Philippians 2 ~ Therefore God has highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name

Philippians 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.

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.

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.

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,

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

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. 

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 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.

Salt

This Chapter reveals an earnestness in ministry.

 A joyful message about our ministry to Jesus - in our daily words and conversations. A daily message uplifting us! A genuineness in our daily walk. Being centered on Jesus just in our conversations. The reassurance, assistance, favor, cheer and inspiration we would hope to hear from Father God to us.

Truthfully, for me, I'd much rather see Christmas begin now, instead of skeletons and ghouls! I love Christmas Lights. Personally, I feel like singing Christmas songs. I was at a hardware store recently and the man working there told me Halloween is so gruesome now with latex cat, dog and horse bones that working there makes him shudder. And you can see why - human bones are not going to be done away with lightly. And real gore is another thing. So the Christmas Lights reflect the Light is still shining, still overcoming.

I'd go so far as to celebrate the Abundance of the Provision of God in October. And shop for Christmas. Pumpkins - you bet. Indian corn - you better believe this is fabulous. Children in cute costumes and excited about the journey - you know this. We have Tricker Trunk at Church.  Other than that om, no, I think it's too gross sometimes. I am walking my dog and he runs from some of the displays. 

Now, I think it would be wonderful to do something similar to Halloween like Christmas Carol for Christmas Candy would be spectacular. All the Christmas Lights make that event - spectacular.

Rejoice in seeing, we have served the Gospel. Jesus is a God of Love.

This Chapter is indeed about this Joy. Do not be sorrowful. Choose your Joy. Train peaceful fruit. Therefore, strengthen hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is in this book of Philippians.

See this fruitful yield with eyes of expectation in God.
 
Encouragement
Love
Comfort    Complete Joy          Listen

Same mind Accord    Give others Significance    Equality

Salvation Hold  Fast to the Word of Life   Shine

Rejoice   Genuine Concern

Above all, and I say it again, Let Love be Genuine.


Speak the Gospel at all Times.
Use Words when Necessary.


Father God, 

Please help us to have, acknowledge and understand every good thing accomplishing Your will. Forgive our sins. 

We want to be a place where You dwell with pleasure. In Your grace, we shall thrive. We want to abide in our lives in Your Word.

We ask You to be God in our lives and bring all the Fruit of the Spirit. In Jesus we ask the way of our lives is guided in the fruitfulness of green pastures. The quietness of living water. Your Holy Spirit refreshing our souls. Let Your Truth, Way and Life guide us along the right paths for Your name’s sake. Your Holy Spirit comforts me.

We are lifting up prayers for our concerns, our needs, those of our Loved ones. For our jobs, communities, Churches and this Nation in this time of elections. 

Our joy overflows, for in certainty, Your Goodness and Love are part of all the days of our life. And when You call us Home, we will dwell in the Kingdom You have established in Great Joy. In great privilege and expectation, in the Highest Name of Jesus Christ the Lord, we ask. Amen. The will of the Lord be done.  Alleluia!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 19:24 ~ enter the kingdom of God

Matthew 19:24

"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."


The Jews at the time of Jesus had something more in common with 14th century than we have today. When William the Conqueror fell off the ship and on to land - his troops were horrified. Surely this would be their death - William fallen. And William the Conqueror knowing mankind of 1000 A.D. grabbed two hands of dirt, stood, yelling boldly "* Not so,' said he ; by the glory of God 1 swear that by this act I have seized England with two hands and this is delivered unto me!" Causing the troops to congratulate themselves on being with the future William the Conqueror of England.

In the prior millenniums God was at work - everywhere.

And someone favored with money - would want a place that charitable giving would find acclaim. Jesus told of the Tower falling and killing eighteen people where their blood mingled with the sacrifices and said this was not due to sin. Prosperity is for the good and hardship for the evil.

A rather MIB lifestyle. One year prosperity, the next year famine. Happened a lot in the history of Israel.

That rollercoaster of life - most of us can relate to. And when we believe God knows even when a sparrow fall - we have a Father God we can curse or believe. What do we do with the disparity between God knows when a sparrow falls and something like an automobile collision with a loss of a car for two months and no serious injury but it's a hassle and a worry.

This is probably a reminder that all around us is not permanent.

The loss of a stillborn daughter? A dream met and lost. Our permanent treasure is in Eternity. Before I did not have this child - now I will for all days.

When years happen like Theodore Roosevelt who lost the two loves of his life - his adored wife and treasured Mother at almost the exact time. This is a man who survived wasting away as a child without antibiotics, due to hard work and diligent faith. A family who taught him all of his privilege was to grow to make an achievement to offer his life's work to God's Glory. Every day the family thought of what way to give back.

And to find his wife died in childbirth and his mother was gone. No family of his close knit family.



Every day we all get a choice. To be bitter. To sink or swim when we are able. Monet had many deaths of loved ones in his life and when you look at all he desired to do in life - was paint. During those deaths his production dwindled sometimes to nothing for two years and this would be reoccurring in his life.

We live in a generation where surprising death is very surprising.

But we surely understand that allowing the blessings of God to harden us and make us chilly. Is a death. Our culture is not as affluent as it once was and yet we are so blessed.

The Nation is mourned for it's troubles. Humor is still humor but has a bite to it. The news is available all over. But the worst is put forth to seize the amazement and the culture can be saddened by copycat violence.

What is important is this - 1/3 of the population of the world believes Jesus is the Christ of God. And 25% of this population believes we would like to see the renewal, regeneration, anticipation of more of God's wonders on earth.

What we don't record is that in conversation of Christians - You Find The Wonders of God - the change, empower, sustain, encourage and ignite absolute certainty in the Sovereignty of God.

This is today. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Let's pray with true zeal.


Our Abba, You dwell within us.

With the Name of Jesus and His Love, we picture the gates of the Temple as the Gates of Heaven.

We see the New Jerusalem sitting on the Hill. We go through the gates and find the stream of Living Water. We see the beautiful trees the Book of Revelation tells us God has beside His Stream. Following the stream, we see Emerald Light. God's favorite Color. And put ourselves at the foot of God Himself.

Jesus tells us we can boldly have access to our Father God. Feel Him enfold and lift us to Him. Our Father.

We place a hand upon His Chest and tell Him of our cares. He loves us so. He loved us first. He cares of all we tell Father God.

We tell Abba about our loved ones and the people He has given us. We know that He has given His care to this. And delights to know we love one another. This causes Him to rejoice. We lift up our Churches, jobs, neighborhoods, cities and their needs. The Nation to be Strengthened in the Name, care and Love of Jesus. And we give thanks knowing the believing world prays with us.

God is within. God is Sovereign. We will put our faith, hope and Love here with Him. Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 10:29 ~ not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it

Matthew 10:29

What is the price of two sparrows--one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.

Genesis One

In the beginning, God created

"And God said", the Bible records nine times.

If we can not understand or see how vast the universe is - we won't argue about the age. Peter knew Jesus well. Psalm 90 and Peter agree to the vast temperament, personality, abilities, continuation of God's majesty from Genesis to Solomon and David for the Psalms and Peter, where Peter's house and his grave are available to see with plane tickets today. Addressing us as God would have Peter in the Holy Spirit say this:

2 Peter 3:8
Beloved,with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

God has the universe and also, the world.

Psalm 24:1
The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.


Jeremiah 17:10
“I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

And God saw that it was good five times. Until He said, 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Jesus told us to be salt and Light.





Ephesians 2:4
Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!







Great for the world! What about me?

God named you. He did.

Ephesians 3
4 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.







How will we be filled with the fullness of God?

He who determines the number of the stars; He gives to all of them their names. And all the people called Ryan say Oh.

John 6:29
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."












It is written. "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

Who said this Jesus in the 12th Chapter of Luke. Verse 7.

If God can do this :

and this :

And this, this generation knows flight :

Then returning from God's Kingdom is the privilege of Jesus in Victory.

Luke 23:43
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”









Acts 1
13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.



Our Abba,

You know our hearts, we know each other by words and deeds. We join together to present our own lives and concerns up for Your healing and fellowship.

We lift up John and his wife - John is in the hospital suddenly not breathing at all. We lift up Haiti recovering from another devastation. Those in recovery in Louisiana and from Hurricane Matthew. Those with severe illnesses. Families, marriages, parents and children. We thank You for Your answers. We live on the Willingness of God. And His mercies.

We lift up the increasing concerns of the Nation and for accurate reporting seeing the Good. We look to Jesus for His Tender Care. And say we have the ability of God putting His Son Jesus as Light within us. We will look to God every day. And see results of God. Amazing Grace of Jesus every day. Each day we will see His Mercies renew.

Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Hebrews 7 ~ on the basis of the power of an indestructible life

Hebrews 7

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.


4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

7 And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.

9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?

12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also.

13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.

14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is declared:

“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”

18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:


“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
‘You are a priest forever.’”

22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

23 Now there have been many of those priests, 
since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.






No one started out like Jesus.

No one got untangled with other pursuits like Jesus.

No one was without sin like Jesus.

Jesus the author of Life - gave ALL.

We rely upon His Grace to finish well. Every day. On His Life.



Abraham we are told is a saint, and yet Abraham did not consider himself to be a Priest. Abraham argued for foreign people not to be killed by God. The Author of Life was pleased.


Jesus asked us to tell about Jesus. And never made Abraham - the Father of Nations - a Priest.  God is saying - we are called to tell about Jesus. Like Abraham did - not with zeal and no selection. But to be selective for results. To tell the people we love. With accuracy and timing. And God's Opportunity.


God Does Something Unique with Jesus.

We can trust God to do something New. God is still Working. We will Trust Him for His Word and His Promises.  In the new things in my life, I will remember God is working and draw new hope, more Holy Spirit, more Joy and more Peace. And when we put God in our life first - we will find the strength to go forth forever.


Jesus showed us Life. An indestructible Life.


Father God,

One day we will see Jesus. We will see Your Promises. We will see all the saints living. We will according to Ephesians live with Family of Generations.

We will know all Your Truth.

Thank You Jesus, You know me. And offer salvation to me and the world. In Your Great Love.

Thank You Jesus for Your Love.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Acts 1 ~ all that Jesus began to do and teach

Acts 1

  1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 

10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”


12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”

18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and
“‘Let another take his office.’

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Don't you feel excessively warm and good about Acts 1. Jesus bodily appears in Acts 1. We all tend to think of the Gospels as where Jesus appears in living, eating, teaching, speaking, fellowship.

And really we find Luke is busy telling us what life was like as one of the 72 Disciples Jesus chose in the Gospels. Telling us about the joy of successfully telling for millenniums about the God of Love. Luke is consistently speaking to Theophilus. Luke is not giving up, this is important of Jesus the Lord. This is what telling of Jesus is - Love. The commitment of Love. Theophilus must have responded which is important in evangelism. Jesus never is reported as intruding where He is unwanted. Jesus is God and defines evangelism.

Jesus also tells us about the scheduling of His day - Jesus is going where God His Father assures him. Sometimes God sends Jesus places like John 5 - an invalid who did not respond directly to the healing questions - precisely. God goes in directions God wants to go. He is God. We can be assured Jesus is placed this Acts 1 day as His Father would place Him.

The good part, the crucial part, of the Ascension occurs because Jesus is again telling His Beloved where our Jesus can be found. Life is a journey and I discovered this about 3 years ago from friends Dee and Sharon.




Jesus is telling them - they will have the all important Holy Spirit, but not the oneness Jesus has with the Father. He assuredly and completely knows these mortal men will be asked if they are gods. He wants them to be informed. Jesus is a Teacher.

Compare and contrast - Jesus ascends to His Father. Jesus takes time to fully explain what Jesus is doing. Jesus is God. And Jesus takes the time. Jesus the Christ of God is reported in the midst of the 40 amazing days of Jesus Alive and Victorious of God, with Prophets alive from their tombs.  This is one of the times God is doing Ezekiel 37:3 bones are alive from God's Word.

Judas ends up forever in a cemetery.  A disciple has deserted for betrayal.  Judas is replaced by, probably, one of the greater 72 Disciples.Confusion says Judas died by hanging (Matthew 27:5) or did he die by falling and bursting open (Acts 1:18). The Scriptures are true. Men heard one thing about Judas and were done with the details of the story of Judas. Judas - in the middle of God's glory he missed - probably hung himself from a tree and stayed hanging - no one wanted to touch that until he fell and burst open. Both accounts are true.

Jesus is the exact Son of God. His Only Son. Jesus is still involved with Teaching. With explaining. Jesus is ascending to the Glory of God. Jesus is fulfilling another Word of God to us. John 5. Telling us of Heaven.

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





The Disciples feel so strongly the power of the Holy Spirit the important decisions are left in the Hand and Will of God. Based upon 2,000 years of Church being created - we know that the Holy Spirit did indeed lead them to the Glory of God and our comfort in Him.



Our Abba,

We know we believe Jesus because You have called us. 1 John 4:19 teaches us we love because You first loved us.

We will honor You as God. Because in honoring our Father God our days may be long in the land that You, our Lord our God is giving us now and in eternity.

Father, You provide for us Faith, Hope and Love. The Greatest You provide is Love.

And because of this - we can do all the things You have required of us. We can do all things through Jesus Christ who Strengthens us.

You, the Lord God Almighty will be a father to us, and we shall be sons and daughters to Our Father.

We will not lean on our own understanding entirely and Trust in You, God.

With Your Holy Spirit will not forget Your teaching, and in our heart keep Your commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace You will add to us. Steadfast love and faithfulness will not forsake our words, deeds, prayers and actions and place these in the tablet of our heart. We will find favor and good success in the sight of You, God and man.

Thank You Christ for Your Blessings. For Those we Love. For the Prayers You have answered speedily and in Your Time. For all Your answers. For the people we pray for. Churches, communities, Work places and the Nation. The communion of all Your saints in prayer, please bless us all over the World and encourage the hearts of those calling upon Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †