Mark 16:9-20 ~ while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

Mark 16:9-20


  English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.


12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. 


So the believers went to each other and told what they'd seen and believed. Even when they knew they'd probably be met with unbelief. A community who'd lived, eaten with and witnessed Jesus. These brothers and sisters, doing the will of God, faced up to what they knew to be true. It was very brave, they'd just seen the government kill Jesus brutally.

Genesis 15:6
 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. 

Mark 9:24, 27
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 

Matthew 14:31-32 
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

The same Lord Jesus rebuked them in this passage in verse 14 for unbelief and hardness of heart. Being God, Jesus knew when to press them to grow in faith and then to provide signs.

John 14:9

 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Jesus expected His adopted family to grow in faith. Just like His Father, he sometimes pressed them and then he comforted them.

Matthew 17:7

But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”

 

Matthew 9:29

Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”

but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

What can we expect from Jesus today? The Word and Will of God being living and active - unchanging yesterday, today and tomorrow?

John 5:17

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

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John 15:1-8 ~ apart from Me you can do nothing

Earl of Durham's Monument

John 15:1-8

 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ²  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  

⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

I enjoy telling good family tales. And I admit, if they cause a Bit of embarrassment for someone else, then there is a little vinegar in the sugar. Take for example my cousin.  Samuel Clements. For the younger generation, he was the Robin Williams of his day. (Maybe I should say Lewis Black, but I really think he was closer to Robin Williams.)

Mark Twain:

It's no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.  

Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today. 

God's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.
- Notebook, 1898

What God lacks is convictions- stability of character. He ought to be a Presbyterian or a Catholic or something- not try to be everything.
- Notebook, 1898

 

Everything human is pathetic. The secret source of humor itself is not joy but sorrow. There is no humor in heaven.

 All right, then, I'll go to hell.

Perhaps you've heard the tale about how my cousin was loud to proclaim he was jipped by his father. His father was in line to become the Earl of Durham, the oldest son. His father was so off  - as to not accept the Earldom complete with Lampton Castle.

When in doubt, tell the truth. 

Familiarity breeds contempt. How accurate that is. The reason we hold truth in such respect is because we have so little opportunity to get familiar with it.
- Notebook, 1898

Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it.

What a mixed bag we all are. Of good intentions and bravado.

Jane Lampton Clements had a son. Her son's name was Samuel Langhorne Clements. 

Firstborn and the Law of Primogeniture (Birthright):

Deuteronomy 21:17b

The right of the firstborn is his.

Add to that Cousin Samuel's birthday of November 30, 1835 and you realize they were out of the country for a time. And I happen to know for a fact - Samuel and William Lampton arrived, as the eldest sons of the Earl of Durham, in Virginia, in 1740. You might guess Samuel was his grandpappy and William mine. Well, Samuel had a fight with his dad. Because. Aristocratic England was going to the dogs. Slavery, debauchery, lots of ceremony and rules. And lots of druggies; so many they created Gin Lane. So Samuel and William fled their father because they wanted something new. Something clean. Something they could put their life's work into. So you see, Samuel Clements/Mark Twain had no claim on the Earldom. He forfeited fair and square and it fell to William. And William only had sons..... so move over MP Earl of Durham.  An American Cousin is coming to call. (I actually have a cousin who did this and they were quite lovely to her.)

So you see. Samuel Clements was a rascal. And yet. He was related to his Grandpappy Samuel in a profound way. Samuel believed strongly in women's rights and civil rights.  Lincoln's Proclamation "... not only set the black slaves free, but set the white man free also."

He believed unions needed to exist. And believed Laissez-faire was something government was created to keep in check for the greater good. 

Plus he said, " I have no respect for a man who can spell a word only one way."  I deeply relate to that. Except he really said - "I never had any large respect for good spelling." You have to like a man who gets to the point.

And for all of Twain's inner angst, it is important to realize he had amazing financial difficulties but he mirrored his Louisiana cousins (who are so proud to claim him), because he also gave the funds for an entire Presbyterian Church. 

And perhaps Samuel's thoughts on Heaven changed after he out-lived so many of his daughters. I cannot speak for Samuel's inner thoughts on Jesus Christ. I hope for him Jesus' Grace followed and preceded and Loved his works. It is only the place of Jesus to judge his soul. I offer this as hope for those with mixed deeds, all of us. Apart from Jesus Christ, we can do nothing.

When I reflect upon the number of disagreeable people who I know have gone to better world, I am moved to lead a different life.

Proverbs 23:5 

When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. 

Is certainly a phrase Samuel found to be true in his life, financially. Even Lampton Castle has found hard times. Built on coal mine wealth, the Castle, unfortunately, became unoccupied in 1931 because the coal mines underneath caused portions of the Castle to fall down. 

And of course this is an analogy. Words can be meaningless. Or obscure. And even worthless. We all have days wondering how fruitful our lives really are. It is because no one is good. 

All generalizations are false, including this one.

And even that is wrong. We do have moments and aspirations of goodness. Yet really. The reason we do - we abide in HIM.  Jesus Christ is our LORD. He is our hope for Salvation.

1 John 2:28 
And now, dear children, Continue in Him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 

John 1:9 
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 

1 John 2:8 
 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 

 Matthew 5:16 
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Romans 15:5

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Psalm 136 ~ a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136 

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
     for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
14  and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
17 to him who struck down great kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
18 and killed mighty kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
22 a heritage to Israel his servant,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
24 and rescued us from our foes,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
25 he who gives food to all flesh,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.


What is a heritage? It is the good values you learned from your grandparents and your parents. A heritage are the values we learn to discard from our grandparents and parents. What we will give to our children. Then they will want to separate out their experiences and the process begins again.  And we give them the next heritage of keeping our mouths shut, our hearts gracious and to love as the next generation grows.

God does this for us as well. We know we just don't deserve His Goodness. But the most important thing is to Love the Lord. And accept His Grace. And to try again. It is GOD giving us the grace to accept people, laugh with them and at them gently.  To laugh at ourselves.

It is the ability to know in the Lord's Prayer;  Give us this Day!  Sometimes means I trust in You Father God, in faith that tomorrow will take care of itself.  It is the ability to love when we just don't Want to.  And the ability to Hope - when our heart is the most grumpy.


Psalm 116:13
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD

It is the times we gather with the ones we love and everyone clicks glasses - knowing this is a good moment. It is the times when it is difficult and we raise the Communion Cup - knowing we call on the Name of the LORD.  Jesus Christ.

In His Steadfast Love, We endure Forever!!!!

1 John 2:1
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.

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could..

One day the grandson asked, 'Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?' The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, 'Take this old wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.'

The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You will have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the old wicker basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was 'impossible to carry water in a basket,' and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, 'See Papa, it's useless!' 'So you think it is useless?' the old man said. 'Look at the basket.'

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean. 'Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.' Moral of the wicker basket story: Take time to read a portion of God's word each day; it will affect you for good even if you don't retain a word.

Thought for Today: God's Love is like the ocean, you can see its beginnings but not its end. I really like this story because I don't retain things too well anymore...age may have something to do with it but I figure my brain just gets overloaded! God isn't concerned about my brain anyway; He's more concerned about my heart.


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May 7th, 2012

A Continued Thank You, Father God! Thank You, for the people who prayed for Merit. In Jesus' name. Amen.

About a month ago Merit had an abscess in his front canine causing his muzzle to swell up very considerably. He went to a new, local Vet and that Vet was rather incredulous that Merit is 13.5 years old. He asked me if I was sure. Yes, Merit was born in September of 1998. He healed very well with one round of antibiotics and has his teeth scrubbed with a wash cloth with canine toothpaste. He is doing marvelously well and runs and jumps like a dog at least 10 years younger.  God has blessed me with a very wonderful dog. And I thank Jesus Christ the Lord!

Link to original Prayer Request on the Cutaneous (epitheliotrophic) lymphoma and the Vet Report. Thanks to our Reader who pointed this out on the Feedjit tool. 

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Leviticus 16:1-19 ~ shall be presented alive

Leviticus 16:1-19

  English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio 

The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the Lord and died, ² and the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. ³ But in this way Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with a bull from the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. ⁴ He shall put on the holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body, and he shall tie the linen sash around his waist, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and then put them on. ⁵ And he shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
 
⁶ “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. ⁷ Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁸ And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel.^{[a] 9} And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, ¹⁰ but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel. 


¹¹ “Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. He shall kill the bull as a sin offering for himself. ¹² And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and he shall bring it inside the veil ¹³  and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is over the testimony, so that he does not die. ¹⁴ And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat on the east side, and in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

¹⁵  “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. ¹⁶ Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. ¹⁷  No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel. ¹⁸ Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar all around. ¹⁹ And he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and consecrate it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.
 
Now why can't people get in interested in Leviticus. Be very impressed with the idea of going up to your local Church altar, but instead it is the Ark of the Covenant-  present. Even in a dream, it would get your attention.  And complete this with the Presence of the LORD in a Cloud over HIS Mercy Seat. Now that would just be phenomenal. You would never stop thinking about it, if you experienced something even remotely similar. 

And then, it seems strange the LORD starts out telling what a grieving Father should wear. Why does our FATHER GOD, tell us this. Because God is saying that He Loves us. 

Loves us so much that HE is going to dress Aaron up and have him come in to see Him and not the First Rate Moses. First He tells Aaron to be cleaned up. In order to kill a goat. Now, in our era, that is not a pleasing thing. But you know, this is not a Neanderthal crowd. Aaron built things in Egypt, he didn't run around enjoying killing a farm animal standing still. The blood offering is to say - you hurt Father God when you sin. You are so precious to Him, He wants to clean you up and bring you home, but nope. When you get to His House, you are going to be beneath HIM. And He is going to allow you to spread your filth around HIM. 

But when you just can't kill the second animal, because by now, it is too heavy - God is going to let the second thing go.

There is a very sad movie about child death starring Mary Tyler Moore. The father eventually realizes, his wife is a very cold person. After his wife emotionally abandoned the less perfect child, he remembers the fit his wife threw over the tie worn to the child's funeral.

Yet God is saying what to wear to a grieving Father -

I AM GOD. 

The first thing is this - Love the LORD your GOD, with all your heart. Lean not unto your own understanding.

Having experienced child death - loving the LORD. Father God. Is like this - your wife runs over your best dog, ruins your rifle. Or accidentally runs over your child. You are going to forgive her. For the sake of love. We LOVE Father God, because He first loved us.  No one ever is Good. But God is.

Aaron must be nigh well destroyed his sons are dead. Yet he knows as he throws the blood around - his sons live in God's promises.  

Hebrews 10:10
And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 Matthew 8:11 

I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us 

Psalm 103:11-12
 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Romans 5:5
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 

1 Timothy 6:17 
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 


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1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 ~ afflictions

1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, ² and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, ³ that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. ⁴ For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. ⁵ For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

⁶ But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— ⁷ for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. ⁹ For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, ¹⁰ as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, ¹² and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.


My mother and I were watching "To Kill a Mockingbird" in the last couple of years and I looked at her in one of the front yard scenes and it dawned on me, this was my grandmother's neighborhood during the Great Depression. My mother agreed her Dallas neighborhood had been just like it.  My grandmother Anita had taught a Methodist Bible Sunday School for 42 years to a crowd of about 60 people. One of the grumples my grandmother had was, "I feel so Afflicted!"


This passage tells us about people. Affliction does not draw people. It is Love. Timothy knew God's love and was going towards that Love. To know we are earnestly cared for and thought of. It is what we are called to be; to Grow Up and Go Home. It is our delight, our place and God's will to love the people God gives us. 


Each day we put out our hands and say, "Father God. I cannot do this alone. I have no goodness other than You. I am grumpy and self-centered and put myself first. Help me, just in Your Goodness, to Strengthen my feeble hands, steady the knees that give way. To encourage the ones around us to care for one another.  Remembering when Moses' hands grew tired, friends took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. People who cared for Moses held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset."


Please pray for my husband who has had one diagnosis he liked and wasn't complete. He needs encouragement for another opinion. Your prayers would be appreciated. 




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Psalm 16 ~ Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

Psalm 16

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
² I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
     I have no good apart from you.”

³ As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.

⁴ The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

⁵ The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
⁶  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

⁷ I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.
⁸  I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
¹⁰ For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
     or let your holy one see corruption.

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

We all have times in our lives when we feel we need Refuge. Solace. Comfort.

Looking at Scriptures, it is surprising to find the best known people in Scripture, really strong ones, are concerned with finding this refuge. Primarily, it is David seeking the refuge of God. Who wouldn't want to be David? I know I'd raise my hand to be David. Apple of God's eye, even today.  Isaiah did not endure a difficult life, yet sought this refuge. The Children of Israel, wandering in the desert, did not look for this refuge as much as the Psalmist.

David acknowledges the need for the LORD. No other refuge is Good.

Matthew 7:24-25
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

Jesus believed this. And He took His disciples to Caesarea to hear Peter declare Him as LORD. Upon hearing worship from Peter, Jesus told His chosen about a Church - yet to be built. In words yet to be recorded. Spoken from His Mouth. Against a very present Roman Empire. This is how Jesus told them He planned to build: 

 Matthew 16:17-19 
 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 



Exodus 33:22 
and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 

Psalm 18:1-3 
I love you, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 

Psalm 19:14 
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. 

Psalm 31:3 
For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me 


Isaiah 2:10 
Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty.


 Isaiah 26:4 
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. 


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Prayers are appreciated

Hello,

This week we've had the Estate for my cousin begin. We have family visiting and are working on art projects and gifts, so that is a blessing. My son graduates this week. So prayers for communication, and blessings of gratitude for God's provision are great. Edward sees the surgeon tomorrow.

Thanks for your prayers,

Anne-Laurel



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Luke 6 ~ came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases

God is Good

In Wonder, sung by the Newsboys

Luke 6:17-19

And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸ who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹ And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.



Jesus is still a hero today.  The Scripture passage does not say everyone who felt worthy and never had introspection showed up. It does not say the righteous only showed up. It does not say Jesus picked only the holy. The joy of Wonder. Jesus, choosing to be GOD, healed them all.  I don't know about you, but if I could do that - I sure would. We are all invited to go Home. Jesus gets to do this for all of His Chosen ones when they arrive at the 12 open gates of Heaven. 

The desire of this blogger to reach out not only to those blessed to believe in faith and have the blessing of:

John 20:29

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

And also those who really don't know and have always wanted to know. When you look at this passage, it is incredible. Yet the historical records of the Talmud and Josephus, who was the Historian to three Roman Emperors and a General for Judea, says Jesus was killed for being a righteous man. Josephus goes on to say Jesus brother died for saying Jesus is LORD. Josephus notes several men claimed to be the Messiah, but their followers quickly dispersed after their leader died. Josephus says in wonder, the followers of Jesus continue. Jesus' own brothers then began to risk all to proclaim Jesus as LORD. Only 16 years after Jesus died in an obscure Roman province, a mere suburb of Syria, Judea, the name of JESUS began to worry the Roman Emperors for 400 years.

1 Corinthians 9:5 

Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

It was not in the best interest for peace and welfare to proclaim, in the Judean or Roman world, Jesus as LORD, yet that is one of the reasons Jesus gave His Mother to John. Jesus told us in the end of the Gospel of John, John would live to be old. His Mother would be safe with John. Knowing His Brothers would be out doing the will of God.  Believe in faith,

all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

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Matthew 5 ~ Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

 

 

 

Matthew 5

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible   

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

³  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

¹⁰  “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹  “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹²  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

¹⁴  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that  they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

¹⁷  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 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. ¹⁹  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger

²¹  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother^{[without cause]} will be liable to judgment; whoever insults ^{[a term of abuse]} his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. ²³  So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵  Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶ Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Lust

²⁷  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹  If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Divorce

³¹  “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³²  But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Retaliation

³⁸  “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴²  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

⁴³  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers,^{[brothers and sister]} what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It would seem reading Matthew 5, Jesus expects life to be difficult, people deceitful, and mercy something we will need to get by.  We are placed far down the path from the Holiness of GOD. 

I knew a very smart, brash, and fearful young boy. He was on the path to recovery from general abuse from the world. He was in 7th grade and a young girl on the bus to school discovered he was verbal, interesting and handsome. Enter in the trouble Jesus told us we could expect. Jealousy in the form of a spitter. Another young boy who resorted to the most awful expectorant he could spray on my son. Just because he wanted to spoil something sweet and precious.

And this expectorant would find Cal in the hallways, any place he could. And we consulted our Godly friends, and they are, and they advised it was past the forgiveness portion. Go for clocking the spitter in the nose and if an school suspension should result - then so be it. My elder son and the younger son practiced what a nose punch would look like. A moment of comedy erupted when the older son asked the younger son - how do you punch. Total shocked silence. Then laughter. You should know that. Cal raised his thin wrists. And made a very feeble motion.  Alexander showed him the direct, meaty wrist puuuunch. With the comment, "You know this."

How did it go? Cal defied the Godly friends, the Godly Mom and all the non-Matthew 5 advice. By giving mercy in the form of -  Grabbing the expectorant, looking him directly in the eye and pushing the expectorant boy back with a huge thunk into the lockers. God made sure it made a ferocious noise. The expectorant saw:

poor in spirit - abuse recoverer

mournful - the girl had lost interest

meek - took the abuse for a long time

pure in heart -wasn't cleaning the expectorant's face with the floor

persecuted for righteously learning to date 

The expectorant never looked my son in the eye again. Or spat at him. God loves that boy too.

Cal was the Salt that defied the Christian advice. The Light that looked dark in the face for its misdeeds. The Light that didn't tell us for years that he didn't really clock the spitter. 

But Cal did love the people who were enemies of the Matthew 5 advice. Knowing the rain advice was from people who were both just and unjust.

 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

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Matthew 23:23-26 ~ hypocrites

Jesus Teaching in the Temple, painted by James Tissot

Matthew 23:23-26

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible 

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

We've talked a lot about Jesus versus the religious elect. And John, the beloved disciple, reflected in his writings, with the Holy Spirit, especially in his later Biblical books; John believed evil had been allowed the power to destroy Jesus.

How do the actions of the religious elect persecuting Jesus act like the evil one? In Scriptures, twice, Satan goes to God for permission to harm Job. The evil one does not lie, but uses truth against Job as weapon. The evil one is perhaps jealous of the blessings spoken of - comfort - given by God. The devil used God's comforts and said they were self-indulgent. The evil one didn't have business with Job, the evil one made it his business.

Truth - sounds great. But what the devil lacked was mercy.

When we lack mercy in our words, in our actions. Then we err. Mercy is God's guide to a new and right Spirit within us.

Micah 6:8  
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

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