Mark 1 ~ the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”

And..........

Mark 1

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 

 
7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”


12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon 
casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

House of Andrew and Simon overlooking the fishing business and next door to the Synagogue

29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

 
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.


35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 

41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”

45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight

Begins the Gospel of Mark. Very similar to Genesis One. Mark sees the arrival of Jesus as sweeping the planet in the same way Adam was new creation.

Think of how quiet the planet was during the time of Eve's Mitochondrial DNA. The noises were animals and the breeze in the trees.

And Mark sees the Salvation Jesus - is gathering from the entire countryside - as earth changing as Adam. Not a quiet Salvation.



When Jesus calls us to be HIS, HE is starting with a fresh canvas like the first yard in the photo. Jesus does not say, well, maybe not, your parent used drugs or was a mason.

Jesus does not say, well no, you didn't do that right - so out with you.

Just as Father GOD did not say to Adam, take the Garden of Eden and make this nice.

Father God said subdue the earth. Jesus said something similar. Jesus said He came for us to have Life Abundant. For most people this Christmas is like the other seasons. And we say, Life is pretty much the same. When would life be so large as subdue the earth and have Life this Abundant?

When we lift up our eyes to see the daily blessings. When we take our social media and we take a minute to pray for the concerns of other people. We have wrapped the globe in our prayers. And Father God loves to see us give His Word back to Him in awe of His Glory. Remember Father God told us Faith is usually unseen. 

Lately scientists have found Lightning is connected from sun flares to the magnetosphere surrounding the planet with energy that is all connected world wide, what if we think of our prayers like this and for the people we only read about in the news.

Then we have Life Abundant for lifting our cares over and other's Up.



Father God, we pray today for someone we know who has a great prayer concern. We wrap Your arms around them.  We place them in peace upon You.  We lift up someone we know far, far away and we pray the Loving arms of Your mercy covers them during this season of days You call Holy.

Father, Abba, we give Great Thanks knowing You are the Father of the Prodigal Son and You run to Your Beloved.

We ask You Good and Gracious Will be done on earth and in the 12 Open Gates of Heaven where clear water leads to Your Throne. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. Fill earth and Heaven with Your Glory. In the name, the Highest Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Psalm 84 ~ Even the sparrow finds a home

Psalm 84

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!

2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise! Selah

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.

8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!

10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Evening Prayer, by Jean Francois Millet

Matthew 23:37
How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings

Luke 12:7
Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.


Jesus has told us!

1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

1 John 5:4
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.

What describes our Jesus?

1 John 4:8
God is love.

1 Corinthians 13:8
Love never ends.

John 14:1
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God

Ephesians 2:4
God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us

Romans 8:39
Nothing in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Peter 5:10
God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Deuteronomy 33:27
The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.



Father God,
Jesus has told us in Your Word, You are His Father and Our Father.

When two or more are gathered, You are there. When we call on Jesus, He is there. And in John's Gospel Chapters 16 and 17, Jesus prays for us.

When we seek You, Father God and Call upon Jesus - we always pray in Your Holy Spirit's Presence.

Even in the Book of Acts, Luke wrote of the prophets being long ago, You are as Vast as the Heavens and a Day to you is Thousands of Years. You are yesterday, today and tomorrow.

We turn again, that our sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of You God, our Lord, and that YOU will Jesus Christ. Heaven will receive us to wait for the time for restoring all the things. Knowing we live by every Word of God.

We lift up the people we love, the people You have given to us with Love and the Nations and world who call upon You. Knowing in the Power of Your Word, we are upheld. In Jesus the Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Philippians 4:4-7 ~ Minds in Christ Jesus

Wrestle with the Grinch that stole peace?

Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.







How are we going to deal with "The Peace that Passes All Understanding" Today???


And I took a class at PACN on Evangelism. Telling us only tell about Jesus for the pure Joy to tell about Loving Jesus. Effectively.

So... Then I wanted to kick this out there and do this and... I met a young woman who told me she had been raised with Religion and wanted none of this. Her best friend is a Pastor's wife. She smiles. The light of her face is pure. I just found I liked her and I wanted to tell her about Jesus.

And Baby, I rammed Jesus right down her throat and wiggled on her tonsils. I told my friend, who said, "Man, that one is not coming back." Well. She is. She was really gracious and said that made sense.


This the True Challenge to what our culture is seeing.
Not something exactly new, but our younger people do not see a reason
to follow the Faith of the Fathers.

Surely, not a new concept even to the last generation, which had the aftermath of World War II simply quit Church.

We have to have empathy, people find the possibility of Peace as positively frightening. As if we would all be preparing to die grinning like hyenas.

Really... we need to think upon this...


If Scripture is going to follow us around and bother us - and you are faithful - this one about "The Peace that passes all understanding" might do that. I've seen a woman with serious cancer cry because she is worried and Jesus would be so disappointed with her. When Reverend Francis MacNutt talks about the miraculous healing of people he has witnessed, he tells us Father God is so gentle when we are healed, and in this Father God is like the mother of a foal trying out new legs. Reverend Francis MacNutt is a Harvard man.

The person who is healed becomes ginger and gangling trying to see if the miracle is permanent. Finding Father God delights with them in their amazement and joy in His Generous,  Loving Miracle.

This is what the group walking with Jesus saw in the Jesus they threw down their lives to follow:


Mark 10:32
They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe








Christian radio has a song proclaiming we really believe Jesus has a gavel in His Hand. Many times in Scripture the word "Yar" is used, which actually means  "reverence" and not fear

We know the Disciples became, grew, matured and died. We are pretty sure, this might be God's plan for our lives and worry. The Disciple John had perfect peace and did not worry before being handed to the Emperor and what to say to Emperor Domitian. Who promptly threw John, not to the lions, that might elevate John, but to the dogs to tear him apart. Which didn't work. The dogs wouldn't attack. So bring our the smoking oil.

So one... Phenomenal Event of Peace Passing ALL Understanding leading to a Blessing of
Life Abundant.

Tertullian in the 36th chapter of "The Prescription of the Heretics". Also John Foxe, 1583 'Book of Martyrs' in the early Church martyrs section. And early Church Father Jerome referenced Tertullian and the Eusebius.

Emperor Domitian had John brought to him, and proposed to make a spectacle of John murdered. Other sources say it occurred at the Latin Gate, and not in the Coliseum. Domitian decided to have a vat of oil heated up to boiling or smoking. Christian persecution were not going as well as planned, and were not a crowd pleaser back in those days of the not yet very converted Roman Empire. We all have the meek to die knowledge as Christians were painted as cannibalistic villains and disrespecters of the various Roman gods. And supposedly the paranoid Caesars.

But, when introduced into the boiling vat of oil John did not react as expected to the torturous heat. He was preaching as he was introduced to the oi and went on preaching about Jesus. And as the seconds became more seconds and I suppose minutes, it became clear that John was not in agony....or pain....or discomfort. He just preached.

Many converted to Christianity because of what they saw.

Saint John in Oils Chapel.

***A chapel named 'San Giovanni in Oleo' stands in Rome. The Saint John in Oils Chapel standing today is not so ancient, but is definitely the Latin Gate. Yet it is unlikely that a chapel could have been built within the Coliseum.

As for John, he was removed unharmed from the oil at some point, and Domition's plan 'B' was to have John sent to the isle of Patmos to work at hard labor.There John eventually was given the visions becoming the Book of Revelation. And Different from all other Bible books  specifically stating a blessing to whichever Churches read it aloud together.

Scripture loves to repeat! Very similar to the miracle experienced by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3, when King Nebuchadnezzar threw them into the furnace for refusing to worship him. Domitian had the lion idea nixed for the lions looked grand. And really surviving dogs in the Coliseum was not a huge spectacular deal. However, surviving oil and twice - That - was a Huge Event.

Now, today, IF we want to tell about Jesus'
Love, Joy, Comfort and Plan
WHY? To encourage us to come home, and to tell the NEXT Generation to make them WANT To Know Jesus.

We have to understand that basic knowledge of Christianity says this:

We meet people who sincerely do not want to smile all the time like Homer Simpson's Neighbor. They want to look like they have a clue. And they surely do not want to die and not think in advance of what to say.

This concept is Frightening. And really inside our Nation, the highest martyrdom event I know is Cassie Bernall (November 6, 1981 – April 20, 1999) the girl killed in the Columbine High School massacre at age 17. The shooter asked if Cassie believed in God moments before she was fatally shot. She answered, "Yes"

WE HAVE A SALIENT POINT WE FORGET HERE.

80% of our Culture does Pray. 

BELIEVING IN GOD.

But Most To the Point in Our Culture Today:
Father God does not need us to give people the smile of the frozen chosen, who well understand that these doubters are doomed and uninformed. Because we are one step up on the Ladder to Heaven today.

Yes. WE HAVE A SALIENT POINT WE FORGET HERE.
80% of our Culture does Pray. BELIEVING IN GOD.

It's the don't grow me - I'm gonna get there of WHY WOULD WE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS JESUS.


Remember with me
Tell about Our First Love for the Lord. 


What is the Point of Scripture...

To choose what is good. Building up ourselves to a life of meaning and creating a culture wanting the more difficult path - choosing what is Good. Believing God will help us. God will reward us and Heaven and earth will see the difference.

John's Patmos Dwelling. The view is still very much the same! God is still working and He is still caring for us.

The astonishing thing about "Peace that Passes All Understanding is" This valid and necessary tool happens again and again and again because, when we see our loved ones who love Jesus passing to the Heaven of God's Kingdom, we see this Peace. And it's needed!

Now for the most part, Peace is not going to grow us.

And Father God sent us on this quest, this adventure to bring our soul home and show Father God what we have made of this place called Soul.

All these people experienced this Life, this ongoing River of Life, that pushes and perplexes and asks us to twist or go the straightened paths were clear thinking and good choices can remain to make the framework for our soul to keep the Fruits of the Spirit = Love, Joy, Laughter, Peace, Comfort, Rules of Conduct, Patience and endurance with characters of Faith, Hope, Love.

These people did not walk around with Peace allllll the time. Scripture IS ABOUT THE MESS OF LIFE AND HOW TO OVERCOME !!!

HEBREWS 11

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[c] 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[d]

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again.

Seek God and we will find... GOD. Simply prayer and reading Scripture is going to place us as Children of Willing, Loving, Able Father God.

And when we have that Comfort, the Holy Spirit says this is COMFORT. We are going to want to get the kids to Church to experience what is Love and Nourishment to Our Souls.

If we throw out part of the Scripture that draws discomfort, we have missed a rounding out, necessary point, we have failed to see the ripple effect of Truth.

God's Word is Living and Active. God loves Wisdom and asks us to use our gifts and talents to find the Word of God that applies to this situation. GOD's Word is far from a glorified and sweet journey of life. God tells us of all the hair-pin curves, the horror, the violence, the sweetness, the ups and perpetual downs of getting used to even our blessings.

When we dig to discover the Word of God, we are going to be given wisdom, sometimes. The Bible goes on to tell us Wisdom is not always happiness. And Yet, Wisdom is Truth. And Truth provides the framework where GOD will dwell. And what we learn dwelling with GOD, we learn, we can go places, do things and be confident of God dwelling in us - that whatever Tomorrow brings - God is going to be with us Today and in Today - We can DO what GOD would like us to Do with Today.

This Framework is a balance Joshua and Romans 8 bring us. This is the Balance of Truth and Spirit and Worship in John 4. And in displaying God's Mercy we find God's Framework is where we want to always Dwell - Bringing Glory to GOD - where gratitude is fruitful.

We are not bringing out one single hair shirt - the Bible does not even own one hair shirt - we are bringing out the tools that God would place in our hands - to make Life Meaningful - not missing out on HIS GLORY.

This is the Balance, the goodness, the wonder of GOD we want People to Quest for.

Joy. And His Highest Name is - Jesus the Lord.





Father God,
Your Scriptures are alive and active. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Jesus appeared in the flesh,
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory.


Jesus will one day say to us all, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. We will join Him in the Holy City of God.

And in that day, let me be in the Numbers of The Saints Come Marching In.

Knowing All our prayers have been heard, listened to with care, with Love and Decisions. Lifting up prayer again in gratitude, David knew God would put forth the Blessing merely because this delights Our Father. For those who are ill, and worried, for those in new circumstances and for those with prayers to be fulfilled in His Time.

nd Father God, let the family live together in beauty and peace of the generations. The people we love, and are given. We pray for our work places, Churches honoring Jesus and believing Scripture, our States and Nation. We lift up mankind to You, knowing Your Mercy is to draw all to You.

A God sized work. For His Glory. Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

John 4:21-26 ~ God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth

John 4:21-26

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 


26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Christmas Giving can be beautifully wrapped up with several Bible Verses explaining bringing our hearts before Father God in Spirit and in Truth.



Romans 12
if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.


With this internal integrity:

Romans 12
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.


Matthew 7
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’


If we take hold of feeding our enemy with gritted teeth and bitterness in our heart, we have not provided for Jesus to dwell in us with the goodness in our part of the relationship.

Jesus does want Love to be genuine, but if we make the sharp edges of the Law our home, the Law will condemn us to our core.

Paul cried out in Romans 7, when he tried for goodness he could always fail. We should remember of our Jesus, King of Kings, He has a crown, yet He would always want to be a Bridge to God.

Romans 8 assures us - Jesus is Lord - all have fallen -


Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Ephesians 3:19
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Philippians 3
13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead


Thank You, Father God,
You open Your gates to our prayers and Your Heart of Love, Joy, Peace and Patience.

Be with us this Christmas Season to again try to do the Work of Christmas in our hearts.

When the song of the angels is stilled.
When the star in the sky is gone.
When the kinds and princes are home.
When the shepherds are back with their flock.
The work of Christmas begins:

The find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

Alleluia! Unto us a child is born.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your Joy in Your Willingness for me. 
And those who Love You.
We lift up exceptions of Love, Joy, Peace for those we Love 
And the People You have given us.
Amen in Jesus, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

John 1 ~ Children of God

Angel Gabriel, painted by Francesco De Mura c. 1782.

 
The Archangel Gabriel not only stands in the presence of God our Father, he has met some very interesting people. He has seen Zechariah have an amazing miracle and prayer answered, and yet instead of wisdom, saw a wise priest,  Zechariah, instead question an Archangel of God and this is where Zechariah might have grabbed the horns of the altar to ask!

And Gabriel, The Archangel, was there to see a young Mary believe and wonder with innocence. This time Gabriel had the privilege to give the Highest of Compliments ~  God has Highly Favored you. This is tremendous Good News for several reasons and involves us today.

In Daniel 9, Gabriel is met for the first time and goes to Daniel with good news, again, saying when the 2nd Exodus will be over. Daniel apologizes for the sins of the community requiring the Just Judgement of God.



Father God must find people interesting.
A priest is told his prayers are answered by an angel, and he wants more details and may have even been harsh.

A teenager will lose her reputation and perhaps her betrothed and she is willing to do God's Plan.

Daniel is a slave in a lavish foreign culture seeing all types of behavior far from kosher and instead of being angry at his fate, apologizes for their sins. A slave apologizing to Father God for the reason he is a slave.


And all go away from God's messenger - enlightened.




How would you greet Gabriel? Far fetched... Well consider this - the absolute truth is not Daniel, not Zechariah, not Mary felt any day or any moment of their lives - The Archangel Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God Father Almighty - was ever just about to visit.

How would you greet Gabriel? Aren't we all headed Home???

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 gives light to 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 For 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.

Psalm 121

From Father God, we receive Blessings and Promises, Father God knows our hearts.

Father God is not uninformed or unaware of the details of our lives. He keeps us for Himself. Our events are in His Hands.

Let us be Grateful.

Father God,
Please Forgive us our sins and our misunderstandings and deliberate selfishness.

 Give Glory to Your name and help us to do the Good Works You have prepared for us to walk in. Help our attitudes, words and works bring more of Your Heaven to this life. 

Guard us from Temptation and Evil. 

Let us have peace knowing Your sufficiency. And gratitude for the Kindnesses given to us Today. Help us to be a blessing to others. In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †