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“A Prophet without honor in His Own country, family, and home.” Messiah Jesus is Lord and Savior!

Jesus was rejected more than any other prophet, and yet He was more than a prophet, for He is the Living Word of God who came in the flesh, the second person in the Godhead and the creator of all things in heaven and on the earth. False prophets are very popular because they speak of vain words to gain popularity and are not ordained by God. No one wants to hear of judgement and truth as it is not what they want to know. But Jesus came to give good news, and yet those who rejected Him were blind and deaf spiritually which is far worse than physically being unable to see and hear because of eternal condemnation for those who reject God’s Son, Jesus whom was foretold in the Old Testament by the ordained prophets of the new covenant of Israel and the grafted branches of those who are not natural born children of Israel who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The prophets of God spoke of Jesus in the Old Testament and were very unpopular, abused, and the people ignored prophecy spoken by the Holy Spirit of God through them. These were the true prophets of God and in Revelation it speaks of the Spirit of prophecy being those who speak of the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 19:9-10 Then he said to me, “Write:’Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.”

Now Here is the rejection of the Lord Jesus at Nazareth in Mark 5:38-43, 6:1-7 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” And they laughed Him to scorn. But when He had put them all out, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat. Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?

And are not His sisters here with us?” And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A PROPHET IS NOT WITHOUT HONOR EXCEPT IN HIS OWN COUNTRY, AMONG HIS OWN RELATIVES, AND IN HIS OWN HOUSE.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. Ultimately Jesus would be rejected, abused, humiliated, and nailed to a cross at Golgatha with two criminals on each side of Him. John 18:28-40, 19:1-4, 14-19 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you. Then Pilate said said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die. Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are you King of the Jews?” JESUS ANSWERED HIM, ‘ARE YOU SPEAKING FOR YOURSELF ON THIS, OR DID OTHERS TELL YOU THIS ABOUT ME?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have you done?” JESUS ANSWERED, “MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. IF MY KINGDOM WERE OF THIS WORLD, MY SERVANTS WOULD FIGHT, SO THAT I SHOULD NOT BE DELIVERED TO THE JEWS; BUT NOW MY KINGDOM IS NOT FROM HERE.”

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are you a king then?” JESUS ANSWERED, “YOU SAY RIGHTLY THAT I AM A KING. FOR THIS CAUSE I WAS BORN, AND FOR THIS CAUSE I HAVE COME INTO THE WORLD, THAT I SHOULD BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH. EVERYONE WHO IS OF THE TRUTH HEARS MY VOICE.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” So he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away. And He bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgatha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

JESUS IS RISEN WITH MANY WITNESSES IN John 20:11-16, 19-22 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. JESUS SAID TO HER, “WOMAN, WHY ARE YOU WEEPING? WHOM ARE YOU SEEKING?” She supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” JESUS SAID TO HER, “MARY!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is also to say, Teacher). Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “PEACE BE WITH YOU.” Now when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Then Jesus said to them again, “PEACE TO YOU! AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, I ALSO SEND YOU.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.”

The Lord’s ascension to heaven is witnessed by the disciples in Acts 1:9-11 Now when He Had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner, as you saw Him go into heaven.”

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“Obey God rather than men” Acts 5:27-42 and 2 Timothy 1:7-10

Peter and the other apostles preached to many and healed others without regard to obedience to men.  Their hearts were on fire to tell the good news to others at all cost.  Whether being imprisoned or beaten, this was of no concern to these chosen apostles of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.  With this great courage they have received and shared with others, pray mightily in the Lord regarding your own heart.  Is your heart  on fire to tell the gospel of Jesus Christ regardless of loss of all things, imprisonment, and even death?  Are you willing to lose your comforts of home and friends to go where Jesus tells you?  Pray in the name of Jesus to reveal your heart and He is faithful to do so.  Take to heart these truths for boldness, encouragement, and showing love for our Lord and others by telling others the good news of Jesus like Peter and the other apostles did in Acts 5:27-42  Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.  “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said.  “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”  Peter and the other apostles replied: “WE MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN! THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD–WHOM YOU HAD KILLED BY HANGING HIM ON A TREE.  GOD EXALTED HIM TO HIS OWN RIGHT HAND AS PRINCE AND SAVIOR THAT HE MIGHT GIVE REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS TO ISRAEL.  WE ARE WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS, AND SO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO OBEY HIM.”  

When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.  But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.  Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.  Some time ago Theudas appeared claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him.  He was killed, all of his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.  After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt.  He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.  Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone!  Let them go!  For if their purpose or  activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”  His speech persuaded them.  THEY CALLED THE APOSTLES IN AND HAD THEM FLOGGED.  THEN THEY ORDERED THEM NOT TO SPEAK IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND LET THEM GO.  THE APOSTLES LEFT THE SANHEDRIN, REJOICING BECAUSE THEY WERE COUNTED WORTHY OF SUFFERING DISGRACE FOR THE NAME.  DAY AFTER DAY, IN THE TEMPLE COURTS AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, THEY NEVER STOPPED TEACHING AND PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST.

Therefore, we must continue to speak and teach in the name of Jesus regardless of the consequences here on this earth.  We must continue and go from house to house proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ also.  Let us who love the the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul and our neighbor as our self show love to others by telling them the good news with boldness and courage without selfish ambition.  When we do this we are showing our love for God first and people second.  2 TIMOTHY 1:7-10 FOR GOD DID NOT GIVE US A SPIRIT OF TIMIDITY, BUT A SPIRIT OF POWER, OF LOVE, AND OF SELF-DISCIPLINE.  SO DO NOT BE ASHAMED TO TESTIFY ABOUT OUR LORD, OR ASHAMED OF ME HIS PRISONER.  BUT JOIN ME IN SUFFERING FOR THE GOSPEL, BY THE POWER OF GOD, WHO HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US TO A HOLY LIFE–NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE HAVE DONE BUT BECAUSE OF HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE.  THIS GRACE WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, BUT IT IS NOW BEEN REVEALED THROUGH THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOR, CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS DESTROYED DEATH AND HAS BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL.

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“Do Not Be Yoked Together With Unbelievers” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.  Therefore come out from them and be separate,” says the Lord.  “Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.  I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty.   2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.  These words we need to take to heart and remember that being yoked together is not the same as going and making disciples of all nations.  Being yoked together means to join securely as if a yoke; bind.  One example of being yoked together is chrislam, which is those claiming to be of the Christian faith being yoked together with Islamic faith.  Another example is interfaith churches where many different religions come together to worship their god.  The only True Living God cannot be yoked together to accept others to worship their false idols who are no more than man-made idols.  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit of Truth are equally the same and One Living God, the Godhead.

Christianity, disciples of Jesus, believers of Jesus, followers of Jesus, children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, grafted in adopted children by the new covenant are all the same.  Christianity is simply worshiping our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.  Also, those whom are the seed of the promise of  Abraham are the same as those whose faith is in God in the Old Testament as well as those who have faith in Christ Jesus and are grafted into the kingdom of God.  The chosen children of God is based on Noah whom was a preacher and had faith in God and  God spared he and his family when He sent the flood, wiping out all the evil in it. Through Abraham the chosen children, which is the promise of many being blessed would come in his lineage. As Jesus stated in the New Testament, He has more sheep to gather that are not of this fold.  He came first to His people, the Jews, then the rest of the world, for all who would believe in His Name as the Son of God and Lord and Savior of the world.  There is no longer any Jew, Gentile, Greek, man or woman.   All are the same in the body of Christ.  One day there will be One Shepherd and one flock which began in the old testament and finished in the new testament.  The adopted children are grafted into the branch of the Jews and we will all be One flock with One shepherd Jesus when He returns and we have our new heaven and new earth.  John 10:14-16 “I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me–just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father–and I lay down My life for the sheep.  I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.  I must bring them also.  They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:22

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Hear the words of the Lord and take heart His truth in Isaiah 45:18-21 For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it,  Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.  I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in vain’;  I the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.  “Assemble yourselves and come;  Draw near together, You who have escaped the nations.  They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save.   Tell and bring forth your case;  Yes, let them take counsel together.  Who has declared this from ancient time?  Who has told it from that time?  Have not I, the Lord?  And there is no other God and Savior; there is none besides Me.  Isaiah 52:13-53:6  Behold-My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.  Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men;  So shall He sprinkle many nations.  Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;  For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.  

Who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?  For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of the dry ground.  He has no form of comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.  He is despised and rejected by men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;  He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.  Surely He has been borne our griefs And carried our sorrows;  Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray;  We have all turned, every one, to his own way;  And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of  us all.  Revelation 22:12-13, 16, 20-21  “AND BEHOLD, I AM COMING QUICKLY, AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO GIVE TO EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WORK.  I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END, THE FIRST AND THE LAST.  I, JESUS HAVE SENT MY ANGEL TO TESTIFY TO YOU THESE THINGS IN THE CHURCHES.  I AM THE ROOT AND THE OFF-SPRING OF DAVID, THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR.”  He who testifies to these things says, “SURELY I AM COMING QUICKLY.”  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen. 

“The Lord’s comfort” Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

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Brothers and sisters I pray that you will take heart these comforting truths from the Lord.  In this world we will all suffer from trials, tribulation, and pain while in the flesh.  However, do not be discouraged or dismayed because of Christ Jesus as you know how He was rejected, hated, and abused in this world until His death on the cross.  Our encouragement is that our Father did raise Him from the dead on the third day.  He visited our other brothers and sisters in the faith who are now absent in the body and then ascended to heaven to sit at our Father’s right hand until the time when all things pass away and become new.   Many attacks have come our way and will continue to grow worse until we either die in the flesh or are still alive when Jesus returns to receive us whom are in the Book of life and risen and changed to His glory.  Pray always to stay strong in the faith and press on like our brother, Paul formerly known as Saul before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Jesus spoke words of encouragement to His disciples before He ascended to heaven and thus gave instructions for them to make disciples and teach them what Jesus taught them.  Soon after He went to our Father, God sent the Holy Spirit of Truth in the Name of  Jesus to the disciples at Pentecost.  Now all those who hear the gospel of Jesus and believe also receive the Holy Spirit of  Truth.  He reminds us all who belong to Jesus, the Living Word of God, of the teachings of  Jesus and will always bring us to Truth if we set our hearts to follow Jesus and listen to the Holy Spirit who guides our hearts, minds, and souls in this life.  Remember that there is spiritual warfare going on and that is why it is very urgent to pray continually because we are still in the flesh and are weak.  However, if we fully surrender ourselves to Jesus and keep our focus on Him, then we will overcome in the Spirit of Truth, whom only speaks what He hears that God the Father says.  Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you.  Be not dismayed, for  I am your God.  I  will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  John 11:25-27 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?”  She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is come into the world.”  John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I  have overcome the world.”

“Following in the footsteps of Jesus” showing full extent of our love to our family in Christ

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The Lord revealed to my heart that we need to follow His example of how He showed the disciples his love for them.  This one thing we are lacking to do in remembrance of Him.  Jesus told us to break bread in fellowship with one another regarding the Lord’s supper, but before this, Jesus humbled himself as a servant to his disciples to wash their feet.  Then He explained how they don’t understand what He did but will at a later time and further told of how they called Him Lord which is true, but also He showed them an example to follow regarding love for one another.  Though we do have the Lord’s supper in dividing the bread for remembrance of the Lord’s body and drinking the cup regarding the new covenant in His blood, we are not washing one another’s feet in showing love for one another like He has done in John 13: 1-17  It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.  The evening meal was being  served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciple’s feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”  Jesus replied,  “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”  “No, ” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”  Jesus answered,  “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”  “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”  Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean.  And you are clean, though not every one of you.”  For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.  When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place.  “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”  

Jesus is clearly telling us that we are no better than him to wash one another’s feet to show love like He has done.  Jesus, being our Lord set the example to the disciples He taught while on this earth before His death on the cross.  The disciples continued the teaching of Jesus to other disciples that believed in the gospel message when they were alive on this earth, and now the words of Jesus are still true and do not change.  Paul instructed Timothy regarding widows and taught washing the feet of the saints along with many other good deeds in 1 Timothy 5:9-10 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.    As disciples of Jesus, we should continue to hear and do what Jesus commanded us to do in John 13:34-35  “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

“LIAR, LIAR: PANTS ON FIRE” These words are entering my mind about Satan

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As a kid I used to hear this term used about those who were caught lying.  Today has been a rough day for me as Satan the father of lies has been attacking me.  God already knew that he would do it and is allowing for this to happen.  Depression is my weakness and this is being used by God to refine me in the fire.  As bad thoughts entered my mind, God reminded me of His Truth, that Satan is a liar and he will be placed in a fiery furnace one day.  The Lord is bringing me to this verse to read for encouragement in my walk with Jesus and to share for others who are struggling with different attacks from the father of lies and his demise in Revelation 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.  They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.  As children of God, we will be brought to God’s truth as Satan will not be able to keep deceiving us.  He may temporary trick us, but ultimately the children of God will know the Truth and reject the lies of the devil.  The Lord is also bringing me to read in Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish the saving of many lives.  This verse is what Joseph said to his brothers, but also it is true regarding evil done by the enemy and for the children of God that  He will bring good out of all things for those who love Him.  Romans 8:24-28 For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?  But if  we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait patiently.  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of  the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance to God’s will.  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.