Psalm 97 ~ Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O Lord.

Psalm 97

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!

2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!

8 Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.

10 O you who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown, dawns, for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!






Jesus created a very important moment for Nathaniel in John 1. Nathaniel knew he had been seen in his inner core. Jesus had seen Nathaniel pray under the fig tree.

Nathaniel was never going to be the same again. Jesus had reached the center of Nathaniel. Recorded for millenniums.



Mark 5
27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”


Jesus creates in us moments where we have touched God, the Almighty, Father. When we pray and we know we have entered His Kingdom, His throne, His home, His heart.


Abraham believed God and in his faith, he was counted as righteous.

James continues the idea Abraham knew daily 3 millenniums ago. To touch the Heart of Abba in prayer. Jesus had talks with His Brother James. Later James would recall and he would tell us of the Law of God. What is the Law? We shall live by every Word of God. God's Word. The Truth. James tells us of living with His Brother Jesus. Walking along the streets of Nazareth. "James, you can always ask for wisdom and this will be given to you." "The Prayers of a Righteous Man, Availeth Much." Recall with me - James was not always very righteous to Jesus. And Jesus knew better.

The woman who reached out across from - her home - to travel to Jesus - reached out and touched Jesus.

This sudden understanding - lasts forever. A fruit of God is - a revelation of God - an Epiphany is - very important to the Beloved of Jesus who receives His Word within them. This knowing - the Truth - is to Rejoice with the Truth. Bears all things. Believes all things. Hopes all things. Endures all things. A gift of God - never ends.


20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat,
and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

And is fully explained by the woman who reached out - from her home - to seek Jesus - to touch Jesus. To be changed by Jesus. To touch God and feel God.


Mark 5

27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him

Abba,

We always ask Jesus to pray with us and give us His Grace. We ask for the Holy Spirit to be increased around us and in ourselves and the ones we love.

Abba, You nourish, gather and tend the birds - You are our Heavenly Father. And you say we are more excellent than the birds.

Jesus nourishes and cherishes His Church, just as we nurture and care for our own bodies. Jesus makes us one Body of His for the Church. Isaiah 44 tells us You provide, cedars, cypress and the oak, and strengthens for Yourself the trees of the forest. You plants the fir tree, and the rain nourishes it. These mighty trees are in progress and will be used to build the Church. This is the path of the Body of Christ. To be built up for Your Love. To be vessels of Your care and delight in Your creation and mankind. You tells us You, Father God, You see all of mankind and delight in the world, Your creation. God of Encouragement.

Just as we long for and pray over our own Children, we know Jesus often longs to gather our children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and we pray for their hearts to yearn for the Love Jesus is - God of Love.



Creation began with Light. Jesus is the Light of the World. Given for us to Live Eternally.

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ.


You, Abba, are the riches of our inheritance as saints. Glorious to live forever with You in Your Home and Kingdom.


You are the Alpha and Omega. God of all. Your rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Your body, the fullness of Jesus, who fills all in all.


You are the Word of Truth. Your Gospel is our Salvation. We believe in You. We are sealed in the Holy Spirit. We have our guarantee. We inherit Life forever more from the Counsel of Your will.

We are blessed. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has chosen me and you for His own.

We lift up high our cares with His Love for our hopes.
We lift high our loved ones. We are filled here.
We lift high those struggling with storm, storm recovery, for Mexico city.
For the islands hurt by the Hurricane. For God to speed His Goodness to them.
For those who help with the storm - willingly. For their tireless effort.
We thank You God. We Thank You God. So many have helped one another.
Thank You seeing the help.

In the Name of Jesus we give thanks for all the organizations of Christians - working for His Good and His Glory.

Blessings of Jesus surround us all.

In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Matthew 1:18-24 ~ being a just man

Matthew 1:18-24

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ [the Christ] took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed [engaged] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”  (which means, God with us). (Isaiah 7:14)

24When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife!

Jesus is the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning 'God is salvation'.

Mary had choices, the angel heard Mary agree to God's plan.

Joseph, also, had choices multiplying after looking for compassion.

Jesus had choices as well.

The Pharisees wonder if Jesus will flee - what choices Jesus would make. Jesus was asked for an interview by Greek Jews of Crete - Cretans have a reputation for laziness and gluttony - perhaps they heard Jesus was an eater and drinker - they wanted Jesus on Crete. Jesus was walking a different path. One of Salvation.


(Titus was one of the 70 disciples (2 were taken by fire, recall!) and Titus lived to be quite old according to old Church histories - the age of 94 as Bishop of Crete.)

John 7:30-35
30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. 31 Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?"

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him. 33 Jesus said, "I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come."

35 The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, 'You will look for me, but you will not find me,' and 'Where I am, you cannot come'?"

John 12:19-28
19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"

Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 

Jesus, being in the world, was presented with options. Jesus, being God, wanted to fulfill God's plan of salvation. Because Jesus is our atonement, He is our Messiah. 

Thank you, Father, for the gift of Your Son. Thank you, Jesus, for your willingness to be grace and truth living among us. Thank you, Holy Spirit, You never depart from us.

Abba,

When You look to our Souls the only eternal aspect of us. What do You hope to see?

You are not that far from us - dwelling within us - yet You are vast we ask to see with Your eyes what You delight in.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Love!!! Affection, appreciation, fondness, friendship, passion, respect, tenderness, yearning, adulation, allegiance, ardor, attachment, cherishing, delight, devotedness, enjoyment, fidelity, involvement, and like.

Joy! Comfort, delight, elation, glee, humor, pride, satisfaction, wonder, exultation, frolic, gladness, gratification, indulgence, merriment, rejoicing, revelry, and good humor.

Peace ~ love, hope, bounce, reconciliation, truce, unity, affability, concord, tranquility, calm, forethought, groundwork, restfulness, reflection, optimism. Generosity.

Forbearance. Fortitude, endurance, moderation, restraint, temperance, easy going. PATIENCE.

Goodness ...the expectation thereof!

Faithfulness - the willingness to do the right action even at a cost.

Knowing you are giving more than what what would have been done for you. Loyalty. Endurance. Recreating a spark. Remembering past gratitude. Adherence. Care. Constancy. Dependability, trustworthy, giving truth.

Gentleness - tenderness and kindness.

Self-control - restraint.

When we turn to the Lord - the Lord is Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

And when we behold the Glory of the Lord we are transformed into the image of His Glory - and we differ in degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is a Holy Spirit.

Father God, You ask us to look for what is pure and good and each day God's mercies renew. It is in loving - we renew.

In Jesus,  we lift to You these qualities in ourselves, our loved ones, our friends, Church family, co-workers, merciful neighbors, and our communities, Churches, State, the Nation and the Nations worshiping You Father God. We ask Your blessings!

Amen in Jesus. Always.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

 

Romans 7 ~ Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Papyrus 46 lists Romans 7 as part of the collection, yet it is missing.

Romans 7

Revelation 1 ~ Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. The Almighty.

When you've sat in a few Bible Studies inevitably Judas is brought up. Can we condemn Judas?

Truly, I'd personally rather be compared to John. Let God help me to be John, too.

So if we had to Biblically understand the Longest Living, Recording thoughts of a Long Life reflecting on time spent with Jesus

- versus the ruin of Judas who is recorded both as hanging to death in a cemetery and falling down and bowels gushing - (one does not preclude the other - Judas could have hung in the tree until he fell and burst open - so Bible truth and accuracy recorded by witnesses who were horrified more of one than the other.) And Biblically Judas was judging the Christ of God for His deeds for merit. Judas wanted Jesus to look shinier. More saintly. And then we are told Judas 'turned to his own interests'.

Now John - went on the Second Century having survived being boiled in oil. In fact, John lives well and beyond when Titus goes in (after Paul records in the Bible that the daily sacrifice continues in the working Temple in Jerusalem - forget the nonsense the Bible is 400 A.D. Christian Era). And John lives well beyond when Judea is brought to ash and rubble by the Roman Empire.

So John, having lived past the trouble of the collapse of Jerusalem, Temple, and Judea - is, of course, going to run into more Trouble. John is boiled in oil in the Coliseum and the Coliseum is going to erupt in faith for Jesus. In fact, historically, the second Emperor after Domitian - is going to decide to be nice to Christians.


Domitian – Hauled St. John from Ephesus and exiled him to Patmos. Continued to be fearful of Christians. Conducted one of the fiercest battles against Christians. Under Domitan, the Church split in half. Half ran - and God used this to the Good of His Plan.

Domitan Heresy - the Church is only for saints. Domitan tortured until Christians surrendered every fragment of the Gospels and New Testament he could find. 81-96. Because of Domitan – we have the word traitor . Part of the Church wanted to forever exile anyone who lied to get out of torture or gave up Scripture. Forgiveness is the business of the Church and Jesus Christ. This is why we have a Bible today. In our casual usage. Amazing.




John In the Coliseum - which is recorded by -

Trajan (c. 53 - 117) Philosopher Pliny the Younger's letter to Trajan on the subject of the Christians and the response of Trajan to Pliny the Younger. On Early Christian Writings. How to torture Christians to discredit the claims of Jesus Christ.

Hadrian (c. 76 - 138) Foxe's Book of Martyrs -- Persecution Under Trajen...... The forenamed authors, Antoninus and Equilius (Clarification Foxe's Book of Martyrs took evidence from many historians, a few are named here. Published in 1563 by John Day.) And there is a Church in Rome dedicated to John Boiled in Oil.



Emperor Antoninus Pius (c. 86 - 161) saw too much of Goodness being killed for evil. Instead of stirring up persecution against the Christians, he extended to them the strong hand of his protection throughout the empire. Rather than give occasion to that oppression which he regarded as inseparable from an emperor's progress through his dominions, he was content to spend all the years of his reign in Rome, or its neighborhood. Under his patronage the science of jurisprudence was cultivated by men of high ability, and a number of humane and equitable enactments were passed in his name.

This is a great question when reading the Word of God. Necessary. This Roman History is the sign of our times.

Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Ideas of Belief. Faith. Help. Selfishness.

Jesus spoke of this as the Seed Parables.



166 188 A.D.  Christian persecution returned

- The period was one of ever-increasing calamities.

The earthquakes which had alarmed Asia under Antoninus were but the prelude to more serious convulsions. The Tiber rose to an unprecedented height and swept away the public granaries. This was followed by a famine, and that by a pestilence, which spread from Egypt and Ethiopia westward. Everywhere on the frontiers there were murmurs of insurrection or invasion. The year 166 was long known as the "annus calamitosus," and it was in that year that the persecution broke out and that Justin suffered. These calamities roused the superstition of the great mass of the people, and a wild fanaticism succeeded to an epicurean atheism. The gods were wrath, and what had roused their anger but the presence of those who denied them?

What happened to John?

When we read the long life of John - we find more and more and more and more Graciousness of God.

John saw the world as the world was - and John was more and more in awe of Jesus. John did not sneer up in judgement of others. John saw the goodness of God loving the world. John looked to see the Goodness of God. John Lived During this Tumult.

I got a great phone call this weekend. Our Priest and his wife Margaret. Father Bill is now 91 Years Old. In his 70's Bill had a massive, massive heart attack. He lived and walked 2 miles every day. At age 89/90, he started to die of heart failure. Margaret cried Bill would never get out of bed and never leave their small town again. Jesus our God had other plans, so on the phone, Bill was making plans to grocery shop by himself, driving himself confidently on down the journey of Life. God's Plan.(We got to see them Last Thanksgiving here in Texas!!!)

And Margaret said, in her Charleston voice, "If peeeeople knew Bedddar, they would DO Beddddar." If we never put our hearts and hands for kindness, we have not let our soul warm up. God is going to fully accomplish God's Plan without us. We have the opportunity to be kind.

Margaret said having been in the Church all these years, the most saintly woman said to the Church, "Judgement is a Peach of a Sin."

Christians in the First Century AD did not let go of the Bible, we can believe this with all our might, they just didn't let go of Mercy instead of Sacrifice. Mercy and Love - won the war of good vs evil.







WHAT HAPPENED TO FAITHFUL JOHN IN ALL THIS TRAUMA AND UPHEAVAL AND WEATHER AND POLITICAL UNREST???


God's Provision.

 Upward Path to John's Cave, Island of Patmos, This is the walking path of John's house to the town. John traveled here.


John survived some pretty terrible ordeals. Life was not a picnic.

Philippians 4:19 19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

John stood when other's fled. John ran to the Tomb. John was eager for Jesus. Loved Jesus. Saw God as God of Love.

2 Timothy 2:19 
Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."


John believed Jesus as Messiah.

Interior showing the stone bed used by John in the 4 meter cave.

Psalm 37:40
The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.

We casually repeat this:

The Kingdom, The Power and the Glory are Your's.

In the cave, John saw Jesus one Sunday afternoon 63 years after Jesus Lived. And in fright, Jesus assured John, their Love and Joy is Jesus Triumphant. Revelations 1 and Revelations 6.

Early mosaic of John writing Revelation, near the entrance of the cave.

John 10:9 
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

Entrance to the Cave of the John - who is historically recorded by local historians as living here even in the second century.



Now this is what John watched from his door.............

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

 View from the cave - now, now, now - we know why John lived in this Cave!



Was John rewarded with an easy and cush life? John lived near Timothy with Mary, Mother of God. The town had ups and downs with faith. We can't say all of John's life was easy or trouble free having seen Jesus die. John continued to be the good seed in God's good soil.

Matthew 9:36 36W
hen he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

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.

Here in the 4 meter Cave of the Apocalypse, John lived & slept. Historically, this is where Revelations is written. Critics of Revelation often feel that Revelation comes without Biblical background, which is not correct. 

Apocalypse is the Greek word for revealing or disclosure. And Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah and John agree on the Living Kingdom of God. God of the Living.

(Looks rather like Hobbits. JRR Tolkein must have seen this place.)

John 21

21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

John, still according to Church tradition, survived unharmed Emperor Domitian literally throwing John into a boiling cauldron of oil. Domitian had no other way to put John away other than exile.

Unsurprisingly, God had use of John's long life and they wrote one of the most memorable books of the Bible, with the most glimpses of heaven. Small wonder Heaven confuses us with the descriptions of such splendor.

Critics of Revelation believe John must have found wild mushrooms as he was having these visions. Nothing could be more wrong, these unusual details were also written thousands of years before Revelation met John's parchment. The prophets who also saw such splendor were: Moses, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Isaiah and Jesus Himself.


Exodus 19:19-20
19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

20 The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.

Zechariah 4:2
And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.


Ezekiel 1:28
Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.

Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.


Isaiah 6:2-3
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

And one called to another and said:

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"

Revelation 1



Our Abba, 

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

And made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father,
to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wailb on account of him. Even so. Amen.

We thank You, Father, for hearing our prayers. Increase the Love showing the Holy Spirit and help us with the political upheaval and storms. We ask Your mercy on the people You have given us. And for Your Love and care of the people we love. We lift up our concerns to You, knowing Your Love.

Amen in Jesus Christ.



8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”


9I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

12Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.

14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.

16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore."

Our Good News is Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †