Good Fruit

Women, be careful.  Many men walk around with apples.  May your attention be given to Jesus Christ.  Let your desire be given to Him only and not to other men and their trinkets, bright and shiny, that they carry to seduce you.

Genesis 3:1-7

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

In Christ Alone

Songwriters Keith Getty (music), Stuart Townend (lyrics)

2 Corinthians 3:5

Key phrases as you walk through your life today:

⁹ To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. ¹⁰ We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.

and

¹⁸ O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.

===

We pray for repentance for us and for our neighbors, our cities and towns, our states, provinces and country, for the whole world.  We have turned away from you.  We seek Your righteousness, we seek our humility, we seek Your great mercies because of Who You are!

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— ² in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

³ Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. ⁴ And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, ⁵ we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. ⁶ Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. ⁷ O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.

⁸ “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. ⁹ To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. ¹⁰ We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. ¹¹ Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. ¹² And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.

¹³ “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. ¹⁵ And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly!

¹⁶ “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. ¹⁷ Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake ^[a]cause Your face to shine on ^[b]Your sanctuary, which is desolate. ¹⁸ O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. ¹⁹ O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

²⁰ Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God,

Your world is falling apart.

You knew certain elements of your existence were in perfect alignment.  Nothing could go wrong.

You're in jail; you're dying; you have a bad disease; all your relationships are broken;

It ain't right, it ain't right, it ain't right.

Fear is all around you wanting to enter you; wanting to consume you.

Your thoughts aren't good.

The voices keep screaming at you.

They want to jab you, cook you, hurt you, fight you, steal from you, kill you, destroy you.

Enough!

Look at the Cross.  It is empty.

The Cross is critical.  It was blood stained, holding the God-man in our place so our wounds would be healed.

The Cross is empty.  Jesus won!  He died so you might live.  He died, so those elements of your existense would align with His.  He died to set you free from jail, death, disease, brokeness, fear, screaming demons.

Jesus Lives!

The Cross is critical.  At that point in time and space, in all dimensions and no dimensions, the Cross that lifted up Jesus, that killed Him, could not hold Him.  Jesus was crucified, died, dead and buried for three days, and then God, His Father, resurrected Him.

Without the Cross there would be no crucifixion.  From that loss then would be no salvation.

The Cross is critical.

From the Cross, Christ brings salvation.

1 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting [a]the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

3 Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

4 So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.”

5 But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”
Jesus Faces Herod

6 When Pilate heard [b]of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. 7 And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. 9 Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. 11 Then Herod, with his [c]men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.
Taking the Place of Barabbas

13 Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14 said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; 15 no, neither did Herod, for [d]I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. 16 I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” 17 (for[e] it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).

18 And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

20 Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. 21 But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

22 Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”

23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men [f]and of the chief priests prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. 25 And he released [g]to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

27 And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ 31 For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”

32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. 33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 [h]Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

And they divided His garments and cast lots. 35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

38 And an inscription also was [i]written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, [j]“If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said [k]to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Jesus Dies on the Cross

44 Now it [l]was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was [m]darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in [n]two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.

47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”

48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. 49 But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

50 Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who[o] himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. 54 That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

There is no shame in Jesus Christ.  And He demonstrates it.

AT A WEDDING!

His momma comes to Him and says, we are out of refreshments - WINE, specifically, WINE!  No more Vino.  Like a momma she knows Who can fix things.  So she turns to the servants and says, "Do what He says!"  And they do and they return to the guy who runs the catering service with between 120 and 180 gallons of wine.  GALLONS!  The best tasting wine you could have.

The point is Jesus reacted with kindness and no shame.  He made what was great, a wedding with lots of food and drink, even better.  At the point where wonder could fall to mundane, He blessed without shame, without expecting anything in return, without enslavement, without payment - without shame!

The next time someone wants to hurt you, in the Church or out, remember the God/Man on the Cross adds no shame to your life.

John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³ And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

⁶ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. ⁷ Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. ¹⁰ And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

¹¹ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and ^[a]manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

¹² After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,
When I'm very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,
Close beside me all the way;
He's prepared a home for me,
And some day His face I'll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so

John 3:

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.

Keep Trusting Jesus!

Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
⁸ It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.

Braggadocio has no place in the Christian's heart.

Those secret, holy things between you and Christ (found, given, delivered during your conversations with Christ) - do not share them with your enemy who comes to do you harm.

(Of course, charity is a good and right action.  If your enemy is hungry feed him; thirsty give him drink; cold, give him your coat; curses you, bless him; seeks to do you harm, pray for him.)

The example of Hezekiah, called out as a good King, shows that the Christian must be ever vigilent of his heart becoming stone because of the goodness of Christ in his life. 

The antidote is raised hands in praise to Christ, bended knee in prayer and supplication, prudence, discretion wisdom, holiness when under attack by evil/sin/hell.

In the Name of Christ!

2 Kings 20:

¹² At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. ¹³ And Hezekiah was attentive to them, and showed them all the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.

¹⁴ Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?”

So Hezekiah said, “They came from a far country, from Babylon.”

¹⁵ And he said, “What have they seen in your house?”

So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”

¹⁶ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁷ ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ¹⁸ ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”

¹⁹ So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?”

Pretty much Christ Alone and no other.

Psalm 27
1
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2
When the wicked came against me
To eat[a] up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3
Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4
One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the [b]beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
5
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

6
And now my head shall be [c]lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of [d]joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8
When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9
Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10
When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

11
Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12
Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

14
Wait[e] on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

We cry HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!

Revelation 11:17  saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

Remember Jesus - Talk to Him!

“Men Have Forgotten God” – The Templeton Address
by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

More than half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.

Since then I have spent well-nigh fifty years working on the history of our Revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous Revolution that swallowed up some sixty million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.

What is more, the events of the Russian Revolution can only be understood now, at the end of the century, against the background of what has since occurred in the rest of the world. What emerges here is a process of universal significance. And if I were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the entire twentieth century, here too, I would be unable to find anything more precise and pithy than to repeat once again: Men have forgotten God.

The failings of human consciousness, deprived of its divine dimension, have been a determining factor in all the major crimes of this century. The first of these was World War I, and much of our present predicament can be traced back to it. It was a war (the memory of which seems to be fading) when Europe, bursting with health and abundance, fell into a rage of self-mutilation which could not but sap its strength for a century or more, and perhaps forever. The only possible explanation for this war is a mental eclipse among the leaders of Europe due to their lost awareness of a Supreme Power above them.

Only a godless embitterment could have moved ostensibly Christian states to employ poison gas, a weapon so obviously beyond the limits of humanity.

The same kind of defect, the flaw of a consciousness lacking all divine dimension, was manifested after World War II when the West yielded to the satanic temptation of the “nuclear umbrella.” It was equivalent to saying: Let’s cast off worries, let’s free the younger generation from their duties and obligations, let’s make no effort to defend ourselves, to say nothing of defending others-let’s stop our ears to the groans emanating from the East, and let us live instead in the pursuit of happiness. If danger should threaten us, we shall be protected by the nuclear bomb; if not, then let the world burn in Hell for all we care. The pitifully helpless state to which the contemporary West has sunk is in large measure due to this fatal error: the belief that the defense of peace depends not on stout hearts and steadfast men, but solely on the nuclear bomb…

Today’ s world has reached a stage which, if it had been described to preceding centuries, would have called forth the cry: “This is the Apocalypse!”

Yet we have grown used to this kind of world; we even feel at home in it.

Dostoevsky warned that “great events could come upon us and catch us intellectually unprepared.” This is precisely what has happened. And he predicted that “the world will be saved only after it has been possessed by the demon of evil.” Whether it really will be saved we shall have to wait and see: this will depend on our conscience, on our spiritual lucidity, on our individual and combined efforts in the face of catastrophic circumstances. But it has already come to pass that the demon of evil, like a whirlwind, triumphantly circles all five continents of the earth…

By the time of the Revolution, faith had virtually disappeared in Russian educated circles; and amongst the uneducated, its health was threatened.

In its past, Russia did know a time when the social ideal was not fame, or riches, or material success, but a pious way of life. Russia was then steeped in an Orthodox Christianity which remained true to the Church of the first centuries. The Orthodoxy of that time knew how to safeguard its people under the yoke of a foreign occupation that lasted more than two centuries, while at the same time fending off iniquitous blows from the swords of Western crusaders. During those centuries the Orthodox faith in our country became part of the very pattern of thought and the personality of our people, the forms of daily life, the work calendar, the priorities in every undertaking, the organization of the week and of the year. Faith was the shaping and unifying force of the nation.

But in the 17th century Russian Orthodoxy was gravely weakened by an internal schism. In the 18th, the country was shaken by Peter’s forcibly imposed transformations, which favored the economy, the state, and the military at the expense of the religious spirit and national life. And along with this lopsided Petrine enlightenment, Russia felt the first whiff of secularism; its subtle poisons permeated the educated classes in the course of the 19th century and opened the path to Marxism. By the time of the Revolution, faith had virtually disappeared in Russian educated circles; and amongst the uneducated, its health was threatened.

It was Dostoevsky, once again, who drew from the French Revolution and its seeming hatred of the Church the lesson that “revolution must necessarily begin with atheism.” That is absolutely true. But the world had never before known a godlessness as organized, militarized, and tenaciously malevolent as that practiced by Marxism. Within the philosophical system of Marx and Lenin, and at the heart of their psychology, hatred of God is the principal driving force, more fundamental than all their political and economic pretensions. Militant atheism is not merely incidental or marginal to Communist policy; it is not a side effect, but the central pivot.

The 1920’s in the USSR witnessed an uninterrupted procession of victims and martyrs amongst the Orthodox clergy. Two metropolitans were shot, one of whom, Veniamin of Petrograd, had been elected by the popular vote of his diocese. Patriarch Tikhon himself passed through the hands of the Cheka-GPU and then died under suspicious circumstances. Scores of archbishops and bishops perished. Tens of thousands of priests, monks, and nuns, pressured by the Chekists to renounce the Word of God, were tortured, shot in cellars, sent to camps, exiled to the desolate tundra of the far North, or turned out into the streets in their old age without food or shelter. All these Christian martyrs went unswervingly to their deaths for the faith; instances of apostasy were few and far between. For tens of millions of laymen access to the Church was blocked, and they were forbidden to bring up their children in the Faith: religious parents were wrenched from their children and thrown into prison, while the children were turned from the faith by threats and lies…

For a short period of time, when he needed to gather strength for the struggle against Hitler, Stalin cynically adopted a friendly posture toward the Church. This deceptive game, continued in later years by Brezhnev with the help of showcase publications and other window dressing, has unfortunately tended to be taken at its face value in the West. Yet the tenacity with which hatred of religion is rooted in Communism may be judged by the example of their most liberal leader, Krushchev: for though he undertook a number of significant steps to extend freedom, Krushchev simultaneously rekindled the frenzied Leninist obsession with destroying religion.

But there is something they did not expect: that in a land where churches have been leveled, where a triumphant atheism has rampaged uncontrolled for two-thirds of a century, where the clergy is utterly humiliated and deprived of all independence, where what remains of the Church as an institution is tolerated only for the sake of propaganda directed at the West, where even today people are sent to the labor camps for their faith, and where, within the camps themselves, those who gather to pray at Easter are clapped in punishment cells–they could not suppose that beneath this Communist steamroller the Christian tradition would survive in Russia. It is true that millions of our countrymen have been corrupted and spiritually devastated by an officially imposed atheism, yet there remain many millions of believers: it is only external pressures that keep them from speaking out, but, as is always the case in times of persecution and suffering, the awareness of God in my country has attained great acuteness and profundity.

It is here that we see the dawn of hope: for no matter how formidably Communism bristles with tanks and rockets, no matter what successes it attains in seizing the planet, it is doomed never to vanquish Christianity.

The West has yet to experience a Communist invasion; religion here remains free. But the West’s own historical evolution has been such that today it too is experiencing a drying up of religious consciousness. It too has witnessed racking schisms, bloody religious wars, and rancor, to say nothing of the tide of secularism that, from the late Middle Ages onward, has progressively inundated the West. This gradual sapping of strength from within is a threat to faith that is perhaps even more dangerous than any attempt to assault religion violently from without.

Imperceptibly, through decades of gradual erosion, the meaning of life in the West has ceased to be seen as anything more lofty than the “pursuit of happiness, “a goal that has even been solemnly guaranteed by constitutions. The concepts of good and evil have been ridiculed for several centuries; banished from common use, they have been replaced by political or class considerations of short lived value. It has become embarrassing to state that evil makes its home in the individual human heart before it enters a political system. Yet it is not considered shameful to make dally concessions to an integral evil. Judging by the continuing landslide of concessions made before the eyes of our very own generation, the West is ineluctably slipping toward the abyss. Western societies are losing more and more of their religious essence as they thoughtlessly yield up their younger generation to atheism. If a blasphemous film about Jesus is shown throughout the United States, reputedly one of the most religious countries in the world, or a major newspaper publishes a shameless caricature of the Virgin Mary, what further evidence of godlessness does one need? When external rights are completely unrestricted, why should one make an inner effort to restrain oneself from ignoble acts?

Or why should one refrain from burning hatred, whatever its basis–race, class, or ideology? Such hatred is in fact corroding many hearts today. Atheist teachers in the West are bringing up a younger generation in a spirit of hatred of their own society. Amid all the vituperation we forget that the defects of capitalism represent the basic flaws of human nature, allowed unlimited freedom together with the various human rights; we forget that under Communism (and Communism is breathing down the neck of all moderate forms of socialism, which are unstable) the identical flaws run riot in any person with the least degree of authority; while everyone else under that system does indeed attain “equality”–the equality of destitute slaves. This eager fanning of the flames of hatred is becoming the mark of today’s free world. Indeed, the broader the personal freedoms are, the higher the level of prosperity or even of abundance–the more vehement, paradoxically, does this blind hatred become. The contemporary developed West thus demonstrates by its own example that human salvation can be found neither in the profusion of material goods nor in merely making money.

This deliberately nurtured hatred then spreads to all that is alive, to life itself, to the world with its colors, sounds, and shapes, to the human body. The embittered art of the twentieth century is perishing as a result of this ugly hate, for art is fruitless without love. In the East art has collapsed because it has been knocked down and trampled upon, but in the West the fall has been voluntary, a decline into a contrived and pretentious quest where the artist, instead of attempting to reveal the divine plan, tries to put himself in the place of God.

Here again we witness the single outcome of a worldwide process, with East and West yielding the same results, and once again for the same reason: Men have forgotten God.

With such global events looming over us like mountains, nay, like entire mountain ranges, it may seem incongruous and inappropriate to recall that the primary key to our being or non-being resides in each individual human heart, in the heart’s preference for specific good or evil. Yet this remains true even today, and it is, in fact, the most reliable key we have. The social theories that promised so much have demonstrated their bankruptcy, leaving us at a dead end. The free people of the West could reasonably have been expected to realize that they are beset · by numerous freely nurtured falsehoods, and not to allow lies to be foisted upon them so easily. All attempts to find a way out of the plight of today’s world are fruitless unless we redirect our consciousness, in repentance, to the Creator of all: without this, no exit will be illumined, and we shall seek it in vain. The resources we have set aside for ourselves are too impoverished for the task. We must first recognize the horror perpetrated not by some outside force, not by class or national enemies, but within each of us individually, and within every society. This is especially true of a free and highly developed society, for here in particular we have surely brought everything upon ourselves, of our own free will. We ourselves, in our daily unthinking selfishness, are pulling tight that noose…

Our life consists not in the pursuit of material success but in the quest for worthy spiritual growth. Our entire earthly existence is but a transitional stage in the movement toward something higher, and we must not stumble and fall, nor must we linger fruitlessly on one rung of the ladder. Material laws alone do not explain our life or give it direction. The laws of physics and physiology will never reveal the indisputable manner in which the Creator constantly, day in and day out, participates in the life of each of us, unfailingly granting us the energy of existence; when this assistance leaves us, we die.

And in the life of our entire planet, the Divine Spirit surely moves with no less force: this we must grasp in our dark and terrible hour.

To the ill-considered hopes of the last two centuries, which have reduced us to insignificance and brought us to the brink of nuclear and non-nuclear death, we can propose only a determined quest for the warm hand of God, which we have so rashly and self-confidently spurned. Only in this way can our eyes be opened to the errors of this unfortunate twentieth century and our bands be directed to setting them right. There is nothing else to cling to in the landslide: the combined vision of all the thinkers of the Enlightenment amounts to nothing.

Our five continents are caught in a whirlwind. But it is during trials such as these that the highest gifts of the human spirit are manifested. If we perish and lose this world, the fault will be ours alone.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, “Godlessness: the First Step to the Gulag”. Templeton Prize Lecture, 10 May 1983 (London).

The reader  should be motivated to have continuous conversations with Jesus Christ. 

Essentially, God came down in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, lived approximately 32 years, was scourged and whipped, forced to carry His instrument of death, was crucified, dead three days and then resurrected by God.  All for the sole purpose of reconciling His creation mired in depravity and poverty of its own doing with the One Who says, “I Am”, the Creator, the God of the living and not the dead, the Good God.

The reader should be asking, “Why wouldn’t I want to spend time talking with this God, the creator, the One Who suffered, so I don’t have to, hearing what He has to say?”

People are constantly pursuing riches, fame, fantasy, perfection and other pursuits, at severe expense to their well-being.  Men who have conversations with Jesus have something far superior to those pursuits.  They have a relationship with the Creator of all that exists. 

It is like being a lowly employee who can walk into the boardroom of a major company at any time to talk with Chairman of the Board, the founder of the company.  These men do not sit opposite the Chairman, they sit next to the Chairman, having a cup of coffee discussing thoughts important to them, laughing about some shared ideas, and feeling pain about others.

Man was created by God from the very beginning to have friendship with God.  That means talking and listening.  Too many times theologies are teaching men cannot hear from the Living Word.  They are taught only to acknowledge hearing from God through a reading/studying of the Bible or ancient historical dogma, the practical recall of the written word or through the preaching of the pastors and teachers.  Yet, nothing could be further from the truth.  That approach sets little men up as little gods in the lives of those earnestly pursuing the Living Word.  At the same time, it replaces a living relationship with a living God for a knowledge of God, but not a knowing God.  It borders on witchcraft – “I shall let my Bible fall open and whatever verse appears, that shall be my answer; What does my pastor say?  What does the preacher say?  What prayers were prayed over me down front after the service?”  This approach and attendant activities are a manipulation of, a forcing of, a transactional perspective toward the Creator.  It is a theology of money, Ba’al.  “How can I trade with God?  What must I do to do what I want to do?  If I know how to do it, then I will be able to add to my collection.”

That philosophy is in strict opposition to what Jesus lived.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” 

The Lord of Life says those who know Him give Him an audience.  NOTHING else.  They are not out to transact for gain, nor to trade with God.  They are out to be with Him.

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

The contrast between what is in the world, including many churches, and theologies, and what Jesus said could not be more stark.  Prostitution versus presence in Jesus’s sight.

Men who pray are men who pursue Jesus Christ for the sake of Jesus Christ, not for their own gain and not for the gain of Christ.  There is no transactional gain in the audience of Christ.  Many benefits include eternal life with the giver of life.  LIfe with Christ means much pain in this world including taking up one’s cross.

Men who pray are constantly having a conversation with Jesus Christ.  Conversations are two way activities.  Conversation means talking and listening.

One cannot give an audience to Christ while driving to work (nor texting, nor in Bible Study, nor in Church programs, nor in serving in the Church, nor meditating upon scripture, nor at prayer breakfasts, nor at men’s retreats… the list goes on) even if listening to “Christian Radio Programs.”  Jesus said, “You cannot serve two masters…” 

Praying men talk with Jesus and they listen to Him in time set aside.  Jesus’ behavior is the model for men who pray.  Often times Jesus would pull away for time alone with His Father to discuss what the will of His Father was.

If Christian men approached their wives the way they approach Jesus, no children would ever be born, for what woman wants to be an object rather than in a relationship with her husband?

Men who pray seek Jesus.  They give Him an audience.  They listen to Him.  They talk to Him.  For the sake of Him and nothing else.  That perspective is that of a man who prays.

Enough reading of this page.  The time is now for the reader to go have a conversation with Jesus about anything and everything.  Who knows after listening to Christ for a while, the reader’s topics for conversation may become less important than what the reader receives from Him while they are in the midst of a conversation.

Genesis 3:8  ⁸ And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day,

Daniel 9:3-5   ³ Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.  ⁴ And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,  ⁵ "we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.

Daniel 6:10  ¹⁰ Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

Luke 22:40-44  ⁴⁰ When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."  ⁴¹ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed,  ⁴² saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  ⁴³ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.  ⁴⁴ And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Now is the time to recognize that the Christian is no longer in need of a Moses model of Christian Leadership, nor a prophet, a minister, a preacher, a pastor, a prayer team, a prayer chain, a televangelist. 

The Christian has direct access to God almighty through His Son, Jesus Christ.  The phrases, "my pastor", "Pastor X", "Preacher Y", "The Pastor says...", "The Church doctrine is..." boarder on idolotry, positioning Almighty Christ as a talisman.  Substituting Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Priest or Church for Christ is wrong faith.  One might as well talk to God through a pig.

The point of Christ's whipping and scourging, His Crucifixion, His three days in Hell, and His Resurrection is the redemption of relationship between God and Man, as it was in the Garden of Eden when they both talked with each other.  Since Man's fall, He spoke to man in various ways and at various times through the prophets.  Now He speaks to Man through Jesus.

There is no other that has redeemed the relationship between man and God than Jesus.  A man may hold a title of religious significance demanding through subterfuge that others speak to God through him or that he is God's representative speaking God's words to man, but that is pure idolatry.
 

Talking to Jesus and hearing Him speak to you is conversation with God.  For only Jesus restored the relationship between God and man.

Hebrews 1:1-2  1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,  2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Obtain Wisdom, Prudence, Knowledge, Discretion and you will live.

Those who hate wisdom, love death.

Wisdom is knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action.

Prudence is caution with regard to practical matters; regards for one's own interest.

Knowledge is acquaintance with facts, truths and principles.

Discretion is care in one's conduct and speech.

Proverbs 8:1 - 8:36  NKJ Proverbs 8:1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 

2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 

3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 

4 "To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 

5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 

6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 

7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 

8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 

9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 

11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. 

12 " I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. 

13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. 

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. 

15 By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. 

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. 

17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. 

18 Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. 

19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. 

20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 

21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. 

22 " The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 

23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. 

24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 

25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 

26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primeval dust of the world. 

27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 

28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 

29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 

30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, 

31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men. 

32 " Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. 

33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. 

34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 

35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD; 

36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death."

The Pimping of God

Many times we replace Almighty God with an image of god.  That can be in a certain culture, the primacy of the state.  In another culture, it can be the image of a goddess printed out on a baseball size card to help remind of one's loyalties.

In certain cultures we replace Jesus with a mighty work of man: the church edifice, the liturgy, the vestments, the rules and regulations (do not eat, do not touch, do not associate, the tithe, when you must attend services, and how many you must attend, how many verses you have memorized), the "servant/leader" concept, the bumper sticker religion.

Using godly sounding language to elevate one's status or minimize one's pain is similar to spraying graffiti across the face of the living God.

Saying we have no other gods but God, yet yielding to the state's dictates on when and how and with who we may meet means we are pimps of God.  We whore Him out to our own pleasures and sense of right without consulting Him, which means we have made ourselves as an Image of God.  We have replaced God with ourselves.  When we elevate ourselves we make Him lower than us.  We make Him a lady of the evening.

When we grab with both hands the neck of God and subjugate Him to sell him, and plaster our name on top of His, then we have made Him, our tart.  We earn profit by selling God to others.  We sell versions of our notes attached to the Bible and profit mightly.  We  demand a portion of adherants' income and call it a Godly act while we fly all over the world in our private jet for our own pleasure.  We sell a perfect life on earth - slap the name of Jesus on it, and profit greatly. We charge others to attend seminars, and teaching conferences in the Name of God.  We turn God into a soul-less image worthy only for our own pleasure to be discarded once He has been used up. 

We can sell musical instruments, play them loudly, sing even louder, all in the name of God while taking money from others.  In doing so we have made God, our working girl. 

We traffic in people, abusing them for our sexual & power gratification and drug & alcohol highs all the while trading them behind the edifice of the church.  In pimping God's creation, we pimp Him.  We've become Madame's of Christ making Him, a cocotte.

Many of us through our actions, words, thoughts and deeds make Jesus a doll we take out and play with for our own pleasure.

Consider and repent. 

Christ, who died on a cross for all of our sins, rose three days later, sits at the right hand of God, makes a footstool out of his enemies, has overcome all evil.  Him whom we abuse forgives us.

Repent.  Accept His Mercy.

Exodus 20:7   7 " You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

James 1:13-15  13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

The Blessings of Jesus -

If you aren't talking to God this way, because of what Jesus did for you on the cross, then you are mis-stepping.  You are ignoring the lamp unto your feet and the light unto your path.

Start asking Jesus for these sacraments.  He is always listening and willing to bless you in so many ways you can't even yet understand.  Yet there they are: His blessings He wants to give you.

You should be talking to him continually, asking Him for these very special and wonderful blessings.

We do not abide a mean god.  We are adopted into a good God's life.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10   9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain."  10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested.

The Kindnesses of Christ

Matthew 6:24  24 " No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

1 Timothy 6:6-11   6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

Luke 12:13-21  13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  14 But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  15 And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  17 "And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  18 "So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." '  20 "But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  21 "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Matthew 22:17-22  17 "Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"  18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?  19 "Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius.  20 And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"  21 They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 

Proverbs 22:4   ⁴ By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.

Proverbs 13:22  22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Proverbs 10:22-23   22 The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.

The Wrath of Jesus

Matthew 21:12-13  ¹² Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.  ¹³ And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

Matthew 21:18-19  ¹⁸ Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.  ¹⁹ And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away.

Matthew 11:21-24  ²¹ "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  ²² "But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  ²³ "And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  ²⁴ "But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."

Matthew 25:31-46  ³¹ " When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  ³² "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  ³³ "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  ³⁴ "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  ³⁵ 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;  ³⁶ 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  ³⁷ "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  ³⁸ 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  ³⁹ 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'  ⁴⁰ "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'  ⁴¹ "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:  ⁴² 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;  ⁴³ 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'  ⁴⁴ "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  ⁴⁵ "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'  ⁴⁶ "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

2 Corinthians 5:10-11  ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  ¹¹ Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

2 Corinthians 5:9  ⁹ Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

He is risen indeed.

NKJ Mark 14:1 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.  2 But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."  3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.  4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?  5 "For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply.  6 But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.  7 "For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.  8 "She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.  9 "Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her." 

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.  11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. 

12 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?"  13 And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.  14 "Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" '  15 "Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."  16 So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.  17 In the evening He came with the twelve. 

18 Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."  19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?"  20 He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.  21 "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born." 

22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  24 And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.  25 "Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."  26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 

27 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.'  28 "But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."  29 Peter said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be."  30 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times."  31 But he spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all said likewise. 

32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray."  33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.  34 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch."  35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.  36 And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."  37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?  38 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words.  40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.  41 Then He came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.  42 "Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand." 

43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.  44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely."  45 As soon as He had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.  46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.  47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.  48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  49 "I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled." 

50 Then they all forsook Him and fled. 

51 Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him,  52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.  53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.  54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.  55 Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.  56 For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.  57 Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,  58 "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.' "  59 But not even then did their testimony agree.  60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?" 

61 But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"  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."  63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?  64 "You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.  65 Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands. 

66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.  67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus of Nazareth."  68 But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are saying." And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.  69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, "This is one of them."  70 But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, "Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it."  71 Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!"  72 A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And when he thought about it, he wept. 

NKJ Mark 15:1 Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.  2 Then Pilate asked Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" He answered and said to him, "It is as you say."  3 And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing.  4 Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, "Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!"  5 But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.  6 Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.  7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.  8 Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them.  9 But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" 

10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.  11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 

12 Pilate answered and said to them again, "What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"  13 So they cried out again, "Crucify Him!"  14 Then Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify Him!" 

15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. 

16 Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison.  17 And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head,  18 and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  19 Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.  20 And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.  21 Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.  22 And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.  23 Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. 

24 And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.  25 Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. 

26 And the inscription of His accusation was written above: THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

27 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.  28 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors."  29 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days,  30 "save Yourself, and come down from the cross!"  31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.  32 "Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. 

33 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 

35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!"  36 Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down." 

37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.  38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 

39 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" 

40 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,  41 who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.  42 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,  43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

NKJ Mark 16:1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  3 And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 

6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.

He is risen!

He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 

7 "But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." 

8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. 

9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 

10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 

11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 

13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. 

14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 

15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 

16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 

17 "And these signs will follow those who believe:

In My name they will cast out demons;

they will speak with new tongues; 

18 "they will take up serpents;

and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them;

they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." 

19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 

20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming

Trust God.

Enough Said!

Proverbs 3:5-6  ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 46:10-11  ¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  ¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Psalm 28:7-8   ⁷ The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.  ⁸ The LORD is their strength, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

Matthew 6:25-34  ²⁵ " Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  ²⁶ "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  ²⁷ "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  ²⁸ "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;  ²⁹ "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  ³⁰ "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  ³¹ "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  ³² "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  ³³ "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  ³⁴ "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Psalm 9:9-10  ⁹ The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.  ¹⁰ And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Hebrews 13:8   ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Romans 15:13  ¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:28-31  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.  ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.  ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Psalm 112:7  ⁷ He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

Joshua 1:9  ⁹ "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Mark 5:36   ³⁶ As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."

Isaiah 26:3  ³ You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Psalm 37:3-7   ³ Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.  ⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.  ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.  ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.  ⁷ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

Romans 12:19-21  ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.  ²⁰ Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."  ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Psalm 37:5   Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

Isaiah 41:10  ¹⁰ Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

John 10:10   ¹⁰ "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

You would give all this up for some pleasure?

NKJ Proverbs 5:1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, 

2 That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge. 

3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; 

4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. 

5 Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell. 

6 Lest you ponder her path of life -- Her ways are unstable; You do not know them. 

7 Therefore hear me now, my children, And do not depart from the words of my mouth. 

8 Remove your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house, 

9 Lest you give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one; 

10 Lest aliens be filled with your wealth, And your labors go to the house of a foreigner; 

11 And you mourn at last, When your flesh and your body are consumed, 

12 And say: "How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised correction! 

13 I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me! 

14 I was on the verge of total ruin, In the midst of the assembly and congregation." 

15 Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well. 

16 Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets? 

17 Let them be only your own, And not for strangers with you. 

18 Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth. 

19 As a loving deer and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; And always be enraptured with her love. 

20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, And be embraced in the arms of a seductress? 

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He ponders all his paths. 

22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin. 

23 He shall die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. 

Amen!

Psalm 101:2-4  ² I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.  ³ I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.  ⁴ A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.

Galatians 5:18-25  ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  ²⁴ And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

1 John 1:6-10  ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  ⁷ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Psalm 51:17   ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart -- These, O God, You will not despise.

Simply said: Love Jesus with all your heart, soul and strength.  Singing worship songs, going to church, listening to sermons, reading devotionals, attending bible study, and other church activities are fun and feel good.

Talking of Jesus; knowing the right theological positions, and or doctrines, and or catechisms, belonging to the right Christian Group are ways Christians draw near to God with their mouths and honor him with their lips.  They fulfill the rules by men.

Talking with Jesus negates rules by men!

Listening to Jesus and following Him because you love Him and not because of some obligation or servanthood or service or slavery are ways of drawing near to him with your heart and honoring Him with your whole being.