Luke 4:1-13 ~ it is written

Luke 4:1-13

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”

And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Jesus wasn't poorly tempted by the devil. It was a campaign offered to His strengths, His fears & frustrations. The devil asked for a show of power - showing Him more power, putting Him above the temple which was put above Jesus. Jesus did not face this temptation by asking for armies of heaven or boasting. Jesus had many more available spiritual weapons than we would realize we have given to us. Jesus was polite and even tempered. Jesus provided us a role model in the face of danger. He remembered Scripture and not the need to quote verse and book. Jesus kept His soul open to the Lord God. Jesus called upon what we are told about first in this passage of Luke, He realized the Holy Spirit dwells within.

Hebrews 12:1,2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

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Luke 5:27-32 ~ Those

Paolo Veronese (1528–88) Italian painter famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana and Feast in the House of Levi.

Luke 5:27-32

27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Judea was place in turmoil. Vast fortunes had been piled up as Rome swept in, Oxford historians said these huge fortunes wouldn't be repeated until 1600 A.D., the middle classes were supporting the Roman tax system. The clash came in Israel as a moral nation being swallowed with Roman favoritism and industry. The appearance of godliness was needed as Israel became just another Roman province.

So what generation are you, where did you grow up and what did your family tell you about the Civil War? Well, put aside your stereotypes, this is what I grew up with: The waaar of Northernnn Aggggressionnn was a terrible thiiing. Your 3rd great grandfather went to Shiloh and fought on the opposite side from his son-in-law. The son-in-law died and your 2nd great grandmother remarried and so you exist. Your other 2nd great grandfather was 10 when the Union Army arrived and confiscated the house. They were fortunate to be allowed to continue to live in the house with the Yankees. His father, James Thomas Elliott was elected as a Republican to the Fortieth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of U.S. Rep. James Hinds - who was killed by the KKK. So, my very Southern family has an - almost carpet bagger Congressman. Some of us were Republicans in the South during the waaar. Some of us weren't. One 2nd great grandmother was a completely angry southerner, who probably didn't mind eating the wallpaper paste during the siege of Vicksburg, at age 6, but never forgave the Yankees when her cat was dinner.

One of those. All these labels are complicated, all the above people should hate each other - they fought against each other and they shot at each other, then they married each other.

All the sinner labels are complicated in this passage, as well. The Pharisees are grumbling about Jesus sitting with sinners. Jesus is One of Those who consorts with sinners. ... The Pharisees are not just misguided powerful people who killed the Lord. The Pharisees are run by Herod.... not descendants of Aaron handed down from Moses. Herod picked and chose who would serve at the 2nd Temple. Herod remodeled the Temple with funds the Romans allowed him to profit & collect as King of Judea. Herod's input would have been needed by the Governor of Judea, Pilate, to appoint the tax collectors. Remember who gave Herod criticism for Herod's morality & what happened to him (Matthew 14).

The Levites were not in charge of the Temple in Jesus' day. Levi, in Jesus' day, was a Tax Collector.

Who are those called by Jesus? All of us. Who was forgiven by Jesus? All of us. We are all... one of those.

Mark 3:28

I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them ...

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Twitter?

If you are a Christian on Twitter, I'd like to follow your tweets. http://twitter.com/Scripfortoday


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Mark 12:28-34 ~ love Him with all your heart

Gethsemane By Adam Abram

Mark 12:28-34

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.

~ love Him with all your heart

My college years, in the early 1980s, were wonderful. "The early 80's," said Senator Trent Lott, Senate Majority Leader, "were a shining era of light." When asked to explain Sen. Lott said his kids were in college then, he visited them & saw college young men and women as well dressed, interested in the American system, behaving well, and believing in the American dream of hard work and playing by the rules. And ya know, I gotta agree. We graduated, jobs were hard to find there was a recession, stores I'd gone to all my life were closing and we still all believed it would be okay. Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, the news about him was almost always amusing & Margaret Thatcher. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall. I still look back on the 80's as challenging and rewarding - plus, big bonus here- the people I knew graduating from college in the 90's all said the best music was from the 80's.

Who is going to look back at these 10 years of (what do we call them? the zeros?) 2000 and say wow. With great certainty the financial situation and the wars lead to this gloom. Where did this gloom come from... quitting. Why all this quitting... me, me, me, me, me, me, me. I saw it today on the Rick Warren Facebook, people commenting they love the gospels, but don't like the New Testament. Like the gospels, but don't like the Old Testament. Have you heard someone say, I liked my Church until.... reason (my feelings were neglected).... I liked my friend until... (their feelings mattered more than courtesy). I liked my actual neighbor until.... (they put themselves in some way before me).

How can we like this passage? It requires belief there is Something Greater than ourselves. In my opinion the news is angry, the politics are angry, the neighborhoods are too busy(angry), because we (including me) are all so taken up with pushing ourselves forward, for the brief span of our adult lives, life now has bigger problems than from 20 years ago.

Well this commentary was awful today, I don't feel better now. Wait! How can we see hope? How can we see a better tomorrow? Love Him with all your heart. Decide not to quit Church, decide not to quit your friend, decide not quit your neighbor. How? It is just justified, it is just rude.

Love Him with all your heart. The first step is to hang in there. Trust Him, He cares, He is there for you. The second step is to not return evil for evil. Love covers all. Keep trying, keep nurturing someone. Love Him with all your heart. Is your cup looking empty? Thank Him for the blessings in life you'd miss if they were gone tomorrow. Love Him with all your heart. Don't quit. Do you hear someone complain about how down the times are? Remind them God is faithful. Care for them. Pray, keep on praying. You are not far from the kingdom of God.

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Acts 7:30-34 ~ holy ground

The Winner, sculpted by Glenna Goodacre. She designed: The Vietnam Woman's Memorial in Washington D.C. & the obverse of the Sacagawea Dollar for the USA in 2000. She is a native born Texan, unfortunately transplanted to another state. And currently in good recovery from a stroke in 2007.


Acts 7:30-34 (New Revised Standard Version)

"Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 'I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look. Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.'"

You have to love and adore the bible verses that pack it all in: miracles, acts of God, martyrdom, eloquence, corrupt men of God, valiant deeds, famous words and utmost bravery for the Highest God. This is indeed the book of Acts - it is Stephen, the bible records him having the face of an angel while telling the most important teachers of Israel how they had missed the most important event... the Messiah. What angered them the most: being talked down to, Stephen's profound joy, hollow victory of the top position for religious status, repeat problems with a dead/risen man they had famously given an unjust trial - at night, or being accused of murdering the Son of God?


Sanhedrin Council records, recorded by Talmuds, collected before 400 A.D., report Jesus being alive and a burden to them. After Stephen died they reported this: "On the eve of the Passover they hung Jeshu [the Nazarene]. And the crier went forth before him forty days (saying), [Jeshu the Nazarene] goeth forth to be stoned, because he hath practices magic and deceived and led Israel astray. Anyone who knoweth aught in his favor, let him come and declare concerning him. And they found naught in his favor."

There were a lot of negative, untrue statements written about Jesus in the Sanhedrin Council records, but a list of the positive proof extracted from the negative is this:

• Jesus was alive, they recognized the crowd loved him and they had a dilemma at hand.

• Jesus was born under unusual circumstances, leading some rabbis to address him as ben Pandira and " a bastard of an adulteress."
• Jesus' mother Mary was Heli's daughter.
• Jesus was crucified on the eve of Passover.
• Jesus made himself alive by the name of God.
• Jesus was a son of a woman.
• Jesus claimed to be God, the son of God, the son of man.
• Jesus ascended and claimed that he would return again.
• Jesus was near to the kingdom and near to kingship.
• Jesus had at least five disciples.
• Jesus performed miracles, i.e. practiced "sorcery".
• Jesus' name has healing power.
• Jesus' teaching impressed one rabbi.

Stephen's face is the burning bush. How could this man have gone to his death willingly with such ease? This Sanhedrin Council did not banish Stephen to live at the outer edges, he was too dangerous. In fury over his joy, they destroyed him immediately & he went down forgiving them. I will wonder, today- an appropriate question for lent, how the Sanhedrin Council spent the next several weeks, each person, digesting the destruction of such joy....

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You are Invited to Attend Ash Wednesday with Us:

Hope Pointe Anglican Church

3333 South Panther Creek

on the Southeast Corner of Woodlands Parkway and South Panther Creek

Across the Street from McCullough Junior High School

The Woodlands, Texas 77381

7:00 P.M.

1 Timothy 1:18-2:8 ~ supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings

1 Timothy 1:18-2:8

18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

2 Timothy

1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men [mankind - Greek word], the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling

My great-uncle Tate was an Episcopal priest for close to 60 years mostly around Sherman, Texas. A well-educated Southern gentleman who stood about 6'2" with broad shoulders, strong Marlboro-man frame and a full, beautiful head of white hair. A man interested in all types of diverse subjects who loved the Lord with a passionate devotion. He had the most amazing collection of National Geographic Magazines - surely the Smithsonian would have loved his study.

Tate had black eyeglasses (exactly like the photo), I asked him once as a child if he didn't change them for a more modern brand because they matched his cassock. Rarely was Tate knocked for a loop, but he paused and said no it was because he used to have black hair. That floored me, I'd rather thought God and Tate looked like each other for a long time. I remember Tate raising his hands to pray over his congregation, one sight I hope to see again in Heaven (the best is yet to be!).

Tate was the best combination of worldly-wise and innocent dove. We were coming home from a christening and Tate was talking, driving, gesturing, leaving his "autooomobile" lane - a usual day. A man drove up to the driver's side, blared his horn and shot Tate the finger. Tate turned to smile and wave - the man caught sight of Tate's clerical collar and garb - immediately the other driver's car seemed to stop. Tate's smiling comment, as he waved was, "Must be one of my parishoners."

Tate was always unfailingly glad to see everyone. And how did Tate know how to deal with the parishioners who couldn't help out that day, Tate would boom his thanks into the phone, in a refined drawl, generous loud praise and quick exit off the phone. I was never grown enough to find this annoyingly leveled at me, but I loved, loved, loved it when he did this to my dad. ... And, oh, how it worked...

Tate suits this passage to a perfect fit. Tate read about war, loved guns he shot and crafted himself and he agreed there is a spiritual battle. Tate understood we all drift back and forth with our human nature from day to day. Tate never spent time trying to decide who was saved or unsaved, he knew "well indeed" that salvation belongs to Jesus Christ. Tate would have said he was an ambassador for God, welcoming long-time gone souls into the church, visiting widows, trudging to the hospital, cruising around Lake Texhoma in all types of "flotation devices".

God's word is living and active; in Paul's day with the ink wet on the parchment, in Tate's day, and today. All people need the Salvation of Jesus Christ and His mediation. We pray for our children and others to be saved and rejoice in the love God so willingly gives us. God gives Himself, not just to the earth angels making their Ambassadorship look golden, but to us the goy (gentiles) of the world!

Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people - Ash Wednesday is a great start to great conversation. We are welcomed by God Himself and He treats us as the beloved child He will continue to give His word to.

Praise to You, God Most Loving!

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(this isn't our Scripture for today, just the sidelines)

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez ~ we spent Fat Tuesday having our Shrove Tuesday traditional (to El Paso) Fajitas at our church HopePointe. It was fun! Edward, my husband, was a singing monk with monkster clothing.

Although ours was a recreation (great!!), it was not this actual video. You should see this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU

Matthew 27:51-66 ~ also were opened

Representation of the Temple Curtain by A. Gardere

2 Chronicles 3:14
He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it.

Matthew 27:51-66

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 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!”

55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.


If you ever wanted to own a Roman coin, they sell on ebay for not much money. The coins come from Roman soldiers frequently burying their treasure before war, the coins come with instructions to wash millenniums of soil away. Roman soldiers faced death all the time, if not from war, then in decimation from discipline.

Why doesn't the history from the Scriptures, Josephus, from Sanhedrin Council records say the praetorian guard was killed? There was too much going on, if Pilate was frightened and personally flogged Jesus himself (John 19:1) , how must Pilate have felt when all of these events occurred? Even the soldiers surrounding Jesus must have reported to Pilate saying among themselves Jesus was the Son of God. Eclipse, earthquake, Temple steps, Temple curtain, dismissing His own spirit, forgiveness and early death. The tombs opened and bodily resurrection reported, not just of the Lord, but the holy. Pilate's own sign proclaiming in three languages Jesus was King of the Jews.

Did Pilate stand on the steps to see the sky become dark and feel the earthquake on the Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs, transfered from the archaeological ruins of Pilate's Palace to the Vatican? (Scripture for Today Link)

Pilate was later fired, struck down in his military standing, for his inability to rule in orderly methods with the Jews. There were many examples of Pilate and his extreme tactical mistakes, in later years Jesus' trial was known throughout the Empire and beyond for being unjust.

We praise you, Father, for the events surrounding Good Friday & the reasons people saw and believed as You sent Your Holy Spirit to dwell in us. You are Amazing, Father God.




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Mark 8:11-13 ~ Jesus had arrived

Mosaic by A. Gardere

Two brothers, Moshe and Yuval Lufan, discovered the Galilee boat known as "The Jesus Boat", in 1986. Moshe and Yuval, second generation fisherman from Kibbutz Ginosar, grew up on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It was a huge drought and fishermen need fish to make a living.

The boat began to appear as hope grew wan. Instead of a time of uncertainty, it became a time of joy.

As they were discovering the boat, a double rainbow appeared in the sky. Ginosar, the Antiquities Authority, and many volunteers took part in the archaeological dig which lasted 12 days and nights. The discovery of this Galilee Boat caused a stir throughout the world, especially when it was conclusively dated to the first century A.D. – the time of Jesus.

The boat, made of twelve different types of wood, is now on exhibit at Kibbutz Ginosar. It is 9 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and 1.25 meters high.

Mark 8:11-13

11 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

12 When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign.” 13 So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake.


Philipians 2:5-11
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.



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Luke 9:28-43 ~ appeared in glorious splendor

Luke 9:28-43 ~ (Today's New International Version) Audio Bible

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)


While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." ³⁶ When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

³⁷ The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸ A man in the crowd called out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹ A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not."

⁴¹ "You unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here."

⁴² Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

This is a passage you know if you grew up in the Church reading the Bible. It's like wrapping paper on a gift; you see the package, it's beautiful and you proceed to open the present. You believe the person giving you the gift has something in the wrapping paper. Think about reading this to someone who is unfamiliar to the Scriptures. You'd have to provide the who, what and why. You would start with explaining Jesus Christ, His identity & sacrifice for you and the newby.

After you've finished explaining this passage, you are going to be asked why would holy people dead for a 1,000 years show up. You could give them the prophecy from Malachi 4:5 , but it might not satisfy & you would be asked why these men appeared. Why did God choose to send them?

Look at what is ahead for Jesus, an incredible ordeal. Are the disciples much help? As much help as young children helping to fill out your tax forms. Jesus was as encouraged as His disciples. Moses and Elijah spoke to Jesus words of encouragement, as living men who had come through dealing with vast quantities of rebellious people against God Himself. Jesus is able to move ahead in spite of the children of Israel - his disciples - fumbling & bumbling at the foot of the mountain.

Perhaps when you look over this passage, it wouldn't be the passage you would want to explain. Dead prophets appearing and epilepsy interpreted as demons... much more understandable to the first century man. This time the wrapping paper comes with the gift, you wouldn't wad up the wrapping paper and throw it to your host to demand clean up would you?

Historically Jesus lived and died... this is archaeology... unless you are James Cameron. Even Roman Emperors for the first 400 years after Jesus died believed this & came to fear the power of the name of Jesus. So, Jesus was able to die for mankind, you, and unable to converse with men living with God? Jesus who healed the blind, cured the deaf and gave hope for 2,000 years was not gifted with spiritual discernment to know when He was dealing with epilepsy or not?

Forget this whole argument if you please, but know you have been given a gift today. You have been given the Valentine of knowing God the Father, sent comfort to His Son, before His Sacrifice. God does not desert us, God will always hear us and seek us.

We give you great praise Father, for the Steadfast Love that defines You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Mark 8:1-9 ~ they ate and were satisfied

Mark 8:1-9

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.”

And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?”

And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”

And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away.

Today the phone rang, a friend has experienced a lot of adversity in the last year and a half. This Christian has worked at the Church, done youth work and now feels beaten down with life. Faith and prayers end at the ceiling, what's the use.

Look at the passage, Jesus knows about weariness. The people fed today have followed Jesus by putting time and effort into seeking. They've had three days of rough living. Jesus isn't feeding the people who are comfortable and well fed.

A fatigued, weary place in life and we wonder why there is a time of this roughness. We tend to think think like Jesus, why are we forsaken (Matt 27:46) ? Is God bored? On vacation?

Jesus gives us this to understand God is still there, even when we feel hostile or just overwhelmed:

Luke 18:1-1
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "

6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.

Father, we pray for my Christian friend today & give thanks for the light the people who work for your glory bring. Lift and encourage those carrying the cross of Christ, send them their own Simon (Luke 23:26) to help them carry on. Thank you for the Simons you send. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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Psalm 147 ~ His word runs swiftly

Psalm 147

1 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, [for he is beautiful ] and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble; [afflicted ]
he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules [ just decrees ] to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules. [ just decrees ]
Praise the Lord!


Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Isaiah 40:5-7
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Luke 5:1-3
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

Luke 8:11
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

Luke 11:28
But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

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

Acts 12:24
The word of God increased and multiplied.

Ephesians 6:17
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Colossians 1:25
I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known

1 Timothy 4:5
for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 11:3
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

1 Peter 1:23
You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God

Our greatest pleasure is to think of all the reasons we have to praise God. When we take the time to make a long list of the things present, past and the things to come God blesses us with, we realize how abundantly beautiful the Lord truly is. He builds, gathers, heals, gives, lifts, covers, prepares, blesses, fills, sends and declares - He delights and takes pleasure in ... you.

The blessings of God come to us and His word runs swiftly.

Father God, may our conversations be abundant and our realizations of your blessings be unending. Praise to You, O LORD.

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Acts 3:11-16 ~ Faith

Splash Abstract by Jason Cianelli

Acts 3:11-16

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.


Our pastor was healed from needed surgery in both arms to repair both rotator cuffs. It is indeed a miracle in the healing name of Jesus Christ. Clark had an MRI and a surgery date, then two weeks before surgery in January of 2007, he was healed.

The gift of healing never stops. Trisha, Clark's wife was telling some people across the continent about Clark's healing and they were very interested in hearing about miracles today. Just as Jesus didn't let death stop Him, the miracles available in Jesus' name occur today. Miracles are not for us alone, but they are the ripples in the pond of God's Glory.

May the Glory of God come to you today and strengthen you! In the most holy and highest name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

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1 Kings 10:1-10 ~ now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon

Seaport, Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba. By Claude Lorrain, 1648. Currently in the National Gallery in London.

1 Kings 10:1-10 ~ (Revised Standard Version) Listen

[1-5] Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king which he could not explain to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,
the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.

[6-10] And she said to the king, "The report was true which I heard in my own land of your affairs and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me; your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report which I heard. Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel for ever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness."

Then she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones; never again came such an abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.


What a great painting today! The sun is coming up and a voyage is ahead. A new day and new opportunity.

Milleniums have generated stories speculating about the Queen of Sheba and Solomon. From legends in Ethiopia of seduction and a son from their meeting, to an Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia no one is allowed to see (guarded by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church). There is ancient history showing Hebrew spoken in Ethiopia a long time before the birth of Christ. Metaphorical images are given of the virgin birth and the bride of Christ. Wow, this is a time of biblical proportions. Different from worldly vision, the Scriptures do not declare any romance.

So, I'll throw a true historical parable in: Peter the Great of Russia traveled to France to meet the child-king Louis XV. Peter the Great felt great compassion and liking for the child, who had such responsibilities waiting for him. Peter was very tall and hoisted the child into his arms. He carried the child away from the courtiers and kindly explained to young Louis, the nobles of France were far too wealthy not to take better care of the peasants. Peter the Great tried to explain to the young child it would lead to the downfall of France, while explaining France was in the leadership position of the entire world at the time.

Jesus was interested in the Queen of Sheba & Solomon, as well. He cut thought the speculation to praise & prophesy about the Queen of Sheba 1,000 years later:

Matthew 12:24
The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.

Solomon asked for wisdom & a gift was given to him. The Queen of Sheba traveled a great distance to seek out wisdom, and found the Lord. Jesus said that when renewal is front of us, we will see the Lord ahead of us!

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1 Kings 8:22-30 ~ heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You

When Biblical findings are announced, Archeologists then endlessly debate. In 1996, the New York Times, the History Channel and many others announced deeper layers of the existing Western Wall, remnant of the Second Temple called Wailing Wall, had been found. The older stones were from the First Temple built by Solomon, due to the placing and the stone size of the more modest First Temple.

The layers, other than massive Herodian stones and the more modern Islamic stones, are debated. When on the tour to see the stones, the smaller stones are labeled as the closest point to the First Temple.

1 Kings 8:22-30

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 24 who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

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1 Kings 8:1-13 ~the LORD'S glory had filled the temple of the LORD

1 Kings 8:1-3 ~ (New American Bible) Listen

1 At the order of Solomon, the elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes, the princes in the ancestral houses of the Israelites, came to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD'S covenant from the city of David (which is Zion). 2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).

3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark; 4 they carried the ark of the LORD and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels that were in the tent. (The priests and Levites carried them.) 5 King Solomon and the entire community of Israel present for the occasion sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen too many to number or count.

6 The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary, the holy of holies of the temple. 7 The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark, sheltering the ark and its poles from above. 8 The poles were so long that their ends could be seen from that part of the holy place adjoining the sanctuary; however, they could not be seen beyond. (They have remained there to this day.) 9 There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets which Moses had put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites at their departure from the land of Egypt.

10 When the priests left the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD
11 so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud, since the LORD'S glory had filled the temple of the LORD.

12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud; 13 I have truly built you a princely house, a dwelling where you may abide forever."


~ the LORD'S glory had filled the temple of the LORD


2 Samuel 22:10-12
He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

What a sight to behold.



Solomon built more Cherubim into the room built to be the Holy of Holies, this passage is describing them as the Ark is placed in the Sanctuary. The descriptions of the Ark being built describe a Mercy Seat existing between the two Cherubim on the Ark. The Ark is referred to once as a throne. Our pictures of the Ark, never have it remotely look like God's Throne, but instead a decorative box holding sacred relics instead of Throne of the Living God.

Solomon proclaimed God would live in the Temple of the Lord forever. After Jesus was resurrected, John had a vision of the Heavenly Kingdom to come:

Revelation 21:22-26
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

Man keeps trying to have permanence of eternity on earth. God designs eternity for His Heavenly Kingdom. God gives us glimpses, He gives us beautiful glimpses, of what is to come.

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