Luke 23:1-12 ~ no guilt in this Man

Constantine commissioned his 80 year old mother Helena to bring back articles attributed to Jesus Christ. These stairs are from the governor's palace and they would have seen Jesus climb the marble portion of the stairs. In Rome, today, these are called Scala Sancta.


Luke 23:1-12

23 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”


6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

Constantine I's tomb was used for his mother Helena. She is not disputed to have existed. And she is recorded by Eusebius of Caesarea as being 80 years old as she looked  at all types of archeological sites in Jerusalem. Eusebius actually met both Constantine and his mother.

Do you remember the reaction of Herod hearing Judea had a prophet of old? He wanted to see a Jesus sign. Herod had a natural curiosity to meet Jesus. Not unusual, Herod was picking out the priest who could speak in the Temple. Surely Herod did not want the Temple rocking the Roman Gravy Train. And remember Herod was sent out of his dad's paranoid frenzy to be educated in Rome. Herod thought more like a Roman, than a Jew, remembering, prophets tend to get personal. Jesus did not honor Herod. Herod, when you look through the Gospels feared Jesus and only wanted, in curiosity, to see a sign. Herod was going to remove John and honor him in the prison, but push to shove - shove behead.

Herod ended up not doing so well from his brother's wife's (his own 2nd wife) family - exiled.

And remember with me Pontius Pilate's wife begged him not to have anything to do with the harm of Jesus. She had a dream about Jesus saying HE is a good man. Jesus even forgave Pilate standing in front of Pilate.

Zechariah 13:6
but he will say, 'I am not a prophet; I am a tiller of the ground, for a man sold me as a slave in my youth.' 6"And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?' Then he will say, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'

If it sounds off to you, it was what Pilate hoped to hear - Jesus to disavow - to allow Jesus freedom. This passage IS well recognized as a prophecy of Pilate to Jesus. Jesus called upon to forgive in the midst of torture. More than just upon the Cross dying.




This is an amazing story - one we become so familiar with. We have to look at other details to see - how incredible - and true - this History is.

The death of Jesus was not a joy to Pilate. And not to Herod. Only in the Temple was there brief joy. And then the Temple itself - all 36 acres housed grieving believers to the horror of the Temple government. The multitudes of believers began to grow and grow to the consternation of Rome 16 years later. Letters of Rabbis from the time believed this was the end of Judaism. Rabbis prayed God would stop the miracles in the name of Jesus. See Ian Wilson's books with these letters.

The Book of Acts has the Apostles leave the Temple because the Temple was small itself. The Apostles start meeting outside by the healing pools, were larger crowds could gather. And not have to be so Jewish to hear. Roman citizens were present. Officials within Herod's palace. Multitudes. The dead were seen as risen. Jesus taught His disciples and appeared to 500.

This was so large, no one could get Christianity to stop. Josephias, the Judean General turned Roman Historian, was moved that this would not end. Calling the believers "Christians." Recognizing in two places in Josephias' History that Jesus was called Messiah. And only one is debated.

This history is So Large that if you look at a panorama of the Temple Mount - where Abraham was trusting God with Isaac - you see living stones referring to Jesus.

Today the stones ringing the Temple Mount have a quote on them "They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God."









So how is it that Jesus seems to get the men in power in trouble and we have Christianity today millenniums later?

Constantine

 

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

Constantine. You hear the same pop culture inform you of Constantine’s jaded use of Christianity.

Today we are going to follow this Incredible Change of the Roman Empire with some pop culture.

"MIB" K said, "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it! 1,500 years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was the center of the universe. 500 years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was flat. And 15 minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."

We aren't salmon, we are meant to be unique with unique opinions. There is more to Constantine than "Constantine used Christianity to promote his promotion to Emperor."

There is some truth to that 50 years ago – the History of our United States Congress was being used as a Christian Church on Sunday for most of its years. When we discuss Constantine today - we adopt today's opinions. Our children won't. Personally I hope our children's children look more favorably at souls and less jaded.

Constantine has something Pop Culture wisdom – SEVERELY OVERLOOKS.

Constantine, Alexander the Great and Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian Empire had something in common. When the events surround a man are beyond his imagination, he looks to see what force is behind him greater than himself.

This is called “WISDOM.”

Julius Caesar was before Jesus. He took his troops to the beach were the goddess Venus was to have ascended - because Julius Caesar believed his successes were because he was a grandson of Venus. Julius Caesar saw himself as a demi-god descendent of Venus.

Constantine was a prisoner of Diocletian to prevent political uprising, Emperors did that with competition. Nonetheless Constantine was a prominent member of the court: he fought for Diocletian in front of Bishop Eusebius as Constantine witnessed the torture of Jesus Christ’s nephew descendents to repent of Jesus. They all refused and upon torture and promises, died for Him. Constantine was a tolerant and politically skilled man who had mixed with pagans and Christians in the reign prior to Diocletian. Events there changed him.

Constant power struggles suppressed Constantine from coming into his position as his father's son. Constantine began to look to soothsayers recommendations,for favorable omens. Constantine, was with a spirit that left a deep impression on his followers, inspiring some to believe that he had some form of supernatural guidance. Constantine's army arrived at the battle the seers of Rome declared to be a final battle. His soldier's sheilds were bearing an unfamiliar symbols. According to Lactantius, Constantine was visited by a dream the night before the battle, wherein he was advised "to mark the heavenly sign of God on the shields of his soldiers ... by means of a slanted letter X with the top of its head bent round, he marked Christ on their shields." Eusebius describes another version, where, while marching at midday, "he saw with his own eyes in the heavens a trophy of the cross arising from the light of the sun, carrying the message, In Hoc Signo Vinces or "with this sign, you will conquer", Constantine had a dream the following night, in which Christ appeared with the same heavenly sign, and told him to make a standard, the labarum, for his army in that form.

Constantine was to look to another Bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia to be his baptizer as he was about to die. He had hoped to be baptized in the River Jordan. This was not to be. But Constantine had changed the Empire and called the Council of Nicaea - to resolve with the Bishops, who would dare to travel, what the Holy Spirit would call as His Word.

Alexander the Great did something similar Josephus said in his History: Alexander had visited Jerusalem after his conquest of Egypt and that the High Priest in all his splendor had come out to receive him. When Alexander bowed down before the High Priest, he was asked why he did so. He said in reply that he was actually bowing to God, of whom the High Priest was the representative, and that while still in Macedonia he had had a dream of this meeting. Then the King "was shown from the book of Daniel the passage where it says that a certain Greek will come to destroy the whole Persian empire", and Alexander is said to have guessed that it referred to him.

The Talmud relates that when Alexander the Great and his conquering legions advanced upon Jerusalem, they were met by a delegation of elders, led by the High Priest Shimon Ha Tzaddik (Simon the Righteous). When Alexander saw Shimon approaching, he dismounted and prostrated himself before the Jewish Sage.

To his astonished men, Alexander explained that each time he went into battle, he would see a vision in the likeness of this High Priest leading the Greek troops to victory. In gratitude, and out of profound respect for the spiritual power of the Jews, Alexander was a kind and generous ruler. He canceled the Jewish taxes during Sabbatical years, and even offered animals to be sacrificed on his behalf in the Temple.

Two different historical accounts tell us Alexander believed God was part of his life.

And so did Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar believed Isaiah's 14th Chapter was written about him. Nebuchadnezzar gave Ezekiel his own house and had attempted to work with Judea and the Temple of God. This is why the exiles were promised a return from Babylon.


Isaiah 14

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.

Nebuchadnezzar would predict the end of the Babylonian Empire before he departed this life.

The work of Salvation is God's. When mankind become entangled with God, they begin to look to Him.

The choices of men. It's always our choice how we want our stories to continue with Him. Jesus forgave Pilate. Pilate, according to known history, chose a more desperate path, as did Herod, in the convenience of life. Constantine chose to embrace the Lord even if it was not until his death that he was baptized. I'd far prefer to be Constantine in History than Herod or Pilate.

We should always consider the Word of God to be powerful enough to allow Him to be Supreme in our lives and giving Him the path forward. God is Sovereign. He tells us so.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Psalm 128 ~ Blessed

We always give thanks for our children. Especially when your son has a birthday. And on the same day as your great-grandfather.

Father GOD thank You for the blessing of my son, Alexander. In Jesus' name, I'm glad to have the opportunity to give thanks and when we are asked in Church - "Let us bless the Lord" - we reply "Thanks Be to God!"

Psalm 128 

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
6 May you see your children's children!
Peace be upon Israel !

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Matthew 9:1-8 ~ came to His own city

Matthew 9:1-8

And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.

And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”

And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”

But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7

And he rose and went home.

When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

A Journey can involve going from one point to the next. Light my feet, Father God, that I may see the next foot hold. In the healing of the paralytic, Jesus - as God - jumps from point a to point z. The man is healed - Quantum Physics, if this is your language. Father God can move pretty quickly in His statements as well.

This is our Nation's Birthday Week - let's combine our dwelling with the two dwellings of Jesus.

Follow the Scriptures and see where this leads. God gives us seasons to enjoy - to fully be blessed in the day and the season.

My day started reading of the sadness in the two natures inside mankind, in all of us.

Jeremiah 17:9-10
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

We all are going to cause Father God to hurt in His search of us. In this life, Jesus was known to sigh. And that sigh made such an Huge impression, we know of this many years later. The Word of God records a sigh can be a prayer for the Holy Spirit to intercede.

Mark 7:34
34 And looking up to heaven, Jesus sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”

Acts 7:55
But Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Thank God for His Openness to our human hearts.

Isaiah 51:11
So the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

And making a full circle, we started this post with Jesus coming into His Own City. The Joy of being "Finished Out and Completed" in God. Healed like today's passage, overcoming.

The City of Jesus begins with Forgiveness. God tells us something rather confusing in explaining John the Baptist's sudden journey into Heaven. Jesus grieved for Lazarus and wept. I wonder if Jesus was disconcerted by His cousin's death. We could be glimpsing Jesus holding back His tears.

Matthew 11:12
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.

Matthew 11:11
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Once I had a dream about someone I treasure as one of my most favored people in life, my grandmother Elliott. She was in Heaven and completely fulfilled. Vastly different. Supremely radiant.

Our Father God deals with us all the time in this manner. Like Gideon. God saw where Gideon was headed and strengthened Gideon with HIS insight. Jesus, when asked how we should pray, said for us to hope to bring His Heavenly Will to our lives. God sees the paralytic man as being healed - He speaks His Word and there is healing. God hears our prayers and, surely, we are not always pleasing to Him, and yet, God will listen. as He brings us forth in His Will.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

God sees we are on a journey and calls us His Children. His People. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. The Good News is we are the healed person in the passage. This is our story in God's blessings.


Daniel 2
Daniel said, "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. 21It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. 22 It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him."


Father God, for all those who are loved by God and called to be saints, You grant grace and peace through the Lord Jesus Christ. First, we thank You, God for Jesus Christ. You declared Your Son to be the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead. His Name is proclaimed among the nations for millenniums. Father God, help us to mutually encourage each other, in faith. Let us always pray from the Word of God, recalled by us, it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Help us apply Your Word to our lives. The righteousness of God is revealed in our faith. Help us to acknowledge You in our lives. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †


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Psalm 47 ~ God reigns over the nations; God sits on His Holy Throne.

Caladiums are hearts!

Psalm 47

Clap your hands, all peoples!
Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the Lord, the Most High, is terrible,
a great king over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our heritage for us,
the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

5 God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the king of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm!

8 God reigns over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
9 The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted!


Psalm 24
The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord;
the earth and all who live on it are His.

Deuteronomy 7:7
The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.

Malachi 2
My covenant with him was a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him, that he might fear; and he feared me, he stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

God, Who is so Huge that HE is Vast - did not pick you and love you because He 'had' to. You are chosen, precious, special, Loved.

1 John 4:19
We love because He first loved us.

Mark 7
They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. 33 Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; 34 and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, "Ephphatha!" that is, "Be opened!"

Psalm 81:10
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

John 16:27
For the Father Himself tenderly loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from the Father.

May Father GOD bless us, direct us, guide us lead us in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. We ask in Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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John 10 ~ my Father

Minus the cooking tips, this is "Luke, I Am Your Father."

Aren't people hilarious. The statement "Jesus is white." I don't know, I'm pretty sure Morgan Freeman is Black and God did originate life in Africa, so...

David. David is ruddy. Ya'll that's white. Possibly red.

I'm thinking, HE's that guy in the video. He looks Jewish.

The beauty of Jesus' genealogy is the mix of descriptions and race in His ancestry. The Choice He made.  The accomplishments and the mistakes.

Just as our Father God gives glimpses of His Heaven, same Creator - this earth -this Heaven,  - Heaven is Part B. Beautiful.

God gives us glimpses of His Glory.

John 10

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. 14

I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again;
this charge I have received from my Father.”


You have a Father who Loves you. Today. Just as you are. HIS.

Jesus the Lord be our center, call us lovingly back to your center.

Colossians 1
5 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; 16 for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. 19

For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Just as you are. In your soul. God says so. Amen.

Psalm 131

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up,
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a child quieted at its mother’s breast;
like a child that is quieted is my soul.

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time forth and for evermore.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Philemon 1 ~ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Onward Christian Soldiers by Fountainview Academy BC Mountains of Canada

San Paolo alla Regola

Philemon 1 ~ Revised Standard Version 

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

Forensic composite of Paul from all the early, alike iconic art

To Phile′mon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Ap′phia our sister and Archip′pus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:

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

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ. 7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an ambassador and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for my child, Ones′imus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless (!) to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me!

I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel; 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.

Perhaps this is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17

So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand, I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be granted to you.

Ep′aphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristar′chus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.


The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

3rd Century Copy of Philemon surviving the 3 centuries of Roman destruction. This is the earliest (nearly) complete manuscript of the Epistles.

Good News! This Biblical Book is highly regarded as one of the undisputed works of Paul. Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, agrees in the 3rd Century, as well.

A slice of history, Paul is telling us he has guests - therefore - this is not the imprisonment in The Mamertino Prison, the Tullianum. The documents still exist to this Mamertino Prison history. The older portion is, mostly, below street level (in all our photos today). History says Paul and Peter were imprisoned here and this is recorded being built in The Law of the Twelve Tables, the ancient legislation, the foundation of Roman law, in 500 B.C. It is quite horribly, awful inside the prison. The prison ceiling is remarkably familiar to the archaeological dig 80 feet below the altar of The Vatican Altar. Here Peter's grave was sheltered by a huge rock allowing Peter's bones (upon this rock) not to decay. DNA studies showed this to be a man of Hebrew descent, age 62; having had his feet cut off, as Peter's were.

In Philemon, instead, this location is where Paul - only by tradition - is recorded being in
San Paolo alla Regola - and the Monastery next door. His accommodations are the photo below.

Paul was allowed to have visitors. It might have looked better 2,000 years ago. We hope. Anyone who wished to visit Paul, could.

{History records:
The sixteenth-century mansion mirrors along an old Roman road network (now Via S. Paul to the Rule), hides a series of structures of the imperial age known such a time as the Houses of St. Paul to the Rule. They will keep for about 15 m in height corresponding to four floors, two below the current street level, to a depth of 9 m, and two above the ground. It is a large complex where the first level is an environment, covered with a barrel vault, willing to stand on the narrow streets of functional service to the commercial activities along the river. They are very probably identified with the Horrea Vespasiani that Domitian had built in this area. The building underwent a complete renovation at the beginning of the third century. A.D. and yet, after a fire, in the era of Constantine.  Roman structures were built before the tower-house, which still remains, behind the current building. Some areas of the complex retain fragments of frescoes and mosaic floors are decorated with black and white geometric patterns (rectangles, four-pointed stars, scales to fans etc..) That make up an example of the figurative repertoire mosaic spread to Rome and Ostia age Severian.)

Paul is with Timothy, his son by adoption in God's family. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, sends the most loving of letters and we experience and feel the Love, Sincerity, Warmth. We agree together this fills our souls fully with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness - seeing Paul's gentleness and self-control.

Paul! Continues! He shows Joy - A pun on Onesimus's name, which means "useful" in verse 11!

The earliest known fragment of  The Epistle to Philemon, dates late 2nd century, (a century history records the disciple John was alive, arguing the validity of Jesus as God and human man) now housed in a  museum in Cologne, France.

I was raised hearing "Onward Christian Soldiers" and have love for the song. We sang this beautiful hymn in my parochial schools with Joy. Because men and women, like Paul, for centuries, provided a Bible we can easily find today. Paul lived "From whom much is given, much is required."

Paul, knew what would happen to take up the Cross of Jesus and proclaim Jesus as Lord. He carefully measured the path. To provide - for your feet - an establishing way, well established, for us. We do not have a Spirit of fear, but of confidence in Jesus. 

Paul's struggle, and the victory of Jesus Christ, allows the innocence of the song we see in the video above. 

There will always be a spiritual battle.

We will be strong in the Lord. From the strength of His might! And stand firm. In the name of Jesus, with prayer and petition knowing the battle is won in Jesus the Lord. Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's."
 Onward Christians, soldier together, upbuild the Body in Love!

1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Nehemiah 8:10
"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve.
Ror the joy of the LORD is your strength!"

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Luke 10:38-42 ~ received Him into her house

Luke 10:38-42


Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40

But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; 42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.”

We all get a choice in life, we can hem and haw and wrap up in the imperfections of life.

Or we can look up to the One who is Good.

2 Millenniums ago,  Jesus announced He had women He discipled. And He set about remembering them for the generations coming forth.

God loves self-governance and I would bet Martha would want to crawl under the chair (the picture shows a restful shade under the chair) - instead of being corrected. We can avoid the correction. Yet a correction in the ears of a wise woman created a Jesus sized difference in her life.

Bethany in 1880

John 11

20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27

She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying quietly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Then Mary, when she came where Jesus was and saw him, fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.

Martha is a communicator, good for her. She steps up to Welcome Jesus. In the first Gospel, she is whining.There is not a peace being worked. Nor is she being nicey.

In the second Gospel, she is doing what Jesus taught people...going to the Creator of all mankind with an important Truth.

Miracles Jesus Required Work from the Participant - Acts of Faith

1 Jesus Turns Water into Wine

Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took it.

2 Jesus Heals an Official's Son

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way.

3 Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit

Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

4 Jesus Heals Peter's Mother-in-Law

He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served him.

5 Jesus Heals Many Sick at Evening

Jesus requires no action other than the people attend.

6 First Miraculous Catch of Fish

Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”

7 Jesus Cleanses a Man With Leprosy

Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to the people.”


Now Martha asked the Serving of the men, and Jesus, be assisted. Seems seemly. Jesus was saying if it wasn't ready,  others would help. Jesus was committing the work would be accomplished. He was asking for priorities over Social obligations.

Jesus was pulling faith - from acts of faith - into belief.

Martha went from social obligations to Working a Peace.

We cannot judge Martha - she started the Gospel correctly - she welcomed Jesus where she dwells. Making Martha a disciple of Jesus. A work in progress - going far looking to Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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