Mark 8 ~ With his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. "

Wherever we are, we Journey in this life, with Jesus.

Mark 8

During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9 About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, 10 he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.




11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”

16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”



22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”




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.”



34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 

35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 

38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”




This Passage is Absolutely, Delightfully filled with ins and outs and dichotomies and Wisdom of Jesus.

I Corinthians 13
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.





Jesus is working very diligently at communicating. Because Jesus has infinite compassion on His People.  Making Jesus God.  Jesus elevates us with His teachings. In the face of oncoming death, Jesus has compassion, goodness.

What surprises me, is to learn, again, Jesus clearly explains feeding the multitude happens on two occasions. There is no mistake, Jesus feeds His People to comfort them on two different days.

Jesus warns his disciples to carefully look at assumed goodness. Jesus is assuring His Beloved, regardless of miracles, troubles, questions of motive - Jesus is the One to Look for. Today, we are a little jaded. We look to see what people's motives are. Jesus is saying the One to follow is Jesus.

Beyond fairness, wonderful sunny skies - is what we can bring to God in all weather of life. Not for the reward, just to say, "Jesus Wants to Save The WORLD?!! What can I do, to contribute some?"



Insignificant what we can do to help Jesus?
Really, really, really then we have forgotten WHO JESUS IS. JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. THE WORD of GOD INCARNATE AND MANIFEST. Jesus can take 7 loaves and feed 4 thousand. We might be able to give Jesus 7 loaves. Or maybe we only have 5 loaves. Jesus might feed... five thousand.

Or perhaps all we have is a kind word. Words according to God of faith, hope and Love - go Far.

Compassion to realize that when people deal with slow death - they are not on the same page as other people.

Maxine, my cousin and Ward, believed this profoundly. On the back of her bathroom door was this - "I went for a walk and saw a lazy, lazy man sitting in his lawn chair to rake his own leaves in a small circle. I shook my head internally and wondered why the world was so lazy with my diligence to exercise and maintain. My lap took me back past the same house, with the same man, and saw - this time - his crutches for his stroke. I realized - this time - the circles had moved and widened. This man was doing all he could to do what he could. "

Jesus says we look for a sign - Do we see compassion in ourselves?
Jesus talks about the effort to cure - Blindness - look twice.




I have to give myself talks on kindness and endurance. My husband has 3 damaged and terminally ill brain lobes. Most of the time I know what he will say, before he says his statement. Usually there will be a cuss word, or several. Usually there will be fear toward authority. Usually there will be a gross or crass joke. If we discuss my new cataract lens and operation this week, there will be a discussion on it being gross or sewn or uneven - at one point causing me to run to the mirror in horror of catastrophe. If the family gathers, we will hear racism of the 1960s and how the world was so very harsh. I will be told what I do is substandard. Every action I give will be questioned. We will discuss the same 60 or 70 highlight stories of our lives - endlessly.

This is Brain Death. And then suddenly in the middle of cussing, coarseness, fear, repetition, blaming, being told how inept I am, endless discussions of sports, in the middle of this - Edward will tell me he loves me. And will consent to run an errand with me. He will drive me to the eye doctor's office with the smooth, balance and reliability of the man who was such an amazing, amazing father to our two boys. When the old ray of pure Edward Light shines - I know that this is my job, in the Lord, to care for this man who was so wonderful - for so many years.

Has Edward fallen apart publicly. Yes, the day he was talking to himself - only making sense to himself. And I cried behind my sunglasses to see 3 men desert Edward permanently. Has he fallen where he embarrasses me publicly - yes. Does he do this all the time - Heavens, no. You have to live with him to see the internal crumbling. Or be his own, wonderful, mother, Judy, who sees and grieves with me.

I once saw a man who was remarkably similar to Edward about 10 years ago in the store Sam's. He was screaming bloody murder and caused all 100 shoppers in line to halt. Screaming of consumerism and garbage and stink of humanity. As he was there to shop. I turned to the woman behind me and asked, "What is THAT?" She said two words. "Brain Damage."

I saw the man later at Starbucks. He was no longer well cared for or well dressed. He was ill-kempt and unhappy and completely and utterly confused. He stood looking at the line of coffee orderers and the coffee sippers and did not know what to say or do. He stared at the ground and later walked towards the Assisted Living nearby. Alone. Silent. 90% of all brain damaged football players are divorced Before Brain Diagnosis.

No one who has done this many dinners with their children. This many Youth Ministry Missions for preteens and teens for their sons and Jesus - should be left to endure this by himself.

One day the cussing, cussing, cussing and coarse coarse jokes and the 70 stories will not repeat. But I will be here to tell his grandchildren of the dear man who Lives in Jesus.




Brain damage... is not like the Statue of Liberty falls over like an axe hit her. Brain Damage is the internal decay causing this Beloved Monument to lean and falter and look fine until a crumble occurs.




How did Jesus, as God, patiently endure and persist with what HE Knew Truth Is and have to explain and explain. Sometimes Jesus spoke sharply. Sometimes Jesus said, "Don't tell that part." With the hilarious comment of Jesus shaking His Beloved head, "Don't even go into the Village!" Jesus telling His Disciples - draw strength away from human concerns and see we are all going Home. In God's Plan. And Jesus continuing to do what God needs Him to do. Jesus IS - Our Hero.


Father God, give us oil in our lamp keep us "humming" for You Father God. Give us oil in our lamps, we pray. Give our loved ones You Word and keep us humming for You, Lord. Keep us humming in You, Jesus. Let us bless each other, our loved ones in You, our neighbors, our Church, our co-workers, our State and our Nation - upheld in Jesus the Lord. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Psalm 128 ~ you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you

This is one of the wedding gifts my cousin and ward Maxine gave us ~ Look down with favor, O Lord on these Thy servants, who, by Thine Divine Authority, are one in Holy Matrimony. Grant them Thy loving protection through days of lasting peace; and bless them with the love of their children's children. Amen.

Psalm 128

 ~ Revised Standard Version

Blessed is every one who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.

Lo, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the LORD.

The LORD bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!

May you see your children's children!
Peace be upon Israel!

 Jesus Ascends in Victory to His Father and Our Father - Who Runs to Jesus!

The Roads in Heaven are Gold - Warm. A Life and Journey - Pleasing to Father God.

 

This Psalm of God's always fills me with hope and raises me up. I like it more and more as I grow older. The Psalms are lived. When I was younger, I expected all the bounty and blessings of God, without a lot of real prayer. Easy life. Not only is it a Psalm about Heaven, where the best is yet to be, this is the Kingdom available through Jesus to us - today. Today is the promise of our Father God's goodness for this life. Hope for this Life. This day.

When we are young, life is so very pleasing. As we grow older, we have a greater appreciation for what our parents and grandparents did for us. God saying - Far more blessed to give, than receive; I am grateful for Maxine's prayer gift, I look forward to my grandchildren. My son Alexander laughs like my paternal grandmother, it is an echo of love. A hearty laugh from the belly, like being surprised at joy & overtaken. I look forward to seeing the next generation and to have the opportunity to be the love and caregivers my grandmothers & parents were to me.

I love to picture Heaven. For several Easters I'm blessed to receive a Jacquie Lawson card. Beautiful and transforming like Heavenly glimpses.

If you've ever seen the movie "Places in the Heart", 1984, it won 2 Oscars. Fabulous ending scene in the Church over Communion. If you are looking for a quiet Saturday afternoon, "Places in the Heart."

Blessings to you this day.

John 17 tells us Jesus prays for us and with us. Exactly like Father God runs to His Son.

Go in My peace and grace today. My love is flowing from your heart to your face and hands, And I will you  as my vessel of My love today. Just rest in Me, and be that trusting child.

And yes look at every upcoming challenge as My opportunity to show My love nd grace to you. I know your concerns , and I will take car of each one, just as I've always done. Look only to Me, and you will find Me all-sufficient. Have I not met your every need every single time? Do remember My every wonder in your life, and know that I already know the provisions I have in Mind for you.

I also know every single detail of your imminent rescue, My child, the wonder of which will astound you. You can't possibly know now what I have in mind, but soon you will know, and great and wondrous Will be your joy. Live in that joy even now, this very day, knowing that the promise is as good as the fulfillment.

Father God, we lift our cares and our Loved Ones to Jesus. Amen.



 

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

 

Luke 4 ~ Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down

Jesus and Great Isaiah Scripture Roll from Dead Sea Scrolls.

Luke 4

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, 
“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

8 Jesus answered, 
“It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;

they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 Jesus answered, 
“It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.





 

14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. 
The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 

21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

 

22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”

24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy[g] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.

30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.


 
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.

33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.




38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

The Great Isaiah Scroll. Found after 2 millenniums - intact and discovered in this present generation - where Israel is, again, a country.


Jesus could have chosen to be born and live anywhere.
Jesus chose wisely. Jesus chose to Live Abundantly where the Holy Spirit was honored.

We see Jesus lived Psalm 100, Jesus was entering the Places of God with Great Joy and making Himself clear. God is clear today. All we have to do is seek Him.

Jesus holds promise in this Life and in the one to come. Godliness has value in all things. We will labor and strive to put our hopes in our Living Father God. We believe fully in Father God. Our lives should have thanksgiving, and in believing in Jesus we are consecrated in The Word of God and in prayer.

The alternative  is this:
The Devil uses Deuteronomy 6 as his cover for his actions. Using the Scripture for his self interest and cover of completely insincere righteousness.

Luke 4 is about living for God's Love and Delight.

This Love does not preclude speaking up. We are to speak up to be braver and to do good. Not to return evil for evil but to turn  away from unnecessary unkindness.

We can defeat goodness by assuming meekness for Christian persecution. Our silence will worsen the country.

However taking vengeance instead of polite answers is wrong. Right is right and then be polite. Give up anger and  forgive and give to God. Dwelling not on what is wrong but what is good. Attitudes of defense after right is spoken up for, to anger for prior wrongs is just incorrect if this merely stirs up conflict.

We are not required to look at angry on-going discussions and controversies as interesting. Let Love Be Genuine. Fake plaster smiles help no one. Passive Aggressive is out. Sincerity is in.

Father God, we lift our cares to You. Thank you for the Gift of Sight. We trust our loved ones to Your care knowing You are the Good Father to us all. We lift up our Church, our co-workers, our neighbors, our State and those other states we Love. Our Nation to have You as the Authority and for all Nations to lean to You for Mercy, Love and Goodness. Thank You Father God, for our blessings. In Jesus. Amen.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

2 Thessalonians 1 ~ The glory of His might!

With all the facial hair today, maybe Saints are back. These are 4 icons of Silas.

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so,
because your faith is growing more and more,
and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about
your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials
you are enduring.


5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling,
and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness
and your every deed prompted by faith.

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.



2 Peter 2:9a
The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials


So  who is SILAS? In the first verse???
Bishop of Corinth. Reference to in Acts 15:22-40; 16:19-40; 17:4-15; 18:5; 2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:12

During Paul's second mission Silas and Paul were imprisoned in Philippi where an earthquake broke their chains and opened the prison door. Acts 16:25-37 According to Acts 17 and 18, Silas and Timothy travel with Paul from Philippi to Thessalonica where they are treated with hostility in the synagogue by some traditional Jews. The harassers follow the trio to Berea, threaten Paul's safety, and cause Paul to separate from Silas and Timothy. The two catch up with Paul later in Corinth.

Thessalonica House Church like the Book of Acts, 4th Century and Today!




NowSilas shares with Timothy and is in Corinth and Timothy lives to be almost 90 years old - no small accomplishment for a disciple of Christ in early 1st Century. History leaves Silas as the first Bishop of Corinth. Corinth was Christian friendly until Timothy at age 87 is killed in a theological debate. His aged death brings a close to Christianity in Corinth briefly, however it was such a tragedy Christianity rekindles.

In Macedonia (the death) of blessed Silas, who, being one of the first brethren and sent by the Apostles to the churches of the Gentiles with Paul and Barnabas, was full of the grace of God, and readily fulfilled the office of preaching; and, glorifying Christ in his sufferings, was afterwards at rest." 
~ From the Roman Martyrology for July the thirteenth, the date on which the feast of Saint Silas is generally observed. 

An amazing wonder is recorded. The relentless persecutor of the new faith have suddenly converted, and creatied zealous champions of the Truth, confounding the Jews as he reasoned with them. There is a letter of a Rabi of a town near Jerusalem writing all the miracles will kill the Jewish faith with great concern. The Good News spreads and spreads wider and wider. Gentiles are converted, and Christian assemblies began to be formed outside the land of promise.  Churches!!! What the rabble of Thessalonica declared was indeed true - the world was being turned upside-down.

Timothy and Silas are men who have probably inherited something God did for Daniel.
Wonders of God are blessings!!!

Daniel 1:9
Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel

And how far back does this go? Abraham.

Genesis 12
2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse.

And how did Abraham react to this blessing of God's?

Genesis 18:19
For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."

And how does Father God keep working if we are not led by a bit in a horse's mouth? Instead we are led by the Love of God.

Romans 11:36
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Hebrews 13
20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Father God, We thank You for August rain. Please let Your hand give Your people unity to carry out Your Plans and live the Living Word of God. We ask Your blessings upon us, our loved ones, friends, the people you place in our lives, Church, the States surrounding us and our Nation. We pray for the Nations near us and the Nations we interact with to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to please You. For continued healing of my cataract and the joy of seeing and seeing color again. In Jesus. Amen.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Psalm 25:17 ~ according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

About a million years ago, when people were just beginning to get used to microwave ovens as an every day part of life, I went to week long seminar on the understanding the Bible. My parents were divorcing after 25 years of successful marriage. We were asked if GOD wrote you personally a letter, would you read it? And I thought I'd LOVE to have a letter from God. I did promise then,  I would read the Bible every day since the age of 16. And I have. We were told if we read the Bible every day, over time, it would become a personal letter. After many years, that has become so.

Our young friend, James, was discussing a rough Thanksgiving, with the fam, as we discussed families. Our young friend asked me, "What do you think of stuck up religious people?"

I said, "I LOVE Stuck Up Religious People!!!!" We all laughed, after all you are supposed to love stuck up religious people too! My friend looked a bit hurt and he waited for the game to resume, looking at me. I told him with honesty and insight, " I think you are going to turn out alright, there is hope for you." He was pleased.

So we are going to think about "Stuck Up Religious People" by looking at saints and then pharisees and ~ why there is a great hope for my young friend.

Saints

What is a saint? Abraham, we remember, did some fairly incredibly not saint like things, yet Scripture says, "His faith was credited to him as righteousness."


1.) Simon (whom He named Peter, the Rock of the Church) Peter was always making mistakes. When he was able to look Jesus in His Eyes and when Jesus had gone to Heaven. If you think Peter is named Rock because he recognized Jesus as the Christ, first, you are very mistaken. Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Read John 1 and the last Chapter in John.

Peter is the Rock because he had enough faith to walk on water, and when he quit believing in his own self-righteousness, he wanted to see Jesus so much, he jumped into the water to get to Jesus. Jesus works to repair their friendship, making Peter breakfast. Peter gets so comfortable, with the risen Jesus, he begins complaining  John might have the blessing of living on earth until Jesus returns.

If you don't believe me, read the last Chapter of the Gospel of John. This is a tremendous statement of how imperfect we are and perfectly loved. A tremendous statement of the way saints behave. How people behave. How the Church behaves ~ to a Risen Jesus.

John 2:25
No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like.


2.) Andrew
John 1:40
40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).

Andrew tells Peter. Andrew is a great brother and brought his brother to Christ. A quiet hero we learn in the Scriptures, who lives with Peter, Peter's wife and Peter's mother-in-law. Archeology tells us they were wealthy from their house in Capernaum. 

3 & 4) James and John, Sons of Thunder ~ The newer Synagogue built upon the one Jesus taught in. An Aramaic inscription on one of the broken columns records the name of the donor, "Halfu, son of Zebida". These names in the Greek form (Alphaeus and Zebedee) are mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus Christ's Disciples, James and John, were sons of Zebedee.

Quiet, humble saintly people. Especially mom, too. Matthew 20.  Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him (a great approach) she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” (I'd like to know the tone for that question.) She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”

Now, because Jesus was dealing with saints. They did not complain. 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. If you overlook incredulous as a stuffy word, you know the chins were pulled in and complaining commenced.


5.) Philip Philip did desert Jesus. However in Acts he did great things, like go where God wanted him to go and he heard angels speak to him.

6.) Bartholomew Recently archaeology reported finding a first century portion of Scripture Bartholomew carried into India. This compliments the Scripture found in the U.K., from 60 Anno Domini. Bartholomew and, that stuck up religious, Paul got into a not speaking fight over Bartholomew's nephew John Mark. Bartholomew stuck up for John Mark and said he'd turn out okay.  John Mark went on to grow up and write the Gospel of Mark.

7.) Matthew was a opportunistic yuppie. He loved Jesus stepping up for him so much, he threw Jesus one of the four parties Jesus attended. Jesus came eating and drinking. Matthew invited every non-rules oriented yuppie and thug, Matthew (and Jesus) knew and loved.

8.) Thomas Thomas was famous. We get that. Who wants to be know as "Doubter" to all.

9.) James son of Alphaeus a whole lot of James. This one was short and therefore called James the Less. These were tactful people. (James the Just is the deserter of his own flesh and blood brother, Jesus. The physical brother is the writer of the Book of James, not this James the Less.) Not much is know about James the Less. He was martyred in Egypt. A rather amusing comment I read once said Live for Jesus Another Day and Run. Well almost all of our Scripture was saved by those willing to flee. James, however, was not going to deny Jesus again, after becoming convinced Jesus is God's Son, our Savior. James was standing up for Jesus and with this effort - Scripture, Hope, Faith and Love is the Bible in your hand - at great conviction and fighting the good fight.

10.) Simon who was called the Zealot was the one we would sing the Beatles Revolution about, he was political gorilla~ish. Buried in the Vatican with Thaddeus. The bones of saints were never forgotten. (Peter the other Simon has hundreds of pilgrim made graffiti on his house identically matching Peter's found grave. 80 feet under the Vatican altar and protected from decay by a "rock" - that Jesus knew of what He was telling us. The Vatican spent 60 years double checking the archeaological intact city they found under their 400 A.D. site for the Vatican - the first one burned in 1400 A.D. and was designed by Michelangelo who lived to be almost 100 years old saying God was keeping him alive. And Botticelli. )

11.) Thaddaeus, so called instead of a second Judas, son of James. What do you do when there are too many Judas ,when Jesus also had a brother named Judas, you call him  ~Thaddaeus. Jesus did well for a grass roots organization; He sent 72 disciples out 2 by 2. Thaddeus and Simon were martyred together and buried together. There was an archaeological dispute over their bodies until recently. Thank HIM for Archaeology proving all the time Scripture is reliable.

12.) Judas Iscariot- later replaced with faithful Matthias. Scripture records Judas as being hung and disemboweled in two separate stories. Remember what a time of confusion this was. The Potter's Field was a cemetery and I think Judas hung there for some time until falling and becoming disemboweled, when removed. The saints were rising from the dead declaring Jesus as risen. The disciples were preaching in the Temple itself.



Pharisees

Pharisees are rarely confused with tax collectors.

Luke 18:13
But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'

Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

The Saduceen Council  was interested in Jesus. And one of them, in a cowardly fashion, traveled to see Jesus at night.

John 3
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

If we paraphrase Jesus' answer to Nicodemus we find Jesus is a bit waspish and a little stinging and asks Nicodemus:   If he is a teacher of Israel, why does he not walk in the day. And why is he asking these questions. Nicodemus probably thought Jesus was a stuck up religious person, at least for a few minutes. However, it is very important to remember, Nicodemus was left deliberately out of knowing about Jesus' trial and went to Pilate to help Jesus, claiming His Body;  he wanted to help Jesus.

So some stuck up religious people, actually want to help us.

Jesus offended stuck up religious people, and proclaimed every day mercy and kindness over sacrifice.

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
 

How my friend is probably going to end up quite well. Faith, Hope and Love.

Faith. My friend spoke willingly of his belief he would make an ace. Jeremiah said we should believe God has good plans for us.

Hope. My friend stated that if he won, he would share with those around him.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Love. I watched my friend follow through on his promise to share the winnings of his ace.

Matthew 5:37
Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1 Corinthians 13:13
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.




Father God, we lift our loved ones up to You. Your hand is that of Love and Salvation. We lift up our cares, and cataract complete recovery. We lift up our friends, Church family, Churches in our area, our State and States. Our Nation to be One under God. The Nations near us to be blessed by God. In Jesus we pray, Amen.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 3:11-12 ~ with the Holy Spirit

Matthew 3:11-12

11“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Jesus told us there is a Kingdom of Heaven and of hell. Wheat is used as example of this. The chaff surrounding the grain is tossed in the air. The Wind, or Holy Spirit, carries what is to burned, the chaff, away.
This was done in a circle. On a Threshing Floor for more accuracy for keeping more wheat.

We are all going in the same direction - to Jesus. Only Father God will decide if we have obtained the Salvation of Jesus in our beliefs, words and actions. Even demons believe. James 2:19

Romans 9:16
It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy.


Ruth 3:1-18

1 Then Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi said to her, "My daughter, should I not look for a home for you, so all will be well with you? 2 Is not Boaz of our family, with whose women servants you were? See, he is dividing the grain from the waste at his grain-floor tonight. 3 So wash yourself. Pour oil on yourself and wear your best clothes. Then go down to the grain-floor. But do not let the man know who you are until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, watch where he lies. Go in and take the covers off his feet and lie down. Then he will tell you what to do." 5 Ruth said to her, "I will do all that you say."

6 So Ruth went down to the grain floor and did all her mother-in-law had told her to do. 7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and his heart was happy, he went to lie down beside the grain. Then Ruth came in secret. She took the covers off his feet and lay down. 8 The man was surprised late in the night. He turned and saw that a woman was lying at his feet. 9 He said, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am Ruth, your woman servant. Spread your covering over me. For you are of our family." 10 And Boaz said, "May the Lord bring good to you, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than your first by not going after young men, with or without riches. 11 Now my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do for you whatever you ask. For all my people in the city know that you are a good woman. 12 It is true that I am of your family. But there is one closer than I. 13 Stay this night. In the morning, if he will have you for his own, let him take you. But if he does not want to have you, then I will take you, as the Lord lives. Lie down until morning."

14 So Ruth lay at his feet until morning. She got up before the people could see each other. For Boaz said, "Do not let it be known that the woman came to the grain-floor." 15 And he said, "Bring the coat you are wearing and hold it out." So she held it, and he loaded her with six jars full of grain. Then she went into the city. 16 When she came to her mother-in-law, Naomi said, "How did it go, my daughter?" And Ruth told her all that the man had done for her. 17 She said, "He gave me these six jars full of grain. For he said, 'Do not go to your mother-in-law with empty hands.' " 18 Naomi said, "Wait until you know what is going to happen, my daughter. For the man will not rest until the thing is decided upon today."

Photo~ Threshing Floor for Grain Bethlehem and Threshing tools

Boaz has a happy heart. That day the chaff was burned away. Work had been done culminating from a diligent season. The wheat was gathered.

Ruth had also done work from a diligent heart. She had moved herself from growing up in a family of various gods and had understood God Almighty's desire for loyalty when the family had had multiple deaths of the sons and the father leaving Naomi with no one. She walked through the desert with Naomi to find a town where work was always required to harvest food. This was not a lush town. Ruth had made difficult choices and was a foreigner.

Was Ruth happy? I'd have to say reading about Ruth - she was a happy person. And understood emotional diligence.

This Third Chapter of Ruth is Matthew 3:11-12. God is gathering. He is piling up His wheat to make a path for Jesus Christ to have family. There is desert, death, desertion, poverty, bitterness, work for small rewards, being foreign,
...and ultimately choosing God.

When God is allowed to be God and is seen as God that Naomi's sons did die. That Naomi's husband did die. That it was difficult and probably frightening to walk that far between countries. To chose to go with a widow walking away. To gamble a future on putting yourself on the threshing floor.

This is part of the humility and trust that God is going to care about your life, your actions given to God and that there is a plan with life seems only harsh.

Hardship, work and hope in the harsh realities of life. Faith that who we are makes a difference.

This Chapter of Ruth three is the Celebration. God is in charge when the threshing of life occurs. And there will be a banquet - if we Trust God to Be God.



This unusual Chapter can be related to Luke's Gospel Chapter 10.


Jesus sent His Disciples two by two. Just like the 7 pairs of clean animals in Noah's Ark. Ruth is sent by Naomi. Eventually Ruth is the disciple with Boaz and Naomi is the disciple with Naomi's son. Luke 10.

Ruth does not rest there, she returns to Naomi. Luke 10.

Both women "wait to see the will of God", acted upon by Boaz. Luke 10.

Who and why is he merciful to Ruth? "Her merciful neighbor" is Boaz. Luke 10.

Who has "chosen a better portion" - Ruth chose Naomi as godly and needing of her assistance, more than the gods of her father's house. Her sincerity was shown in her diligence. She spoke of her goal. Luke 10.

This is an unusual Bible Chapter. And in the honesty of Scripture, truth is discussed. Jesus chose people as his ancestry on both his mother and father's side.


Father God, we lift our loved ones up to You. Your hand is that of Love and Salvation. We lift up our cares, tomorrow's cataract surgery at 2 pm. We lift up our friends, Church family, Churches in our area, our State and States. Our Nation to be One under God. The Nations near us to be blessed by God. In Jesus we pray, Amen.

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Matthew 7:15-29 ~ Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Matthew 7:15-29

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’


24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

How are we to know? Jacob prospered with spotted sheep. David was a little spotted and God said David was the apple of His eye because David would do what God wanted him to do. God would have His only Son come from David's descendants.

Noah had troubles after completing God's long term project. So did Moses - toward the end. Joshua or Yeshua - his name was very like Jesus' name - and he hung in there.

Hezekiah was part of the splendor of a nation remarkably and miraculously spared from becoming any part of the Assyrian Empire.  He stripped the ancient gold from the Temple doors to sell.

The Proverbs of Solomon - who spent many years on the hilltops asking God to speak with him and playing his own life his own way -

Proverbs 24:12
If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?"

Paul agrees with Solomon. Even when we judge ourselves. can we be entirely right? God has given us Jesus. Paul tells us to lean upon Jesus.

John agrees with Jesus is Love. John decided that he would continue with Jesus beyond what was comfortable for him. God rewarded John with historically very long life. We know he was exiled on Patmos and Roman historians record John survived unscathed being boiled in oil - giving the Coliseum something to think about for a long time. John in old age, history records, was given the ability to be engage in life to a large degree in the 2nd century A.D. John was continuing to make disciples who were carrying the faith and ar the go to Biblical studies of the 2nd Century and his disciple Polycarpus was still in Jesus Christ and leaving Papyrus to the 3rd Century. So - following Jesus is to make us lean forward and try for Father God's love to go forth.

Bad lamb. Balaam was asked by Moab to curse the Children of Israel and God swept in and changed that to be a blessing.

Deuteronomy 23:5
However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.

This is a stunning thing to say.
God is at work to sweep together all things to work together for good for those who Love the Lord.

The Expectation of God. Saying I know Father God, I believe Him, I trust Him.

Being honest about sin. Like the people of the Scriptures. Looking in Glad Expectation of God and the signs of our Living Father God.

President of Baylor University, Ken Starr sent out an email saying that Baylor University takes a stand against Sexual Violence. Saying Baylor had an incident in the athlete student population. We can take a moment when we get an email like this to agree with Ken Starr and pray for our Nation where this happens to one in six men in the USA. Christians believe God hears and answers our prayers for our loved ones, friends and the Nation. This is a sign to pray. Prayer makes us braver. Bravery defeats "situations."

Matthew Perry was in the news 2 days ago saying he has benefited from his public announcements concerning his substance abuse troubles. Matthew says he is an award winning alcoholic and with the publicity of his troubles, he has opened Perry House (his own former house) and supports Phoenix House. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life and a lot of wonderful accolades,” he told THR, “but the best thing about me is that if an alcoholic comes up to me and says, ‘Will you help me stop drinking?’ I will say, ‘Yes. I know how to do that.’”

Matthew Perry was in a movie about Pro-Life in 1997 called "Fools Rush In" part of the the main characters salvation was looking for the signs God provides. When we trust God to be part of our lives - seeking Him - HE IS!!!

Proverbs 8:17
I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

John 6
68 Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 "We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."…


Father God, We call upon You to cover us in the Name of Jesus the Lord. Keep us in You, Father God, the ones we love, our friends, neighbors, co-workers and Church. Keep our States and Nation in You, Jesus. Amen.


 

 ♔ Lord Jesus Saves †