Monday, 26

Day two

Jesus is moved as looks upon the “City of God,” the “City of David,” Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. It is this day that Jesus cursed the barren fig tree! Now in Jerusalem, Jesus comes to the Temple, the sight of the “money changers” stirs righteous indignation and turns over all the merchants booths!

Your mercy is unfailing our King and Lord! Forgive us if we have become merchants of Your Grace, through merchandise on the tables of our hearts.

Oh, God, quicken us that we not become fruitless branches of your trunk, may your compassion not whither.

Restore our joy in Your Salvation and grant us a willing spirit to proclaim your Gospel of salvation in Your Blood and Grace. Amen.

Yours in the Life of Jesus, His Death, Burial and Resurrection,

du Padre

Palm Sunday

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

St. John 12;12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! ” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

Most high and prayer hearing God

As we walk in Your garden as did Adam and Eve we talk with Thee our God and Creator.

Let us be ever mindful of the Love and Suffering of Your Son and the Savior of all people of Creation.

Form in us a remorseful heart and joyous Spirit, mourning and praising Hosanna to Christ The Lord.

Merciful and Loving Creator and Savior we trust in Your Resurrection. Amen.

(choosing words of others beautiful prayers)

Yours in the Life of Jesus, His Death, Burial and Resurrection,

                                                              du Padre

“For God so loved . . .”

by Chuck Swindoll

Luke 2:6-7

When Mary and Joseph began their journey southward to Bethlehem, they probably thought they had time to make the trip, register for the census, and then return home to Nazareth before the baby would be born. The weather cooperated and a donkey carried their provisions, but the journey proved more lengthy than either of them had expected. Mary was soon to give birth.

By the time they reached Bethlehem, Mary was exhausted. To make matters worse, the tiny town was packed with travel-weary people. Joseph searched for lodging . . . nothing. One kind family agreed to let them stay in a stable. It was a crude shelter, but it kept them out of the elements. No doubt a low fire warmed the chilly night air.

Once they were settled, Mary rested while Joseph worked his way through the corrupt registration process. Too soon, a powerful, dull ache gripped Mary's abdomen. She called out for Joseph in a panic, but he would be gone for hours. She had attended many childbirths, so she calmed herself and arranged their little shelter in preparation for the baby. A spare tunic would be His swaddling; a little bed of fresh straw in the feeding trough would cradle the newborn infant.

As evening fell, her labor pains intensified and accelerated. Joseph returned from the city tax office to find Mary moaning through a bone-deep wave of pain. There are no pains like those of childbirth. None so intense. None so hopeful.

Perhaps it was well into the night when Joseph laid the tiny Hope of Israel in Mary's arms. For nine months prior to His birth, Mary had talked to the baby, sung to Him, felt His body move, and looked forward to the day when she could finally touch Him. Now she looked into His eyes—Immanuel, "God with us."

It's hard to know if, in those first hours, God gave Mary a brief premonition of years to come, when another would point to her Son and say, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" . . . or when that promise would be fulfilled and a sword of emotion would pierce her own soul. Anticipated or not, those days would surely come. Mary's little Lamb was destined for sacrifice. But tonight she held her baby close, kissed His soft cheek . . . and wept quietly in the wonder of it all.

See Matthew 1:23; John 1:29; and Luke 2:35.

Sad News

When will it stop? Eight (8) dead in NY by a "terrorist" deliberately running down bicyclists, a dozen or more injured.

I often turn to Matthew 5:1-12 Verse 7 a blessing for those who help others.

Praying for those injured and mourning with those who are mourning.

(and knowing how hollow my words are) Yet sincere

PSALM 23:4 (NIV)

4.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Jesus Is the Revealer of the Invisible God

It was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him.

—Colossians 1:19

Most historians acknowledge that there was a man named Jesus who walked on the earth 2,000 years ago. And even agnostics concede that nobody has influenced the world for good more than Jesus. Hospitals, orphanages, universities, and many scientific advances—all of these things came about through Christians because of their faith in Christ. And yet, as wonderful as those accomplishments were, that’s not what makes Jesus the most holy person who ever lived. This week we will look at Colossians 1 to discover three unique characteristics of Jesus Christ.

Notice what Paul says what makes Jesus truly holy, different, separate. Jesus Christ is the revealer of the invisible God. If you believe there is a God, don’t you want to know who that God is? Don’t you want to know whether that God is loving or hateful? Don’t you want to know whether He is truthful and can be depended on, or whether He is deceptive? If there really is a God, wouldn’t it be good if we knew what He wants from us and what He demands from us? All of those are important questions to answer if there truly is a God.

Jesus came to tell us everything about God we need to know. Jesus is different from all the other religions in the world because in every other religion, there is a difference between the founder of that religion and the message of that religion. For example, Muhammad never claimed to be able to change people’s lives; he pointed people to the Qur’an to change people’s lives. Buddha never said he could save anybody; he pointed people to the Noble Path that would save people. But Jesus was altogether different. Jesus didn’t just point people to the message. He said, “I am the message.” Jesus didn’t say, “I will show you the way.” He said, “I am the way.” He didn’t say, “I will teach the truth to you.” He said, “I am the truth.” He didn’t say, “I am going to open the door to life.” He said, “I am the life.” Jesus is the full representation of God Himself.

Paul says of Christ, “It was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him” (Colossians 1:19). Do you know what is the greatest miracle of all time? It’s not the resurrection. That’s a big one, but it’s not the biggest. The greatest miracle of all time was the incarnation. God poured all of Himself into a tiny embryo implanted in a Jewish teenager’s womb. All of God, all of the fullness of God, dwelled in Christ. The humble circumstances of Christ’s birth have led people to misunderstand it. Many people believe because Jesus was born in a stable, placed in a feeding trough, somehow that means He was a little bit less than God. Not at all. God willingly chose to take human form. Why did He do that? The reason He came in such humble circumstances was to prove He was willing to go to whatever extreme necessary to rescue us from our dilemma of sin and death. Why is Jesus holy, different? Because Jesus is the revealer of the invisible God. Everything you need to know about God, you find in Jesus Christ.

Suppose someone should offer me a hamburger after I had eaten a T-bone steak. I would say, “No, thank you, I am already satisfied.” Young Christian, that is the secret. You are so filled with the things of Christ, so enamored of the things of God, that you do not have time or taste for sinful pleasures of this world.

It does not mean that in society we are snobs or have a superiority complex, lest we be in danger of spiritual pride — which would be far worse than any worldliness.

Just ask this question to yourself every time: “What would Christ have me to do?” Another question you can ask is, “Can I ask His blessing upon this particular thing for me?” “What would Christ think about my amusements, recreation, books, companions, and tele- vision programs?” “Could I ask Christ to go along with me to this particular event?” Being omnipresent, He’ll be there anyway. The point is, should you?

But today there are so many professing Christians who are walking hand in hand with the world that you cannot tell the difference between the Christian and the unbeliever. This should never be.

The Christian should stand out like a sparkling diamond against a rough background.

He should be more wholesome than anyone else. He should be poised, cultured, courteous, gracious, but firm in the things that he does and does not do. He should laugh and be radiant, but he should refuse to allow the world to pull him down to its level.

The Bible says that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23), and the Bible again says that he who doubts is condemned if he does it. In other words, we are never to do anything of which we are not perfectly clear and certain.

***

Pathway to Victory Devotion © Robert Jeffress  

edited by rcl

What an intense week !

Have you ever read or walked the Stations of the Cross? Although mostly observed by Catholic and Orthodox believer's yet it can be a very moving experience for Protestant's like myself during this week of Passover and Passion of Christ culminating with the Resurrection Sunday observance

Our Christian Salvation is like no other Faith.

The Disciples could not be dissuaded, just try to imagine the words of Jesus echoing in your head as you looked into the empty tomb. Is there anything in your life that no matter what, what family, friends or any one, you will never change. If you talked with a supposed dead person, walked with, sat with, eat with and in Thomas' case touched the same Jesus that he had touched before the Cross.

The only thing that I can compare in our lives today would be an auto accident that you were in, you will remember the day, the hour and moments every horrifying second, every noise, every smell and the sight! God forbid a rape or a murder right in front of your eyes.

I also have had an incident that I can relive in a split second; Nov. 4, 1966 and more, I mention this only to impress on the reader that even after 50 plus years this is so real in my life, I can describe my every emotion, every sound, every smell and nothing, nothing you or any one else can say or do nothing to dissuade me of any single thing of that day.

(Many objections to the gospels is the supposed late dates of the records of the "Four Gospels" but their memories were most likely very vivid.)

It must have been that way with Peter, James, John, Matthew, Mark, Thomas, Jude, James the brother of John, Nathaniel, Simon the Zealot, Phillip and Judas Iscariot. Not to mention Saul called Paul the apostle or Mary the Mother of Jesus, Martha and her sister Mary and Mary of Magdala.

What is there in your life that you would just say; "no, I'll die first." "just shoot me now"

Yours in Faith,

            du Padre

February is often known as the Love month, Valentines Day. Marketers have used February for everything from selling candy, flowers, vacations. One web site has declared February The Month of Love and Kindness even appointing the week of 12 to 18th. the week of "Random Act's of Kindness Week" and my sisters birthday. Who didn't already know that? Well I don't expect you knew that the oldest of my 5 younger sisters was born on Feb. 14th. Happy Valentines Day!

John 3:16 New King James Version (NKJV)

Who has not seen that small child with her or his arms stretched out straight from the shoulder and saying "I Love You this much!"

It is Unfeigned: a Love of all creation, a Love for all the world, a Love of all the earth, and all that comes out of it and returns unto it. Of all this Creation which single creation/creature has the ability beyond instinct to reason, to learn or question our very existence.

It is Unfeigned Love for All Creation most of all human beings, all man kind, all that have question of ones very existence an answer of Love.

No matter the plite the/our creator has made the way; just open the door and step through! There is no toll! You just have to grab the handle and open the door then cross the threshold.

Thirsty? the water that quenches all thirst is right over there! Just across that line, but it is over there! One must step over, over to the other side. Filthy dirty? there is cleansing on the other side! You just need to pass through the curtain, the cleaning is on the other side, it cleans inside out! It cleans behind the ears, between the toes even the heart and soul.

Only if you want it, only if you go through, all thirsts are , all hunger is filled. and all filth or evil is cleansed.

Jesus of Nazareth is the door! Jesus bleeding on the cross is the veil!, Jesus's empty tomb is the line!

All who open unto Jesus and step into Gods Love thirst no more for sin. "because God so Loved."

All who step through the veil, by stepping through the curtain of the blood of Jesus leave filth of this life and like Jesus live anew. "because God so Loved"

All who chose to cross the line into the empty tomb will hunger no more for the lusts of this life. "16.For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Happy Valentines Day

     du Padre

It begins in 1919, my paternal grandfather had been discharged from the US Army early 1919 after the end of WW I in Fort Lewis Washington beginning married life with Gertrude Rolf resulting in the birth of my father Robert R. Lewis. Fast forward to about September 1940 enlisted in the US Navy having graduated so to speak from completing goals in the Civil Conservation Corps (the three CCC's) and turning 21

After boot camp graduation and naval training school a Quartermaster "Striker" he was assigned to the USS Utah BB-31/AG-16 [christened Florida Class US Battleship 1909 521 ft. long, 5 twin 12 in. main battery gun turrets w/ 12in. armor plate] Dad reported aboard the "Her" early 1941 in Bremerton, WA. where she was undergoing maintenance in preparation for fleet training with the Pacific Fleet headquartered at Honolulu, Hawaii and ported in Pearl Harbor.

As a navy Quartermaster he stood watches on the bridge navigating and steering this very sea worthy "bucket of rivets" as He called Her. With a max speed of 10 knots (about 12 mph) on open seas the first day was 10 to 12 hours for a "Dreadnought" battleship size "combat readiness" training vessel to navigate the Puget Sound.

Departing state side 14 September 1941 Joining the rest of the fleet in Her role as an anti-aircraft gunnery training ship with additional duties of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training early Oct. 41 through Nov. where she served as a bombing target for aircraft from the carriers Lexington CV-2, Saratoga CV-3, and Enterprise CV-5. Including operations with Cruiser USS Raleigh C-9 and destroyers of DesRon one. Returning with the Battleship to Pearl Harbor on December 5 & 6 and mooring on the N. W. side of Ford Island.

On 7 December 1941, while moored at Pearl Harbor, Utah was hit by Japanese aerial torpedo attack, rolled over and sank. (inter-net)

From my memory over many years of stories from the war time service mostly at family gatherings and reunions. With full disclosure most of these stories occurred late in the day into the night and I'm sure only after a pull of the cork or two of Old Johnny Barley Corn.

Dad was born 29 Sept. 1919 the oldest of four sibling, Clarence Neal Lewis born 1921, Harry Raymond 1923 and Dorothy Eunice 1925. Like most all the rest of Americans of that area they went and did what the nation needed. Neal had joined the Marines and before Dec. 7 was stationed on Midway Isl. When Ray graduated high school he joined the Army and volunteered for the "Air Corp" and Dorothy left school for jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area ship yards and became a "Rosie the Riveter."

So here is the way I remember the story of December 7, 1941.

Uncle Neil had got a message to Bob when the Utah came in, letting Dad know He was in the Naval Hospital on hospital point. Neal had had an asthma attack on Midway and was sent to the hospital at Pearl after the first of Dec. Dad was going to meet Neil at the hospital on Sunday, Dad was up dressed in white uniform bell bottoms and a t-shirt for chow and had return to birthing area to finish dressing for liberty when the noise started, "what the hell !" He grabbed his dress shoes then "general quarters" sounded "General Quarters! General Quarters!" "this is not a drill, General Quarters!" He took off in sock feet for his "GQ" station on the ships bridge. At the foot of the ladder the the ship exploded as Dad said it, "She heaved up" and it drove him to the deck as he struggled to get his footing "She blew again." It was loud and chaotic, he said the ship was steadily leaning, steel groaning with stress, sailors clamoring everywhere he said, one young sailor in tee-shirt and skivvies clinging to the hand rail looked up and ask "What'll we do?" Bob said, she is rolling that way, we go this way as he climbed over the railing telling the younger sailor to just set down between the rivets and slide. He said by then he could almost stand on the side of the hull, he said as he sat to slide the young sailor was just bobbing among the debris and he yeld, "swim like hell"

As he hit the churning waters he said he could the "ol girls" keel. He said he couldn't see any thing but the hull when his head came up out of the water and he tried to swim the other direction. But he quickly realized it was to thick to swim, the water was covered with a thick sludge, a mixture he said he could identified by smell more than sight, "coal oil" floating on "diesel" mixed in with the smell of sewage.

Dad said He was exhausted from the swim toward Ford Island, the weight of the wet clothing and the sticky oily goo clinging to his hair and skin. He said he found a piling and a steel cable to grab on to, a few hand over hand pulls he felt the bottom with his feet and staggered onto the shore of Ford Island. looking back he said the old Utah was on her side and he was looking at mostly the "old girls bottom."

He said there was a lull now, His "sigs" that were rolled in his t-shirt sleeve were gone, he looked again for the young sailor that went over the side ahead of him was no where to be seen.

"Hey sailor" Dad looked around thinking which damn sailor they want they are all over the place. Focusing on what looked like marine's uniform coming toward him, you! where'd you come from? Dad just motioned over his shoulder at the now hulk of the mighty Battleship Utah floundering on her side. "there is a bomb shelter over by that hanger someone will come by take your name and tell you where to muster for your duty station. "want a smoke?" "kill for butt right now!" the marine, that dad had just noticed had silver letinet bar on his collar, tapped out a Camel, "hey even my brand" the marine struck a match. They will bring rations around later and they are supposed have dry clothes at the shelters. Sirens were sounding again on the main island, "thank you Sir!" "good luck swab!"

Dad said at the shelter He grabbed the first person with a clipboard, "my brother's a jarhead, He was at the hospital" "sorry mac, I can't help ya!" At that time neither Dad or Uncle Neil knew the fate of the other brother.

He said he heard the drone of aircraft engines and explosion over on the island, Hickum, maybe and all hell broke loose again.

All I heard of the following days was about the following day was just that he was assigned to clean up, he said he saw sailors in motor whale boats hooking bodies out of the water with boat gaffs. Bodies where just laid out in rows mostly on the concrete PBY aircraft launch ramps.

A week or so later Dad got orders to report aboard the USS Honolulu CL-48, Light Cruiser, she received what is described as minor damage from near misses on Dec. 7th. Her main armament was five 6in tri-mount gun turrets.

Dad said it was on their Aleutian duty that the mail caught up with him that included a letter from his father "Pop Lewis" telling him that his Bro. Neil survived the Japanese attack and was doing shore defense duty in charge of a 50 cal. nest while awaiting orders back to the states for health reasons.

At some point during his time at Mare Island early 1943 He got liberty and returned home to Willits, Ca. and mother and he dated, Marrying in November 1943.

Soon after he received orders to the USS Minneapolis CA-36 "Minni" a New Orleans Class Heavy Cruiser, main armament was 9, 8in. guns on three tri-mount turrets, being advance to from 3rd Class petty officer to 2nd Class Q.M. and caught mail plain to the S. Pacific to catch the "Minni" in the Gilbert Islands.

Shortly after these last battles Dad was flown back to the states and to the naval hospital at San Jose, CA. being discharged by June 1945.

After having served on three well known WW II Naval ships and seven major battle in the Pacific from Pearl Harbor, Aleutians Islands and the Marians & Philippines in the S. Pacific.

Notice:

Bob & Betty Lewis are proud to announce the birth of their Son Robert C. Lewis born 21 Sept. 1947