The Ultimate Firefighter

The red light started flashing in the fire station.  There was a fire at a house nearby.  Some children had started their house on fire while playing with the matches that Dad said not to play with.

The firemen moved very quickly getting their special fire suits on.   Then they all got in the fire truck and headed to the burning house.

One of the firefighter's, Emmanuel, was the greatest of them all.  He had rescued so many people from all kinds of burning buildings.  Emmanuel was very courageous.  No one on earth had as much courage as Emmanuel.  Even though we saw Emmanuel as strong and courage he saw himself as weak and could easily get discouraged.  Since Emmanuel saw himself this way he would often pray to God His Father for strength to do his job.  This job was no exception so Emmanuel bowed his head, closed his eyes and prayed.

When the fire truck got to the burning house, fire and smoke were everywhere.   Two children were trapped in the hall way upstairs and one was already passed out because of the smoke.

When Emmanuel saw how much the house was on fire.  The chances of getting out once he went in were slim.  But Emmanuel thought more of the children inside than he did about himself getting hurt.   Emmanuel quickly and yet cautiously went inside the burning house as the firemen got out the hoses.





Emmanuel found the children very fast because the children were low to the ground and crying.   When Emmanuel got upstairs he saw the children who were trapped.  They could hardly breathe and nearly passed out because of the smoke.  Emmanuel saw that the whole roof was on fire and about to fall down.



Emmanuel had to think and move fast.   The roof of the whole house was about to come crashing down.  And this fire was different.  Emmanuel knew that this fire was hotter than any other fire in the world.  Yet He still risked his life to save the children from the dreadful fire.  So Emmanuel threw himself on top of the children guarding them from the flames.   Emmanuel had saved the children from the fiery roof, but didn't save himself from taking the full heat of the fire.

The fire was no ordinary fire, it was so hot that they burnt Emmanuel's suit right up in an instant.  The heat entered Emmanuel body, but He did not burn up and neither did the children.  The fire did not destroy Emmanuel but it sure did hurt.  So bad that he cried out in pain.

The other firefighters couldn't do anything because the flames were just to powerful.  Emmanuel and the children would have to wait until the fire stopped before they could get out.

The house continued to burn for what seemed like forever for Emmanuel.  The two girls where safe because somehow Emmanuel's body felt the pain but he did not burn.  Another amazing thing was that even though the whole roof fell on top of Emmanuel, none of his bones were broken. The children had stopped crying because they realized that they were safe now because Emmanuel let himself experience the heat of the fiercest fire any had ever seen so that they would not have to.

Firefighter video

Mary with Christ centered hope!

Read Mary with no hope first.   Then read Mary with some hope.  Then read this post last or you will not fully understand.  (Parents please read this all the way thru first before reading it to your children because it may be to scary.   My point in the series on "Mary"  is that Jesus promises "trouble",  Jesus can't lie.  So you will have trouble even kids.  the first story is about Mary in what she thinks is a really bad situation.  "Mary with some hope" takes a closer look at the context of Mary's trouble which gives her hope.  Then "Mary with Christ center hope" gives the perspective of trouble from a biblical christian view.)


 
   Mary who was 6 years old opened her eyes and could barely make out what was happening.  She remembered that she had cancer and was on her way to the hospital.  The only Doctor that could help was with her when the boat crashed.  He told Mary before the crash happened that "I am with you and I will help."   Mary's head hurt real bad.  Mary could still think clearly even though she hit her head on something when the boat crashed.  Not only was Mary not focused but her body was all messed up as well.  Both arms were in excruciating pain and she could not feel her legs.

 Mary heard a familiar voice.  It was the Doctor (God) telling her that they were in a boat accident on the way to the hospital but not to worry because I am here for your spiritual good/Christlikeness and my Glory.  Mary trusted the Doctor because He was wise and able to do spiritual heart surgery.  Spiritual surgery was more important to Mary than getting rid of the pain, so Mary was happy in her spirit but pain "which is not pleasurable" in her body.  (Her will being inline with God's will/wills includes "Joy in God."

As far as Mary could tell she was on a beach.  She could feel the soft sand underneath her.  And she could also hear the waves hitting the shore because of the storm.  Plus she was all wet and freezing.

Just then the Doctor came by that Mary remembered.  Mary couldn't say a word because of all the pain she was in.  But she could still see the loving Doctor kneeling beside her with a comforting look.   The Doctor told Mary that he loved her and that "in this world you will have trouble" I will be there in the trouble taking out death in you.  And of course Mary wanted the cancer out so she trusted the Doctor to get the cancer out.  He took out the surgical knife, put His hand firmly on my shoulder for comfort and said "This is for your spiritual good and My Glory." The Doctor then began to cut my stomach open and started cutting out the death and cancer in me.
"It really hurts right now." Mary says, but I know I am getting better right now because Him cutting my sin/death/cancer out is a good thing.  The pain felt while the cancer was being cut out by the Doctor was minimal compared to what she deserved.  Therefore she shouldn't complain but thank the LORD for being merciful during what is the worst thing ever experienced by Mary so far in her life.  Lam. 3:39 ¶ Why should any living mortal, or any man, Offer complaint in view of his sins? 

 A good thing is happening to me.  A spiritually God glorifying thing all around and a temporal, minimal pain now.  Soon He will cut it all out, He promised.  Him cutting out death in me is a good yet painful thing all at the same time.  Good and happy cuz I can see and want the Glory of God.

Now if Mary could see that God was holding back full judgement and that the judgement that was held back was what Christ purchased on the cross for her.  Mary would now see the intended special full Glory of God on display in Christ at the cross.


Remember in the first story Mary didn't know that "the man" causing the pain was The Doctor the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Psalm 94:12  Blessed is the man whom you chasten, O LORD,  and teach him out of your law.

New International Version  Is. 45:7
I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.

NASB  Job 5:18  "For He inflicts pain, and he gives relief: He wounds and also his hands heal."

See the difference between Mary seeing clearly after hitting her head and Mary being not focused in the  "No hope and some hope versions"?     

If we can "behold the glories of God in Christ"  during some of the most painful situations then sanctification by faith in beholding the Glory of Christ happens from glory to glory by the Spirit.

Mary with some hope.

(  My point in the series on "Mary"  is that Jesus promises "trouble",  Jesus can't lie.  So you will have trouble even kids.  the first story is about Mary in what she thinks is a really bad situation.  "Mary with some hope" takes a closer look at the context of Mary's trouble which gives her hope.  Then "Mary with Christ center hope" gives the perspective of trouble from a biblical christian view.)

Mary With Some Hope

Mary had lived most of her life like normal children.  She would often play with the other kids.  She loved ice cream, pizza and gummy bears.

All seemed fine til one day her chest started to hurt real bad.  Mary's father took her to the doctor and they found out she had a very rare life threatening cancer.   Even though the cancer was rare, the good news was that there was only one doctor with the skills and tools to help Mary and he lived in town.  When they found the doctor that could help he said,  "If Mary did not receive treatment soon then she would die."

The doctor they found said that he could do surgery to get the cancer out but the nearby hospital did not have the proper anesthetic for the surgery.  Mary would have to go to a specific hospital in another country.  The hospital could only be reached by boat so they left as soon as possible.

Mary quickly got on the boat with her father.  The doctor was with them as well with his special tools.  On the way there Mary got more sick.  The cancer was affecting her body more and more as time went by.  And to make matters worse the ship was changing course due to an incoming storm.

Time was running out for Mary and the Doctor knew it.  If they didn't get to the hospital soon then the doctor would have to do surgery without the proper anesthetic  in order to save her life. Which was the last thing the doctor wanted to do.

The weather got worse and the ship could not find a way around it.  The captain of the ship saw an island nearby where the weather was better so they headed that direction.  As they headed for the island the waves got so strong that it tossed everyone to and fro.  The ship tossed Mary hard into a wall.  Mary put her hands in front of her to stop from slamming into the wall but broke both arms could not handle the force.  Both of Mary's arms had be broken.

The storm was so bad that the captain could not see the rocks that were near the island and the ship ran straight into them.  The shock from the collision threw Mary backwards into a table that hit her lower back first and then her head.  The impact of the table caused her to be paralyzed from the waist down and gave her a concussion.

Because the damage from the crash was so great the ship began to sink.  The doctor ran to get Mary, who was paralyzed and laying in the corner passed out.

The doctor was very careful to keep his surgical tools close to him as he picked Mary up and put her in a life boat.  The doctor and others paddled very fast to get to shore.  They where still afraid of the storm.  Also the waves where very high causing water to enter the boat where may was laying so the doctor lifted Mary's head high so she would not drown.



Soon the doctor and Mary got the shore along with some other people.  Everyone was in a panic.  Fathers looking for their children and children crying looking for their parents and all kinds of people in pain because of the crash.  Getting to shore was one thing but Mary's condition had worsened.  Mary would soon die if the doctor would not perform surgery right then and there.  As the doctor was getting his tools.....   Now read Mary with no Hope.





Why would Mary have hope in this situation?

How did knowing the context of the story help?

How did knowing who was causing Mary's pain help give her hope?

If Mary would have known that it was a doctor causing her the pain would she be mad or angry with the doctor for opening her up and saving her life even if it caused her all that pain?




Everything that was needed to know to give Mary hope was either forgotten by Mary in the hopeless version of the story or she could not see clearly to understand who it was that was causing her so much pain.

Fall of the Morning Star

There once was a the Greatest Conductor of them all who wanted to display himself to all the world.  So He created His own instruments perfectly made for His purposes.  The Great Conductor gave instructions to His instruments that they should never play the forbidden tune and if they did then they would be dirty and never be able to do what the Conductor originally made them for.

One of the instruments, named morning star, was capable of making sounds more glorious than all the rest.  He also ranked higher than all the other's.  This gave morning star to high an opinion of himself and his abilities.  His opinion of himself grew so great that he thought he could play his own tune that was better than what the Great Conductor was having them play.

Morning star used his craftiness and pomp to convince a third of the other instruments to join him in playing what they thought would be a better tune than what the Great Conductor.

 The flute could not play a tune, the violin sounded terrible and the drums just went thump.  It all sounded like terrible noise to anyone passing by.






Found in the form of an angel and elevated to authority real fast he got prideful.   Found in a position of high authority, quickly but having to serve others.  Context changed.  The mind of Lucifer got confused/twisted, perception of himself in relation to God, therefore a good will with a confused mind chooses what it thinks to be good or the apparent good

"Found in the form of man he humbled himself"   Christ immediately finding Himself in a certain context humbles Himself.   While Lucifer findings himself crafty, wise, pomp, high position of authority, elevated fast and having to humble himself to serve mankind he could not do it.

Urchins that follow the Sun

In the land of sea urchins there are 3 kinds.  The twitchers, transformers and the followers.

David was a follower.  Followers really love the light and warmth of the Sun.  David lived closest to the surface of the water on a coral reef with lots of other smaller recently transformed urchins.  The longer David followed the Sun the brighter he became.
When David woke up he could tell where the Sun was because he could sense the light in his body.  He would call out to encourage the transformers "follow me as I follow the Sun."  All of them would follow but some where slower than other's so they didn't get as much light and warmth.

David had changed shiny white some years ago but he still could remember what it was like to have just been changed.  Therefore David had a heart for these little ones and would help them out by calling to them when they lost sight of the Sun.  Since transformers were recently changed they couldn't follow very well and would often fall off the rocks into a small crevice.  While they were in the crevice they would be in great danger of being eaten by other sea creatures. So David would call out to them as soon as he saw them fall.  He would gently direct them back to the nearest firm rock that had some Sun shining on it.

As David joyfully followed the Sun across the sky each and every day he would get brighter and brighter.  He would be able to better lead the transformers and help them avoid dangers that they may run into through out the day.  David would also keep a watchful eye on them through out the night as well.

2 Cor. 3:18  "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."

1 Peter 2:21  "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,"

Revelation 14:4  "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.  These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb."




Light is "more knowledge of God/Christ"
Warmth is the joy and comfort from knowing Christ

3 Interesting facts about sea urchins

1. They have no eyes
2. They can sense where the sun is somehow in their bodies
3. Each sea urchin responds differently to the light.  Some will twitch others will change color and still other's will follow the sun across the sky.

Transformers in the land of sea urchins.

In the land of sea urchins there lived three types.  There were the twitchers, the transformers and the followers.

Peter was a transformer.  He once was very hard, dark black and lived in the darkest part of the sea.  He would move slowly across the bottom and find food.  It was so dark down in the sea that the Son's ray's rarely made it down that far.  Every now and then when a ray would bounce off a few rocks it would hit transformer and he would twitch.







Transformer liked the heat that came from the Son so he would climb higher and higher every day.  As transformer got closer to the Son he would twitch more and more.  One day when the Son was at it's peek and transformer couldn't stop twitching that something amazing happened.
Transformer changed color's, got softer and stopped twitching all at once.

4.  What is Jesus in these verses?
     John 8:12
     John 9:5

5.  What does Jesus reveal?  Like light lets us understand/see what we didn't see before?  What did  Jesus reveal to Simon Peter according to this verse?
Matthew 16:15-17


2 Cor. 5:17  "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old things have passed away: and the new things have come."

Twitchers are those that hear the word and don't do it.   Transformer now hears the word of God and obey's

3 Unique Facts about urchins

1. They have no eyes so they can't see
2. They can't see the light from the Son but they can feel or sense the warmth and or the light in their bodies.
3. Different urchins respond in their own way to the light.  They either twitch, change colors or follow the Sun.

Twitcher's in the land of sea urchins.

In the land of sea urchins there lives 3 types of urchins.  The twitcher's, transformers and the follower's.

Sandy was a twitcher, black in color who lived deepest in the ocean where it was dark.  She would forage for food on the rocks.  Every now and then if she got to a rock that was high enough and at just the right angle the Sun would peer through the water reflect off a few rocks and hit Sandy.  Just then Sandy would twitch.  Sandy didn't like the Sun much so she tried to stay as far away from it as possible.  But every now and then another ray from the Son would find it's way to Sandy and she would twitch again!

Three unique facts about sea urchin's:

1. Sea urchin's have no eyes.
2. They can't see the light but they can sense it or the warmth in their bodies.
3. Some urchins twitch when the sun hits it,  some change color and other's will actually follow the sun through out the day.

Verses and questions to help further our understanding (Answers are on the bottom of the page)

1.  Did you see in the story where Son and Sun were used interchangeably?

2.  Who is the Son?  (hint:  Son is in capital letters)

3.  What is the main light of the world?

4.  What is Jesus in these verses?

     John 8:12

     John 9:5

5.  The twitchers stay in the dark, so why don't the twitchers go to the light?

     John 3:18-19

6.  Sea urchins are a lot like the 3 different soils explained in Matt 13:18-23.  Four different people 

     are described in the parable of the sower/soils but only one ended up being a real Christian.  Three 

     of them did not truly repent of their sins and believe in Jesus to save them from God punishing

     them for their sins.  Jesus describes 3 different kinds of "twitchers" in the parable of soils.

     Why don't the twitchers understand when the light hits them?  or  Why doesn't the seed grow

     when thrown by the wayside?

     Matthew 13:19

7.  Why does the man that hears truth on rocky places "fall away"?

     Matthew 13:21

8.  Why does the person in verse 22 become "unfruitful"?

     Matthew 13:22

9.  What does Jesus want us to do according to this verse?

     Matthew 5:14

Video of the parable of the sower

Analogy intended by author

1.  The twitcher's twitch when the word of God, and the Holy Spirit only enlighten the soul. This is the common call of the Holy Spirit not the effectual call which happens only to those whom Jesus died for.

Other possible verses to further understanding:

Hebrew 6:4-6
James 1:22-24

Answers:

1.  In the second to last sentence in the story Sun is used, but in the last sentence Son is used.
2.  Jesus allows us to see things about Himself and God that were previously not known.  Scripture uses the word "mystery."  Who the messiah was was a mystery until Jesus showed up doing what the messiah was prophecies to do.
3.  The main light of the world is the son.  When it rises in the morning then we can see better.  The moon and stars are the lights of the world when it is dark outside.
4.  Jesus in those verses is the "light of the world".  Jesus clearly reveals to the world that He is the prophesied Messiah the Son of God.
5.  They hate the light so they don't go to it.  They also don't want their deeds to be exposed as evil.
6.  The devil keeps them from understanding.
7.  Seed gets thrown on rocky soil in the parable.  The response of the person is only temporary like when the twitching of a twitcher when the sun hits it briefly.  What is the response of the man that had truth told to him but he had mixed the truth with enough error (rocks) that he was never able to put his faith and trust in the true gospel.

8.  Two things cause this man/twitcher or seed sown among thorns.  One is that the "worries of the world" cause him to become unfruitful.  And the second one is that the "deceitfulness of riches" cause him to be unfruitful.

9.  Be a light to the world by loving others and telling them about who Jesus is and what He wants them to do.

The wolf that loved Candy

The once was a wolf (or so we thought), named Eve.  And the King of the forrest named Joshua.  Joshua had one rule in His Kingdom and it was "Don't eat the candy" or you will die.






Eve loved candy.  And even though she new that she deserved death because she disobeyed Joshua, Eve kept on eating candy.  She would gather as much of it as she could.  One day Eve had collected so much candy that she started to drown when she crossed the lake.  "Oh, I am in this mess because I ate so much candy."

Eve started to remember that Joshua had said "Don't eat the candy or you will die."  This caused Eve to be sorry for disobeying the King.  Eve cried out "Forgive me" and instantly Eve changed from being a black wolf to being a white sheep and somehow she was back on shore standing on a solid rock.



What did the King say would happen if Eve ate the candy?

What happened just before the wolf changed into a sheep?

The Most Unique Bee on Earth

"The Kingdom of God, what shall I compare it to".  The Father says to his daughter.



"It is like a Bee Worker, named Mediator, in the garden who produces honey for the King named, Yaweh.  Yaweh loves honey and thats all He ever eats and is satisfied with.  And just the opposite Yaweh hates nectar.




The flower's desire to please Yaweh the King, but they can only produce nectar on their own not pure honey.








In His body the Worker Bee, Mediator, changes the Nectar into honey and then presents it to the King.   The flowers see the Mediator changing the nectar into honey and then giving it to the King.  And the King being pleased that the Mediatory did this for them.  The flowers see all this happening and believe that the father is pleased with them because of the work of the bee on their behalf."

Verses to further your understanding

What is Jesus called in this verse?

1 Tim. 2:5

What are two things Jesus does in these verses? 

Heb 7:23-25 

Question to ask yourself

1. Do you think you can get to heaven because you are good and your works are good enough?
2. Do you think your works are pleasing to God because Jesus makes them pleasing to God?
3. Do you try to do more good (internally, but mostly externally)  to make up for the sin you do?
4. Do you hate the remaining nectar, sin, in you?
5. If you hate the sin in you, what do you think you should do?

Intended analogies by the me the author

1. Christ is the Bee
2. Honey is the works of love to God and love to our neighbor that we should produce for God
3. Christians are the flowers
4. No matter how hard they try the flowers can't make the love God requires and is satisfied with
5. As Christians our works are not pleasing to God in and by themselves
6. It's in Mediator, the Bee, that our works become acceptable to God

(Note to the reader)  Due to the nature of the bee taking our nectar, this parable is more suited to the intercessory work of Christ in sanctification.  If the Bee where to have done a life's work and then went straight to the King on their behalf then the parable would be more lively in expressing substitutionary atonement (Christ's love at work obeying the Father on our behalf).

Facts about bee's from wikipedia

1. Bees have a long proboscis (a complex "tongue") that enables them to obtain the nectar from the flowers.
2. The pollen that they gather goes to feed their babies or larvae.
3. The smallest bee is about 2 mm  or 5/64" long.  The biggest one is about 1 1/2 inches.
4. People who harvest honey from the bee's for us to eat are called Beekeepers.
5. The beekeeper's job is to take care of the bee's and harvest the honey, this is called beekeeping.
6. There are over 20,000 know species of bee's.
7. To make 1 pound of honey, bee's have to visit around 2 million flowers.  Each trip, they go to 50-100 flowers.  During a single flight, worker bee's get about 1 drop of honey.  They can make up to 24 trips a day.
8. 60,000-80,000 bee's make up one colony.

Video showing a bee gathering honey

Cool video of bees, speed up, in hive making a hive!