Luke 8:19-21 ~ My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice

Luke 8:19-21

 
19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

Jesus seemed to push His own family back.
But God is God and His ways are not our Ways.

God took what looked dark and problematic and God made a path.

The Good News is that God sees us fully. And the response of God who created us and knew us before our days came to be, God Loves us and desires to give us a Hope and a Future.

In telling us what God wants of us - God has increased His Family to those who call and believe on His Son.

Jesus is the Way. His ways are not ours - God multiplied His Family like the fish and the loaves. The miracle continues - the Family of God grows today. Jesus is the Bread of Life.

Psalm 33:11
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Father God, You are in charge of us when we declare for You. We trust in You. In the covering by the Highest Name of Jesus as Lord. Cover the ones we love in Your Name as well we ask. Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Luke 14:25-35 ~ does not hate

Luke 14:25-35

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 

28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 

31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Jesus meek and mild. Jesus is Prince of Peace.

Salt?

Genesis 49:9
You are a lion's cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness--who dares to rouse him?

Revelation 5:5 n
And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Jesus is King of Kings. He is not fighting for the easy peace. Jesus is here for the Eternal Kingdom of Peace.  Faith, Hope and the greatest is - Love.

Think upon all that Mary and Joseph did for Jesus.
And Jesus sometimes, other than the Wedding in Canna, visiting His Mother, could be on the harsh side. Why?

Luke 14:22
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

We worship God. We seek Him first.

We seek Him first. Jesus is the God who forgave us all.

The pathway to forgiveness makes - because of Jesus - all things possible. In this, we want to go forward in Jesus:


John 15
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prune so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."


Father God, with Your Son Jesus, we will abide in You. Be for our loved ones and for us. Protection, Savior, Wisdom, Guidance, Mercy, Love, Joy, Peace. Our King of Kings. With total gratitude for Jesus - You are a God of Love, Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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2 Thessalonians 3 ~ Brothers, pray for us

2 Thessalonians 3

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.

5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 

12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Benediction

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Work is important to Father God, however the Scriptures never say cleanliness is next to Godliness. In spite of the cleanliness of Kosher. What God says is the work of mankind is to believe God.

When we believe God, we realize we have a ministry to those around us that supersedes our rights to comfort. When the Gospel says give two coats - cities were at largest 300,000 people and the Salvation Army wasn't invented. Jesus put His hand to calling sinners and He could have fed fried Chicken, but Jesus chose to put His hand into life even if it was fish.

And this requires humility, endurance and prayer. 

John 6:27
Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.

Matthew 9:12
But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

This week is a prayer week. We are asking for prayers for Edward and he goes to the Dermatologist for skin cancer on his ear. Please pray for him to have the peace he already has as a continuation. For healing. For the thanks for the healing doctors who helped him find an appointment. And for the hand of God to be merciful to Edward.

Your prayers for us are appreciated!

2 Thessalonians 2
Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.

Psalms 29:11
The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. 

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Mark 8:27-33 ~ The concerns of God!

Caesarea Philippi the city built by Herod to brown nose his employers and to make a home away from home for Romans. The most worldly part of Judea.

Mark 8:27-33

27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Scala Sancta photo. Was taken from the easily found ruins of the Praetorium of Pontius Pilate. The 28 steps which Jesus Christ stepped upon His way to trial. Caesarea became the civilian and military capital of the Judaean Province - the official residence of the Roman procurators and governors, Pontius Pilate, praefectus and Antonius Felix. Josephus describes the harbor as being as large as the one at Piraeus, the major harbor of Athens. Remains of the principal buildings erected by Herod and the medieval town are still visible today.

In 1961 the archaeological world was taken back to the first century Roman province of Judea. A group of archaeologists, led by Dr. Antonio Frova were excavating an ancient Roman theater near Caesarea.

Pontius Pilate, with all the Power given by the Empire of Rome - knew of Kings. And his wife told Pilate not to have anything to do with, "That good man. I have dreamed of Him." Pilate knew to honor his wife. Pilate did not prevail - God's plans did.

The Lord God Almighty is King of Kings.
His Ways are not our ways.

Jesus speaking of His life in Capernaum -  surrounded with men with jobs, homes, wives and families. Jesus said He had no where to put His head. Jesus knew what it was to be homeless. And without adequate means of support.

Think about what God did for His Son to come to this World.

Jesus was born. In a family not celebrating a marriage. His Mother was thought to be loose. And the Scriptures do not ever record the mother of Mary. After this Mary fled her hometown for three months, and was comforted by a cousin who really understood. Mary was placed, heavily pregnant, to travel 80 miles of that hard surface - to be taken to Bethlehem - where both families were from. Mary's family - according to Historical Sanhedrin Council documents is the ancestry in The Gospel of Luke - was Hometown - Bethlehem.

And they were given - the barn.
Later, the magi arrive and the male children of Bethlehem are killed. Evidently, they stayed for some time living where the barn was their option. As they leave, or after, male babies are killed by Herod.

There are so many stories of Jesus - the world would not contain them. John writes.

The next time someone tells you, "This is not the way God operates today." Tell them. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

God does all things - all things are possible with God. 

He establishes life. Hezekiah found the Assyrian Empire wanted to work with him. Because the plans of God are very elaborate. God was establishing a way with the Assyrians. Jonah, by the call of God, went to Nineveh and the huge and vast city - Believed God. God was working His plan well before the birth of Hezekiah.

Isaiah reported Jesus as Messiah 700 years before Jesus arrived in Bethlehem. Isaiah was first to call Father God a Redeemer of Israel. Savior.  Isaiah reported a Covenant to the People of God.

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.

Why would God ever allow suffering? Like His Son. Himself. God knows about difficult.

2 Timothy 4:5
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

2 Corinthians 4:17
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison

God does things His own way.

That is the Way, the Truth and the Life.


Father God,
Help us to know in our daily lives and for those we love - to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. Forgive me my sins. I need You Lord Jesus Christ.

Help us to be filled up to all the fullness of You, Father God. Your attributes are vast beyond compare. Let us remember what draws us to You in Joy! God You are Living Water - going far beyond what we expect in all aspects of water. Fill us with You, Jesus.

Thank You Jesus Christ our Savior, able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. What a God of expectation, Father God - You are goodness!

Because God in His Great Love and Mercy dwells within those believing Him this is true according to the power that works within us.

To our Father Lord God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Luke 6:46-49 ~ As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like

Luke 6:46-49

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 

47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 

49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

The Disciples - after their three year ministry with Jesus - had seen this Ministry house collapse. And they sat huddled. Beaten with knowledge - mostly they had run away from Jesus.

The women were left to care for the Body of Jesus.

This was finished.

And small stirrings of hope began. 
Surely this was not true. 
Jesus had left signs. The widow had received her only son back - alive in front of large crowds. Lazarus was alive. People were saying, the humbled and crushed disciples, were saying Jesus Was ALIVE!

Their opponents were the Temple and the officials. These people who did not even care to see a risen Jesus were to leave at the natural life span of Jesus. 70 A.D. And Josephus the General of Judea was taken to Rome to become a historian. Josephus was someone who had seen the Truth.

Proverbs 16:7
When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Modern scholarship largely acknowledges the authenticity of Josephus' Book 20, Chapter 9, 1 of the Antiquities -  "The brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James" - considers this is the highest level of authenticity among the references of Josephus to Christianity.

In the 3rd century, Origen of Alexandria was the first ancient writer to have a comprehensive reference to Josephus. And Origen refers to Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews by name, saying Josephus had stated  the death of Jesus' brother James had brought a wrath upon those who had killed him.

James D. Tabor is Professor of Christian Origins and Ancient Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he has taught since 1989. Recounts this passage is correct from Josephus.

Antiquities 18: Chapter 3
And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.


When you read the gruesome atrocities of that day and why Pilate was recalled directly by the Roman Emperor in 36 A.D. for his overwhelming and repeat acts of violence. The numbers of men crucified and gutted in front, deliberately, of their loved ones. The violence and gore was extreme.  You realized the depths of the extreme violence of this world. This following Jesus was frightening. And placed people in harm' s way. This was something only Love and the Truth would cause people to leave their comfort field.

It seemed very unlikely that the ministry of Jesus would continue.

God saw events differently as Jesus spoke of His 2 millenniums Church with His Disciples.

God sees further.

This IS the GOOD NEWS.
God sees us completely and transparently.
The Lord God Almighty sees us - as we really are.

And our Father God - wants to use His Reaction of Love - to save us and bring us into His Kingdom.

God is here
               and Jesus in His Great Love - He Dwells with us!

Because of Jesus and His Love. God will dwell within us when we ask Jesus to Live in us:

Ephesians 1:4
Even as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and blameless before him.
In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ,
according to the purpose of his will,
to the praise of His glorious grace!

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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2 Chronicles 30 ~ May the Lord, Who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God

on the fourteenth day of the second month

2 Chronicles 30

Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel.

 2 The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. 3 They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 4 The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. 5 They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written.

6 At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:

“People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. 8 Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 If you return to the Lord, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

10 The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed them. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. 12 Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord.

13 A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 14 They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.

 
They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the Lord. 16 Then they took up their regular positions as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them by the Levites. 17 Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs to the Lord. 18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written.

But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord.

22 Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

23 The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully.

 24 Hezekiah king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. 

25 The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah.

26 There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.


A celebration -

Stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.


Hezekiah had something. The man had been raised by a father king who had prepared him to strip the gold from the Temple to be a puppet king for the Assyrian Empire. Hezekiah had almost done this and had started to do this - when he turned to God with Isaiah's help and trusted in the Lord.

Hezekiah had something else, people who trust in the Lord will have come-backs. Bounce. People who believe God has a path for them - will keep on trusting and believing and hoping. Hezekiah did this even when he was facing death - he called for the Lord to bless him.

Hezekiah didn't just have a come-back, he was like David. He with the generosity of the Lord believed Good News. Hezekiah believed God sees all of us. Every transparent bit and God's Response? To Love.

With Trust in God, we have His Strength. We believe in the Goodness of God. We forgive and have new paths open to us.

Hezekiah did trade with Egypt - not usually a big fan of Judea. Hezekiah was well treated by the Assyrians. God had made paths for this small country. Forgiveness and Trust in God led to this celebration.

God adores hearing He is expected to show His Goodness. We all want to be affirmed. God has made us in His likeness.


Father God, Thank You for Your Goodness. Troubles? You help me through them. You believe that I will get through them. I have seen sore troubles. And might again. We will go through them Together. And I believe I shall see goodness in the Land of the Living. In You we Trust, for ourselves and the ones we love.

Father we lift up Edward's health to You and especially his ear. For mercies given.

Leaning upon You Father God. Thank You for the forgiveness and trust given to me, I want to pass this along Father God. Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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John 6 :1-17 ~ When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum.

Sun setting over Capernaum, the adult Hometown of Jesus. Where the Centurion lived.

John 6:1-17

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum.

Another view of Capernaum at sunset.

Many times, Jesus went to pray or He traveled to Samaria. Jesus was preparing His disciples. 

So we learn in Acts 21 - the ship sailed during the day, and was in the harbor at night.

The Disciples start for home. Even a long way off, they are headed home. Today we would have - like they did - stars. We see, as we read, they fished as they wanted to - like a perpetual joy and job. This night, the storm would keep them on the large ,13 miles, lake. But what was guiding them home? The Disciples wouldn't see lights - a lighthouse is not a novel idea. Even a set of oil lamps, used at the time of Jesus, on a raised platform near the house of Peter.

What did the Disciples do when Jesus had given them the Holy Spirit and was not there to feed them on the beach?

We see glimpses of them. Because they are not the focus, but we want to know the Disciples. These men who knew Jesus so well.

Acts 14
No good deed goes unpunished. The man at Lystra, Greece is healed and the town knows he has been lame from birth. The gentiles decide to sacrifice to Paul as Hermes. Barnabas gets top billing as Zeus. Paul gets them not to sacrifice - barely. And dispersion Jews from Antioch rise up in Lystra and seemingly stone Paul to death. And God allows Paul to just rise up and get to the next town.

Paul and Barnabas flee to... Antioch! 233 miles away.

And we find here - new believers are called brothers and elders.

Acts 14
23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed to
Antioch,

where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

28 And they remained no little time with the disciples.

The disciples were meeting. Paul records that Jesus' brothers traveled with their wives.

Why did the disciples meet? They were nourishing each other.

Hebrews 10:25
Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Father God, help this day and the next to be useful to You. In Jesus the Lord we pray, Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Isaiah 25:1-9 ~ LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

Isaiah 25:1-9

1 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

2 For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the foreigners' palace is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.

3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.

4 For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall, 5 like heat in a dry place. You subdue the noise of the foreigners; as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is put down.

6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.

7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.

8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.

9 It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." 

Jeremiah 17:15
They keep saying to me, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it now be fulfilled!"

Psalm 72:11
May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.

John 14:13-14
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

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

John 14:20
In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Matthew 1:23
They shall call his name Immanuel, which means, God with us.

Father God, Let my name be engraved upon Your hand. You are the Rock I stand upon forever. For I know that My Redeemer Lives! I place my life, my cares, my hope, the ones I Love into Your Hand. In Jesus. Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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2 Samuel 21 ~ And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants

2 Samuel 21

Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. 3 And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?” 4 The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “What do you say that I shall do for you?” 5 They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel, 6 let seven of his sons be given to us, so that we may hang them before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9 and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before the Lord, and the seven of them perished together. They were put to death in the first days of harvest, at the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell upon them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the air to come upon them by day, or the beasts of the field by night. 

11 When David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, 12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa. 13 And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan; and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 14 And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father. And they did all that the king commanded. 
And after that God responded to the plea for the land.


15 There was war again between the Philistines and Israel, and David went down together with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines. And David grew weary. 16 And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was armed with a new sword, thought to kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

18 After this there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giants. 19 And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, struck down Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.[c] 20 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 21 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, struck him down. 22 These four were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.


Giants and our everyday life.

The giant (right), was apparently unearthed in County Antrim, Ireland, and found to be 12ft 2in high. Its girth of chest was 6ft 6in, and length of arms 4ft 6in. There are six toes on the right foot. This skeleton was on display in exhibitions in Dublin, Liverpool and Manchester.

Giants sound very improbable.

Tennessee River, USA - giant human footprints with 6 toes
Crittendon, Arizona, USA - sarcophagus of a giant who sported 6 toes on each foot
County Antrim, Ireland - fossilised body of a giant with 6 toes on the right foot
Kiribati (Pacific Ocean) - a number of footprints of giant men, most of them with 6 toes on each foot

The United States has a large number of skeletons found over 8 feet, google if you must.

TURKEY: a human finger bone which is twice the length of the average adult bone today.
In the Hittite Museum in Ankara, Turkey; In the late 1950's, during road construction in south-east Turkey (in the Euphrates Valley), many tombs were uncovered, which contained the remains of giant humans. At two sites the leg bones were measured to be about 120 centimeters (47.24 inches).

Joe Taylor, Director of the Mt. Blanco Fossil Museum, in Crosbyton, Texas, was commissioned to sculpt an anatomically correct, and to scale, human femur of one of these ancient men. One part was a human fingerbone which is twice the length of the average adult bone today.

Giants are probable considering all cultures report giants and we see gigantism in genetics.

Giants in faith - David. David had conflicts of life we look at in our daily realities.

And the problems we face. Perhaps we could have scooted through this chapter. So much of David's Biblical History is about war, loss of life and destruction. Here David has a chance to clear his dynasty from Saul's descendants. He takes that opportunity. Because David is man of God, we know he must have felt some dismay in the taking of a king's children and grandchildren.

The huge problem is not recorded until Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had stood watch day and night over the bodies of her sons and grandsons. David then buries Saul and Jonathon.

David was so busy, he is at war again when his weariness of his daily work almost gets him killed. A haunting chapter to be sure, the mother, not wailing at home but living day and night to protect her loved ones' bones. Rather like Aaron being invited into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle to splash blood all over.



God is blamed, so many times in the Old Testament for how incredibly harsh He is. This passage emphasizes:

John 2:25
He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

Isaiah 40:30
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted

2 Samuel 12:13
Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die."

This is what God does with the tugs and pulls of life. 



John called this Jesus, the Son of God he walked with - the God of Love.
God sees the pull and tug of insignificance, of evil meets good and the inconsistencies of mankind. And then we blame Him. In reality, God is Living Water, going where He will. And thank God. He will show up when we seek him.

What would Father God say about the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Mera the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite?

Isaiah did glimpse His glory and said, Isaiah 49:
“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.
16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.
17 Your builders make haste;
your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.
18 Lift up your eyes around and see;
they all gather, they come to you.
As I live, declares the Lord,
you shall put them all on as an ornament;
you shall bind them on as a bride does.

19 “Surely your waste and your desolate places
and your devastated land—
surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,
and those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20 The children of your bereavement
will yet say in your ears:
‘The place is too narrow for me;
make room for me to dwell in.’
21 Then you will say in your heart:
‘Who has borne me these?
I was bereaved and barren,
exiled and put away,
but who has brought up these?
Behold, I was left alone;
from where have these come?’”

22 Thus says the Lord God:
“Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,
and raise my signal to the peoples;
and they shall bring your sons in their arms,
and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.
23 Kings shall be your foster fathers,
and their queens your nursing mothers.
With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,
and lick the dust of your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

Rizpah would grow old and die. Her children and Rizpah would not be forgotten. God is saying He is in charge of these memories and these people. God is Love. And God would put His hands into the fish to feed the five thousand. God will be in Charge.


In all situations:

Psalm 27:14

Wait for the LORD; 

Be strong, and let your heart take courage; 

Wait for the LORD!

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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