John 1:35-42 ~ He said to them, “Come and you will see.”

Basilica of Saint Peter today.


Altar in the Vatican, during Christmas Mass. 80 feet below are the remains of Saint Peter.


Basilica of St. Peter from 331 until 17th century A.D. It was destroyed by a fire.

G is the representation of the foundation of the 4th century Church, the rest is beneath the foundation - as it would have appeared in the 4th century.
Overview of Peter's area. The undisturbed 4th century shrine for Paul's remains, built by Constantine.
Several excavated streets under the Vatican. Surrounded by tombs of the 2nd and 3rd century.

Peter's grave is 80 feet down, it took 10 years of amazing discoveries before they reached the Peter's area; most bodies clearly identified by name, art, poetry, mosaics, statuary. Pius knew they had rediscovered Peter's bones in the 2nd century grave, surrounded by the 4th century shrine built by Constantine.
Peter's bones were kept in a box. His bones were different than the others because they contained one man, wrapped in remains of purple cloth with gold thread, a tile saying "Peter is here" in Greek, was found in the box.

How the 4th century shrine appeared in 1949

c. 1966 the remains of Peter's house in Capernaum, Israel. Similar graffiti as Paul's tomb.
The slab that kept out moisture, thieves. Slab (a rock) helping to preserve Peter's body when the others around him were already dust.
The red wall with graffiti saying this is Peter, follower of Jesus Christ. Identical art found to Peter's home in Capernaum.
Original 2nd century tomb the 4th century tomb surrounded.

The discovered bones were found in the repository wall and later returned.
Darker bones are the remaining bones of Peter.
Photos of Peter's bones.


Peter's tomb today, located under the altar in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy.

John 1:35-42

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.”

So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour [4 p.m.]. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” [which means Peter, Cephas and Peter are from the word for rock in Aramaic and Greek, respectively.]

What does a relatively large house in ancient Capernaum have in common with the Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano? They are both the homes of Peter, who loved and followed Jesus Christ. Both the house in Capernaum and the 2nd century grave site have the same graffiti proclaiming this is Peter, follower of Jesus. Where is the 2nd century grave located? Beneath the Altar of the Vatican.

Peter knew his death was going to be crucifixion, Jesus told him.

John 21:17-19
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Jesus knew where Peter would be buried, he took Peter to Caesarea to give him the prophesy:

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Peter's final resting place was rediscovered in the 1939 dig; began when Pope Pius XI died and there wasn't a good place to bury him. The workmen of Pope Pius XII discovered it wasn't going to just be pagan people underneath the floors of the Basilica. After 10 years of amazing discoveries, most bodies clearly identified by name, art, poetry, mosaics, statuary, Pius knew they had probably rediscover Peter's bones in the 2nd century grave surrounded by the 4th century shrine built by Constantine. Pius decided they would wait until the evidence looked completely irrefutable, they waited until December 23, 1950, when Pius told the world.

By 1964, conclusions the scientists decided were:

- An"elderly man" between sixty and seventy years, about five feet seven inches tall, of heavy build, a man of robust constitution. Missing the feet bones. The bones had lain - and for a considerable period of time - in a bare earth grave. (Peter had been martyred, buried as a criminal). All these bones, it appeared, at some time after dissolution of the flesh, had been taken from the earth and wrapped in a purplish, gold-threaded cloth. Enclosed was a plaque /tile with two Greek words "Petros Eni." Peter is here.

- Many, many of the tombs had bodies that had already turned to dust, the bones of Peter were amazing in their completion. There was even water in the area, which had been a problem to the Basilica for centuries. A single, huge outcropping of rock had preserved the carefully cared for remains.

- Sumptuous marble housing erected by Constantine, in the 4th century, over the 2nd century tomb, was intended to preserve forever both the true original grave of Peter's remains. It has never been tampered or violated.

- Soil adhering to the bones in the repository proved they had originally been interred in the earth. Chemical analysis proved that this soil exactly matched the soil in the original grave under the monument.

- The bones, where as others in the vicinity contained a lot of different types of bones thrown together, these were the carefully preserved bones of one man, missing the feet. In the repository, they had been wrapped in cloth of royal purple, an indication of the unusually high dignity accorded. Threads of gold in the cloth reinforced this impression, since the combination of purple and gold was a fact well attested from antiquity as indicating imperial honors. The robe was older than 4th century.

- An inscription within the repository, in Greek, declared "Peter is buried in here." Other inscriptions on the outside the repository, in Latin invoked his name in prayer.

- 2nd century Graffiti on the tomb's red wall was very similar to the graffiti in Peter's Capernaum house.

- Pope Damasus, in the fourth century, seriously encountered the problem of cemetery vandalism growing out of religious bigotry, it was a violent age. The repository in the sturdy little wall guarded against intrusions by permanently enclosing the precious remains on all sides.

One of the main scientists working on the archaeological dig:
http://saintpetersbasilica.org/Necropolis/MG/TheTombofStPeter-1.htm
THE TOMB OF ST. PETER
by Margherita Guarducci
© 1960, Hawthorn Books


The Bones of St. Peter. The First Full Account of the Search for the Apostle's Body by John Evangelist Walsh. © 1982. http://saintpetersbasilica.org/Necropolis/JW/TheBonesofStPeter-1.htm

It's interesting to see Peter's house (photograph above) is just the remains of a house. The Church - the Bride of Jesus Christ has amazing depth and splendor.

Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

So many amazing archaeological discoveries in the last 100 years. To name just a few: Dead Sea Scrolls, Lazarus' tomb in Spain, the entire Hittite Nation, the cities of Nineveh, Ur, Sodom and Gomorrah. Tile piece in Goliath's hometown with his name and David's name. The walls of Jericho. The walls of Babylon. The Capernaum Synagogue with Zebedee's name (father of disciples James and John) on a pillar. Written record of King David. King David's Palace found by description in the Bible for location. Many steeles ( antiquity plaques) found to confirm biblical fact written by other nations. Many, many artifacts in the Museum of Israel.

Blessed are You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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John 1:29-34 ~ I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God

John 1:29-34 ~ (Revised Standard Version)

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' "

And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."


Recently I watched a special on the 2,500 to 3,000 year old mummies found scattered in China. It was really well done, they documented the success and failure to obtain DNA from each mummy and told about the known history of each person. One was a 5 year old boy buried with beautiful blankets, woven with great care. The loss of the blankets to the family indicated how much the child was held in esteem. Another a young woman with beautiful skin clothing and jewelry. A man they thought might have been a king, buried with a horse. Everyone was surprised to find the DNA indicated a high level of travel, there was Eastern European, India and a blend of DNA from around the world.

It is human nature to come from the beautiful miracles of John the Baptist's birth and Jesus' to wonder how John can say, twice, he didn't know Jesus. Or Jesus came before John, when John is older.

Proverbs tells us there are men who knew Heaven before being born on earth. Jesus isn't part of that select group. Jesus is the Word of God, with God, in the beginning of creation. Proverbs also tells us about the joy Jesus found in Creation. Jesus was... before John.

How and why didn't John the Baptist know Jesus - his cousin? Why can't we be more surprised by the rest of the 1st Chapter of John. Men meeting Jesus for the first time declared to each other "this is the Son of God" in both verse 41 and verse 49 of John 1. This is far more astonishing - Jesus has men leaving their way of life behind to become His disciples in a mere afternoon of listening to Jesus.

So why, why doesn't John recognize his cousin Jesus? It's pretty obvious when we add up what we know. It seems we must look at this question. John's parents were old when he was born. As people become very aged, they do not travel greatly. Traveling was difficult even for the young. John's parents lived 90 miles from Jesus. John surely heard, in his youth, about Jesus and the "funny circumstances" surrounding the quick wedding of pregnant, un-wed cousin Mary. When we see the Gospels record only cousin Elizabeth's support for Mary, we must also remember John the Baptist probably heard more of the rumors from more of the family - who are not remembered in the Scriptures.

So .... why didn't John recognize Jesus??? For the same reasons we didn't recognize Jesus until we invited Him to be part of us. Before we really knew Him: we heard about Jesus from other sources. Not all the sources were credible. Family (Church) is sometimes boring and the time it takes to get there and back is too long. Why put the effort into going when people aren't always nice? We missed the family get-togethers (Church) for so long, people hassle us about That too. If you don't remember the family stories correctly there is mocking. It's all a big tangle to sort out and we have other things to do.

Then, more importantly, it comes to the decision time. As John grew spiritually into God's plan for him, Jesus became important to him. John took the time to dwell and think about who Jesus is. God revealed not just family, a good man, but a Savior. John, bravely, and with certainty says, "And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."


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Everyday I use a tool on my blog called http://live.feedjit.com/live/scripture-for-today.blogspot.com/aae3c425d8b9a4f3/. It helps seeing what typos - things people look at. Today....the [Vatican] Holy See (Vatican City State) arrived from google.it on "Scripture for Today: John 4:1-30 ~ So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people". It made My Day! Be glad with me for the many flags and people loving the LORD, with us!!!

The Vatican recently asked their priests to begin blogging, an informal format to spread God's Love.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

7 hours ago

Feedjit Live - Updating in real-time

live.feedjit.com


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Zechariah 1 and 2 ~ the Lord, for He has roused himself from His holy dwelling

Light by Alexander Gardere

Just as a new year allows us to have a new beginning, Zechariah speaks of rousing God in conversation - we would call this prayer. It's fascinating - a conversation between an angel of the Lord and the Most High.

We had an excellent sermon today, a vision of renewal - 37 local Christian Churches and their Senior Pastors have all felt revival in their souls. They are going to participate in prayer and fasting for 10 days at the end of January, to come together from months of conversation (prayer).

This week I've spent time re-reading JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit." My son, a freshman artist studying at Baylor University, said he began drawing because his father read him "The Hobbit"; it was a pictorial event playing out for him, in pictures, throughout his entire childhood. What is this book, if not a journey where comfort is discarded and personal growth achieved? As I read this novel with new eyes, today the most vivid conversation of Zechariah's became new again. You are encouraged to read Zechariah 1 and 2 to yourself out-loud, with enthusiasm, and feel the encouragement of the Vast, Might Loving Father for you.

Art by Alexander Gardere

Zechariah 1 and 2

Zechariah 1

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In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying,

“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’

But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Your fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever? But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?

So they repented and said, As the Lord of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and deeds, so has he dealt with us.”


Sun by Alexander Gardere

On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’ And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’

Art by Alexander Gardere, used twice for emphasis

Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ And the Lord answered.... Gracious and Comforting Words to the angel who talked with me.

So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster.

Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.

Rising February by Alexander Gardere

Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

Zechariah Two

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.”

And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”

Up! Up! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, declares the Lord. Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me [he sent me after glory] to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me.

Growth of Time by Alexander Gardere

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord. And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And the Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.”

Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord.... for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

Alleluia.

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Psalm 100 ~ For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100

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Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and not we are ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

I love the Rose Bowl Parade, it must be just a veiled hint at what heaven looks like.


Psalm 57:10
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Psalm 57:11
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.

Matthew 22:31-33
But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

Luke 20:38
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.

John 4:10-14
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”


John 6:51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

John 6:57
Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

John 7:38
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them

John 14:10
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.


Ezekiel 10:19-20
19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River, and I realized that they were cherubim.

Acts 14:15
“Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Romans 9:26
and, “In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’

Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

1 Corinthians 15:45
So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being” ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.

1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

2 Corinthians 3:3
You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.









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Psalm 147 ~ Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure

Psalm 147

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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!

As we leave 2010 and begin 2011, this Psalm is perfect for the Hope of a New Year knowing we always work in God's plan!

Almighty God, Abba, Heavenly Father, we live in Thee. We put out our hands to do the good works You've already planned for us. Lead us in Your paths; encourage us, let the words of our mouths and the thoughts of our heart be always pleasing to You. Grow the seed of our faith, to become a mighty tree. Put out Your growing branches, to give us shelter & we will share in Your goodness, fellowship and rest. Give us eyes of faith, to see the hope of Your promises; the eagerness, like a child, to see them brought forth. Strengthen our souls, let our lives reflect Your Light and Your Love. In the Highest name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

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Psalm 96:7-10 ~ O families of the peoples

Psalm 96:7-10

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7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”

There is a new movie channel commercial on and it is quite good; the narrator says as movies spill and change across the screen, "Let's play!"

That is what movies are.... play. Then they are "based upon a true story".

In the movie theatres right now we have..... Hadewiijch - getting 75% movie critic approval and roughly 3 out of 5 regular viewers like it. "A novice nun, Hadewiich, shocks the mother superior of her convent with her ecstatic blind faith, and is kicked out of the order. Hadewijch becomes Celine again, a young Parisian girl and daughter of a diplomat, and is led down dangerous paths in the real world, balancing between grace and madness in her rage and passionate love for God."

Okay. Jesus Freaks are Nuts. Obviously!

Then, I had to say I loved Colin Firth in "The King's Speech". It's based upon a true story. Really - the future king had a speech impediment, which was worked upon 10 years.... "before" he became king. George VI became good friends with his speech therapist - Lionel Logue. In 1935, after 24 years of revolutionizing speech therapy by establishing exercise and "super-human" sympathy, Lionel Logue co-founded the British Society of Speech Therapists. 2 years before George VI was crowned.

Not so in the movie; In the movie the nasty, toady Archbishop of Canterbury, William Cosmo Gordon Lang, is the dastardly spoiler of the wonderful friendship of the King with Lionel Logue. Again in the movie, Lionel Logue had no real credentials other than life experience and the nasty Archbishop "tells" the King, Lionel has been replaced with a real speech therapist. The Archbishop is incensed the mere King would want Westminster Abby to himself to rehearse for the Coronation. Also - the movie, the Archbishop tells the future king, Edward, Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) the Archbishop is helping Edward with his own father's poor opinions of Edward. The Prince of Wales neatly tells the priest he is a sycophant without using that exact phrase.

Obviously! Men of God are nasty, rude, imperious, self-seeking, power hungry, friendship destroyers - with career destroying thrown in for good fun. It is true Lionel once felt very insulted when Bishop Lang questioned him about if he should be addressed as doctor. The time and situation of the question isn't true. Based upon a true story..... what is Archbishop Lang's history.....really:

O families of the peoples, we are a Christian family, speak up when Christians are used as the device to depict self-centered aggrandizement! Speak up when we are falsely labeled. !!!!!

- His first Church - rejected an offer of the chaplaincy of All Souls as he wanted to be "up and doing" in a tough parish. Lang & fellow curates fashioned a clergy house from a derelict pub. He later moved next door, into a condemned property - his home for his remaining service in Leeds.

- Then the Church in Portsmouth, a dockside parish of 40,000 people, with a mix of housing from neat terraces to squalid slums

- Establishment of parochial church councils long before they were given legal status in 1919. To give the Churches better order to be better functioning.

- Chaplain to the local prison & Acting Chaplain to the 2nd Hampshire Royal Artillery Volunteer Corps.

- Supported campaigns for the abolition of the death penalty.

- Appointed suffragan Bishop of Stepney, Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral - "East End" 2,000,000 people. Almost all were poor, and housed in overcrowded and insanitary conditions. Lang saw & was troubled by the squalor he saw traveling around the district, usually by bus and tram.

- Chairman of the Church of England Mens' Society (CEMS) - society to fund lay workers to help in the poorest Churches to combat poverty issues. Later Lang became critical of the Church's failure to use this movement effectively, calling it one of the Church's lost opportunities.

- Lang was appointed to Archbishop of York, the 2nd highest position in the Church of England. *** Believing the Diocese of York was too large, he proposed reducing it, which after several years' work was reduced in size.

- Lang spoke out on a range of social and economic issues, and in support of improved working conditions.

- As Archbishop of Canterbury, critics began to comment he was "more courtier than cleric". His love of ceremony, and concern for how an archbishop should look and live, began to obscure other aspects of his ministry; He began to act as a "prince of the church".

- His portrait was painted; after sitting for Orpen, Lang remarked to Bishop of Durham the portrait showed him as "proud, prelatical and pompous". Henson's reply was "To which of these epithets does Your Grace take exception?"

- Lang wrote for the Sixth Lambeth Conference an "Appeal to all Christian People" - "We ... ask that all should unite in a new and great endeavor to recover and to manifest to the world the unity of the Body of Christ for which He prayed."

- Near the end of his term in office Lang led a deputation from several church groups to the Ministry of Education, to present a five-point plan for the teaching of religion in state schools; it was adopted into law.

- Lang confided in his diary "he agonized over whether he could, with good conscience, administer the Coronation Oath to the king" who was not living in a state of grace, as his coronation would make him Head of the Church of England. Another man reported the Prince of Wales troubles to the press.

An undeserved satirical rhyme was published:

My Lord Archbishop, what a scold you are!
And when your man is down, how bold you are!
Of charity how oddly scant you are!
How Lang O Lord, how full of Cantuar!

- When the next, younger prince became King, he wrote in his diary of George VI: "I was now sure that to the solemn words of the Coronation there would now be a sincere response." Lang was a long time friend to the future Queen Mother from the early 1920s.

- Summer of 1941 Lang retired, his main concern was "perhaps the most fateful Lambeth Conference ever held" – would be called, Lang felt too old to lead it and wanted to make way for a younger man.

- In October 1944 Lang was greatly distressed by the sudden death of William Temple, his successor at Canterbury, writing: "I don't like to think of the loss to the Church and Nation ... But 'God knows and God reigns'."

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

I loved the movie "The King's Speech" but it is time for the family of God to speak out at the treatment of fellow Christians. They are spoken of in unflattering terms in any way the truth can be manipulated. It is a mild form of hate crime. Speak up.

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”


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Psalm 51:12-17 ~ O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise

Psalm 51:12-17

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12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

When we believe Jesus is the reason for the season, we are given the gift of forgiveness and reconciliation. What greater gift could there be?

God chose not to be a Spirit we would chase after and debate. God chose to come to us, to live the human condition. God chose to be as close as our prayer. To have lived, Himself, joy and sorrow on this earth.


1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

Hebrews 12:24 ~ (New Living Translation)
You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

John 10:9
Jesus said, "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture."

Today, Father God, we pray the prayer You have given us in Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Here I am, Father God, the person You have created. I stand at Your door. Hear my voice Father God, open the door of the soul You created, come live in me, eat with me and be with me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, I ask.

Romans 10:13
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

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Psalm 126 ~ the Lord has done great things for us; we are glad

Have a heart than never hardens, & a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts. - Charles Dickens

Psalm 126

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1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

Christmas is just 363 days away.

How will Psalm 126 appear to you today? Will you see it as God's promises of Heaven? Will you see it as gratitude for Christmas (is over?)? Gratitude for the gifts in your life?

Lets look at this Psalm today as..... the Willingness of God.... to hear, to bless, like Psalm 23:5b-6

My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

I love the Truth of the Scriptures. It's never the glass is full or empty, it's.... real. We anticipate God being like us. I only have so much eggnog.... I hope Eli won't have too much.... but Owen needs more and so his glass needs a bit more.

God doesn't give us a couple of ties or a sweater and say to us - now feel full. Love with me, please, how real Psalm 126 is. We acknowledge our blessings..... we've celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ with people we love. We give God thanks for our eyesight, for hearing, for health. For a job, for opportunities to come. For the people we were, and are, fortunate enough to love. And have been fortunate to be able to give the gift of giving to.

Psalm 126 acknowledges our lives are blessed and could use some more blessings. It gives us hope and assurance, God doesn't say, "Nope, you are blessed enough and my warehouse of blessings is spent."

Amazingly in a world were people really did buy pet rocks, Jesus Christ has been celebrated for good reason for over 2000 years. God doesn't just give us His blessings for a day, for the continuation of eternal life - for the next life; God gives us the hope of blessings to come. The blessings He will willingly provide.

Shouts of joy ! Will be needed!

Praise to You, Father, for Your great Glory. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Psalm 34 ~ He keeps all

Psalm 34

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1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Footnotes - Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech (Achish, the king of Gath, 1 Samuel 21:13), so that he drove him out, and he went away.

We had a beautiful Christmas, in two cities and one suburb, a large extended family; our family is so blessed. We extend to you our Christmas Blessings ~ the joy of Jesus Christ's love, in your heart, each day.

We have a good friend, one we do not see a lot of, who is a Christian minister & his mother is a Psychologist. Other than being good fun, he is a calming presence, a voice of the Holy Spirit when the wild winds of life howl. He has given us good advice, isn't it easier to listen to good advice when life is calm? He gave this pearl of wisdom twice and finally it found a comfortable, enduring resting place in my memory.

And here it is:

When we are in a good place in our lives, we shake off irritating conversation. When we are in storm, irritants are amplified. We can never change the way other people behave, just our reaction to them.

This Christmas.... the tree bore fruit. How to change our own behavior? Prayer. When we pray for other people to be blessed by the LORD, we change our own hearts. Renewal & Redemption - these are the lasting gifts of Christmas!

Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ.

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Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins

… Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1: 21

…His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Might God,
…The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

… God hath made that same Jesus… both Lord & Christ Acts 2:36

…Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world! John 1:29

…they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, the song of The Lamb Revelation 15:3


…Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Revelation 5:5


..and the Bright & Morning Star Revelation 22:16


..and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life 1 John 1:1


…we have and advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ The Righteous 1 John 2:1


…whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us. Luke 1:78


…Before Abraham, I Am. John 8:58


…And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1: 34

…are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25


…We have found the Messiah which, is being interpreted, the Christ. John 1:41


…I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6


…through the knowledge of the Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 2: 20

..a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:16

…I am the Light of the World. John 8:12

…The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world… John 1:9

…I am Alpha & Omega the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come

The Almighty Revelation 1:8

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.


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