Matthew 22:1-14 ~ the King was angry

Art from "Jesus of Nazareth" in the book, The Greatest Adventure Stories of the Bible

Matthew 22:1-14

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants [bondservants] to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Anger, Judgment and Consequences are not buzz words guaranteed to attract people. But if you are in a crowd of people in a line, or at a party, and someone emphatically begins to tell a story loudly of something making them angry; People are going to be riveted. Why Aren't We like that about the LORD?

Why wouldn't the Creator of the Universe be allowed to feel anger? And really... why would we, or even should we, say to the Father...... no, not that emotion.

I got good use out of my tonsils today. And yes, the reading was already picked out before I knew the subject was anger. We took my youngest (living) child to Baylor University, today, to start as a Freshmen. We had a confusing situation, with only partial information being available. I felt my child's safety was in question over unclear information given at the last minute. I made my husband angry, my son probably fearful and his girlfriend unhappy. All these emotions were being pushed into a drinking straw and anger ensued.

So, we know when God is angry, He has the situation correctly figured out. No matter how it appears to us. I don't know how your universe project is doing, but my universe couldn't be created because, lately, I am having trouble creating DNA, water/ice/steam from the same molecule, and my gravity creator seems to be on the fritz.

Jesus, telling us to be salt - not meek and mild food, was known to display anger. When Jesus and God are angry it is called Righteous Anger.

So, because God has these emotions what does He tell us about Our Anger (which is rarely Righteous):

Ephesians 4:26,27
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

God must feel people often are angry because they feel something is taken from them (their ipod, their phone, their peace, their friends, their girlfriend, their position):

Ephesisans 4:28-32
28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

God feels we will come face to face with the thief. Who is to say if it is in this life or the next? He is concerned what we will say. And it shouldn't be a pat, little rehearsed bit. Something real. Something kind. Something forgiving.

Jesus spoke about us teaching the Kingdom of God in these situations:

Matthew 23:13
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in."

Pretty serious.

Matthew 23:8-12
8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

So... here I am writing about forgiveness in the midst of anger... looks like I could be out mending a fence or two. We will need all the help we can get in forgiveness from the Lord.

Father God, we will need all of Your help to do as we should. We live for Your mercy. You've given us Matthew 10:19. God will give you the right words at the right time. Help us to please you, when the time comes. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Psalm 146 ~ Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Psalm Project - Psalm 146 - sung by Applegate Fellowship

Psalm 146 ~ (Revised Standard Version)

Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have being.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
When his breath departs he returns to his earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the sojourners,
he upholds the widow and the fatherless;
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The LORD will reign for ever,
thy God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!

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Romans 16 ~ greet brothers and sisters who are with them

Romans 16

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant [deaconess ] of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert [first fruit] to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, [Junias] my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, [messengers] and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers [brothers and sisters] who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, [their own belly] and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you. [The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

It's that time of year again. Many hellos and new opportunities. We just had the goodbyes at our house - we usually have 2 or 3 extra (big) kids around our house. Our youngest is going off to a Christian University. 4 adult kids standing in our front hallway, looking a little stunned, the anticipated moment was here, "Good-bye until the Christmas break - 4 more months."

Lots of opportunities for these young people, more than they can imagine. Lots of God Bless You's for all the road ahead.

I have been good. I have not whined to my husband or my sons about the empty nest. But I will rely upon the Lord to fill my need to nurture and be useful to young people. And there is going to be a twang when I tell Him. Father God, here are my hands, fill them, please.

So, voi·là! Here is the article God put in front of me today:

Keys to a Useful Life
By Ward Williams


· Illustration: Thomas Huxley said, “A feeling of uselessness is the severest shock that a human system can endure.”

· The secret to a happy life is not in keeping busy, but in being useful.

· The Good Samaritan is a good representation of what it means to be a useful, caring person.

· Big Idea: The ultimate standard of a useful life is not what you think and expect of yourself as much as what you are willing to do for those around you.

Transition: Applying this story to our lives requires concentration on three keys to a useful life.

Avoid the danger of generalities.

· Christianity is not a philosophy; its approach to life is concrete.

· The gospel calls us to test our belief by acting upon it.

- Illustration: A cemetery headstone in England reads, “Here lies Thomas Cobb, who mended shoes in this village for 40 years to the glory of God.”

· Neighborliness is not a generality; it is serving the needs of individuals.

Be aware of what is important.

· Jesus implied that all the religious rituals in the world were not as important as the fellow who lay bleeding beside the road.

· Jesus’ choices were always made in terms of people and their needs.

· The Samaritan did not act out of an expectation for reward or thanks.

· The Good Samaritan was motivated by a good conscience, a sense of satisfaction, and a desire to be able to say he had led a useful life.

Help others help themselves.

· The Samaritan’s intentions were to get the wounded man on his feet, not to make him dependent upon charity.

· Illustration: Williams works with a nonprofit organization that finances cottage industries in Venezuela to teach skills leading to financial independence.

Conclusion

· Jesus lived the model of usefulness.

- Philippians 2:7;
but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

- Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

· A useful life is not defined by knowing who our neighbors are, but in demonstrating neighborliness.

· he said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

(Luke 10:37).

Light our way, Father God, help us to walk with anticipation of Your Holy Spirit for You to guide, provide, and lead us. We'll pray for all the kids - the Lord would be with them each day in their schools & universities. For prayer to be welcome again & still is, in our souls. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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John 5:30-47 ~ the testimony

John 5:30-47

30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.

33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

A shining lamp, glory, hope - powerful images of goodness.

Look at all the times Jesus could have put Himself forth. He could have told every single soul Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish council & ruling class was coming to Him for Religious discernment. Jesus could have told Peter to keep repeating when Peter announced Jesus is the Christ. Instead, most of the time, Jesus gave the opposite advice after someone was healed.

Jesus and John the Baptist have something in common. John said:

John 3:27-30
27 To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.

Jesus and John live for God. They are content with God's plan, God Himself will lift them up. The Book of Proverbs, John the Baptist, the Scriptures say all good things are from God. If we do not believe the words, what shall we hope in?

Father God, let the light of the Holy Spirit shine brightly, each day, in us, for Your glory. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Psalm 92 ~ You, O Lord, are on high forever

Orion Nebula - Hubble telescope - 1,500 light years away. Hubble Panoramic View of Orion Nebula Reveals Thousands of Stars

Psalm 92

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
for behold, your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Amazing, amazing advances have happened in science and medicine. We have yet to create life. It is not the human forte. How great are Thy works......O Lord!

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Mark 9 ~ were afraid to ask Him about it

Mark 9 ~ (New International Version)

- Audio link - Mark 9

¹And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

²After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." ⁶(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

⁸Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.

¹¹And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

¹²Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? ¹³But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him."

¹⁴When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.

¹⁷A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."

¹⁹"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

²⁰So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

²¹Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"

"From childhood," he answered. ²²"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

²³" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

²⁴Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

²⁵When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil [unclean] spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

²⁶The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

²⁹He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer [prayer and fasting]"

³⁰They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." ³² But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" ³⁴But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

³⁵Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

³⁶He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

³⁸"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

³⁹"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

⁴²"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. ⁴³If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.['their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' ] ⁴⁵And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸where
" 'their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted with fire.

⁵⁰"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

Ever have a prayer request you were worried about placing before the Lord? Sometimes the Scriptures have two different opinions on the matter on your mind. Jesus says here - whoever is for you, cannot be against you. Jesus also says in:

Matthew 12:30
He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters

The Scriptures are not double minded, it says life has twists - turns & situations can be unclear. When Jesus was asked for (another) sign, in Mark 8, He'd already shown many signs - He wasn't there to be directed by the religious - living off their own power. The Apostles were convinced Jesus was very holy and went with Him, with the one verbal invitation. They stood with God of All & spent a lot of time confused, uncertain and afraid. Mankind is recorded again & again in the Scriptures being in awe at the great works of God's hand. They didn't leave Him, more were gathered to Him, Jesus sent 70 disciples ahead of them speaking of God & the Kingdom of Heaven. We know Jesus loved these people. How?

Mark 3:35
Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.

Jesus placed them as His family. Frequently, He addressed them as "beloved".

Uncertainty, when we address Father God, in the depths of our being, is something God takes pity on; His compassion is great. Remember, when Jesus prayed He said, let Your will be done. God is still God, even when we don't completely understand. Jesus trusted God in all things. Our greatest prayer conversations tell Him of our desires, our questions - as it really is. Uncertainty and confusion is not sin. He knows.

Look at the compassion of Jesus:

~ "will not taste death"
~ Jesus did not abandon the unbelieving generation - He healed them.
~ Jesus helped the boy's father overcome his unbelief.
~ Jesus didn't leave the boy after he was healed. "Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up."

~ Jesus asked them about arguments and discussions they had. He was very involved with them. Rarely did Jesus rebuke them.
~ The disciples pushed small children away - these were important matters for fully informed people. Jesus welcomed and blessed the children.
~ Salt isn't meek, mild food. Jesus encouraged people to be themselves, but knowing mankind, He encouraged peace in the same breath.

Remember Peter fell in deep waters when he felt his own faith slip. Jesus didn't abandon Peter, He loved Peter and asked Peter to love others. We can always let the Lord know when we feel unsure.

Father God, knows. Jesus loves you, He will not fail you.

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Mark 8 ~ He sighed deeply in His spirit

Mark 8

Max McLean Audio Bible, English Standard Version

1 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, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 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.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” 5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6 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. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha [ Magadan, or Magdala].

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” [the Herodians] 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”


When the New York Times Bestseller author, M. Scott Peck,M.D., wrote the 'The Road Less Traveled" he was still on the infancy of His Christ relationship. He'd begun as a Christian/Buddhist/Carl Yung enthusiast, but as he really broke bread with the Gospels (he said if he was going to refer to the Bible -he felt he should know something of it), he met Jesus. He remembers thinking, why didn't anyone tell me Jesus had personality? Every page of the Gospels brought him closer to Jesus. This was God, this was a man.

If we put this passage on a daily planner for Jesus, what would we see?

We'd see actions & emotions God chose.
~ Compassion for the hungry at several levels.
~ Provision for the people who've put Jesus first.
~ Repetition of the great Acts of God - 3 days for Jonah, 3 days for the Resurrection.
~ Daily strife (with co-workers, or the religious) without a reaction of hatred. Instead a deep sigh = prayer. And Jesus continues in God's direction for Him.
~ Explanation of leaven - the Pharisees, Herod, Herodias, all have risen - but with the steam from themselves and the will to compromise - at great cost to themselves.
~ Patience - Jesus isn't just putting up with the clueless to find something more fulfilling to himself, Jesus knows He is there for them. This is why He is here.
~ Jesus heals without asking for public aggrandizement. Jesus feeds without waiting for the acclaim.
~ Jesus is acknowledged by his friends - Jesus does not use his friend's praise to promote Himself. He will wait upon the Lord.

This is the man God chose to be.

Father God, teach us each day to be grateful, merciful, diligent, wise. Help us each day to walk the walk you have planned of us. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be pleasing to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Hebrews 10:26-31 ~ will be deserved

Hebrews 10:26-31

26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The Scriptures wade right in and are not politically correct. Why? It is God. This isn't the kind of message we are used to receiving straight to the point.

Let's discuss this passage viewed as the moral pendulum swings; a bit of history and then a comparison.

When we look back to the years 1716-1780 - we see a renaissance still going on in the Church were people are filled with hope for the sweeping reforms of the new idea of "Sunday School", a new country - new fortunes to be made and religious tolerance (not religious abandonment), even in Europe, Christianity is turning around the Gin Operations which were a lot like Opium Dens. A massive "drug" problem was being conquered, by hope, a movement of the Holy Spirit created by the new energy of the Church. These are the days of John Wesley. William Wilberforce is about to come into the mix with John Newton, to abolish slavery.

No one had seen this Great Renaissance about to occur. Cotton Mather was one of the most famous men in America; this preacher lived, ate and fed his people with this passage. Hebrews 10:26-31.

On the other hand, this is the "Golden Age of Piracy" and no one glamorized pirates at the time.

July 12, 1726, William Fly ascended Boston's gallows to be hanged for piracy. He was smiling. He showed no guilt, no shame, no contrition. Indeed, as Cotton Mather, the presiding prelate, noted, he "look'd about him unconcerned." Suddenly William Fly took charge of his death. He threw the rope over the beam, making it fast, and carefully inspected the noose that would go around his neck. He turned in disappointment to the hangman and reproached him "for not understanding his Trade." Fly then "with his own Hands rectified Matters, to render all things more Convenient and Effectual," retying the knot himself as the multitude who had gathered around the gallows looked on in astonishment. He informed the hangman and the crowd that "he was not afraid to die," that "he had wrong'd no Man."

Cotton Mather explained that he was determined to die "a brave fellow."

Samuel Cole, Henry Greenville, and George Condick, other pirates, caught with Fly - stood and repented of their crimes. What were they? Mutiny - They began as shipmates. April 1726 to sail with Captain John Green to West Africa in the Elizabeth, a snow (two-masted vessel) of Bristol. Green and Fly soon clashed, and the boatswain began to organize a mutiny against his command. Fly and another sailor, Alexander Mitchell, roused Green from his sleep late one night, forced him upon deck, beat him, and attempted to throw him over the side of the ship. When Green caught hold of the main sheet, one of the sailors picked up the cooper's broad-axe and chopped off the captain's hand at the wrist. Poor Green "was swallowed up by the Sea." The mutineers then turned the axe on the first mate, Thomas Jenkins, and threw him, still alive, after the captain over-board. They debated whether their messmate, the ship's doctor, should follow them into the blue, but a majority of the crew decided he might prove useful and decided instead to confine him in irons.

The rest of their activities were the usual surrender or die terrorism pirates usually do.
Certainly, William Fly knew what he was talking about for harsh punishments at sea. Up until William Fly, pirates usually asked for pardon and gave testimony to the fact they deserved punishment. William Fly's case led to more unrepentant pirates giving a mystique to "walking the plank with nary a tear."

This event started changing a culture, it became famous - repentance at a death wasn't considered "manly'. The response to Fly didn't bring down our culture, but it's an example of mankind's flightiness.

Slowly the story gained major fame & changed from Cotton Mather giving his time to condemned men, to stuffy, overbearing, posturing Cotton Mather recruiting another conversion. William Fly's story picked up and Cotton Mather was seen as a foaming at the mouth, member of the stiff-upper lip, controlling aspect of the authorities. It was as if Cotton Mather was now "the man" striking down a hard-working laborer.

Yet isn't this the same situation as something similar to the massacre at Columbine High School? Just as the killers at Columbine had experienced the harshness of humanity, they didn't need to jump into becoming the worst of it. Fly was probably exposed to some extremely terrible punishments at sea, but is creating murder and mutilation isn't something we would hope would glorified.

When we, as a culture, applaud defiance from repentance, when we look to excuse and glorify the sin. The sin becomes more and more outrageous. Why would we ever get to the point were we glorify someone who kills,mutilates, steals and is a terrorist? When we turn to accepting a glorious tale, because the crowd likes it, we are swept down.

The Pendulum swings slowly, but it swings wide.

John 7:24
Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.

Father God, help the human population understand wrong is declared sin for a reason. In order to live better lives, we must say no and repent when we don't. Help us realize repentance gives new hope. Let the joy of Your Holy Spirit shine brightly even in the subject of renewal. Amen.

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2 Corinthians 4:6-10, 16-18 ~ to give the light of the knowledge

2 Corinthians 4:6-10

6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self [man] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

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Why are we so sad? Why do we blame God? Evils abound in the world so that the world will fail to seduce us into loving it.

-- St. Augustine

My father-in-law was an interesting man & I loved him. He reminded me of Humphrey Bogart - he was a determined person. Amazing amounts of self-confidence and sometimes known to be sarcastic. He owned a seat on the New York Stock Exchange after buying a failing brokerage, where he worked. It sounds very beneficial, but the men who owned it, before he bought it, were determined to put him in his place and not let him run the company. My father-in-law had them step down by sheer force in personality and shrewdness. He turned it from one failing brokerage, into four successful businesses in several states. I heard him say many times - most of his good fortune was being in the right place at the right time by luck. It would seem he had a privileged life and would know little of suffering. That sarcasm hid a very observant and tender heart. He was a man - people were unaware of the fact - took care of his grandmother who lived to be 100 years old (moving her to live near him), not many people with children, businesses and travel have time for a grandmother who is blind and deaf; his mother (seeing her twice, daily, when she was an invalid), and his brother. He accepted Jesus Christ when his grandmother told him she wanted to make sure his soul would be with her in heaven. He loved his wife with rare devotion - which everyone knew.

He was a man who walked the walk, not talk the talk. He didn't tell, ask or receive compliments for the good he did. I'm sure most of his hunting friends never knew of the toys and food he took to the impoverished children of his Mexican hunting guides. He did it after seeing the youngest child take great care to share a Coca-Cola with all of the other children.

He always said, "You get two lives - your childhood which really lasts 100 years. Remember when you are about 5 - a summer day lasts at least a year. Then you become an adult and it lasts about 20 years - even if you live to be past 80 - the years are gone and it's amazing they went by so quickly." There was an addition to this statement - he said you needed the years you were a child because many of the adult years are so difficult. My father-in-law knew. Years of very pressing responsibility for the people who worked for him. He woke up early every morning to worry about the day - at about 5:30. He smoked as he worried. My father-in-law knew many years of emphysema.

Being a blunt and direct man, the neighbors on his street sometimes found him to be... rude. But his neighbor across the street, for 38 years, gave my father-in-law's eulogy. It was beautiful. It ended with his friend's tears saying, "God is finding Heaven to be a better place today after a new arrival. Heaven is a good place this morning. My good friend is on his boat, on the great waters, heading out to find what he can find."

For all of us, no matter how we appear to each other.

Though our outer self [man] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 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.

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Psalm 101 ~ ponder the way that is blameless

Psalm 101

1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless.
Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.

5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
I will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.

7 No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

8 Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
from the city of the Lord.

This beautiful Psalm is a person who loves the Lord & wants to serve Him. In the morning, He is their first thought. This is a happy person who enjoys making a beautiful song - making a beautiful noise before the Lord. Someone who seeks others who love the Lord. No double standards and no spiteful speech. The blessings of life do not cause this person to love life more than the Lord - the glories of life do not cause arrogance or haughtiness.

Anointed of God - these are the attitudes.

Come Lord Jesus.

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Psalm 89:1-18 ~ build Your throne for all generations

Psalm 89:1-18

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings
[the sons of God, or the sons of might]
is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?
8 O Lord God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
with your faithfulness all around you?

9 You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
12 The north and the south, you have created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.

There are a few glimpses of Heaven in the Scriptures.

In the Council of the Holy Ones, nothing compares on earth. God is more awe inspiring than all of the heavens. He is known by His steadfastness - love. What sets Him apart? Righteousness and Justice. Blessed are the people who see the Lord's face and walk with Him. He is the glory of his people.


Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

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Luke 12:32-40 ~ blessed are those servants

Luke 12:32-40

32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

35 “Stay dressed for action [Let your loins stay girded] and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants [bondservants] whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he [would have stayed awake and] would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Are you casually convinced, like my neighborhood and Church family conversations, we are on the downward spiral? With all of our technical advances and the sometimes increasingly vulgarities of media - it makes me wonder if the pendulum will swing back. And the pendulum has swung pretty, amazingly far before.

Good Morning, Vietnam! We are in a period of change. The National Council of Churches, record the attrition/matriculation data, most of the mainline denominations - of the last 200 years - are reporting a decline! We know it. Catholics report an increase. !!!! All part of the Body of Christ. Churches believing the Scriptures are growing!!!! Every 500 years, the church changes fairly radically. Well... Martin Luther 1483-1546. Now. What's the assessment of the change? The Rev. Dr. Eileen W. Lindner, editor of the annual Yearbook since 1998, noted that many observers have attributed accelerated membership decline of some churches to "an increasing secularization of American postmodern society, and its disproportionate impact on liberal religious groups."

Why? We girded our loins for work instead of faith.

A 1960s graduate clergyman told me - in his seminary classes, many people joined the Church in the 1960s to protest the Vietnam War. They felt important social reform could only come from the Church. Kind people who wanted racial inequality to stop. Caring people who wanted the poor to be fed and clothed. Not people expecting - with great eagerness - for the Holy Spirit to show up. People who looked at the advances the Christian Church has put forth for mankind for 2,000 years & wanted more. Educated, scholarly people who can see the influence of the Christian Church impacting mankind - gleefully ignored by pop culture.

To make radical changes - slow but sure is best. It took almost 40 years for this to be really noticed! Slowly the message was preached that "people felt better when Jesus spoke of healing". It sure was some kind of "God Thing" when the Reed Sea was dry for the people, that may have been Hebrew, walked out of Egypt. And only hysteria to report the chariots & the Pharaoh's army covered by water. The emphasis was away from faith and into works or cafeteria plan - pick what you want Scripture.

The emphasis of faith based preaching warmed up to become "lukewarm works". Proverbially, instead of catching that mesmerized frog - in increasingly warm, comfortable waters - the frog lost interest and hopped away to go "do what felt right".

Instead, O this glory, we should look for & want the Power of God - hoping & expecting His presence with us!

The Glory of God who declares in Isaiah 6:6
your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for

Isaiah 35:1-7
1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.

3 Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who have an anxious heart,
“Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.”

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

Let us put out our hands like Isaiah and say, "Here I am Lord, send me!!!!"

Hebrews 12:12-14
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

When we ask the Lord to be our strength, He will not turn us down.

Father God, each day, let these hands and this will do what You have planned for us in Your goodness. We pray each day for the Churches to be effective for Jesus. Let the power of God lead us! Father God, help us to value the Kingdom of God being at hand, every day. Love the sinner and ask for the high road. Serve, not just as missionaries, but serve each other as Jesus - instead of close friends at church. Serve our neighbor with Jesus care. Everyone. Remind our friends and neighbors God loves them. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.



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Matthew 17:14-20 ~ I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him

He Healed the Lame in the Temple, by James Tissot. Tissot painted over 1,000 portraits of Jesus. A loving, caring Jesus, going about in love, doing His Father's work - healing.

Matthew 17:14-20

14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly [from that hour]. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. [But this kind never comes out except by prayer and fasting]. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

The visit from Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19, 26)
The muteness and healing of elderly Zechariah (Luke 1)
The conception of John the Baptist to an elderly priest and his wife (Luke 1)
The prophesy of Anna and Simeon, during Jesus' baby presentation at the Temple (Luke 2)
The cure of two blind men (Matt 9:27-31)
Piece of money in the fish's mouth (Matt 17:24-27)
The deaf and dumb man (Mark 7:31-37)
The blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26)
Jesus passes unseen through the crowd (Luke 4:28-30)
The miraculous draught of fishes (Luke 5:4-11)
The raising of the widow's son at Nain (Luke 7:11-18)
The woman with the spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:11-17)
The man with the dropsy (Luke 14:1-6)
The ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
The healing of Malchus (Luke 22:50-51)
Water made wine (John 2:1-11)
Cure of nobleman's son, Capernaum (John 4:46-54)
Impotent man at Bethsaida cured (John 5:1-9)
Man born blind cured (John 9:1-7)
Lazarus raised from the dead (John 11:38-44)
Draught of fishes (John 21:1-14)
Syrophoenician woman's daughter cured (Matt 15:28; Mark 7:24)
Four thousand fed (Matt 15:32; Mark 8:1)
Fig tree blasted (Matt 21:18; Mark 11:12)
Centurion's servant healed (Matt 8:5; Luke 7:1)
Blind and dumb demoniac cured (Matt 12:22; Luke 11:14)
Demoniac cured in synagogue at Capernaum (Mark 1:23; Luke 4:33)
Peter's wife's mother cured (Matt 8:14; Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38)
The tempest stilled (Matt 8:23; Mark 4:37; Luke 8:22)
Demoniacs of Gadara cured (Matt 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26)
Swine rush into and drown (Mark 5:1-20)
Leper healed (Matt 8:2; Mark 1:40; Luke 5:12)
Jairus's daughter raised (Matt 9:23; Mark 5:23; Luke 8:41)
Woman's issue of blood cured (Matt 9:20; Mark 5:25; Luke 8:43)
Man sick of the palsy cured (Matt 9:2; Mark 2:3; Luke 5:18)
Man's withered hand cured (Matt 12:10; Mark 3:1; Luke 6:6)
Child cured (Matt 17:14; Mark 9:14; Luke 9:37)
Two blind men cured (Matt 20:29; Mark 10:46; Luke 18:35)
Jesus walks on the sea (Matt 14:25; Mark 6:48; John 6:15)
Jesus feeds 5,000 “in a desert place” (Matt 14:15; Mark 6:30; Luke 9:10; John 6:1-14)
Many fulfilled prophecies (also see: prophets)
The conception of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:35)
Star of Bethlehem
The transfiguration (Matt 17:1-8)
The resurrection (John 21:1-14)
The ascension (Luke 2:42-51)
Peter and the healing of a the paralytic Aeneas at Lydda (Acts 9:32, 35, 38)
Miraculous ability to speak and/or understand a foreign language (tongue) previously unknown to the speaker
Inspiration of Scripture by God
He healed them all (Matthew 4:24, Matthew 12:15, Luke 4:40, Luke 6:19)
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

Why the list? Jesus knew if the boy had a demon or plain epilepsy. Jesus knew about the Spiritual Realm.

Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 89:7
The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.

Matthew 16:18
Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Ephesians 6:12
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

What does this say for today, for us in Jesus Christ?

Luke 10:20
However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

People who lose a child, people with a grave illness - wonder if they are being punished. Jesus Christ died for our sins. Period. Nothing we can do can improve upon that.

Just as blessings and good things are gifts from God, adversity does not mean the absence of God. Jesus during His life was an advocate of prayer. We should do no less.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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