Announcement of the Birth of John the Baptist

That thou mightiest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed. Luke 1:4

During the days of Herod, the king of Judaea there was a priest named Zacharias. Zacharias was married to Elisabeth, one of the daughters of Aaron. Zacharias and Elisabeth walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Zacharias and Elisabeth did not have a child because Elisabeth was barren. They were getting well advanced in years.

Now while Zacharias executed the priest's office, his duty was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord, an angel of the Lord appeared to him. The angel stood on the right side of the alter of incense. When Zacharias saw the angel he was afraid.

The angel said to Zacharias,"Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shalt rejoice at his birth. for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God."

It was prophesied, And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Malachi 4:5

Zacharias said to the angel,"Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years." The angel answering Zacharias said,"I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou  believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season." Luke 1:5-20

Written by Lisa Clewis 7-1-15

The Just Shall Live By Faith

Galatians  3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.  3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.  3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.  3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.  3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.  3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.  3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.  3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.  3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.  3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.  3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.  3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.  3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.  3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Grace

Before the foundations of the world, God chose His elect. Has He been tugging at your heart to accept Him? The life of a Christian is not easy, but God will help you throughout your life. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Ephesians  1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,  1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;  1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;  1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:  1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:  1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

If you know and believe in God, give your whole heart to Him. Be thankful for his mercy and bask in His unending love.