Acceptance

 Jesus said to the woman, do you believe I can do this? She said yes, then Jesus said be it done for you according to your faith. 

What is this, in for a penny, or in for a pound?

 Jesus said if one has enough faith, great faith, one can even move mountains. Specifically, strong faith could uproot a mountain and dash it into the sea. Quite a few think He did not really mean it, He was just speaking metaphorically. Probably for emphasis I guess. Who knows?  I myself? 

I believe it!

Jesus in John 6:24

 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

The Lesser orbits the Greater

This is the verse which caused many to leave Him, apparently for doctrinaire reasons. Rather not speak why at this moment but am not particularly inspired by doctrinaire reasons. Seems it is rather more like political positions, where they speak of one another who will obey the law but not the spirit of the law. 

parables contain commandments

And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. Luke 18:8 

I always knew this but wondered why? What does Jesus mean here? That the world is smarter than we are? Looks like look-up item.

Jesus

.....every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. Matt 32:36 

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 This well suggests that one have a greater respect for the power of words. Words can build on power by themselves as well as destroy ourselves in a series of seeming acts of kneejerk  compulsions .

The flesh cannot help us.....

 It is the Spirit which gives life. The flesh will not help you. The things which I have told you are spiritual and are life. But some of you will not believe me. - For Jesus knew from the beginning which of his followers did not trust him and who was the man who would betray him. Then he added, "This is why I said to you, 'No one can come to me unless my Father puts it into his heart to come.'"

 "What things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." Jesus talking in Mark 11:24

Reason proof is elusive

 Reason proof is always only to our satisfaction, but never absolute is because in the seen world everything is subject to inexplicable rotating change, as if in a dream. Faith, nothing wavering, is absolute. How could uncertain proof stand still beside it? Proof streches from the possible to the probable. Proof is whatever one is comfortable within a person.  Many do not have any view on this. My view, as vague as it may be, is trying to get out of a kind of shell hiding my full view, whatever it may become. 

Jesus, writing only once... in the sand...

....talked only and it was written down by many, then copied by many more. Today , some wonder if He ever lived. Yet, was it Homer who wrote one book? One book only and no one questions whether he ever lived or not.  Yet another  typically misunderstood fact. All those witnesses writing their memories down and they over time yet all put together a totally unique story hung together perfectly. 

All that and disagreed on various facts, which is usual among so many witnesses. This proves they did not conspire to create such an original story, but they saw certain facts  each from their own perspective. And that perspective was predicted by prophets over the ages all thru the Old Testament.   Meanwhile He was 33 and His ministry lasted three years. It is all hard to believe, the wonder of it all. 

It requires faith to believe, not proof. Those drawn by God will seek it out, deligently. 

John 17

My mother read this chapter in John every morning and it is carved into her stone. This chapter repeats major points over and over , as many as three times in some cases. (Reminding some, 17 is the prayer Jesus makes during the night before being betrayed by Judas. He goes to the cross the next day.) 

We should talk to each other as if...

......we are talking to Jesus. That is said in a commandment among parables. Many, including pastors, are either not aware of this or choose to rationalize matters to the sidelines. I've witnessed the parable of the ninety nine ignored more than once. Church leaders often are lulled by their thriving clicks into thinking they get to choose who likes them. Another misstep is handling stumbling blocks as if  they were unmentionable under the guise of gossip so that things go untreated, and grow worse.

Are Christians smart?

Jesus inferred we were not. He said the children of the world were smarter than the children of the light. This was in the parable of the unjust servant. In church we see everyone likes to review the easy but no word about the more difficult to explain. Indeed some never even heard of it and became quite upset with me over my questions from the time I was a child.

I asked what happened to all those who died in the Flood. I was laughed at so extravagantly that it made it into the High School (Christian) yearbook.  The answer of course was right there in the account  of the crucifion itself. If we, and the teacher yet, didn't know, then where are we? How central can we get?

The parables contain the commandments of Jesus. If we love Jesus then we kmow and obey His commandments. I am not a chapter and verse man, but if I'm correct, try Luke 16:8 in the parable of the unjust servant for verification.

Definition of an essay.......

An essay is a trial. Everything I think of is a trial run at understanding, written for my own benefit, no one else.  If something I read sets me off into a new direction then that may prove profitable some unexpected way or another, or , maybe not.  Who knows unless I try? Everything is a try all run.

Questions in the doorway...

Why was it that only one has ever claimed to be the Son of God or to die and rise from the dead?  Not only do many seem not to comprehend the concept of the spirit,  but not to even have a definition of God in their understanding  even while at the same time debating the existence of God.