Luke 18:1 ~ always pray and not give up

Luke 18:1

New International Version
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

New Living Translation
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

English Standard Version
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.



When we are looking for the Will of God.

It's important to remember our prayer answers and it's good to talk to those who love and remember answered prayers.


Jesus has promised us He will not leave nor forsake us. So we are searching to see God in every day. How do we know God is speaking to you, His child. Sometimes we will suddenly be completely reminded of the past and a memory doesn’t make total sense, yet we are profoundly reminded of the past making a memory stamp on the future. As a random example, as the sun sets we see something like a European Cypress tree in the evening twilight where Cypress trees do not grow.

A Worship Leader was sitting one evening and was suddenly thinking of someone he had befriended, he began to pray for this person. In fact, he was urgently feeling the need to pray for their connection to Jesus and felt that this was a difficult area for his friend in Christ. And as the years went by, he saw this prayer need was genuine. At the time, this seemed like an unlikely prayer need – but he heeded the Spirit of Jesus. And he was wise enough to only ask a few trusted friends to pray with him. Wise not to turn this sudden prayer request into something that would harm.

Sometimes we can have an aroma memory. And any time we feel Father God has prompted us – we feel we have communication. And feel Glorious. We have Father’s Attention – wow, wow and Wow.

Life prompting us to think of God thinking of us. Our every day is part of His Day.
We really can find God and this is good. In the radio. In the movie. For reasons of prayer prayer prayer.


This is fairly new knowledge of aromatherapy as a memory tool. The Book of Revelation tells us Father God inhales our prayers. God does not need us to Laboriously pray all our prayer thoughts. Our God is the Word of God upholding the Universe. Jesus knew what the blind men knew before they asked. God loves the conversation of being in our lives. God’s prayer life is amazingly smooth.

God tells us not to recite prayers as the heathen do. I do pray the Lord’s Prayer so well, probably, exactly as you do – sometimes I realize I’ve handed God the Lord’s Prayer as smoothly as am ice skating event. And then I do the exact opposite of my last paragraph and go back and truly listen to the Word being prayed. When we remember David’s view on Father God’s mercy and Jeremiah’s belief in God’s accuracy and ability to have the Word of God live -when we remember Samuel prayed his words would not fall and God’s Word would be the Strength of his faith. When we remember the mercy of Abraham towards others even at the pain of Isaac and himself - - - we are telling Father God, “Remember the time You…” God is Living Word – He loves the conversation. God loves to know at what warms you to God. How He is so very dear to you.

We can all pray for a good long time, but I’d guess and say the conversational pieces I have over current life, conversations, thoughts and ideas, the past, people and dogs far away – I’d bet God finds this more interesting. Even if He does seem to bless the longer prayers which are more routine. I have been praying for my eyes – Edward’s eyes have no cause to be better in his mid 50's and they are. Edward needs to have fewer headaches and does, but first, my headaches suddenly ended as I felt Father God was telling me these sinus headaches were over. And they have been this year.

I don’t know what effect my arrow prayers on the handicapped I see in life, but really, I feel we strengthen all of us when we pray for people we can see their prayer request. And I used to hand mean ol’ God the offer He could buck up to handle the awful needs of His Children. This was so depressing.


The truth is more glorious.

We are built to handle our lives. And when we nourish ourselves in God – more than usually He is going to overcome the sadness life has. It works like the Alzheimer prayer I repeat and will again. We can live ‘this is so sad’ Dad is ill now and has house slippers on and non-matching exercise clothes with pajamas. Living in a facility. Dad isn’t Dad. Or we can see the relief Dad has being with people who don’t expect him to live in a tie and set of professional clothes he doesn’t want the burden of. We can be glad Dad has a happy look and is telling us his next door neighbor turns out to be his lifelong best friend.

God has always shown us in hardship He has placed strength. We can pray for strength, we can have the audacity to pray for healing. Why would a prayer for wholeness offend God when we believe God is a Willing and Good Father. Who calls us Home to Him and life is forever more?


So I don’t know what happens to the prayers I always pray for Ambulances. I think they are the best of Prayer. The outcome is “Thy Will be Done.” With all the trust in the world that God is God and the outcome will be good. All of the 1980 prayer studies show that the prayer candidate who knew and didn’t know they were prayed for usually had an 80 something percentage improvement over the non-prayed for person. PRAY – it’s God for God’s Business – US.

I have a prayer request. I am praying for my back and Sciatica and diet. I am also praying for my son’s wonderfully loving and tremendously smart and even more appealing Husky – Jackson who was so much better from old age and then sprained his left back leg in the rocks in our garden. Please Pray for Jackson. I’ve seen and lived our cat being hit by a car in 1987, TC (Timothy Cat) living when the Vet had no hope for him but couldn’t put down such an eager, wonderful and loving cat. He found his bladder could function after we gave him time to heal and TC healed with the Mercy of Jesus. We had our dog Merit have terrible, terrible bleeding skin cancers and have remission taking him beyond what Springers usually live. Thank God.

Each of these acts of a loving Father telling us - even the sparrows who fall are known to Father God - require continuous work on the part of the pet family. I am praying for a sustainable miracle with the miracle of a life ended in SUPREME OLD AGE in Jackson’s sleep. And I see no reason to not tell our Father God every little portion of the miracle I’d love to live with my son and Jackson. Father God we really, really ask this Blessing for wonderful Jackson.

Abba, Father,

We have lifted up health and Jackson to You. Jesus told us always to keep praying with Hope.

I love to remember something You have said – to make this Living Conversation.

Jesus was covered front and back with Matthew 1 as Joseph’s Son by Gift of God. Jesus was covered front and back with Luke 3 as Mary’s Son. Jesus is soaked in the Goodness of God.
The man Jesus prayed for who had Living Water placed on his eyes was not left nor forsaken. Jesus took hold of this man again when sight was not clear yet, and Jesus sent him with direction for his life.

We ask You to cover this Prayer with Your Love and Mercy and Deeds of Healing.
Blessing all the people we met on the Cruise and were so very kind to us. 

Asking You, Father, for rain on the West Coast.

Jesus blesses and bless and bless us with His Joy and His Love. Amen Amen Amen in Jesus we get to pray. Amen.

Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Ephesians 1 ~ by the will of God

Gentle Leviathan C'mon Viewing!!!

Ephesians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

 In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,to the praise of his glory.


15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ  

The Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body,
 the fullness of him who fills all in all.



Dear Gentle Reader,

You may have have noticed the Posts are running a bit late. The seas have been at 3 and 4 meters making reading - rather difficult. Vestibular Rehabilitation has made my stomach far calmer than the ocean, and yet reading is rather DiFfiCUlt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ec55_eMlmY

Also not working is the internet's broadband capacity to show you The Wonderful Oceanic Regatta and our String Quartet opening our view to the Hubbard Glacier, larger than the state of Rhode Island, with... Handel's Messiah Alleluia chorus. Causing us all to sing, mouth, and hum like a band of Kazoos. People of God soar with the song. Well Chosen.


On Sunday the Post was the Jesus eating under the Chandelier. Possible. Sure. And on Sunday we were in Sitka, Alaska for the most beautiful weather God has created. Visiting St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Church. Where I took a photo of the beautiful Cross on the Chandelier and looked up into the octagon tower sky blue. Causing the Post photo chosen before knowing what was picked - filling my heart with wonder and joy at the Goodness of God. When possible - I will place my photo on the post. So that will be an update.

Abba,

Your gift of Jesus makes all things possible. The Word of God is nourishment.

Bless us this day and always to be in our Jesus.

Amen.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Luke 4:38-44 ~ Jesus arose

Luke 4:38-44

38 And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house.

Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

So we begin our Scripture portion realizing Jesus didn't just sit to teach on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sat to teach when He was in Synagogues. This is unusual teaching - most stand to teach. Jesus healed while sitting. He taught with authority - seated. Even in Luke 2 - as a child - Jesus was seated teaching and having discussions as a boy - in the Temple of Jerusalem staying behind from Passover celebrations.

Without a doubt - Jesus teaches us He is the God teaching Peace. Jesus knows His Purpose. Jesus believes God fulfills His Purpose.



Abba, Holy Father,

We ask to have Faith as little children coming to Your Son, Jesus. This faith does not hinder us, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Abraham believed and this was credited to Him as Righteousness.

Matthew 10:14
"Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Abba we ask this for ourselves, loved ones, this Nation, for the Nations trusting in God and for all of Your children all over Your Good Creation.

Jesus took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

We pray for peace, calm seas, good weather for ourselves and the people experiencing fires on the West Coast and the smoke to have peace. We pray for good health, faith and an increase of more Heaven on earth as the Children of God pray and in our efforts to bring Light and Life forth.

In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Ephesians 3 ~ God's grace

Jesus and the New Covenant, painted by Nicolas Poussin 1594 – 1665 a French painter.


COURAGE OF CONVICTIONS

• Pray for a bold Christianity.
• Pray for obedience, discipline and alertness in daily spiritual battles.
• Pray for your child and his/her friends to be prepared.

Ephesians 3

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, ³ how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. ⁴ When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

⁷ Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

¹⁴ 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.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Romans 10:20
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me." 

Ephesians 6:19
and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel


Many times the ability to share God comes not from the desire to be God's Honing Device or Jack Hammer, but the desire to uplift - giving the Glory of God to people we love. 

 When you think of the Book of Acts, the people went to hear about Jesus - slain. They knew there was talk of Jesus being seen. Thousands turned up to mourn the loss of such a Good, Good Man as Jesus as He died. But as the people listened - they heard - GOOD, GOOD NEWS.

 A few years ago our Couples Group decided to get together during Lent, again, to see "The Passion of the Christ" at our house. It is so beautiful in the beginning. Jesus and Mary laughing and enjoying each other in the ways we always hoped to see. By the end of the movie .... everyone - from the sound of it - was not just doing a little weep - but there was some soft sobbing. And then at the end, Jesus starts to move out of the tomb - whole - holy - Renewed. The amazing joy! His broken body - Renewed. 

My first thought was How Fortunate we are. To sit in our comfortable chairs . Jesus Did the Work. A dear friend, a man turned to me smiling and wiping his eyes. Joy shone from him, "Thank God for the end, the last part makes it possible to sit to see that pain and to see it was all worth it!" 


 Then my next thought, which sometimes brings tears to my eyes is - Don't Go. Don't Go! Yet that is the Good News. Jesus the LORD. The Christ. The Son of God did not Go. He lives. He lives. He lives!




Abba,

We pray to run our race to win - in the strength and Love of Jesus Christ. To have nourished in Jesus self esteem.

Cover us all in great health we ask. Rejoicing because in the Name of Jesus - we are covered even the soles of our feet.

Nourish our souls to encourage our hearts to Love. We ask for ourselves, the ones we Love. The people who have asked for prayer. The lady in the Doctor's office taking care of her blood pressure. The two people I know right now with walking back fractures. For the one with Seasonal Allergies. The one with sinus infection. The people working diligently to recover from flood and fire. The Goodness of You, in operation recovery. And spot on kidney - nothing to worry about report. For two people with cancer recovery and total healing. All those who have asked for healing of ears and brains. Those who weep for the Lord and do not know where to begin.

We thank You, Abba, for the change of seasons, give us the Joy in us to fully enjoy the new changes. Cover the upcoming events with Your Love and Peace.

Praying into the dry places, where the Living Water Jesus is would go to replenish all.

Thank You for the Joy to pray an increase of Heaven on earth in the Holy Spirit. For our work places, schools. Giving You thanks of protection. We rejoice in the people who have helped with flood, fire and Martin Luther Jr.'s Dream Alive. Help us to see the Glory and You Give Today, seeing humor. Strength for our challenges. And for this Nation. The people asking Your help all over the world. Jesus is God, Good News. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Psalm 60 ~ is Mine

Psalm 60

O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses;
you have been angry; oh, restore us.
2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
repair its breaches, for it totters.
3 You have made your people see hard things;
you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.



4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah
5 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer us!



6 God has spoken in his holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet;
Judah is my scepter.
8 Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”


9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Have you not rejected us, O God?
You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11 Oh, grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!
12 With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.

Shechem - Genesis 12: 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

David and the Holy Spirit list Shechem first in the list, this is the promise of God telling Abraham that this is God’s earth and His to do as He pleases.

Valley of Succoth – Genesis 33:17
Jacob, however, went to Succoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Succoth.

Joshua 13:27
and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth and Zaphon with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth ).

Gilead – Genesis 31 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.

48 Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me."

51 Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us."

"Gilead" means hill of testimony or mound of witness, (Genesis 31:21), a mountainous region east of the Jordan River, situated in the present-day Kingdom of Jordan.

Manasseh – Genesis 48: 5 Israel said, "Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh.”

Genesis 48: 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
"May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life to this day,

16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
—may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
upon the earth."

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18 Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."

19 But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations." 20 He blessed them that day and said,
"In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing:
'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.' "
So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

For most people, the best-known descendant of Ephraim was Joshua, while Gideon (Judges 6:12-15) is perhaps the most famous descendant of Manasseh.

Ephraim – helmet. Ephesians 6: 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Judah – scepter. Genesis 49: 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his.

David was from the tribe of Judah, Jesus is called Lion of the tribe of Judah.

2 Samuel 5:
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.

Moab – Genesis 19:30-38 "Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Let's get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father." That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. The next day the older daughter said to the younger, "Last night I lay with my father. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father." So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today."

Moab (Hebrew: מוֹאָב, Standard Moʾav Tiberian Môʾāḇ ; Greek Μωάβ ; Arabic مؤاب, Assyrian Mu'aba, Ma'ba, Ma'ab ; Egyptian Mu'ab) is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in modern-day Jordan running along the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. In ancient times, it was home to the kingdom of the Moabites, a people often in conflict with their Israelite neighbors to the west. The Moabites, attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over an unnamed son of King Omri of Israel

Edom - Genesis 25:30
He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom. Part of Jordan.)

Philistia – Philistines were said to live in the southern coast of the nation of Canaan, and became a separate nation - descendants of Noah’s sons.

Genesis 9: 20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25he said,
"Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers."

Genesis 10

6 The sons of Ham:
Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan.
7 The sons of Cush:
Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca.
The sons of Raamah:
Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD." 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

13 Mizraim was the father of
the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 14 Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.

Jesus Christ died for our sins and extended His grace, mercy and forgiveness to all nations.



Abba, our Abba,

Ancient of Days. God and Father. Father of His Only Son Jesus Christ.

Prepare in us daily a place that You are pleased to Dwell.

Keep us in Your Mercy and on Your Will and Path for our lives.

Bless those we Love.

Comfort, Guide and Strengthen us.

Thank You, You draw us to You as Your Beloved.

In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †

Mark 1: 1-3 ~ a voice of one calling in the wilderness, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him."

Earliest Catacomb representation of Jesus, Peter, Paul, and Andrew. in Rome

Mark

Mark 12:29
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."

Mark 1:1
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah

Mark 1:14
Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.

Mark 1:17
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."

Mark 1:22
The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

Mark 1:15
"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.


Mark 1:1-3

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”—


3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”

The slaves of Egypt founded Israel and everyone had terrace gardens to tend and sell from. The view of David's palace overlooked the straight path gardens the children of Israel had made of the wilderness.

Isaiah 7 says the garden of Israel will be trampled during the time of Jesus as grace upon grace. Trade will be as big as the honey King Hezekiah was sending to be bought up by Egypt. The vineyards of Israel would face disdain - the wealth of the Roman Empire would be bringing vastly expensive wines from their ships.

Jesus is found discussing vineyards 26 times. The vines grow in straight paths. God was telling us - in making life -

Bloom where you are planted.  Enjoy the fruit, given by God, of your life in your hand. Be a light in the Garden of Life.










Who was Mark? This is difficult to say. Timothy was Paul's Spiritual Son. Peter claims Mark.

1 Peter 5:13
She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.

Paul loved Mark.

2 Timothy 4:11
Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.

Paul argued with Barnabas over Mark

Colossians 4:10
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas.

Acts 12:11-13
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.



Perhaps, due to early Church wranglings - Mark was Peter's literal son. (If Mary was [historically, wealthy] Peter's wife and he was dazed. In the Roman Empire, women held on to Roman Inheritance.)
And Barnabas's cousin.
And Paul's co-minister. 
Then Mark would represent    -     Christian forgiveness.
He was for a time only the first co-worker with Barnabas and Paul - who had declared John Mark wasn't really devoted to Jesus and the call - enough to continue.And the true believer's humility to exalt Jesus.


1 Corinthians 12:11-14
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.



Mark 12:29
"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." 




The Gospel of Mark has a few very stunning thoughts - these were the miracles the Roman people who wanted to know why the Emperor would be worried about Jesus. These are the miracles the 1st Century Roman Empire spoke of as true and valid and most discussed in the 1st Century. This is the burning interest of the early Church.

The idea is Peter was so busy speaking, Mark was given the trust of the Gospel - to record what Peter had seen so closely.

St Mark wrote his Gospel for busy people of the Roman Empire. Historical references - a concise record a busy person could refer to, the references to the Miracles of Jesus most often spoken of. Only 16 chapters. The words and deeds of the Savior which reveal His divine Power. 

The account of Jesus people asked about the most, explained by Mark's closeness to the disciples. The obvious goal being to experience the Author of Life - Jesus Christ.  The question the Gospel of Mark is answering - tell us of the awe and wonder of Jesus. Living Jesus.

The proclamation of Jesus in Mark 1:14 and the following verses, for example, mixes the terms Jesus would have used as a 1st century Jew ("Kingdom of God") and those of the early church ("believe", "gospel"). Counter belief against those who saw Jesus in a Greek way, as wonder-worker (the Greek term is "divine man"). 

Fascinating - Many ancient historians record the Gospel of Mark is a concise record of St Peter's preaching. 

Mark saw the suffering of the Messiah as essential, so that the Son of God title (the Hellenistic "divine man") had to be corrected and amplified with the "Son of Man" title, which conveyed Christ's suffering unto victory over death.

Savior of the world. 

Mark 16:15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." 

This we know Mark did. Knowing more clearly of his work for Jesus than his parentage. We know Mark was the first Bishop in Africa and died in Alexandria in 68 A.D. 

Mark's concern in presenting the life of Jesus was that the most widely spoken of miracles in the 1st century A.D. were recording expressing Jesus as the Messiah bringing us Good News of God's unity over all of creation. 

Mark brought Jesus to the millenniums.

Abba, Father God,

3 Millenniums later, we are blessed to know the good heart You loved in Abraham.

Increase Your Holy Spirit within us. That each day as we do Your Will, we will have the Love and Joy Abraham displays in most of his ways. We would ask You for Your mercy and grace each day as the Beloved of Jesus.

Lifting up good health and improvement.
Giving You, Father God our heart, sorrows and delights.
Trusting You with the lives, path and future of the one's we Love.

Rejoicing in the Goodness of Your Creation, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Asking for more of Your Holy Spirit not just in our lives, but encouraging Your nations to Trust You. And in Your Great Love and Delight in us, knowing the Goodness of Your Future You will Willingly bless us with.

Being Covered in the Name of Jesus, We ask Your Blessing. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †