1 Thessalonians 2 ~ the Word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe

The Talmud explains the Word of God is Not punctuated. Men use paragraphs pauses and capitalization. The Word of God is the Holy Spirit breathing out truth and transcribed by men. One complete thought of God - the entire Scripture is One Thought of God.

Papyrus 46 does not have punctuation.
One of the debates in dating the 104 pages of this collection of Scripture is the debate over Nomina Sacra - special abbreviations which appear in New Testament texts. There is Nomina Sacra in these documents. And yet. Nomina Sacra occurs in the coveted 1st century papyrus. At the present time, most scholars think this is the second or third generation after Christ died and places these Scriptures in the second century. There is a debate, some of the scholars think this is first century. 

104 pages of early Scripture!!!

1 Thessalonians 2

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.

3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?

Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

All Hallows’ Eve is now Halloween and was an ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.  2,000 years ago in Ireland, UK and France- they celebrated New Year's on November 1. This day was the end of summer harvest and the beginning of winter, a time associated with death. Celts believed the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds living and dead became blurred. On October 31st, they believed the dead returned to earth causing trouble and damaging crops.

Personally, Halloween has never ever been my thing, not my forte. I was a thin child who didn't want candy - chocolate or the things I picked out - often just sat around. In Dallas, we usually had rain. I thought this was all a drippy mess. Who needs Halloween when Christmas was better?

I'm not fond of back door preaching - going through evil to present a Spiritual fact.
We can, of course, look to the manifestations of exorcisms and see the name of Jesus heals many things.  I've been writing this blog since 2007 and this is the second post on frightening things. 

Philemon says Rejoice, when we have strength in the Lord - this is our strong starting and ending point.

What's your most memorable frightening movie?

My father was a little concerned when I wept copiously over the 1975 "Stepford Wives" with Katherine Ross. Daddy sent my friend Janice in the next day to have me explain to her  - and then to him - why I had wept and wept and wept the day before over "Stepford Wives".

Is there a worse movie?

The movie starts out with happy VW bug noises and women who are bouncing and smiling.

Photography is a new passion as dinners get neglected and dust bunnies roll past.

The husbands pitch in and remark the women in Stepford loooooook gooooood. They are teased by their husbands the women in Stepford seem taller, cleaner, more pleasant, more put together, better cooks, larger breasted, more friendly, less complaining. They even have better hair. And Vavooom sooo beautiful.

Not to mention-  Stepford wives never chew their husbands out and generally can't wait to say enough about their husband as an icon of perfection.

  Did you hear she called her husband a greek god???

Soon the conversations seem to be vapid. The Stepford women only speak of pleasing their husband. All the former interests are gone. Who can get the best golf putter polish??? Where the husband's coveted Scotch can be found. Why Herman prefers his wife to where ruffled blouses, like his mom.

And the two friends at first giggle and realize that they seem to be the only ones who have INTERESTS.
Eventually the two friends feel afraid of the women and their blank looks.

One of the husbands of the interesting women remarks he'd actually bought the house in Stepford to improve his wife.  He says he expected their company would be educational. 

One husband down the street is heard sobbing to the next about the death of his wife.
 And the next day,
 the woman
is so composed.
So unruffled.
So blank.

No more art, no more color, just a grim black and white perfection. The comfort, the light, the help - is now - missing.

And we find out the woman is indeed dead and her arm is a computer arm.

But not to worry - the computer friend is going to kill Katherine and replace her with a not-aging, taller, bigger breasted, cleaner, sex oriented, cheerful, cleaning machine - a robot. One that will chant her husband is a greek god.

Doesn't that sound nice. A robot who just praises you and does the work. 

Would God want this ? Because we could all have been created as Sims.


One little similarity. We worry God wants this of us. In attitude, in worship, in modesty, in opinions, in gifts, in conversation.  Instead Jesus asked for ... salt and light.


We think God requires us to be so clean and so Unit A or Unit B -
that we are perfection - erasing our flaws.

Come back tomorrow. When you are holier. Instead, Jesus took flawed people and from time to time - the Gospels say "He healed them all."

God is going to listen when you are taller...thinner...more happy...with fewer doubts.  Except God is really interested in our soul and the love there.

We need to be imitators of goodness. Jesus said we should pluck off our eye or arm if it offends us. We look upon another with lust - then that's adultery. Why don't we see more one eyed people and one armed people? Jesus saves us.

Jesus told us - Only One is Good. God as the Father - deals with His own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. Paul writes - we cannot obtain His Glory. Only the gift - God took our sins from us. Erases our sin. Covers our sin with His righteousness. God is holy, righteous and blameless. True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from You.

God tests our hearts. Not looking for praise from mere people. Delighted to share the free gift of salvation, should we accept.

What does God see in people, the flawed people of Scripture - He sees hope, our joy, or the crown HE would give His beloved in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus. We are God's joy - He loves us.

Romans 8:31-39
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Timothy 1:5
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Psalm 97:11
Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.

Hebrews 10:22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 Thessalonians 2:4
But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.



Father God, we need no mask of righteousness before You. 

We come to You as we are. Unless we truly put ourselves before You as we are - sincerely - we create niches to fester in and these circles cause us to doubt the goodness You placed in us.  In Your Truth, Light creates a place of healing and good welfare.

Unless we know we are fully accepted by Your Love, we create rules to run to hide behind. Unless we have standards to achieve, we will sink to decay and only rot. Without a higher path, we achieve nothing and have nothing to defend or maintain - no need for blessings. 

When we are overburdened from conscious - You ease the burden and tell us You will carry us. 

You are a Father blessing us each day and we are cavalier about accepting this as our right of existence. And when we seek You as we are - truly - You reach to us in Love.

 I invite You again, Father God. Dwell within me and help my soul be a good place for You in Love, Joy, Optimism, Honesty, and Effort. 

Help me to be the extra Love life requires. Help me to be loving and aware of those you've given me.

Forgive me in Your vast mercies when I fail.

I ask Your blessings for me and my loved ones to do Your Good Will and to encourage others with the strength You've given me and the Hope. Privileged to ask in Hero Jesus' name. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Romans 9 ~ His power known

Papyrus 46 -  104 pages of Scriptures dating to First or Second Century
  divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises

Romans 9


I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.


6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

10 Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says in Hosea:

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”

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.’”

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.
28 For the Lord will carry out
his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”

29 It is just as Isaiah said previously:

“Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.”


30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. 33 As it is written:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall,
and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

Papyrus 46 An ancient book, with no capitals, no spaces between words, and no punctuation

God’s Sovereign Choice

God has not failed.

In the Beginning of the year 2010, we saw animal die backs. About 40 events world-wide. Birds in Texas and Arkansas. Fish off the U.K. and cattle in Vietnam.Eschatology views on Google went hog wild. And then recently, we saw the news cry out about Ebola. Six or seven cases left Africa. People really worry about this.

And the truth is - none of these illnesses are new. We don't have to have panic now. We still live in a world where child death is rare. Where world wide poverty is on the decline according to Christian Child Relief Efforts. And yet we have this lingering concerns.

During the Middle Ages - plagues showed God has a plan. During World War I and II, we learned that people will blindly follow a government in unrealistic expectations of world domination. I hope we learned we need some self-sufficiency more than we thought before. God created autonomous government in the Book of Judges.

The older serves the younger.

Let's talk about Christian Expectation of the World today and what we speak of. Paul was concerned about national salvation in Romans 9. We speak of the World's Salvation.

We all know our children grow up and look to their brains, souls and experiences to decide if they follow Jesus Christ, go to Church, read the Bible. What if you grew up in a house that roundly, soundly and repeatedly told you that the world is going to hell in a hand basket fast?


“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

After delving into issues repeatedly thrown at us in a sensational style, we start to feel that real solutions are not
obtainable.
We proclaim that TV, undoubtedly, and music are letting our morals go. And do we praise the movies for their new realization that Christians want to think about seeing the Bible?

Do we tell our children to expect good jobs? Do we do what we can in business to produce lasting goods and reputable work? Do we call one sector civilized and expect the others to fall over? Do we try to help one another? Is Church a building where we go once a week to get some encouragement - or do we take the given opportunity to make life meaningful?

Is God forsaking the World?
Not yet.

We say - Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. What does that mean? We are saying the Word of God goes on and does not wear out and become obsolete. In Genesis One, God said He sees His Creation as good. In the Gospels, God says He loves the World and wants to save us with Jesus.

In the middle we have the Psalms proclaiming the Earth is the Lord's! And the Fullness of the Earth is His!

And then you get people who want to know what the devil is doing. Evil. What is evil thinking. What evil is usually thinking - how to bluff, entice, look very powerful, then to hurt and use. Jesus told us He saw Satan fall from Heaven like Lightning in the New Heaven and new earth of the New Covenant. God now said He has the right to bring all of mankind to Heaven and pull the weeds from the wheat and create His Kingdom - now - at hand. Where people will say bring us some Heaven today.

Jesus then told us what the place is of evil. Today. The Prince of this World. Prince. Not Sovereign Majesty of God seated on Justice, Mercy and Truth. The title is more or less of pretender. Jesus was shown the world and offered that world by evil in temptation - Jesus tells us this evil is prince of - the - temporary. The transient. God knows His World is Good. And He wants to save the World. Only God can do that.

The Catholic Church has centuries of knowledge. And the Catholic Church asks, "Do you renounce the glamor of sin?" That. That tells you what this is - flash and pass-by. 





There is an difference between loving life on earth - loosing our life to find life. 
And the Abundant, Meaningful life of knowing Jesus, for in Him is life, and that life is the light of all mankind. The light of Jesus shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Is God still making His power known?

Most of our generation has changed denominations - why?
People are looking for Bible Believing Churches. Belief is still there.

Why?
Ask believers if God has His Power known -
I will bet almost every single person knows of a miracle. No other explanation but God.

Proclaim the Good News - God Lives.
Jesus is Working Today and His Father With Him.

John 1:12
As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.

3 John 1:2
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.

Job 36:11
If they hear and serve Him, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures.

1 Thessalonians 4:10-12
We urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Isaiah 33:15-16
He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity; He who rejects unjust gain and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given him, His water will be sure.


Father God, Your child speaks to Your open heart. I believe in Your Promises. We pray for the prosperity of goodness. For good hopes and faith giving us good health. Our souls' prosperity.

We commit our work, personally, to You, Father. Establish those who love You.

We ask for the coming years to have prosperity financially and in Spirit. That our pleasure in building our nation, our families, our Churches, our businesses delights You as well. 

We ask for life to be quieter from strife, from unneeded fears and concerns. That Your people will have wisdom to ask and motivate peace, kindness and love. Help us to manage our lives so wisely others are encouraged to do this as well.  In practical concerns You share like housing and affordability, beauty, safety.  And in the peace, give mercy. Our refuge is in You, Jesus, our Living Water.  Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<><

Romans 8:15-39 ~ For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

 

Papyrus 46 includes this outline and these documents

Folio Contents Location
1-7 Romans 1:1-5:17    Missing
8 Rom 5:17-6:14     
9-10 Rom 6:14-8:15     Missing
11-15 Rom 8:15-11:35 
16-17 Rom 11:35-14:8
18 (fragment) Rom 14:9-15:11
19-28 Rom 15:11-Hebrews 8:8 .
29 Heb 8:9-9:10 
30 Heb 9:10-26 
31-39 Heb 9:26-1 Corinthians 2:3 
40 1 Cor 2:3-3:5 
41-69 1 Cor 3:6-2 Corinthians 9:7 
70-85 2 Cor 9:7-end, Ephesians, Galatians 1:1-6:10 
86-94 Gal 6:10-end, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:3 
95-96 1 Thess 2:3-5:5 Missing
97 (fragment) 1 Thess 5:5, 23-28
98-104 Thought to be 1 Thess 5:28-2 Thessalonians, and possibly Philemon; 1- 2 Timothy, and Titus were probably not included (see below) Missing


What makes this a Second Century fantastic set of Scripture - versus - , the gasp, First Century documents? The debate is over Nomina Sacra - special abbreviations which appear in New Testament texts. There is Nomina Sacra in these documents. And yet... wonder... Nomina Sacra DOES OCCUR in the coveted 1st century papyrus. So. Think on that.

This is a set of complete, full documentation. Even before the four centuries of Roman persecution. Some Biblical Scholars argue this set is indeed 1st Century Scripture...



Romans 8

15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


The Message 37-39

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah got to skip the waiting. Isaiah did do some suffering. King Hezekiah was his third king and only Hezekiah began to listen to Isaiah's Words of God.

We see Isaiah immediately began to see he was unworthy, after he was sent, as he asked to be.

Christians tend to take one sin and roll it up up up and become uptight. We rarely see people walking around missing an arm or an eye from a self inflicted wound. Which speaks volumes to the need of a Savior to cleanse us from our sins.

Remember with me about Jesus riding a donkey. We reply, yes, this is a form of meekness. Jesus went to survey the Temple and knew what He would put down for us to be with Him unto eternity.

Jesus saw David ride into Jerusalem on his old donkey to become King of Israel. The nation God calls His. David had committed murder, murder for hire and had always done his best to protect Israel and His promises.

I think the Scriptures tell us of Jesus and what HE sees in people.
- Jesus was indignant the leper said if only you wanted to heal me. And Jesus - healed.

- Jesus was so comfortable with His creation - He both broke the fish and bread of us and He sat to explain His thoughts.

- Jesus saw the need in Zacchaeus and overlooked his sin to say, "I'm coming to your house today!"

2 Samuel 24:14
"I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands."

David rode a donkey - why - when David was becoming King of God's People? I think to remember the days were David was sitting watching over His flock and thinking of Psalms. David was probably remembering before all the trouble - who David was with God - the foundations of their relationship, Child to Father.

Psalm 131
A song of ascents. Of David.

1 My heart is not proud, Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.

3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord
both now and forevermore.

Can you see this - David was remembering God guiding Him to truth in days where foundation was built on the Rock of Jesus. David was not letting his days of mayhem turn his salt flavorless. We wonder with our modern lives why David would dance naked into Jerusalem. Probably... for the days David was in his garden of Eden - the days David learned to shepherd. David was saying to God - you see me as I am - you love me as I am.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thank You, Father God we are seen by You as we are and Loved. In Jesus. Amen.

 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Romans 5:17-6:14 ~ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more

Romans 5:17-6:14

17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, 
Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans Chapter Six

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as 
Christ was raised from the dead 
through the glory of the Father,
 we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ,
 we believe that we will also live with him. 

9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather
 offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; 
and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Who is going to preach this text? Unless the answer (and the answer is always Jesus) is Jesus - the answer is going to be whoever preaches this text - is a sinner.

When I have pictured this passage for four decades - I have always pictured the dependency wreckages. Drugs. Heroin. Meth. Crack. Alcohol. Cigarettes. Obesity. Wife beaters. Porn addicts.

And the people I have met with dependencies will try to sweep this away or finally weep to say it has eaten them. Age is sometimes a factor. If we have Jesus - we are alive - we have hope. Today.


This is a great passage to thunder on in the prior centuries. When Black Plague arrived - ashes, ashes - the cattle and the livestock dropped dead in the fields. The Catholic priesthood had finally declared for celibacy and half of the priests were living in sin, openly. The services were held in Latin - a man tradition superseded the Word of God enriching lives.

A typical person was held in a bondage to be fed - in serfdom. Praying to God the people behind the monastery walls would feed them from their bounty. The Church and Europe would be freed from this lack of Light by Death.

Serfdom ended because the land was free. Just, please, get in the field, raise food. The Church had seen they needed the grace of God. And moved into hospitals, education, and building outside the walls to make the people willing to live freely,  not huddled behind walls. Trust and trade began to flourish as the people remembered only the Church of Jesus would wade into illness and death.

And we call this the Middle Ages. They made the ages after the Middle Age looook gooood.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more

We rightly have not disregarded the law. We all love blessings. Blessings of God are not written in God's Word as blessings very often. Nor promises. You are more apt in a word search of Scripture to find 'Anger'. The way Jesus said all the time - "This is Written." Jesus didn't quote chapter and verse. Because he wasn't bragging about knowledge, Jesus was teaching about God's Wisdom and Love.

Blessings of God are generally in the 3,000 pages found right next to the Law. God isn't being mean, He is saying if you put your work into righteousness, you haven't pleased a mean ol grudging namesake oriented God, you have put your effort into making your narrow path weeded. Dappled with the light of mercy. Your narrow path reaches to the Light. Living water has fed your narrow path. You have nourished what surrounds you with the Word of God, Jesus.

God is saying nourishment and blessing in every Word of God. Jesus not coming to abolish the law but fulfill it - that all the Word of God is a blessing - like these Chapters.

Jesus was not joking about telling the Parable of the Seeds.

You know, right, that Jesus continued the story?

Matthew 13
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

We can turn our relationship to God into milk - we use God for blessings. And if that goes sour - run off.

~ We don't put the effort in this to understand.
~ Deciding this a God season. It's fun in small doses
~ Be worldly wise - offend no one. Be vwery quiwet. No roots.
~ Worries. It's not practical. There are no real solutions or hope. You have to claw yourself forward.
~ Pinches. This is for the wealthy or the very comfortable to drive up and look good. No one wants to cry in Church. Or look needy.

Jesus continued the story. That day is recorded in Matthew 13.
In the Garden you will find weeds. Enemies we have and the things we do to ourselves. Like a bear hunt, you have to do the search to get to the Mustard Tree becoming a Tree.

So going down the path - you find our own weeds.

Ephesians 4
bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

And the weeds around you in Galatians 5
immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

This generation has man made traditions and God traditions. We take our TV sets and watch immorality and wonder why our kids are out there. Idolatry - slurping up to the wealth and the therapy shopping. Using tattoos and jewelry to fortify our fears. In the past this social armor was called "the comment". We see a society in great concern - of each other.

My niece came to me and she said that in fourth grade - things are rough. Very rough. And she said she didn't find all the cussing to be a good thing. Because - God bless her - it's so very Ugly. The boys spend all day trying to cuss as much as possible away from the teacher. And she really, really wanted advice to make them stop.

I said honey, the Bible said the words out of our mouths are the hardest thing to control. And she said not so much for her. And I said that is your gift. And she said what do I do with that. And I said don't cuss. She asked me if I do and I said I do when I'm really trying to make a point. I told her I don't take the name of the Lord in vain.  She said that disappointed her to cuss at all. And she wanted to know if I know someone who doesn't cuss, who isn't a priest. And I told her my mother-in-law. And she asked do people know she doesn't cuss. And I said - that's right - she isn't told all the time she is marvelous, but people brag on her when she isn't there that she doesn't cuss. And my niece smiled and said, "That's who I'm going to be."

That is an upward path.

One of the secrets of life is that if you do the right thing - God will notice. And mankind won't applaud - often. Yet God gives us self-esteem from doing what pleases Him.

We all are part of God's Plan.
God makes a universe to hold His Love.
We feel so unnoticed and so unbottom line.
Instead what is really happening is - that - Today - your life is making a difference
to someone. It's up to us to see that we are doing what pleases God. With the people He places in our lives. With what tools, first? Words.

God used Words to create. We use Words as in the image of God. Give Life.

Hello Father God, as we gather together, let's begin today with the sheer joy of knowing the Day has renewed Your mercies. A clean slate and a view to a new day. We hold out both hands in the glowing warmth of love and expectation of Your Goodness. Praying for blessings with the jolt realization of blessings so obtained. Forgiveness others give us. Making us want to be near that kindness. Seeing Your Word bring wisdom in encouragement when only faith is seen.

Thank You God for the new medical knowledge of repairing spines with nose cells. You breathe our prayers and renew us. The Book of Revelations is often dismissed and yet new advances see wisdom.

Believing old broken things renew in Love. Learning each day, regardless of which decade of life we are in, that You renew us. Seeing oil prices goes down is the wind of encouragement. What else can You change in Your Will, Father God? Let us remember this life is temporary and is adventure. God Strengthen, Encourage and Bless all those building up others. Going forth in Jesus to see Your Word fulfilled in Joy. Help us stay salty friends. AMEN.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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