Mark 8:22-26 ~ by the hand

Mark 8:22-26

And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 

23 And he took the blind man by the hand
and led him out of the village.

And when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 

24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 

25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”



There are moments when you read Scripture, you know you have walked with Jesus. The disciples were right, your heart knows what it knows what it knows.


Jesus The Son of God. Busy. Sought after. On point. Always surrounded. Jesus did not tell this man, "Quickly, go around the corner, move briskly, ok, we ditched the crowd. Now."

Jesus. Our Hero. Led this man by the hand and they strolled. Walked. Traveled together. Hand in hand.

Jesus the Lord. Alive and well. Bringing us hope - today.


Father God,

May the Lord, bless us and keep us.

May You shine Your face upon us.

And be gracious to us.

May You Lift up Your Countenance and Smile upon us.

May You bring us Peace, covering us in the Name of the Lord - Jesus the Christ. Only Son of God.
Lamb of God. Our Righteousness. Jesus the Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Psalm 130 ~ with You there is forgiveness

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities!

"Morning Has Broken" a Christian hymn by English author Eleanor Farjeon, published in 1931, using the Gaelic tune "Bunessan" (tune also used as "Child in the Manger").

My family always plays this beautiful song at our weddings and christenings. On our 25th Anniversary Holiday Weekend; at Church, a God-incidence, this song was played. What a blessing to hear it! It was my dad's favorite song. He died after divorcing my mother just before their 25th anniversary. Decades of one of the most loving marriages was abandoned. He did, as so many fathers do in divorce, he deserted his children. Making poor choices, choices we wouldn't have wanted him to make, ending his life in 1993. 

His last sentence was looking forward to God's mercy and dwelling with us in heaven. For us, it is quite emotional, reminds us of so many good memories of a lovely man who had an alcohol addiction. A man Jesus loves.

Divorce, infidelity, broken families, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Al Anon, Celebration Recovery are things people bring when they seek the comfort of God. God's open door policy is come as you really are.










What is Psalm 130? It's twin Psalm would be Psalm 67 or

Numbers 6:24-27
The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Psalm 32:1
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.


Psalm 67
 
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!





Father God,

We want to Go with Your  blessing and hope our eternal life blooms.

We cover those we love with good health. Our  love for our families, our pets. To have Him help us see the job for the day with Joy, Zest, and Faith.

Jesus bless all of that. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Psalm 91 ~ He shall give

Psalm 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust.”

3 Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust; His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day, 6 nor of the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor of the destruction that layeth waste at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation, 10 there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample underfoot.

14 “Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.

15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

About 1908, my 40s something Great Grandfather Stephen Pinkney Richardson acquired Pneumonia and died. Stephen accomplished some good things. He left his 12 children believing in Jesus, built a Methodist Church and a small, small public library. My grandmother was 10 years old and she missed him and wrote a book about "Remembering Pappa." All the 12 children spoke well of him. Very well.

When my Grandmother Anita was in her early 40s, about 1941, antibiotics had one year to be invented. Sulfa was given. And Grandmother turned out to be allergic to penicillin. She might have died from the trial of the antibiotic. Grandmother Anita was in an iron lung for one solid year and lived. She taught Bible Study for 40 years. We have interesting commentary of a feisty, dedicated to Jesus Prayer Warrior. Who Worried All the Time. And one of the most grateful people I've ever seen - so very genuine.

The New Years I turned 40, I had Pneumonia for a week and a half. I coughed so badly that I threw out my back for 5 weeping sometimes years. I was grateful to God to know I'd survive the entire time and for the invention of the anti-viral Tamaflu.

This week, we have spent 12 hours and 10 hours a day in the Hospital. My mom has arrived at double Pneumonia through a UTI and in the course of taking 4 IV antibiotics. She has a miraculous level back to normal in her blood counts. Miraculous to arrive out of being semi-comatose. And miraculous to recover from being a little bit dementia oriented.



We worried to tell Hospice 3 times to wait. We worried we had condemned her to a life of merely breathing in a retirement home. We listened when she didn't make sense. We answered the same questions again and again. We WORRIED.


And it's a faith walk.

You have one strand of faith, one understanding of His Love in the Journey, the Trial.

You find another strand. The years of faith in Jesus taught to young children. Making a difference, that life is pushed aside and time is taken and people go to lengths to arrive.

Another strand. Do the best you can to please God and in pleasing God, asking Him to establish a way, truth, life for her.

The next strand of Truth. God is in Charge - there is no praying this incorrectly. Earnest Love for Health and Vitality.

The next strand of faith. God has a Plan. His Plan is good. If she goes Home to Heaven, God is going to take care of her.


We want to see the end result clearly. The end result is that if you call on Jesus - You are going Home.


The small steps of what we can do today - is the part where we get to live our faith and please God.

We will all sit at the Table of God and have a different Viewpoint. It's up to us all through out the New Testament to figure out how to be an earnest, genuine, God call answering member of Jesus' Body. How we strive to be on His Path. What our Call is Today.

There is a restaurant where we love to go and the wait server always asks what we will do for Fun Today. I'm pretty sure this is a reminder His Mercies Renew Each Day.

And Jesus tells us to be Salt. Flavorful.

And Light. Let His Love shine to remove what is too heavy and not encouraging us to Look Up To Jesus.

Taking the aspects of our life - not expecting ourselves to save us. Letting God Save us.

Realizing all the day - God Saves us.

The pieces of the puzzle
the painting
the stained glass
the art
the mystery

Will Renew in His Love.

Father God,

You do Give.

You give us Your Son Jesus to make us perfect and redeemed in Your eyes for eternity.

You give us this day.

You provide for us.

You show us Your Glory.

You hold us to You in Love for Eternity in Your Kingdom.

You Give us Your Mighty Love.

Thank You in Jesus for the ones I love and pray for. Thank You for this day.
Thank You for listening to prayers. We will look forward to the Future and Laugh with Joy at the Time to Come. We will take up the Banner of being Covered by His Love. We will be free.  This Joy is From Jesus the Lord. And we say God's Will Be Done with Peace. This comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Amen.

Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Luke 4:24-27 ~ cleansed

Luke 4:24-27

24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”


Being on the side of Jesus the Lord. There are different gifts, but the same Holy Spirit.

Why would anyone want to have a prophet gift? Peter did not. Moses took one look at his leprous arm and said no. Jeremiah said I'm too young. Jeremiah had a rough gig, he really did. And wound up being the one God kept safe during an amazing war.

The idea is, pick up your cross, take your circumstances and do your best for God. Living out the Call of God - is Prophetic.

The idea is  -  it is God who promotes us.  Not popularity and blending in. The rough places of power and people pleasing only go so far. Prophets accept the narrow way because the path needs help. When Systems break down and the community as a whole, (in the case of Jesus, the Nation as a whole) is in peril.

Elijah saw the people begin to worship a god asking for infant sacrifice. God still loved Ahab and they had had a very touching moment. Ultimately, Ahab turned his back on justice and goodness and decided that a woman and land was more important. Elijah squeaked by. In fact, the Nation grew stronger because one life decided that something was important. I saw something similar on Facebook. And add on to this.

I'm going to continue to pray and believe Jesus will help us. I will go so far as to wear a cross and remember I wear a cross to say Jesus is for us. Jesus is the Light of the World. Providing Salvation to me.

I am holding doors for strangers, letting people cut in front of me in traffic, saying yes ma'am, yes sir, saying good morning, being patient with a waiter, and smiling at strangers, as often as I am provided the opportunity. Because I will not stand idly by and live in a world where unconditional love ❤️ is invisible. Join me in showing love ❤️ and respect to someone who may not necessarily deserve it. Find your own way to swing the pendulum in the direction of love❤️. Because today, sadly; hate is winning.

Positivity has to start somewhere and love ❤️ overpowers hate





When Society sees Systems break down...


Elijah could have turned a foreigner named Naaman away. When all Naaman asked for was prayer and healing. Elijah worried.

Elijah saw the government take what was not theirs to take, like land.

Samuel saw his sons rejected and accepted the will of God. Samuel kept on asking for the People of God to have more God.

David went to great lengths to live the Word of God for David and the Nation. David ruled God's Way and was very inclusive. Forgiving.

Jesus saw Herod tell the priests how to preach.

Jesus told the men carrying guns to be content with their pay. Do not accuse people falsely.

Jesus saw the people not being content with Governmental Authority and some people became Zealots for war.

Jesus saw people walk past obvious need for health care.
And preached that the merciful were neighbors.

Jesus saw hypocrisy and said to all - Go and Sin No More.

Jesus saw taxation climb out of control. And saw anger. Jesus then said pay the tax. You owe this. Jesus then took on an odious tax collector as a Disciple. Perhaps because he agreed not to tax too harshly - others. Jesus was for people who did not tax each other too much.

When Zacchaeus did like prophets do and relied upon Jesus for his mistakes and sins - Jesus saw a heart wanting Jesus. And Jesus opened up His Mighty, Mighty Heart.




Jesus

knows
factions
and privileged
and under privileged
sinners
pretenders
liars
rulers
and rebels

Wheat and Weeds

Not envy, not showing off.
Not arrogant, not rude
Not bossy. Not irritable or resentful.
Does not want wrong doing.




And Jesus said to all the wars and strife and situations and need and despair


Matthew 10:16
I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

We are supposed to make choices and not run around like we are without a clue.

Proverbs 10:11
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.
13 On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found

John 15:17
These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly (genuinely), since love covers a multitude of sins.

Love
patient
kind
Rejoices
Truthful
Bears up
Believes Good
Hopes
Endures
Never ends


The prophets decided that time had called for a decision. They could fall with the many or stand with Jesus. Jesus never expected people to be unwise or uninformed. Jesus was saying there is a cost to following Jesus.

Jesus did not run over and rule up. He did not wave around the law and routinely turn away sinners. Jesus did not white wash. Jesus did not pretend that all was well.

Nor did Jesus turn people away who wanted to hope, believe. love, have faith, endure, strengthen.

Jesus did not wave His arms and make problems disappear.
He said make Heaven come to earth.
Jesus said be a problem solver - a solution. Be Genuine.
Jesus said put God first and all these things are added to you.
Jesus said build your life on a Rock.
Jesus said be salt - do not be bland to blend in.
Jesus said be light - don't complain and be dark and heavy handed.

Jesus said Hope and Pray and Don't Give Up.
Jesus said love God more than even your family.
Jesus said make God your priority.
Jesus said All Things Work Together for Good for Those Who Love the Lord And Work According to His Purpose.

When faith really rises, Faith gives us Hope and Love and we have Peace.


Father God,

Help us keep eyes on Jesus. Wisdom in the Instruction of God the Father. And Expectation of the Power of God. Expect Believing in God Brings Joy. Help us to be genuine, loving and expect God to Provide us a Way, Truth and Life pleasing to God. And His children.

Help us to see goodness, provide goodness and not be weary. So much time at the hospital.

Thank You, Father God, for helping my mother. She is better. Edward was so helpful to her. My brother John and his wife really pulled for her. And Jack.

Thank You so Much Father God, we rely on You. Restore us from being Weary.

For our loved ones, their concerns, our communities, Churches, Nations.

Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Psalm 91 ~ the shelter of the Most High

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.


2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.


5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

 
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”


My mother has been in the Hospital for 8 days. She came down with Pneumonia and then Double Pneumonia while on broad spectrum IV Antibiotics. Today was the day the physicians and family all anticipated as her last day in this life.


A good friend told me to give her all my gratitude and tell her how she blessed my life. I've seen 7 people come to her bedside and pray and hold hope for more good years here. And really this went back to what she has put in our lives from 50 and 40 years ago. Always telling us God is love and love one another with kindness and mercy.

I took Hershey Bars to the Hospital and made them bite sized finger nail clipping sized and we remembered the many, many VBS events. The one in particular said God is like Chocolate. His Goodness is enduring. And as I thought about what Mother had blessed us with, that was the message. We celebrated God calling for love and goodness. I told my mother I blessed her with every blessing I had to give her in Jesus Christ. And asked for her blessing in return. Mother blessed me and my brother came right over to get the blessing too. That Dire Hospital room suddenly smiled.

Mother is no longer non-responsive. She is alive past her estimated departure date. And has resumed interest in food and eating. And, unfortunately, still on full tilt oxygen.



We will call to Father God:


Father God,

We call to You. There is trouble here. We want the salvation of a great quality of life for my mom. For Good health in Jesus for our family. We will hold fast to You, with Love. Bear us up, please.

Rescue us from life without good quality abilities. We honor Your Abilities. The Universe exists by Your Word alone.

To Jesus, in Him, You will do more than we know or can even imagine. Jesus the Lord. Knows the stars by name and is the Lord God Almighty of all the Heavenly Host.

Your Good Will for a Hope and Future. The Blessing of being Covered by Jesus. We are the Saints of God.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Luke 19:28-40 ~ The Lord has need of this +

Luke 19:28-40

And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’”

32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them.

33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 

34 And they said, “The Lord has need of this.”

35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

 

.

Do we feel unrecognized in our lives? Like Paul said, living quietly. Working for a living. Walking in faith. He created each of us to be unique, loved children. That's the real miracle. God loves us as we are.

Jesus had power presented to HIM twice. Once in the desert and again on Psalm Sunday. The second time, the Gospels record He went into Jerusalem and looked about Him. Sounds like something we all might do. Knowing He was a King, meant for Eternal Promises of God.

Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation

So many years, Jesus lived as the Gospels record, in the favor of God and man; He knew some quiet years. Jesus lived real life. The kind we understand. Jesus' life tells us about truth.

Found it just as He had told them.  
Isaiah and Zechariah both knew of Jesus triumphant, centuries before He walked along life as glory, grace upon grace, full of grace and truth.

Isaiah 49:6
He says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."

When the song of the angels is stilled.
When the star in the sky is gone.
When the kinds and princes are home.
When the shepherds are back with their flock.
The work of Christ(mas) begins:

The find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

Alleluia! Unto us a child is born.                                                           ~Author Unknown

The Indwelling of Emmanuel - God with us. Always.

  

Father God,

Today Lord, we put out our hands again. Send me. Let my life, my words, my praise say Jesus is God.

Give us please this miracle we seek.  I'd like to have my mom healthy and have good years ahead.

Speak and Your Mercy will shine forth. We will have such Gratitude. Forever.  We rely on the Word You Speak. God bless my mom in this her serious illness and hospitalization. Bless her with restoration or an easy passage to Heaven.  I rely on You, Holy Spirit, to pray this with me.

Thank You, Abba, for surrounding us with Love. And for the gift of knowing You, my mother has given. Thank You.

Thank You like Zacchaeus, we depend upon You know us, see us and save us.  My mom believes Jesus and has peace. Thank You Abba, for the peace I see in my mother calling on You, her Father. The Peace You provide.

With the eyes You have given us, we will see Your Will and Your Glory. And Your Goodness - Your Good Will is our Hope and Future.

In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †