...ALL things...

Bookmark: Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but NOT with God; ALL things are possible with God." (mk10:27)
<><>< Also the context of this verse- though it is a worthy "refrigerator" verse is in "The Rich Young Man" passages at Mark 10:17-31 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=MARK%2010:17-31&version=NIV

The complete passages hold the complete lessons, and are worth reading, and then v27 entered here once again. The young man is v20 declares "Teacher"... "All these I have kept..."
<>< In this the man spoke sincerely because for him keeping the law was a matter of external conformity. The totality that the law ALSO required INNER obedience, (which no one can fully satisfy) apparently escaped him completely. Paul even speaks of having a similar outlook before his conversion (Php3:6)
Underline in your mind- escaped him completely which also underlines Jesus' request of him. Verse 21 Jesus looked at him AND LOVED HIM. “One thing you lack," He said. "Go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. THEN come, follow me."
<>TAKE NOTE so as to not take out of context whom Jesus was speaking to--- The Young Man.
There is NO indication that Jesus' command to him was meant for ALL Christians.
IT APPLIES ONLY TO THOSE THAT HAVE THE SAME SPIRITUAL PROBLEM.
If your LOVE / NEED is in Your processions too- or how much money or wealth you have- then Jesus' Rx is also to you.
It is often said secularly even- "the love of money is the ROOT of all evils." This young man Jesus LOVED! DO NOT miss this part of the message. Treasure in heaven was and IS Jesus' goal /purpose for us each: The GIFT of eternal life, or salvation. The treasure is NOT to be earned by self-denial or giving of one's material goods BUT is to be received by FOLLOWING Jesus. In giving, away his wealth, the young man would have removed the obstacle that kept him from trusting in Jesus.
V10:22 describes the young mans tragic decision to turn away. This reflected a greater love for his possessions than for eternal life. V10:25 is a word picture of what is HUMANLY impossible.
Therefore, IF - and only IF what you HAVE is loved MORE ...ummm, well then - God's LOVE for you may find it necessary to reveal that to you. The one thing that you think you need--- MAY just be the "ONE THING YOU LACK” AND
is keeping you from spiritually or INNER (the heart) obedience to God.
A mission speaker at church once shared it using a paper/deed/note.... as the illustration. Where in our words we say "Here", "Take it, it is yours".... BUT our thumb may be holding onto that last little piece or corner of the page as it is being handed over. With man, this IS impossible to do alone.
V26 shows that even the disciples with such a word picture illustration asking each other "who then can be saved?"
For EACH and EVERYONE of us have that ONE THING that is the CAMEL trying to go through the eye of a needle. Is it your children? Your spouse? Your bank account? Your home? What may it be for you? Whatever it is... that is why "Jesus looked at them and said, "With MAN this IS impossible, but NOT with GOD. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD."
<>< we can NOT do this on our own. To stay in context V29-31 "I tell you the truth"- a solemn affirmation used by Jesus to strengthen His assertions here. ..."a hundred times as much... and with them persecutions" The life of discipleship is a combination of promise AND persecution, blessing and suffering.
TAKE NOTE of THIS TRUTH: GOD takes NOTHING from a Christian without making multiplied restoration in a new and glorious form. Paradoxically, fellowship, with other believers develops most deeply in persecution. V31 'first will be last' is a warning against pride in sacrificial accomplishments (see what Peter spoke in verse 28) GOD sees ALL and KNOWS the motive of HEART IN ALL. God does NOT WANT your possessions OR for you to go without them. To truly follow Him does take ones WHOLE HEART, so whatever interferers with that ---- take NOTE of… and ask God with a sincere heart by faith what the Rich Young Man asked Jesus in V17 “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
When he asked the question he was thinking in terms of EARNING righteousness to merit eternal life, but Jesus teaches it is A GIFT to be received.
Our only hope is in total reliance on God, who alone can give eternal life. To LIVE this – is to reach beyond the external actions – into the internal… THERE lies the depth of ALL.
There is NOTHING outside that can truly separate us from God (Rm 8:39) but the motive of our heart in holding on to these (external things) can keep us from kingdom living. THAT is the message spoken to here, “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness” – “He did not waiver in unbelief concerning the promises of God”
Even if God told him to sacrifice his son Isaac – Abraham KNEW God promised him that son and therefore would give him back to him. AND the amazing thing in this – in the giving up to GOD by faith in Him-
LOVE GROWS
To the immeasurable place it resides in / with GOD.

It is hard to fathom words to wrap around this Truth being illustrated. Even here I can hear Jesus say “he who has ears to hear let him hear”…
Also- “do not boast – ACCEPT in the Lord… and in what He has done”
YES<>< All that we have is of God and a precious Gift received. There is NO GREATER love or sacrifice that has already been given for you than that given once and for all by Jesus Christ for us. These passages are to ask us to GIVE as HE has given to us- ‘With man this is impossible, but NOT with God; ALL things ARE POSSILE with GOD.”
Thank you God for how great IS Your love
In Jesus’ name <>< Amen<><

The Promise

27 May 2010- Now 101st Journal begins after a day of continual prayer for loved ones in crossroads of life yesterday.
Bible is bookmarked at several places this morn… Matt 3:1-4:1; John 2:4-3:23; Acts 2:14-3:3 & 2 Cor. 4:3-5:14…
The latter here contains my life verse in its passages. John contains the infamous John 3:16…Matthew speaks on John the Baptist Preparing the Way & Jesus’ Baptism. In Acts Peter addresses the Crowds and the Fellowship of the Believers….
<>< <>< <>< Acts 2:38 Peter replied: “Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--- for ALL whom the Lord our God will call.”
<> It is in belief/fact/TRUTH the completeness made by the coming of the Holy Spirit by the sacrifices of Jesus Christ for our lives. Every bookmark here is no coincidence indeed in making context of all The Word spoken to our hearts offered up today as counsel for our blessing of this day that God has made. Before connecting fully to the next bookmarks here, I note Acts 2:39. During many of life’s harshest times it has served as God’s reminder and peace that brought calm in every storm. These passages may remind us all- that we are not only NOT alone--- but God has included us into His circle of life The Trinity.
These passages also so mark the difference of TRUE CHRISTIANITY- by the presence of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.
As I look up from entries here a butterfly works Gods magic on the fragrant full bloom of yes… the butterfly bush waiting to be planted. The bush a new south west coast of Florida discovery for the so missed northern lilacs. The beloved lilacs are a lifelong favorite bloom remembered since childhoods Ohio yard. A fragrant memory that carried through all life’s moves through the years from there, to SE coast of FL; NYC; OH; SE coast FL again; Puerto Rico: coastal VA; Puget Sound area of Washington State to the backyard that I sit in now, blanketed by a palm trees shade this morn on the this sw coast of Fl home. This same home now since 1995 has housed many crossroads. Alas as the butterfly lands fluttering to and fro on the blooms, I, with the eyes of faith see Acts 2:39 as God Breathed “living: Word spoken to this day as a reminder that forever and a day- God remains! God’s promises do not change or go away – AND HE remains able to work all things together for His good purposes for those that love and trust in Him.
See, the fragrant offerings… are we, attached to Him… and the Holy Spirit comes to work the miracle of God’s Plan for humanity on /in each of our lives.
OK, so in my Artistic outlook to all that I see… what a glorious Word Picture that butterfly on the butterfly bush bloom symbolizes indeed. (Somehow next painting too) For that butterfly flutters to both the blooms n the bush waiting to be planted--- AND to the one who’s roots are established and run deep in the other corner of the garden. The connecting point remains in Gods miraculous plan for humanity indeed- He is the vine, we are the branches. The Holy Spirit can work in us ONLY if we remain connected, nourished, blooming, as a fragrant offering of Christ Jesus working in our lives.
And yes- find that it is no coincidence indeed to the next entries bookmarked for study… just one of many of these is … John 3:16.
THANK YOU GOD for the way You inspire these eyes to see… and the way that YOU have moved my heart to see with eyes of faith in ALL things.
Thank YOU that ‘according to our faith’ remains a part of God’s Master plan: mustardseed to established tree indeed – ALL done GODSPEED. <>< <>< <><
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Yesterday’s prayers continue through this day in their urgency and constant needs. A butterfly confirms pictorially God’s working and that God’s Promises STAND. This heart lifts up each prayer continually with GREAT NEED for Counsel and The Holy Spirit interceding… on our behalf where know not what to plead… do know simply to BELIEVE and remain connected to THEE- and One way is by Your God breathed Word- that is not only living- even living in you and me. THANK YOU GOD that “The Promise is for (me) you and your children and for ALL who are far off—for ALL whom The Lord OUR God will call.” AMEN

“In His Light… Before The Dawn” On Day 3 of 50 and nearing the end of 100th journal. It has been a long week with fearful and sometimes sad times.

“...It is He (The Lord) who saves us…” excerpt from Isaiah33:27
IF we humble ourselves and live in / abide in God’s Truth IN FAITH. For the fact of the matter is----- We live in/abide in God’s Truth whether we choose to believe in it or not.

For better context, ALL of this verse reads: For The Lord is our judge, The Lord is our lawgiver, The Lord is our king, it is HE who saves us.
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That is O.T. and N.T. and from the beginning to the end TRUTH that can not be denied.

God’s free will given to us too- will ALWAYS give us the choice to decide HOW we opt to reside in it. WITH or against are really the only two choices to make. ALL freedom is in the with- no hope, no freedom is the against.

Well, that keeps things pretty black and white… even for us artist’ types.
Pretty black and white options YET the GOOD news remains in how great is Gods Love Mercy and Grace…. AND … there is NO PLACE we can journey that GOD can’t reach us – IF we call on Him IN Faith.
We are not to give the ultimatums, we are not to say “fix my messes” per say either … we are simply to RECEIVE and LIVE IN THE JOY OF HIS Sovereignty!!!!

In His glorious Truth on OUR SIDE every day- THERE - there is no better place to reside.

For “If GOD is for us none can come against us” indeed. Remembering TOO it is NOT our will to be done- It is GODs will to be done… remembering:
Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Meaning in faith & response rather than merely words)
Rom 8:28 And we KNOW that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (e.g. effectual: the call of God to which there is invariably a positive response)
Rom 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (not mere emotional love but an active sincere love) Remember TOO that “GOD is love”
Eph 6:16-24 (in-part) 16… take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish ALL the flaming arrows of the evil one.
<>< FAITH here does not speak of some of the arrows- it states clearly IN TRUTH ALL. It takes faith to believe. It takes love to act on it. It takes saying “yes” to God to have to call on- in ANSWER TO God’s call.
Eph 6:23 Peace to brothers, AND love WITH FAITH from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to ALL who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
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Yes, the fact of the matter remains: inasmuch that we live in / abide in God’s Truth whether we choose to believe in it or not. It is our choice to live with or against God’s Truths. The GOOD news remains Gods TRUTH remains AND there is GREAT JOY in the Sovereignty of GOD!
Forever and a day. Thank YOU GOD for How GREAT is YOUR LOVE!