The ‘Word’ is Life

The Assension – c. 1893
Painting by Gebhard Fugel

John 1:1-5 (NKJV)
John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word Was God.”
John 1:2 – “He was in the beginning with God.”
John 1:3 – “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
John 1:4 – “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
John 1:5 – “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

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John 14:6 (NKJV)
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’

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John 5:19-24 (NKJV)
John 5:19 – “Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do, for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.‘”
John 5:20 – “‘For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does, and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.‘”
John 5:21 – “‘For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.‘”
John 5:22 – “‘For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,‘”
John 5:23 – “‘that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.'”
John 5:24 – “‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.‘”

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NOTES — by tkbrown

The apostle John tells the story of Jesus birth, life, death and resurrection from a perspective of love. He tells of the love that God had, and still has, for man. In a previous discussion, we leaned from . . .

John 3:16 – “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Holy Bible: The New King James Version

. . . God has no desire that any should perish. We also saw that God does not condemn any person; it is the lack of belief in His Son that condemns a person. If we believe, we can have everlasting life.

In John chapter 1, above, we are told that the “Word,” or Jesus, existed in the beginning – that He was with God, that He was God. This shows the connectedness of God the Father and God the Son.

In John 14:6, Jesus tells us He is the way, the truth and the life. He further states – no man [or woman] comes to the Father but by Him.

In John 5, verses 19 through 24, Jesus explains God’s expectation that He [Jesus – God’s Son] be honored just the same as we honor God. God has backed this up by granting judgment of all to Jesus, His Son. If we believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, we will honor and obey Him just as we honor God. All who do this, will have life through Him [Jesus Christ – God’s Son].

Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God? If you do, are you willing to say that in front of men? These are two requirements of anyone who wishes to become a Christian. If we do not believe, then we have already condemned ourselves. God does not have to condemn us. On the other hand, if we do believe, then God loves us as much as He loves His Son. If we obey all that Jesus commands of us, then God will give us life everlasting. How much more can He love us?

Do you love your children’s friends enough to give them a permanent home with you – and to make them joint heirs with your child? That is what God does. If we love His Son, Jesus Christ, then God will give us a permanent home and life everlasting. Again, I ask, how much more can He love us? This is love that goes beyond all other love.

Bless you for taking the time to read! Have a Blessed Lord’s Day!

Calendar Quindecims – September 2019

by tkbrown

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September
The waning days of September
bring memories from days of yore,
of growing-up, learning the ways
employed by those living before.
Comforts not thought to be quite new
by those who enjoy them today —
were considered luxury then
and wood heaters merely cliche.
Summer ends with fall equinox,
cooler nights bring welcome relief,
people start thinking to months ahead
when holidays will seem too brief.
Time will become holiday blur
as days and nights begin to whirr —
and suddenly appears New Year.

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Photo above:
Fall Foliage Homestead -- by Matthew Pla @ Unsplash.com.

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Dreams, on Gossamer Wings

~~ by tkbrown

Slumber creeps in and takes one away
to a world of gentle dreams yet to be in day.
Gossamer wings soar in soft gentle sway --
glistening, drifting, dissipating the fray.
Messages twinkle and flash on each wing
as images move in and dreams begin to sing
~~ on Gossamer Wings!

Dawn breaks open a brand new day
with all that it holds in store,
and she speaks from a far distant shore --
nudges, crowds, leads, wakens the way
as she whispers a soft gentle sway,
Sunlight shines bright as it begins a new fray
~~ on Gossamer Wings!
Photo by: David Clode on Unsplash.com

Lead: paint and other things

~~ a Quindecim ~~
~~ by tkbrown
Lead paint was said to harm our babes;
we must scrape it all away.
'Twas taken to heart, and most did in spade
abide that law with dread array
of the fate to come their way
if 'twas not done as law did say.
So, homes were scraped inside and out,
then scrubbed with bleach for brand new paint.
The child of those who did sulk and pout,
'twas removed until parents' mood did abate.
Toys with lead, stores removed on that date,
but now WE learn of quite a spate.
That government did make those laws
but did not remove it from those claws
before they fed them with 'those paws.'

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Quindecim: A Poetic Form that has developed rather naturally as I have written much regarding political and daily living events. The fifteen line stanza seems to work wonderfully by allowing twelve lines to describe the developing arena. Then the last three present some new development that throws a ‘curve ball’ into the mix. There is no specific syllabic or metric count. It is, however, rhymed with no set pattern. The patterns used should recur in a later quindecim when the poem consists of several stanzas. There is no set pattern for the recurrence.

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Photo Above: by Dhito 10 @ pixabay.com.

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