Mary Visits Elisabeth

Mary went into a city of Juda to visit her cousin Elisabeth. She walked into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elisabeth. When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb and she was filled with the Holy Ghost. Elisabeth said to Mary, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why has the mother of my Lord come to see me? As soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ear the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she that believed because there will be a performance of those things that the Lord told her. "

Mary said to Elisabeth, "My soul praises the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. He has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. From now on all generations will call me blessed. He that is mighty did to me great things and holy is his name. His mercy is on them that believe in Him from generation to generation. He has showed strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud with the imaginations of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of humble status. He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy that he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever."

For he satisfied the longing soul, and filled the hungry soul with goodness. Psalm 107:9

Mary stayed with Elisabeth about three months and then returned home. Luke 1:39-56

Written by Lisa Collier Clewis on July 20, 2015.

The Man Who Escaped Sodom and Gomorrah

We all know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. They were cities filled with wicked people who resisted God and relished sin. There was so much evil that the LORD visited there to witness for himself the grievous sin and whether or not there was anyone there who was righteous.

The angel said to Lot, “This place will be destroyed because the cry of them who are wicked has grown loud before the face of the LORD.” After hearing this Lot went out and spoke with his sons in law and daughters and said to them, “We have to leave this place because the LORD will destroy this city.” His sons in law did not believe him and would not leave.
The following morning the angels hurried Lot saying to him, “Get up, take your wife and your two daughters and leave or you will be consumed in the iniquity of the city.” Lot lingered and the two angels took Lot and his wife and two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and brought them out of the city.

Lot became aquainted with the angels when they first arrived in the city. He took them to his house and fed them. Before they laid down to rest, the men of the city surrounded Lot’s house and demanded he turn over the angels, who appeared as men, to them. They called out to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men which came to your house tonight? Bring then out to us that we may know them.” Lot trying to protect the men, went outside and closed the door behind him. Lot said to the men of the city, “Please, do not be so wicked. I have daughters who have not known a man; let me, please, bring them out to you, and do to them what you want to but leave these men alone. They are under my roof and I mean to keep them from harm.” They answered Lot, “Stand back! This one fellow who is in your house let him judge: now we will do worse to you than we will to them.”

The angels hearing what was being said outside and knowing what the men were about to do opened the door and grabbed Lot, pulling him inside, and closed the door. Then the angels caused all the men outside the house to be blind. They tired themselves trying to find Lots door and left.

Not only was Lot righteous before God, he was willing to risk his family to protect God’s messengers not knowing what power they had. When Lot was safe from the city the LORD rained brimstone and fire on the Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying those cities and everyone in them.

When Noah believed God and stepped onto the ark God saved him from a flood that destroyed all mankind except for who was on the ark. When Lot believed God and left Sodom he was saved from dying a horrible death from brimstone and fire along with all mankind who were in the cities. The LORD redeems the souls of his servants. No one who trust the LORD will be desolate.

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Deut. 8:3END

Written By Lisa Collier Clewis 07-09-2015

Grace! not by works

GRACE Written by Lisa Collier Clewis 11/01/1012 http://godislove373.blogspot.com/2012/11/grace-written-by-lisa-collier-clewis.html

The Angel Gabriel's Announcement to Mary

The people waited outside the temple and were surprised that Zacharias stayed for so long. When Zacharias came out of the temple he could not speak and made signs to them and they perceived that he had seen a vision. When his days of  ministration were accomplished he went home.

After retuning home Elisabeth conceived and hid for five months, saying 'Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.' In the sixth month God sent the angel  Gabriel to a city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

The angel went to Mary and said,'Hail, thou that are highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.' When Mary saw the angel she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of greeting this should be. Then the angel said to her, 'Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord shall give into him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and in his kingdom there shall be no end.'

Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?'

The angel answered and said to her,'The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.'

Mary replied to the angel, Gabriel, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it into me according to thy word.' And Gabriel left.

Soon after the angel visited Mary, she left and went into the hill country to Juda and visited her cousin Elisabeth. Luke 1:21-39

Written by Lisa Clewis 7-2-15