FAITH alone pleases the Father. Faith in His gift of salvation in Jesus. Without faith God cannot accomplish anything in our life. He did not leave us here without guidance. He gave us Holy Spirit to direct our way home.
In order to receive we must believe that He is God and He is a rewarder of those who trust in Him.
A pattern emerges that embraces diverse believers from all ethnicities, nations, cultures and backgrounds to form a new people that knows God and serves Him. God defines His people by their faith. Christ demonstrates love to all. May we do the same. First5
An Old Irish Blessing for St. Patrick’s Day
May your days be many and your troubles be few.
May all God’s blessings descend upon you.
May peace be within you, may your heart be strong.
May you find what you’re seeking wherever you roam.
May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us.
May the hand of God protect us, may the word of God direct us.
May thy Salvation, O Lord, be always ours this day and for evermore.
Amen.
Written by St. Patrick
My desire is to encourage you to finish the right thing. Certain races are optional—like washboard abs and speed-reading. Other races are essential—like the race of faith. Consider this admonition from the author of Hebrews who said: “Let us run the race that is before us and never give up” (Hebrews 12:1 NCV). Max Lucado
There’s a new song out right now that has a bridge I really resonate with: “I may not know what a day may bring, but I know Who brings the day. In the darkest night when I cannot see, still my soul will say … I believe in miracle power, in a wonder working God.” I may not know what’s coming up next, but I know the heart of the Giver. Whatever part of the journey you are in right now, trust in the One who brings forth the day for you. He is for you, and he is always working for your good. There is always hope.
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Let it be so, Lord. Catherine Burleigh Tablet of Her Heart
Luke 9:18–22
18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.” 20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” 21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” The New King James Version
The Christ of God: The emphasis here is on the messianic role of Jesus. He is the Promised One who was ushering in a new era. However, Jesus would soon reveal to the disciples that His messiahship would have elements of suffering that the disciples did not expect.
Jesus knew that the messianic role that the people and the disciples expected was much different from His actual role as the Messiah. The element of suffering that the Messiah would endure was not a part of popular expectation. Thus Jesus’ messiahship could not be openly proclaimed before the true nature of the Messiah was revealed.
I must suffer … be rejected … be killed … be raised: This is the first of several predictions in Luke of Jesus’ suffering and vindication. The disciples struggled to understand what Jesus was saying. They could not comprehend how Jesus’ predictions fit into God’s plan. Only after Jesus’ resurrection and His explanation of the Scriptures to them did they begin to understand. The NKJV Study Bible
Who do the crowds say I am? in Matthew, Jesus refers to the Son of Man when He asks this question, associating this apocalyptic, messianic figure with Himself.
The old testament prophet Malachi had foretold that the return of Elijah would precede the day of judgment (Malachi 4:5). Although Jesus’ ministry may be compared to Elijah’s, who was prophesied by Malachi as preceding the day of judgment, John the Baptist was the primary fulfillment of that prophecy.
Jesus implies that His mission, like Elijah’s, includes the Gentiles (non-Jews).
Peter identifies Jesus as God’s anointed one. Peter’s confession is followed immediately by Jesus’ first prediction of His death and resurrection.
Following His resurrection, Jesus’ disciples would be commissioned to make known explicitly what His signs and wonders revealed—Jesus’ identity as God’s Son and anointed one. Faithlife Study Bible
Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
Matthew 16:14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
Mark 8:30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.
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