Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

This red-breasted robin surprised us by coming to drink at our pond. To see such a beautiful robin in mid-February is a treat indeed.

Though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God.

II Cor. 13:4.

Weak in him. There is no need to presume that we have our own internal spiritual power as we walk with Jesus.  I find that if I am feeling strong in the flesh, my own power, then I am on shaky ground.  Paul knew how to use his power to try to get God to help him harm believers.  That worked for him for quite a while, until he came to end of himself!

As we thrust ourselves on the mercy of God, we are weak beyond telling because we are aware of the fact that it is God at work in our lives, doing what He always does, emptying us so that we might be full of his goodness and power, not our own by any means.

Strong in him.  Is this not common experience of all who are willing to turn all over to God, and let him work in us to do what we have no power to do?

Crucified in weakness, now alive by the power of God.  There is no other way. 

Lord Jesus, teach me this truth again this morning!   I rest on your saving, keeping power!

 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

John 17:25, 26

Knowledge and love, tied forever.  A fixed truth – Jesus makes us known to his Father, a marvelous revelation.  What a privilege, to be known by both Father and Son and surely, by the Holy Spirit.  Following Jesus is learning to walk in the light, in truth, reality and in faith. 

The result of this union we have with them is that we (can it be?) may be the dwelling place for God!  After two millennia it is as true as when Jesus spoke intimately with his disciples on the night before he was crucified.  God with us, with me!  Can a human being express a higher truth?

The disciples were discussing who is the most important among them.  Jesus urged them to think ahead, to think the humanly unthinkable, that they are in God and He is in them, a truth that is believed by faith alone.

We need not get tied up with lesser interests, the heart of Salvation is Jesus making a way to be in us and we in Him.  May that be the center of our interest and faith!

Sharon gave us this lovely lily a few days ago.  I am still impressed with its strength and beauty.  

For I gave them the words you gave me, and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

John 17:8

This is the bed-rock of belief!  Jesus, the sent one, is sent by his Father.  This is the sovereign work of the Father, and the Father asks us to believe who Jesus is.  That makes all the difference.  Jesus said that disciples knew that God sent Jesus, His Son.  That is the most important aspect of belief.  All else is built on that, who Jesus is!

This is what God revealed to the disciples.  Jesus was certain that they believed in God and Jesus Christ.  He was satisfied.  He is about to be beaten and crucified on a Roman cross.  It is hard to believe that God wanted that.  But we know that our Salvation is rooted in that fact.

Soul, rest.  Do not try to figure this out by human reason.  It is revealed to us!  Believe it and everything falls into place.

At this age, health is changing.  I am on a regime of  red corpuscle strengthening by injection every two weeks.  I have completed the first couple and they have increased the dosage.  So they hope it produces some good!

We decided to concentrate on red cells.  I understand that the white ones help to ward off diseases.   So life goes on.  Anna Ruth does the driving and thinking!

I welcome with open arms your prayers.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Luke 17:15 – 18

This is quite late in Jesus’ ministry.  He tried to reveal himself to the Jews, who by this time, in the large, considered him a trouble maker, a false teacher.  Jesus poured out his life for the Jews and the Gentiles, but the Jews had no time for this imposter!

Jesus met this group of lepers, presumably all were Jews but one, a Samaritan.  Jesus healed them all! That is, in itself, shocking.  What happened next is even more alarming.  The Samaritan returned to Jesus and thanked Him.  The nine Jews simply vanished – with their new health.

The ones we would have expected to rush to thank Jesus for healing were the nine Jews.  The shock of the incident is that the Samaritan, considered by the Jews to be unclean was the only one of the ten to rush to Jesus and thank him.

My entire life was filled with the surprise that some Jews believed in Jesus, but through the years, non-Jews flocked to him.   Like me!  I may have a drop or two of Jewish blood, but I am indeed a Samaritan!  I praise my Jesus forever for healing me and keeping me all these wonderful years.  Praise his name forever!

It is February 5 today. Look at what is pushing at our place, daffodils and lilac as it produces its first bud.

Our dear grandson, Evan, found that behind the Russian was English that he nicely brought up as the working language of my camera.  I could hardly believe how that helped!  Now I saw my old commands and was super happy to thank Evan for his wisdom.  Now it is like I have my old Nikon 5000!