Have you ever left your hometown for a while—perhaps for school or a new job—and then returned? Everyone is curious to hear about your adventures and to see if you’ve changed.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus has returned to Nazareth “in the power of the Spirit” (v. 14). He has begun his public ministry. Lest there be any doubt, he identifies explicitly with a powerful passage from the scroll of Isaiah. Jesus says the proof that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him is that he is bringing good news to the poor, the captive, the blind and the oppressed.
Jesus gave his neighbors, and now us, a way of identifying who is filled with the Spirit. It isn’t those who preach prosperity or justify the status quo. It isn’t hanging out with the rich and famous. The prophets we should be listening to are those who have been anointed to bring glad tidings to the least among us.
"Go forward bravely. Fear nothing. Trust in God; all will be well." Remember that love and fear cannot reside together.
AMEN!
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Amen!
Sharing with you my Wednesday (yesterday)! *** I procrastinated all day yesterday (Tuesday and actually all winter break) to finish my BSF student lesson prep and told my husband Matt that I felt the class will be cancelled on Wednesay but no weather forecast to support that except it will just be very cold in the morning! I was weary after dinner, so I told Matt to wake me up 8:30pm so I took a nap. I finished my lesson prep at 11pm last night. The lesson prep was just for me. I listed a lot of questions (for that's Ms Salina's favorite thing to do) for the students in my lesson prep...but eventually they are just for me! Snow came Wednesday morning without forecast and student class was cancelled with the women pivited online! *** Part of the student lesson, "This week I am going to show you how to do Homiletics (resulting in homily)… o Revelation 8:1-5 o Revelation 8:6-13 · What do you think of Homiletics? * · Do you have any questions how to do Homiletics? * · Do you know why we do Homiletics? * · Open your DG to Q4. What happened in heaven when the seventh seal was opened? * · Why do you think there was half an hour of silence after the seventh seal was opened? * · Why do you think God send His judgment? * Isn’t it bad for God to send judgment on His people? * I thought He loves His people? * · All people sin and justly deserve God’s judgment! Is there anyone in here can say that he or she is without sin? * Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” · But God does love His people and sent His Son, Jesus, to die for them and take away the judgment they deserve! Romans 3:24-25a, “and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith.” · How do you receive this gift of Salvation provided by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross? * By grace through faith! · The key is to “Repent!” Do you remember the definition of “Repent?” * To be sorry for sin, ask God for forgiveness, then turn away from sin and to do what please God! *** Let’s pray, “Dear God! I am so sorry for my disobedience when I want to do my own thing and ignore Your warnings and Your directions! Help me understand that without Jesus’ sacrifice, I deserve the judgment! I thank You that You sent Your Son, Jesus, to take my punishment once and for all! Amen!”
"Jesus gave his neighbors, and now us, a way of identifying who is filled with the Spirit. It isn’t those who preach prosperity or justify the status quo. It isn’t hanging out with the rich and famous. The prophets we should be listening to are those who have been anointed to bring glad tidings to the least among us." Thank you. I needed to hear this today.
12/25/24 Fulfillment of the Scripture in Matthew 1:18-25, “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary and Joseph had promised to get married. But before they started to live together, it became clear that she was going to have a baby. She became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph was faithful to the law. But he did not want to put her to shame in public. So he planned to divorce her quietly. But as Joseph was thinking about this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. The baby inside her is from the Holy Spirit. She is going to have a son. You must give Him the Name Jesus. That’s because He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to bring about what the Lord had said would happen. He had said through the prophet, “The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And He will be called Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) The name Immanuel means “God with us.” Joseph woke up. He did what the angel of the Lord commanded him to do. He took Mary home as his wife. But he did not sleep with her until she gave birth to a son. And Joseph gave Him the Name Jesus!” *** According to the Gospel of Matthew, this is what happened to Mary and Joseph: Thet were engaged to be married, Mary was pregnant by the power of the Hoy Spirit and out of wedlock in the eyes of the society, Joseph was going to quietly divorce her but the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream to take pregnant Mary with Jesus as his wife to fulfill prophecy in Scripture! Joseph didn’t sleep with Mary until after Jesus was born! *** God’s plan and will in His prophecies recorded in Scripture will be fulfilled 100 percent! *** O Come, O Come Emmanuel by for King + Country https://youtu.be/draHA_9MS18?si=tzCnQYqwzxU7jroz
Amen.
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The theme of today's reading in 1 John 5:4-5, "That’s because everyone who is a child of God has won the battle over the world. Our faith has won the battle for us. Who is it that has won the battle over the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. *** Faith *** Believe Jesus is the Son of God *** A child of God ******* God is LOVE (His Name), the perfect love WHO drives out fear in 1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love. Instead, perfect love drives away fear. That’s because fear has to do with being punished. The one who fears does not have perfect love!" *** The perfect love is not what I do but WHO!!! *** Are you giving out 'your own perfect love?' "I need to protect my loved ones for I fear for them reaping the consequences (punishment) of their actions!" *** Are you following 'the Perfect Love?' "Do you know Jesus personally? He is LOVE!" ******* Do you know the difference? "Not because of who I am But because of what You've done Not because of what I've done But because of Who You are" *** Who Am I by Casting Crown https://youtu.be/mBcqria2wmg?si=BMB3JUqWHs6SCEYw