2 John 1 ~ Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

2 John 1

1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever


3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, 
from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, 
in truth and love.


 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady--not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another. 

6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 

8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.


12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

Where would this road go?

Acts 1

Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers


The Children of God gather together!!!

Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

A new earth and a new Heaven, The Son of God has given His Father.

your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady--not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another.

6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning so that you should walk in it.







Where would the road go - Very, Very Far.

Revelation 1

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." 

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 

14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades."













And.... What does this mean to us today?

If we gathered honest opinions about the Scripture - we would see different people see various aspects of the Journey of Life. We all be drawn to a different ascpect of the Chapter. Scripture is alive to give us light to our Path.

Not all of us would hold our hand up to say we vote for this particular full Chapter. Is this Really What Jesus Would Do?

If we traveled to the time of Oliver Cromwell, we would find the Stockades would work nicely. Particularly - someone not embracing the correct Christian Party Line - an infidel who tried to have Ham on the decadent idea of Christmas Day. The Gospels would tell us those on fire for the Lord Jesus would have a parallel -

1 Timothy 3:1
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

With a Parallel in this:

1 Timothy 3:1
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

A newbie is going to be too intense about verse 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.






Where would Jesus have met the Antichrist?

for many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Jesus met these several times. His Brothers arrived to take Jesus home. His Brothers arrived to tell Jesus to flaunt himself at the Festival. The Brothers of Jesus denied His Ministry and Place with Father God. Jesus managed to not ruin the possibility of their salvation. Nor did Jesus fall into an SNL Chuch lady Upset.

Jesus has given us Grace
Mercy
Peace

What other Parallel has the 2 John 1


Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.


If Jesus had gone on home, shucks, with the folks when they wanted Him to come home from His ministry. Instead, Jesus believed He could walk the Plan and Path and Purpose of God and in Loving God - God would have the Love become a Circle. A nigh well impossible task. Jesus was demonstrating Loving God First, Jesus - Himself second - to not take the awful Brothers advice to display all His Rock On Powers at the Festival in a "Hey, I'm God waaaay." Jesus had to place His Brothers third - believing God would take them all through the Eye of the Needle to God's Own Salvation.

The Luke 14:22 Quote
is ~
a beloved quote of the horrors of the Righteous inflicted on the Comfortable.

And is profoundly discarded without seeing the value, Valor, of the Faith of Jesus in God, His Family, His Brothers - and Us!!! Jesus believed the Brothers (us) were building, journeying, to find God and His Love and His Son and Salvation - by the
Grace
Mercy
Peace
from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.




Truly the Prodigal Son was very much welcomed Home. However the pig slop, the wine, women and song were left behind.

8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.


AA has a saying
Love the person
Not the Sin

Who could we apply this to?

Jesus never went back to the Temple to Sing Jesus Christ Superstar. Jesus let His Temple have the multitudes gather to know Jesus is God - after Jesus' Name created many, many, many miracles in His Victory over Death. Jesus: The Evidence - Ian Wilson writes a Rabbi of Lyracantha  34 A.D. was in despair of the tremendous, unceasing, utterly amazing, never-seen-before, "He Healed Them ALL" Level of Miracles during the days after Jesus ascended to Heaven. The Rabbi felt a new Way, Truth Life would leave the Jews out of God's future.

Once again - Again, Jesus displays His Belief that given some Bible, some Holy Spirit, some Prayer, some Time, some Blessing of God - seed and sower - that mankind will find the world is God's Ability to save in Jesus Christ.

And that brings us to Wavy Gravy. Real Life. Today. Now.


We had the best weekend with two couples we've loved from Church for 20 years. One of the weekend guests has traveled a road of up-down all-over faith. Ministry Team Volunteer, Large Purpose Useful Church Volunteer, Agnostic. Believer. Bible Reader. Snotty Athiest. (Oops, I said snotty atheist. Oops.)
And all discovered the sheer joy of mercy. Discussions on the Political Tension in Israel due to Presidential Changes. Things people usually discuss mildly - not really. In fact, the hard-bitten atheist was a little teary over the mercy and sincere compliments and encouragement.

Sincere Mercy is a Slice of Heaven.




Recently, I was treated to breakfast. Where an Agnostic said, "How could God be So Rotten that a human being doing their sincere best would have to suffer Hell or Death." And this was repeated several times with Anger. And then a real quiver of sadness. The sadness was not intended to be displayed. And quickly met the emotional clean-up of the Red Alert Stiff Upper Lip. Anger is not so reachable. But the sadness of a God that "doesn't exist" to "exile" a "Child of God" is just - - - Heartbreaking.

There is only one answer. God only wants our Sincerity. And in the emotional disconnect of doubt - God would only reach out His Hand. Jesus continued to help the man who had a son and had doubt. Especially when the man cried out, "Help my disbelief!"

Jesus met with people who were traditionally not the included ones. The Syrian Phoenician Woman gave Jesus just respect. The Respect melted God's Vast Heart. Sincerity, Mercy - Love - Go far Far FAR.

Father God,

When Jesus prays with us, we have the results of His Love. We ask this Blessing.

Our cares, our loved ones, the people You give us - Covered by the Love and Name of Jesus. 'Holding this Nation and all believers of Jesus in God's Immeasurable Grace. Strengthening us in His Inexhaustible Mercy. And His Peace to go far, far, far trusting God to proved Abundant Life as we Love the Lord and work according to His Purpose. 

Amen and Amen and Amen in Jesus.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Psalm 54 ~ O God

Psalm 54

The Lord Upholds My Life
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”


1 O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might!

 2 O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth!

 3 For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah 

4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. 5 He will return the evil to my enemies; in your faithfulness put an end to them.

 6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good. 

7 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

David knew a few caves and lived in a very wide, open, ditch in Ziklag.

Caves exist in life. And so do ditches. A cave is a great place to hide and explore. And get stuck. Caves are generally dark. We all have caves. We have thoughts - we say as believers, "Oh, Sorry God. Sorry about that."

We have opinions we don't want riding a bicycle or an airplane with a thought banner over our heads. Private opinions. Caves exist in our thoughts. To Father God, Who Creates All of Creation and our minds and cells and thoughts - "No desire is hidden and every thought is known."

Genesis 1,2 and Proverbs and John 3:17 tell us Father God sees into 'mankind' for 'millenniums' and decides to save us. Very Good News to know. Wow. God sees us as we are and invites us to eternity with Him.

Ditches are wide open. Sun shines in. There is no roof. A fine time to realize we have no caves to God. "Father God, Abba, know me, know my heart, know my being, see every particle, Live in me. I need Jesus. Amen."






We can all pretty well understand David screaming a prayer. In fact, we do understand what David is saying. Help God! Help!

Whatcagonna do when...

Ghoulies and Ghosties and Long-Legged Beasties
and things really GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT????
Good LORD - DELIVER US!!!


1981. Have you ever been chased home from a wedding in a car followed by 3 goons in another car - SCREAMING things you don't repeat - when you are 18 years old? And they are coming out the windows and you are in a car with 3 teenagers and a cousin? And the chase goes on about 7-10 Miles. Being Screamed at about rape, knives and murder. Find a fire or police station and watch them disappear FAST.

I can pretty well guarantee you - never once in the next year did I apply, "Love One Another" to That.

We can all go home now - we have summed up the difference between the wars of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Thank you. Or should we talk about the 4 hour radio program I heard about a woman, who with subterfuge, survived a serial killer rapist in Pennsylvania and how her 2 grown children feel about the survival 30 years later. She was the only survival and he placed her living body on the heaps of the other dead women and let her live.

After 30 years she is learning to sing. Again.




Now the Truth is - this is a very, very rare situation. Her family has begun, for 5 years, to think about the Scriptures and forgiveness. How is this story going to affect our lives? It's a powerful thought. We will hunker down and worry about parolees getting mercy and heinous crimes. News stories blare and blare and blare and for many years - we failed listening to Major National News to realize - we have to all forgive.


We need our news to explain how rare this is. We have to Celebrate Life. We have to TRUST GOD. And in trusting God we need to remember neighborhoods gathering for trust and comfort. We have to dust off our tables and have the friends we know. Put work into fellowship. In Trusting God - we go forth and go forth and Thrive.

We all hunkered down and suspiciously looked at Halloween candy. Aren't you glad to know it was ok???

And yet the word "Betrayal" happens only to people we gave our hearts to. And if we hunker down - we can get really, really, really sterile 'safe and secure' lives. Sterile.



Jesus told us this:

We go far, far, far, far, far further when we Trust in the Lord.


If we all sit at home and watch TV. We are comfortable. But you could have had dinner at your house potluck. And it could be  - you meet someone new in your own home.

If we all sit at home - we will spread out. And if you asked your family or your neighbor or your friend - you have exercise in jogging and walking and bicycling. The National average of friends per person in the USA is - 2.

If we invite someone to Church now and then to a Bible Believing JESUS Loving Church - they might join. And if you do this 5 times a year - one will work. Do you realize if one family begins to attend Church across the USA in one year we could increase the Church by 25% (now I read that, but something good will happen!!!).

How are we going to tell anyone about GOD??? Like this - "Oh no, I'm so sorry, I will be praying for you!" "You want me to pray for you now?" Almost EVERYONE would love to have someone just simply care and pray over them. Last year Chris and Cindy prayed over me by their invitation - My Heart is Still Warm.


God is expressed when we Love one another. When we say, "I KNOW what God Loves about You...!!!" Love has something that Love requires - Sincerity and being genuine. Flexible. Forgiving.

We explain God when we encourage one another genuinely.



The book "The Shack" says we are a garden. Mark 1 - the Gospel of Mark would agree - the wilderness has straight paths and is a garden. Lost a pet? There are so many hoping for a home. Plant another rose in your life. Been betrayed? Trust again. There are so many hoping for a home. Have grief and loss of a loved one? There are so many hoping for a home heart to care.

Abundant Life. Jesus knew what He was saying. We go far in faith. We go far trusting God allowing us to trust one another.

Holy Father, Abba,

Today I trusted You. Let us smile as we close the day. Another Day of Life.

Today I prayed with You. Let us smile as we begin a new day. Another Day of Life.

Today I worked to care for a Loved One. I loved on Your Beloved. I celebrated Jesus in this.

Today I worked to care for the People You have given me. I celebrated Jesus in this.

Together, Father God - You and I have Celebrated Abundant Life Today.

Fill with Your Joy, Love and Holy Spirit - the ones we Love.

Fill with The Holy Father - the ones we are given by You.

Fill this Nation - Trusting in You with Abundant Life and the caregivers of Government fill with Your Love.

Fill our employments, our communities, our cities, neighborhoods and Bible Believing Jesus Loving Churches.

Fill the Nations Trusting in You with Joy and Love and Peace.

Surround Your Creation with the Beloved holding the world in prayer minute by minute.

We will smile and Celebrate Another Day of Life. We go far trusting in You Father God.

Alleluia and Amen in Jesus. Amen and Amen.

Do like David. Dance!

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Mark 1 ~ He will forever place you with the Holy Spirit

Mark 1

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.



Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and not we ourselves,
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Rediscovering the basic roots of the Scriptures 

The awe-inspiring wonders of the Son of God. Jesus Himself.

Bringing all the Chapters of Isaiah together, instead of a miracle here and there. Jesus was the explosion of the Light of True Light. God of God. When we see Jesus - we see the Father of All. Ancient of Days. Lord of Lords.


God told us of the future - people forgetting His Miracles.  Days May Come - where people would want Jesus so badly for His Healing.


We tend to think of Jesus as a mere little candle. Like "This Little Light of Mine." Like this overview of the crucifixion of The Christ of God?

This is - "Wrong" !!!

The information in this image is "False." "Utterly."

"NO."

Luke 23:27
And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.

The Disciples said, "All of Israel knows."









If you feel skeptical, see the Roman History for 350 years of Emperor terror because of the uprising of Jesus Christ.

See the Roman Empire became Christian because Emperor Constantine was sent by his Emperor Uncle (seen, eyewitness to the journey, by world-renowned historian, Bishop Eusebius) to the small village of Nazareth. Commissioned to torture for 7 days - the descendants of Mary and Joseph - the descendants of Jesus' brother's children, asking His family to renounce Jesus Christ - be rewarded and live. All of the descendants perished proclaiming Jesus as God. All of the descendants the Romans could find died to proclaim Jesus as God.  Emperor Constantine would be changed forever and so would the Roman Empire.

Matthew 27:54
When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Jesus Christ - bringing all the prophetic Words of Isaiah together.
Not chapters of this that.
An explosion of God -
The blind - See.
The deaf - Hear.
The lame - Walk.
The leper - Cleansed.

How - being touched by Jesus. The poor - hope - and have good news preached to them.

Jesus Christ brought us a new earth. Women were elevated, preached to, proclaimed Jesus is God. His followers included warrior zealots, Centurions, a tax thug, Herod's stewart's wife, a dead man raised to life, a formerly blind man who followed Jesus. Jesus pulled all manner of people together.

The Movie "Risen"

Luke 5:26
And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”











Mark 1

They brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city (1,500 people) was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons

All of Capernaum showed up to see Jesus - 1,500 people.

And an entire city of 1,500 people was "the first" preaching of the Ministry of Jesus the Lord.

Populations of the Roman Empire - figures of 4,036,000 recorded for the census carried out by "Augustus" (Luke 2) in 28 BC, 4,233,000 in 8 BC, and 4,937,000 in 14 AD. and almost 6 million during the reign of Claudius, not all of whom lived in Italy.

Now the City of Rome, itself - the number of recipients of the grain dole under Augustus, implying a population of around 800,000-1,200,000.

What we are saying is as soon as Jesus just collected, by asking, His Disciples
- because He 'healed them all'
- the Entire Town came for the first Preaching of Jesus.

"The Jesus Boat of the Sea of Galilee." Sea of Galilee, first century A.D.

This is what the crowd looked like, during a sermon where Jesus had to move to a boat to avoid being crushed by His believers and followers.

Hebrews 12:28
Therefore let us be grateful...

27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken — that is, things that have been made — in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.

(Remember again - hearts are warmed and revived seeing the Glory of God.)

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.


Raphael
        - Moses sees the Fire of God - unconsumed bush.
                                       The Vatican. Houston Museum of Fine Arts until June 10.








To see the Vatican models made by Michelangelo. The wood chipped as scraps and still the art remains. The presence of the building 600 years later.

To see the muscles of the calves of the soldiers crucifying Paul. Their malice. Paul's elderly stance of going to God in old age, wishful of another death, certainty of God. Seeing the Vatican's Chapel honoring Paul's death. These are real men we can see their art today. Working all their lives to help us to remember millenniums ago. Of events changing the world. The greatest artists ever - honoring God all their days. Bringing in many assistants. The value of their faces. the details in their hands. World forever changed.

The men compete with art forces - issues of their day. Making their art relevant to the culture - to make interest - to tell the Story of God. To cause wonder at a worldly level - to inspire us to see God sees us as we are. Real people. Real issues. Mankind pleasing God and still having two natures. The Valor of God. The Amazing Story told in 440's Vatican and 1500's Vatican - standing firm today.

Moses facing His Destiny for Moses.

Abba, Father, God - Beloved Father God,

We Are the Easter People!!! Living in the New Covenant of the Mercy of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 8
11 No longer will each one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12For I will forgive their iniquities, and remember their sins no more.”

Micah 7:18
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.

1 John 3:11
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

Abba, we delight in remembering Your delight in creation. And offer You joy and delight in being grateful for today. Thank You for those we Love. Thank You for the beauties of Spring. Thank You for laughter. You are Good. Blessed be Jesus Christ and all of His Glory. Your blessings upon us and our Loved ones. Your protection and Grace over all who call with Love to You.

The Lord our God, is our Helper. This is a Gift of Jesus. We will consider our life and have faith. In Jesus Christ we are built, established and filled. 

Amen in Jesus Lord God.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Leviticus 26 ~ The Lord

Leviticus 26

“You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God. 2 You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.

3 “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, 4 then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 


5 Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. 6 I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. 7 You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8 Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. 

9 I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. 10 You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. 11 I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. 

12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. 13 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

14 “But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, 15 if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. 18 And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, 19 and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.

21 “Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins. 22 And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted.

23 “And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me, 24 then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins. 25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant. And if you gather within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. 26 When I break your supply of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in a single oven and shall dole out your bread again by weight, and you shall eat and not be satisfied.

27 “But if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me, 28 then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins. 29 You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. 30 And I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols, and my soul will abhor you. 31 And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas. 32 And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. 33 And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.

34 “Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies' land; then the land shall rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths. 35 As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, the rest that it did not have on your Sabbaths when you were dwelling in it. 36 And as for those of you who are left, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall when none pursues. 37 They shall stumble over one another, as if to escape a sword, though none pursues. And you shall have no power to stand before your enemies. 38 And you shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 39 And those of you who are left shall rot away in your enemies' lands because of their iniquity, and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall rot away like them.

40 “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me, 41 so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. 43 But the land shall be abandoned by them and enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them, and they shall make amends for their iniquity, because they spurned my rules and their soul abhorred my statutes. 44 Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God. 45 But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.”

46 These are the statutes and rules and laws that the Lord made between himself and the people of Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai.





Oh... no... not Leviticus.


Yes, Leviticus. When John saw Heaven and wrote The Book of Revelation - this is yesterday, today and tomorrow. "I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people"


And how will we treat this chapter honestly?


Habakkuk 3

16 I heard and my inward parts trembled, At the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, And in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will invade us. 

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.


Habakkuk sees the opportunity of God in all circumstances.

The truth is this. Jesus was named after a man the world passes by. Joshua. Yeshua is honoring Joshua. Who waited 40 years knowing that his voice was unheeded to "Trust in the Lord" when Moses had the Philistines spied upon.

 We have to get to the bones of why we do what we do. For the glory of God. For Love.



We can say that the Lord bores us and not to read Leviticus.

1. Yet the Book of Job reports Leviticus to be true. Job kept holding up his own righteousness. The Bible tells us not to weary of doing good. But we all get weary. We have to renew in Jesus especially when the circumstances will wear you to a nub.

This is why we thank God and thank God and thank God for the opportunity to land on this side of the Resurrection of Jesus. We are the Easter People and we will get through Good Friday of Life. By remembering to thank GOD for the trials and the fleas and see the upside of all the tribulation life holds for us all.

2. Jesus and His Travels to Tyre and Sidon to probably see the Syrophoenician woman have humility. Humility. We need God, it's not that He needs us. We can all reach a time where we just don't have it in us to go on with cheer or even hope. And Jesus says, "Right, I know you are not that righteous. Yet like Aaron, I love you more than your downside, come to me - you who are weary, I will refresh you. " Eyes on Jesus - we will have the Holy Spirit and His comfort that there is hope.

3. David and Solomon agree - God gives both blessing and woe. Remember to look to Him.

4. Jesus tells the people not to judge the man born blind. And not to judge those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them-- do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

Our efforts for Jesus?

If we look like we line up our ducks in a row for the camera - we surely 'look' ducky.

If we were to judge Habakkuk - this would give us some good conversation. But would we have used our talents Jesus wants? Jesus would be pleased with Habakkuk's soul.

And surely, we know all those who need our honesty and our compassion - because - we don't want them to fall - the fall is forever. We want them to be lifted to Jesus and His Love and Joy. The point of Christianity is to pray for those we wonder about - with Love.  Now the very soul and truth is this - Salvation is purely a work of the Lord. But do you really believe we should forget to pray for those who need His Love. If for nothing else, that our hearts do not grow cold as we act as God to people we love. Sometimes, I feel my prayer life being obligatory. But let me tell you - meet one of those days where you feel bone weary for God - and He rushes in to help - and suddenly - your prayer life will renew for the very joy that God will rush in. 

This God of ours is is is is is is is Living Water. Come Holy Spirit. We need you. 

Leviticus 26. Maybe the point is. Oh No. Leviticus. Says something.
 
It's disliked - Our Supreme God is involved in Blessing and Woe. YET - We seem to have a lot of cultural woe. Let's work past the woe to remember The Acts of the Apostles worked past 'WHOA" to be the blessing.

If the culture wants you to hush - speak up - give LOVE. 

Remembering God works past our own whoa's. With His Grace and Love. 

God takes sand. Mere Sand. And Heats sand; to become glass. To become Art. Beauty. Light. The Plan of God is to be held  Upwards - to God's Path for our Lives.

Father God,

Help us to be open hearted to all of Your Word and Circumstance. To have our hearts and sights set on adventure and flexibility. Forgiving of each other, our circumstances - to allow us to grow.

Help us to let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from us, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, rejoicing in our salvation for God in Christ forgave me.

Help us to find honesty not to excuse ourselves from being tender-hearted, but to bring forth truth to make the path straight. To Jesus.

Help us keep going forth - to be Love. Strengthen us - to meet the challenges. Help us when we do need to duck. Favor us with your Graciousness, when we need to say "I can't, I just can't". Help our Yes to be Yes of You. And not the desire to be super ego. Give us, please, more opportunities to be Yes and not the go into "No" as an unwise person.

Bless us with Your Favor, please God.

Jesus is You, Father. Perfection.  Jesus  fulfilling the Law.

Day after day we use our God given talents to stand to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices. Reminding each other what Jesus does - who takes away sins.

When we see Leviticus for so much education and trouble and mess - rejoice and remember many parts of life seem to have troubles and discord. And be glad in what Jesus takes from us. Wow Leviticus lists and lists what God has taken from us. Alleluia.


Let's remember 1 John 3, See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!


Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Let us be covered in the Name of Jesus and be brave to embrace, Yes, for Jesus.  To call upon Jesus to be forgiven for our weaknesses, flaws and sins. Going forth with God - forgiven.

Being wise to not embrace what is displeasing to God. Avoid what is foolish controversy - God says not to name what is harmful. Let us not gossip. Let what is important be spoken and what is able to wash away.

Let us do the good works God has put for us to walk in, letting God straighten paths.

Father God,  we want to walk with You. We lift our concerns to You.  Help the care-givers provide care, renew and open our eyes to what we need to do.  We need Your Help Father God. Our loved ones covered with Jesus. The comfort of the Holy Spirit. We cover in Jesus' name communities, Churches and Jesus honoring people. Lifting up the Nation to be covered in Jesus. Rejoicing in salvation for ourselves and all of His around the world.

Thank God for His ever present Hope of His Love. He is walking with us and we are His People. Blessed Jesus Thank God for giving us this Day. Alleluia in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Amen in Jesus the Lord.