Luke 15 ~ he returned Home to His Father

 

Can anyone tell us what Life is about?

We know the purpose of life is to grow.

How can God stand far off in times we need Him. Why is there space between us?

Jesus did tell us days will come upon us. The river, or path of life, pushes us. As He Planned. Ephesians and the whole Bible, Psalm 139 - tells us God planned our lives - knowing - our souls, our name, the hairs on our head and our destinies. God sends us forth. Equipped.

 

Luke 15:11-24

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ 

And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 

14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to  one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 

20 And he arose and came to his father. 

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ 

And they began to celebrate.

God knows. God knows. And He knows as surely as Aaron coming into His Holy of Holies, mess will happen.

Yet, as one of his favorite peolpe says -

“I've read the last page of the Bible, it's all going to turn out all right.”

God finds the lost and prepares a place for the found. Let the party begin. The Kingdom of God is at hand! In Jesus Christ the Lord. Today!!!

Romans 10:9

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

James 1:21

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 

Proverbs 19:21 

 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 

 Psalm 138:8 

 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. 

Abba, Father God

 2 Corinthians 1:20 

 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. 

And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 

Praise You Father GOD for giving us Your Word made Flesh. 

Jesus the Son of God. 

Messiah and Lord. 

Dwell within us this day and always, Jesus.

In Your Love we will see more Heaven on earth.

Be with Your People who need you each second. 

Strengthen, Guide, Protect and Breathe Your Love 

into our hearts, voices and souls.

 Help the ones we Love have You dwell in us all.

 Call them in their souls! 

We pray for your overwhelming Mercy. In Jesus. 

We pray for our Nation

and Your Good Creating during the Pandemic to heal and 

Living in Your Good Will and plans for a Hope and Future in Jesus.

Jesus with Elliott and Your Willing Blessing of Healing

Be with us now and in the hour of our Passing to Heaven, Merciful Jesus.

Jesus heal and comfort Cindy and her family.

And give us this day, in the adventure of seeing Your will in our lives. 

Amen, Amen always in 

The Highest Name of Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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1 Chronicles 4:9-10 ~ You would bless me and enlarge my border, and that Your Hand might be with me, keeping me

 Life for all of us goes up and down in years like the Stock Market.

During one Series, the crowds and the other players were tough on the Babe. Some antagonistic name-calling from the Giants bench. Babe could usually take foul languaged banter coming at him from opponents - he could dish it out, too, - This time he found these personal attacks to be too much.

After one of the games he charged into the Giant clubhouse to find an abusive player. Fortunately, tempers cooled before any fighting occurred.

Babe Ruth had a stellar career. 

All people age and all people change. About the all-time great in baseball - Babe Ruth. His bat had the record of 714 home runs. “The Babe” was the-be-all- of- Baseball, but time took its toll, and his ability and popularity began to wane. The Yankees traded him to the Braves.

In one of his last games in Cincinnati, Babe Ruth began to falter. He struck out and made several misplays allowing the Cincinnati Reds to score five runs in one inning.

As “the Babe” walked toward the dugout, chin down and dejected, there rose from the stands an enormous storm of boos and catcalls.

A little boy jumped over the railing, and with tears streaming down his cheeks he ran out to the great athlete. Unashamedly, he flung his arms around “the Babe’s” legs and held on tightly. Babe Ruth scooped him up, hugged him, took his hand and the two of them walked off the field together.

The fans went quiet. And an enormous regret swept over the field. Babe Ruth left the field to the cheers of the crowd remembering Babe for all the years he had given all to Baseball.

1 Corinthians 2:10

These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

The 1980s News in Christianity was the extensive tests done on the gravely ill about prayer. Prayer completely proven to be effective. And then... Angels were the decor of Christmas trees and placed on car mirrors. 

The interest in the 1990s was the Prayer of Jabez. We wanted to see God rain and pour down the immediate blessings of Jesus in the Scriptures.

Just as we can all relate to the story of the Babe, human nature doesn't change that much. When we read about the Prodigal Son, we discover Father God is actually talking to the human heart, soul and our lives making all the generations understand life, struggle, Jesus and hope.

Scripture is Living. Compassion and Love is eternal. Loyalty is Joy. John defined God. 

God is Love. 

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”

 Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” 

And God granted what he asked.

We would all like our Blessings to Soak and Continue.

John 6:27-40

27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 

28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 

29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 

32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 

34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 

38 For I have come down from Heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 

40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

We all wonder about Living Water and Living Bread of Life.  How does Jabez figure into Jesus moved the boat immediately to the other side? What is Abba, Father telling us?

1 Timothy 3:16

Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of faith: 

He was manifested in the flesh, 

vindicated by the Spirit, 

seen by angels, 

proclaimed among the nations, 

believed on in the world, 

taken up in glory.

Jabez asked for more in his life and Jabez asked the pain of life would not be part of this Abundant Life. Jesus tells us we won't hunger and thirst. 

This is a Seek God First Verse. This is also 

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Jesus did ministry differently than Abraham. 

Abraham traveled where God had called him and set up life in Hebron by the giant Mamre trees. Jesus did not settle down, Jesus would cross the Sea of Galilee three times in a day. Jesus was in Tyre. Jesus was in Egypt. Jesus went to Samaria. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. From the Temple to the Mount of Olives. Jesus is recorded in the Pool of Bethesda, The Villages of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. Bethlehem, Nazareth.

We live in a time we want to not have the daily disaster report. To avoid the sneers of the news. We want to find God helping us to dwell in peace and like Jabez the blessing of less pain and more Life.

Jesus is describing His Ministry as willing to go on the Journey. JRR Tolkien describes faith as a Journey. So many times when Jesus healed, He beckoned the deaf man to leave the crowd and be quiet to comprehend.  Jesus sent the healed to the Priest. Go to the Pool of Siloam - Sent. Jesus called people off their regular dog path lives and asked for the journey to the wilderness. Just as Mark begins His Gospel. The wilderness can be our soul distressed.

Why call this a mystery? 

Every day, we are thrown by waves and conflicting opinions. The disaster of this or that. The rude comment. The pressure to conform. To Change.  We are put on this path exactly like the Prodigal Son to make our way Home to Father God who delights in us. The Mystery is avoiding the wind and the waves of everyday life.

Consider the Journey.

Many people are concerned life had been devalued of so many wonderful aspects we took for granted. But consider the Journey. The Scriptures tell us Eden was between the Tigris and Euphrates River. The Garden was removed according to the Bible by Noah's Flood. Iraq calls the wondrous Marsh Basra. During Saddam the marshes became desert fields. Last year this was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's not as beautiful as the lush paradise of the 1970s, but tourism is astonishing. The improvement from desert to marshland is stunning to the scientists and the tourists and locals. This is believed to be the Garden of Eden.

If Eden blooms again, we should do as Jesus said and not fail to pray with Hope.

In all situations. Jesus moved the boat immediately. God can do all things. However, the Exodus walked a long, long way. The Sons of Abraham lived in tents believing God. Israel exists again. The desert blooms. And Jeremiah told the captives of Babylon how long they would exile. God has a Plan.

In the Glory of Jesus, Son of God Most High - we see glimpses of Heaven.

Abba, Father God,

 Bless us each day with Your Grace. Let us live to You.

Seeking You First.

 And surround us each day with renewed mercies. 

Open our eyes to see Your abundant daily benefits. 

Blessings of Healing for Elliott

and Cindy's family and Janet.

God Bless us to Live His Plans.

We give You our Cares. Your Steadfast Love, Father, is Forever.

In Love and Joy we find Jesus own Forgiveness

and we live far more Abundantly.

We ask for blessings in Jesus Christ.  Amen

Alleluia, Alleluia, even in Lent, our Father God has heard us. Amen. 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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Psalm 23 ~ The House of the Lord Forever

 

Jesus in Jerusalem by G Olsen

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

 I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Jesus painted by G. Olsen

Jesus prayed every evening and, we know, He prayed in the morning, having constant conversation with Father God.  We could imagine sometimes like John's 4th Chapter, Jesus was tired. We know Jesus was fully part of mankind.  If only we could see what Jesus has seen and be able to pray with His Wisdom. 

This 2nd Painting could be one of any number of places: Heaven, Lebanon where the wood for the Temple, David's Palace and the Temple Tools was found. This could be any number of places in the world. Jesus knows all the Heavenly Host by name. The Universe is upheld by His Word.

What would Jesus see, with us, when we pray? Like the contrast of the two paintings, Jesus sees more beautifully than we do. Jesus is never lost. He is the Shepherd. He is where we can go to have Rest. The burden is easy and light to ask Jesus. Why? Jesus knows hearts. Come to God and have rest.

We surely do not put water molecules together to have steam, form or vapor. God Himself does this.

We don't have to know or have all the answers. Jesus fills every dot and every iota. God tells us He is Alpha and Omega. God knows all. We are temporary without Jesus. Jesus Christ conquers death and makes Life everlasting for us who believe in Him.

Abba, Father God,

Dwell in us every day. Increase in us Joy and Love.

Bless those we Love.

Help us to Seek You First, Father God.

When we are weary, You know best.

When we don't know how to pray,

Your Holy Spirit intercedes for us in Jesus Christ.

Jesus our Righteousness.  If we confess with our mouths,

believe in our heart, and do Your commandments without considering them

burdensome, we give justice with Mercy

and walk Humbly with God.

Only God is Good. And Jesus fills every dot and iota.

Jesus restores our souls.

Our Father God restores the Splendor of Israel.

We can pray to God and find favor with Him, we will see God's face and shout for joy; 

Our God will restore us to full well-being.

God restores us from illness.

When God restores His people, let His Children Rejoice.

Inspire us Father God as we pray, to think

of the things You see.

As we pray to remember something dear to us

and close to Your Heart.

The Renewal of our Soul and Heart.

Bless Elliott with healing, who is weary.

Bless Cindy and her family with healing as they care for Janet who is ill.

Your Willing Blessings on all who care for the ill 

and for us as we have done a lot for months and recently.

God is for us. God makes all things New.

New Hope and Hearts

to recover from the Pandemic Wisely

Let us all speak Mercy, and Truth to one another.

Allow Goodness to Flourish.

Bless our Nation

and All of God's Good Creation

In Jesus Christ we pray,  Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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1 Peter 4:10 ~ serve one another †

 

1 Peter 4:10

As each has received a gift, 

use it to serve one another, 

as good stewards of God's varied grace:

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Romans 12:6 

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith

In 1999, my mother's first cousin Maxine was 82 years old and had an aunt alive. Maxine entered Memory Loss Care for 23 strokes. We were going to sell her mother's house she lived in since 1917. Maxine, a widow, had no children or siblings. Maxine had lived in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for years, (her husband had produced the TV shows for Lassie and the Lone Ranger) then retired with her mother and dad and husband on the second house on their property.  And I hated she would be parted from her lifetime things. So, Mother, Maxine's cousin Sue and I gathered and polished up her things and soon her Memory Loss Bldg Room looked like her Living Room. In a year, Maxine would say it was stuffed, overly stuffed, and please remove some things. So we did. And soon all the rooms began to look like home. We probably over did it. But it was for a good reason and with Love.

Today was one of the most emotional days of my life, moving my mom from the place she and my father bought in 1974 as investment. In 1982, we moved in after my parents divorced. Today, we moved my mother to a Hospice Care Facility and this is really very lovely. But it is a jolt to honor her wishes to die in professional care. She moved quite calmly. I'd fasted, and really I'd say God gave us a miracle of a new beginning.

Mother has been in the hospital or rehabilitation from Pneumonia and knee operations, 3 out of the 4 last years. Even with Dementia making longer car rides almost impossible with repeat phrases every 30 seconds, Mother did absolutely great in rehab. She loved having a hobby flower business, making arrangements and selling her art in the 1970s. And the arrival of flowers in the hospital or rehab was remarked upon about 50 times.

We reversed course. 

We didn't bring very many of Mother's things, instead she had new flower arrangements in her room. A new quilt with her name and hearts put on the quilt. The room was more sparse like rehab. And my mother was extremely calm and gracious to go. She said she liked the room. Please pray for her to continue in this God given calm. My mother hasn't been this thin in 50 years. Mother was calm and seemed more alert. She doesn't answer the phone anymore, she accidentally hangs it up. But we are going to have a nurse call me at 3 pm with the understanding some days will skip due to it being not the day. And we probably will talk most days. The Hospice nurse was there to make sure the meds showed up. There are far fewer meds now.

We hope for a room with a view. Mother was a newlywed in the Uptown part of Dallas where she is again. How good it would be for the 31-year Realtor to see the pretty buildings and the people moving about. Talking of View: My father dreamed, about 80 times, he had died decades earlier and did. About 30 years now. Daddy dreamed he would be asked to greet Mother and be her guide in Heaven. Evidently, she is going to live with my father in Heaven. He was always so pleased. He told us we wouldn't live in Dallas when she passed on and she would be in big house. In fact, her facilities are called Monticello. I'm pleased he told me this dream all 80 times. Biblically Pharaoh dreamed 80 times too.

† Follow up Sunday: Mother was easy with the transition so far. She said she likes the room and not to bring anymore into the room. The Flowers thrilled her. She remarked she likes her lamps, which are hers. Maybe the transition was easy with lots of prayers from many people. And some fasting. Or God prepared Mother's heart having 24 years of Long Term Insurance. Thank God. Thank Him so very much.

Abba, Father God,

 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, 

in accord with Christ Jesus, 

that together you may with one voice 

glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Help us to seek You first.

To Know You Love me

and You want to live and dwell being the Light of Jesus Christ in mankind.

Please heal Elliott who still has options his first doctor told him about.

We know Miracles happen all the time in Jesus Christ.

Help him heal soon, we ask.

Bless Cindy and her family in Jesus at this time.

Please help my mother's passing to be gentle and kind.

Jesus love my mother into Heaven where You have plans for her.

Beautiful and Loving.

We pray for the Nation and the pandemic, plague brains and anger

we witness today and in history to heal.

Jesus we look for Your Willingness.

Thank You, Father, the storms were survivable this week for all but one person.

Help us all to encourage one another

and let this stressful time be a time of learning

and become a season of refreshing hope and love

to see renewal past the Pandemic.

We lift High our Cares to Father God who Loves us

and pray for the Nation 

and all of His Good Creation

Amen in Jesus Christ. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †  

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