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

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.

Serve God or Man

Once again this morning going to church was a glorious blessing. The words from the Holy Bible that were spoken, the music sung to God's glory, the love and kindness shown by the people there and the tribute given to war veterans and those who have served in our nation's military continue to bless me as I ponder it all in my heart. Whiteville Assembly of God is truly a place where God's Word is taught, music lifts your heart and people join together in love and truth giving reverence to God and His Holy Word.

I was given the blessing of holding my grandson during the worship service and looking into his beautiful eyes that were wide in wonder and looking at his tiny ears that heard the music that was sung to God's praise and hearing Pastor Tim's voice as he gave tribute to our war veterans and taught the Word of God. As I held him and I heard Pastor Tim's sermon I thought about the world that my grandson is growing up in, the country that he was born in and the many people who died so that Americans can live in freedom and how not long ago our nation's president made the statement that The United States is no longer a Christian nation. How much more ground will we lose as a nation under God? How much longer will we turn a deaf ear to what is going on in our country and pretend that everything is as it has always been?

I am guilty of sitting back and doing very little. I pray, yes, I pray for our country and for God to preserve this country, our Christian beliefs, and the standards and the principals set forth in the original constitution of the United States and our freedom and I urge to you to pray for our nation. I have done little else to preserve this nation as a nation under God other than sign a few petitions and make a few post to bring awareness to the spiritual predicament that our nation is in. The thoughts of taking a political act or joining a political party in protest scares me because there is so much corruption and deviousness. Where would someone begin?

I think about the wars that I have read about in the Holy Bible and the battles that were fought by either angels or God's people, or angels alongside God's people and I wonder if we will see battles in our country? Will we see battles fought by us alongside angels defending a country who serves God, defending our people who believe in the one true God? When someone holds a sword to our throat will we deny Him or will we die like Stephen did asking God to forgive his persecutors or will we die defending a nation under God, free to worship the creator of the heaven and the earth? Only God knows the future. Only God can sort through the corruption and deceitfulness of our leaders and bring forth his people triumphant and free to serve Him, to lift the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and humble us to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God bless America and lead us the way that God would have us to go.