The Kingdom of God

Jesus said, "What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches." Again he said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened." 

Consideration: Jesus describes a process of growth that with time reaches fruition. Both examples require labor to prepare; time for growth; and finally, reaching the end for which they were created. This process sums up our journey here on earth; and if we are faithful, seek out the mercy of God, and amend our lives, we shall also rise to the eternal glory in the Kingdom of God. Amen.

My Lord, My God...My Love! / Meditation

 

How sweet is your love 

How sweet is your love

How sweet is your love

Lord, How sweet is your love

How great is your mercy

How great is your mercy 

How great is your mercy 

Lord, How sweet is your love

How great is your glory

How great is your glory

How great is your glory 

Lord, How sweet is your love

How great is your wisdom

How great is your wisdom 

How great is your wisdom

Lord, How sweet is your love

Praise your greatness and power 

Praise your greatness and power

Praise your greatness and power

Lord, How sweet is your love

Lord, How sweet is your love

Lord, How sweet is your love

Lord, How sweet is your love

My Lord, My God...My Love!

Healing on the Sabbath

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured her on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day." The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?" When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him. 

Consideration: "Hypocrites! Jesus calls out the leader of the synagogue. He knew that they would chastise him for setting the woman free from her bondage. Nothing ever stopped Jesus from doing the right thing when he had the opportunity to heal someone that he chose to heal. 

Do we hesitate when we have the opportunity to help someone; or take a stand when we are ridiculed for being Christians? Lord, Jesus, we pray for the grace of courage, that we will always be faithful to your calling. Amen.

Family Time and Love

A burly man with a long whiskered beard, frizzy hair, fishing pole in hand. Brimmed cap, one piece pull over tee, an intimidating sight to see. Tattoos branded his shoulders, arms, and his fingers too, like a scroll with a message read. Rugged gray-haired man; fishing pole in hand; on the seashore sand, an awesome view.

A young boy with his dad walking the rocky shore. Sees the man, and makes a dash, to the burly man with excitement in his voice. Hey mister, those are coolest tattoos, I never seen anything like them before; and your fishing pole is very old, I wish there was one more for me. His dad rushes over to apologize. The man just grinned; you have a really cool kid dad. 

It's alright, it's so great to see a father at the shore with his son. It's a shame, this is a place to share a day of peace, joy, and love; it's for everyone. You don't need a ticket; you don't need to spend a dime; the only thing you spend here is the greatest gift in life...family time. 

When he said it, the pole bent down fast; the boy's eyes opened wide; excitement on his face. The man handed dad the pole, dad this is your role, help him reel it in, the joy of fishing. The boy and dad had so much fun, bringing in the big one. Turning back to say thank you to the man, but he had gone away; no footprints in the sand to see the way.

It's alright, it's so great to see a father at the shore with his son. It's a shame, this is a place to share a day of peace, joy, and love; it's for everyone. You don't need a ticket; you don't need to spend a dime; the only thing you spend here is the greatest gift in life...family time.

Placed upon a stone on the shore was a hand carved reel, a pole with a branded tattoo the "Rock of Ages"; A brimmed cap with a "White Dove" and the words...Peace, Joy, and Love. You don't need a ticket; you don't need to spend a dime; the only thing you spend here is the greatest gift in life...family time...and Love!

Love the Lord, your God

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

Consideration:  "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Imagine if we loved as these two commandments describe! Amen.

Bear Fruit

Jesus told them this parable: "There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, 'For three years now I have come and search of fruit on this fig tree but have none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?' He said to him in reply, 'Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down."

Consideration: This passage speaks of a loving God who is very patient with his children, even though we are not producing fruit. We are given the time to be cultivated and nurtured so that one day we will bear fruit. God loves us! We are given a limited amount of time to turn our sinful lives around and produce fruit for the Kingdom of God. Be not afraid, God is waiting for us to say yes...He will do the rest.

The Present Time

Jesus said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain-and so it does; and when you know that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to hot-and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? "Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

​Consideration: Life is difficult; we all have eyes to see that there are many problems around us. In the space that we find our place in this world to live among our fellow man, we should make every effort to coexist with them in peace for the good of all. If issues arise, we should make every effort to settle our differences without conflict as best we can. Jesus tells us to interpret the present time that we live in. Let us pray for the grace of understanding that we will use our best judgement for the good of all. Amen.