Matthew 5:27-37 ~ Perform to the Lord what you have sworn

Jesus Teaches from a Ship, painted by James Tissot

Matthew 5:27-37

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


31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.





Matthew was a tax collector/thug who wanted to write to the Jews to explain Jesus as the Messiah, bringing in his friends to the grace Jesus brought to his own life. Mark is John Mark determined to be too much of a light-weight follower of Jesus to be allowed to go with Paul and his missionary worker, Barnabas. Barnabas, John Mark's cousin, believed in John Mark (Colossians 4:10), or Mark, would deepen in his faith to become reliable. Mark's Gospel is to reach out to the gentiles explaining to them of Jesus' faith, His Jewishness.

Luke (Colossians 4:14, Phil 1:24) is the wonderful physician called to be a worker of Jesus Christ with Paul. It is wonderful to imagine the joy Luke would have seen the miraculous healings taking place in the name of Jesus. Luke brought an accurate, thorough, historical documentation to his Savior's life.

John, the beloved disciple, was constantly astonished at the glory of God and wrote of his experiences in awe at the Love and power of God. John had given his word to Jesus not to tell of the transfiguration, and never did write of the experience, yet even his first chapter of his Gospel declares the glory of God.

Not John, Luke, Mark or Matthew would be a fan of cheap grace - living the way we want to and depending on the mercy of God at convenient intervals. The men who knew Jesus and those who encountered the Holy Spirit in the early Church really believed the reaction to God's grace is deliberate and changed behavior. We witness in the Scriptures that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, but all did extend themselves to please God.

The Scriptures, being real, give a very real discussion of the disciples learning how seriously their Savior, Jesus Christ, took sin.

Matthew 19:10
The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.”

As a child I wondered why oaths were so important to be discussed.

2 Chronicles 36
11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. 12 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord. 13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel.

End of Zedekiah - he had encountered a living God. No one told him he was part of the Scriptures. Life isn't permanent and God is drawing us to Him.

Jesus wants us to act as the Lights of the world. He expects our yes to remain yes and our no to remain no. The Savior of the World, our Hero, said He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law. Jesus adopts us and in His name covers us in His Righteousness.

1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

We would never ask Jesus to be our waiter. And to ask Him to deliberately clean up our messes.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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John 17:11-24 ~ my joy

 

John 17:11-24

I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.


This is one of the truly wonderful prayers in the Bible.
Just as Jesus was loved by Father God - then and still today.
This prayer is for us - His beloved children today.

Josephus the Historian writes in Antiquities 18: Chapter 3
"And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day." Josephus is recording the unity of the Christians. Truly a Work of God in these circumstance.

I prayed this prayer with the Lord's Prayer this morning and found, joy. Jesus has Joy within Him. Giving us the comfort of His sanctification, His truth as we believe in Jesus.

Hebrews 7
20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
‘You are a priest forever.’”

22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever,
he has a permanent priesthood. 25
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him,
because he always lives to intercede for them.

26 Such a high priest truly meets our need
—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.


Father God, The mystery of Your holiness is great. Jesus descended - our very God - came to live this life with truth and grace. And Jesus ascended higher than all the heavens. Jesus fills the whole universe. Ephesians 4 tells us.

Father God, You are that gentle and this vast - You fill the whole universe.

All fall short of the Glory of God. Jesus had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.   In Grace upon Grace, Jesus was fully human in every way, in order that Jesus might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that Jesus might make atonement for the sins of the people.

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus.
Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

God of Love help our faith reveal hearts of Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. We will guard the people entrusted to us. We call their names out to You. And in You all Your merciful Word will be filled to Your Joy.

To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Matthew 9:27-34 ~ Have mercy on us

Matthew 9:27-34

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” 31 But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

34 But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”

 In Jesus. Amen.

When Moses was to see God, a great and auspicious occasion, Moses was covered. 

Exodus 33
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 

19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

Both Scripture passages reflect this is a process to see God. Beginning with the earnestness of seeking God. And Father God is present.

Exodus 34
5 The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord,

Jesus!

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands,a forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.

Luke 1 finds through the Millenniums the Worship of Father God continues and in the New Covenant God redirects His mercies as He gives us Jesus for our Salvation.

Luke 1:50
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.

The Gospel of John says in the First Chapter:

John 1:45
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

Father God, just as Moses wrote us of Your Living Word - Jesus - We pray for those in need - crying to You, Lord Father God Almighty - as Moses did and was heard - “Please show me your glory.”

Father, You are working today - our Church Family celebrated the one year old baptism of a child told from medical tests to be missing organs and in severe ill health. That child was given Healing by Jesus the Lord and is whole and well today. A beautiful daughter.

This year, Father God at PACN we have prayed with local Churches for an unborn baby named Hope with a brain tumor and malformed brain. The mother and child were transferred for delivery to a major Houston downtown Hospital. The birth process was to include whisking the child upon birth to the next hospital over for Intensive Care and potential brain surgery. The baby named Hope, so prayed for by so many with faith - went home instead and her mother reports her to be completely well.

Father God we pray for unborn baby Jackson. Born in good fortune into a family of abiding believers. We ask for Your Living Word to go forth and heal baby Jackson - unborn at 20 weeks - to heal his unformed eye and cleft lip and the disturbances of his face. We pray for his soul in the womb to be strengthened and encouraged and have this comfort. Lifting up his young parents in their first time of need like this. In Jesus, we look to expectation in You Lord Father God. Amen.

Thank You, Jesus Christ Our LORD!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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Psalm 135 ~ The Lord is great and our Lord is above all gods

Psalm 135

 (New American Standard Bible)

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD;
Praise Him, O servants of the LORD,
2 You who stand in the house of the LORD,
In the courts of the house of our God!

3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.

4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His own possession.

5 For I know that the LORD is great
And that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does,
In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
Who makes lightnings for the rain,
Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
8 He smote the firstborn of Egypt,
Both of man and beast.

9 He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt,
Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He smote many nations
And slew mighty kings,

11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
And Og, king of Bashan,
And all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And He gave their land as a heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.

13 Your name, O LORD, is everlasting,
Your remembrance, O LORD, throughout all generations.

14 For the LORD will judge His people
And will have compassion on His servants.

15 The idols of the nations are but silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
They have eyes, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear,
Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
Yes, everyone who trusts in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD;
O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;
20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD;
You who revere the LORD, bless the LORD.
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!

~ For I know that the LORD is great
And that our Lord is above all gods.

Exodus 33:19
And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Exodus 34:6,7
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

Psalm 16:2
I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."

Psalm 104:31
May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works -

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Psalm 145:9
The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.
2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

Romans 8:20,21
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Luke 2:12-14

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

… Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1: 21

…His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, The Might God,

…The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

… God hath made that same Jesus… both Lord & Christ Acts 2:36

…Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world! John 1:29

…they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, the song of The Lamb Revelation 15:3

…Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Revelation 5:5

..and the Bright & Morning Star Revelation 22:16

..and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life 1 John 1:1

…we have and advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ The Righteous 1 John 2:1

…whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us. Luke 1:78

…Before Abraham, I Am. John 8:58

…And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. John 1: 34

…are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25

…We have found the Messiah which, is being interpreted, the Christ. John 1:41

…I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

…through the knowledge of the Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 2: 20

..a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:16

…I am the Light of the World. John 8:12

…The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world… John 1:9

…I am Alpha & Omega the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come

The Almighty Revelation 1:8

Luke 2:10

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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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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