Luke 1 ~ Go before the Lord to prepare His Ways

Luke 1

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.


5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”


26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.


39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”


46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.


57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.


67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

68
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
78
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

All have fallen.

This is why The Son of God Almighty entered the world with so much in this infant's life of disrepair.


In Holiness.
We all want the world to suddenly sparkle with Good News and Good Will. Adam's two children killed each other over money and jealousy. Then the life left, was not happier.

Abraham followed GOD. And Lot was so stupid he moved on and stayed in trouble, where is the goodness? Later,  they knew God would bless them with Rebecca. Wow. What a blessing there, huh. So they send their son back into THAT to find the Love of His Life. Messy. Perpetually Messy.

The message is why would God send HIS Beautiful, Wonderful Son to be born into scandal and why the town would not give a first time mother a place to have a child of GOD.

The point of life is like the TV show MacGyver. Do your best with each day. Work with what you have, have God's Strength to not become weary to do Good. When we Try to Please Father God, who creates THE UNIVERSE, we please Father God when our heart is truly there.

All have fallen. Some pretend. It's like Viral Labyrinth - if we are so righteous and blessed we can be cold and standoffish to protect the border. Making the blessing very chilly. If we fall, know we are fallen and try to do good to all around us to make up for our fallen states - more than likely that amount of desperation will result in more trouble. WE NEED A SAVIOR. We need JESUS to center us. We have to recenter on Jesus all day long and have joy.

We bless God when we tell of His love, not our despair of loss or need to make up to what He has freely given.





Is past performance going to show us Future hope?
If life can unwind, why can't we trust God that Life could see an unexpected Blessing?

What will we Please Father God to expect and prepare for? Blessings? If we pray for blessings and prepare for disappointment, that is an odd combination.


John 14
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that athe Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 15
If  you abide in me, and my words abide in you, fask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.


Father God,
We lift up our culture and our Nation to You.

Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their minds, even upon their innermost thoughts and understanding, and engrave them upon their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

We Pray God's laws will be Heeded and held up. We pray our National monuments, plaques, laws and statues honor God and His Word will be preserved.

In comfort of Your assured Love, we lift up those we Love to You for Your mercies and Promises. We lift up the people You have given us. And Thank You for hearing and answering our prayers. Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

John 14:27-31 ~ Peace

John 14:27-31

7 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’

 If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. 

Rise, let us go from here.

If you Google peace images, wow, so many of the symbols look like violence is going to happen next; sort of a militant peace. Like my dad used to say on car vacations, " Oh, Yes, You are Having A Good Time." Worldly images of peace, look a little bit like half-time between events.

When we think about Jesus before His death, we remember He really prayed for the cup to pass from Him. This sacrifice was terribly difficult for Him. What Jesus said at the Last Supper, before His death, was John 14 to chapter 18, & Jesus had a lot to say. When Jesus tells us about peace, He isn't speaking from a peaceful place in His own life, the night before his betrayal & death. Jesus is telling us God's peace isn't temporary and it doesn't have to do with happy events. Jesus is telling us, regardless of events, He has a place for us. Regardless of events, we are loved. Regardless of events, God has not forgotten, His will is being accomplished.

I think God's peace can present the Christian with guilt. No.... Guilt. If we aren't in our happy place, then we aren't letting God's Holy Spirit work in us. That isn't it. Jesus was in relationship with His Father; He didn't pretend to grit his teeth, look supreme & aloof, and march to His death.

Jesus was able to live His life with Joy. Jesus could have dinner with the people Jesus declared were his mother, brother & sisters doing God's will and let the New Covenant be a celebration. Surely, the disciples were confused, but Jesus knew exactly what He was saying about Peace, then telling Peter about desertion and the rooster crowing 3 times.

Imagine the joyful celebration of the new covenant. Jesus is telling them a supreme message of hope. He tells them... He will never leave them orphaned. Jesus would cry out to God in just hours that He felt forsaken. Peace isn't about the stiff upper lip, peace is being rescued by God even when it is faith - the substance of the unseen.

My maternal grandmother lived a hard life with a lot of gratitude. She had God's Peace. She used to say," You have to rise above it." Not the grit your teeth, look supreme and aloof, and march forward type. The Rise, let us go from here variety Jesus lived. Truthful peace.

May God bless and comfort the people we have all seen in these difficult days looking careworn. Let the Peace of God give them times of rest and assurance. To find a blessing in each day, to be assured of God's love. That the Helper might lift them and guide all of us.

We pray let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

In Jesus' Name and in His Mercy, Grace and Love. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Luke 6 ~ and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard He was

 

 

 

Luke 6

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

And he went about among the villages teaching.


7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist[d] has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.

21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 

33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. 

And he began to teach them many things. 

35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii[f] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 

47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night[g] he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Today. It is not we who made us, this is Jesus the Lord. The Father. The Holy Spirit.

Made. Made in His Image. Rib intact, complete, filled with God. Jesus made people well, just by Sending Out His Word. Let us touch the fringe of His garment. Today. The Word of Jesus is Alive, Living, Active.


The willingness of the community to bring forth the people who needed Jesus to Jesus. The people ran to go bring the people who needed Jesus. Verse 55.


Let God, the Holy Spirit triumph sweeping the world.
I Love the LORD FATHER GOD ALMIGHTY! 
Let me this day, create in God, joy, and love for I LOVE THE LORD GOD.

Father God, let my soul, my mind, my body, my tongue be a welcoming place for Your Holy Spirit.

Father we pray for the fallenness in all of mankind, that the Light of Christ shining in all of mankind would prevail. Intimacy is for marriage. And the blessing is birth control would be the wish that Life would be placed in marriage. We pray birth control would not end lives at the start. Encouraging Marriage where the beauty of sexual intimacy would triumph in this culture and in the world. We pray for chemical substances killing life would be banned as harmful to all. We ask abortion literature would be so honest causing abortion to end and the trauma from abortion would be seen as it is.

Help us to remember every day, Jesus cancelled servitude calling us His Beloved and His Friends. The Children of His Father. Let us live our lives rejoicing in this Blessing !

In Jesus. Amen.

This last week I was not very happy with the timing of the Archbishop of Canterbury for deciding after a 16 year quarrel with the left and right of the Church of England to ask the Episcopal Church to not have decision making for marrying gay people. And this week I realized, no, I was wrong to have this opinion.

We are life long Episcopalians who left the Church, after our  whole lives- not lightly and not on whim, in 1995.

Not because Bishop Gene is gay. We left because the Church said Paul did not have the Holy Spirit correctly defined and we could rip out all the Books written by Paul.

In 2004 Bishop Gene was ordained.
The Episcopal Church had 12 million members and now has less than 900,000.

The former Archbishop announced as his first act he would visit a Druid Convention. Druids used to sacrifice goats? No people. Not exactly what Jesus would do. If you are Joe Smith this is your questionable business. If you are Archbishop - not your best decision.

This is the retired Archbishop who publicly told England they should have Sharia Law. Which states a woman can be beaten but not on her face. Caused an uproar. And then people found out Sharia Law was already allowed in the U.K. Which caused another uproar. England presently has, same as the USA, 900,000 worshipers.

However the amazing thing there is, Continents all over the world have Anglicans experiencing radical faith and seeing God given results.

We have a new Archbishop. And now we are going to honor what the Word of God says. And I took time to be annoyed for 16 years of all this going on and on and on and on. I was wrong.

God has interesting timing.

He really does. When no one would have blinked to see Marriage is a man and a woman - God had the boundaries set firmly on just sit down and be quiet, you people, from all over the world.

NOW being GOD, the Father Almighty, Maker of the Universe and all things - THEN - He decides, ok, turn the tables - Marriage the Anglican Church says is a Man and a Woman.

Now? Now? Now? This 16 year battle has been in the papers, the lawsuits, the Churches, the buildings, the retirement funds, the lack of love in this battle. This ...

And you can see in hindsight why Father God waited for this to be Accomplished in His Time.



Now we are not going to get to far before I say this about The Episcopal Church.

There are a lot of Episcopalians that Love the Word of God and believe this to be the Truth.

The Episcopal Church welcomes all people to know the saving Grace of God.

My elderly cousin, my Ward through the State of Texas, knew what it was to have a parent berate her efforts as a child.  Maxine had this up on her bathroom door:

I went for a walk and saw a man sitting to rake leaves.
Contempt! I felt for a lazy man to sit to rake.
I found my walk led me past the same man from the other side. This time I saw he had crutches from a stroke.
He was only able to rake sitting. Many people would not rake at all.

The Episcopal Church welcomes all people to know the saving Grace of God in Jesus Christ.

The Point I would say is the Important Part is this:

Genesis One. God spoke the Word.
We are the People of God. He has created us. Not we ourselves.
The Word of God is far, far older than we are. We will fade, the Word of God will not.

John 1 tells us:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus is created by the Word of Father God.
God's Word is the authority to look to see that God is Sovereign.

No matter the law of mankind.
No matter the Archbishop or the Denomination.


The Disciple John, the one who followed Jesus to the end and to the breakfast of victorious Jesus brought this to His Beloved to squabble at the meal - John has one thing to say about God.

God is Love.


And if we would believe God would indeed provide for us. If we would believe tomorrow, God is with us in the joys and sorrows, just like today - then if we would believe the Promises of God - then our day is peaceful.

Plan on peace. Plan on seeing, believing, living, God is Good.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

John 17 ~ You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me

 

John 17

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, ² since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  

³ And this is eternal life, 
 that they know you the only true God, 
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 

 ⁴ I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. ⁵
 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
 

⁶ “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. ⁸ For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.  

⁹ I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. ¹¹ And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, 
 keep them in your name, 
which you have given me, 
that they may be one, even as we are one.


 ¹² While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  

¹³ But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, 
that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  

¹⁴ I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

²⁰ “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹ that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, ²³ I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, 
so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

²⁴ Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. ²⁶ I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Why would anyone put themselves out to share Jesus and the Gospel? The Love with which He Loves me.

The believers of God are His Lights. It is up to us to Shine for Him.


Father God,
You have given us Life. Help our soul to be a place You love to dwell.

In our lives, help us to have the wisdom and ability to explain that You are Life, Love, Peace, Joy, Comfort and Strength. That those we Love are warmed and held by Your Love. 

The Nation is experiencing economic upset, help Your people to be calm and hopeful in You. It is hard for people creating jobs to put effort into their products when war and terror are always discussed. Help us to educate with wisdom and employ with neighborliness.

We ask Your Help and Guidance for the Nation, the states, the places where we live, the People You have given us. Let Your Love shine. In Jesus, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

1 John 5 ~ he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God

What would Jesus be thinking of Houston and oil prices dropping?


Luke 12
You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

1 John 5
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?


I have a theory, and this is just my thought.
And having lived through Dallas restructuring in 1987, I don't think this is particularly the worst thing.

When I was in college, we were told a battery of enormous proportions would not be ever invented. Mankind was now in nano technology and this would not be happening in 200 years.
West Texas is refusing to put in electrical car re-energizing stations.

What recharges all batteries? Natural Gas and Oil.

What recharges the Bloom Box battery used by Google and ebay headquarters. The same thing as the source to recharges these car batteries. This is primarily natural gas and oil.

We are in point in history, were focus is going to shift away from the Middle East for our power. And we have not yet caught up with this realization. There is a new invention recently told of by CNN, that is helium related, but different  - blimps are now going to be more economically feasible to ship 21 million pay loads 1,000 feet above our highway system.

Houston faces challenges Dallas saw in 1987. Corporations are tightening belts. Shell Oil employs 22,000 people and announced they will lay off 10,000 today.

Macy's says Retail has entirely changed and will change with the times.Not a bad idea. My great, great and great- grandparents were part of a wagon trail Texas city arriving after the Civil War. Their house was shipped to them by Sears as a kit. Carpenters arrived and built the house. Amazon and renewal are part of the challenges of regeneration.

Time to fully explore how to keep and capture Natural Gas. We might think of Porter Ranch in California as a time to explore how to capture gas of any kind. NASA says there is a leak in the four states area Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

2 Corinthians 9

7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”

10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

We are educated people with ideas who have moved a lot of substances around the planet to fuel trade and economies of our Nation. We are a city where Jesus is honored. Churches flourish. 

When Hurricane Katrina overwhelmed these two states, the Churches of Houston met at Second Baptist and formed a grid. And in this grid all the Churches  - way out to the suburbs began feeding evacuees in hotels and even in the Stadium. The Government did not feed the Evacuees for these months and months - primarily the people who love Jesus and the Churches did. I wish there was a book of the volunteerism that fed hotels and stadiums each day.

This Holy Spirit that has led us to have the ability to shelter those hunkered down from the storm. Will indeed empower the people of Houston to be fed and nourished in hope, faith and love to find new solutions to again say, "Thank You, Father God."


Father God,
The world is in a state of change. When I was a child there was one rotary phone in the house and that dial the phone system relied upon an actual spark. Today we have phones that are astonishing and amazing.

Father God let us lift our eyes to You and find hope, love, joy, peace. Not to have war, and instead see innovation and renewal to fuel a new joy in this country.

Let us be people of solutions fed and nourished by the Word of God. Knowing we can trust You.
In Jesus Christ we lift up our loved ones and this Nation to see the future with encouragement and not so much worry. We lift our hopes to You, Father God and rest. Amen always in the Name of Jesus covering us. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Philippians 2 ~ the same love

Philippians 2

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

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


12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.


19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son[d] with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.



Jesus tells us when you have seen Jesus, you have seen Father God. The New Testament is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and proclaims Father God's tender love to us. The men who were empowered to write the Word of God are displaying His Splendor.



The encouragement of Christ Jesus,
Comfort from love,
Affection and sympathy,
Complete joy from the mind of Jesus, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Father God's equality and humility counts us equally.
Holding fast to the Word of Life.

Father God is glad and rejoices with us.
In Jesus Christ's gift to us, Jesus sees us as blameless and innocent, His children, without blemish.
Father God puts the Light of Jesus in all mankind and says a believer in Jesus shines as Light.

Jesus says we have no one like Jesus, who is genuinely concerned for our welfare.
Jesus has proven His worth in His invitation to Life.
Jesus will come to me, with the fulfillment of His Promises. 

Jesus gave His life to complete what is lacking in me.
God has mercy, mercy, mercy on me. 
Jesus is always eager to see me.

Our response to the Love of God. Thanksgiving.
And Thanksgiving will have a Harvest.

Look at the seasons of fruit:
Sun, warmth, rain, bud, bloom, fade, fruit, time, promise, and fulfillment.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.


Ezekiel 31
5 Therefore its height was loftier than all the trees of the field And its boughs became many and its branches long Because of many waters as it spread them out. 6 All the birds of the heavens nested in its boughs, And under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth, And all great nations lived under its shade. 7 So it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; For its roots extended to many waters.

Father God,
Thank You, You are our Jesus. Our one Living Water feeding and nourishing those who call upon Your Love and Goodness.

We begin our faith journey as the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.

Father God, in You we move, live and have our being. We gladly lift up those we Love to You in faith and Love knowing Your tender care for them. And the People You have given us, help us to know through the Holy Spirit to pray and do as You are pleased. Knowing all Good is from You. For this Nation and her needs. These states, communities and Churches. We give this to You, Father God and rest with Joy knowing You are King and Father of all of this.

In Jesus, we give this to You in comfort. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †