Genesis 17:5-7 ~ the Father of a multitude of nations

Does the LORD consider nations?

Genesis 17:5-7
No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.


Isaiah 11:12-13
12 He will raise a signal for the nations
and will assemble the banished of Israel,
and gather the dispersed of Judah
from the four corners of the earth.
13 The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart,
and those who harass Judah shall be cut off;
Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah,
and Judah shall not harass Ephraim.


Many have been called to a fight, not entirely their own.


Jonah 2:1-3
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying,

“I called out to the Lord, out of my distress,
and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
3 For you cast me into the deep,
into the heart of the seas,
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and your billows
passed over me

Jonah 4
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly,and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”

5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.

10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

Matthew 12:41
The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Johan was called to a fight not his own, and people were saved.

Psalm 80
17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!

19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!


How can all the countries in battle declare God is far them?

The policy is still the same.

Acts 2:39 T
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call.

And what do we celebrate today?

John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

And how is Heaven formed in HIS Eternal Kingdom?

Revelation 2:25-27
Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.

Revelation 22:2
through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Leading, of course, to our Memorial Day and a prayer:

2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Praying together: I'm in my fifth decade of life and I actually only know one young man who volunteered to defend our nation at the cost of his life. I'm remembering that promising young man today.

Philippians 1
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

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Psalm 9 ~ Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!

Psalm 9

A Psalm of David.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish before your presence.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
their cities you rooted out;
the very memory of them has perished.

7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with uprightness.

9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion!
Tell among the peoples his deeds!
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

13 Be gracious to me, O Lord!
See my affliction from those who hate me,
O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may recount all your praises,
that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in your salvation.

15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment;
the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked shall return to Sheol,
all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

19 Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail;
let the nations be judged before you!
20 Put them in fear, O Lord!
Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah



Psalm Nine reminds me the day of judgement comes for all of us. The Book of Revelation is not all about the end of the world - rather the beginning of the next stage to eternity. This last verse of Joel 3 reminds us a far different life awaits us - no stranger in a large city.


Joel 3:14-17
14 Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.

16 The Lord roars from Zion,
and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earth quake.
But the Lord is a refuge to his people,
a stronghold to the people of Israel.


17 “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,
who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy,
and strangers shall never again pass through it.


Matthew Henry's quote about the Psalms is "This is a Warm Place in which to Dwell." The Psalms are written about life. As are all the Scriptures, but David so richly lived all aspects of life. The Psalms will comfort you, when comfort is scarce. Will give you words of praise when the glories of His blessings, life and world give you joy and gratitude. Freely acknowledge no one is universally loved. We tend to live in cellophane wrappers, and hope evil stays well away, the Scriptures remind us to name evil. To avoid the pit denial can be.

You really should find your Daily Psalm. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and the Psalms find us recognizing the beginning of this - today. Read the Psalms!!! They were written for you!!!! How can you tell - your heart will grow warm with the recognition. This is written in Jesus meeting the disciples upon the road and In Joshua 2 Rahab knew the men who were spies were sent from the Lord.



Matthew 12:14-21
14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah [42:1-3]:

18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”


I'd been a Christian for more than two decades when it was pointed out to me how many times the Scriptures said, "He healed them all." I remembered a lot of healings, the ones written about in more than a few sentences. Yet that small phrase "healed them all." Sometimes Scripture says they sought to touch Him & not just Jesus reaching out. Sometimes He physically touched them, and it also says merely, "He healed them all."

Psalm Nine blends into this well with He wipes away every tear.

Surely in the day of Jesus walking our lives on this earth, a lot of people were ill. When you think about the age: slavery, war, destruction, highway robbery, people born blind & the parable of the Good Samaritan - this was a difficult time. Not just the people who were deaf, blind, ill, but the sorrow of the people who had seen difficult things happen to loved ones. Children who died, loved ones who died in child birth, people who were well and suddenly died of fever. There are a lot of stipulations in the Bible for the fatherless and the widow.

What does it mean, "He healed them all?" The Word of God, proclaimed in love. The hopeless, the fearful, the lonely & the cut to the quick. The ones who had heard the Word of God in their youth - life had stamped on their seed of hope. The fruit of circumstance and the weed of bitterness, the joy found in life, had robbed them of their greatest need - the need of God.

These people who found Jesus had put aside the every day of life, they sought Him. Jesus didn't stay to quarrel, debate the Pharisees, shock, anger, and create a stir - Jesus wasn't a sidewalk hack or a temperamental star.

No, Jesus repaired the bruised reed. Jesus rekindled the flickering flame, the light became a torch. Jesus gave hope & mercy to the word - justice. Jesus didn't select a few, the light of Jesus Christ is for all. Not just to the eyes blessed to see Him, but those who look to Him in faith, after He died, and today.

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Matthew 18:21-19:2 ~ forgive your brother from your heart



Matthew 18:21-19:2
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[a monetary unit worth 20 years' salary] 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,[a day wage] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[torturers] until he should pay all his debt.

35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

19 Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.


And He healed them there


The true feeling of forgiveness is exactly the same as the one we all experienced as a child, when we would swim underwater and come up gasping for air.

Even thinking of forgiveness has aspects of renewal. Jesus said we will be with Him in Paradise.  He renews and heals us, sometimes in this life, but His promises are for us.

Thank You, Father God. 

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Today has three passages, this appears to be Trinity Sunday.

Clark said people think Christians are crazy to believe in the Trinity. Three people in one. I, personally, have no problem with the concept of the Trinity. God created the Universe with His Word and if HE feels like being three aspects, or people, then I don't see the problem.

I once heard the Trinity explained as this: God the Father sent out His Holy Spirit to move people along in His Plan. And sent His Word incarnate, as His Son, accomplishing His promises for us. That to me is an analogy Jesus used explaining His Father as King. A King is needed to sit upon His mercy seat, throne. However a King needs to be among the people to ascertain the condition of His people. He sends out someone He implicitly trusts. Later, when His Heir arrives, the King sends His Son.

Mark 12:6
He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’


God comforts us by telling us how closely the Trinity is part of HIM.

Matthew 3:17
and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

With all aspects of Father God showing up for the Transfiguration.

Mark 12
“Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 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.’

This is the tandem in which the Holy Trinity of God works.

Matthew 19:17
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good."

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Psalm 34 ~ those who seek the Lord lack no good thing

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Language alert-

The gratitude of the woman who recovered her dog and gave thanks to her Father. Father God, let her humility, in having two prayers answered, follow my heart - all the days of my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Oklahoma Woman Who Found Dog in Tornado Rubble Could Get New Home
Internet Rallies Funds for Barbara Garcia, Bazzie After Heartwarming Reunion Caught on Tape
By Nicola Menzie , Christian Post Reporter

Oklahoma tornado survivor Barbara Garcia touched the hearts of many when her on-camera interview with a news network was interrupted by the discovery of her mini schnauzer, whom she thought had been lost in the tornado that had leveled her home and those of her neighbors. Now, Internet users are rallying together to try to pay for a new home for Garcia and her dog.

"Well I thought God just answered one prayer to let me be okay. He answered both of them, because this was my second prayer," Garcia told CBS News correspondent.

Garcia had been explaining how she and the dog, Bazzie, had taken refuge in the bathroom when the powerful tornado smashed through their neighborhood in Moore, Okla., on Monday. While she got knocked around but remained conscious, Garcia found that she was alone once she emerged from the pile of sticks that minutes before had been her home — her mini schnauzer was nowhere to be found. Or so Garcia thought.

The video on the CBS News website of Garcia and Bazzie's unexpected reunion has been shared nearly 500,000 times on Facebook and a link to the video tweeted by more than 20,000 people, many of whom describe Garcia's story as "heartwarming," "touching" and one that brought them to tears.

One Minneapolis woman, Erin DeRuggiero, was so moved that she has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help Garcia get a new home.

"I do not know Barbara Garcia personally, but was incredibly moved by her story and of her reunion with her dog, captured on live TV after the Moore, Oklahoma tornado on May 20th. I was so deeply moved, that I had to DO something for her, immediately, so that we can impact her life directly as quickly as possible," DeRuggiero explains on the "Build Barbara Garcia a House" campaign page at GoFundMe.com.

"My goal is to show her that 'life in the big city' also means helping strangers, and reaching out to make a difference in their time of need. ... I live far away from Moore, Oklahoma, but want the residents there to know that we will stand by them, and lend support in any way possible. If I can inspire you to donate $1, $5, $10 to help Barbara build a new house (complete with a dog house for her canine companion) please share with friends and together maybe we can help her heal."

The goal of the crowdfunding campaign is to raise $25,000, and a little over $1,400 had been raised on Thursday. DeRuggiero managed to locate Garcia after being contacted by another Moore, Okla., resident who shared that Garcia is 74 years old and has a son. In addition, DeRuggiero was contacted Thursday by CBS News apparently for a follow-up piece on Garcia and the crowdfunding campaign that has been launched on her behalf.

Let's not forget the many, many people who were interviewed and told of answered prayer.

And the story of other storms to remember:

In Wadena, Minnesota in July of last year where they had multiple tornadoes in 2010. (Tornadoes in Minnesota in July?) Some were F-4. After the tornadoes went by, the Churches were packed and overflowing. Why? Incredible devastation, but so many destroyed places had one thing still standing - the cross. Where a cross had been placed, the tornado left the place where the cross stood. So many places were utterly ruined, but no lives were lost.

I spoke with a man from the shores of Louisiana after he had lost every material possession in Hurricane Katrina. Two members of his family had weakened hearts. One was his sister-in-law in her forties. His family lost two family members just days after Katrina and they died here in The Woodlands, Texas. They were unable to return the bodies to their hometown for burial. The water destroyed more than the 20 foot crest over their house. And the man told me how much he would miss his family in tears and sorrow. He said this about his tragedy, "I've had the love in my life. Love from people, but this comes from Him. And because of the love I have I can know next year will be better. Faith, Hope and Love. Faith that next year will be better. Hope because I've overcome before and Love will carry me to the Faith. Each day."

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Song of Solomon 4 ~ Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with all choicest fruits

Song of Solomon 4

Behold, you are beautiful, my love,
behold, you are beautiful!
Your eyes are doves
behind your veil.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
leaping down the slopes of Gilead.
2 Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes
that have come up from the washing,
all of which bear twins,
and not one among them has lost its young.
3 Your lips are like a scarlet thread,
and your mouth is lovely.
Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate
behind your veil.
4 Your neck is like the tower of David,
built in rows of stone;
on it hang a thousand shields,
all of them shields of warriors.
5 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle,
that graze among the lilies.
6 Until the day breathes
and the shadows flee,
I will go away to the mountain of myrrh
and the hill of frankincense.
7 You are altogether beautiful, my love;
there is no flaw in you.
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my bride;
come with me from Lebanon.
Depart from the peak of Amana,
from the peak of Senir and Hermon,
from the dens of lions,
from the mountains of leopards.

9 You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;
you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes,
with one jewel of your necklace.
10 How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much better is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!
11 Your lips drip nectar, my bride;
honey and milk are under your tongue;
the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
12 A garden locked is my sister, my bride,
a spring locked, a fountain sealed.
13 Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates
with all choicest fruits,
henna with nard,
14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,
with all trees of frankincense,
myrrh and aloes,
with all choice spices—
15 a garden fountain, a well of living water,
and flowing streams from Lebanon.

16 Awake, O north wind,
and come, O south wind!
Blow upon my garden,
let its spices flow.

Let my beloved come to his garden,
and eat its choicest fruits.


When we got ready to tell our sons the way God created the world to love, I was chosen to speak up. I have two uncles named Frank and the subject to me is one of ease and humor.

Frankly, there are a few things I believe strongly about. God the Father who loves us.

Vows taken in Church to Love and Honor.

The intimacy of marriage and the privacy of not sharing what is sacred.

And the beauty of what He designed in delight.

The Word of God does not go on and on about His design, yet when He does tell us, He describes beauty and longing. The fruitfulness of desire is described as paradise.

 
And the Song of Solomon does not really read well to a group - for good reasons. As young people we are learning to be comfortable with, what I hope, is married relations. And in learning we are always inclined to ask and share with good friends. Actually this is a very poor idea. Even when women share or ask others, there are plenty of mothers or fathers to ask. Actually a lot of Christian counselors are trained to speak up on the subject. I recommend Christian Pre-marriage counseling as a very important step. And in having that clergy relationship, being able to ask questions. Real relationship with Him, allows real conversations.

Choosing friends and extended family to reveal or ask questions, opens doors that should be covered.

Yet why would God step aside in His creation. This does not embarrass Him. When He walked with us in the Garden, we were the only ones embarrassed by being naked before Him.

We use humor to describe what makes us uncomfortable or we use humor to be more comfortable. It's a two edged sword.Nothing described in Solomon would preclude humor or joy.

I believe that the Song of Solomon is a wonderful thing to be read with joy while honeymooning and during times of great intimacy. This is the celebration of Life He gave to us. Always to be encountered with love, joy, words and understanding. Never forgetting humor and tenderness. And that is an orchard.

In the Old Testament, God used clouds to manifest His Glory. A small tent, in a vast wilderness, could not contain the glory of God.

In the New Testament, God have us HIS Son - who is the Light of the World. His Spoken Word. John the Baptist called for repentance in the wilderness - leaving the Temple.  A small stable, with a small baby, changed the world forever. Moses saw the Glory of God. Jesus gave us the Mercy of our Father and Jesus made us His Children. Saying the Glory of God dwells in us; never leaving us. Making us Love. We want want to glorify Him in our lives - our words, our actions, our thoughts. God, in Jesus, telling us to build His Church so the gates of Hell cannot prevail against us - also tells us His Glory dwells within us. He did not want to spill from a tent, but to dwell in our hearts making us Love.

Isaiah 32:15
until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.

Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Isaiah 2:5
Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

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John 5:30-47 ~ the testimony that I have is greater than that of John

John 5:30-47

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

A shining lamp, glory, hope - powerful images of goodness.

Look at all the times Jesus could have put Himself forth. He could have told every single soul that Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish council & ruling class was coming to Him for Religious discernment. Jesus could have told Peter to keep repeating the announcement when Peter announced Jesus is the Christ. Instead, most of the time, Jesus gave the opposite advice after someone was healed.

Jesus and John the Baptist have something in common. John said:

John 3:27-30
27 To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.

Jesus and John live for God. They are content with God's plan, God Himself will lift them up. The Book of Proverbs, John the Baptist, the Scriptures say all good things are from God. If we do not believe the words, what shall we hope in?

Father God, let the light of the Holy Spirit shine brightly, each day, in us, for Your glory. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Mark 1:14-20 ~ And followed Him

Maps of Israel through history.

Mark 1:14-20

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

The map of Israel expanding, decreasing, expanding in good times & bad, could also represent our lives. Jesus did not ask Simon (Peter, the rock), Andrew, James and John to be disciples or to join a new religion. Jesus did not spend time making them feel comfortable, asking about their lives. Jesus knew names and knew situations, Jesus already knew their heart and soul. He did not think the information significant enough to put in the scripture, just for us to know they were choosen. Jesus did not ask them to join a new religion. Jesus asked them to be in a relationship with him, the Son of God. Jesus promised them that the new relationship with Him, would change their lives.

The purpose of the daily liturgy is to read the Holy Scriptures. The Bible was written for you. Jesus invites you everyday to be in a relationship with Him.

Mark 12: 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.There is no commandment greater than these."

32 "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."


A man risen in prominence in God’s Church was telling of his conversion to loving the Lord with his whole heart. In his later years, he was a well-connected businessman & found himself wandering in a foreign country near Israel on a business trip. The trip required many travel hours; to be fresh for his meeting, he landed very, very early on Sunday to cope with jet lag. Wandering through the quiet streets, he wondered why all of the success and aspects of success had not filled his life with contentment or fulfillment. He had never abandoned his faith, but neither had his Church attendance or biblical readings filled his life with contentment or fulfillment. He felt as he had felt many times in his life, alone. As he walked, his feeling of being alone increased.

He came to a Church, it was the first stirrings of real companionship he had seen on his walk. He entered the church and he understood the readings, they were in a language he knew. He realized that all over the world, Christians would be attending church and reading the gospels, just as he was in the foreign country. He realized he was not alone, God had been with him all along, he had not given His Father his top priority. 

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My son Alexander is staying near the Sea of Galilee today. He said the hills are very beautiful and the afternoons are quite warm. It was, frankly, very thrilling to hear from him.

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My husband, Edward, was involved in a small fender bender yesterday and the FB quote went like this, "Got a story for you, Aggies. The cell phone rang. Unknown number, but I'll bite. Hello. It's Edward Gardere. He has been hit in the rental car. He's fine. The other guy, well. He is a Zombie Killer. He's 23 years young. And he has some problems with investors. He doesn't like to behead zombies. Causes insurance liabilities. Am I making this up? As if. So Edward and the Zombie Killer exchange business cards. And they are having a grand time by the side of the road. After all, there was a cop there when the Zombie Killer hit Edward. Unfortunately, our young friend had a few warrants and went away in handcuffs. Seems the investors want to own all his business. What business is our Zombie Killer? Dress up as zombies and get shot by paint balls. Sounds killer to me!!!

However, the more serious side isEdward quite enjoyed the young driver & was really more upset about the handcuffs than (actually a biblical name) and we will pray for him. Your prayers are appreciated as well.

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