James 2:12-19 ~ Law of Liberty

Today I was looking at a Church in Brazil praying for a Pastor held hostage in the Middle East. And the article was discussing the prayers of the faithful are answered. I've been told in the last 25 years, it's difficult to travel in Brazil due to orphans and gangs. And our neighbor was teaching an International Law School living 60 miles out of Rio, with pure enjoyment of the freedom to travel and see the Beauty of Brazil.

I was very surprised to find this photo was a Large Church in Brazil.

The same with a Church friend and another neighbor who found how much they loved Cape Town, South Africa.

This is not just a Christian Revolution of Believers in the USA.

We are living a time of the Oscar Winning movie Mrs. Miniver. Searching a lifetime apart from world wars - what makes life meaningful. And in this prayer of the Holy Spirit - we are crossing borders Jesus told us we would.


The Church of England was in its Glory of 1500 years during World War II. The Churches were packed. The Liturgy was read and The Daily Lectionary or The Daily Office - a two year program to read the Bible worldwide and a good and joyful thing. But the reading was wooden to be reliable. We Understand.

Inside, with the stress - to live during the bombings. Put the children in the country for years. See the young men killed and maimed.

The woodenness created this in the 1960s and 70s. "Are you a Christian?" "Yes, I'm...  Presbyterian/Catholic/Methodist/Episcopalian." Splendid. We understand. And millenniums who are interested in film and movie as a cultural/historical/entertainment/art form are stunned to see the movies represent a very ethical lifestyle.

Enter the years expressed pretty well by "Forest Gump". This would be when the establishment decided we could use a two income family for tax revenues and the tax dollar is WAY up over the luxury suits worn to work after World War II of $40. Gone was the housing a man could afford to pay for his house in cash for 3 to 5 years of income saved. Winston Churchill was Very Afraid the lack of farms for Europeans to inherit would drive the world to Communism.

So what's happened? When I went in to look at my Real Estate Taxes I found 8 homes in my area sold and one was a foreclosure. We live in a world where we have forgotten the loss of small-time farmers, but we don't even know a 30-year mortgage can be extremely frightening. The home isn't labeled: "Quarantine", "Rabid" or even "Deplorable." It's simply for sale.

Bill Gates said the loss of affordable College Education is a form of Serfdom.

Why are people rude and cold to each other?

There is a difficult world going on. Where the 20 somethings feel that housing is held by few people and rented out at rates that if you could afford the house - you'd buy it. We say Trade School is the New Modern. But the divorce rate for non-college is more than or about 50%. 2/3rds to life stay married with College Educations.

What are we doing? 

We are denying the loss of freedoms. And the basket is on fire for the candle underneath.

How are we going to solve this?

We are solving this. Slowly. We are finding more of our Sermons address real life. We are not seeing wooden values that hammer so well into the familiar slot.

Jesus knew this about mankind from Genesis 1. The life put in us is from God when we are looking for His Holy Spirit.




God, Himself, has favored us with His Example.


Mark 2

"Follow me."

And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Hammer.

So many times in an argument - this is my verbal weapon of choice. Pound out the argument win. Win. Jesus had a hammer inflicted upon Him as He gave us Life. Jesus did not hammer upon His people. His values did not require a Hammer.

James 

The First Council of Nicaea did something so Spirit-filled. Something Jesus would applaud. In 325 A.D., the physical Brother of Jesus was given precedence over Peter in the Books of the Bible. Jesus and James discuss there the Magnificat of Mary is taught to the family of Mary and Joseph. James - The Book of the Bible we are privileged to see the home in Nazareth were the sons of Joseph and sisters of Jesus were raised.

Mary and Joseph found more and more room at their table. Blessed of God.

James 2:12-19

12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged 

under the law of liberty.

13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.

 Mercy triumphs over judgment.

14 What good is it, my brothers, 

if someone says he has faith but does not have works? 

Can that faith save him? 

15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 1

7 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well.

We have the real flavor of the Household of Mary and Joseph. Not a stodgy place. A place of welcome. Where Love grows and meaningful life is a day to day reality.


When we fail to Hammer at each other. And find the Law of Liberty is looking to Father God, Living and Abiding in God - we are blessed to find the Mercy we can give each other. When we take less of a firm death, hammer hold on our worries, - We are able to give the Generosity and Graciousness of Favor God displays to us.

When we live Graciously - we find the ability to behave graciously to one another. We find we want all of the world to be blessed to see our own blessings. We govern differently. We educate differently. Our children have gracious expectations. We are able to give generously. Gracious people make a Gracious world.

Abba, Father God,

Jesus is where we want to be Blessed.

Jesus could take all the Bible, 

all of God's Word and make a summary for every situation.

 Jesus told us He needed no new Commandment to explain all of Your Word.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

This is the great and first commandment.

And a second is like it: 

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. 

Love One Another.

Father God, We ask the Light of the world. The Way, the Truth and the Life to live in us. We ask Your Blessing of Life to be in the people we Love. We pray Your Holy Spirit in the People You have given us. 

We pray for the Nation trusting in You. Reaching to our schools, our employment, our communities. We lift up the Nation to You. We Lift up the Nations Trusting in You. We lift up the people of Your Creation - helping the Holy Spirit to search and know the Beloved of God in prayer. God is Love enfolding and encircling the Creation - God finds good yesterday, today and tomorrow.

We pray for the Freedom of this Blog from Hacker and Stalker.

And for this cold and cough, I have to be healed.

The Blessing of Jesus Live in our hearts to give the Light of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Luke 21:36 ~ pray

Luke 21:36

Watch you therefore, 

and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy.

Things not in the Bible

"It's all good."

And "Eat, Drink and be Merry."

Ok, "Eat, Drink and be Merry" IS in the Bible.

Isaiah 22:13

And behold, joy and gladness!

Killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine.

“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Luke 12:19

19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” 

Lazarus and the Rich Man.

We would all want the Merriment of the Splendor of God.

And, yet, Jesus was so far and so high beyond

the understanding of the people He chose

from the Beginning

to have in His Family for prior Generations

and the people He chose to see every day.

Yes, Jesus is the Light of the world.

John said if all that Jesus did was recorded,

we couldn't have all the books in all the world,

explain the Glory of God.

Why would you tell an Angel, 

"Sure, Ok, as a virgin engaged to Joseph -  the match my father, Heli, has set all of his pride upon - son of David, son of Kings of Israel. Sure, fine, ok, I'll have an out-of-wedlock pregnancy where I could be stoned to death from being betrothed to the Joseph of that guy's lineage."

Let's think about why Mary said, "Yes. " To God Himself.

Jesus told us. All about everything.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

 of

The Disciples and The Godly

Understanding God

Luke 11:1

Jesus' Disciples rather 'abruptly' arrived and said to Jesus, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Manifest Word of God, Light of the World, Light of All Men, "Hey, John's disciples know how to tap in to God in prayer power - teach us." That's the message of summary version.

However - we have to give the Disciples credit. 

In the Days following the Resurrection, Assumption and Given the Holy Spirit:

They didn't say with a tone, "Oh." The Tone would say - that's so yesterday - healing the blind, lame, sick and the "poor." They didn't smile, like they found the conversation a little to the right of overly religious. The Disciples didn't say really, miracles died off. That's why today we live "Days may come." The Apostles did not say, "Let's tone it down to impress the right people and say 'gotcha' not all prayer is answered, it's soooo nice to participate in the godly things, without messing with things like, "Miracles." These men wouldn't say, "Looking at godly things every day is - so - 'really'. "

The Disciples - give more credit - didn't say, "Sure, when you raise little children you give them "G" Rated. Then when they grow up and see divorce, then you "Date" the way people Date. And you don't bother with things like your son's girlfriend is in the hotel room next to you, and it is, "all ok." The Disciples did not cater to gay people and then act like it was a Mission Trip to speak of.

They didn't go into bars and brothels and haul out sinners. They didn't dwell at all on the things we could call sin.  The Disciples never discussed the 4 legal types of Roman Empire approved marriage.

Ok, really, the Disciples didn't even say, "OH THEN... I prayed, and he was healed, and my halo is that good."

(If Jesus had had Disciples this cool, surely the Synagogues would not have asked Jesus to speak. And the Mary Magdalenes would never approach Jesus. Or the woman who cried for her daughter. Or the Jairus of the world. But the donkeys and few horses would look better. The blind would never have sought out Jesus or the leper. A thinner crowd to be sure.)

Instead, because 

We All Fall Short of The Glory of God 

- The Disciples fell into this:

Spiritual pride - until - their lives were at stake. I think we said, 'Stake'.

"Maybe" they fell into Acts 8 - I have the goods - give me the Powah. Simon the magician offered silver. The Disciples, according to the Bible, said this:

Mark 10:28

Then Peter began to speak up. 

"We've given up everything to follow you," he said.

The Disciples actually enjoyed tattled to Jesus walking as Grace upon Grace - "Jesus, that man over there used Your Good Name and he healed and that's a no-no." Jesus disagreed.

The Disciples felt free to discuss where Jesus should and shouldn't speak. "That Samaritan Woman - really? Oh c'mon, we were just discussing 'her.'"

The Disciples said we need Jesus to call down fire on these sinners. Saying, the Disciples felt at ease to pronounce Judgement on others. Being all that - in Spiritual say so.

The Disciples moved children out of the way - to better place the momentum of the Jesus Thing.

The Disciples wanted to move ahead of the other Disciples. James and John.... did they ask their mother to help them? ...Placement, Position and Power. And then the other Disciples displayed a gang mentality to shut "That" down.

John the Baptist asked Jesus if He really was all He said.

The Disciples didn't get up early enough to pray with Jesus. As late arrivers, the Disciples had to go and look for Him and say, "Hey, the crowd is looking for You, get it?" And they didn't stay awake at night to pray, either.

(If Jesus had gone along with all these neat labels - Mathew and his thug white-collar group - probably wouldn't have lasted long. )

What happened to Judas? The Scriptures tell us he loved money. The Scriptures tell us he wanted to manipulate Jesus. Maybe even as the Agent of Jesus to direct the show. Judas went to the government? Sort of - yes. Judas went to the Temple and Sanhedrin Council - where Judas wanted to "blend."

We know Mary was all that and never made mistakes. Instead, remember, this is "Hail Mary." Mary had endured having to run with haste when trouble came from her family. Mary was Not Going to Be Far More Sympathetic to Jesus going on The Path of God. And Jesus had to curb His own mother's appeal. More Blessed are those who do the Will of God. My Mother and Brothers are those who do 

the Will of God. Mary was allowed to wait outside.

 Mary, having almost been stoned to death, did rain on a Work of God including, "All where healed." Saying - "Sh, Jesus, Sh and get home."

 "Suuuuure. You aren't out of your mind, c'mon home. FAST."

And, "What do you mean you were sitting with the Big Men in the Temple, move out of that now, young man."

Or even "Pondered this in her heart."

Mark 9

23 “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!”

And this would be the proof of Jesus being God. Being the Sunrise from on High, tenderly visiting us. Even Mary couldn't keep up with Jesus.

Luke 1

67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, 68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us[h] from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

(Father God, as parents, we say thank You for the mistakes of Mary and Joseph. Really. Amen and Amen.)

When we say Jesus lived our lives. JESUS LIVED OUR LIVES.

Jesus did Not Pick to be born in a Palace. Jesus did not walk on water past the Disciples and Peter. Or even Mary.

How do things get this tangled up? 

We often wonder how the culture, the world has so many problems.

Jesus said this. Jesus has told us everything.

Hebrews 1

He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.

He said, "Lead us not into Temptation."

Jesus said this about God. In the Lord's Prayer.

We are too tempted to lean on Jesus and be who we are. 

We expect Waiter Jesus to see it our way and act like us.

When Mary told God Himself, through Archangel Gabriel, she'd risk death and all things for Him and for unborn Jesus - she met an Angel of the Lord. These Messengers Stand in The Presence of God. They have to say, "Fear Not." Mary knew all about her cousin Priest Zachariah. Mary knew God was owed the deference of His Glory. Mary took on the Way of God and then privately had messed down the road. Whew. Thank God for Mary. Real Scripture is really comforting.

"Lead us not into Temptation" 

Is not talking all about Scary Movies, Rock and Roll, Sex, Drugs and Alcohol. Not Fornication, not Adultery. Lead us not into Temptation is saying - look at who you are to Jesus Christ God's Son. Have humility. Obedience. Reverence. Loyalty. Love.

See what Jesus really Lived. And see Jesus said in John 14, 15 and 16 Jesus has Joy not the fabled life of the Messiah - in the mess of real life. Jesus being God then goes on in John 17 to pray for us. Because Jesus sees us. Jesus sees us with His compassion. Jesus sees us as sheep in need of a Loving, Good Shepherd.

"Lead us not into the Temptation" 

Of picking up our joystick, putting our game face on, put cruise control on - to let Jesus suffer us.

Luke 21:36

Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy.

Matthew 25

‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me."

2 Peter 2:25

For ye were going astray as sheep,

 but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer 

of your souls.

Abba,Father,

The Truth is we cannot do 3,000 pages of Scripture. 

We do not do what we ought and we do what we ought not.

 No human being in the Bible ever did all You wanted of them. 

We need Jesus. Jesus, we need Your Grace. 

We need Jesus not just to fulfill the iotas and dots of Scripture 

we need Jesus as our Shepherd.

 Daily.

Father God, with the Help of Father, Son and Holy Spirit 

You have said You are not human and our ways are not Your Way. 

We need Your Way, Your Life, Your Truth.

 We need Abundant Life 

to have the Joy, Faith and Hope 

to have all Your Fruit to live lives abiding in You.

Our Father

Who art in Heaven

Holy is Your Name.

Your Kingdom come

Your Will Be Done

on earth as in Heaven.

Give us this day

our daily Living Bread.

Please Forgive us our Sins,

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us Not into Temptation.

Deliver us from evil.

For Thine is

The Kingdom

The Power

and the Glory.

Amen and Thank You for Jesus Christ.

We pray 

Deuteronomy 32:1-15 ~ proclaim the Name of the Lord

 

Old Faithful, our trip in 2017, taken from sitting under the trees. I see a large Angel and a Trumpet.

Tributaries of the Mississippi River.

The National November 2023 Drought Index.

 

Deuteronomy 32:1-15

“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,

    and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

2 May my teaching drop as the rain,

    my speech distill as the dew,

like gentle rain upon the tender grass,

    and like showers upon the herb."

3 For I will proclaim the Name of the Lord;

    ascribe greatness to our God!

4 “The Rock, His work is perfect,

    for all His ways are justice.

A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,

    just and upright is He.

5 They have dealt corruptly with Him;

    they are no longer His children because they are blemished;

    they are a crooked and twisted generation.

6 Do you thus repay the Lord,

    you foolish and senseless people?

Is not He your Father, who created you,

    who made you and established you?

7 Remember the days of old;

    consider the years of many generations;

ask your father, and he will show you,

    your elders, and they will tell you.

8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,

    when he divided mankind,

he fixed the borders of the peoples

    according to the number of the sons of God.

9 But the Lord's portion is his people,

    Jacob his allotted heritage.

10 “He found him in a desert land,

    and in the howling waste of the wilderness;

he encircled him, he cared for him,

    he kept him as the apple of his eye.

11 Like an eagle that stirs up its nest,

    that flutters over its young,

spreading out its wings, catching them,

    bearing them on its pinions,

12 the Lord alone guided him,

    no foreign god was with him.

13 He made him ride on the high places of the land,

    and he ate the produce of the field,

and he suckled him with honey out of the rock,

    and oil out of the flinty rock.

14 Curds from the herd, and milk from the flock,

    with fat of lambs,

rams of Bashan and goats,

    with the very finest of the wheat—

    and you drank foaming wine made from the blood of the grape.

15 “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked;

    you grew fat, stout, and sleek;

then he forsook God who made him

    and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation."

Usually, I omit the more dire words of the Scripture, when we aren't looking at the Daily Lectionary. Because if we have Love for the Lord and study all of His Word, we are assured Jesus Christ, in His Grace and Mercy, holds back the wrath of many layers.

Today, I included most of Deuteronomy 32 because I complained to the Lord, our Father, and let Him think about what I think about. This could do better and that could do better. And I approached the Lord because Jesus is His exact nature and tells us to pray when we need to tell our Friend our insistent prayers and depths of concern. Jesus tells us pray with Hope when we feel the Lord is being an unconcerned Judge. I was insistent the Lord, our Father, hear my thoughts.

And this afternoon, Houston's gulf area is having a good, gentle soaking rain. But many are not. My sinuses decided to have an incredible deluge. My lymph nodes are swollen and my throat is very, very raw. 

When we feel we can only pray in so many directions, we can be confident God is hearing our prayers. Even the ones when we are jumping up and down and pointing. His Favor and Love is what we ask for. 

Hebrews 1:3

He is the radiance of the glory of God 
and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.  

Psalm 118:6 
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. 

What can man do to me?

Psalm 24:1 
The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, 

the world and those who dwell therein

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? 

Be strong and courageous. 
Do not be frightened, 

and do not be dismayed, 

for the Lord your God is with you 

wherever you go.”

Genesis 1:1 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

1 John 4:16

 
So we have come to know and to believe 

the love that God has for us. 
God is love, 

and whoever abides in love abides in God, 

and God abides in him.

1 John 4:8

Anyone who does not love does not know God,

 because God is love.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Romans 15:13  
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.

 

We pray 

to rise

 to shine for Your Glory.

O heavenly Father, you have filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 “The Book of Common Prayer,” page 815

In the Name of Jesus Christ,

Your Son.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †