Mark 12 ~ to God the things that are God's.

Mark 12

12 And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. 6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
11 this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12 And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.





13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 

15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 

They said to him, “Caesar's.” 

17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.





18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”




28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.


35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in 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. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.




38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces 39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”




41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Jesus told us "Days Will Come."

And being Savior of us all - Jesus knew the Scripture and the Power of God.

There was a young woman who had seen her nation fall into one class splendor. Her Father had one of the most magnificent courts in all of 16th Century Europe. And 1 of 3 people starved to death. Her sister attained the throne and began to burn people on pyre's for 2 and 3 days to death.

The young woman was placed in the Tower, to die/await trial, as the sister's husband began to realize the wife was dying and the younger sister was single. At age 20, the young woman had an idea from her prayer life - this was an auspicious day. She sat under a huge Oak Tree at Hevor Castle and waited. Word came to her - she was now Queen Elizabeth I of England. Age 20.

And as her hand was kissed,  "Long Live the Queen", Elizabeth spoke Psalm 118. Mark 12.

This was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes

Elizabeth knew she would either be queen or killed by political factions. Mark 12 perfectly summed up the placement of her life.



History is interesting - when we get to the 500-year marks - vast changes happen.

Elizabeth was coming to the time where the Catholic Church was being protested for keeping God's Word in Latin and away from the vastly increasing reading population who did not speak Latin. The Word of God was becoming sought after and read. The Church had several new Protestant growing areas of the Holy Spirit.

Now Elizabeth had to face growing up Catholic and coming up against her former-brother-in-law being with the Pope and Catholicism - wanting the U.K. to be a Spanish Colony.

Her father had taxed the populace to starvation. And in a 500-year mark,  the Nation would look to a woman to save them from the Spanish Armada, the pyres, the taxes, the exploration of a New World and a European Continent looking to see the continued end of plague and serfdom with a growing and rapid interest in Religious Freedom. For the first time, people had the open freedom to pursue the idea, "What does worship, Bible and intent of God look like in my life?"



We are in the process of unique change. The new idea pursued by colleges is not new and yet is - as the Canadian government pursued the usage of the word "zim" to replace "him" and "her" as words in the English Language - Professor Jordan Peterson of Toronto, Canada was asked to take a sabbatical. He discovered his viewers were 2 to 3 million in a month as Professor Peterson pursued traditional roles of men and women.

We have seen Ben Shapiro become the most political voice listened to the Millenniums. And his broadcast is not the major networks, like Dr. Peterson.

In fact, Nickelodeon has far more viewers than CNN.

The President of the United States uses Twitter as his broadcast go-to.

And Colleges are indeed CHANGING. My son has pursued a Master's Degree online through LSU. And this was far less expensive than going to the classes. Many, many people do this for the University of Houston. It's not 'new'.

Except - - - Purdue and many others are going to put classes on You Tube and the populace pays to take the test. Like Dr. Joran Peterson suggested breaking the cycle of amazing expenses and liberal viewpoints - far from parents and the rest of the population.

We are looking at the END OF HIGH COLLEGE COSTS. The Serfdom Sacrificial Expense leading of the Death of Education is being conquered. Education is becoming like the website "Offer Up."




Our God is Living and Active.
Elizabeth I found Mark 12 helped her in crisis of country, personal crisis, and witness to living in the Glory of God and His Plan. Thriving.

We are Living Mark 12 - our Nation has seen bathrooms become touchstone decisions points determined by entertainment singers. We were told this was the new normal.

We were told by the Major Networks Donald J. Trump would not statistically win office.

We were told College would cost as much as a 3.4 bedroom house for our children who worry where they will live as they are employed as adults.

We wondered what kind of news we were living on. And saw Boston fight for the right of equality asked for by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Just as the Churches who have believed Jesus and the Bible prosper - so do the hopes of those who love their children and pray for education to not cripple their lives with debt. As the Universities themselves put their classes on You Tube and offer those who want to see the classes pay to take the tests. There is a new wave in education.

And the Hypocrisy of disdaining traditional family values in higher education while undermining the financial freedom of the student to become an adult with families was severely handicapped by crushing debt - is - being addressed and change is in the process.

 As more and more Universities offer this all over the world - You Tube offers greater and greater education at a very reasonable cost. We will see Professors start their own colleges online. New Degrees with New Educational Excellence. As we spoke of a national wall (I pray to God we will not receive) we find the internet and Canadian College Costs will bless our families and children.

 As well as the new universities and colleges discussed today, will be professors with love of learning to give to light a path forward shining brightly. The Exodus is a God movement saying God loves what His People have in freedom. Freedom to be educated. Freedom to choose. Freedom to have families and liberties without worry. A light is dawning. We rejoice to see the Son rise. In so many areas!!!

I believe we live in a Time to be in awe, with Gratitude,of Answered Prayer.


So much, Father God, to be Thankful for.

So much to say Jesus has Blessed and Blessed and Blessed us.

Thank You for the increase in marriages. Thank You more and more children are being born in marriage.

Thank You for holding me up. Thank You for holding my children and Loved ones up. Thank You for holding up the people God has given me.

Thank You we see more Heaven on earth.

And pray for this Nation and all Nations trusting in God. Jesus is Good.

For Jesus to bless all His Beloved around the world.

In Christ Jesus we triumphantly and with gratitude say AMEN.



I believe we live in a Time to be in awe with Gratitude of Answered Prayer.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Psalm 100 ~ Blessed

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.

In all that he does, he prospers.

4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

I was at a lovely and large, fairly dressy, engagement/wedding party in 1991. There were about 75 people and a man came up to me to give me the Christian Prophetic Word. The 35-year-old man started out telling me facts correlating with my life at present and thoughts far down the road. Then the message became harsh. He snarled with sarcasm and said we would not be friends. Later in the evening, he was more rude about 'more Word." As the evening closed, about eleven p.m., his friends were saying he loved to find believers and pump them up with false prophecies. He said he loved to do prophecies to people who are Christian because of the utter belief on their faces. I asked him how he could pick out a believer - you know - he had no response and for a moment became speechless and shrugged.

... I can tell you 27 years later - that is a very unusual response - a "party trick" or "party conversation." We went to another entirely different engagement/wedding party and a couple arrived and said they were the heirs to the local milk farm (we lived in a very large city.) I could tell they were telling about being wealthy and people were melting all over them. I was having a conversation with an old friend and this was much more fun. Later in the evening, I was introduced to them and came to find out they were saying the Dairy Huge, Huge Farm belonging to my mother's good high school friend. I said, "That's great you are the child of ----. You must love Santa Fe!!! How fortunate you are to spend so much time in your new house there! Tell me all about Santa Fe!!!" The whole room became aware by their utterly horrified faces - this was Not True At All. And the pretenders promptly departed in about 1.5 minutes. Don't know whatever happened to the good looking prophetic guy - the pretenders were good friends of friends and were said to have settled down and done well in life - not pretending to be other people again.

Look at that: One group found it hysterical a man goes around compelled to give "prophecies." Which turned out to be true. The other group pretended to be wealthy and they ran like the Police would be called.

It's funny how we respond to the gifts God gives us - because some of what he said to me is absolutely true. He responded to an urge to Prophesy and not care about the soul or the emotion of what he puts down. That gift can be prophetic and even self-prophetic in the absence of Spiritual mercy and the desire to shelter or pray.






The Psalm is interesting. It's about long life and it's about trees.


We'd assume the trees in the photos were Psalm 100 - never hit by drought, fire, famine, beetles, disease and timber harvest, bird feeders with nails and screws, girdling/mulching the tree, staking the tree, concreting the holes, over fruitfulness, tying an animal to the trunk, power lines, overcrowding, over salt/pesticide. The tree has a very 'Jabez' life. Blessed and nothing to report.





When you are in the room with Believers of Jesus Christ, they will tell you of answered prayer. Warm assurances when faith is needed. Miracles that just become part of life. Prayer requests. Times dreams led them to peace and a new understanding of their soul to Jesus. And if you know them well, they will tell you if they actually hear Jesus. Some people are blessed like Abraham.

I knew a very, very bible study and a virtuous woman cried out to God and asked Him about misfortune. He replied with what was then learned to be Psalm 50. And that was VERY UNLIKELY. "It came to pass." The phrase occurs again and again in the Old Testament. "It came to pass after four hundred and thirty years that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt," and, "It came to pass."


I know a man who praised God for his good fortune and the good fortune showed itself to be life and gut-wrenching unfortunate. God Spoke Blessings. Blessings came to pass. The man asked God to move on. And the man moved on. And God was not going to let the man alone. Much to the man's chagrin. We can believe God will bring to pass all God plans.



When God says, "No withering, all prosperity." I'd have to tell you - we planted 6 tiny trees to grow into massive trees in my childhood newly built house in the 1960s. The Trees met different fates. One hit a chalk rock in the soil and died. One was stunted to just never grow. It sat while the other trees grew 40 and 50 feet tall. My father and I would look at the oak tree and wonder. Maybe it's because it's near the swing set and it thinks it should be a child tree. My father said maybe it needs iron, it looks a little yellow. So iron was applied. Maybe it needs water. Maybe it's a dwarf. My father went to the library and said no such tree variety. We wondered if it was a variation of the regular variety and we should propagate it. My brother was born and my father said maybe the tree people should see the Oak Tree. That year it grew some in the spring. About 3 feet on the 10 feet of a 16-year-old tree. And the next year it doubled. Now we started complaining about how to move the swing set. People. And in the next four years, we were telling bored people about the amazing growth of the tree. Uh-huh. And if someone showed up who knew about the dwarf Oak Tree we all got very, very excited and the story went on and on.



Knowing Jesus, I think Psalm 100 is never, ever intended to make us feel poorly about agricultural seasons in our lives. I do not believe Jesus would tell us a Psalm story of Daniel and then say ... and then there is ... - - - you.


I believe that to God - Peter had a pretty good idea. And just as shade trees begin to give us thoughts about patios and hammocks, cushions and places to read and bbq - we have this:



2 Peter 3:8-9

Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice:

 With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Revelation 2:7
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Revelation 22:2
Down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:14
Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

Redemption. Sweet beautiful little girls grow into unlikely teenagers. Drug addicts recover. Sponsors make wonderful friends. Grandmothers come from the wise who remained with solutions. Old men tell young men. Young men listen to middle-aged men who listen to older men.

"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3:16

Let the Circle Be Unbroken
By and By Lord By and By.

And it cams to pass.

Let the Circle Be Unbroken
By and By Lord By and By.

To live and move and have our being
in
Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Matthew 1:18-24 ~ God with us +†+

God

Matthew 1:18-24

8 Now the birth of Jesus Christ [the Christ] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed [engaged] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Isaiah 7:14)

24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife!




MOVIEGUIDE® Founder and Publisher Dr. Ted Baehr presented highlights from MOVIEGUIDE®'s 2018 Report to the Entertainment Industry, a comprehensive economic analysis of the content and philosophical, moral, spiritual, and political perspectives in the major movies released theatrically in 2017, at the 26th Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala.

Annual Ticket Sales

Note: Figures for 2018 are at an annualized rate (both in the graph above and the table below). The Box Office Totals in the graph above are not adjusted for inflation.

He reported that TV viewers and moviegoers prefer movies and television programs with biblical, morally uplifting, faith-based, patriotic and conservative principles and values.

For example, 90 percent of the top 10 movies in the United States and overseas in 2017 contained strong or very strong Christian, redemptive, biblical, moral content, including such movies as Despicable Me 3, Justice League, Thor: Ragnorak, Wonder Woman, Beauty and the Beast, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and The Fate of the Furious, among others.

To help the entertainment industry, every year we do this detailed economic Report to the Entertainment Industry analysis based on 150 criteria. We look at the aesthetics, ontology, epistemology and semantics. Also, Movieguide® identified 75 theatrical movies from 2017 that contained at least some strong or very strong Christian, redemptive content, an increase of 60 percent from 2012, when there were only 47 such movies. Those movies totaled a whopping $5.68 billion at the box office in 2017 in Canada and the United States alone.


• Boss Baby told audiences that Jesus was the boss,

• The great news of Christmas in The Star transformed the heroes who were, of course, animals and the audience.

• Teamwork, fatherhood and truth transformed Batman in The Lego Batman Movie,

• God's grace helped Christian refugees and transformed All Saints Church,

• An atheist reporter was transformed by looking at the evidence in The Case for Christ,

• Freedom fighting soldiers and patriotic citizens were transformed in Dunkirk,

• Wonder Woman was transformed by the power of selfless love and

• A flawed father was transformed to sacrifice himself for his daughter in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and,

• Moviegoers were transformed and inspired to support the good, the true and the beautiful at the box office.





If we look back to see what people thought of God and the prophetic - one of the most widely available set of films is "Back to the Future." 'Your future is whatever you make it': 'Doc Brown' quotes inspirationally.


... How did that go for the Priest Zechariah? Jeremiah said, "Lord, I am only a youth!" Moses said, "I don't speak well enough and leprosy of the hand is to be avoided." Peter said, "Look away from me Lord, I am a sinful man."

So - Doc Brown might be wrong.

And then again - look at Samson. His parents were a little stunned and asked the angel to arrive twice to explain - the angel of God arrived twice - as requested. Just like the man Jesus healed of brain blindness in the hometown of Peter, Andrew and Philip, Bethsaida. Jesus didn't let go and the full understanding of the miracle is clearly explained to the one receiving the blessing and us reading His Word.

Samson's parents felt like God had given them the blank check of, "Let the Child belong to God." Samson did indeed accomplish for the Lord - but behaved badly in the meantime. God Wins. God always wins. And this is Good news. So in fact, Doc Brown might be on to something. Joseph was willing and willing and willing to accomplish the will of God the Father. As he wisely moved from danger. Wisely moved back to Judea with full scope of political awareness of safety. Wisely listened to Jesus in family turmoil. Wisely did human family crisis and work during regular family turmoil. Joseph never felt God had written him a blank check.

The Sons of Joseph are named Jesus, James, Jude and Joses. And Simon. Joseph was doing God's work and Joseph expected life to have work, striving, family, family, family and accomplishment when you read Isaiah 7.

If we were to quote a quote about Joseph from movie fame - we might pick Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail. "Joseph picked Wisely."



Who does this apply towards? All - even the thieves on the crosses with Jesus. We need more than Jesus in our lives, we need to make our future with Jesus. Pleasing Jesus.

The Promises of God are for the People of Jesus Christ.


Psalm 46

46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.


Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.




Museums don't follow the same amount of dollar interest. And the exhibits are not following the interest of the public. Perhaps we could see more exhibits following public interest.

Revenue of museums, historical sites, and similar institutions (NAICS 712) in the United States from 2008 to 2020 (in million U.S. dollars)

AND The Economist reports -
if you looked at the Vatican Museums and Tour rates - you'd find the Vatican and Museum are so busy the air conditioning can't even keep up with the profits.

https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2015/03/12/full-to-bursting.



Father God,

We always pray best in Your Word. A Hope and Future for us, the people we Love, the people You have given us. Our Nation. Your beloved around the world and the increase of Heaven among the Nations Trusting in Jesus.


Jeremiah 29:11

“He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”
—1 Peter 1:3-4

“Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
—Philippians 3:20

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
—Zephaniah 3:17

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
—Romans 15:13

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
—Isaiah 40:31

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.”
—Psalm 39:7

“Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…”
—Titus 2:13

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
—Romans 12:12

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.”
—2 Corinthians 4:17-18

“The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
—Romans 8:18

“Behold, I am coming soon.”
—Revelation 22:12

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
—Romans 15:4

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
—Revelation 21:4

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
—Lamentations 3:21-23


AMEN IN JESUS Christ.

  

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Acts 10:17-26 ~ Stand up

Sometimes we call this a traffic accident. Other times we call this a target. And then, in the life where we all experience conflict, in Jesus, we call this "Light my way, please Lord God."

Acts 10:17-26

17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean ---

Behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there.

19 And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them."

21 And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?"

22 And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say."

 23 So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

24 And on the following day, they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man."

We learn with Antonyms, Synonyms, and Homonyms. We learn by example. We learn by life as a bear hunt. We learn by remembering old stories of a famous Christian evangelist- she said marriage works by 'always' being nice to your husband - and her husband changed for the better and - she ran for a divorce.

We learn by looking at patterns in patterns. Like humor. "Inception" is really the movie that just copied "Princess Bride" as a dweam within a dweam. And all of this footwork is saying, really, "We ponder what to do - daily."


If we look at a parallel Scripture to find our way out of milk for babies and into the meat of Jesus as Christ - we find this:

Acts 8
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

 Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God."

And History and the Greek god priests pondered this structure in the first Century. What to do with change and desire to remain the same and growth. The 'Mysteries of Mithras' were competing pagan forms of the innumerable cults of the Greek world and gave Christianity a real run for the future.

How did this all end?

We find the heart of the matter. Getting our heart right with God.

And if we look at famous philosophers competing with goodness - we find they end up being hung from the rooftops. After having irritated their people to death for their attempts to lead into strength through sarcasm, money and power. This really, really irritates the people still quoting the killed philosophers and they point to Jesus as also being slain. However, philosophers don't end up with Churches, reading, agriculture, hospitals, colleges, the end of the medieval lockdown and life-changing events. Love.

In entertainment - we ponder the process of finding the path. "Groundhog Day" repeats and repeats. Phil begins by shutting down. And then he begins to develop every admirable talent he can find. Then he decides he will rescue others. Mostly to impress and pass the time. Eventually, Phil becomes mostly interested in an old man who passes on. And in this caring, his heart begins to open.

"Table 19" is the wedding party where the merciless truth is revealed of the last and less than charming table at the Wedding Party. Sinbad the Comedian might say, "Too old to be in the club." And in the harsh light of being interested in the morose scrutiny of being last - the people find they want the others to have comfort. Joy. Love. Like Phil in "Groundhog Day", comfort and love for the old man seemingly doomed to die alone and unfed in an alley. In reaching to find comfort - they find - the tools for their own lives.

There is a depiction of Hell. A huge feast with giant spoons and forks and no one will feed the other. The movies are teaching us - when we comfort each other, we find the tools in our heart to do what Peter is doing in the Scriptures. Asking God. Pondering God. Doing what Jesus did. "Do not cast out those calling on Jesus, he who is for you is not against you." The other centurion, Luke Chapter 7, was also the outsider Jesus included. Like Groundhog Day, the one who would remain - like the Disciple John - is where you'd want to place letting Love be genuine. Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Not pretending calm and cool in the face of repeat, repeat, repeat February 2nd. The Truth will set you free. Not the nicey of nice of happy happy. Fight the good fight. Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

And in the failure the Word of God tells us will exist - letting Jesus fill in the dots and iotas.


How many times do we repeat? Einstein said repeating is fruitless. Not to Olympians. Not to people feeding themselves, their spouses and children by going to work. Joshua repeated for 40 years. Yeshua knows this virtue of Steadfast Love. And we exist daily because of the Steadfast Love of Yeshua. God's Only Son.

The Bible tells us what to do. Be honest. Be polite. The devil will flee. And... what won't flee - you could just talk them down off the roof. Have you ever considered why "Groundhog Day" used the name ... Phil?   Fill.


I'd say the Purpose of Life is to fill your days to please God.
And fill the people God has given you.
Fill. Some days with Encouragement.
Always with honesty.
Letting love be genuine.
Some days with some Really Good Buck Shot.
Always with Prayer.
Always filling ourselves and others with Jesus Christ our God. Amen in Jesus. Alleluia. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

1 Thessalonians 2 ~ the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict

1 Thessalonians 2

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.

2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.

6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers.

11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!

17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you —I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.

19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?

20 For you are our glory and joy.

Paul wrote Thessalonians in the Holy Spirit as John wrote the Gospel of John.   

John told us Jesus sent His Disciples out to do work. All the Disciples will have a different order and path where the Holy Spirit grows them.  This is what John remembers of walking in awe and wonder with the Son of God. And John was chosen in the beginning.

The disciples were blessed to have grown up as Jews with the teaching of the Bible - we call The Old Testament. Their lives Testify to God. And we need to learn, again, the examples known well to the Disciples of Jesus' Generation - and why - - - life had changed even in the Examples of the Old Testament.

This passage of Paul's is like the Disciple John - filled with Love. 

Pressed down like this ~ No instead ~ uplifted by the millenniums of learning about God! 

Allegories built on being Raised by God. Let us rise.

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

We need to remember, again and again,  how the Disciples had been raised. They did not come from the 1st Century of Rome, they came from the millenniums of goodness and flaws of being raised in the well, badly, and unique to them and their hearts/ souls Scriptures of God.

Jesus was daily in conflict - loudly - with the Roman Government led Authorities. Herod's men to impress the Emperor.




Verse 3

For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

David. We gloss over the fact that David spent his train-David-up- years as a killer for hire. In fact, David was slaying the enemies of the Nation David would father. The other countries were Baal and baby killers. David was making - honestly -   pre-war.

David and the Bible do not deceive us on the harsh realities of life. Violence. Needy Families? David was certainly the Father of His Nation. 

Yet God did not name Israel David. Nor David Israel. David did not spring from any error of God. All impurity is not a glossy magazine of cheery welcome. David was entrusted to live a Gospel record of his life. David was indeed an important Allegory. These men, these disciples, came from Jews who believed in one marriage, one wife, one husband. David left an allegory we need to remember as we commit a vow to God called Marriage. David was beloved by God for his obedience to a difficult, nigh, impossible task involving even living in ditches in Ziklag - far from safe or prosperous.

David is an allegory of bad marriage - bad parenting - guilt consuming parental responsibilities and parenting punishment effectively.



If you want a perfect allegory to treat others the way you want to be treated. 
Look at David's Michal, the daughter of King Saul. David put her away. And when David put Abigail away to obtain a total of six wives. Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacha, Haggith, Abital and Eglah during the 7-1/2 years he reigned in Hebron as king of Judah. After David moved his capital to Jerusalem, he married Bathsheba. By the end of David's life - his wives are separately summonsed and there is no tearful goodbye. Love has become a polite obeisance. 

David ends up dying in the arms of a woman who was really paid to keep him warm, from probable heart failure. In David's family - greed, rape, thoughts on murder. His family dynasty will fall by with David's Grandson and we never really report his great-grandson picks up David's Dynasty again.

God works in the nigh well impossible weaving all things to good for those who love Him and work according to His Purpose.

David IS an ALLEGORY - do unto others. Or see what happens with love and respect and family ties. David had too many people stand in his shadow and did not take the time to concentrate on his family life.

Let us remember why Jesus wanted to teach pictures - to obtain the whole picture.





Verse Six

Obtaining Glory from People.

Sarah expected slavery. She expected to have Haggar to do whatever was thrown her way. And then she expected to see no human need or emotion from someone casually sexually used. Haggar was beneath Sarah. Sarah had times where she was like the disciples of Jesus. If there were conflicts, like Jesus explaining Communion of the Son of God being eating His Body and Blood and His Sacrifice - and when Sarah wanted comfort. Sarah wanted personal sacrifice - to an enormous extent - from those around her. She wanted the Will of God to be easy.  Sarah wanted another woman's child. Sarah did err.

John expected to Do the Will of God.

Abraham expected to rescue Lot - Hard Work. Abraham expected to argue with the Most High to save others.


The 10 Disciples who fled, repented, and later gave their lives. Sarah laughed at the ability of God to do His Work, His Story, His Will. Sarah passed on. The Allegory is:

Genesis 25:1
Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah.

And Abraham treated Ishmael harshly and he treated the children he had with Keturah harshly. Creating the Middle East difficulty. An Allegory of do unto others.

Verse 17 - Jesus is God

we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 
18 because we wanted to come to you


Abraham longed for many years for God's Word to be filled.

David longed for years for God's Word to be filled.

Israel, Judah, Judea all longed for God's Word to be filled. Jesus was waited for.

The Disciples all lived to see Jesus again. And have. A Paradise Jesus proclaims.


Isaiah 41

3"He pursues them, passing on in safety, By a way he had not been traversing with his feet.

 4"Who has performed and accomplished it, 
Calling forth the generations from the beginning? 
I, the LORD, 
am the first, 
and with the last.
I am He.'"






What we do with our lives - is the point - God did not fly the Children of Israel to the Promised Land. He expected them to have personal and actual war, trust, to be brave, to go forth. To obey God.

James 4
14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”



Jesus began His Ministry at age 30. In Capernaum while His Mother and His Brothers and Sisters were in Nazareth. Jesus found that after 30 years with God's Plan - He would go alone. Being God, Jesus drew His Family back together again in Acts 1 and Acts 2.  Clearly after being Matthew 1 and 2, Luke 1, 2 and 3 - His Family had doubts about all this and wondered and wondered. His Brothers did not offer Jesus helpful opinions and encouragement. Jesus moved on and knew God would handle the healing.

We have to confront real life in real ways and then Trust God. Asking our Father in Goodness in Prayer. Please, Jesus.

Father God,

We are Your beloved, build us up in Your Most Holy Faith. With Jesus help us to pray in the Holy Spirit.

We seek the belief of all Your Promises to us in Jesus. Cover us in the Name of Jesus, we ask of You Our Father. Cover us so closely with Your Arms as wings, and in Jesus, call our prayers holy and righteous and blameless. Forgive us as a Father with His Children, when our conduct toward You, and believers, is not as You love us to be.

As Our Father with His children, exhort each heart and soul. Encourage us, charge us to walk in a manner worthy of You God. Lead us. We want Your Kingdom and Your Glory.

Keep us firmly in Your Love Father God, the Grace upon Grace mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ leading to eternal life. Please have mercy on those who doubt. Help us to do Your Will. Save others by snatching them out of the fire. Help us see to show mercy with reverence for You.

Glory and Joy in Expectation for our Prayers with Jesus for Peace, Justice and Mercy.

You are able to keep us in Your Salvation.

The glory with great joy, the only God, our only Savior Jesus Christ our Lord. We will see Your glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. 
Amen in The Highest Name of Jesus the Christ.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †