James 2:12-19 ~ Law of Liberty

Today I was looking at a Church in Brazil praying for a Pastor held hostage in the Middle East. And the article was discussing the prayers of the faithful are answered. I've been told in the last 25 years, it's difficult to travel in Brazil due to orphans and gangs. And our neighbor was teaching an International Law School living 60 miles out of Rio, with pure enjoyment of the freedom to travel and see the Beauty of Brazil.

I was very surprised to find this photo was a Large Church in Brazil.

The same with a Church friend and another neighbor who found how much they loved Cape Town, South Africa.

This is not just a Christian Revolution of Believers in the USA.

We are living a time of the Oscar Winning movie Mrs. Miniver. Searching a lifetime apart from world wars - what makes life meaningful. And in this prayer of the Holy Spirit - we are crossing borders Jesus told us we would.


The Church of England was in its Glory of 1500 years during World War II. The Churches were packed. The Liturgy was read and The Daily Lectionary or The Daily Office - a two year program to read the Bible worldwide and a good and joyful thing. But the reading was wooden to be reliable. We Understand.

Inside, with the stress - to live during the bombings. Put the children in the country for years. See the young men killed and maimed.

The woodenness created this in the 1960s and 70s. "Are you a Christian?" "Yes, I'm...  Presbyterian/Catholic/Methodist/Episcopalian." Splendid. We understand. And millenniums who are interested in film and movie as a cultural/historical/entertainment/art form are stunned to see the movies represent a very ethical lifestyle.

Enter the years expressed pretty well by "Forest Gump". This would be when the establishment decided we could use a two income family for tax revenues and the tax dollar is WAY up over the luxury suits worn to work after World War II of $40. Gone was the housing a man could afford to pay for his house in cash for 3 to 5 years of income saved. Winston Churchill was Very Afraid the lack of farms for Europeans to inherit would drive the world to Communism.

So what's happened? When I went in to look at my Real Estate Taxes I found 8 homes in my area sold and one was a foreclosure. We live in a world where we have forgotten the loss of small-time farmers, but we don't even know a 30-year mortgage can be extremely frightening. The home isn't labeled: "Quarantine", "Rabid" or even "Deplorable." It's simply for sale.

Bill Gates said the loss of affordable College Education is a form of Serfdom.

Why are people rude and cold to each other?

There is a difficult world going on. Where the 20 somethings feel that housing is held by few people and rented out at rates that if you could afford the house - you'd buy it. We say Trade School is the New Modern. But the divorce rate for non-college is more than or about 50%. 2/3rds to life stay married with College Educations.

What are we doing? 

We are denying the loss of freedoms. And the basket is on fire for the candle underneath.

How are we going to solve this?

We are solving this. Slowly. We are finding more of our Sermons address real life. We are not seeing wooden values that hammer so well into the familiar slot.

Jesus knew this about mankind from Genesis 1. The life put in us is from God when we are looking for His Holy Spirit.




God, Himself, has favored us with His Example.


Mark 2

"Follow me."

And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Hammer.

So many times in an argument - this is my verbal weapon of choice. Pound out the argument win. Win. Jesus had a hammer inflicted upon Him as He gave us Life. Jesus did not hammer upon His people. His values did not require a Hammer.

James 

The First Council of Nicaea did something so Spirit-filled. Something Jesus would applaud. In 325 A.D., the physical Brother of Jesus was given precedence over Peter in the Books of the Bible. Jesus and James discuss there the Magnificat of Mary is taught to the family of Mary and Joseph. James - The Book of the Bible we are privileged to see the home in Nazareth were the sons of Joseph and sisters of Jesus were raised.

Mary and Joseph found more and more room at their table. Blessed of God.


James 2:12-19

12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.

13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.


14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? 

Can that faith save him? 

15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well.

We have the real flavor of the Household of Mary and Joseph. Not a stodgy place. A place of welcome. Where Love grows and meaningful life is a day to day reality.


When we fail to Hammer at each other. And find the Law of Liberty is looking to Father God, Living and Abiding in God - we are blessed to find the Mercy we can give each other. When we take less of a firm death, hammer hold on our worries, - We are able to give the Generosity and Graciousness of Favor God displays to us.

When we live Graciously - we find the ability to behave graciously to one another. We find we want all of the world to be blessed to see our own blessings. We govern differently. We educate differently. Our children have gracious expectations. We are able to give generously. Gracious people make a Gracious world.







Abba, Father God,

Jesus is where we want to be Blessed.

Jesus could take all of the Bible, all of God's Word and make summary for every situation. Jesus told us He needed no new Commandment to explain all of Your Word.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

This is the great and first commandment.

And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Love One Another.


Father God, We ask the Light of the world. The Way, the Truth and the Life to live in us. We ask Your Blessing of Life to be in the people we Love. We pray Your Holy Spirit in the People You have given us. We pray for the Nation trusting in You. Reaching to our schools, our employment, our communities. We lift up the Nation to You. We Lift up the Nations Trusting in You. We lift up the people of Your Creation - helping the Holy Spirit to search and know the Beloved of God in prayer. God is Love enfolding and encircling the Creation - God finds good yesterday, today and tomorrow.

The Blessing of Jesus Live in our hearts to give the Light of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Matthew 2:9-11 ~ worship Him

Matthew 2:9-11

9 After listening to the king,

they went on their way.

And behold, 
the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.


Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Matthew 5:18
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Every Word of God is Law - therefore, accomplished.





We can listen to Elvis, The King. Bruce Springsteen, The Boss. Queen. Or the entire list of Royalty nicknames https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorific_nicknames_in_popular_music. There are too many nods at bosses and royalty nicknames to even want to count.

We can listen to bad family advice, bad friend advice - as well as popular culture. We can follow the example of Eve and Samson determining their own path. Or Solomon's son and David's grandson to apparently lose the Kingdom given to David.

We are always determining the true path of faith. Diligence to God is important. Honoring Him and His enduring and Steadfast Love to us.


However - when we are following our soul to find Jesus, Behold, God leads us diligently.

1 John 2:1-14


2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.


7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because[a] the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him[b] there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

12 I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.

Abba Father,

We ask Your Blessings,

Help us to have Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Diligently guide us, in all our ways acknowledge You, Father and You will make straight our paths.


We will trust You, Father, You are the Way, Truth and Life and we will come to You in the Glory of Jesus.

We ask to Delight You with our life. And the lives of those we Love. The people You have given us. To the Nation blessing our schools, jobs, cities and Churches. Asking Your Blessing on our Nation. Asking You to bless the Nations Trusting in You. Blessing all of those believing in You around all of Your Creation.

All life is given in the Goodness of God. Let our prayer bring more of Your Heaven to earth. More of the Holy Spirit.

Goodness in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Matthew 1:1-17 ~ Father

Matthew 1:1-17

1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob,
strike one- Ishmael

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
strike two the blessings thief to blind father
3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron,
strike three Judah did not help Tamar
Hezron the father of Ram,
4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,
5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
strike four Rahab

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
6 and Jesse the father of King David.
strike five - with the Prophet Samuel. Jesse showed very poor parenting

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,
strike six Uriah was killed
7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam,
strike seven failed to live wisely until old age
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
ok unstrike seven Rehoboam was unwise and lost Israel
Abijah the father of Asa,
8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,
Jehoram the father of Uzziah,
strike seven -failure to honor God

9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz,
strike eight - plans to melt down the Temple for a client state existence.
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
unstrike eight - Wow Hezekiah!

10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,
Strike 9 poor parenting Hezekiah

Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah,
Unstrike one for Josiah had to clean out to discover there was a set of Papyrus called the Bible.


11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
Strike 10 Josiah was prophetically warned and chose not to listen and died.

12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, 
Strike 11 lost Jerusalem for unholy behavior
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,
14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud,
15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,
16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.
17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Proverbs 8 is the heart declared in Genesis One. We see Father God declare the goodness of His Creation. And learn Father God delights in His Only Son Jesus, the Light of the world. Jesus delights in the Father. And they delight seeing into mankind.

When we read the struggle of mankind with Father God and see how flawed all of the people are - we could wonder why Father God delights in us. Instead, God rarely declares over and over and, yet, He does.

This is our God and He tells us what He sees in His mankind. We are people. We are the Sheep of His Pasture. The Light shines and we would have more of our Father God.

Abba, Holy Father,

We will be Blessed to wear Your Words in our mind, heart and soul with Love.


Romans 5:8
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for you

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

1 John 4:8
God is love

Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is in our midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

Romans 8:37-39
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Blessed be the Name of Jesus. The will of Your Love Father God, please cover our lives with Your Great Blessings upon me, upon you, upon our Loved ones, upon our prayers, upon our thanksgiving, upon our delights and upon our challenges. Upon the people You have given us. Upon our communities, cities, Churches, jobs, gifts and talents. Upon our Nation and the Nations Trusting in You.

The Name of Jesus and Will of You, our Good Father on our prayer to do far more than we could ask or imagine. Giving thanks for miracles of healing and miracles to be ourselves and delight in You, Father God.

Covered in the Name of Jesus today and always. Amen.

Psalm 20 ~ in the Name of Jesus

Psalm 20

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!

3 May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

4 May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!
5 May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions! 

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 8 They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. 9 O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

Our Jesus had many unpleasant moments in the midst of Life Jesus told us, with all His Goodness, was Joy.

John 14:12
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father

We spend time wondering when we encounter John 14:12 what we would see. And in knowing Jesus is God, believe with all good purpose - Jesus was incorrect. I believe Jesus is telling us - when we know someone miraculously is cancer free - Jesus has been at work. When a child grows a leg 4" to be able to walk for the first time from prayer - we know Jesus has been at work. When the brain damaged recover - we know Jesus has been at work. The Miracles of God.

Jesus is at work - and we have gathered to ask Him in hopeful prayer. Jesus is pleased. I believe John 14:12 is Jesus being gracious to those who love, honor and worship the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It would be impossible to create a solar system, gravity, water molecules creating vapor, liquid and solid. It would be impossible to create soil without the tools God gives us. It would be impossible for Life to form without God. How could we see greater than God? I believe this is Jesus being gracious to us - the Children of God who pray with Hope.

Jesus created Love, Joy and Peace daily. He did this with one God given tool. He trusted God and moved without fear. Jesus lived daily with Faith.


Jesus took the incredible wind, wave and storm of the Sea of Galilee and made calm. When days may come, the decision is to Trust God. To love God. In the storm - the answer is to believe God. To be who we are.  To answer sincerely and with empathy. Because of Jesus and His Gift of Salvation - Believing doing our best with all of His Holy Spirit is pleasing to God daily. Trusting God to carry us forth - bought with the Price of God's Son.  Believing in the Name of Jesus. Doing His will.

Abba, Holy Father in Heaven,

You have given us Jesus who Loves us.

In turbulent life, when events move swiftly near us, help us to see You first. Ask You first. Rely on You.

When decisions are needed, Grant us Your Help. Let us always move swiftly to Love. To be in Your Mercy. There is no Victory without Jesus and Your Amazing Love.

Daily life moves routinely, with Jesus we will nurture our Faith to be in Your Word and in prayer to You, Father God. To make Sunday holy in Your House. We surround those we Love in Prayer. Lifting up our concerns with Hope. Asking for Your Love to the people You have given us. Covering the place we live, to our Nation and the Nations trusting in You. Covering us who believe in Jesus with Your Name and Love.

In Jesus was ask for more of the Holy Spirit and more of Heaven on earth. In Jesus, Amen

Mark 12:18-27 ~ the Power of God

1 Kings 9

Mark 12:18-27

18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither 
the Scriptures 
and the power of God?

 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. 
You are quite wrong.”


What do people do in the boundaries they are given?

We have to see where we are and work with God gives us - daily seeing His Blessings.


Exactly. God gives us willing Blessings. Perhaps not to rule Israel,  we'd all sign up for Love, Joy, Peace, Kindness, Mercy, Patience, Self-Control.


This Passage of Jesus' conversations - multiple marriages - seems to indicate Jacob's son Judah and his daughter in law Tamar. An ancestor of Jesus, Lion of the Tribe of Judah. God wanted Tamar to bring forth a child of Judah and in doing His Will, Perez and Zerah were born.

If we skip the details of working out the Path God gives us, we miss a great deal of possibilities where life is made meaningful and worth living. 

Little is known of Perez.

A Descendant of Judah,
 further down the line:
Little is known of Jabez. 

The one we would all like to have part of his blessing for asking God to enlarge his boundaries and a life of no pain. And God did for being honorable.

The Power of Scripture.

Deuteronomy, can be boring, Chronicles in the list of descendants - dry. And really the truth is this... The Blessings are in the Pentateuch. 

1 Chronicles 4:9
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”

Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked.

This IS where the Blessings are.





And the Bible. How we are going to present our lives and innermost self to the Lord Jesus. To be covered in the Name of Jesus for our faith and His Goodness. Covering us and blessing us and leading us from sin.

The Power of God.

David knew he was anointed and spent 22 years feeling all of the Psalms. Defeat, agony, victory, defeat, victory, defeat, Victory, sin, defeat, defeat, Victory.

And then David took Saul's Kingdom - the first map - and in obedience to God made - the second map.

Saul had boundaries. And he refused to believe the Scriptures and the Power of God. He refused to be grateful for today and to let God have tomorrow.

Gratitude is very important.

David had gratitude. And obedience. He believed God was as good as His Word. And in being obedient to God. God's Will Roared like the Lion of Judah.

All of the Blessings of God involve - Trusting God so much you will find gratitude and willingness to believe that the Will of God - is Good - Today.


And in seeking to find the good in today - you will have - Joy, Hope, Faith, Love. And Love is the Greatest of All. Creating endurance, character, hope. Lack of Disappointment. Gentleness, Loving oneself as others.

And in believing God will create a framework For His Will. You will find like Israel - the ups and downs of generations.


Psalm 100

5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations. 

Father God

“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God!

You know your children, O Lord Father God! Because of Your promises, and according to Your own heart, You have brought about all this greatness for Your Glory.


And we delight, Your Name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of Jesus will be established before You.

For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made Your revelation to your children, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.

And now, O Lord God, you are God, and Your Words are true, and You have promised this good thing to your servant.

Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.

But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His Name, Jesus. He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

In Expectation of His Word to our generations, we say, Thank You Father God.

In Expectation to fill Your Plans. To help our children. To bring love, joy, peace, kindness, mercy, wisdom, patience, self-control to our Family on this earth and in Heaven as You told us in Ephesians.

Giving God Thanks for answered prayer and the Willingness of God. 

 In Jesus, Amen.

Matthew 25:31-46 ~ before Him will be gathered all the nations

Matthew 25:31-46

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 And he will place the sheep on his right,

but the goats on the left.

34 Then the King will say to those on his right,

'Come, you who are blessed by my Father,

inherit the kingdom prepared for you

from the foundation of the world.

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food,

I was thirsty and you gave me drink,

I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

36 I was naked and you clothed me,

I was sick and you visited me,

I was in prison and you came to me.'

37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'

40 And the King will answer them,

'Truly, I say to you,

as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,

you did it to me.'

41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

44 Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'

45 Then he will answer them, saying,

'Truly, I say to you,

as you did not do it to one of the least of these,

you did not do it to me.'

46 And these will go away into eternal punishment,

but the righteous into eternal life."

We start out in the same boat. On the same Journey. With the same Destination. Jesus Christ.

And we face the scariest thing on earth.

"Life or death."

In the beginning, God our Father saw Eve wanted to eat of the Tree, follow her own ideas, explore without God, determine good and evil. And God says today the world is worthy to be saved in Jesus Christ. We find out as children - we are not immortal. There is a day we look at our healthy bodies and realize we will perish. What we do with this idea is going to cause Life or death.

We are in the same boat as children when we find out we are perishable.
(They also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?')  God says we all want to know what Salvation is.

Jesus tells us He is readily available to us. In His Word and in prayer conversations. Jesus could do all manner of things. The Theory of Relativity tells us in John 6, the Disciples were making their way very slowly, Jesus came into the boat and "Immediately" the boat was on the other side.

Jesus could have done this every day. Instead, Jesus chose to show us "Give us the Day." Jesus chose to do the life we have and travel with us. Jesus is telling us He found Joy in conversation. Joy in the day. Joy in the time. Joy in the Journey. Joy to heal. Joy to help. Jesus was 'in the same boat.' By choice. Telling is to find His Creation Good.

Jesus is explaining how to "Give us the Day." And this is familiar:

We have a long voyage in front of us from childhood. When Captain Cook arrived in Hawaii, he found the Hawaiians had discovered the mainland in some very shaky native boats and returned.

One of my most memorable discussions in the grocery store line was a man about 58 years old telling me after 30 years of marriage and in-law family - we all become who we really are. Similar to Mrs. Walter Cronkite saying she couldn't hold her stomach in indefinitely. We exhale eventually and we find out what we have done with our Spiritual Journey. Truly - this is the Journey that Matters.

Jesus tells us to have the faith of a child for a long, long journey.

We are finding we ride the boat with Jesus to discover the ferocious wind and waves and cry out, "We are Perishable."

If we jam our halo on too tight, eventually we are going to feel the pressure and pain. If every answer is a Sunday School Parable - we are in Trouble. And if the Scriptures were merely words - we would be the most to pity.

Leading us back to the question - what halo will we wear. The Bible has the Excellence of Truth.

We will all wear the halo of failure. Sin. And we will sink if we do not call to Jesus - He is the only One to walk upon the waters of our doubt and false belief what-was-past-is-always-the-future-Realism-not-Hope.

God is Living in our Soul when we only ask Him to. We have the Light of Hope as we pray. What shall we cry? What shall we pray? To Know God's Will is Good for our lives. To Believe He is the Way, Life and Truth.

We have to learn what will put the real way and truth to have wind in our sails - Life. It's a fight when the sails do not have a lot of wind in sight. One would want to walk on the water. And doubt and despair threaten.

Jesus rode the sea and fished when the fish were not biting. And He did say He would be with us always.

This is the Jesus boat. It was discovered in fierce drought. The finders were horribly worried to even pay the rent. For 2,000 years the boat of the Sea of Galilee waited. Like Israel itself. God jumps from one thing to the next - and we should have wind in our sails even when it's faith.

Suddenly, the men could see why having no fish, no work, drought - might make something greater. Jesus told a parable to us in all of the Bible - to pray and not give up Hope.

Operation Hope is not to be like an overly tight Halo.

Jesus said He came to fulfill ever dot of the Law. What is the Law? Actually - God's Word is Law.

Hope works when Hope is - Real.

We don't know how to do what is on the blissful Lamb.
And Guilt is like driving your child to play on the Highway. Guilt tells us we don't do Enough to Please God. With that kind of parent - we are going to leave Home.

God wants to save that little boy in the photo because he is pure. Not exactly, God has seen and knows all of our days.  God knows that child as an aged old man. God wants to give the boy the saving truth. God wants to take the broken old body - the old man who would have changed a few things and make that body new and have His Kingdom and Love. Father God says mankind - when He looks deeply into His creation - is Good. Worthy of Saving in Giving HIS Only Son. Jesus.

The Bible says take the Light of Jesus and go forth. It's a little vague - Really. In fact, what is noticeable is Jesus says - sometimes you have to tell your loved ones - "No." You have to remember to put God first - over what you can see, touch, and relate to. This, beloved, of God, is - Interesting. God is worried, He yearns for us to come home like the Prodigal Son - God yearns for us to carry the Light of Christ Forth. To remember people are people and will just let you down because they can't do all the Work of the Lamb photo that well.

God looks at mankind and says "Worthy and Worthy of His Only Son." In relatable terms - that is a lot of in-law marrying your Child adoption. If we are picky about spouses for our children - Father God is AMAZINGLY OPEN.

God sees Amazing Goodness in Examining the Core of People.

God doesn't give a lot of tips on Evangelism. He says carry the Light of Jesus forth. And He gives us the Good Samaritan. Telling us - what falls in your path - Take Care Of. Don't say, "It's a rough week, year, day." God is saying 'helping others' is going to fall into your path. This is God saying help.

And even more amazing is God having to tell us - don't love your family as first priority. They might steer you like a submarine. Remember Who walks on the waters of doubt to provide Eternal Love.

Why does God provide the warning - like 11 Disciples. Because He is in Charge. He is God. He does not tell us we are Third. He does not say Love the Goats so much that you become a Goat.

God does not provide the Triumphant Palm Sunday for Peter or for Paul. In fact, God shows us clearly Peter and Paul have a few, narrow gate, people who remain. God is telling us 11 Disciples are not going to all desert for all of life - do not despair in mankind. And do not expect to be God.

Hope we have to see the GOOD!!! The Sheep and the Goats will continue to parade through Life for the Ancient of Days to observe. And if we were to take the Words of Jesus, we would say - Love One Another. God will fill in the dots. Give Mercy. God is in the business to Decide and Judge. He knows Better. And always say, "To Love the Lord God with all our mind, heart and soul - is to know the Way, the Truth and the Life."

Billy Graham said he had an analytical son. Always figuring things out. We can relax and Love. Billy Graham didn't find his halo too tight. Billy Graham found the Word of God would tell us this turns out well, God has written the final chapter. We can Trust God to be God. Always.

Abba, Daddy-Heavenly Father,

Your Word is Law.

Fear not little Flock. It is Your Father's Good Pleasure to GIVE the Kingdom.

Dreary old day? Dreary old Pentateuch? Na.

Deuteronomy 16:14
14 Be joyful at your festival — you,
your sons and daughters,
your male and female servants,
and the Levites,
the foreigners (like Moses in Midian or in-laws),
the fatherless
and the widows who live in your towns.

Leviticus 9:24
Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering
and the fat portions on the altar.
And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell face down.

Father God, We will ALWAYS PRAY WITH HOPE!!!

Father God,

We Believe.

The Lord will bless us and keep us;

the Lord will make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us;

the Lord does turn his face toward us and give us peace.

We will have Grace and peace to us from God our Father
and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The God of peace is with all who call on Him and put on that halo with sincerity!

The Blessing of Helping renews each Day. Giving the Day Life. Thank You for the Fun.
Jesus is Good.

Amen in Jesus.