1 John 5:1-12 ~ God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son

The earliest Icon paintings of Peter, look alike. Found in Rome.

1 John 5:1-12

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?


6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood.

And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.

9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself.

Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.

11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

The Graffiti matches Peter's home in Capernaum and his tomb in the Vatican. Witness to Jesus and the life of the people who loved Him.

Yesterday we spoke of how broad is the Salvation of Jesus Christ. God sized. God wants to save the world in Jesus.

And yet, when we get to the issues in life of faith and our faith walk with the wild winds of life howling - Jesus saw the world was not buying each other a Coke.

We had an evangelist come to HopePointe Anglican and he made the point that in life - we will all face something similar to Jesus because this is life.

When Jesus explained that the Body and Blood of the Messiah would be eaten in Communion - Jesus saw his 72 Disciples become 70 and then more left.

Jesus turned to the 12 and said, did they wish to leave.

Peter understood fully what Jesus had been saying.

Matthew 22:29
Know the Scriptures the power of God

John 6:68
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."



Father God,

We bring to You, our inner self. Our Truth.

We look to Your Words for the Way. 

Knowing by your Blood and Water at Jesus' Death - we are bought with a Price we cannot repay.

And You provide, by Your Word alone - Life.

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand with Jesus the Lord. Jesus tells us His Joy.

Father we want to be covered in the Name of Jesus. You are our Righteousness.

Blessed be Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Luke 7:11-17 ~ He had compassion

Luke 7:11-17

 Soon afterward ^{[The next day]} he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. ¹² As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.  

¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 

 ¹⁴ Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” ¹⁵ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.  

¹⁶ Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” ¹⁷ And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

The town of Jesus’ day was in a different location. The Nain Church says the town was further from the Hill of Morah. Nain - A pleasant view the site affords across the plain of Esdraelon. Nazareth stands out, about 9½ km [6 mi] away.

This man is like Jeremiah:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you"

And his destination in Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 2
4 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 3

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.



Colossians 2

20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings

In all Seasons of our Life - Christ

Were the man and his mother like the Centurion? Worthy?

Father God does not say.

Jesus only tells us of His empathy to her plight.



Mark 2:17
On hearing this, Jesus told them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."


Matthew 9:13
'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners




Isaiah 42

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.

4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his law.

5 Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 “I am the Lord; I have called youb in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.

9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them.”


10 Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the end of the earth


Father God did give us many aspects of Himself and put a new song in Jesus.

Worthy is the Son of God.

When others were raised from the dead, the healer put all of his weight upon the deceased. Here Jesus does not even touch the man. This is remote healing. Something today we all hope for from Jesus. Jesus told us, "Days will come" and more blessed that the eyes that saw Jesus are the eyes that believe.




Father God,

We give You thanks for telling us about the Widow of Nain and her son.

Jesus was saying not to have fear of God and His Works. Father God, You are so very compassionate.

Fear evil ways which would cast us out of the presence of God.

The sparrows are known intimately to God. The hairs of our head are of interest to God. Of supreme importance is our words, lives, ways - telling of our soul to Jesus.  Father dwell richly in me, always please.

All of our cares are known to Father God and yet, Jesus waited for the blind to ask Him what they would have of Jesus.

Father God, we lift our cares to You, knowing You care for us and Love us. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Matthew 10:1-7 ~ The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Matthew 10:1-7

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.  

²  The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

⁵  These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶  but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 


 ⁷ And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Bill Hull was our Sermon on Sunday. 
http://www.amazon.com/Bill-Hull/e/B001JS5RLO

I did not get there, a neighbor had a collapsed chimney in the middle of the night and we were awake. Since this didn't work out, due to oversleeping, I decided to find Bill Hull on line.

Pastor Hull begins by telling about "The Cost of Discipleship." Bonhoeffer. Who was the example, like Jesus, of putting all his life into Salvation. Jesus makes us like Christ because HE is about others. When we seek self-fulfillment - am I closer to God - we are missing the fact - Jesus was about others.

Jesus points this out in the very short passage, Jesus sends the 12-  out to do healing.
Jesus isn't here long to do His ministry, and HE does not insist they sit at His feet.

Discipleship is to follow Jesus. If Jesus was living my life, what would I do to please Jesus. Given His Word for me to do, how will I do my life best.

Jesus did ordinary things for many years. Although Mary had quite a few successes.

Discipleship is to have encouragement, strengthening, nurture in God to do His Will.

This is not cheap grace. This is working His Word for our lives.




Ministry is telling the Good News. Ministry is sharing how Jesus has helped you. Ministry is sharing the Good News in other's life. When you give Agape Love, this is your life experience.

Even the chilly hearts I've told about the BBQ the Katrina refuges gave our Church, who fed them, have melted hard hearts and been almost in tears.

We take up our cross, a death reserved for criminals, and we follow Jesus. We please Jesus.



My pool was recently re-plastered. Wow, this was needed. This was a gift to us, given by someone who cares and is family. My mom. And because we got a very, very good quote we didn't get all the information we needed.

However, I had shared the Good News with the man having a new baby, who had fixed our pool a few months back. I had questions about pool plastering. And the man who told me he just couldn't meet the price we got, came over and told us we found good sub-contractors. And he explained about the start up done on new pools.

Without this man having a new baby, with whom I'd shared the Good News of Jesus, we wouldn't have known what to do.



People want to be told about Jesus.

Jesus wants us to be the people who fulfill our vows. Listen and obey the Word of God given to us. People believe when we give our word - this is what we do.

The World actually hungers to know Jesus.

And then they want to know if Jesus will still love them in their brokenness. In the doubts and in their failures. Does Jesus really never leave or abandon us. Jesus is that Good.

The circle is Love, without beginning, without end. Father God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.


Mark 3:34
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!


Father God, 

Thank You for Pentecost. Having the Holy Spirit each day is Joy, Peace, Love, Patience, Goodness, Steadfast and Self Control. Thank You.

Help me to be doing God’s will and be Your brother and sister and mother.
In the Name of Jesus, Thank God. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

2 Timothy 7 ~ For this reason

Hans Zimmer Musical Score for Pirates

Pirates of the Caribbean 

"Bible-thumper on this ship?"
"A missionary is the story. What I heard, was he got captured in a raid. The rest on the ship got killed, but not him. First Mate wouldn't let it happen, on account his premier standing with the Lord."
―Jack Sparrow and Scrum concerning Philip Swift


"You are different."
"Different?"
"Are you not? You protect."
―Syrena and Philip Swift



Destinations. We are all going the same way. And we are all on the same journey. To Jesus the Lord.

To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement. ~ St. Augustine





Jesus told us we are part of Eternal life the minute we truly believe. He said we would have the Way, the Truth and the Life.


Have you been on a journey lately? Consider this journey.

St. Augustine has made mention.

A person who is a good and true Christian should realize that truth belongs to his Lord,
 wherever it is found,
 gathering and acknowledging it even in pagan literature, 
but rejecting superstitious vanities and deploring and avoiding those who 'though they knew God did not glorify him as God or give thanks but became enfeebled in their own thoughts and plunged their senseless minds into darkness. 

Claiming to be wise they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for the image of corruptible mortals and animals and reptiles' St. Augustine commenting also on [Romans 1:21-3]




Admonitions of Ipuwer housed in the Leiden Museum  

Papyrus 2

Indeed, the river is blood, yet men drink of it. Men shrink from human beings and thirst after water.

Indeed, gates, columns and walls are burnt up, while the hall of the palace stands firm and endures.



Papyrus 5

I have separated him and his household slaves

Indeed, the hot-tempered man says: "If I knew where God is, then I would serve Him."

Indeed, runners are fighting over the spoil [of] the robber, and all his property is carried off. Indeed, all animals, their hearts weep; cattle moan because of the state of the land.


Papyrus 7

Things have been done which have not happened for a long time past; the king has been deposed by the rabble.
Behold, he who was buried as a falcon [is devoid] of biers, and what the pyramid concealed has become empty.

The Residence is thrown down in a moment.
Behold, Egypt is fallen to pouring of water, and he who poured water on the ground has carried off the strong man in misery.

Behold, the Serpent is taken from its hole, and the secrets of the Kings of Upper and Lower Egypt are divulged.

Behold, the Residence is afraid because of want, and [men go about] unopposed to stir up strife.

Behold, noble ladies are now on rafts, and magnates are in the labor establishment, while he who could not sleep even on walls is now the possessor of a bed.

Behold, the possessor of wealth now spends the night thirsty, while he who once begged his dregs for himself is now the possessor of overflowing bowls.

Behold, the possessors of robes are now in rags, while he who could not weave for himself is now a possessor of fine linen.



Papyrus 9
 
Behold, the strong men of the land, the condition of the people is not reported [to them].
 All is ruin!



How is your prayer life?

Still, quiet. Filled with:


2 Timothy 7
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-control. 8So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord


Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.


Consider.

John 3:8 E
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.




Exodus 13:21
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

Moses stood where there was no path. No escape.
 

The Gospels record Jesus was called to assist even when Hope was over. Life had ceased. And Jesus has found a Way!

 


Imagine standing at the Ocean. And the strong wind is in your face. And you pray
to the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings. Your faith tells you, God is Present. You are heard.

Psalm 116 

1I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy!

2 Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live!

3The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

5Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful!
6The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me!

The Wind rises up up up
and the Water rises up up

Mark 4:39
And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Exodus 14:22
And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.


And -

Psalm 93:4

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea-- the LORD on high is mighty.

John 1:27

He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.

And Now we pray.


Holy, Father Lord God Almighty.

You alone are Worthy. Consider the thoughts of our heart and turn Your Face Upon us.

Send Your Holy Spirit over the waters and the land. Renew hearts of love for You.

The Power of this Great Work is Yours Alone.

And we will live, breathe, and know, move and have our being because of the activity of God who makes all things.

For the Glory of God who works in us His will, His Holy Spirit to act in order to fulfill Jesus' good purpose.

In Jesus Christ the Lord, our God, Savior and Advocate.

We thank You for Your answers.  Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †