September 27, 2010

Proverbs 17:10 “Rebuke is more effective for a wise man than a hundred blows on a fool.”

Humans can get to the point where they have learned all they want to in this world, so instead of seeking knowledge and growing, they prefer to remain in a spiritual limbo forever. I cannot see the logic in that.

Father, help me to seek Your wisdom and knowledge, and to be receptive to Your teaching in every area of my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

Are you looking for a church home?

September 25, 2010

Proverbs 16:32 “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”

I can look back over my life and see that some of the worst decisions I have ever made and some of the worst things I have done have been because I made a “snap” decision. Even my training as a Respiratory Therapist have shown me that it is far better to take even a few seconds to analyze even the most perilous and life-threatening situation in order to take the best course in correcting it.

Father, help me to stay calm in the roughest of times, so that my spirit can hear Yours. In Jesus name, Amen.

Are you looking for a church home?

September 24, 2010

Proverbs 13:2 “A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.”

If you know me at all you now that I love words. There is an awesome and fearful amount of power in the written and spoken word. Most important to know, is, just as one cannot “un-ring” a bell, neither can a bitter and hurtful word, and the damage it causes, be simply undone.

Father, help me to speak only words that will bring honor and glory to your name, words that will edify and uplift those whom You have placed in my path today and everyday. In Jesus name, Amen.

Are you looking for a church home?

September 23, 2010

Proverbs 11:1 “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.”

Does this passage remind you of road rage? It makes me think of times when I've been angry at folks who have “wronged” me, doing something to me that I have done to others countless times. My “scales” were rigged in my favor, in other words.

Father, help me to live my life to honor You with honesty and integrity. In Jesus name, Amen.

Come join us in Praise!

September 22, 2010

Proverbs 10:3 “The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, but He casts away the desire of the wicked.”

I had to spend a bit of time with today's passage. At first glance it seems that the “wicked” were not having their “desire” cast away. Then I realized that each individual person will have their own desires. For example, just because some one is rich doesn't mean they have their most sought after prize.

Father, help me today to seek after Your righteousness and Your wisdom. Help me to be the man of God You want me to be. In Jesus name, Amen.

Come join us in Praise!

September 21, 2010

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Does God really want us to be afraid of Him? “God is love,” so it says in 1 John 4:16. However, He is a just God, and that is where fear comes in.

His mercy is available to us, through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Father, help me this day to feel Your love, and to pass it on. In Jesus name. Amen.

Come join us in Praise!

September 20, 2010

Proverbs 8:10,11 “Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.”

Sometimes I stop and think, wondering how many of my choices have come from wisdom. Did I seek God's thoughts before making a decision? Was I more interested in silver, gold, and rubies rather than God's instruction?

Father, help me to follow Your path today, and not to be distracted by the shiny falsehood that the world offers. In Jesus name, Amen.

Come join us in Praise!

September 19, 2010

Proverbs 7:4-5 “Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your nearest kin, that they may keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words.”

How easy it is to be misled, especially in this day of instant news. Folks can witness an event and have it on the internet in seconds, but is it accurate? Was it filtered with wisdom and understanding first, or was it thrown out there because of its sensationalistic ability?

Look at the people who are considered the “upper crust” of American society. How many of them have a clue what wisdom and understanding is?

As for me, I choose to seek wisdom and understanding from God.

Father, help me to be the Man of God You want me to be. In Jesus name, Amen

Come join us in Praise!

September 17, 2010

Proverbs 6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life.”

What's your opinion on Spirituality? I, like many others, see it as our purpose here on earth, to grow in spirit until we have reached the stage of maturity that will allow us to move on to the next phase.

We begin by recognizing our own need for salvation, we accept that salvation which is provided by Jesus Christ with His sacrifice on the cross, then we reach out to others with His Love!

Like a diamond in the hands of an craftsman, we're subject to precise adjustments and calculated manipulation until we reach perfection. Then, God takes us to shine for Him elsewhere, maybe a stellar ring or necklace.

Wonderful!

Are you carrying a heavy burden?

September 16, 2010

Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”

Bible references tell us that in this passage “proud” means “haughty,” arrogant, disdainful, etc. We can feel good about ourselves and still please God. It's vital that we do not take credit for His work, however. Think of it like this; If any of Michelangelo’s paintings had the ability to feel, would they take credit for painting themselves?

Are you carrying a heavy burden?

September 15, 2010

Proverbs 5:3-5 “For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edge sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold on hell.”

The trap here is obvious. The “mouse” in this case is not only men, but the virtue of mankind. The “trap,” the “lips of an immoral woman,” are not only the obvious, but are also the tools Satan will use to divert our attention away from God.

Father, help me to always remember that Jesus died on the cross to break the bonds of the devil and death, and that Your will for me is so much better than I could imagine for myself. In Jesus name, Amen.

Are you carrying a heavy burden?

September 14, 2010

Proverbs 4:26, 27 “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.”

Just think of all the ads we get hit with during the average day. From billboards to TV commercials, people want us to follow their advice and take/buy their pills/furniture/hamburgers/vehicles/soap. Our brains are set to follow such dribble because of our human nature- we want to be told what to do!

When we as humans truly “ponder the path of” our feet, we will see how we're being reeled in like fish by people who care nothing for us once our bank accounts are empty. Let's, instead, ponder and seek the path God has for us. He, after all, does not need our cash.

Are you carrying a heavy burden?

September 13, 2010

Proverbs 4:13 Do you have a prayer need? “Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is your life.”

In today's passage “fast” means “securely,” or “to secure,” not to do so quickly. Instructions are everywhere, right? Signs along the highway, those little booklets that come with new electronics or toys that need to be assembled. How much better is life when we follow them? “She IS your life,” the verse says.

But, only if we follow it, or “her.” The Bible is the Instruction Book to start with, every day. Believe me, it works.

Do you have a prayer need?

September 11, 2010

Proverbs 3:11,12 “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves, He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights”

I's sure that there aren't many folks that over the history of humanity have been thankful for the correction given to them by their parents while it was being given. And certainly no child ever believed the words “you'll thank me later” while sitting in time out!

God loves us, and wants to help us out of trouble. It's my firm belief that He wants, much more, tyo keep us out of trouble to begin with. That's where the lessons come in.

Allowing a child to experience a mild inconvenience so that he or she will learn to avoid a major catastrophe seems wise to me!

Do you have a prayer need?

September 10, 2010

Proverbs 3:3,4 “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so you will find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.” NKJV

I can remember many times during my life that I would be fishing with one of the old style drum-type reels, the kind where it was up to the angler to control the speed at which the line came off the reel when cast into the water. If too slow, the bait would not go very far, if too fast the line would twist and double back on itself, resulting in what is known as a “bird nest.” The line would be so tangled sometimes that the only way to fix it was to cut every inch off and put new line on the spool.

That is how I see mercy. God can clean up our lives if we allow Him to, giving us His mercy to take away the knotted and useless stuff and replace it with new.

Truth is what will allow us to see our need for mercy. Regardless of how clean out lives seem to be, just like how clean and shiny a matted mess of fishing line is, the truth is we cannot untangle our own snarled and non-functional lives.

Mercy and truth. Where would we be without them?

We’re looking forward to seeing you!

September 9, 2010

Proverbs 2:10-13 “When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness;”

As a Registered Respiratory Therapist, my job description included being an integral member of a “Code” team. This is a group of highly trained and experienced people who would respond to a call for help when a patient has stopped breathing, a Respiratory Arrest, or when their heart has stopped beating enough to keep them alive, a Cardiac Arrest.

I can assure you that, because of my experiences, that it is much, much preferred to have fellow team members in the room who knows his or her stuff. Doctors and nurses and Respiratory Therapists who have wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the ever-changing code environment will have the best outcomes, you can be sure.

Isn't it wonderful that God will give this to us? The real question is- Are we willing to seek it from Him?

Come and seek His Knowledge with us!

September 8, 2010

Proverbs 2:6-7 “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;”

Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge, and understanding is

the ability to overlook apparent inefficiencies and find agreement. The three together are like fire, not only in their ability to warm and give light, but in the fact that if any one is removed the other two are reduced to their simplest and least impressive form.

Heavenly Father, please send us, (me), Your Wisdom, Knowledge, and the Understanding necessary to use them for Your Glory. In Jesus Name, amen.

Come and seek His Knowledge with us!

September 7, 2010

Proverbs 1:5 “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”

And so will a wise woman!

It still amazes me how the people that are, and have been, in my life, that I consider to be smart, are the ones who continually seek after knowledge. Every one of them have people that they themselves turn to for help. And, these folks have others who they consider to be smarter than themselves to turn to.

On the other hand, I have seen people who see themselves as always being the “smartest” people in the room, so full of knowledge that they dare not even try to learn anything, not wanting their heads to explode from “intelligence overload.”

The most interesting part? I, myself, have been both of them …

Are you looking for a church home?

September 6, 2010

Proverbs 1:22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.” NKJV

So, what's wrong with being simple? It seems to me that some of the best plans are the simplest ones, right? Certainly they are the easiest ones- but are they?

I love that new show on the History Channel called “Swamp People.” These folks live near or in the swamp and hunt for a living, literally. They sell some to pay bills and to buy stuff they can't get in the wild, but mostly they live off the land and call themselves “simple.”

Not hardly! Watching the show, I marvel at the complexity of hunting down and taking an alligator, not to mention the danger and the teamwork required. There are a few that hunt on their own, but even they have friends and family that throw in to bring the 'gators to market.

What today's passage means by “simple” is stupid- people who refuse to learn, refuse to take instruction and learn from it, or refuse knowledge. Do you know anyone like that? Are you like that? Not likely, or you would not be reading this.

I would like to someday visit the Swamp People and learn from them. Their knowledge base would never send a rocket into the sky, but their ability to turn knowledge into wisdom, wisdom likely refuted by the “learned” of the world, fascinates me. These folks take what God has given them and they use it, and respect it.

If only the government and the “Wall Streets” and the “Madoffs'” and the “Enrons” did the same.

Children turning knowledge into wisdom

Are you looking for a church home?

September 5, 2010

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fool despise wisdom and instruction.”

I feel led to concentrate my Daily Devotionals to the book of Proverbs. So much wisdom in one book!

The passage for today is a great example. With scientists all over the world trying to understand how the universe works, you might think that there would be no atheists in the bunch. How can anyone study the earth and sky without seeing God? And, when you do, how can you try to put an evolutionary spin on the results?

Are you looking for a church home?

September 4, 2010

Luke 16:10 “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

Have you ever had someone, a close friend—a BEST friend-- someone who you enjoyed activities with, who you broke bread with, and, who you enjoyed gossiping about others with?

I have. Until one fine day when I began to wonder if they talked about me to others. Then it got even worse. I wondered if they wondered the same about me! At that point I asked God for forgiveness, and to help me not to ever gossip again. I have faltered from time to time, however. I am still a human, after all.

But my heart breaks whenever I do. Why? Gossiping is destroying someone in an ambush, someone that likely trusts you in some way.

It is my goal to be “faithful also in much.”

Are you looking for a church home?

September 3, 2010

2 Kings 24:4 “And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon.”

Manasseh was a king of Judah who did evil in the sight of God, just one of many, it seems. His reckless rebuke of God caused many innocent lives to be lost. For this, as had happened many times before and since, God caused the enemy to come in and rule over them.

Israel just doesn’t want to obey God for too long at a time, kind of like the United States. Their propensity to quickly worship other gods, even sacrificing their children at times, just to be in line with the elite, would never sit well with God.

How many times do we humans need to learn the same lesson over again?

Are you looking for a church home?

September 2, 2010

Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

What a sight that must be, such an explosion of Joy in the beings that stand in the presence of God, happy, celebrating the arrival of another soul into God's Holy Love! Repentance- te gift that keeps on giving!

Are you looking for a church home?

September 1, 2010

Luke 14:28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Here Jesus seems to be discussing my front porch. There it sits, sizable at 10 X 30, horrifically hot from morning until late afternoon when the shadow of the house covers it and, along with the delicious breeze we constantly have here, makes for a wonderful opportunity to sit out and enjoy our yard.

The original, and the “current,” plan is to enclose the entire porch in with a solid roof and screening to keep the bugs out. Since the handrails were to be temporary, not a lot of thought and effort was put into them- and it shows.

And now it seems to “mock” me. Why? I didn't count the cost beforehand. I built it in stages, (during which I did get literally mocked- visitors remarking with glee “Look! Progress,” as it did take quite some time!), whenever I could find the time and a few bucks for lumber. When I do get it finished it will be an awesome place to relax, cool and enjoyable any time of day. Then, no one will mock me too much.

Had I counted the cost, and properly prepared, it would be finished right now.

Come see us!

August 31, 2010

Luke 13:1-3 “There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, 'Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.'”

So many times folks stay with the one definition of “repent” that means to feel bad for a certain deed, completely forgetting that, on order to truly repent, one must also stop doing that very deed.

For me, when I learned of the deadly earthquake in Haiti I did not think of how the local folks had “brought it on themselves.” Even with their practicing of voodoo, and other sins, were they sinning any worse than the United States? How about Bernie Madoff?

“Oh, he is EVIL,” some say. “He deserves to burn in hell for his thievery.” Still, when you take away all the media bunkum, is what he did any worse than someone who takes advantage of a grocery store clerk who mistakenly gives them too much change?

America, the time for repentance is now. We dropped “the bomb” on Japan, we went to war looking for imaginary weapons of mass destruction, we take much joy in the filthy goings on of the rich and famous, and we watch the destruction of the innocents with the same blood-lust exhibited by the perverted purveyors of violence, except, since it's on television and not in a dog-fighting ring, we think it's OK.

The sins of America are no more justified or overlooked than any other nation- ANY other nation.

Will WE repent, or will we “all likewise perish?”

God, Please Bless America ...

Come See Us!

August 30, 2010

2 Kings 20:19 “Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, 'Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken.' And he said, 'Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?'”

Ah, yes. Peace and Truth. I wish for Peace and Truth, not only for myself, but for every man, woman and child on the face of the earth. This is regardless of religion, color, anything. I want everyone to know the Peace of Jesus, and to bathe in his Truth.

Come see us!

August 29, 2010

Luke 11:4 “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”

Jesus had been asked by one of His disciples to teach them how to pray. He did, of course.

Today, I focused on the word “indebted.” I remembered reading and hearing, from a few Bible scholars, how the word “forgive” comes from the financial world, where a loan, or other type of debt, is dismissed- no longer owed.

So, to forgive someone is to no longer require them to pay you or to make restitution for their “sin” against you. Easy to do if someone steals a small pebble from your driveway, but what about the wife who is beaten by her husband, or the child molested?

It takes a lot of healing, and some time, sometimes a lot of time, but this too can happen. Not for the sake of the offender but for the injured. It's only then that we can release the pain and move on.

Have a prayer need?

August 28, 2010

Luke 10:20 “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus had sent out 70 men to spread the word of His coming, and to heal and preach the Word. When they returned they were rejoicing that the spirits had to obey them, in the name of Jesus. Which brings me to the passage for today.

My ultimate joy does not depend on my earthly status, if so, I would never be happy! There would always be something I wanted or thought I needed in order to be fulfilled. However, since my name is written in the Lambs Book of Life, I can feel happy in any situation. The key word here is “can.”

The continuing goal is to remember not what I am, but “whose” I am.

See what OUR Young People are up to!

August 27, 2010

2 Kings 17:30, 31 “And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.”

In today's passage I have underlined the names of gods that people worshiped, as described in 2 Kings 17. The interesting part is that they also “feared the Lord,” at least at first. These folks weren't all that different from people in today's world who try to “ride the fence,” in other words, please everyone while worshiping God.

The problem is, we cannot do this, it is impossible. They would eventually lose their “fear” of the Lord, though. Does this sound familiar?

How about those children who were “burnt” to appease a false god? It makes me think of the children whose parents “burn” them in honor of the god of vanity. You could easily replace “Adrammelech and Anammelech” with “Fame” and “Celebrity Status.”

That's why my God IS God!

See what OUR Young People are up to!

August 26, 2010

Luke 8:52,53 “And all wept, and bewailed her: but He said, 'Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.' And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.”

Isn't it amazing, all the things we “know.” Remember in History class, learning about the era when folks “knew” the world was flat? That was easy. That was because the farthest one could see was the horizon, even with whatever kind of “glass,” a rudimentary telescope, was available.

Still, some folks saw how even at such a short distance, how the surface of the earth curved, and could postulate that continuing that arch, the world MUST be round.

The people involved here had the same situation. They all “knew” that Jesus could heal their loved one, but actually laughed at the idea that she merely “slept.” Had they followed the “curvature” of the situation--the power of Jesus, the fact that He is the Son of God– they would have seen that the girl was sleeping.

Image courtesy of NASA

Do you have a prayer need?

August 25, 2010

Luke 7:7 “Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.”

I love this story. A centurion, a member of the Roman military, considered to be the backbone of the Roman Army, sent a few “elders of the Jews,” (Luke 7:3), to Jesus to ask Him to come and heal his beloved servant who was “sick, and ready to die,” (Luke 7:2). These elders, likely acquaintances of the centurion due to his rank, didn't waste a second when they finally reached Jesus, but began immediately to plead with our Lord, saying that this centurion was indeed worthy of this request.

“He loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.” Luke 7:5

So, Jesus goes with them to see the servant and heal him. Before He got to the house, the centurion sent friends to Jesus to tell Him that he was not worthy for Him to be in his house, or even to be in His presence. “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed, because I follow orders, and give orders.”

He knew that Jesus need only give the order, and his servant would be healed.

Jesus recognizes this, and replies in Luke 7:9 “I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

The Roman Centurion would have no reason to be afraid of Jesus. His was the occupying force.

He knew who Jesus was. My question is this- would I have?

Do you have a prayer need?

August 24, 2010

Luke 6:6,7 “And it came to pass on another Sabbath, that He entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched Him, whether He would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse Him.”

Let me get this straight. They, the scribes and Pharisees-- essentially the writers and upper crust of the day-- studied Jesus' every move, hoping to catch Him doing something illegal, so they could accuse Him.

Which means this- they KNEW He could heal! They KNEW it! They were witnesses to the power of Jesus and all they wanted to do was accuse Him!

Such arrogance, to make it your goal to bring down God by the law, something they themselves shattered by not recognizing the Messiah.

Courtesy of Jews for Jesus

Come see us!!

August 23, 2010

Luke 5:12-13 “”And it came to pass, when He was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought Him, saying, 'Lord, if Thou wilt, (are willing), Thou canst (can) make me clean.' And He put forth His hand, and touched him, saying, 'I will: be thou clean.' And immediately the leprosy departed from him.”

It's ridiculous how many times I've known that God could heal me, that He had the power but was not willing to! Deeply ingrained in my psyche is the mantra “You are NOT worthy! God's Mercy is not going to save YOU!”

And to that voice I say You are a LIAR!

Jesus, if You are willing, please heal my mind.

Even now I can feel His hand on me, and can hear Him say, “I am willing. Be cleansed.”

"Be thou cleansed."

Come see us!!

August 22, 2010

Luke 4:40,41 “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto Him; and He laid His hands on them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying 'Thou art Christ the Son of God.' And He rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that He was Christ.”

I read this passage and was reminded of the different areas of the New Testament where Jesus would perform a miracle, or heal someone, then tell them not to talk about it or tell anyone who He was. Why would He do that?

Again, I was reminded that we are to look for Christ with our Spiritual eyes, not our physical eyes.

Jesus did not want the celebrity that came with the performing of miracles. He wanted to heal the sick, remove unclean spirits, and to sacrifice Himself for us. He was not looking for a BFF, or His own “Reality” show, unlike so many “preachers” on TV today. He was here for us and to save us.

And He did just that!

Thy Will be Done

Come see us!!

August 21, 2010

Luke 3:10-11 “And the people asked him, saying, 'What shall we do then?' He answered and saith unto them, 'He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.'”

A crowd had gathered to hear John, the son of Zacharias, (John the Baptist), preach and were now asking him what they could do to obey the Lord. Our passage today shows what we are to do when we come upon someone who is in need. Share what we have.

God is pleased when we take something of ours and give it to someone who needs it. Not only does it show Him our willingness to help others, it demonstrates our Faith that He will provide for us. There is another lesson here as well.

If we do not take care of ourselves we will have nothing to give to others.

Come see us!!

August 20, 2010

Luke 2:49-52 “And He said unto them, 'How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business?' And they understood not the saying which He spake unto them. And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subjected unto them: but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God.”

This is the Gift of Mary- not her gift to others but God's gift to her. She was chosen among many other women to bear, birth, and raise Jesus from infancy, you know, around the clock feedings, diapers etc, through the teenage years on to adulthood.

I can't imagine Jesus being much of a problem child though, can you? Still, Mary endured the rigors of child raising that too many find to be too much to deal with. For example, when her family left Jerusalem, neither she nor Joseph were at all concerned that the Boy Jesus was not right there with them. They asked around for him after about a day of traveling, then went back to Jerusalem and found Him after 3 days, sitting in the temple, talking with well educated adults, asking questions and giving answers that amazed His learned audience. His “parents” were frantic, forgetting who He was.

When they found Him, Jesus went with them, being “subject” to them as their child. He would live the whole human experience, His “Fathers business,” as directed by God and our need for salvation. Even though I cannot even imagine it, I like to take time once in a while and contemplate how Mary and Joseph must have felt.

The Gift of Mary- the exclusive honor of watching Jesus grow into a man.

Wow …

12 year old Jesus in the temple

Come see us!!