Blessed in the Bloom, Matthew 13

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Rain now but blooming soon – and forever…

This writing is #206 of over 2000 now – a great reminder to keep blooming because you never know who God has to put in your path and you theirs…

I appreciate now that I was 10 years ago realizing that God put these thoughts into my head – it was up to me to move my fingers faster and capture them..

Thank You God for making me and making us BLESSED IN THE BLOOM…

God Wants YOU in HIS Bouquet in Heaven, 08July2015 #206

I’d like to take the wonderful opportunity to say thank you to God for placing such certain people in my path. I have and had so many wonderful people to learn from, pull the best characteristics from each one into my bouquet of life…. Blessedly more amazing people, than terrible people… But I learn from those folks as well… Learn to delineate the good from the bad traits within each person (because we all have both), the roses from the thorns, the grain from the weeds.

Matthew 13:29-30 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

When God choose me, and when God choose you, He let all the seeds grow, grain and weeds alike… good grain people and weed people/temptations (planted by the evil one). When it is time to harvest, the weeds are set aside and burnt… And the best in you will be taken into the barn of God… into HIS eternal kingdom!!! Yes, you see God let those bad habits grow like weeds alongside your best grain characteristics. He dare not pull the weeds that intercalated into your being, entangled all around you, because the grain of who you are is/was not yet mature, it is/was not yet firmly rooted in good soil.

When you are mature enough, which does not depend on your age, God will call you louder by name… God will lead you to Jesus… maybe others will cajole Him to come into your house and raise your life spirit like Jarius’ daughter (Luke 8:41-56)… Maybe you will cry out in painful screams of angst… When God says it’s time to wake up, you sometimes snooze thru the alarm, then angrily realize you weren’t ready to get up but God called you anyway. When you wake up earlier than the alarms, it’s refreshing and peaceful to see God coming for you, and you can be ready and waiting for HIM. You can work on your root growth deeper and obey his Word.

Before harvest God says: it’s time to get right with the Lord…. It’s time to start pulling those weeds within you, so hold on tight to your roots planted in ME… God’s harvest of the good in your crop will become easier and less painful if you cooperate with God and not work against him, if you identify and start eliminating the weeds in your life… If you dig deep and get to the roots of these vice-causing traits and clean out your soul.

It’s ok if you can’t get out all the weeds or invasive roots out before God takes you, it’s ok because God knows any harvest, no matter how small is still pleasing (Matthew 13:23). God will take you as you are. Be grateful and let God bless you with HIS joy.

God sees the Jesus within you, and takes you for HIS bouquet of heaven. God loves you and will keep you forever…

AMEN

Oh the Water and the Living Water…

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This story I just watched on PBS video was interesting, helping illustrate how Los Angeles came to be… and the hardships of the regions that lost their diverted water to grow LA… to have overgrown capacity etc… interesting… The tragedies of today are in line with tragedies of the past… Life is fragile and yet the Lord helps us persevere. The Lord set us up for depending upon Him.

“Flood in the Desert | Full Documentary | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE | PBS” on YouTube

And we have to remember that all over the world, people push the boundaries of living. Some by choice, some by default… look at the pros and cons of living in the fertile valley of a volcano… you just never know… and it’s not just the landscape, it’s the water, and whoever controls the water controls the situations, impacts the political forces, and the struggles of the withouts… THIS WAS AND IS NOT NEW, as I remember a teacher stating this when I was in school… Sure, watch money run the world, but watch WATER MAINTENANCE control the livelihoods of people. 

We see over and over the world that water is primary need and a hot commodity… Thank God for the rain, when it comes, to fill local reservoirs for our resources… we had a mini drought this year in the east, can’t even imagine the droughts of the west.

We think of the harshness of our time, the wars and rumors of wars, and all these hardships Jesus warned about… the directve is to “look up, our salvation is near…”

Yes, keep the faith… the Living Water is coming back soon…

Amen 

Matthew 24:3-

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The Great Tribulation

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.

“Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

The Coming of the Son of Man

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

I recommend history lessons – sadly history of past aggressive building up of land and diverting water, this story, published a year ago, is super interesting…

“Flood in the Desert | Full Documentary | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE | PBS” on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/ocju4Y23j0M?si=h53-cAbZjt3qp3TO

Travel Smart, Listen Wisely, Follow Humbly, Epiphany, Book of Matthew, 06JAN

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With today’s or any day’s weather it’s smart to watch the radar, and the traffic cams. Seems wise to know when to go or not. Have supplies in the car too. TRAVEL SMART. 

Travel Smart, Listen Wisely, Follow Humbly.

It’s Epiphany! The arrival of the kings to Jesus and well they traveled SMART, not just because they were watching where the caravan animals stepped, but because they were educated and read the radar of the skies, following what they learned about a king of the Jewish people being born out of Judah, and traveled smart listened wisely to the angels on the way home too, avoiding Herod, who had evil intentions. 

The wise men were “divinely warned” and were humble in following – they went to worship and give gifts – they traveled however long was required, watching the start, following it, and took the long route when necessary. 

Joseph also traveled smart and listened wisely and followed humbly, the family escaped Herod by going to Egypt, they traveled and then returned. It was both for safety as well as fulfilled prophesy. 

Matthew the author of the book also followed humbly, he followed Jesus as a disciple, followed humbly in giving up his known life for one of piety, study, exploration and exposition into what it meant to be a new Christian. He knew to follow and Jesus knew to pick Matthew. 

Jesus traveled smart and listened wisely and followed humbly. Jesus as God had much to know about the people He would encounter, He conversed continually with His Father God, and He directed the Holy Spirit of God to be instilled in us as a living word. Jesus followed humbly in fulfilling scriptures and bringing salvation by divine destiny, desire and duty.

May we follow too.

Travel Smart, Listen Wisely, Follow Humbly. 

Amen

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Matthew 2:1-15

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The Flight into Egypt

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.

Remember Help and Sharing, for Veteran’s Day, Armistice Day, St. Martin’s Day, 11NOV

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It is a blessing to know that there are those who help – who lay down their lives to help – and we salute Veterans’ Day thanking those who served – we cherish Armistice Day grateful for a stop to fighting in World War One – and (new to me) learn about St. Martin’s Day and his gift of half his cloak in a cold winter to a beggar with none.

This is the season of thankfulness, of helping, of harvest  and of fruits and vegetables that last – if kept in cool temperatures – like squash and apples – seeds and nuts… This is the season of cooler temps and today (first time in over a month) there is rain – beautiful rain – and perfect season setting…

The story of St Marin (from Wikipedia) says that ‘Martin of Tours (died 397) was a Roman soldier who was baptized as an adult and became a bishop in Gaul. He is best known for the tale whereby he cut his cloak in half with his sword, to give half to a beggar who was dressed in only rags in the depth of winter. That night Martin had a vision of Jesus Christ wearing the half-cloak.’

Jesus is our hero and our martyr and our helper and our priest above all priests – above all angels – above all saints. Jesus IS God – and this act of helping one person is the act of helping Jesus – as Jesus said Himself, like the song lyric: ‘whatever you do for the least of my brothers – that you do unto me’…

And with my aptly-found printout of the Lost Son Parable from Luke 15, we remember that God as the Father to His wayward children – He is always looking for us to come home.

And so today – we remember – we remember the helpers – like the soldiers and the peace keepers – we remember those who remember us and share with us – and we remember the ultimate remembering: THAT GOD LOVED US FIRST. 

God loved us so much to help us.

Thank you Jesus. 

Amen

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The Sheep and the Goats – Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

My Sermon: Pearls of Wisdom and Treasure in Plain Sight

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Blessed to share in my “Back to School” series 

Pearls of Wisdom – and Treasure in Plain Sight – Sermon 13OCT

Matthew 13 scripture: 

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Dragnet – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age.

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I put on my 16th birthday gift from my Dad – a string of pearls – I love pearls and I love the concept of pearls as nature-made gems – even those forced – as a bead or something could be seeded – but regardless these are special stones – unique and treasured.

I have many favorite memories as a child – one of them is so vivid to me – but only snippets – I am sure my imagination has morphed my memories – but this one is from being at SeaWorld in Florida – late 70’s early 80’s – we took so many trips as kids with my parents – sometimes twice a year driving to Florida – until our teenage years – it was nice to have that time together – and I still love to travel – see other sites… Disney and SeaWorld were “inexpensive” then – and we almost always stayed at relatives houses – that was fun too…  love trips… learning by living…

On this occasion we were in SeaWorld and there were swimmers diving for pearls – for the oysters – in a glass encased pool – like mermaids or just divers – and they would watch for your direction as you told them what oyster to pick – you never knew what you would get and even if you would get a pearl. Oh – my Dad loved gemstones – he was a banker and he saw the monetary value, yes, but he especially saw the beauty of them. So I can remember him excited,  picking out an oyster – and I got to pick one too – we all did – and one of us – I don’t remember who – got a pink pearl – wow – special and more rare – and I remember us waiting in line with other people so anxiously awaiting to see what their oyster contained…  would it be the rarest of the black pearls? – or would it simply be empty?…  hmmm…  

The other part of the memory is that we had to then decide what we did with that pearl – just take it for the nominal price of the dive? Or have it mounted in a necklace? Of course, these were the days that I remember the tourist traps of gift shops and everything under the sun in plastic – but this was a real precious item – yet was the treasure of the pearl better if it were displayed or if you kept it hidden in a bag and forgotten…  

Looking for the real treasure!

The parables – these are treasured stories – a mechanism for Jesus to teach,  that we have a treasure in Heaven to be desired. Yes, Jesus as our treasure and Jesus reminding our treasure is in Heaven. We are to remember Him and what He did for us in coming to forgive our sins and make it possible thru Him to be His Treasure in Heaven.

We not to DISPLAY Jesus as what He did for us as a string of pearls of our purchase – He was the one who purchased this Way. And we search ways to not find ourselves flauntingly DISPLAY JESUS, but to PORTRAY Jesus as a Way of Life. Portray and Emulate Jesus – be His and teach others.

Jesus first had to teach the Way – and imagine the lessons people were motivated to hear – the crowds that followed him – either as hope – or a sideshow attraction – or a prophet – or a healer – or the ones who went after him as they saw Him as a blasphemer…

And these parables – were a vehicle to perk ears open – to understand Jesus more – why He came to earth – why He loves us so much – and these parables are back to school moments – and this one parable intrigued me as the shortest  – Pearls – in a set of 3 parables – I love how God loves numbers and 3 is a special number isn’t it? – they say we remember things in 3’s – and we are to know of course Three in One – God Jesus and the Holy Spirit – three. So the scriptures were read this morning – and I want to reiterate them here – 

(The Parables of the Hidden Treasure, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Dragnet)

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

AH – so Heaven is worth it!  God’s great price to have us in it… A treasure…

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

AH – finding a very special pearl is worth it. This reminds me of the lost sheep – another parable – how finding the one lost sheep is worth it…

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.”

AH – not all will go to Heaven – the good made good by Jesus we know – but the bad, hmmm…  this reminds me of scripture prophecy of Jesus returning to gather us – one taken to heaven and the other left (The Great Disappearance)…

AH – but let us get back to the PEARL of wisdom about that PEARL – it is simple enough – HEAVEN IS A TREASURE – God looking for a treasure in us and we looking for a treasure in God – in being with Him forever – the prophets spoke so often: like in Jeremiah 32:38-40 “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them…”

I want us to think of a person new to these concepts, sitting in the crowd just listening – maybe a child there who is just now learning who God is – CURIOSITY – and then let us think about whole multitudes of people who were NOT there but then heard the stories of the stories – perhaps from the few disciples who travelled with Jesus place to place – or perhaps years later.

The Pearl –  the shortest of these parables – just hear about the pearl – the treasure – the price…  The child may comprehend and new ears later get ahold of Jesus as the answer to the question…  like we always ask in the children’s message… Isn’t it good to have One Word – Jesus!

AND on the flip side I also want to think of maybe an OLD-TIMER there – one who knew the stories of old back to Adam and Eve – there would be one coming to be the Savior and especially this person to know the prophecies – And this “old timer” may not have put all the pieces together at that point – they would have either heard or heard years later – remember these bible chapters were written soon after and up to 60 years after Jesus arose and ascended to Heaven. The “old timer” would have to have the Holy Spirit to understand this gift from God – to hear Jesus as the Way the Truth and the Life… 

I am not an old timer – maybe I am now – I myself have been enjoying the prophets Ezekiel and Hosea and their descriptions of how the people of the time would be best to follow God and follow His laws…  That is a history that cannot be ignored – that God was faithful even when the people weren’t – And can we even imagine God’s feelings for His children of Israel, those of the time and now – wandering – following God then abandoning the Lord and the Law of Moses – again and again. Imagine now the HOPE of God for His children to return to looking towards Him… and bringing back them/us/His children for a price, forgiving and forever-ing the relationship. A NEW COVANENT – a pain process that turned into purpose – a pearl which now shines – for the beauty shows up in the LIGHT. 

For Jesus as a teacher – this section is making people ponder and take hold of something that will open their ears when God chooses to open their ears –     we know Jesus is talking to a specific audience – those who write and those who teach: Jews with a NEW IDENTITY – JEWS who take Christ as the fulfillment of the Law:

51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 52 Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

WHOA – this is truly deep and we all must move deeper into the Word. Old and new to treasure… ah – the scribes can bring out the stories of the new – that Jesus walked the earth – AND the stories of the old – the faithfulness of God to an unfaithful but chosen people… 

And there is one more section of TREASURED scripture – to talk about – the treasure open to one who looks for SEEING IT IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT – Treasure realized…  Jesus was sorry for the people who did not realize – those in His hometown in the days he went back – I am not saying that later they didn’t get it  – because we know of many people “got it later” – people who shunned then embraced that Him as the Christ – the Lord.  How many of those “pearls of wisdom” nestled in their brains and then maybe later on they remembered – like James Jesus’s brother… or were taught and Holy Spirit came to them – some even had a “road to Damascus” experience, like Paul.

SO Jesus hidden in plain sight rejected at Nazareth. Matthew continued:

53-58 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue – they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?” [So obviously they saw the works]  

Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” 

[I aways wonder “what things” – were they distracted by the earthly treasures and not seeing the heavenly One?]

So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

I love how Jesus’s brothers and sisters are mentioned – and I love knowing that James – his brother – became so devoted and wrote a tremendous scripture book in the book of James…

And I appreciate that people who rejected Him originally and those still who reject, can, after a Holy Spirit helping of education, can take Him then into their hearts – they could take Him as Lord and Savior – because they surely went “BACK TO THE BOOKS” – they THEN connected the dots of everything that happened and happened for a reason…

I don’t have my pearl from SeaWorld – but I also put on these earrings of fresh water pearls – they are different – and long – shiny yes but not the same as salt water pearls – and also a gift from my Dad. And thinking of both saltwater pearls and fresh water pearls as old and new treasures – I am reminded of how Jesus came for Jew and Gentile alike – The followers like Peter and Paul would understand this later we learn this in the book of Acts – the Holy Spirit chose the people – of all kinds – to accept this treasure…

I want us to ALSO think about pearls and how they are made – pearls are made from irritation – a piece of sand or foreign object inserted into the oyster – and then layers of calcium carbonate are adhered to the object and the pearl is created by the oyster itself – that the treasure – like the treasure of Heaven is taking a sinful person and making them beautiful and whole and covered with the blood of Jesus and now appearing new and unblemished and pleasing to God Almighty.

Heaven on earth itself is the ability for us to know the value of  Heaven – and act now like we will there – be thankful, gracious, forgiving, and whole… Pearls may be formed from the Pain but that pain is now precious…  Pearls get polished but not like a rock – they are carefully polished – and pearls are naturally going to vary in their brightness, their shine…  Isn’t that us too? We are to be the SHINE of God to be the treasure of God – understanding His treasure in heaven thru Jesus.

So – our back to school short take home message can be just that Heaven and getting there is a treasure… Jesus is the ANSWER.

Jesus came to save us – to teach us the Way – and to demonstrate how to live – this is again and again mentioned in scripture – what do we do with our knowledge and how do we live?

And in our old wisdom – let us remember these words of Paul to the church in Corinth 1Cor 2 snippets: “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

“… as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”

And “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”  –   And: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” – we have the mind of Christ.”

May we hold onto the small pearls of wisdom AND the big treasure of knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus and live to Portray Him – not just display Him…

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Won’t you pray with me: 

Lord – we treasure these times to learn that You taught – that You came to all Jew and Gentile – old and young – simply spiritual and to break down the complex complications…  may we simply know you as the answer – Jesus…  Lord, You are so precious to us – may we worship you in spirit and truth and learn more and more of your work for us here on earth.    

Amen

TILT (and Recovery)

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And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Yesterday we had an earthquake and an aftershock. Everybody is fine which is great. My phone exploded. A friend texted from Florida, Facebook was crazy, but my favorite event was that my daughter CALLED ME seeing if I was okay. Yay, my daughter was worried about me and reached out. I loved that.  God tilted the system just enough for the slide of rocks to worry us and stir up LOVE. 

TILT.

Now, a full-blown tilt of a pinball machine is what I have experienced growing up. I rarely have done it, but it’s from shaking it too much and you have to unplug the machine and plug It back in. But in the old days you really had to wait for the manager of the pinball arcade to do that unplugging and plugging back in, AND for them to give you your quarter back. You then could restart. Another example, sometimes bowling alley situations had to get restarted, because the ball would get stuck or the pins just froze. I remember that button often worked, but sometimes the manager had to go back to the back. RESET THE TILT. 

Now, personally, sometimes my dreams early in the morning will get stuck. Resetting fruitless dream threads bring God to wake me up to say ‘ick’… reset… TILT the system and restart. Go back to sleep or stay awake, either way it’s the Mastermind of God restarting your system, clearing your mind, and saying ‘whew’ that craziness can stop. TILT, because Love has no evil in mind. God instructs angels, I’m sure, to send a cat to wake you, sometimes lately with a cough or a hot flash I readjust and reset. I’m glad sleep is set for restoration. Naps too. REST THROUGH THE TILT.

One last interesting personal thing about the earthquake, I did not notice until I got home, but Mastermind the game box must have been jostled out of my cabinet, pushing the door open, or more open, slid onto the floor and spilled a couple pieces. That is my only explanation of why it was out. Yes, normal gravity would do that too… Precarious stacking gives way, like sliding plates… ah, where is this in the scripture? NOT this minor inconvenience but a warning of times to come? The whole interesting thing about our world is that the Lord Himself is holding it together and the ‘loosing’ of the forces holding it together is natural prophetic fulfillment… Things are going to get worse – things don’t slip by accident but by design. TILT is prophetic but done in love, and Jesus pretold to us to not let it worry us, but for us to keep working to the last minute that the BIG reset of the system goes on. MORE THAN JUST A TILT.

Did I feel the earthquake yesterday? Nope.  I was driving both during the earthquake AND during the aftershock… What timing!!! So I was doing my normal thing and kept going… That’s what our Mastermind Lord wants us to do in life: keep going, keep working… We can keep asking our Manager Lord to reset the system and help us in restoration. 

He has. He can. He Will. 

God is our All in All. Mastermind yes, but always with LOVE in mind. Don’t let the world distract you – shaken or not shaken – keep working for the Lord.

Amen 


Daniel 7 NIV – in a dream

“As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.) In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.


Collosians 1:9-23 a letter from Paul to the Collosians

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of the Son of God

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.


Matthew 24 – The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times NIV

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.

“So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ – “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The Day and Hour Unknown
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


Revelation 4-5 NKJV – The Throne Room of Heaven

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

The Lamb Takes the Scroll
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Worthy Is the Lamb
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

Lord of All, The Green Tree cut down on Good Friday

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Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

I can’t find my own words for Good Friday – and I don’t need to – but I can find the walk and the witness – the work and the wailing – the wounded and the whatnot…   And that is all in the WORD… I need to hear from Jesus this Good Friday – gratefully He has much to say – including how it had to go down this way… Fulfillment and Forevers – planned forever ago for the forever in our future.

Jesus said: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Matthew 26:53-54

It HAS to go down this way. 

I have (below) cut and paste (from the benefit of Bible Gateway . com) from all the four gospel sets of scriptures in that day – but not necessarily all the words that were shared. The succinct few paragraphs glued here mean a LifeLine of a LifeTime.  And the answer to the question of WHY – is that God Rescues. A mocking man may have said: “He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” (Matthew 27:43) But in the answer truly of this question is YES – GOD RESCUES BECAUSE HE WANTS TO – HE DOES WANT TO – GOD WANTS US – God rescues US – and God does that by sending Jesus to the death instead of us. And Jesus accepts this in love.

In this season of love and day of remembrance – let us keep the green life of Jesus alive and share of the Lord – because the days are coming when people will have darkness and cold and DRY…  For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Presented below are the best words to know – bind to our hearts – and share. Keep hydrafed in His Love. Let us this Good Friday hare what is so good inside and because of what is so bad from this day. That God so loved us that He sent His only Son to SAVE.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

Amen – and please read below: 

Matthew 26:47-56 Jesus Arrested

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Matthew 27: 32-61 The Crucifixion of Jesus

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus – From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

The Burial of Jesus –  As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

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Mark 15:16-47 The Soldiers Mock Jesus

The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers.  They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.  It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.

They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. (So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.”) Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!”  In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus –  At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

The Burial of Jesus – It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

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Luke 23:28-56 

Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.  For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus – It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus – Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

John 19 16-42 – The Crucifixion of Jesus

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did.

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus – Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

The Burial of Jesus – Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Wise to Follow Too – Epiphany – the Pull of the Spirit

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I had to turn the car around, park, and go take a photo. First in the morning and then another in the evening. These were beautiful nativity scenes that drew me close. The Lord and the craftsmanship and the fleeting last bits of Christmas, barely started getting in the Christmas spirit then boom, it’s over. Christmas day faded so fast, I barely even look at my tree anymore, let alone water it. The Spirit however stays ready to be held again, Jesus in us. Living Water gives REPLENISHMENT OF SPIRIT,  let us pray for a fresh filling. 

I have to say that while driving around (which I do a lot), and when being still too, nothing never brings me closer to anything like when I am approaching the pull of the Spirit. The great awesome Mystery, the Wonder of the Savior, His coming heralded by Star not for show but for direction. That following causes the DRIVE in me, in us, it is SPIRIT-GIVEN for eternity-loving-living. Jesus pulls us close. 

And this sign of a star to the Maji was a draw to begin and continue a LONG journey, for which they knew would be for the birth of the King of the Jews, a ruler to shepherd, a Christ to Save Jews AND Gentiles. So the Star was a guiding light, a source of focus, we would be wise to follow too: “the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.” The Wisemen followed prophesy and we best too. The Wisemen had a long trip to see the baby Jesus, but not as far as Jesus came to come to them and to us.

Jesus would to be killed with the innocents, as foretold by Jeremiah the prophet, except God’s Plan extended His stay for such a mission fulfilling prophecy and Jesus, the lamb already slain to perform this mission, was taken safely away to Egypt and His life preserved and mission reserved. Joseph and Mary followed God’s direction to where to go, save the Savior from Herod’s fear-caused killing spree. Jesus was spared.

The scripture pretold the “how”, the “when”, the “where” and the “why”, and surely Joseph and Mary appreciated how they were to follow directions for returning to the land set aside by God, to readjust their direction (not Judea), find a home (now Nazareth), and begin a life. They had to trust. We best follow the faith placed in us that is shining through our dark nights, guiding us too on God’s Path for us, directing and redirecting to find a home in God, and to begin a life in God. We are God’s Why, for His Love is for us, forever. Let us trust in Him. 

We would be wise to follow too.

Amen 

The Wisemen Kings – Matthew 2 – Wise Men from the East

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The Flight into Egypt

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Massacre of the Innocents

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

“A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted,.because they are no more.”

The Home in Nazareth

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”