Luke 1:26 ~ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren

Carl Heirich Bloch painted Mary and Elizabeth


Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ^{[Blessed are you among women] 29} But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

The Talmud records of the Sanhedrin Council for the time of Jesus living - as the certainty concerning the things you have been taught- and are still available today. 2,000 years ago, this was big news in Israel and the religious government records still exist. (Jesus, the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, 1 Peter 2:25.) Very few of Mary's family have been recorded. Her father was recorded in the Talmud records. If you will recall, Elizabeth and her mute priest husband Zechariah, decided not to reveal Elizabeth's pregnancy. Mary may have just found out about it from the angel.

When we pray and ask Father God for blessings, the way isn't strewn with roses and red carpeting. The hand of God is at work, and we have a vision, 2 angel visits, a mute priest who was formerly a barren priest, and more than likely - some stress all around. Mary's home with her mother and father are not recorded in Scriptures, but Mary comes to stay with Elizabeth for 3 months.

When life makes the path just wear down and feel out - God provides a way forward. A desired haven of His Love and Comfort. It is up to us today - to be grateful - for what He does provide. It is always our choice. We can be bitter or we can be blessed. There is a, of course, the saying fools rush in where angels fear to tread. In the joy of Mary and Elizabeth - surely Gabriel was pleased to be God's messenger. Gabriel brought the Good News, and today, it is very much still our Good News of Jesus Christ. Our Lord. King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

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Mark 9:14-29 ~ Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him

Mark 9:14-29

¹⁴ And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. ¹⁵ And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. ¹⁶ And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷ And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. ¹⁸ And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”

¹⁹ And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” ²⁰ And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. ²² And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” ²³ And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” ²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out ^{[with tears]} and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

²⁵ And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” ²⁶ And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. ²⁸ And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” ²⁹ And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”^{[and fasting]}


Sunday, April 8, 2010

Jesus told us to be Salt and to act as the Light of God's Holy Spirit.

When we think of someone being salty, we think of someone being larger than life. Loud, exuberant. Auntie Mame, Popeye.

Then again when we think of Biblical salt, there is Lot's wife looking back and becoming a pillar of salt.... not a desirable state.

Salt and pop culture go hand and hand. Salt looses it's flavor when exposed to the air. It becomes stale, tasteless and isn't even good fertilizer or pesticide. What we become when we soak in pop culture without a discerning heart.

Salt wasn't unavailable at any time in Israel. Without salt, one could die in the desert of Judea without some travel planning and having some salt. Without salt, food is flavorless. No one would want to eat salt by itself. No one enjoys having religious talk, religious ideas crammed down their throat.

Let's look at Jesus asking the father of the boy ill with a demon, “How long has this been happening to him?” Recently, in another reading for Scripture for Today Blogspot, we talked about Jesus not being recorded as being a huge conversationalist. Yet Jesus is Love. Jesus is not looking for data. Jesus is not looking for a long debate with the boy's father. Jesus is making contact with this man. Jesus is not browbeating him, He is opening up the conversation. Jesus is hip deep in an emotional experience Himself, returning to the grind of all too human disciples - Jesus has just come from the Transfiguration. Jesus is taking time with someone looking to Him. Jesus is opening up the man's choices in his thoughts of God. Jesus is being Himself, there aren't any basketball moves where the hips have to be watched to understand where He is going. Jesus is getting to the point. Jesus teaches us to live at peace with one another in this whole passage.

One of the most touching verses is “I believe; help my unbelief!” In this cry, Jesus is there. It is not a perfect situation. Not the tidy, steam cleaned virtue we hope to see surrounding Jesus. Nothing is quite right, they are not saints, but Jesus is there.

Read the passage once more, Jesus is teaching us salt and light - to live at peace with one another. Jesus did not live in a peaceful world and His words were not always soothing. It is like Psalm 23, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Jesus forgave everyone from the cross; goodness and mercy was not always given to Jesus, but goodness and mercy were the Grace upon Grace He gave us.

Blessed be the children of God, Jesus. Help us to be Your creation of salt and Light. Protect us from the root of bitterness within us when goodness and mercy do not come our way in life. Let our words be seasoned with the salt of Your Healing and Your wisdom. We always ask for Your help. In the name of Jesus. The highest name of Jesus, Abba. Amen.



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Luke 1:57-80 ~ all who heard them laid up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the LORD was with him.

Luke 1:57-80

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. ⁵⁸ And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹ And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, ⁶⁰ but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” ⁶¹ And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶² And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³ And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. ⁶⁴ And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. ⁶⁵ And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, ⁶⁶ and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷ And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
⁶⁹ and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
⁷⁰ as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
⁷¹ that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
⁷² to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
⁷⁴ that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us^{[since the sunrise has visited us]} from on high
⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

The largest employer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana used to be Jerry Lee Lewis' cousin. Jimmy Swaggart. In 1988, Mr. Swaggart became the butt of the non-christian world for his "I have Sinned" speech. The Dallas Morning News did an article that stayed in my heart for all of these years and said the people who had given to Mr. Swaggart's Church had given to God. They should not feel remorse - God was their intention and God was pleased. End of story.

How in the world did John the Baptist end up a prophet when God announced it to his parents and his parents believed it and John Did do what God said. Perhaps it was because he never played video games, went to public High School or watched television. Naaaahhhhh. It is because John had a genuine calling from the LORD. We all know what happens to preachers kids - either it is the High Way or the By Way. I guess today we'd better say Frontage Road. Oh, these times.

John was a preacher's kid. And his dad was fairly arrogant. Or maybe stunned and stupid. I am constantly amazed Zechariah Knew it was an Angel, stood in the Temple, and instead of grabbing on to the horns of the altar for Mercy - he decided to debate the Angel Gabriel about the feasibility of God's plan. It says a lot for God that Zechariah lived to Rejoice! In John's birth. I have to say all that forgiveness makes my heart do a funny flop.

Let's talk more about the freedom in God Almighty. There is a message in it Today. For Us..... on Parenting. And Salvation.

People ask me what do I say to my college age sons about today's freedom in sexuality. I say rather quickly and with some embarrassment, "Well, I tell them to wait for marriage." What always comes after that is to the effect of.... "right, right, right, but what do you really tell them." And the truth is I tell them to never make love with someone they wouldn't want to have a child with. The marriage needs to last longer than the child. The conversation continues to the Youth Ministry work we did for years and I tell them - there are 28 venereal diseases and 3 will kill you. Chlamydia is virtually undetectable and a young man can give it to his wife and they will probably not know until it is time to have a family - when infertility is permanent. It is a crisis among some of the 30 somethings in the state of Texas. Raider Rash at one college is reported to be 2/3's of the female population. New York City has so much venereal disease Texans joke you probably shouldn't shake hands while visiting. Just wave and say it is a Southern thing. So, of course, that is part of my speech. And we talk about porn - the allure of fantasy that takes away the cisterns of beauty from middle aged and old age intimacy. (There is a Bible verse for that, but you get the idea!)

But my heart wants to tell my sons. No, honey, please wait. I know the story of our Worship Leader. He married the young woman who loved that teenage boy youth leader, when she was 13 years old. He moved to Texas and that smart young thing decided to do Youth Ministry, across the country, in Texas, at age 21 to see that hunka hunka do worship leading. And voila! A match was made. Her 8 years culminated to this romance - there was not a going-away-dress for that young bride. Why? Her husband told her he longed. Longed to remove her wedding dress as a symbol of their honeymoon and his love for her. They had waited. They would learn the gift of love together.

Oh, my. True Love.

Back to John the Baptist and more parenting for today. How did John the Baptist not walk down the Jimmy Swaggart path? Mr. Swaggart was raised in such a nourishing environment choice wasn't an option. I'm sure you know this from memory. Every golden Christian path was set before him. So, what about John the Baptist? John was allowed his own time. John understood receiving from His fullness, we have all received, Grace upon Grace.

January 03, 2011

John 1:29-34 ~ I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God

John 1:30-31
This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

How and why didn't John the Baptist know Jesus - his cousin? Why can't we be more surprised by the rest of the 1st Chapter of John. Men meeting Jesus for the first time declared to each other "this is the Son of God" in both verse 41 and verse 49 of John 1. This is far more astonishing - Jesus has men leaving their way of life behind to become His disciples in a mere afternoon of listening to Jesus.

So why, why doesn't John recognize his cousin Jesus? It's pretty obvious when we add up what we know. It seems we must look at this question. John's parents were old when he was born. As people become very aged, they do not travel greatly. Traveling was difficult even for the young. John's parents lived 90 miles from Jesus. John surely heard, in his youth, about Jesus and the "funny circumstances" surrounding the quick wedding of pregnant, un-wed cousin Mary. When we see the Gospels record only cousin Elizabeth's 5 months of support for Mary, we must also remember John the Baptist probably heard more of the rumors from more of the family - who are not remembered in the Scriptures.

So .... why didn't John recognize Jesus??? For the same reasons we didn't recognize Jesus until we invited Him to be part of us. Before we really knew Him: we heard about Jesus from other sources. Not all the sources were credible. Family (Church) is sometimes boring and the time it takes to get there and back is too long. Why put the effort into going when people aren't always nice? We missed the family get-togethers (Church) for so long, people hassle us about That too. If you don't remember the family stories correctly there is mocking. It's all a big tangle to sort out and we have other things to do.

Then, more importantly, it comes to the decision time. As John grew spiritually into God's plan for him, Jesus became important to him. John took the time to dwell and think about who Jesus is. God revealed not just family, a good man, but a Savior. John, bravely, and with certainty says, "And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

And for all of us who long for Salvation to be apparent in their families, their children, themselves (Daily Lord!) what is our comfort?

Ephesians 6:18
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints

Isaiah 28:12a
“This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose”

Psalm 3:8
Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! Selah!!!!!

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

Father God, blessed be your name. We pray for the ones we love to be chosen, called, loved, rest in the blessing of Your visitation and redemption. Raise up the trumpet of salvation! Save us from our enemies, especially the darkness in each of us as being part of mankind. In the name of Jesus Christ, please grant us this mercy. We rest in this hope without fear. Trusting in your Name, Jesus, for holiness and righteousness. Prepare the path of Salvation in Your Way. We ask for our loved ones to long for the knowledge of salvation. For the sweet after the storm forgiveness, the complete washing away of sin. Only because of Your Tender Mercy. Your Light shall shine in our hearts - where the darkness will not overcome it. Guide us, Father God, into the way of peace. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

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Isaiah 49:8-15 ~ I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up

Chapter 49 of the Isaiah Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls (a copy from the Isaiah Scroll); in the Shrine of the Book, D. Samuel and Jeane H. Gottesman Centre for Biblical Manuscripts, the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

If you would like to see the Great Isaiah Scroll from the Dead Sea, you can scroll to see the 2,000 year old copy of this 49th Chapter.

Isaiah 49:8-15

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

⁸ Thus says the Lord:
“In a time of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;
I will keep you and give you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages,
⁹ saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’
to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’
They shall feed along the ways;
on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
¹⁰ they shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
and by springs of water will guide them.
¹¹ And I will make all my mountains a road,
and my highways shall be raised up.
¹² Behold, these shall come from afar,
and behold, these from the north and from the west,^{[from the sea]}
and these from the land of Syene.” ^{[Dead Sea Scroll, Masoretic Text Sinim]}

¹³ Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.

¹⁴ But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵ “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.

The blessings of being in the Wednesday Lenten Service tonight. Prayer is always a great thing. And very appreciated, regardless of the circumstance. We prayed tonight for a local Pastor's grandchild. It was one of the Pastors we prayed for during our 30 Churches uniting from different denominations to gather as the Body of Jesus Christ. The baby boy in acute distress is named Thachery. He has atrophied brain problems, yet weighs 6 pounds and is able to move his mouth - astonishing the doctors. Please lift your soul to the Lord to pray for Baby Thachery's recovery.

Should we put our desires of our heart before God or should we allow God's will to be done. We should always do both.

Father God, we pray for a time of favor, for You to answer us. We ask salvation, healing for Baby Thachery. Please establish Baby Thachery, apportion to him good health. Away from the prison an ill body can be. We ask Baby Thachery will be able to feed, not to hunger or thirst physically or spiritually. Have pity upon this family, Lord Jesus Christ, and guide them. Let their lives be the road You would have for them - raised up for Your Glory. Forgive us our sins, Father God, let them be as far from us as the East from the West. For Yours is the Power, the Glory, Forever. We ask You, Father God, to give us the opportunity to sing for joy to You. For Your comfort and Your compassion on the afflicted. Let Your gracious will be done. Always. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers also for Judy, a friend from our Couples Group. Her husband Bob was killed by a young man, in his 20s with 2 small children, driving while intoxicated. They were a favorite part of our group during the two years we led that small group. Recently retired to Bob's home town, they were so very happy in their retirement the short 8 months they were there.

Lord, comforted Your people and have compassion on the afflicted.

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Luke 12 ~ know how to interpet the present time

Luke 12

In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ³ Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.

⁴ “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. ⁵ But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! ⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷ Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

⁸ “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, ⁹ but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. ¹⁰ And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. ¹¹ And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” ¹⁶ And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, ¹⁷ and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ ²¹ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

²² And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁶ If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! ²⁹ And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. ³⁰ For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹ Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

³² “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

³⁵ “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸ If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! ³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

⁴¹ Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” ⁴² And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? ⁴³ Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. ⁴⁴ Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, ⁴⁶ the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. ⁴⁷ And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. ⁴⁸ But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

⁴⁹ “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. ⁵² For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

⁵⁴ He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. ⁵⁵ And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. ⁵⁶ You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

⁵⁷ “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸ As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

When you look at the Pew Report for 2012, you look at the way Americans view faith.

"How Religious is Your State?"

"How Married and Divorced is Your State?"

" U.S. Religious Landscape"

"Belief in God & (sadly) Universal Spirit"

Each article has tabs where the questioned had further comments.

So, to say the truth, the articles are reassuring people believe so much in Father God. Yet ask yourself - if we are so much in our belief with God - why is the news of today - so dissimilar to the news of 1950 or 1910 or 1870. This last century is our most bloody century. We see Presidential Debates where war all over the globe is debated. An Economic Crisis. Our pendulum of moral values could stand a huge revival.

Can it happen? Certainly. The Holy Spirit has awakening and revival. England had a huge revival defeating the gin crisis with John Wesley and the Salvation Army. There are revivals and renewals every 500 years. I know the Anglican Church revival is huge in the United States. Yet it is uphill work with structure changes and new directions in leadership. I had a conversation with a friend from High School and College - who is in the Ministry - we agreed that if a Christian Church is a single tree growing towards the Light of Jesus Christ or if the structure forms into a Giant Tree like the parable Jesus gave us:

Matthew 13:32
Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.

Our renewal depends on something important. Our actions and our determination to "seek peace and justice by showing love and compassion and not be those who are intent on destruction and damage. A community that moves together, united, to move beyond the destruction and rebuild."

Using our free will to move towards attitudes and actions of compassion. Genuine Prayer. Waiting upon the LORD. None of us are Jesus Christ, but using our unique qualities, we strive to be obedient to Jesus Christ and His actions and attitudes of Love. Not hunting down those who wish to be apart, but leaving hearts open for genuine attitudes of compassion.

This passage speaks of the divisions caused by Christianity. Yet there is the hope today of those who love and embrace God, Jesus and His Holy Spirit. There is an excellent article of the fires set by people in the U.K. deeply unhappy with their lives. Right after the wave of destruction, we see people coming forward to rebuild.

Here is the article, October 31, 2011:

Luke 12:49-59 ~ Division

Bible notes author: Susan Johnson, The Methodist Church in Britain

These verses are part of the teachings of Jesus to the disciples and to the crowds who have followed him. In Luke 10:1-12, 70 were sent out into the towns and villages to let people know that the kingdom of God had come near in the person of Jesus who would show them the way to live. Some of the 70 experienced peace and were welcomed, while others were rejected and had to leave. This leads Jesus to reflect on how his mission, his life and death will bring judgement and division as people are faced with a choice and a challenge about Jesus.

Today, 2,000 years later the question is still before us when we come face to face with Jesus and the influence of his teachings. Am I willing to try and follow his ways or will I follow someone or something else? And then there's the second question; what sort of kingdom, or community, will my actions bring out?

When we look around at communities in England, as we have done so much this summer, we can clearly see the division between those who seek peace and justice by showing love and compassion and those who are intent on destruction and damage. Although it did not receive much media coverage after the recent riots in London and other cities, communities came together, united, to move beyond the destruction and rebuild. Perhaps those people had had a glimpse of the kingdom of God being present in a small way. Many would not call themselves Christian or people of any faith but some would.

The simple fact is that when knowledge of Jesus is there, decisions have to be made every minute of the day as to how we will live. We always have a choice: to do good or to do harm.

To Ponder

When you need to make a decision about the way to behave, what guides you?

Is division always something to be avoided? God gives us free will. Peter and Paul did not chase after the cities, religious communities who wished to be without them. As the Church built, some cities relapsed, but eventually, even today, kindness and compassion draw people to the Love God has for them. His own.

Prayer is always appreciated. By Father God. By the pray-er and the prayed for. Let us go forth shining in the Light of Jesus Christ the LORD.

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Mark 11:1-26 ~ He would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple

Marion Square, South Carolina
Cypress Gardens - a left over from the movie "The Patriot"
St. Thomas Church, South Carolina

Mark 11:1-26

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples ² and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. ³ If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” ⁴ And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. ⁵ And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶ And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. ⁷ And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. ⁸ And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. ⁹ And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

¹¹ And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

¹² On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. ¹³ And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

¹⁵ And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. ¹⁶ And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. ¹⁷ And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” ¹⁸ And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. ¹⁹ And when evening came they went out of the city.

²⁰ As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. ²¹ And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” ²² And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. ²³ Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ²⁵ And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

There is a beautiful blog a woman in the Health Insurance Industry writes from South Carolina. Her blog has changed over the years, but she is quite a photographer. In the beginning of her blog she wrote of the heart ache it is to grow up as part of a divorced family with 5 children. Now a woman divorced with 3 children scattered across America. Every Sunday, she did not attend Church, but instead she walked the beautiful streets of Charleston and photographed the Church buildings while people were in attendance.

I guess I will not describe how that made me feel for her.

Some of my favorite books, I own, are the Susan Howatch books from the 1980s on the problems of the Church before World War II. I didn't buy the books Susan Howatch wrote of the Church from the 1980s and forward. It was too bleak.

The Church in the United States is in crisis. There are a whole lot of fires to put out and Light to cover the darkness. Should the Church lean to the right or to the left.

How to be a Church today..........

Fighting the establishments that hunger to appease the wealth of gay Americans. I know a very Southern lady who says that it is the indulgences of the Catholic Church that caused Martin Luther to begin the Protestant Churches - all over again. Hoping the wealthy homosexual community without children will leave their wealth to the reformed church. The gay community desiring to be part of the Body of Christ. And the modern Church is left scratching their heads over what to do with gays not always innocently mixing in with their populations. (Don't ask, don't tell even if...)

And it is the 1960s and 1970s all over again. The Church stood for Martin Luther King and triumphantly strode to march for civil rights. Then the Church opened the elite private schools and caused white flight to cause our public schools to be the disaster urban schools are today. Causing women to leave homes to work to educate their children.

Let's add to that fight - Churches always need money to operate the building. Then Churches appoint the money people to bring in the money. On the other side, I know a story of a priest calling a very, very well to do man with a famous name and asking for money. The man replied he was and still is Jewish, but attending Church gives him the opportunity to socialize. Churches need money and need people to give cheerfully.

Add to the money problem - the faithful - the Scriptures say - are not the ones with the cash. There is a dilemma - for sure. Like the woman in the first paragraph. She needs to be there so badly, she stands outside and feels too unworthy to attend.

Let's not even go over the issue of Works - help the Gentiles (Aids, Homeless, Prostitutes) versus the Jews (abandoned teens, the heartache of day to day teen life, grandmothers struggling to raise grandchildren alone).

And Religious Pride. Been there, know that. Personally. (Sorry LORD.)

Is it more Christian to be traditional or funky - modern. I once heard a very traditional Church Leader, preppy even, say that if you loved Traditional Church - you were probably dead in the pew. And heard a modern priest drawing people in talking about Rap Church - horrors.

The Scripture says flee from sexual sin. Which one? Fornication (TV/media), Adultery (Porn, Adult Single Class), Gay? So now, we just avoid the whole question of sex that bombards us even in commercials. The world is preaching sex and the Church is where on the issue? Is there fear in making the congregation angry. We now rarely talk about alcohol and drugs.

And stomp, stomp, stomp - let's add to this biological Church clock - the social issues of the the unchurched sneering at the problems Christians have. How to bring kindness and love to world almost burned out and extremely cynical of an old Gospel. Remember, in the Roman Empire - people were amazed, dazzled and astonished at kindness. Today - the devil chuckles - "you gonna believe that old rag? Step in there, take advantage of the fool."

Dang. Even writing this brings tears to my eyes. What is the Church to do? It is still about God's grace. We can do nothing but act kindly, give justice, walk humbly with the LORD. It is still do not listen merely to the words, not to be just hearers.

²² And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. ²³ Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ²⁵ And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”


Pray for the Church. Speak well of Her. She is the Bride of Christ. Honor the Scripture believing, Jesus Christ honoring Churches. Each day people go into the Church hoping to hear the Word of God and they Receive. Be part of a Christian Family. It takes Grace, Patience, Love, Forgiveness. It will grow the most important part of a human being. The willingness to Love when knocked about. Still 2,000 years under Human Management -still working, seeking, striving, failing, being forgiven to be the Light of JESUS CHRIST THE LORD.

Psalm 129:2
Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me.

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.



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Matthew 10 ~ Have No Fear

Nike Chosen Just Do It Video

Matthew 10 ~ The Message

The Twelve Harvest Hands

^1-4 The prayer was no sooner prayed than it was answered. Jesus called twelve of his followers and sent them into the ripe fields. He gave them power to kick out the evil spirits and to tenderly care for the bruised and hurt lives. This is the list of the twelve he sent:

Simon (they called him Peter, or "Rock"),
Andrew, his brother,
James, Zebedee's son,
John, his brother,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew, the tax man,
James, son of Alphaeus,
Thaddaeus,
Simon, the Canaanite,
Judas Iscariot (who later turned on him).

^5-8Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge:

"Don't begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don't try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.

^9-10"Don't think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don't need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.

¹¹"When you enter a town or village, don't insist on staying in a luxury inn. Get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave.

^12-15"When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting. If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation. If they don't welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way. You can be sure that on Judgment Day they'll be mighty sorry—but it's no concern of yours now.

¹⁶"Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.

^17-20"Don't be naive. Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don't be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they've done you—and me—a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don't worry about what you'll say or how you'll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.

^21-23"When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don't quit. Don't cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you've run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.

^24-25"A student doesn't get a better desk than her teacher. A laborer doesn't make more money than his boss. Be content—pleased, even—when you, my students, my harvest hands, get the same treatment I get. If they call me, the Master, 'Dungface,' what can the workers expect?

^26-27"Don't be intimidated. Eventually everything is going to be out in the open, and everyone will know how things really are. So don't hesitate to go public now.

²⁸"Don't be bluffed into silence by the threats of bullies. There's nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.

^29-31"What's the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries.

^32-33"Stand up for me against world opinion and I'll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you?

^34-37"Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me.

^38-39"If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me.

^40-42"We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God's messenger. Accepting someone's help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a thing."

Matthew 10 ~ English Standard Version

10 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶ but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. ⁹ Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, ¹⁰ no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. ¹¹ And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. ¹² As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³ And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

¹⁶ “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, ¹⁸ and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹ When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. ²⁰ For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹ Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, ²² and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

²⁴ “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

Have No Fear

²⁶ “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. ³² So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, ³³ but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶ And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. ³⁷ Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

⁴⁰ “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. ⁴¹ The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. ⁴² And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Remember the 80's?? Majority Leader Senator Trent Lott said "They are Shining Lights!!!!!" He was right. Rise up Remnant. Just Do It. Shine Like The LIGHT of JESUS CHRIST!!!

And if you're not a chosen child of the 1980's - Rise Up Like a Child of GOD!!!




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