Mark 8:1-21 ~ and went to the other side

Mark 8:1-21

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.”

4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?”

5 And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

They said, “Seven.”

6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground.




And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish.

And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 9 And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.




14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?”

They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

The Disciples were there and saw the feeding of the multitude.

Jesus made a point that 7 loaves were given to him and He created 7 baskets left over.

The Disciples get into the discussion - now they have no bread. They are consumed and focused on that minute and their needs. Just like... mankind...1600 B.C. The Children of Israel in the Exodus.

It is as if they had said to each other "I think Jesus was a fluke, but look smart before Jesus." This also points out they felt Jesus was so superior to them, they couldn't catch up and were not on His level and in their anxiety - they made blunders. In realizing Jesus is God, they were unaware HE would make them breakfast in His Amazing Victory over death and walk 6 miles with them.

In Luke 4, we read Peter dealt with the Light in all of mankind, by telling Jesus what Peter wanted Jesus to do. Jesus tells Peter the reason why Peter is so comfortable bossing JESUS around, Peter wants what is comfortable to Peter. Peter has failed to show compassion to Jesus and His Mission of God. Jesus takes that a step further, because Jesus is GOD, and says he is of Satan.

Extreme until you consider that like the Blues Brothers, THIS IS A MISSION FROM GOD.

We do not want to forfeit Life/Soul.

Mark 8:35 The same Greek word can mean either soul or life, depending on the context; twice in this verse and once in verse 36 and once in verse 37.




Jesus the Lord is this:

Hebrews 1

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.







And if we really want to stress the limits of our tender soul, think of this with me, Jesus was in His Glory when HE made the squabbling disciples breakfast. John 21. This is OUR GOD.





I was listening to Jesse Duplantis, Minister in Louisiana, who is very forthright about the wildness of his youth and of his salvation. His mother was a mystic and told him that his name, David's father's name, was telling of his future anointing as a Man of God. For years, She walked in the faith of this - Jesse did some pretty outrageous things, we would hope our children would NOT do.

And Jesse was gifted with a dream of Heaven from the Gates of Heaven walking to the house Jesus had prepared for Jesse to walk in. Jesse was so touched to find the house was ready for him and filled with things that in his impoverished childhood had not even dreamed to own. Things that walking in the framework of God had provided him, here on earth. Rev. Duplantis related this to a Father wanting find experiences and fine delights for His child. Jesse mentioned a Chippendale Chair. And the blessing included, Jesus arranged Jesse to meet David. King David.





I have had dreams of Heaven and Jesus. This was a dream I was blessed extremely well with. And has changed my life. When I read, "My eyes have seen Your Salvation." I know this was Blessing. And being flawed, I am not at all like Isaiah who was awake and knew the Presence of Father God Almighty is in His House. Instead, Father God was visiting - maybe you, maybe the levels of Heaven Paul tells us about.

And in this dream, I fully comprehended God's Cathedrals of earth should be cherished and relished - this is a glimpse of the veil of Heaven. And in this House of God, there were fine things. I was shown something like a child's chair found in King Tut's tomb. The museum said they were not even sure this was Tut's chair because he died so suddenly. It could have been his father's chair he shared with his boy or his grandfathers or even great grandfather's. And in my dream, this was an adult chair and new. I was told, in Heaven, we plan for eternity and this is not like earth at all. Our belongings stay with us throughout eternity. And we adjust to having amazing things in Heaven. I was astonished. And explained where I had seen the chair before and it had been a child's chair and was 3 millenniums old. I was told this chair might be that and appears to be new. An attribute of Heaven.

I was told in Heaven Jesus is working and His Father too. I was told perhaps I'd like a chair like this and maybe could work on chairs or sell them. I said I'd very much like to be part of this amazing beauty. And was told, so very kindly, that this was hoped for me. Although these people were far above me, the kindness was great.

I woke up knowing, this is probably not my level of Heaven, but in the Goodness of Jesus - my eyes - "Have seen His Salvation."

It was two decades later I watched Jesse Duplantis tell so thoroughly and beautifully and touchingly of his visit to Heaven. I am poignantly touched, we both were shown chairs. Visions of God are meant to be shared. And the message is profound and layered as the loaves of bread. Easily remembered, just as Jesus taught in Parables - to remember.

Where will you sit and what will you hope and expect of the Only Good One?  Jesus.




Our Father,

Who art in Heaven, Holy is Your Name.

Your Kingdom come and Your Will be done, on earth as in Heaven.

Give us this Day. Our Daily Bread.

Forgive me my sins, as I forgive those who sin against me.

Lead me not into Temptation. Deliver me from evil.

For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory. Forever and ever.

Amen.

Lord God, we ask Your surrounding blessings on the ones' we love and our concerns, we lift to You.
Looking to You in expectation for our Nation and the believing people of the World. We know in Jesus, You have heard us and we thank You with Joy. Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Luke 2 ~ Suddenly

Luke 2

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”


Pretty familiar words. Words to remember and rejoice.

And this is familiar:


Isaiah 6

I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

4And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Lord Jesus always cover us with Your Righteousness.
So many things today are understood more clearly. So many archaeological discoveries in the last years. The man healed of blindness is healed by Jesus in the way we know today of brain injury recovery. The boat immediately at the other side - quantum physics. The Hubble Telescope explains smoke in the Temple and Heaven.

Surely we must see the Throne of God in new understanding. With glee - God is about the beauty of the earth we know and the magnificence of the Universe. Glory that man mimics in things like fireworks and rock operas and Heavenly Choirs. God fully understands why we would turn the radio up as loud as we could to be shaken by sound.

Father God loves Gates.  And Jesus is called "I am the Gate."  God as Father rejoices in all Jesus is willing to do as His Son. How pleasant for Him to remember the days Jesus was willing to come as Light to the World. Jesus tells us of His Joy.


One of the Twelve Open Gates of Heaven

Ezekiel 43
Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when hea came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, 7and he said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever.

Matthew 17
2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

These are passages of Scripture that begin to reflect the Glory of God. From Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah and
Paul - these men of Scripture have been this close to Our Father God Almighty in His Kingdom. John reports in Revelation the Father shone with His face not seen to John.

We read Father God has dotted Heaven with objects we readily understand like trees and bright, shining water running right by His Throne.

Revelation 22
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Not just the resplendency of the Seraphim above our Lord Father God. And the awe of the Universe bring forth stars - we learn of the importance of all our senses.

Revelation 8
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

We know today our magnetosphere connects all the earth's lightning and the sun's flairs are intact to our lightning.

Revelation 4 has an amazing, brilliant splendor - spectacular, exaltedness of our God.

John sees a door standing and open to Heaven. The people our Father God has returned from Heaven tell us not just a door - indeed a door - a dimension falls away.

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven!

And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

This is a familiar voice - the voice of Jesus saying breakfast is fixed on the beach after Jesus has Triumphed over Crucifixion. A Voice of Love. Come up here!

Like the journey of Paul, who was "caught up to the third heaven" and "heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell" 2 Corinthians 12:2

At once I was in the Spirit, and behold!

A throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.

And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.

From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder,
and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire,
which are the seven spirits of God,
and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

These God asked of Solomon to place on the Temple Curtain.


And around the throne, on each side of the throne,
are four living creatures,
full of eyes in front and behind:
the first living creature like a lion,
the second living creature like an ox,
the third living creature with the face of a man,
and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.


And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!”

Creation - chosen, created, special, with a purpose of God. All of creation waits. Birds, flowers, fish, trees, animals - great and small. For the revealing of the Sons of God.

Romans 8
This present time - not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing all of creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

God answers us - if life is a test to reveal our hearts - God has subjected us to hope.

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope.

Life is sufficient each day when we look to the blessings. And still, each day has mundane aspects to maintain a regular life - this is when faith and hope call to us, unseen. We build a life in the small moments.



Father God, I want to be in that number!
And with each day, draw our hearts to 
be
a pleasing, inviting, favorable place
for Your Holy Spirit to dwell. Faith, hope, Love, Joy. In Jesus, Amen.

Thank You, Jesus!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Mark 4 ~ let him hear

Mark 4

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 

2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 

9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that

“they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.”

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 

14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 

23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

 

  26 And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.

 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”




30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

 

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.


34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”

36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was.

 And other boats were with him. 

37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.

38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 

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. 

40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 


41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

John told Bishop Papias of Hierapolis, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke were completely correct.


John 21 agrees with Mark 4

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

The sermon Father Brian White did today involved the conflict between intelligence and faith. June 26th HopePointe Anglican. Many people of faith have reached out to the community looking for reason, logic, for the unseen to be within understanding. Meeting the Promise of God for those looking to God to answer questions within.

Guidepost wrote this month, the faithful report the passing of loved ones and seeing with eyes of faith, the miracle of Father God easing the passing. When the faithful gather to tell of their faith journey, you hear Father God interacts in the lives of those who decide to journey this life with Jesus.

We are all on this Journey to Jesus Christ. And we are all in different places and stages. The Community of Faith is the mercy shown to one another. These absolute discussions of faith and of help to walk this life - this is the community of Act 2. The basis of the Church Jesus gives, loves, restores, and strengthens.


Father God,

I lift up to you the ones I love. Some need healing, some need kindness, some need truth, some need heart rejoiced by Jesus Christ. Some need prayer. I give You thanks for the prayers for my arm healing, for Edward's health. For my family.

I thank You Father God, You give us encouragement, renewal, clarity and direction. Each day Your mercies renew. I heard today from a Pastor saying the last 5 to 10 years have been harsh. And in these very difficult times, even the little things were hard to accomplish. Emotion threatened in the changes and difficulties to swamp life. Like Jesus on the boat. And in the Love You offer us always, the Pastor decided that each day to rejoice in You is a choice. A choice to have the Joy of the Lord Jesus be our strength. You alone conquer and weather our storms. We have emotion and in You, center on You, to know that You provide Your Holy Spirit to us. And in Jesus, our emotion will rest as You embrace the Ones You Love.

Your Great Love will continue to lift up those who Love Jesus. Your Promises are sure. Your Love and Mercy and Grace enduring and healing.

In Jesus Christ we are sealed in His Love Forever. Amen.


 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Ruth 2 ~ The Lord be with you.

Van Gogh

Ruth 2

 Now Naomi had a kinsman on her husband's side, a prominent rich man, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favor." She said to her, "Go, my daughter." So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, "The Lord be with you." They answered, "The Lord bless you." Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, "To whom does this young woman belong?" The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, "She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. She said, 'Please, let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.' So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment."


Then Boaz said to Ruth, "Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn." Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?" But Boaz answered her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!" Then she said, "May I continue to find favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants."

At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come here, and eat some of this bread, and dip your morsel in the sour wine." So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, "Let her glean even among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her. You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles, and leave them for her to glean, and do not rebuke her."

So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. She picked it up and came into the town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gleaned. Then she took out and gave her what was left over after she herself had been satisfied. Her mother-in-law said to her, "Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you." So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, "The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz." Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "Blessed be he by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" Naomi also said to her, "The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin." Then Ruth the Moabite said, "He even said to me, 'Stay close by my servants, until they have finished all my harvest.'" Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, "It is better, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, otherwise you might be bothered in another field." So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests; and she lived with her mother-in-law.


Even in times of trouble, we are given the opportunity to be blessed and have gratitude.


Life doesn't always cater to us. In these times, we have to look at our blessings, sometimes with a pick and a shovel. Sometimes with a magnifying glass. God wants us to Expect His help. God wants us to see one of our obligations is to find Joy in His making the day sufficient.


Ruth was a foreigner. With a bitter old woman, picking in the fields. She was to share good fortune and in the blessing of sharing - to really be blessed.



Father God,

You have said that You take no pleasure in the austerity of sacrifice. What You request is to worship in Spirit and in Truth in the Law of Love and Liberty.

Help us each day to see and look for and search "Your Mercies renew daily."

We ask that we and our loved ones, the people we pray over have a deep desire for Gratitude.

In the name of Jesus, His Banner over me is Love. I will carry this with Gratitude.

In Jesus, The Lord, Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Matthew 14:13-21 ~ Jesus heard this.

Matthew 14:13-21

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.”

19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

In the midst of His day, a day filled with requests, endless ideas of what they perceive God to be, ideas of what He should be, their joy, their pain, their trouble, Jesus acted lovingly.

So much need. So many requests. With God, He will find a way.

Matthew 9:36
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Who are these people peppering Jesus with their prayer requests? It is us. Jesus as the Son of God can speak a blessing over God's provision. How can we do less?

John 5:17
Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

1 Thessalonians 2:13
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.


Father God,

A Heavenly Father who is finally thought of as a Blessing. And Rejoices. Loved as the way things really are.

Even the Father who has Love for the believing heart can rejoice again when real Gratitude flows.

A Mighty God who wants His Children to believe His Word.

A Mighty Father who wants to be believed as Love above the words of men and the traditions of mankind.

The Word of Father God is True. God is Love.

Thank You Father for our Loved Ones. Amen in... Jesus!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †