Today, I respectfully remember those who were serving at Pearl Harbor in 1941, especially those who were lost in the attack.
I am grateful for my relationship with You! How amazing the length You have gone to, sending Jesus to suffer in my place, making it possible for our relationship to exist.
Me: Good morning, Father!
Abba: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I have been considering Luke 11:34 & Matthew 6:22
“No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
Luke 11:33-36
Would you speak to me about that more?
Abba: In John 1:4-5 you find, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
And
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
John 8:12
Also,
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
John 16:12-13
You know, of course, the eye is a complex precision optical instrument. There are many pertinent words: focus, perspective, clarity, vision, illumination, perception, to name a few.
Light dispels darkness. Notice the passage you asked about refers to the eye as the lamp of the body. This metaphor is important. A common proverb is “seeing is believing”. In the spiritual realm, believing is seeing. In this case, you will see your body/soul responds to what you truly believe.
Now, when Jesus says, “I am the light” and light is the thing the lamp emits and the eye processes, so if your focus, vision, perspective, etc. is Jesus the Word; then your belief will be illuminated by Him resulting in a positive effect on your whole being. And if not, well, darkness.
P.S. About lamps – they are most needed in the dark, when it is hard to see.
Me: That is awesome, Father! I am grateful for Your careful explanation! I love You!
Abba: You are welcome! I love you!
I served as a sonar technician aboard USS Whipple FF-1062, homeport Pearl Harbor in the late 1970’s. When we were (rarely) in port, we were sometimes berthed within sight of the Arizona Memorial. (Photo Wikipedia)
I cannot read the first chapter of the Gospel according to John without finding myself riveted, not only to the content, majestic as it is, but I am also taken in by its cadence, grandeur, and mystery. I feel I am peering into the very heart of Almighty God. It surges with the pulse of all He has determined to do among us and for us. He coaxes us back from teetering at the precipice of the dark abyss. He does not stop there. No, His intention is to bring us into the glorious light that powerfully streams from Himself. (1 John 1:5) All His desire is to bring us into the Kingdom of the Son.`
He knows full well we are incapable of making such a transformation on our own. He has given us an invitation, complete with new authority, increasing understanding, and even committed His own Spirit to us, to act as internal guide and revealer of hidden truth. He clearly marks the path. (2 John 1:16)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
I am grateful for yesterday’s safe and successful trip!
Colossians 3 (esp. v3 and v5)
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Me: Good morning, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit: Good morning, Jon!
Me: Would You clarify these passages for me? I note the KJV and NKJV are more word-for word with the Greek, while some other translations make it clear the translators considered it to be more figurative language. Also verse three says we have already died while verse five talks about putting our “members” to death, which is more of a process, I think.
Holy Spirit: Many tend to look at the example list of “earthly things” as a checklist. You should hear their personal observations, “Well, I’m not doing that!” Paul in no way intended the list to be exhaustive, and it is only a small part of his letter. Look at Col 1:9-14.
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:9-14
You see, this entire letter is explaining that the perspective of the world, self-serving almost exclusively (and serving Satan’s destructive purposes) does not belong in a fruitful life that is “hid in Christ”. Rather, a totally new focus is required:
Set your mind on things above, not things on the earth.
Colossians 3:2
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Ephesians 2:1-2
Colossians 3:3 is clearly not speaking of being physically dead (yet), else one would not be capable of walking according to any course, either good or bad.
I Am sent to guide into all Truth (John 16:13). None of this transformation of a mind focused on self – and the dark things of the prince of the power of the air – to a mind renewed by the washing of the water of the word, “putting on the mind of Christ”. None of that change happens without Me being invited to do it. Even so, the “made alive” reference in Ephesians 2:1, is speaking of the perfect spiritual state of the one who is “in Christ”. This is an instantaneous transformation at salvation, while the “put to death your members” of Colossians 3:5 is the progressive transformation of the mental/physical/soulish part of your being by continued and consistent obedience to the Truth.
The Christian life/or walk in the process of bringing the soul into conformance with the fully redeemed spirit, one decision and resultant act at a time. Human effort is going to fail at this, for it equates to trying to pull oneself up by one’s own bootstraps. This is why I Am sent to guide and empower those who decide to yield to My prompting and rely on My power instead of their own (dead) efforts. Those who think they must “get straightened out” first to be “worthy” to come to Me are mistaken. If they come to me, they will get straightened out.
There is a better list than the one in Colossians 3:5. It is one I Am sure to enable:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
I am grateful for a good sweet potato harvest and most of the garden cleanup done!
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
John 1:4-5, 6-13, 16
Me: Good morning, Father!
Abba: Good morning, Jon!
These opening passages of the Gospel of John are stirring, no matter how many times I read them! And yet, I know those walking in the darkness do not comprehend it. So Sad!
Abba: In Him is life. The dead comprehend nothing of light. Just as life is light, so darkness is death. Light comes in relationship with Me. Darkness is just absence of a relationship with Me. Just as John the Baptist was called by Me to bear witness in the darkness, so everyone who has come into the Light is called to bear witness.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:1-10
Me: Thank You Father! How marvelous is Your gift! I love You!
Abba: You are welcome! I love you, as should be clear from these truths!
Part of the 2025 Sweet Potato Crop – 15 of these tubs total.
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of life light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:22-23
And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”
Then I said, “Lord, how long?”
And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land”
Isaiah 6:9-12
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:4-5
Me: Good morning, Holy Spirt!
Holy Spirt: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I wrote “life” instead of “light” when writing down Matthew 6:22.
Holy Spirit: As you see from John 1:4, there is a sense in which they are equivalent.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness [a]was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1:1-5
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John 1:5-9
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John 3:19-21
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
John 8:12
“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
John 14:19-21
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Me: Thank You Holy Spirit for leading me though these scriptures! I love You!
I am grateful to have the new yard hydrant installed and some of the dirt back in the hole.
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2 New King James Version
Me: Good afternoon, Father!
Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: Do we do such a poor job of communicating the Gospel, that instead of being drawn by the tender mercies named in this exhortation, many non-believers see judgmentalism, which they interpret as hatefulness?
Abba: Do you recall from the Scriptures when Jesus called Levi (later called Matthew) from his tax-collector’s booth?
Me: Yes, Luke 5, Matthew 9, and Mark chapter 2.
Abba: Levi was operating what you would call a toll booth today, on the Via Maris (meaning “way of the sea”). It was an ancient trade route that ran along the costal plain of the eastern Mediterranean. Levi’s tax collection was under the authority of Herod Antipas with the collected duties shared by Herod and Rome. The heavy fees collected were viewed by Jews as burdensome and ceremonially defiling, as the Jews chafed under their Roman occupation. Therefore, those who were making their living as tax collectors were viewed with the utmost contempt by the Jewish religious leaders, and by the Jewish populace who were subject to these taxes.
Me: From the passage in Luke, when Jesus called him, Levi got up and left everything behind and followed Jesus. Then, apparently, Levi put on a banquet to introduce all his tax-collector friends to Jesus (Luke 5:29). This caused the religious leaders to complain that Jesus and His disciples would stoop to eating with such “tax collectors and sinners”(v30).
Abba: And what was Jesus’ response to this charge?
Me: Verses 31 and 32 are well known: Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Abba: The religious leaders considered themselves above reproach. Though if you read the Scriptures diligently, it becomes plain that their righteousness was only self-righteousness. Levi, on the other hand, jumped up and followed immediately at the grace extended to him.
And that is the crux of the matter, so to speak. Those who consider themselves righteous are often judgmental, seeing themselves as superior. Those who understand their need of grace, are open to receive My righteousness.
Notice that Jesus did not say it is OK to keep on sinning. His call is to repentance. However, judgment is Mine.
Finally, some have mistakenly assumed that I can’t deal with sin as though it would pollute My holiness. If that were so, I would have ceased speaking to man entirely after the fall in the garden. What I can’t stand about sin, is the damage it does to My children. They even misinterpret My reaction to Jesus bearing the sin of the world on the cross. They will say I couldn’t look upon that sin. What was rending My heart was that My Son had to endure it.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:12-18 NKJV
Me: Good afternoon, Father!
Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: “put to death the deeds of the flesh” recalls the process of rejecting the desire, for an alcoholic to drink or, really, the emphatic demands of any addictive or controlling behavior; that life may ensue instead of death.
Abba: Giving in to these assertive desires without restraint is, in fact, pandering to the flesh rather than the Spirit. I Am never going to lead in a spiritually self-destructive direction. (Do I even have to say that?) But the clamoring of the flesh is at odds with the Spirit.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 14:12
It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit and they are life.
John 6:63
I spoke into the void (not empty space, for there was no space). I spoke all that is, and it came into being at My word. (Genesis 1) It is the same power that Jesus was referring to when He said, “the words that I speak”. The void did not have an option other than to obey My words. You do. This is why the scripture tells you to choose (Joshua 24:15, Deuteronomy 30:19, Revelation 3:20). You constantly have a choice. However, My Spirit is within the redeemed. They are sealed:
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:13
Me: Thank You Father! I am grateful for the recognition that squelching the clamoring of the flesh both possible and lifegiving. is I love You!
Abba: You are welcome! The flesh is like a demanding toddler. The demands are not aways in his best interest. I love you!
Graphic depicting some aspects related to the mind, heart, and spirit.
I am grateful that Your creation reflects Your loving care for us all to see!
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Revelation 12:10
Me: Good morning, Father!
Abba: Good morning, Jon!
Me: This is a marvelous verse, Father! Can You please tell me something about its temporal language? It uses words like “have come”, “has been”, “now”, and “accused”.
Abba: I Am glad to point out that “has been” is applicable to the accuser.
Many have speculated as to when this “now” is referring. In Job 1:6 and 2:1-2, Satan’s access to heaven is mentioned. He accuses both Job and I that Job only honors Me because of the blessings I bestowed on him.
Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 2:10) Though the English translation of this verse seems a strong past-tense rendition, this is not so in the original. Rather, it emphasizes that it was an event, something that happened at a particular point in time.
Consider how Revelation 12:10 links a moment (now) with salvation and the power of the Christ, with Satan’s casting down. In Revelation 12:7, leading up to verse 10, “war in heaven” is the setting. Verse eleven in Revelation 12 says this:
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
So, this victory, in which you stand, was won by Jesus at the cross. And the victory enfolds all who put their trust in Him. The Accuser, then, has no more standing to accuse those who have repented of their lives of sin and put their faith in the work of the sinless Son.
For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6:2, Isaiah 49:8
While a person has breath, there is a moment – now – when it is possible to enter in to the salvation provided. None knows whether another moment is coming.
Me: Hallelujah! Thank You Father! I love You! Thank you! Thank you!
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 NKJV
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
Mark 10:26-27 NKJV
Moreover I saw under the sun:
In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.
I said in my heart,
“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
Ecclesiastes 3:16-17
Good morning, Father!
Abba: Good morning, Jon!
Me: In our news, we hear of the arrest of some judges. The populace is divided as to whether their activities are justified, though they have violated the law. It seems the heart of the verse penned by King Solomon in Ecclesiastes is made manifest in our day, as I assume it was in his.
Judges appointed under more “liberal” administrations seem to have difficulty recognizing the trouble associated with continuing as they have been, now that the pendulum is swinging back the other way. I hear some voices decrying that the arrests are evil retribution and other voices crying that there has to be some way to deal with “activist” judges and hoping for more of the same. I am grateful that You are patient in Your judgment, giving us time for repentance (should we so choose). I pray that more will take stock of how far we fall short, and seek Your favor and Your truth.
Abba: There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25) There was a general societal understanding of right and wrong for a time in your nation’s history. Only a vestige of such understanding remains, a shadow left behind by those who have followed Me. It was left with their children, primarily by example, but delivered without clear sight that these accepted norms could only firmly stand when darkness in individual (yielded) hearts is banished by illumination by My Holy Spirit. As it now stands, there is incessant arguing to twist laws written to make society function well for all. Rather than justice, there is mere justification.
… having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:5
Without My sustaining power, under the degrading influence of sin, even truth once known will be forgotten. The judgements of men are imperfect for the truth does not reside in them naturally.
Jesus said to him, I AM the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6
Me: Father, poll results to the question, “Would you consider yourself a ‘born-again’ or evangelical Christian?” was nearly the same in 2022 (33%) as in 1992 (36%). This is likely only a margin-of-error sized change in the past thirty years. Also, according to Gallup, in the same period, the percentage of people who think the Bible consists mostly of “fables and legends” has doubled (from 14% to 29%). These trends make me wonder, “How many true believers are there?” and “What do those who consider themselves ‘born-again’ base that assessment on?”.
Abba: Consider this teaching of Jesus:
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
There are many examples in scripture of My call being answered by a mere remnant of those who should have responded. I can empower the faithful to do great things.
In that day the Lord of hosts will be For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty To the remnant of His people, For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Isaiah 28:5:6
(Though the above interjection for the remnant, all of Isaiah 28 bears on these questions, on the failure of priest, prophet, of pride and debauchery and on the painstaking process of growth for those who would seek God and do better. The passage culminates in the promise of the Savior.)
King Saul’s son Jonathan, speaking to his armor bearer, said,
“Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”
1 Samuel 14:6 (emphasis, mine)
As it was for Jonathan on that day, so it is for those committed to the narrow way, to those who enter by the narrow gate today.
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door (gate) of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 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 10:7-10
Me: Thank You Father! I love You!
Abba: You are welcome, Jon! I love you!
Gardening Update:
Aerial Photo of concrete-covered lot area south of barn.
The above (admittedly grainy) satellite photo is of the broken concrete south of the barn that covered an old animal-lot area there. The concrete turned out to be about six inches thick. Fortunately, none of this concrete had any reinforcement in it. The bottom-left section held the remains of dirt and more concrete removed from an old cesspool that was taken out near the house when the septic system was installed (to meet code) prior to our purchase of the property. Four feet of extra dirt and broken concrete was on top of the underlying concrete slab. This month, twelve dump-truck loads of concrete were hauled away and four truckloads of Iowa “black dirt” were hauled in to create 3000 more square feet of potential garden.
Added Garden Area
The photo above was taken today, showing what the area looks like after a half-day of tiller work to break up the pavement-like packing that resulted from the tracks of the skid loaders spreading and leveling the fill dirt. Give this four or five years of development and several loads of compost, and who knows? Maybe it will be a garden after all! The structure at the bottom right is the end of an old concrete feed bunker that stretches the entire 50-foot length. We left it there as a retaining wall.
From my handwritten journal, dated 3/8/2025 Parable of the marriage supper, with the Holy Spirit.
I am grateful for Your strengthening!
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 22:1-14
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
John 15:16 NKJV
Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matthew
7:20 NKJV
Me: Good day, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit: Good day, Jon!
Me: The parable of the marriage feast that Jesus related in Jerusalem after His “triumphal entry” seems to be addressing the religious leaders questioning of His authority.
Holy Spirit: It is an abomination (for) kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established by righteousness. Proverbs 12:12
[Note: Proverbs 16:12 from Bible Hub HEB: תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת מְ֭לָכִים עֲשׂ֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע (mə·lā·ḵîm) highlighted, masculine noun plural, kings NAS: It is an abomination forkings to commit KJV: [It is] an abominationto kings to commit INT: is an abomination kings to commit wicked
The original does not contain either of the indicated prepositions as they are an artifact of translation into English. If “to”, then the sense would be that kings would consider it an abomination for anyone (else) to commit wickedness, an affront to their rule. If “for” then a king committing wickedness would be violating the God-given purpose of their rule. Let the situation determine the application.]
Jesus is righteous. The religious leaders are enamored of their legalist traditions and do not know God as He wants to be known. (I speak in the present tense, for you can not tell me this has entirely changed.) Though the religious leaders on that day were questioning Jesus’ authority, they were really asserting their own (usurped) authority. Jesus was saddened they were missing the point: who God is, and what God wants of each one.
Jesus’ parable of the king inviting to the wedding (representing the Father calling to the marriage of the Son) highlights that all are called.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
The first called were the children of Abraham. But they thought other things more important. The second invitation foreshadowed the calling of gentiles. Note they were gathered, “both good and bad”.
Me: What about the man who was ejected for not wearing “wedding garments”?
Holy Spirit: All the guests were provided with a wedding garment by the host. Remember, these were brought in directly from the highways.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 NKJV
And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Revelation 19:8 NKJV
To be welcomed at the marriage of the Lamb, the righteousness of Christ must be put on, by both the good and the bad. The “good and bad” are according to man’s judgments (Psalm 53:1, Mark 10:18, Romans 3:12).
Many expect to justify themselves. Consider the man without a wedding garment was speechless. And this:
And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.
Revelation 1:17a
This was the response of the Apostle John, who leaned on the breast of Jesus in affection at the the last supper before His crucifixion (John 13:23). What do you think will be the response of those who thought other things were more important than the invitation to the wedding feast?
Me: Thank You Holy Spirit! I love You!
Holy Spirit: You are welcome! I love you!
Dear Reader, In reading along, I hope you have found a fraction of the benefit that I have received in pursuing a better understanding of this call to all who will accept the invitation of the Bridegroom. – Jon
Missionary Sojourn 