Mark 15 ~ And they led Him out to crucify Him.

Mark 15

And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council.

28 White Marble Scala Sancta taken from Pilate's Praetorium

And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 

And he answered him, “You have said so.”

 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.” 

5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 

11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

16 And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. 17 And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 

19 And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. 

And they led Him out to crucify Him.

21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. [Possibly Romans 16:13.]

22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, 
but he did not take it. 

24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him.

26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, 

“The King of the Jews.”

27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.

33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 

35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 

37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 

38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 

39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

 42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 

44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 

46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

We all need Jesus to lead us.

He Lives!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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James 5:11-18 ~ we count as blessed those who have persevered

Seeing with the eyes of Faith, Jesus Christ for us at the intersection of God and man

The Book of James 5:11-18

11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.

If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 

16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. 

He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 

18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.



God is amazing. That He would answer prayers with so much effectiveness. This passage is written with the earnestness of seeing God Answer the Prayer of His Children. God lets His very own Glory Shine and Shine Brightly in this Scriptural Passage about our Beginning of our Churches.



Does this happen today? Yes. Christian healers are those usually in the ministry without any hope of honor or glory for themselves. Father Mike Endicott. Reverend and Mrs Francis and Judith MacNutt. There are still healers today.
God IS Living, Active and Working.

God moved the Red Sea? Walks on Water? God creates Water. God creates the very molecules. Jesus spoke and the storm stopped at Sea? A seismic wind rushing through the mountains to the Sea of Galilee? God created the Sea of Galilee for this Jesus event, probably. And Jesus calms the storm with His Word. Like a game of catch between Father and Son. All circumstances are in His Hand.

Before we were born and to the Great Reunion - Psalm 139 says we are known intimately and loved in the womb. Happy are those who dwell with HIM. Uzzah touched the Ark and God was angry. Don't we remember that God's anger turns to Favor quickly? God who created the Universe with His Word - Nothing is to Great for Him.

1 Samuel 2:8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. "For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; on them he has set the world."

Deuteronomy 10:20
Have reverence for the Lord your God and worship only him. Be faithful to him and make your promises in his name alone.

The people who are seeing vast happenings of healing - are relying upon Jesus alone. In His Promises. We are learning effective prayer takes not three to four minutes but sometimes an hour or more.

We talk about so much being wrong in the world. We are very certainly diverse. Take time each day to remember what is GOOD. See beyond merely reading the news - pray for the situation and the protection of the nations.

It isn't only that others have persevered for 400 years to be able to put the Scriptures in your hand. It is that we persevere for God, daily. We strive for others to be drawn to the Love God has.

To know God. Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

How High, How Wide, How Deep is the Love GOD has for You - His Child?
When we do like Psalm 81 says and we wait for God in all seasons - He is going to fill up His Promises to us - beyond what we understand.

Never give up. Never ever. Never. GOD LOVES YOU.

Father God, not to the Right nor the Left, we want You to be our Center. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Matthew 17:14-20 ~ Lord have mercy

 

The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 17

14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Here is an idea for this Passage. It's like verse 20 says, a little weak in faith. However, Jesus said to deal gently with the newbies. Or the different idea than yourself. To be an encourager, like Paul said in the Holy Spirit. And! The Spirit of God can move us as the Word is Living and Active.

In the Spiritual bottom line: Jesus knew He was dealing with a spiritual force created from exile in God's Kingdom. A vast and powerful God knows of what He is speaking. God is God.

I've heard a Sermon on using the brain Father God has gifted us with. Seeing great Holy Spirit works with practicality to understand at the level we can see with our physical eyes. And I had a conversation with a loved on on reaching faith through practicality. We can look at this verse with the brain and eyes God has given us to see a practical level that is much smaller, yet still part of our lives - daily.

Seeing this passage as: The situations in our life troubling us.

We can allow ourselves to fall into the fire of being overwhelmed with life. Or we can ignore our real difficulties and drown them with water like selfishness, alcohol or substance, video games and emotions. Allowing ourselves to be the victim and love our troubles for defining us. Not allowing ourselves to see real oppression and not grasping God to hold us to His path.

The task it to be like Joshua centered on Jesus to be our Savior.

My New Year Resolution is to acknowledge my difficulties. To express them. To gather Pray in myself and from trusted Christians. To cast my opportunities for a solution UP to Jesus, Who Cares for me. And to see with expectation what God will do. And release my worries knowing that He will not shun a worrier. Our Father God is Love.

Joshua 1:7

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left.

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Father God, we pray for One Mission during January to be pleasing to You. We ask You in this new year all our resolutions and to give our worries to  Your guidance, Love, mercy and direction. Letting You, Jesus, to to be what centers us and leads us in our lives. Keep us in You, always. Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Mark 9:1-13 ~ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

Sukkot Festival of Booths

 Mark 9:1-13

And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

11 And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

12 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? 13 But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Psalm 126
A song of ascents.

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.

4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.

6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy!
Carrying sheaves with them!

Acts 16

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

So Jesus took Peter, James and John and they saw Moses and Elijah. Jesus asked them not to speak of this meeting as the meeting closed.The same promise for both men - Peter felt it was to be shared. John felt it was a solid promise and created the most amazing description of Jesus Christ ever written in John 1. God honored both men reacting to Jesus.

How did they know this was Moses and Elijah? The photo at the top has some interesting imagery from the Sukkot Festival of Booths. This might have been achieved by video projection on to the vapor. God tells us He is God of the Living. So the seeing Moses and Elijah - they were indeed quite solid in form. Like the Road to Emmaus. How do we know? God tells us He is God of the Living. I can't  think of one instance in the Bible where a vapor was acknowledged. The Holy Spirit is acknowledged to be Fire. God likes to tell of His plan and rely upon faith.

Mark 12:27
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

And we see in Acts 16 Paul has a vision during the night. This could have been 9 p.m. or possibly 1 a.m. however God is clear that a vision is far clearer than a dream. God directs people by dream, but when I feel that I've had an important dream sometimes it's as clear as a vision. God would certainly have to use a way to convey to someone what is an idea of the mind - a dream. And the other would be something important enough to change direction or even lives.

One other thing about God and visions. Frequently, He gives direction and then asks the person to go forward with faith. He seems to not be present and yet, He is. Error occurs when people assume God would give direction and quit. People are more apt to quit and sin than God give up.  A mistake repeated in the Bible many times. Let's learn.

There never is an exact phrase in the Bible of God closes a door or opens a window. That seems so .... vapor-ish. And God says when we do His Will He will provide good things for us. Here the people who love God were going to do what they thought best. God stopped them and sent them in a new direction. This is - God closes a door and makes a new path.

God gives mankind work to believe God. Psalm 126 in Joy of the Victory - God is still saying life requires spreading the Good News.

Father God, in this New Year we are continuing to pray with One Mission.  This community is choosing a means of fasting for 21 days of January. (Like Clark gives up certain entertaining TV shows like Law and Order.) 30 Christian Churches clergy and congregations of vast denominations pray over our community here in The Woodlands, Tomball, Magnolia, Conroe and Houston, Texas. That the Light continues to Shine and the darkness vanishes. Renewal of Hope, Faith and Love!

For our loved ones in  family, friends, Churches, neighborhood, coworkers and communities to be strong lending to the strength of the Nation and the vast World saved by Jesus Christ. We rejoice in 92% of our Congress professes Jesus as Lord.  We are always privileged to pray in the name of God's Son, our Savior, the Highest Name of all - Jesus. Knowing we are indeed covered by God's Love. Amen. 

P.S. We had the worst fire in recorded history in our tri-counties of Texas the Year One Mission began. Father God, You have told us in plain language we would have trouble in this world. Our communities saw fire fighters arrive from all across our Continent and even to Alaska. The Facebook pages created for immediate news release of the moving rescue centers, due to vast fires, reported again and again of houses spared and winds changing to spare the dwellings.  This was the first year and we thank God for prayer for our communities that very year. We count our blessings. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Mark 9:14-29 ~ Said Jesus, “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Mark 9:14-29

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 

15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

1 Corinthians 9

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.

 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 

22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.


23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Jesus met quit a few people who have said this over the millenniums:

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe;

 help me overcome my unbelief!”

And you know, Jesus dealt with this Much more Kindly than -

Luke 1:19
19 The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 "And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."…

And again I must say - "Jesus is my Savior and my Hero." 
No wonder! King David said to the prophet Gad - "Let me fall into the hands of God where I will look for His Mercy!!!"

Jesus said look to Him and see our Father God.

How did Jesus deal with weakness?

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

The last blind man I met was an Anglican Priest who said he prayed and begged and pleaded for God to heal for almost twenty years. And in his sightlessness, he suddenly understood that he was missing God's willingness to bless for not allowing the Hope of God to flow like living water from the cross. God is willing! Why would we see Him as stingy - an unwilling Father. He has a vast Ministry  in healing now!

The Blind Healer Paperback – January 9, 2012
by Mike Endicott (Author)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Blind-Healer-Mike-Endicott/dp/0857210548

A perfect example of the blind SEE. Just as Rev. Francis MacNutt quotes Jesus took our sins and healed our weaknesses. Just as Bishop Clark at HopePointe saw God grow the leg of a two year old boy. The people of that Catholic Church all tremendously wanted the little boy to have two legs to walk on. Changing Clark's life forever, as he decided only to serve Father God.

God is working in ways we have to See. With Faith.

Zacchaeus was lame. His life felt in need of something. Zacchaeus was willing to put down some of his pride and climb a tree and Call Out to Jesus. Jesus healed that lameness.

Luke 19
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”






And Poor?  We have all failed God. 
And been 'Nicodemus' coming at night to God with our concerns - first, first, first and always our concerns. Like Nicodemus we treat Jesus as Saint Nick.

Jesus has dealt with weakness.

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, 

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him!”

And did Jesus give Nicodemus us-Santa-seekers the bums rush? Yes!
Jesus spoke the Truth with such tenderness ~
Nicodemus was a follower of Jesus the rest of his life.


John 3 - Jesus told Nicodemus

9 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

What was this verdict that caused Nicodemus to change in his heart?
Jesus spoke plainly and with tenderness of Overwhelming Love.

John 3
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Nicodemus was blessed, blessed are the eyes of Nicodemus, because they saw; and Nicodemus ears, because they heard. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what Nicodemus saw, and did not see it, and to hear what Nicodemus heard, and did not hear it.

Nicodemus changed because he knew God and God Loved Nicodemus. Nicodemus knew Good News.



Father God, in You, Patricia can see. Her cataracts were healed and the blood vessels to her eyes the size of human hair became normal again. In You, a blind priest with two decades of pleading for Your mercies suddenly could see Your Willingness to let prayers be answered in faith. The Blind see in Jesus.

Let us not be deaf to Him.

The lame are strengthened!!! We are Going Forth. And the poor have the Goodness of God's Good News. Test God in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." We are willing Lord Father God! Open our eyes to our blessings. Our ears to hear Your Love. To put forward and lift our drooping hands and strengthen our weak knees. Our yield will be peace, Love and Joy. We live with Hope and Love.

Father God let us renew our wonder. Seeing Your blessing. People love us. People depend on us. We encourage others. We Love.

God is pouring forth a blessing - See the Blessing! Amen, we pray with Joy in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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