John 14:8–14

Christ within us glorifies GOD. Jesus gave up His life for us but He did not leave us alone. He  plants  Holy Spirit in our life to guide and direct us. 

Always the gentleman, Holy Spirit, when we invite Him into our life, empowers  us to be doers of the Word of God made flesh not just hearers !!

Meekness is not weakness. Those who admit their need for God find their greatest strength and walk in peace: "But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace" (Psalm 37:11). And just as God gave this assurance in the Old Testament, later Jesus echoed Psalm 37 in His Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). The word for "meek" in both verses means humble, unpretentious or sincere.

The position of the meek is not a coveted position in a world that strives for power and praise, but the inheritance God has for the meek trumps any earthly gain. We don't find peace through earthly power but through meekness as we admit our need for Jesus and receive the power of the Holy Spirit. First5 

Doubt. He’s a nosy neighbor. He’s an obnoxious guest. He’ll pester you, he’ll irritate you, he’ll kick the stool out from under you and refuse to help you up. He doesn’t offer any solutions; he only raises questions.

…I suggest you post a “Do Not Enter” sign on your door. James 1:6 says, “Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind.” Max Lucado

John 14:8–14

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. 

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. 

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. The New King James Version

believe (Gk. pisteuō) (1:7, 12; 2:23, 24; 3:15, 16, 36; 4:39, 41, 42; 6:47; 11:25; 14:1; 20:31) Strong’s #4100: The Greek word for believe literally means “to place one’s trust in another”; it occurs over 90 times in the Gospel of John alone. To believe in Jesus is to believe in His person and to trust in Him completely for salvation (3:15, 16). Many of Jesus’ contemporaries believed in Jesus’ miraculous powers, but they would not believe in Jesus Himself (6:23–26). Others wanted to believe in a political Messiah, but would not believe in the One who suffered for their sins (Mark 15:32). But we must be careful to believe and trust in the Jesus presented in the Scriptures, in the Son of God who sacrificed His life for our sins (Gal. 1:3, 4; Phil. 2:5–8). The NKJV Study Bible.

God the Father dwells in Jesus. They are one. Jesus’ signs and actions demonstrate He is the Son of God and the Son of Man sent to suffer and die for God’s people so they may have a restored relationship with God without sin standing in the way. Yet some don’t believe even after seeing signs. Doing God’s work is the way believers demonstrate their love for Jesus. Jesus’ argument is that those who insist on seeing signs will likely not believe even after witnessing them. Others are convinced by the signs—not because they asked for them, but because they simply saw them. 

The difference is whether someone is seeking to test God. Nonetheless, Jesus makes provision for people who have trouble believing in Him based solely on His own word or the testimony of others. Here, Jesus insists that His works are a necessary part of His ministry. He has a perfect relationship with God already, so they are not a means of salvation. They are a proclamation that the salvation God has already granted through Jesus is present. Believers perform works as a reaction to the salvation Christ has given 

Jesus empowers believers to do God’s work on earth, which includes performing miracles. Believers will collectively (and perhaps individually) perform more miracles than Jesus. It is Jesus’ intention to extend the work of the Spirit beyond Himself to all believers, as He had already begun to do. When He is given credit for the work, rather than the person performing the work, and when it is in His will. Miracles must be performed for the purpose of leading others to believe. Miracles are meant to make God’s greatness known. Faithlife Study Bible

Jesus came to reveal the Father. To know Jesus is to know the Father. Jesus had just said that to see Him is to see the Father. Yet Philip asked to see the Father. Like Thomas, Philip seems to have been slow to comprehend. The Lord rebuked Philip because he should have known the answer to the question he asked. The Lord patiently explained again that He was revealing God the Father to them. It is impossible to escape the claim Jesus was making. Clearly, He was claiming to be God. Jesus had accomplished the greatest works possible, including raising the dead. How could He say that believers would do greater works? The answer is seen in the extent of what the apostles did. Jesus’ work on earth was confined to Palestine; the apostles would preach everywhere and see the conversion of thousands. Peter’s message at Pentecost brought more followers to Jesus than did Jesus’ entire earthly ministry. The disciples were able to do this work because Christ would go to the Father and send the Holy Spirit to empower them.

All three members of the Trinity are mentioned here. Jesus prayed to the Father who would give the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth because He is truth and guides us into all truth. Neither sees Him nor knows Him does not mean merely that the world is not able to visually identify the Holy Spirit because He is spirit. Something more is meant: The Spirit of God is active in the world, but His acts go unnoticed by the world.

Earlier, Jesus called the disciples “little children”. Here He told them He would not leave them fatherless; He would come to them. There are three suggested interpretations as to when that statement would be fulfilled: (1) after the Resurrection, (2) at Pentecost, in the person of the Holy Spirit, and (3) at the Second Coming. The NKJV Study Bible

Matthew 21:21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

John 5:36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

John 10:38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”

Daniel 7:13–14

All knees will bow and every heart confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!!!! And all will behold His glory as the only Son of God almighty in the perfection that was intended from the beginning.

Matthew 7:16 (ESV) "You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?"

In approaching this passage, it's also important to notice two preceding verses, in which Jesus says, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14). Jesus, who is both faithful and true, doesn't leave us second-guessing about the starting point to produce good fruit … He is the gate. No one comes to the Father but through Christ Jesus. Entrance through the narrow gate is accessed through relationship with Him.

Every word and action, how we treat others, how we love others and how we use self-control with others, is the fruit of our hearts' intentions.

God is more concerned about us living holy than He is about us having the appearance of holiness. Colossians 1:10 tells us "to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work.”

Today, let my life bear witness to Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In Jesus' name, amen. First5 

“Being in touch with the heart tells us the quality of our existence, tells us how we recognize the truth,” Russ Hudson writes. “The heart also is the place where we know who we really are.” SabbathMoments 

Daniel 7:13–14

13 “I was watching in the night visions, 

And behold, One like the Son of Man, 

Coming with the clouds of heaven! 

He came to the Ancient of Days, 

And they brought Him near before Him. 

14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, 

That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. 

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, 

Which shall not pass away, 

And His kingdom the one 

Which shall not be destroyed.

The New King James Version

The Aramaic phrase used here is an idiom that can be translated as “one like a human being.” Jesus adopts this phrase as a title (“Son of Man”).  

The references to kingdom and dominion in this verse are what the Jews were anticipating. They sought an end to the world’s kingdoms by the establishment of God’s kingdom, which also meant an end to their suffering. It did not happen in Daniel’s lifetime, but those undergoing the persecution by Antiochus could hope for it in theirs. This kingdom concept is carried into the Gospels. Faithlife Study Bible

Son of Man is Semitic for “human being.” Daniel saw One like the “Son of Man,” indicating that He is not a man in the strict sense, but rather the perfect representation of humanity. 

Jewish and Christian expositors have identified this individual as the Messiah. Jesus Himself used this name to emphasize His humanity as the incarnate Son of God.

The Son of Man will reign over all things as the regent of Almighty God. In contrast to the vanishing nature of the previous empires, His dominion is … everlasting. The NKJV Study Bible

The Messiah is here called the Son of man; he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was found in fashion as a man, but he is the Son of God. 

The great event foretold in this passage, is Christ’s glorious coming, to destroy every antichristian power, and to render his own kingdom universal upon earth…the Father will openly give to his incarnate Son, our Mediator and Judge, the inheritance of the nations as his willing subjects. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Daniel 7:27 Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’

Matthew 24:30 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.

Matthew 26:64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 14:62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Matthew 19:8–9

All sins can be forgiven when we repent and lay them at the feet of Jesus. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. 

Jesus taught about a special class of disobedience in his scathing rebuttal to some religious leaders. They accused him of performing miracles and casting devils out through and by the power of Satan rather than by the power of God. Christ warned them that blasphemy against God's spirit would not be forgiven.

. . . every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; that shall not be forgiven to men . . . but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him . . . (Matthew 12:31 - 32).

What makes the transgression Jesus discussed in Matthew 12 unpardonable (unforgiveable)? It is a deliberate renunciation of God. It is a knowing and willful rejection, without sorrow or any regret, of Jesus' sacrifice and the gift of salvation. It is the ultimate choice to consistently disobey God and forever refuse to repent.

That does not mean that God ever intended for divorce. What He has placed together is to be respected and lasting. Divorce invites violence in to our lives and those we love.

Thank you Father  for grace and mercy in Jesus!

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”  You want to plumb the depths of your respect and love for somebody?  Then answer the question: How do you feel when that person succeeds? And how do you feel when that person struggles? Max Lucado

Matthew 19:8–9

8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” The New King James Version

Jesus is saying that Moses made a concession due to the sinful attitude of their Jewish ancestors. 

Jesus allows for divorce—the tearing of a union made by God when someone is sexually unfaithful. 

To Jesus, divorce is never desirable. However, Jesus (and Moses before Him) recognized that human sinfulness can irrevocably damage a marriage. 

In the Greek text, Jesus speaks only about men because, in the patriarchal culture of ancient Israel, only men had this type of legal right. It seems that Jesus’ overall intention is not to specify every possible exception for divorce, but rather to emphasize the importance of keeping marriages intact.

Jesus likely is speaking about divorces that are based on the wrong reasons—such as a man choosing to divorce his wife so that he can be with another woman without committing adultery. The purpose of Jesus’ statement is to emphasize that divorce goes against God’s intention for marriage. He likely means that divorce for sinful reasons is the equivalent of adultery. Faithlife Study Bible

Jesus pointed out that Moses never commanded divorce, he only permitted it. God’s original ideal was that married couples would not divorce. 

Defining the term wife is vital to understanding the principle of this verse. Some believe that the divorce decree was valid only during the engagement period, as with Mary and Joseph. There the wife is the woman to whom a man is engaged. However, Deuteronomy 24:1 indicates that the couple is living together, suggesting an actual marriage. 

Immorality may refer to any kind of sexual immorality—premarital sex, extramarital sex, prostitution,  and homosexuality. Whoever marries her who is divorced probably refers to a man who marries a woman who has been divorced because of her immorality.  The NKJV Study Bible

When the gospel is really embraced, it makes men kind relatives and faithful friends; it teaches them to bear the burdens, and to bear with the infirmities of those with whom they are connected, to consider their peace and happiness more than their own. And we learn that the married state should be entered upon with great seriousness and earnest prayer. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Malachi 2:16 “For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence, ”Says the LORD of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit,That you do not deal treacherously.”

Matthew 5:32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Luke 12:29–31

God wants a relationship with us. He provided the way in Jesus.

A good Father provides for His children. We are those children not because of anything we do to deserve it but out of His agape love for His creation. 

Jesus is the only way to the Father. Seek Him and  find unmerited mercy and grace.

Micah 6:8

8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

The Lord's Prayer reminds us what the human heart needs every day: We need God, need to be forgiven and need to forgive. This is the daily cure to a heavy heart. Forgiveness is supposed to be as much a part of our daily lives as eating and sleeping.

We live in a day and time when being offended almost seems to go hand in hand with being alive. 

And as you and I make progress in this, there's also a distinction we must remember:

Feeling angry is different from living angry.

Feeling offended is different from living offended.

Feeling wronged is different from living wronged.

Feeling resentment is different from living resentful.

Jesus knew we'd have all these feelings, especially when there's so much unpredictability in our circumstances, our relationships and even our own emotions. So Jesus gives us the Lord's Prayer to pray each day, helping us get ahead of all we'll face today with confession and forgiveness. Oh, friend, the best time to forgive is before we are ever offended. The next best time to forgive is right now. Let's walk in the ways of our Savior today. First5 

Luke 12:29–31

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. The New King James Version

The Lord knows our problems and will provide us with what we need. Since God will provide, there is no need for us to concentrate on mundane things such as food. This should not be our chief concern, but instead our first priority should be doing the will of God. The world pursues expensive food and luxurious clothing as ends in themselves. It has its heart set on things, without thinking of God and thanking Him for such pleasures. 

The materialistic world is like a group of passengers frantically scurrying to get the best deck chair on a sinking ship. When we are consumed with possessions, there can be little left in our heart for God. We can trust God to provide for us because God knows precisely what we need. The NKJV Study Bible

Christ largely insisted upon this caution not to give way to disquieting, perplexing cares. The arguments here used are for our encouragement to cast our care upon God, which is the right way to get ease. As in our stature, so in our state, it is our wisdom to take it as it is. An eager, anxious pursuit of the things of this world, even necessary things, ill becomes the disciples of Christ. Fears must not prevail; when we frighten ourselves with thoughts of evil to come, and put ourselves upon needless cares how to avoid it. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

1 Kings 3:11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,

1 Kings 3:12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.

1 Kings 3:13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.

1 Kings 3:14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Romans 11:29–32

JESUS is unmerited, undeserved grace!

But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Galatians 3:22 

Christ did not do away with what was written. Rather, He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets by perfectly obeying them and revealing all that pointed to Him. (Matthew 5:17) This included not just predictions of a saving Messiah (John 4:25) but also the sacrificial system. (Ephesians 5:2;  Hebrews 10:12-14) No longer is this system needed because Christ's ultimate sacrifice of His life to purchase our salvation has clarified and completed the entire intent of the Old Testament. Sin is not judged on a sliding scale. Instead, it is an issue of the heart, and only Christ has a heart pure enough to be acceptable before a holy God.

Today, let's be careful to remember there is nothing we can do on our own to become holy. Our salvation is based on Jesus alone, turning to Him and trusting that His atoning death paved the way for us to enjoy eternity with God in heaven. (Acts 4:12;  Ephesians 2:8-9) First 5

To sit still is to practice Sabbath—meaning literally, to quit.
To stop.
To take a break.
To make uncluttered time.
It’s all about what we can notice—and see—when we slow down and let the silence descend. It’s the permission to pay attention. To be here now. 

Sabbath Moments 

Lord, help me
to live this day quietly, peacefully.
To lean upon
Thy great strength trustfully, restfully.
To wait for
the unfolding of Thy will patiently, serenely.
To meet others peacefully, joyously.
To face tomorrow confidently, courageously.
Amen.
St. Francis of Assisi

It took Paul decades to discover what he wrote in only one sentence. Romans 3:28, “A person is made right with God through faith.” Not through good works, suffering, or study. Just faith. Max Lucado

Grace, blessed grace! 

Romans 11:29–32

28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. The New King James Version

Paul has s addressed the problem of the Jews’ rejection of Jesus as Messiah and the implications of that rejection for salvation. Paul now emphatically insists that, while Israel may have rejected God’s gift of salvation in Christ, God has not rejected Israel in return. Despite present appearances, Israel still plays a role in God’s plan of salvation, and His promises to Israel have not been invalidated.

God allowed unfaithfulness—to which He responds in mercy. Faithlife Study Bible

The Jews are enemies in that they reject the gospel. For the sake of the fathers refers to the promises God made to the patriarchs. Irrevocable means “not to repent.” God does not change His mind. He made promises to the patriarchs and He will fulfill them. The NKJV Study Bible

True grace seeks not to confine God’s favour. Those who find mercy themselves, should endeavour that through their mercy others also may obtain mercy. Not that the Jews will be restored to have their priesthood, and temple, and ceremonies again; an end is put to all these; but they are to be brought to believe in Christ, the true become one sheep-fold with the Gentiles, under Christ the Great Shepherd. The captivities of Israel, their dispersion, and their being shut out from the church, are emblems of the believer’s corrections for doing wrong; and the continued care of the Lord towards that people, and the final mercy and blessed restoration intended for them, show the patience and love of God. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Romans 3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

1 Corinthians 1:26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

Luke 10:21–22

The wisdom of man accomplishes nothing in our spiritual relationship with God. We must come to Him as little children knowing nothing but expecting everything.

The wisdom of Holy Spirit will guide us into the spiritual truths of our walk with God in Jesus. He is found in silence! We must first listen to Him speak. He talks spirit to Spirit.

In my flesh I can do nothing. In Holy Spirit all things are possible!

 In Jesus, in His crucifixion and resurrection, He overcame death and evil. Jesus is the only way to the Father. In Him is our only hope.

Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

Beware of the leaven of the hypocrisy of man it is death to those who listen to it. 

We forget Mother Teresa’s gifting endorsement, “God is the friend of silence.”

To sit still is to practice Sabbath—meaning literally, to quit. To stop. To take a break. To make uncluttered time. It’s all about what we can notice—and see—when we slow down and let the silence descend. It’s about paying attention. Ah yes… the sacrament of the present moment. SabbathMoments 

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls. Mother Teresa

Luke 10:21–22

21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” The New King James Version

Lord of heaven and earth is a title emphasizing the authority of God over all of creation. Faithlife Study Bible

This is Jesus’ declaration of total authority as the Son of God. He makes a similar statement in Mathew 28:18. Jesus declares His unique relationship with God the Father. The Lord reveals Himself only through Jesus. To know God, one must know His Son, Jesus. The NKJV Study Bible

All our victories over Satan, are obtained by power derived from Jesus Christ, and he must have all the praise. But let us beware of spiritual pride, which has been the destruction of many. Our Lord rejoiced at the prospect of the salvation of many souls. 

He has ever resisted the proud, and given grace to the humble. The more simply dependent we are on the teaching, help, and blessing of the Son of God, the more we shall know both of the Father and of the Son; the more blessed we shall be in seeing the glory, and hearing the words of the Divine Saviour; and the more useful we shall be made in promoting his cause. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

Matthew 11:26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

Matthew 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

John 6:46 | Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.

Luke 11:39-44

pride and arrogance turn away those who seek a relationship with God in Christ. 

Beware of hypocrisy it is the downfall of many saved Christians. 

Remain humble and open to the direction of Holy Spirit. He will guide you into the ways of  Jesus.

Micah 8:6 Be fair, extend grace and above all be humble in your relationship with God.

He know us at our worst and loves us anyway but He will change us.

I forget that we are on this journey together.
I forget that we are walking one another home.
I forget that we are, in fact, Jesus in Skin with one another. SabbathMoments 

Annie Dillard “how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

Now, suppose a person never learns about the sealing and the intercession of the Holy Spirit. This person may assume then, that salvation—security—resides in our works, not God’s, and that the power of prayer depends upon our prayer, not the prayers of the Spirit. What kind of life will this person lead? A parched and prayerless one.

But what if you believe in the work of the Spirit? Will you be different as a result? You bet your sweet Sunday you will. Your shoulders will lift, your knees will bend as you discover the buoyant power of praying in the Spirit. A higher walk. Deeper prayers. And most of all, a quiet confidence that comes from knowing it’s not up to you!

Luke 11:39-44

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 40 Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. 42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.” The New King James Version

Jesus contrasts external purity (proper behavior) with internal cleansing (transformation of the heart). 

These examples of tithing illustrate the Pharisees’ meticulous attention to the smallest details of the law of Moses. Pass by  justice and the love of Go echoes the two greatest commandments (Micah 6:8).

A metaphor for the Pharisees’ pious appearances, which disguised their inner wickedness. When graves were not appropriately marked, people could walk over them and potentially become ritually unclean. Faithlife Study Bible

These condemnations by Jesus are similar to those in Matthew 23. The Pharisees washed the outside of cups, making sure that the cups had not become unclean through contact with a dead insect. Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees concerned themselves with outward appearances and ritual cleanness, while what was inside, what really counts, was full of selfishness and evil.  The Pharisees worried about tithing ten percent, even down to the smallest herbs, which were tithed according to the dictates of tradition, not the Law of Moses. The Law spoke of tithing all produce, but what constituted food was debated. Some Pharisees took the strictest interpretation and counted almost anything, including spices. However, they neglected two basic things that the prophets also had warned about: love and justice (Micah 6:8). 

The Pharisees were like hidden graves. To have contact with a grave or with the dead was to become ceremonially unclean. Anyone or anything in the same room as the dead was considered in Jewish tradition to be impure. This is Jesus’ stronger condemnation. The Pharisees, the paragons of purity, were in fact the height of uncleanness. The NKJV Study Bible

Furnish us with such meekness and patience that we may glory in reproaches, for Christ’s sake, and that thy Holy Spirit may rest upon us. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

John 14:5-7

Rest in Him!  Jesus is the only way to the Father. Not by works but by Gods’ grace we enter into His peace

Praise His holy name.

Today, be gentle with yourself. Give voice to your soul, without “should” or “if only” or “what if”.

Remember that “God's love doesn't seek value, it creates value.  It is not because we have value that we are loved, but because we are loved that we have value. Our value is a gift, not an achievement.” William Sloane Coffin

Take a deep breath. Let it out and say, "thank you." Literally. Name the small gifts of the day.

“Gratefulness allows us to nurture a keener eye that no longer rushes past the small everyday moments that make up the larger part of our lives.” Guri Mehta

Don’t be afraid to let your heart out. Even if it hurts.

SabbathMoments 

John 14:5-7

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” The New King James Version

The person and work of Jesus serves as believers’ pathway to God the Father. Since there were divergent Jewish traditions, it was difficult for the Jewish person of the first century to know which tradition was Yahweh’s will.

The life refers to Jesus as the source and power of believers’ resurrection to eternal life. Jesus denies there is any other method but belief in Him for receiving eternal life. 

In the first century, the Pharisees proposed that people could receive eternal life by obeying the law. The Sadducees didn’t believe in eternal life or the resurrection of the dead, so they would have seen this as a moot point. Most Jewish people followed the Pharisees’ beliefs, but they did not abide by all their rules. Doing so would have been virtually impossible, especially for anyone who wasn’t very wealthy, due to the requirements for labor, sacrifices, and giving. Jesus claims that these things are not the way to eternal life, which can be attained only through belief in Him. 

This claim does not mean people are free to sin—rather they are called to love one another as Jesus has loved them. 

Salvation does not come through the law, sacrifices, religious practices, or the overthrow of foreign oppressors—all of which were beliefs held by Jews in the first century. Instead, Jesus Himself is the channel through which people can have relationship with God the Father and spend eternity with Him. Jesus equates His presence with God’s presence. Faithlife Study Bible

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus is the way to the Father. He is also the truth and the life. As truth, He is the revelation of God. As life, He is the communication of God to us. 

Jesus came to reveal the Father. To know Jesus is to know the Father. The NKJV Study Bible

Let your heart be kept with full trust in God. However others are overwhelmed with the sorrows of this present time, be not you so. Christ’s disciples, more than others, should keep their minds quiet, when everything else is unquiet. Here is the remedy against this trouble of mind, “Believe.” By believing in Christ as the Mediator between God and man, we gain comfort. 

Christ is the sinner’s Way to the Father and to heaven, in his person as God manifest in the flesh, in his atoning sacrifice, and as our Advocate. He is the Truth, as fulfilling all the prophecies of a Saviour; believing which, sinners come by him the Way. He is the Life, by whose life-giving Spirit the dead in sin are quickened. Nor can any man draw nigh God as a Father, who is not quickened by Him as the Life, and taught by Him as the Truth, to come by Him as the Way. 

By Christ, as the Way, our prayers go to God, and his blessings come to us; this is the Way that leads to rest, the good old Way. He is the Resurrection and the Life. All that saw Christ by faith, saw the Father in Him. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Exodus 3:14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

Matthew 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Hebrews 10:20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,