.



Wickedness
3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.

5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked
or to deprive the righteous of justice.

12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.


We actually are capable as adults of understanding, clearly after about age 7, the difference between right and wrong. Perhaps we need to focus on something elusive to us.

James 3

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.


Words
Remembering Jesus is the Word of God

John 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook

6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites a beating.

8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

13 If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.

20 From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.

23 The poor use entreaties,
but the rich answer roughly.



Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

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Acts 10:24-48 ~ Cornelius met Him

The Annunciation, painted by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859 – 1937) first African American to gain international fame.

Acts 10:24-48

24 And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, [3 p.m.] and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Acts 10, begins by telling us Cornelius:
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”
 

The Scriptures are not clear if Cornelius, a centurion in the Book of Acts, was the same centurion whose servant was healed & Jesus found the greatest faith in Israel, Matthew 8 & Luke 7. Both centurions were credited for generosity. I have to say, I always hoped so, for his faith to be so blessed.

This centurion fell at Peter's feet for the honor at a visit, in his home, from Jesus' rock.


Luke 7:2-9
The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. ⁴When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, ⁵because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." ⁶So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. ⁷That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁸For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." ⁹ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.

Matthew 8:13
Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Linking the Biblical narratives today is important. Many people travel just to feel the presence of God. The Centurions given the great honor of Biblical memory makes  an important point - nationality or place isn't important to the Lord, but Faith is.

1 Corinthians 15:5-8
And that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.



1 Kings 19:11-13
¹¹ The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"


Psalm 139
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.

 

Father God, always present with us, we rejoice in Your goodness. Amen.




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1 Thessalonians 1 ~ our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

 the Jews, "For us it is not permitted to kill
anyone," so that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he sp-
oke signifying what kind of death he was going to
die. Entered therefore again into the Praeto-
rium Pilate and summoned Jesus
and said to him, "Thou art king of the
Jews?"

a King I am. For this I have been born
and (for this) I have come into the world so that I would
testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth
hears of me my voice." Said to him
Pilate, "What is truth?" and this
having said, again he went out unto the Jews
and said to them, "I find not one
fault in him."

^{St.John's Ryland Gospel}
St Johns Gospel is St of a literary codex. Around 90 A.D. dated by the writing style. Gospel of John 18:31–33, in Greek, and the back (verso) contains parts of seven lines from verses 37–38

Magdalen Papyrus, Above , Papyrus 64, Carsten Peter Thiede's redating of the Magdalen papyrus to the middle of the 1st century (37 to 70 A.D.)

Chester Beatty Papyrus 46
Above. Acts and Revelation it is classified as Papyrus 46 (⁴⁶) and housed partially in Dublin, Ireland in the Chester Beatty Collection and partially in the University of Michigan, Special Collections Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Dated to the later 1st century before the reign of Emperor Domitian.

Bodmer Papyrus - 50 collected works of Scripture dated to 200 A.D. Below.




2nd century Book of Revelation fragments labelled as P18, P24, P47, P98, P115
Papyrus 32, P32, Papyrus 52, P52, Papyrus 64, P64, Papyrus 67, P67, and Papyrus 4, P4 (believed to be coming from the same codex). Papyrus 66, P66. Papyrus 90, P90. Papyrus 98, P98. Papyrus 104, P104.




1 Thessalonians 1
 
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly^{[without ceasing]} mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers^{[brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God's family, the church]} loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 

8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.



For almost 400 years, the Gospel was preserved at great cost. It was preserved - based upon reason, faith, events - people hid, ran, started new lives - not knowing what would happen. Gave up their lives. And worked desperately to bring the Good News to you.

They believed, with all of their actions - the Word of God is power; is the Holy Spirit. They had full conviction.

Believing  people, generations,  millenniums would know He chose you, the unique person reading the Bible - to be chosen, part of the family of God. Loved by God.

And because of this faith unproven, unseen, untried - the Word of the Lord - has sounded forth to you.

Serve the living and true God. Knowing His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord, is raised from the dead. And will deliver you.

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Acts 5:12-26 ~ Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Painting, by Tadema

Acts 5:12-26

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.


Even in the Syrian suburb, the little country of Judea, the Roman Empire flooded vast fortunes into the country. In the plentiful abundance of life, Pontius Pilate regularly had riots with the Jews.

Can you imagine yourselves being a rioter? I can. I once, at the age of 6, joined all my neighborhood children help tear down a lovely home being carefully constructed over an empty lot with a creek. We had enjoyed the lot, with huge Willow trees and large rocks. It was always shady and you would always meet more kids seeking relief from the Texas summer. We were looters and rioters. As we all carried home a chunk of the building materials, I told this group of little kids, teenagers and tweens, we'd had fun. We should do more things together. Everyone agreed. Maybe softball.

The builders of the home hired a guard to protect the property; my three other six-year-old friends and I became very good friends with the kindly, elderly man. After a few weeks, the man asked us did we know who had looted. All 3 little blond heads said no. The man explained to us that it was wrong and it had been an expensive vandalism. I went home to discuss it with my mother.

She said she didn't remember  the board I had dragged home, didn't I put it back. I said yes, we didn't really have a need for a board. She asked me how many teenagers had been involved and I said every kid in the neighborhood had been there. She said something to the effect she knew teenagers were behind it all. I said not really, everyone showed up, for something to do.

Adults were told to look in their backyard for building materials. Some materials returned. It never happened again, even later when more houses were built.

This was parents willing to talk to other parents. It look some frank discussions.


After Hurricane Ike, in Houston, grocery stores opened for minute time frames in the morning. HEB allowed shoppers to go in, in groups of 18 shoppers. If you'd seen the mayhem in the stores before the Hurricane, you'd understand why. So every day, the electricity was off in town, Edward, my husband, would head over to HEB. Then on the third morning, a police cruiser showed up as the forty or so people waited for the store to open. The police car opened the mike and said, "HEB was unable to open this morning." People were a little surprised and looked at the police car in astonishment. No one said a word. So the Police car repeated the message and said it was time to disperse. After a moment's pause, the humorous police said, "Time to disperse, we think you all will riot." The very dangerous suburban engineer types looked at each other in frank astonishment. One man looked at the others and said, "I'm Not Rioting! Are you?"

Are we interested in the multitudes who flooded the Temple?

A model of Solomon's Portico, from the First Temple until the Second Temple fell 70 A.D. And the back corner is Antonia Fortress, Herod's Fortress complete with jail.

Many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles

 

 

Surely the Temple officials, the bureaucracy were stunned. So much so - they let the rabble in to the Temple discussing Jesus. Worshiping Jesus.

Can you imagine this? It's frankly incredible, but accurate. The Temple officials let the followers of Jesus Christ the LORD, meet in the Temple grounds. They had signs up saying foreigners would be killed beyond certain points.

"No foreigner is to enter within the balustrade and embankment around the sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have himself to blame for his death which follows." Both Greek (above and there are 2 Greek signs discovered) and Latin versions of this warning were posted at regular intervals around the balustrade).The engraved block of limestone is about 22 inches high by 33 inches long. Each letter was nearly 1 1/2 inches high and originally painted with red ink against the white limestone. Part of another sign was unearthed in 1936. Currently locatated in the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul, Turkey. It is a fairly well-known and understood archaeological find, labeled CIJ 2.1400

Rather more obscure is CIJ 2.1404 The Theodotus Inscription. Not all of the Second (or First) Temple is completely understood. 75 centimeters long.
The Theodotus inscription (CIJ 2.1404) was discovered in a Jerusalem cistern by R. Weill in 1913. It dates to the first century AD prior to the Temple's destruction. Significantly, the inscription reveals that three generations of priests served as the "rulers of the synagogue" (archisynagôgoi - the Greek word) mentioned in the dedication. Translation:

Theodotus, (son) of Vettenus, priest and
archisynagôgos, son of an archisynagôgos,
grandson of an archisynagôgos, built
the synagogue for the reading of the law and
the teaching of the commandments, and
the guest-chamber and the rooms and the
water installations for lodging for those needing them
from abroad, which his fathers, the elders
and Simonides founded

And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 

During the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

"Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”


 Light of Jesus Christ - Shine.

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