John 9 ~ Lord, I believe

John 9

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains."




I have usually dismissed the adult man's parents for being politically correct and not brave.

Today I was struck, anew, with their desire not to leave the Temple Worship. If your child could suddenly see- miraculously healed - and you had been taught all your life that God dwells in the Temple - sitting on the Mercy Seat Ark of the Covenant - you would Not want to be put outside. You would want to give Thanks and be in Worship.

Jesus goes to the healed man! Jesus does not want the healed man to have the joy of his healing botched. Jesus fully loves His People - Jesus spends time completing the miracle.

When you have seen Jesus - you have seen the Father. Thank God, again and again, for the honesty of the Scripture.

The New Testament tells us in several places of the struggles within the Church which Jesus told His Disciples of in Caesarea. There is New Testament glory in Psalm 1- staying in the Message of God - participating in Worship. We all need to see in Galatians 5 - there are a lot of differences between staying in the message of God and dwelling without it.

The Joy of Jesus is seen here again - Jesus loves what is healed - to stay healed

Blessed Father, thank You for allowing us to gather together in freedom to Worship You. Help us to have Your favor to proclaim Your Good News to the ones we Love and to the people You surround us with. Thank You for many times You have healed and continue to show You are Working. Thank You Father. In Jesus. God Bless us please. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Daniel 12:1-3 ~ those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

The Book of Life

Daniel 12:1-3 

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.



There are so many things to like about this brief few verses of Scripture. We find we will have a wonderful hope in our future. And we find the wise shall shine Like the brightness of the sky above; Like the stars forever. And Yet not as a star. An important distinction. Mufasa speaks so soothingly, movingly and beautifully of the kings shining in the sky. Scripture could support that thought; today we know space is cold, quiet and empty. We do not secure an empty place, but a place of Love in His eternal Kingdom of beauty. And in reality, we know we do not see all the stars and to exist as a star is sight out of mind.

Father God makes something we understand as community. A place were we know when we read Scripture.

In this passage we learn Michael is considered to be a a great prince and archangel. Keeping peace. Surely a task fit for an archangel.

Jude 1:9
But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”


^{God Gives us a Challenge}

Genesis 1:26
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.


Do you ask how to resist anger? As soon as you feel the slightest resentment, gather together your powers, not hastily or impetuously, but gently and seriously. For as in some law courts, the criers make more noise in their efforts to preserve quiet than those they seek to still, so, if we are impetuous in our attempts to restrain our anger, we cause greater discomposure in our hearts than before; and once thrown off its balance, the heart is no longer its own master. -- St. Francis de Sales


 Hebrews 1:14
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

2 Corinthians 10:3-6
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.



Deliverance and Salvation are works of the LORD GOD.

Even Archangels get irked. Thank God He is real and gives forth real Testimony.

David wrote Psalm 39
I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good, And my sorrow grew worse. 3My heart was hot within me, While I was musing the fire burned; Then I spoke with my tongue


Luke 1
Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." 19The 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

We will never be privileged to know if this was the absolute plan of God or an anger Gabriel, we all love, displayed.

What is sure is that even in all circumstances.
God is Working. Working towards His Good we lean towards.
Thank God the Word He shows us has so many details - we see God is for us. Telling us the truth.


1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,


Romans 10:12 
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”


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

Luke 12:8 
I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.


God tells us many times Jesus lived joy here. He does not spell this out - He tells of of amazing wonder and we must think that through - although He does tell us a few times. And in real life - joy irritation and humor carry us forth in His Great Plan. God giving us patience to "Rise Above."

~ And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Father God to You, darkness is not dark. Nothing is hidden. Help us to be in the Number when the Saints com marching in. Help those we love to be in that number and as we bring forth more light, in Jesus Christ the Lord - bless all of us unto the Nation itself. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 18:21-19:2 ~ He healed them there

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 with great gratitude.

Thank You Father God. In Jesus.  God bless us all. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

2 Corinthians 8:7-15 ~ As you excel in everything—

Manna

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

7 But as you excel in everything—
in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness,
and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 

11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.

12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

 

God is interesting. There is no limit to His Storehouse.

Deuteronomy 28
The LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. 12"The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

This is what Paul thought of the people he brought the Good News of Jesus Christ to:

You excel in everything— in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.


Paul had so many, many verses explaining of the Love God has for us.


If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And now these these three things remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you.

While they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.

This Scripture is found by just browsing Corinthians idly. Paul has pages and page declaring why he left his life to bring Jesus to - us. If you need a booster on how wide, deep and high is God's Love - look for this as you flip through the pages just telling us specifically of the Love for His people proclaimed in Jesus.


Manna - God sent renewal each day if we look for the moment in each new morning we see His Mercies renew each day. An inspiring part to manna - God's blessings do not have to be locked away - they are refreshed and renewed daily. In gratitude we see the sufficiency of each day. God not burdening us - but strengthening and encouraging us.

Father God, as we daily open our hands to You to invite You in -  we  are checking  we are New Creations in You. Open my heart to create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me.

Bring me the joy of Your Salvation, and uphold me with a willing Spirit. Renew my mind and help me in Your Will discern what is Your Godly will, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Let us put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Put in me love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

We place in Your Care and Love - our loved ones. The people you bring us and our Churches - may her doors open each day in Expectation of Your Glory, and our Nation. Knowing all Goodness is in You, Father God. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 12 ~ The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand"

The Cathedral of Basil the Blessed

Matthew 12

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet.”’

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd listened to him with delight.

Luke 2:52
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

 
The real Jesus has personality, Joy in Healing and delights in His People. Jesus shows us His Nature. 

This is why Large Crowds saw Jesus raise the son of the Widow of Nain - her despair and need were the basis of the Multitudes of Believers storming into the Temple when Jesus was found to be Alive. Their Witness. The need only for Joy - when Jesus raised a leader of the Synagogue's daughter - privately.  Jesus didn't need the political pull - this was for this man's pain and his request to Jesus.

Not all the hearers of Jesus delighted in him. Jesus was known to see right into a Person and be able to tell us exactly what was what. Jesus is the Light of the World. And He is Truth with Grace upon Grace!

Here is an evangelical challenge  -What if you had to preach to Ivan the Terrible?

A Very Important and Striking aspect of Evangelism is this 
- What about God do we Love?   
This is Exactly how we convey Jesus the Lord to the ones we Love. The Gospel is received with Love in our Souls.

An aspect of God appealing to Ivan was Truth and was a Love for the People. Ivan wanted people not to be afraid of him. Basil was honest - Loving - bold.

Known as the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, a Russian Orthodox Cathedral, it is the geometric center of Moscow since the 14th century. Built by Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible), it contains eight side churches arranged around the ninth, the tenth church was erected in 1588 over the grave of venerated Basil - Fool for Christ. Basil lived:

Proverbs 16:7
When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

Basil was an apprentice shoemaker in Moscow, but became a shoplifter. He gave to the poor to shame the miserly and help those in need. He rebuked Ivan the Terrible for not paying attention in church, and for his violent behavior towards the innocent.

Most of the time, admonishing anyone with name "the Terrible" wasn’t such a good idea, but apparently Ivan had a soft spot for the holy fool (as Basil was also known) and ordered a Church to be built in his name after Basil died. When Basil died on August 2, 1557,
Ivan the Terrible himself acted as pallbearer and carried his coffin to the cemetery.

Ivan appreciated being boldly told to be merciful and be a servant of Christ Jesus. Ivan appreciated Basil for living Basil's mercy, admonition and Love.

Basil - MUST have met with timing only sent by the Lord Father God Almighty, because the rest of Ivan the Terrible's reign was marked by a violent spiral downward. Basil's life was remembered as a servant of Jesus Christ and inspired many, including Ivan the Terrible's son.


What would have inspired a man to take on Ivan the Terrible?

Ivan had a Terrible Childhood. To read the summaries of Ivan's life is to disregard the full instruction of a man struggling to do the right thing in the 15th century. The rules were different. Ivan actually had a first wife the summaries disregard. Ivan judged her to be insane and weirdly judgmental - instead of killing her or putting her in a terrible mental institution - he had her put in a nunnery where he figured she had a chance.

Ivan traveled to France after one of the wars ended and he met young Charles IX of France. He saw how suppressed Charles IX was by his mother as regent. He lifted the young king in his arms and strolled out of the Court to explain to Charles, like Russia, France must offer hope and jobs and a way just for the people of the land. He was quite kind to the king and felt real empathy for him. Catherine the Great modeled some of her governmental ideas of trying to bring prosperity to the people based upon this man.

Basil did not just renounce Ivan as a Person.
Basil saw the chance of goodness in Ivan.
Basil, because of his Love, felt like there was a chance to reach Ivan.
Basil was seeing the good in Ivan. With Love.

Basil's life, giving to the poor, may have inspired the legends of Robin Hood 100 to 200 years later. Ivan the Terrible's son, Feodor commissioned more towers to be built, 30 years later, around Basil's grave and the Cathedral that became known as Basil's Cathedral.





Father God, teach us daily to speak the aspects of God into the hearts of the ones we Love.

Help us to remember all the time -Jesus is God's Living Word. Today, Jesus our God is Living and active bringing wonders to us. I had a bad dream and the phone made a sweet noise and I realized my dream was silly. Thank You for Your mercy God. Jesus brings us life and light.

Father God talkers of God just talk. When we show, today, exactly like the Early Church - the salvation of God is truly Love we have aspects to reveal in our actions. You have said "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

"An expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?""What is written in the law?" He asked him. "How do you read it?"He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."You've answered correctly," He told him. "Do this and you will live."- Luke 10: 25-28

Jesus tells us loving kindness reveals Salvation.


"I have not come to condemn the world, but to save it." John 3:17 Jesus has Bold Words.

"Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."- John 8:11 Jesus conveys Himself as God.

Father God, We are supposed to sacrifice ourselves like Queen Victoria picked up her finger bowl and drank as her guest did. God says He honors mercy over religious sacrifice. We speak words of blessings for those You disagree with the most.

 Ephesians 3:12 Jesus, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. Jesus LIVES!

2 Corinthians 3:12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold

Acts 4:29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness

We will Gather, Father God. We will be filled with the Holy Spirit and pray for appropriate boldness of the Early Church's Love.

We ask Your Blessing for Our Freedom of Speech and we ask for Jesus to Live Giving Truth and Grace upon Grace.  Lord Please Bless Our Nation.

We pray that All Churches open the doors every single day to open in Worship and Food and Fellowship as the Book of Acts suggests. When Jesus blesses fish and bread because He does - if we open the Doors of the Church every single day expecting God - He Will Be There. We pray the opportunity to bring one Person to Church this year and that they meet the Living God for the first time.

We have no verse we can point to telling us to Judge someone for God. Father God grow the hearts of those we Love to say: Lord God, You Love Me. Thank You. In Jesus we Rejoice.

The Nation who relies upon God - will not be disappointed. Jesus Saves. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 1 ~ And he gave him the name Jesus!!!

Matthew 1

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

4 Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

6 and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

9 Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[c] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

12 After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,

Abihud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

14 Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Elihud,

15 Elihud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.


18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[d]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[e] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son.

And he gave him the name Jesus.




Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be always pleasing and acceptable in Thy sight Oh Lord My God, my Rock and my Redeemer. 

God has shown us many season in these generations. There were abundant times and lean times. Strict times and "Hey we found Scripture when we cleaned out the falling down Temple" Times.

My son Alexander runs on an idea - you have to live with what God gives you. The concrete facts of life. And then we look for the models of success to make success. Alexander is going to build - getting a Masters in Building.

Today.

Today we all got a NEW PLAN handed down to us from The Supreme Court.

And Peace was not increased. And The Thunder Rolls.

If you are 70 Something percent of regular Church Going America - You are Concerned.

We are worried about More Words that are Hateful. Hateful. Describing the problems of the Nation and the hope of the Nation

We are worried about our Great Great Grandchildren born trying things that in other times wouldn't have thought to try.

We are worried about The Greek Empire and The Roman Empire.

We do not know what to say to the ones we love who are Gay.

We are worried our Clergy will be pressed to be in compliance like Wine in the Great Prohibition.

We have - an - Amazing - Ally - GOD - is FOR HIS PEOPLE And FOR HIS PLAN and For His Church.





We Have Identified Our Times.

We Continue to know the Direction - Upwards to God. 

In All Seasons  - JESUS THE LORD.

Good NEWS!
We have 70 Plus Percent praying and Going to Church. We only have 30 Percent more to go- bring to the Father's House in Jesus' Love. That means if we bring 1 person to Church and let them Know the Good News of Jesus' Amazing Unfailing Grace as the Reason Church Exists - To Glorify God - We will have established more of the Great Commission.



We can do one
of two things
Worry.
We can cut off people. Tell them NO WAY You are His.
We can huddle down and complain to no great effect. Just become an isolated and unhappy dwindling Church that in it's perfection does not reach people in their needs - just the Sunday show up.
We can hunker down and be cautious.  Reject the divorcing. Reject the odd looking with pirate type clothing. Reject the jock who just wants to run. Reject People with different ideas than ours and different lives.  Reject all but the very safe because times are hard.
Hunker down and talk and talk and talk and talk.


Or
Find...

Look for Models of Success.

Good NEWS!!!!
We have Models for Great Success in this exact same area.
What did the Church do when faced with the realization that Jesus was coming again there were still 30 percent to be reached???

So now we need to fall over and bend over and save the planet with an Improved Scripture?
No. We stick to what God tells us is HIS.
The Book of Romans Chapter One is His.
We just don't act like we expect to be the Children of Israel in the lean burned out desert.
Do we have to shut up and put up? NO. God gave us voices. VOICES THAT BELIEVE THAT GOD IS LOVE AND HOPE. That JESUS spoke of the JOY in this Life. Voices that LOOK TO WHATEVER IS GOOD AND NOBLE AND PURE!

Good NEWS! The Federal Government is so Interested IN Human Rights!!!
Speak Up!!! Our Arlington and our National Cemeteries are filled for those who Died Specifically for Our Rights!!! WE HAVE OUR LOVED ONES WHO GAVE OUR RIGHTS FOR US TO GET UP ANYWHERE USE A MICROPHONE AND HAVE FREEDOM
TO PRAY.

We now need to decide what our responsibility is in bringing Hunker Down times or
dealing with bringing the Good News to the Earth. 

We want all of our family included - the prosperous family - the old family - the unsure family - the young people and the children - in God we want them to come to find they are Loved. This is the Father's House.

The Mission Field is - Your Life.  Not out of the Church - Right next to you.











God says Words are Effective.
We can talk sad times until we go purple in the face.

Or we can say  

The Bible says we are fallen. We must believe we are fallen.
God sees the World. Shaken. Brutal. Worried.  And sees the poor with hardly enough to take a child to the doctor taking in a mother-in-law and an uncle. God sees a blended family where the daughter calls in once a month to see if her father has kicked off. And the second wife and the step-daughter and daughter in law have left all their life on hold to take care of a man a Nursing Home almost destroyed.

The Roman Empire was in very similar shape as - TODAY.
You could "really" be married. Or you could be temporarily be married. Or you could be living with the slave boy you purchased and wed. Or you could just be impregnating this baby momma before you move on with your money and legally let those children rot.

And the People Of GOD Knew How Much God Loved Them - and wanted to HELP each other.

 



Give your 2nd Cloak did not mean give that sucker to Good Will. That meant you know someone who is cold at home because there is trouble and they need warmth.  This is Still Going ON Today. I just got a specific type of leash for my dog. Wow. I needed that because Jo knew she had something someone else could use. Sharon just got a huge surprise when her doorbell rang and Sandy and Steve thought she needed Chicken Noodle Soup because of her sinus infection. And she was thrilled and called to tell me that did I know that some fast food places sell Chicken Noodle Soup and that made her Better!

This week I received an electronic Card and it was at a time I was pressed. Do you know - that Word of Encouragement - kept me going for three days?

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself !
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<><!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Notre Dam saw the furnishings burned and sacrifices made to wound the hearts of the faithful.
We do not mope. We will go forth in His Strength Alone.






 

So what is the Passage actually mean today?  Days are Coming!
There are new generations ahead - we prepare the way for our loved ones to know they are loved
in Jesus Christ.


Father God, You always tell us to Look For Good. To Give thanks in all circumstances. To believe in expectation all things are in Your Hands. We boldly ask for Freedom of Speech to Pray.

We ask for the patience with everyone for a huge change.

We ask You, Holy Father, not for revenge of evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

WE look to the Future with Expectation. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. We will look in Jesus for opportunity to speak of the Love, Joy, Peace, Patience and Goodness of God.

We want to see news as the opportunity for God. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.

Now may the God of peace make us holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for He who calls us is faithful.

Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us and one another. Jackson and Jim. For the new attitude of evangelism to provide Hope leading to the Knowledge of God's Love.

Help us to Greet all the brothers and sisters with Christian love.

Father we will preach all of Your Word in the name of the Lord to all the brothers and sisters.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us as a Nation and a Light of the World in Jesus Christ. Let the Light of Jesus Christ Shine Forth in Greater Victories.

We give God Glory for the people who help us effectively minister to others. In Jesus and for His Advice to have teams of two, especially in Prayer. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †