those loopy internet pictures...

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...God holds back; he hides himself; he weeps. Why ? Because he desires what power can never win. He is a king who wants not subservience, but love. Thus, rather than mowing down Jerusalem, Rome, and every other world power, he chose the slow, hard way of Incarnation, love, and death. A conquest from within.

George MacDonald summed up Christ's approach: "Instead of crushing the power of evil by divine force; instead of compelling justice and destroying the wicked; instead of making peace on the earth by the rule of a perfect prince; instead of gathering the children of Jerusalem under His wings whether they would or not, and saving them from the horrors that anguished His prophetic soul - - He let evil work it's will while it lived; He contented Himself with the slow unencouraging ways of help essential; making men good; casting out, not merely controlling Satan.... To love righteousness is to make it grow, not to avenge it.... Throughout His life on earth, He resisted every impulse to work more rapidly for a lower good - - strong, perhaps, when He saw old age and innocence and righteousness trodden under foot." (Life Essential: The Hope of the Gospel)

~ a passage taken from Philip Yancey's Disappointment with God, 1988.

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Election insanity, say the people. I agree.

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"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," Jesus said to his three disciples. Although he claimed the authority to dispatch an army of angels in his own defense, Jesus did not. He had come to live in a world of skin and blood and tissue, and he would die by it's rule as well. At one point he fell facedown on the ground and prayed for some way, any way, out. His sweat fell to the ground in large drops, like blood.
And God, the Father, stayed silent.

At Pilate's palace, the restraint continued. In the most literal way, God--in Jesus--had his hands tied. "Prophesy!" some cried, taunting him with a challenge toward miracle. "Who hit you?!" The Son of God did not resist as their fists fell on his blindfolded face and their spit ran down his beard.

The next scene, at Calvary, has been imagined for us so many times in passion plays and sermons and paintings that, benumbed, we can hardly imagine it for ourselves. Start by remembering your time of most acute disappointment. You staked everything on what seemed to be within God's power--a recovery from cancer, perhaps, or the birth of a healthy baby, or God's help in stitching a marriage together. But everything turned out wrong. The cancer killed, despite your prayers; the baby was born with brain damage; you got divorce papers in the mail.
Think of Calvary at that time. ...Think of it as a time of No Miracle.

Everybody craved a miracle then: Pilate and Herod, who had heard the sensational rumors; the women who had trailed Jesus all the way from Galilee; the disciples who cowered in the shadows.
One dying theif begged for a miracle; the other mocked, and spectators took up the cry, "Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe in him. . . . Let God rescue him now if he wants him."

But there was no rescue, no miracle. There was only silence.
....."My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!" Jesus cried out at last. It was a quotation from the Psalms, the ultimate wail of disappointment. The Father had turned his back, or so it surely seemed, letting history take it's course, letting all that was wrong with the world triumph over all that was right.........."

~to be continued, very soon~

(Philip Yancey's Disappointment with God, 1888, ZONDERVAN, ch.: The Postponed Miracle)









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..........Today, the major events of Jesus' life are marked on calendars around the world--Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter. Of the three, however, only the middle one, the Crucifixion, took place in the open for all the world to see. At the moment when God seemed downright helpless, the cameras of history were rolling, recording it all. Large crowds watched every excruciating detail. And when four men wrote up accounts of Jesus' life, they collectively devoted one third of their Gospels to that time of apparent failure.

The spectacle of the Cross, the most public event of Jesus' life, reveals the vast difference between a god who proves himself through power and the One who proves himself through love. Other gods, Roman gods, for example, enforced worship: in Jesus' own lifetime, some Jews were slaughtered for not bowing down to Caesar. But Jesus Christ never forced anyone to believe in him. He preferred to act by appeal, drawing people out of themselves and toward him.

Paradoxically, that sense of weakness inspired new hope. "If God is for us, who can be against us?!" concluded the apostle Paul, resting his faith in the boundless love of a God "who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all!"
Love is most persuasive when it involves sacrifice, and the Gospels make clear that Jesus came to die. In his own words, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." Somehow, the possibility of eternal happiness required this time of silence and profound disappointment.



(concluding passage of Philip Yancey's The Postponed Miracle chapter, from his book, Disappointment with God: three questions no one asks aloud, '88, Zondervan)









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I'm sorry Ossy. Rest for now, boy. May God keep you for me.

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As Jesus went into Capernum, a centurion came up to Him, begging Him,
and saying, "Lord, my servent boy is lying at the house paralyzed and distressed with intense pains."
And Jesus said to him, "I will come and restore him."
But the centurion replied to Him, "Lord, I am not worthy or fit to have You come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servent boy will be cured.
For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my slave, Do this, and he does it."
When Jesus heard him, He marveled and said to those who were His followers, "I tell you truly, I have not found so much faith as this with anyone, even in Israel !
I tell you, many will come from east and west, and will sit at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
while the sons and heirs of the kingdom will be driven out into the darkness outside, where there will weeping and gnashing of teeth." [Ps. 107: 2,3; Isa. 49: 12; 59: 19; Mal. 1: 11; Acts 7: 54.]
Then to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; it shall be done for you just as you have believed." And the servant boy was restored to health at that very moment.




~ the good news of the words and acts of Jesus, according to His disciple Matthew.









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And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed to the other side and came to His own town.
And behold, they brought to Him a man paralyzed and prostrated by illness, lying on a sleeping pad; and when Jesus saw their faith,
He said to the paralyzed man, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted."
And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This man blasphemes [He claims the rights and perogatives of God]!
But Jesus, knowing (seeing) their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil and harbor malice in your hearts ? For which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted, or to say, Get up and walk ?
But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins and remit the penalty, He then said to the paralyzed man, "Get up ! Pick up your sleeping mat and go your own house."
When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear and awe; and they recognized God and praised and thanked Him, Who had given such power and authority to men.

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's office; and He said to him, "Be my disciple [side with my party and follow me]. And he rose and followed Him.
And as Jesus reclined at the table at the house, behold, many tax collectors and other wicked sinners came and sat with Him and His disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and those most sinful ?
But when Jesus heard it, He replied, "Those who are strong and well (healthy) have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victoms. For I came not to call and invite [to repentence] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin). [Hos. 6: 6]


~ the good news of the words and acts of Jesus, according to His disciple Matthew !






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[Then] the disciples of John the baptizer came to Jesus, inquiring, 'Why is it we and the Pharisees, fast often, but your disciples do not fast ?'
And Jesus replied to them, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them ? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.


..........As Jesus passed on from there, two blind men came to Him, shouting loudly, 'Have pity and mercy on us, Son of David !'
...and Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I am able to do this ? They said, Yes, Lord.

Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith and trust and reliance [on the power invested in me] be it done to you;
And their eyes were opened.
And Jesus earnestly and sternly charged them, See that no one know about this.

But they went off and spread His fame abroad throughout the whole district.

And while they were going away, behold, a mute man under the power of a demon (an angel in rebellion to God) was brought to Jesus.
[And] when the demon was driven out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were stunned with bewildered wonder, saying, 'Never before has anything like this been seen in Israel.'
But the Pharisees said, 'He drives out demons through and with the help of the prince of demons.' (the Satan)

~ this, according to Jesus' disciple, Matthew.










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[And] Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God and curing all kinds of diseases and weaknesses and infirmities.

When He saw the throngs of people, He was moved with pity and sympathy for them, because they were harassed and distessed and dejected and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [Zech. 10: 2]

The He (Jesus) said to His disciples, The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few,
So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest.








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'Next up,' going through Matthew: Mt. 10::
And Jesus summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority..........Jesus sent out these twelve, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and do not go into any town of the Samaritans; But go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.

And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand!..........

And into whatever town or village you go, inquire who in it is deserving, and stay there [at his house] until you leave. [that vacinity]
As you go into the house, give your greetings and wish it well.

Then if indeed that house is deserving, let come upon it your peace [that is freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin]. But if it is not deserving, let your peace return to you.

And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust [of it] from your feet.
Truly I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgement for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. (Jude 7)

Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves.

Be on guard against men [whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God]; for they will deliver you up to councils and flog you in the synagogues,
And you will will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a witness to bear testimony before them and to the Gentiles. (the nations)


But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and moment,
For it is not you who are speaking, but the spirit of your Father speaking through you. .....

And you will be hated by all for My name's sake, but he who perseveres and endures to the end will be saved. [from spiritual disease and death in the world to come]

When they persecute you in one town [that is, pursue you in a manner that would injure you and cause you to suffer because of your belief], flee to another town. ..........
[So] have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or kept secret that will not become known.



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What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

And do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Gehenna).


~the authentic words and sayings of Jesus, according to his disciple, Matthew.





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...and back over here with only a little more prepared (enhanced) just to Banning season makes this place crawl along.


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"Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny ? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave (consent) and notice.

[But] even the very hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows.

.....Everyone who acknowledges me before men and confesses me [out of a state of oneness with me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father Who is in heaven and confess [that I am abiding in] him. But whoever denies and disowns me before men, I will also deny and disown him before My Father Who is in heaven.

Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and I newly married wife from her mother-in-law--
And a man's foes will be they of his own household.

He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] me is not worthy of me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] me is not worthy of me."

~Jesus' teachings, according to his disciple, Matthew.






Please click-on the animated gifs: ghosts playing ping-pong and digitalized rabbit in order to see their movement.




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...he who does not take up his cross and follow me [cleave steadfastly to me, conforming wholly to my example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on my account will find it [the higher life].

He who receives and welcomes and accepts you, receives and welcomes and accepts me, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts me receives and welcomes and accepts Him who sent me.

..........

...whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is my disciple, surely I tell you, he shall not lose his reward.

~ Jesus, from the record of His disciple Matthew.





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..........

...[and] blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is he who takes no offense to me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through me and is not hindered from seeing the Truth.

..........


At that time Jesus began to say, I thank You, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth [and I acknowledge openly and joyfully to Your honor], that You have hidden these things from the wise and clever and learned, and revealed them to babies [to the childlike, untaught, and unskilled].

Yes, Father, [I praise You that] such was your gracious will and good pleasure.

All things have been entrusted and delivered to me by my Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son deliberately wills to make Him known.

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Come to me, you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest [I will ease and relieve and refresh you].
Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your self.

For my yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and my burden is light and easy to be borne.


~Jesus, according to his disciple Matthew (The Amplified Bible translation here)




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..........Jesus went through the fields of standing grain on the Sabbath [day]; and his disciples were hungry, and they began to pick off spikes of grain and to eat. [Deut. 23: 25]

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, See there! Your disciples are doing what's unlawful and not permitted on the Sabbath.


He (Jesus) said to them, "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, and those who accompanied him -- How he went into the house of God (the temple) and ate the loaves of the showbread -- which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for the men who accompanied him, but for the priests only ?

Or have you never read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the sanctity of the Sabbath [breaking it] and yet are guiltless ? [Num. 28: 9, 10]

But I tell you, Something greater and more exalted and more majestic than the temple is here !

And if you had only known what this saying means, 'I desire mercy [readiness to help, to spare, to forgive] rather than sacrifice and sacrificial victoms,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. [Hos. 6: 6; Matt. 9: 13]


For the Son of Man is Lord [even] of the Sabbath.

~ the words of Jesus , according to His disciple Matthew.


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