John 11
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.
20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved [indignant] in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”
51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.
54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
One of the most thought provoking things Jesus said, is this:
John 14
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me
—or at least believe on account of the works themselves.
12 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And I will do whatever you ask in My name,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Jesus is so well known and loved for weeping for Lazarus. As Jesus was accosted for Good Friday, He said if He asked for Legions of Angels, God would grant them. The two statements blend as one, in the Abundant Life of Lazarus. Jesus gave to Lazarus and Lazarus' family what Jesus didn't grab, claim and hold on to. Life without the horror of a gruesome end. Life without all of Israel knowing Jesus was murdered. Lazarus is immediately given life.
Patmos does not doubt John lived on the Island of Patmos. Too many reliable Histories of the famous Historians and Roman History record John being tossed to the Island of Patmos. Agreement from many sources.
Lazarus and his sisters are not doubted to have landed in France when Christian persecution came for the Believers. The cave they lived in is known. Churches and graves remember their lives.
And this is Abundant Life. To have lost everything. Rising again, as an expatriate, to be beloved, cherished and honored for faith and Love to those around them and their family.
History has made Lazarus a name in the Gospels faith believes was beloved of Jesus, with his family.
What about Abundant Life?
Trouble arrives in every lifetime.
This is Saxon Glass from the 8th Century.
Stained Glass is mere sand, fired and pulled and fired
and formed to be something lasting and beautiful
to the Glory of God.
Ruins verse Remain -
History records Vikings and Danes plundered Churches.
Went in immediately for gold and silver altar tools.
Men of God were murdered.
This remarkable Church has something going on, not readily apparent. This is the way Churches looked in England before 1,000 A.D. the invasion of Norman's William the Conqueror. In fact, the Churches used to be like this and have timber. This Church has timber in it, from mostly 1000 A.D., but going back to 600 A.D. This is two hundred years before Alfred the Great ---- who began to Record History.
WOW.
The Church withstood Saxon invasion, where entire families were killed. New people inhabited the farms and houses. Churches were built when the conquerors told them
honor old gods, god of war, god of pirates.
In 600 A.D.
The Saxons of Germany and Denmark began to invade kill, take the houses,
animals of the UK and live.
Fight the Good Fight. In the middle of the fight, we find Churches were Solace and Comfort.
Beauty. Endurance. Understanding of History. The forces of Good overcoming evil.
People refused to give up faith, when the invaders raided the Churches.
THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
Can we find traces not only of many, many Churches in the UK
still using parts of Saxon Churches, many, many more than just 19 Churches.
Yes, we can find Christianity embracing
Victory over the Roman Empire.
These Churches are built with Roman Empire Bricks.
St Cedes is 600 AD. Saxon Time.
The archway is all Roman Empire Bricks.
Churches are built to reflect
Jesus as the Way, Truth and Life.
Churches are built to Encourage and Love
to find Strength in Forgiveness.
The Hope and Love of God.
St Paul Jarrow, is built by Gauls of 600 A.D.
And they built it to not just use Roman Bricks,
but Built these Churches to be interior Roman Empire Architecture.
Victory.
Victory of the Empire with so many deaths of Christians for on and off 340 years.
Victory of Jesus Christ.
Victory over Governments Collapse,
Borders Fail. Rape. Theft. War. Murder.
Deaths of Family Members.
Victory of Jesus Christ.
Yes, even during the Saxon blood thirsty invasion
The French crossed the Channel to Glory in God with the English.
International Christian Joy during bloody times.
They didn't have Fargo riders or smoke signals in 600 A.D.
St. Peter Monkwearmouth and St Paul Jarrow
are both built by Gauls
and using Roman Empire Bricks
and in Roman Empire Architecture.
600 and 700 A.D.
How bad were the battles of 600 A.D.
We can find Trench warfare.
Alfred the Great build walls and trenches. This trench.
This wall.
We don't just live for our comforts. The Saxons would educate children. Life would be fearful.
The Norman invaders would educate children. Life would be fearful. Hadrian and the Roman Empire arrived to decide culture. Life would be fearful.
Life abundant is being strong for one another. Believing God is God and not sitting beside Shining Water in Heaven being worried about anything new and fearful.
We don't have to impress God. We know, Jesus is impressed with the Centurion who believes God commands, heals and upholds the Universe with His Word. Our heart and our Love and our courage to be kind and to love the people He has given us, impress the Almighty, Ancient of Days. Father of All.
The Churches built during the war, destruction, fear days are impressive. And 1200 years later, we can see what Jesus and His Hope and Future have done for His Children. His Beloved. His People. You. And the people you love. Salvation. Heaven upon earth.
Romans 12
Papyrus 46
Recognized for 2 millenniums as matching first century verbs.
University of Michigan
300 Intact Chapters of New Testament
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is true worship.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:9
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
Romans 12:6
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith
Romans 12:4
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:18
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Abba, Father,
Valentine is our beloved brother in Christ.
In the promises of Jesus Christ, we have an eternity in front of us,
Christ dwelling within us, to discovering the love and joy of Jesus Christ.
Paul tells us our acts of faith, hope and love are known and appreciated, strengthened by Father God.
Our benefit to the Lord today... strengthening the bonds of love. Seeing to it the next generation knows the joy
Our benefit to the Lord today... strengthening the bonds of love. Seeing to it the next generation knows the joy
and comfort of God's Enduring, Eternal, Steadfast Love.
Father, we put our hands out to You, in prayer,
Father, we put our hands out to You, in prayer,
asking the work
of so many saints will be able to shine
even more brightly as we act upon Your Love.
We pray for the health of Dee and Wayne to improve.
And for my family member who has been in the hospital.
For the right decisions to be made.
For Family Reunions blessed with Love and Safety.
Our Gran as well.
And for my wonderful cataract surgery put off for moisture
and medication.
Recognize us each day,
the lives of sinners redeemed from imprisonment
by Jesus to be Your beloved, Your saints.
Dwell in us, Father.
Dwell in those we Love.
Help us to seek You first.
And we will finish well in Jesus Christ.
Thank You for our Answered Prayers.
Thank You, Father.
Thank You, Jesus.
We lift up our Nation.
We lift up the other Nations.
We pray for Healing.
And the Glory of Jesus Christ.
May Your Love and Your glory shine brighter each day.
In the Highest Name of Jesus.
Amen.
Roads of Heaven
♔ LORD JESUS SAVES †
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